Chapter 217 Even A Pig Has Its Value
Pan Litian did not open his eyes as he spoke in a daze, “I’m sleeping quite well now...”
“Is that so?” Lu Zhou waved his arm.
Little Yuan’er understood the signal. She flexed her fists and muscles. Then, she looked up and said, “Master, you told me not to oppress the old, the weak, the sick, and the crippled. Is it appropriate for me to beat him up?”
“Did I say that?” Lu Zhou asked in confusion.
“No, I was mistaken.”
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!
The sounds of popping joints rang in the air. Pan Litian shuddered and opened his eyes. He shifted backward and said fearfully, “Little girl, this old man might not be able to withstand your punches! Don’t come over...”
This was what Lu Zhou wanted.
Hua Wudao was puzzled by this. When he returned from sending Hua Yuexing away, this old beggar was already on the mountain. The Evil Sky Pavilion was no place for an ordinary beggar to eat and drink for nothing. He had been observing the beggar for half a day now, and he could not see anything extraordinary about the old beggar. The only thing was the old beggar was extremely shameless and bold.
Little Yuan’er smiled and said, “Don’t worry, my punches won’t hurt.” She stepped on the ground lightly, leaving a footprint behind. When the little villain did her thing, the other female cultivators looked away.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Little Yuan’er threw out punches after punches.
Things were not looking good. Pan Litian hastily waved his hands and said, “Stop! Stop... I yield, I yield.” How could he not yield? His face was already bruised and swollen.
“That’s more like it.” Little Yuan’er returned to her master’s side with a satisfied expression on her face.
Hua Wudao, on the other hand, was shocked. “You were a cultivator before this?”
No matter how tough an ordinary person’s body was, they would not be able to endure Little Yuan’er’s punches. However, a cultivator who had undergone Body Tempering would have no trouble enduring it. Although there were no Primal Qi fluctuations about the old beggar and he seemed no different from a mere mortal, he merely gave a few perfunctory cries when Little Yuan’er punched him. This meant the old beggar had been a cultivator in the past.
Even after a cultivator’s cultivation base had disappeared, the effects of the Body Tempering would still linger. The endurance and strength of their bodies would be much greater than mere mortals.
This fact was exposed after Little Yuan’er’s beating
Pan Litian said, “What cultivator... I have thick skin. I don’t have a problem enduring the four seasons. I can take a few punches.” To think that he would still continue with the act at this juncture.
Little Yuan’er waved her little fists and said, “Do you want me to help loosen your bones?”
Pan Litian instinctively retreated. He no longer dared to act.
Lu Zhou stroked his beard and said, “If you wish to sleep soundly in the Evil Sky Pavilion, you’ll have to abide by the Evil Sky Pavilion’s rules.”
“I always abide by the rules. I’ve called the four seas my home. No matter where I went, I always abided by the rules,” Pan Litian said.
“That’s good.”
Lu Zhou turned around after taking a look at Golden Court Mountain’s barrier.
Pan Litian sat limply on the ground, seemingly hopeless and beyond help. “With your identity and status, you could’ve lived out your days comfortably. What happened to you that you’re reduced to this?” Lu Zhou asked.
Pan Litian shook his head and said with a smile, “It’s great being a beggar. You’ll have something to fill your stomach as long as you’re shameless enough.”
“You’re indeed shameless...”
“But there is a limit to how shameless I am. I’ll leave on my own accord once I’ve had my
fill.”
Lu Zhou looked at Pan Litian and said, “Leave? Where to?”
“The four corners of the world are my home.”
“You’re still thinking of leaving after drinking the Evil Sky Pavilion’s wine?” Lu Zhou asked.
“Hm?” Pan Litian’s expression darkened, and he cursed inwardly. It would be difficult to refuse a request from someone who had helped him.
The Evil Sky Pavilion’s master was less vicious and violent than before. His tone and expressions were much more benign as well. However, it felt like his benign character was more terrifying compared to when he was outright vicious.
“Since I allowed you to stay, it means that I can afford to keep you,” Lu Zhou said.
Pan Litian sighed. “I’m only a beggar, and my life is worthless. There’s nothing I can do.”
Lu Zhou shook his head. He said disapprovingly, “Even a table or a pig have their values.”
