Chapter 787: Treasure
When the Cloud Mountain Mirror shone on Lu Zhou, those who knew him were not shocked. They had seen him with a golden lotus, a red lotus, and even a blue lotus. However, they were not revealed by the mirror at all. Therefore, the expressions of Sikong Beichen and those from the Thousand Willow Monastery remained unchanged.
Moreover, Sikong Beichen had also seen Lu Zhou’s Nine-leaf red lotus back at the Holy Palace. How could someone who could kill the Great General of the North with a single strike be a mere Nine-leaf cultivator? He thought to himself confidently, ‘Brother Lu must have some method of concealing his avatar.’
On the other hand, those from Cloud Mountain were slightly surprised by this. This old man claimed to have initiated his Birth Chart, but he was not even a Ten-leaf cultivator. Was he an impostor after all?!
Nie Qingyun was more experienced. If the old man was truly just a Nine-leaf cultivator, how could he defeat the Nine-leaf Xu Chang with a single strike?
Similarly, Ye Zhen did not underestimate Lu Zhou. The Formation in his dojo had also shown Lu Zhou with a Nine-leaf golden lotus. He could understand if his dojo’s Formations were incapable of revealing Lu Zhou completely. However, he was puzzled by the fact that the Cloud Mountain Mirror had the same results. Was this old man not the same person who impersonated Elder Meng at his dojo? Perhaps, this old man had a treasure that concealed his avatar as well? Or could it be that he was truly just a Nine-leaf golden lotus cultivator? These were all possibilities. He did not recklessly make a move.
However, at this moment, an elder stepped forward and demanded loudly, “Sect Master, what’s the meaning of this? Elder Ye Zhen is here with good intentions to resolve the conflicts between us, why are you doing this? Also, the Ninth Temple has brought two foreign tribesmen from the golden lotus domain here and openly challenged us. We can’t possibly let this slide!”
“That’s right. We should work with the Flying Star House and wipe out the foreign tribesmen! Elder Ye Zhen, you’re a magnanimous man. Surely, you won’t mind our sect master’s att.i.tude?”
The elders of Cloud Mountain were actually bowing at Ye Zhen.
Ye Zhen ignored them. His mind was still on the Cloud Mountain Mirror.
Nie Qingyun could not accept this. “Impossible! Again!”
The pillar of light shone on the rock tower, and the Cloud Mountain Mirror on the rock tower reflected it.
It shone on Ye Zhen. Red lotus, nine leaves, humanoid.
The radiance faded away.
The disciples of Cloud Mountain regarded their sect master with confusion. They did not know what he was trying to do.
At this moment, Nie Qingyun clearly felt his disciples were being slowly swayed by Ye Zhen. He quickly organized his thoughts. After taking a few quick steps back, he asked, “Old Mister Lu, will you believe me?”
“What is it?” Lu Zhou was as calm as always.
“Ye Zhen is a citizen of the Cherry Blossom Nation. They wors.h.i.+p the monster called Nine Infants, and his avatar is in the form of that monster, a Nine Infants,” Nie Qingyun.
Ye Zhen tilted his head up slightly and looked at Nie Qingyun from the corners of his eyes. A brief flash of killing intent flashed in his eyes. Then, he said with a smile, “Sect Master Nie, you’re getting better at lying through your teeth. The Cloud Mountain Mirror is the treasure of your Twelve Sects of Cloud Mountain. How are your disciples supposed to believe you?”
The disciples exchanged glances.
“I believe you.” Lu Zhou’s expression remained calm as he sat in a stately manner.
“What good would your belief do? You’re only a Nine-leaf cultivator… In the presence of a Ten-leaf cultivator, you have no place to speak,” an Eight-leaf cultivator snapped.
Lu Zhou glanced at the person lightly but remained silent.
At this moment, Sikong Beichen raised his hand. He pointed two fingers before an energy sword materialized above his head. The energy sword was as colorful as a rainbow. With a whistle, it stabbed through the elder’s chest.
“You…” The elder’s eyes widened. Fresh blood gushed out from the hole in his chest. Very quickly, he stopped breathing and fell backward.
The others were shocked.
“You old fiend!” Sikong Beichen shook his head and said coldly, “He’s only an Eight-leaf cultivator. How dare he behave so impudently here? Brother Lu, there’s no need for you to dirty your hands; I’ve dealt with him.”
