My disciples are all villains.

Lu Zhou looked at Xiao Yunhe suspiciously. "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing," Xiao Yunhe said, "It's my honor that Brother Lu is willing to heal me. It's just mystic microstones. They can't compare to my life. Since my weapon has been repaired, there's no use in me keeping the mystic microstones. I might as well give them to Brother Lu."

Following that, Xiao Yunhe brought out a brocade bag and took the mystic microstones out of the bag.

The mystic microstones' colors were chaotic, and they looked ordinary. However, they shone faintly and emitted a faint energy.

"Let go."

"Uh…" Xiao Yunhe reluctantly let go of his hold on the mystic microstones. He felt pained as he watched Lu Zhou put away the mystic microstones.

"Ding! Mystic microstones can be used to upgrade weapons."

'Hmm? The system didn't mention how many mystic microstones are needed to upgrade. Perhaps, it's because mystic microstones are different from obsidian essences, which were mined then refined by cultivators.'

"Brother Lu, I'll take my leave first," Xiao Yunhe said before he left.

Lu Zhou looked at the map Si Wuya had drawn, still surprised. If Si Wuya was right, then where was the Great Void? Although the Unknown Land was vast, it did not make sense that no one had stumbled upon it after such a long time.

After the system upgrade, Lu Zhou thought it was necessary for him to travel to the depths of the Unknown Land. Previously, he had only been to the periphery of the Unknown Land. Perhaps, he would be able to find answers at the heart of the Unknown Land. He really wanted to know the secrets behind the heaven and earth shackles as well.

Lu Zhou shook his head to clear his mind. The most important thing now was to increase his strength as soon as possible.

He sensed his supreme mystic power. After a day and a night, he had recovered about half of it.

"What's the eighth Heavenly Writing Power?"

After meditating for a day and a night, he still had not grasped the eighth Heavenly Writing Power. He would have to continue meditating on it.

"Upgrade weapon."

Currently, he had 110 obsidian essences. Previously, he had given 20 to Si Wuya.

"Purchase Refining Talisman."

"Ding! Used 20,000 merit points. Obtained: Refining Talisman x1."

"Which weapon should I upgrade?"

Lu Zhou had two fusion-grade weapons now. Nameless should be a fusion-grade weapon, and the Purple Glazed Ceramic was a fusion-grade weapon. This meant that the obsidian essences could no longer be used to upgrade these weapons. Out of all the other weapons, it seemed like the Confinement Seal was the most suitable.

After he made up his mind, he tossed the Confinement Seal and 100 obsidian essences into the fire to forge them.

Then, he no longer paid attention to it and closed his eyes to meditate on the Heavenly Writing.

…

Two days passed in just a blink of an eye.

Lu Zhou opened his eyes when he heard a crisp noise.

"Ding! Confinement Seal upgraded. Ability: 1,000-pound Force."

"1,000-pound force?" Lu Zhou was puzzled. What effect would it have? Based on its name, it clearly had something to do with strength. He would have to look for an opportunity to try it out.

Then, Lu Zhou returned his attention to the eighth Heavenly Writing Power.

"With the wisdom and divine ability of the true body, it can reveal the boundless and wonderful true body. The cloud makes the transformed person close to hide and can create all kinds of divine abilities without being noticed."

Specks of starlight appeared around Lu Zhou's body. Then, his entire person seemed to turn translucent for a short moment before it returned to normal.

"Is this the power of concealment?"

From what he could tell now, it seemed to be able to hide aura. He did not know what other abilities it had.

After a moment, he brought his Upgrade Card out. He ordered that no one was allowed to approach the Preservation Hall without permission before he checked on his disciples. After he was done, he muttered, "Use."

"Ding! System is upgrading…"

Subsequently, the system interface turned dark.

…

In an unknown place…

Lu Zhou was unaware that the moment he used the card, dark clouds gathered and dense fog swirled. The sky was gloomy and oppressive.

The fierce beasts on the ground sensed the change in the sky and looked up.

…

On a wall of the royal palace in the red lotus domain.

Yu Shangrong held the Longevity Sword in his arm as he stood against the wind.

