Chapter 373 Quit While You’re Ahead

The Luo Sect’s ten holy lands rose into the clouds. The roar of the mountain winds could easily disturb meditating cultivators. The smooth and round barrier was the best way to block out the noises.

Usually, the first holy land was quiet since there were not many people there. However, at this moment, the silence was eerie.

The disciples of the Three Sects held their breaths. They regarded Sword Saint Luo Shisan, who was repelled by the Evil Sky Pavilion’s Master with a single palm strike, with incredulity. This was an elite of the sword altar, one of the eight altars of the Yun Sect. He was the one whom the others called the Sword Saint, Luo Shisan.

Luo Shisan was not dead. He merely felt as if he had been hit by a sledgehammer in the chest. He felt that his innards were injured. It was an understatement to say he was in agony. He tried his best to suppress his surging blood essence. A grand Nascent Divinity Tribulation realm elite like himself was sprawled on the ground, finding it difficult to even sit up.

Nobody went up to help him, shocked by Lu Zhou’s precise and unbelievably strong palm strike. This was the same for the elders, sect masters, and Yun Tianluo himself.

Even Leng Luo and Pan Litian, who stood at a close distance behind Lu Zhou, were confused. How did Lu Zhou manage to unleash such a powerful palm strike?

There was a brief moment of silence.

Finally, Luo Shisan could no longer suppress his surging blood essence. His face flushed from the effort. With a muffled grunt, he spat out a mouthful of blood.

“Senior Luo!”

“Elder Luo!”

The Yun Sect disciples cried out in worry.

The other Yun Sect’s elders regarded the Evil Sky Pavilion’s Master fearfully. A single palm strike was all it took to defeat the sword altar’s First Seat. Just how skilled and powerful was the old villain? The earth-grade sword was as fragile as paper faced with Lu Zhou.

Yun Tianluo rose to his feet. He pushed Feng Yizhi, who had been supporting him, away. He pointed at Luo Shisan and said, “Are you trying to rebel?”

Luo Shisan acted as if someone had just doused him with a pail of cold water. His hatred instantly vanished. “Patriarch?”

“Who gave you the guts to try and assassinate my distinguished guest?” Yun Tianluo questioned.

Lu Zhou stroked his beard and spoke indifferently, “You want to avenge the Sword Freak Luo Changqing?” “Yes,” Luo Shishan replied unhesitatingly.

“If it weren’t for Yun Tianluo, I would’ve taken your life with that single strike,” Lu Zhou said honestly.

The catching of the sword and the palm strike had used up one-third of Lu Zhou’s ordinary power. Naturally, he could have used more than half of his capacity to kill Luo Shisan. However, he did not do that.

Yun Tianluo had exchanged 20 years of his own life to show him his memories of attempting to attain the Nine-leaf stage. It was the least he could do to repay Yun Tianluo. “How could my brother die in vain?” Luo Shisan said, seemingly mad.

A scornful laugh rang from the cloud-splitting chariot. “What a joke! Luo Changqing tried to assassinate my Second Senior Brother while my Second Senior Brother was injured. Do you expect us to stay idle and let you try and kill us?”

‘Assassinate?’ Luo Shisan looked up at the flying chariot.

The one who had spoken was the Evil Sky Pavilion’s fourth disciple, Mingshi Yin. After hearing Duan Xing’s exaggerated version of the story, he clearly knew what happened.

Mingshi Yin enunciated each word clearly as he said, “The Yun Sect has sent more than ten Divine Court realm cultivators in a bid to kill my master Bluesun Mountain. Tell me, how do you think we should settle the scores? Moreover, your sixth elder, Ding Fangqiu, impersonated my master and committed crimes near Measure Heaven River in my master’s name. Seriously, tell me how we should settle the scores?” Mingshi Yin continued on his tirade. “You call yourself the Sword Saint of the Yun Sect, a member of the Noble Path. Yet, you behaved as if you do not know what honor, propriety, justice, and integrity mean. If I were you, I’d prioritize justice over my family and kill Luo Changqing first. Perhaps, I would have a modicum of respect for you. As of now... you’re worse than pond scum...”

Mingshi Yin’s words were exactly the thoughts in Lu Zhou’s mind. He was very satisfied with his fourth disciple’s words.