“You have a point...” Pan Litian nodded. Then, Lu Zhou’s words dawned on him. What was with the words? Was a pig’s value not in killing it for its meat? “You intend to kill me?”
“That’s how the Evil Sky Pavilion has always operated.” Lu Zhou regarded Pan Litian with a high and mighty air as he rested his hand on his back. He stared at Pan Litian with a deep and penetrating gaze.
When their eyes met, Pan Litian’s heart skipped a beat. He knew what the statement meant. After muttering to himself for a moment, he finally said, “I remembered someone from my past.”
Little Yuan’er could barely stifle her laughter. She said, “What do you mean by someone from your past? Your grandson is doing fine. Both of you will be able to meet in a few days.”
“...” Pan Litian was speechless. ‘She really knows to hit where it hurts.’ He had a feeling she was going to be the bane of his existence.
Pan Litian ignored Little Yuan’er and said, “I’ll make a decision after I meet him.”
“Very well,” Lu Zhou replied lightly before returning to the east pavilion.
After Lu Zhou left, Hua Wudao continued observing Pan Litian. He asked, “Your grandson is in the Evil Sky Pavilion?”
Before Pan Litian could reply, Little Yuan’er pointed at Pan Litian and confidently said, “He’s Pan Zhong’s grandfather.”
“...” Pan Litian was rendered speechless. It seemed like he would not be able to explain himself.
Hua Wudao cupped his fists. “Oh, so you’re Pan Zhong’s grandfather.”
Pan Zhong was only a junior to Hua Wudao. Hua Wudao did not know about Pan Zhong’s background. Hence, he merely offered a perfunctory greeting to be polite. “My surname’s not Pan! It’s really not Pan!”
The others left.
The old man felt as if he was going to go crazy,
Lu Zhou returned to the east pavilion while Zhao Yue and Duanmu Sheng respectfully followed him.
“Master, he’s only an ordinary beggar, why are we letting him stay?” Duanmu Sheng was baffled.
“There’s use to him,” Lu Zhou replied.
Duanmu Sheng kept his thoughts to himself about this matter. When he thought back to what happened to the barrier, he said, “Fourth Junior Brother has yet to return, and something like this happened in the Evil Sky Pavilion. I’m worried that our enemies might seize this chance to invade the mountain. I’m willing to mend the barrier even if it means I’ll have to damage my cultivation base!”
Lu Zhou waved his hand and said, “Although the barrier’s weakened by half, this is still not a place where low-level scum can just enter.”
Judging by their current situation, the barrier was very different from the Green Jade Altar and Yun Sect’s Formations.
If the ten great sects of the noble path dared to lay siege on Golden Court Mountain again, Lu Zhou did not mind using a few more item cards.
“The two of you should head back.” Lu Zhou went into the pavilion.
“We’ll take our leave then, master.” Duanmu Sheng and Zhao Yue left the east pavilion.
In the pavilion.
Lu Zhou called up the system dashboard.
He wondered what had happened while he was comprehending the Heavenly Writing.
Indeed, the Heavenly Writing’s extraordinary power was formidable, but why did it trigger the barrier’s energy into entering his body?
He looked at the Heavenly Writing’s menu. There did not seem to be any increase in scripts. This meant the Heavenly Writing was still showing the Human Scroll.
Currently, the first power Lu Zhou discovered from the Human Scroll of Heavenly Writing was sound-based techniques.
The Open Heavenly Writing Scrolls should be the second power, the power of muting. It should be some sort of Dhyana Mudra but much stronger.
He had already tested the force of the power. Based on his experience, the force of the technique would increase as he made progress in comprehending it. Moreover, there would also be a third, fourth, and even a fifth power.
In other words, the Open Heavenly Writing Scroll was meant to help him activate and gain insight into different powers.
Lu Zhou glanced at the system dashboard again...
Remaining life: 5,236 days “Hm?” It was reduced by more than 1,000 days!
Although Lu Zhou appeared calm, inwardly, he cursed at the system and its entire family.
,000 divine beasts stampeded...
He had lost 1,000 days of life!
