“The one who leaked information about your movements has been killed by you.” Yu Zhenghai refuted the insinuation immediately.
“Yong Shou?” Lu Zhou could guess that it was Liu Ge. During his fight with Liu Ge, Liu Ge had revealed many pieces of information before he died.
Liu Ge was certain that Ji Tiandao had attained the Nine-leaf stage before his death. He had also said that if he could have dissuaded Lu Zhou with words again, he would have done so. However, if Lu Zhou remained stubborn, he had no qualms about killing Lu Zhou.
Yu Zhenghai said, “I admit… that I have my own agenda. I won’t argue with you on that.”
Lu Zhou stroked his beard and asked, “Do you really want to rule the world so badly?”
“Yes!”
“Then what?” Lu Zhou asked.
Yu Zhenghai fell silent for a moment when he heard the question.
The night sky was dotted with countless stars, and their surroundings were silent.
“I haven’t thought about that yet…” Yu Zhenghai said, “Conquering it comes first.”
Lu Zhou turned around slowly and faced Yu Zhenghai. He said sincerely, “I remember you were a teenager when I recruited you. However, you were different from the others. You’ve experienced countless tribulations and understood the hardships of the world. You could bear what others could not… I remember when you entered the Mystic Condensing realm, you were delighted and proud. You even vowed to stand at the highest point.”
Something stirred within Yu Zhenghai when he heard these words. Even he himself did not remember many things in the past. He was surprised that his master did. Perhaps, he had experienced too many trials; his mind remained as calm as a pool of stagnant water.
Lu Zhou continued to say, “It’s my mistake that you aren’t properly educated…”
Yu Zhenghai was taken aback by this remark. His master was not someone who would easily admit to his mistakes. He fell to one knee and placed a fist on the ground. “I dare not!”
“Although you call yourself my disciple, I daren’t call myself your master…” Lu Zhou said with a sigh.
“Ding! Disciplined Yu Zhenghai. Reward: 200 merit points.”
Yu Zhenghai lowered his head and dared not say anything.
Lu Zhou placed his hands on his back and said, “Perhaps, you’ll become the ruler of Great Yan in the near future. When that time comes… I’ll have to kneel before you.”
Yu Zhenghai shuddered. He lowered his other knee to the ground. “Why would you say that, master?!”
Lu Zhou stared at Yu Zhenghai and raised his voice as he said, “Am I wrong?” Then, he continued to say, “I have a source; his name’s Jiang Aijian. He’s the Third Prince of Great Yan. It isn’t difficult for him to take the throne with his abilities. Do you know why he’s distancing himself from the palace?”
Yu Zhenghai shook his head.
Lu Zhou said, “Because he personally witnessed 1,000 people burned to their deaths in Jinghe Palace. His mother was one of the victims.” He paused for a moment before he continued to say, “He could become the Emperor and wield the power to kill. He could’ve avenged the 1,000 victims of Jinghe Palace. And yet… he did not. He chose the smarter option.”
There was no need to elaborate on his words. Lu Zhou believed Yu Zhenghai must have heard about Jiang Aijian from Si Wuya. He also believed that the happenings in the Obedient Villa had reached Yu Zhenghai’s ears.
Yu Zhenghai’s voice shook as he said, “I’m different from him. Master, if I may be so bold to ask you a question…”
“What is it?”
Yu Zhenghai looked up and met Lu Zhou’s gaze. He remembered the things he experienced when he was sold to Lou Lan. He remembered how he tried to fight for a steamed bun in a crowd and failed. “Do you know what it feels like to have nothing to eat but dirt for a month?”
Yu Zhenghai’s question was, indeed, bold. His palm was sweaty, and his back was cold as he posed this question. However, when Mingshi Yin’s earlier words rang in his mind, he mustered up his courage and continued to ask, “Do you know how it feels to have somebody stepping on your face while you can’t move?” Since he had already asked one question, there was no point in holding back now. He inhaled and continued. “Do you know the pain of having the person you trust the most stab you in the heart?
Lu Zhou could tolerate the first two questions, but the final question was akin to rubbing salt on his wound. He scoffed as he raised his hand and swung it. “B*stard!”
Smack!
Lu Zhou slapped Yu Zhenghai’s face.
“Ding! Disciplined Yu Zhenghai. Reward: 200 merit points.”
Yu Zhenghai did not dodge. However, he persisted. “Master… You’re a person with a high position, the master of the Evil Sky Pavilion… You’re the greatest Eight-leaf cultivator in the world; who would dare say no to you? However, I’m not… I’m not…” His voice was shaking, but it was powerful. “I’m a good-for-nothing, an honest-to-God good-for-nothing. Anyone can step on me, spit on me… the lives of those in power are valuable, but are the lives of the Wuqian commoners disposable? When pigs and dogs are tied to the chopping board, and the butcher inserts a silver knife into their bodies, even they would struggle! Am I… am I lesser than pigs and dogs? Can’t… can’t I even struggle? I want to climb up… all the way to the highest point!”
Yu Zhenghai suddenly pivoted on his knees and pointed at the mountains, rivers, and forest. “The others will only look up at you if you’re standing on the highest point!”
“Enough!”
Yu Zhenghai was taken aback. He looked at his master who wore a stern expression on his face, clearly angered. He was flustered.
Lu Zhou said, clearly resenting Yu Zhenghai for failing to meet his expectations, “You’re possessed… Do you think you’re the only one who had to endure hardships under the heavens? Do you think I wasn’t abandoned when I was young? I rose to the peak of the Eight-leaf stage 300 years ago. Which part of my 700 years of hardship is any easier than yours? Do you think I had easily reached the Eight-leaf stage? You don’t know how much I’ve been through. Must I act like you and whine about how difficult my life was? How much effort did I spend to raise an Eight-leaf cultivator like you? The world has always been unfair! You’re shallow and ignorant. Why do I have a disciple like you?”
Yu Zhenghai’s mind went blank. For a time, he was at a loss for words. Realization dawned on him that he had truly been too self-centered. “M-master…”
That was right. Which Eight-leaf cultivator in this world had it easy? Which of them did not experience countless trials and hardships?
With a stern expression, Lu Zhou said, “Don’t call me master…”
Yu Zhenghai bowed and kowtowed with a loud thud.
The air seemed to still at this moment. The surroundings were silent.
Lu Zhou turned around with his hands on his back; his back facing Yu Zhenghai. He no longer said anything.
Two of them remained there; one standing and one kneeling.
Both of them no longer spoke.
After an hour, when the moon was high in the starry skies, Lu Zhou suddenly sighed, breaking the silence.
Yu Zhenghai shuddered.
“I’m saying all this… to tell you that it’s alright to seek revenge… However, you shouldn’t let your quest for revenge blind you. It’s fine if you want to take down the Divine Capital, but you can’t lose yourself because of the power.”
Yu Zhenghai was hit with a sudden realization. He did not know what to feel.
Lu Zhou turned around.
Thud!
Upon seeing this, Yu Zhenghai kowtowed again.