Luo Shisan blushed.

The others wondered if it was caused by indignance or the lingering effects of the palm strike.

Yun Tianluo usually cultivated in seclusion. It had been a long time since he cared about such matters. Otherwise, he would not have stood by and done nothing when the Three Sects split and went rogue.

Yun Tianluo swept his gaze across the three sect masters. “Is this true?”

The Yun Sect Master, Yun Wuji, kneeled. He lowered his head and said, “Uh... Patriarch, I can explain this. About Ding Fanqiu, I’ve already sent our special envoy, Li Yundao, to apologize to the Evil Sky Pavilion, and we offered a sable magnolia as compensation. That score has been settled. As for attacking the senior and assassinating the Evil Sky Pavilion’s Mister Second, the Yun Sect admits to this crime and has no one to blame!”

Mingshi Yin smiled and said, “That’s more like it... However, I have to correct you... My master killed Luo Changqing out of self-preservation. At the end of the day, you’re the ones who were wrong. Logically, the Yun Sect should be apologizing to my master.”

The disciples of the Three Sects looked up at the cloud-splitting chariot at the same time. His words sounded strange... Yet, there was no flaw in his logic. It was like a brigand who tried to butcher someone with a saber but was killed himself. Who could he blame?

Mingshi Yin’s words left Luo Shisan fumbling for a retort. However, it was not over yet...

“Luo Shisan, you’re the only person whom my Second Senior Brother spared. With your understanding of my Second Senior Brother, do you think that he would do something so despicable?”

Luo Shisan was left speechless again. Although he did not have many encounters with Yu Shangrong, he was certain that Yu Shangrong was not a mean and petty man. On the other hand, it was likely that his junior brother, Luo Changqing, committed those acts. He knew his junior brother well. His junior brother had no qualms about resorting to despicable means as long as he could achieve his goals.

Yun Tianluo nodded slowly. He had basically understood the series of events. His eyes darkened as he said, “Yun Wuji.”

“Patriarch?”

“Come here...” Yun Tianluo seemed a bit stiff and unnatural. It was as though he felt suffocated in his chest.

Yun Wuji did not know what the patriarch wanted, but he still obediently did as he was told.

Yun Tianluo suddenly raised his hand and struck Yun Wuji across the cheek. There was no mercy in this strike. It was even supported by a weak surge of energy.

Smack!

The sound was loud and forceful. The slap was firm. The side of Yun Wuji’s face swelled immediately.

“Go,” Yun Tianluo said, “Kowtow to Brother Ji and apologize.” Yun Wuji was stunned.

Mingshi Yin was amused by this display. He wondered, ‘That slap must be all the patriarch of the Three Sects is capable of now that his cultivation base had deteriorated so much.’

Lu Zhou sighed slightly. At Yun Tianluo’s age, he no longer served as a powerful deterrent. The Three Sects were already separated and operated independently. This reminded Lu Zhou of Ji Tiandao or his current self. At their age, all they could do was slap people across the face. In the end, he said, “There’s no need for that.”

“Hm?”

“I’ve always been reasonable. On account of Yun Tianluo, I won’t hold this against the Yun Sect... However, if you do this again...” Lu Zhou trailed off, leaving the rest of the unsaid words to the other people’s imagination.

This made the Yun Sect’s people tremble.

Lu Zhou mused, ‘It’s better to quit while you’re ahead in these situations. It won’t do any good to have a complete fallout.’ Besides, if kneeling and apologizing were useful, why would the fist be needed? Moreover, it would help improve his cultivation base in any way. What he did not expect was for Yun Tianluo to be moved by this gesture. Yun Tianluo bowed and said, “I thank you on behalf of the Three Sects, Brother Ji.”

Lu Zhou waved his sleeve and spoke without a change in his expression, “It’s nothing.” After he said this, Lu Zhou turned around and walked in the air toward the cloud-splitting chariot.

Nobody stopped him. Nobody even dared to breathe loudly.

The intimidating pressure of the Old Age Pavilion’s members was enough to make the Three Sects freeze.

Lu Zhou returned to the flying chariot.

Mingshi Yin began his flattery. “That was amazing, master!”

The Luo Sect’s Lu Ping went onboard the flying chariot as well. He said, “I’ll send everyone off!”

“???”