When the power from Golden Court Mountain’s barrier forced its way into his body, he needed an extremely powerful body and cultivation base to endure it. Otherwise, the massive power would accelerate his aging. He speculated that part of his life had been whittled away by the barrier’s power. What a great loss! However, he was slightly comforted by the fact that he gained another power.
Lu Zhou looked at the Reversal Cards that he obtained via the lucky draws.
‘Use,’ he thought to himself.
The five Reversal Cards dissolved into specks of starlight at the same time and surrounded him. Life energy around the east pavilion gathered and swiftly surged into Lu Zhou’s body.
Duanmu Sheng and Zhao Yue were still nearby when this happened. They stopped and turned around to look.
When he sensed the great fluctuation in the energy, Duanmu Sheng frowned. “Did something happen to master again?”
“Did he really descend into depravity?”
The two of them had worried expressions on their faces. After all, the influx of power from the Golden Court Mountain’s barrier was too chaotic.
Duanmu Sheng shook his head and said, “Let’s leave him be...” He had learned from his mistake. He knew his master was capable of handling it so he decided not to do anything
Zhao Yue nodded in agreement.
Both of them swiftly left the east pavilion without looking back.
The gathering of life energy was completed. His life was extended by 1,500 days.
Remaining life: 6,736 days.
Perhaps, he was not astute enough, but Lu Zhou did not feel anything different when his life was shortened and restored.
“Let’s continue to comprehend the Heavenly Writing.” Lu Zhou crossed his legs and composed himself.
After witnessing the force of the extraordinary power, Lu Zhou felt that he should put more effort into comprehending the Heavenly writing.
As for his avatar, he would have to work hard to obtain it. However, currently, it was more difficult to obtain an avatar than to comprehend the Heavenly Writing. Perhaps, he should undertake both tasks at the same time?
Lu Zhou quickly entered his comprehension state. However, it was a completely different experience from comprehending inside the hidden chamber. Before this, when he entered his comprehension state, he would lose all senses, as if he was isolated from the outside world and in a deep slumber.
Currently, Lu Zhou was completely conscious. He speculated that it was one of the improvements from the Open Heavenly Writing Scroll
The next day arrived in just a blink of an eye. Lu Zhou heard the approaching footsteps before he even opened his eyes.
“Master... There’s a letter from Jiang Aijin,” Zhao Yue said.
“What does it say?”
“I’ll read it to you.” Zhao Yue opened the letter and read aloud, “Old senior, the commotion about the Golden Court Mountain’s barrier had reached the ears of the ten great sects. I’m afraid things aren’t looking good for the Evil Sky Pavilion. Old senior, do keep me informed about this so that I can prepare myself.” After she finished reading, Zhao Yue cursed, annoyed, “Master, I feel Jiang Aijian will go wherever the wind blows!” Lu Zhou said, “Send word to Jiang Aijian. Nobody will be able to taint the halls of the Evil Sky Pavilion before my time is up.” “Yes, master.”
Meanwhile, in the great hall of the Nether Sect on Pingdu Mountain.
Yu Zhenghai looked at Si Wuya who was seated on his left.
“Seventh Junior Brother, you’re saying that Golden Court Mountain’s barrier is now weakened by half?”
Si Wuya appeared calm, and his words were laden with confidence. “My men have never spread false information. However, I don’t know what’s happening inside. Old Eighth seems to have been cut off.”
“The reason?”
“The barrier’s energy flowed in reverse. Someone must’ve absorbed the barrier’s power.”
The two of them knew nobody apart from their master would be bold enough to absorb its power.
“Why isn’t he accepting the fact that he’s getting old?” Yu Zhenghai said with a sigh.
“Absorbing the power can somewhat help him maintain his cultivation base. However, that’ll surely affect his lifespan,” Si Wuya said.
Yu Zhenghai nodded and said, “If that’s true, then, master is in trouble.”
“Eldest Senior Brother, you intend to help master?” Si Wuya asked, puzzled.
Yu Zhenghai shook his head. “It’s meaningless whether I help or not...” Si Wuya nodded. Yu Zhenghai was occupied with dealing with the Clarity Sect. He had no time to care about other matters.
“Seventh Junior Brother, in your opinion, now that the Evil Sky Pavilion is at a disadvantage, who will be the first one to strike?”