"The wind has risen…"

Yu Zhenghai flew up to the wall and said, "It's been a long time since there was bad weather in the capital."

The two fellow disciples stood side by side and looked at the sky that was gradually covered by dark clouds.

"Why don't we stop sparring today?"

"Agreed."

…

In a white palace.

A female attendant arrived at the entrance and hastily bowed. "Master, the Sacred Hall has sent news that the Scales of Justice have tilted."

The woman sitting on a jade platform in the hall opened her eyes immediately. "Reason?"

The female attendant replied, "The reason is unknown. The Sacred Hall is still investigating. We can't rule out the possibility that a Venerable Master from the green lotus domain has crossed the boundary. There's also the possibility that a new Venerable Master has appeared."

The woman shook her head gently and said, "The possibility of the appearance of a new Venerable Master is very low. Even if someone had all ten Great Void Seeds, it's unlikely for a new Venerable Master to appear in just 300 years…"

"Master, are you saying that a Venerable Master has crossed over to the red line?"

The woman remained silent; she was not certain either.

Even the Scales of Justice were not omniscient and omnipotent.

"I'll continue to inquire for news," the female attendant said with a bow before she left.

Two orbs of white light, like the sun and the moon, flew up.

The woman collected her thoughts, closed her eyes, and continued to cultivate.

…

In the Unknown Land.

In the Rift Wind Valley.

Lu Wu was lying next to an ancient towering before it suddenly lifted its head.

Dense fog churned in the sky and rolled toward the east as countless birds and flying beasts fled west. Among them, there was no lack of huge rocs.

"The balance…" Lu Wu muttered in a low voice, "Is it going to be broken?"

"Take this!" Duanmu Sheng leaped up with the Overlord Spear in his hand. At this moment, the purple dragons twined around his body as golden energy spears shot toward Lu Wu.

Lu Wu did not even look at Duanmu Sheng and swiped its huge paw horizontally.

Bang!

Duanmu Sheng was sent flying back.

Lu Wu continued looking at the sky worriedly. "Master, are you here?"

Duanmu Sheng held the overlord spear in his hand. His entire body was wrapped in a purple dragon, and the spear aura burst out with golden light as it stabbed toward Lu Wu

Lu Wu did not even look at him. He slapped his huge claw horizontally.

Bang.

Duanmu Sheng flew out.

Lu Wu kept looking at the sky with a worried expression. "A new… Venerable Master?"

Every time there was an imbalance, fierce beasts would migrate in large numbers. They would only return once balance was restored. No one knew why, and no one could investigate further.

"Lu Wu, take this!" Duanmu Sheng remained unyielding. He leaped up and flew toward Lu Wu again.

Lu Wu ignored him and pulled out a life heart from the deep pit next to it. "Use it."

"Hmm?" Duanmu Sheng scratched his head before he descended. Upon seeing the life heart that was still stained with blood, he asked, "Didn't you say I should only absorb the life heart until the energies in my body fused?"

"You need to be faster…"

"One should not rush on the path of cultivation. Master said that everything has to be done step by step," Duanmu Sheng said.

Lu Wu looked up at the surging fog and continued, "The faster the better..."

Then, it lowered its head and pushed the life heart to Duanmu Sheng.

Duanmu Sheng took the life heart before he looked at the sky as well. He asked, "Lu Wu, what's the balance?"

Lu Wu shook his head, indicating that it did not know.

Duanmu Sheng continued to ask, "Then, how strong was Venerable Master Duanmu?"

Lu Wu raised its head and proudly said, "Far stronger than your master!"

Duanmu Sheng immediately said, "Impossible."

"Hmm?"

"My master has never been defeated... You know too little about my master," Duanmu Sheng said.

Lu Wu did say anything; it could not be bothered to argue with him. However, it cursed in its heart, 'When I met him, you weren't even in your mother's womb yet!'

After a moment, Lu Wu said meaningfully, "Young Master, Venerable Master Duanmu… is your ancestor…"

"So what?"

"..."

'Fine. You win!'

Lu Wu leaped up into the air, traveling a huge distance in just a blink of an eye. Before vanishing from sight, it said, "Your Seventh Senior Brother… said that… you need a lot of… life hearts. Leave this… matter to me…"