“…”
What useless drivel! How could an Eight-leaf cultivator be a match for a Ten-leaf cultivator?
The disciples and elders of the Twelve Sects of Cloud Mountain were infuriated by Sikong Beichen.
Ye Zhen remained silent. Things were going according to his plan.
Nie Qingyun said, “He deserves to die!”
“Sect Master!”
The members of Cloud Mountain were stunned. Why was their sect master siding with an outsider?
Nie Qingyun swept his eyes across the disciples and elders. “Don’t you dare forget I’m your sect master! Whoever dares to act on their own volition again, I’ll kill him myself!” When he said the word ‘kill’, killing intent surged from his body. With this, the effect of his statement was amazing.
The Cloud Mountain disciples no longer dared to act or speak recklessly. Moreover, they had also seen Sikong Beichen killing an Eight-leaf elder.
“Ye Zhen has wors.h.i.+ped that monster all his life. He kills the cultivators he captured and strips them of their cultivation bases and lives to feed the Nine Infants,” Nie Qingyunn said.
Most people wore an incredulous expression on their faces.
Ye Zhen clapped his hands as he said with a smile, “That’s a wonderful speech.”
“I thought you’d know where to draw the line, but I didn’t expect you to use Xie Xuan to pull the elders of Cloud Mountain to your side. After that, you killed 30 of my Nascent Divinity realm disciples… Ye Zhen, enough is enough.” Nie Qingyun raised his hand slowly.
Whizz!
Nie Qingyun’s 200-foot avatar towered above the cloud platform, showing his might as the Sect Master of Cloud Sect. He knew he could not do this alone so he said, “Old Fiend Sikong, it’s true that we have our quarrels… If you believe me, join hands with me, and purge Ye Zhen from this world.”
No matter how Nie Qingyun looked at it, the situation seemed like one where the Ninth Temple and the Flying Star House would divide Cloud Mountain between them. He could only hope the Ninth Temple would not strike while he was down.
Sikong Beichen said, “It all depends on Brother Lu.”
Nie Qingyun looked at Lu Zhou. ‘Even at a time like this, Sikong Beichen is still so respectful to this old man. Why?’
At this moment, Lu Zhou slowly rose to his feet.
Upon seeing this, the members of the Thousand Willow Monastery and the Ninth Temple stood up as well.
Lu Zhou stroked his beard calmly as he looked at Ye Zhen and said, “I’m curious to know if Nie Qingyun is telling the truth as well.”
“Hm?” Ye Zhen frowned slightly as he looked up.
Lu Zhou flipped his palm. The Golden Taixu Mirror materialized in his hand. His Primal Qi surged, and the mirror thrummed in his hand.
Soon enough, golden light emerged from the Golden Taixu Mirror and shone on Ye Zhen.
‘This desolate-grade weapon should do the trick.’
Buzz!
Ye Zhen’s avatar appeared.
The Cloud Mountain elders and disciples who were standing close to Ye Zhen widened their eyes in horror as they instinctively retreated!
“What’s this?!”
The thing that appeared before the others was the Nine Infants avatar with nine thick necks and eight heads.
Everyone was frightened by this sight and retreated.
“So, it is the Nine Infants… Rumor has it that the Nine Infants monster has nine lives. Cultivators who wish to cultivate such an avatar must drink the blood of the Nine Infants, absorb its essence, and wors.h.i.+p it for life. Every raised head represents one life. One can increase the number of raised heads by devouring cultivators of the same rank… Since one of his heads is severed, it means that he has died once. However, since two of them are lowered, it means he currently has six lives!”
There was no shortage of knowledgeable people in the world.
A terrified expression could be seen on Meng Changdong’s face. Realization finally dawned on him why Ye Zhen did not kill all this while. As it turned out, Ye Zhen was just waiting for the right time!
“S-six lives?”
The others s.h.i.+vered despite the temperature.
Ye Zhen’s expression was as cold as ice. His brows were tightly knitted together. He did not foresee this in his plans. He looked at Lu Zhou who was holding the Golden Taixu Mirror and said, “You’re rather untactful, aren’t you?”
Lu Zhou withdrew the Golden Taixu Mirror and said calmly, “I told you… I find you loathsome.”