My disciples are all villains.

Everyone could not wait to see the development of a cultivator without a golden lotus and looked at Yu Shangrong unblinkingly. Without the lotus and Birth Palace, would it be possible to activate a Birth Chart and gain the awe-inspiring astrolabe at the back of the avatar?

Yu Shangrong did not pay attention to the eyes watching and concentrated on activating his Birth Chart. No matter what, it should be easier than when he severed his lotus back then. At that time, he was the first to sever his lotus when the chances of survival were uncertain. The Great Yan's Imperial family even sacrificed many lives just to make life-saving pills as insurance before severing their lotuses. However, he did not have any failsafe when he severed his lotus. Later on, the method of severing one's lotus became popular and much safer in the golden lotus domain. Whenever people think or spoke about severing the lotus, they would inevitably associate it with Lu Zhou and his second disciple, Yu Shangrong, the Sword Devil. It was as though the pair of master-and-disciple was synonymous with severing the lotus.

Yu Shangrong could not help but briefly think that his cultivation and sword path were destined to be lonely and filled with hardships.

After a brief moment, Yu Shangrong gathered his thoughts and focused all his attention on activating his Birth Chart. He looked at Xi Qu's life heart that his master gave him after he shrank his avatar.

At this moment, Lu Zhou said, "You've just sprouted the Ten-leaf stage. You can stabilize your foundation first before activating your Birth Chart. The more stable your foundation is, the easier it'd be for you to activate your Birth Chart. It'd be less painful as well."

Yu Shangrong said, "I'm sure it can't compare to the pain of severing my lotus..."

Lu Zhou nodded before he said again, "Xi Qu's life heart boosts one's defenses and strength. These two attributes are compatible. In the Birth Palace, the Civil and Military zone is the most suitable…"

Lu Zhou looked at the bottom of Yu Shangrong's avatar. Without the lotus, how was he supposed to look for the Civil and Military zone in the Birth Palace? After a few seconds, he casually waved his hand, manifesting his lotus.

Everyone's eyes lit up immediately.

Lu Zhou's lotus was fully bloomed. Every leaf was succulent and straight. His Birth Palace was rather vast, and its distinct edges shone with a faint light.

"This is the Civil and Military zone. It's suitable for all elementary life hearts," Lu Zhou said.

Si Wuya chimed in, "Elementary life hearts contain 1,500-1,800 years of life; intermediate life hearts contain 1,800-1,2000 years of life; advanced life hearts contain 2,000-2,500 years of life. Advanced life hearts mostly come from beast kings. Beast kings have the ability to control beasts with elementary life hearts. More than 2,000 years ago, a beast king controlled many fierce beasts and attacked the red lotus domain, bringing with a beast tide."

Everyone nodded as they listened to Si Wuya's explanation.

After a while, Duanmu Sheng bluntly asked, "We have the life heart now, but Second Senior Brother doesn't have a Birth Palace. Where are we going to place the life heart then?"

Everyone from the Evil Sky Pavilion looked at Yu Shangrong blankly. They had no idea as well. Even if they had any ideas, they did not dare to casually speak up.

At this moment, Yu Shangrong lowered his hand that was holding onto the life heart before he tried placing it on his avatar's feet.

Thud!

The life heart fell to the ground immediately.

Everyone shook their heads helplessly. Where could they place the life heart if there were no lotus and Birth Palace?

Yu Shangrong lifted his hand, and the life heart flew back into his hand. Following that, he raised his other hand before ten golden leaves flew into his hand one after another. One after another, he tried to place the life heart on the lotus leaves. Alas, there were no movements at all.

Meanwhile, the people from the Evil Sky Pavilion watched with worried expressions on their faces. If Yu Shangrong could not activate his Birth Chart, did it mean that the formidable Sword Devil's cultivation would stagnate at the Ten-leaf stage?

Lu Zhou stroked his beard and continued to observe the situation. All ten of his disciples had the Great Void Seed in them. It would be a pity if they could not advance further in their cultivation.

At this moment, Si Wuya said, "Try placing it in your Dantian's sea of Qi."

Yu Shangrong placed the life heart in his Dantian's sea of Qi. Similar to before, there were no changes. In the beginning, he was still able to remain unmoved. However, after failing three times, his spirit of competitiveness rose immediately. He raised his hand and used energy to control the life heart to fly around the avatar.

The life heart flew up, down, left, right close to the avatar.

"..."

The life heart flew around the avatar so swiftly that it left a streak of light in its wake.

After a moment, Yu Shangrong brought the life heart back into his hand.

Another failed attempt to activate the Birth Chart.

Yu Shangrong raised his head and brought his avatar closer to him so he could study it. His eyes and expression were as calm as a still lake, nary a ripple could be seen.

Little Yuan'er said reassuringly with a smile on her face, "Second Senior Brother, it doesn't matter. Perhaps, your foundation at the Ten-leaf stage isn't stable enough yet. You probably need to wait for it to stabilize before you can activate your Birth Chart…"

Si Wuya nodded. "Ninth Junior Sister has a point... The process of cultivation has always been gradual and orderly. It's not something one can rush or improve overnight. Second Senior Brother, you should wait until your cultivation base has stabilized."

Following that, Yu Zhenghai stepped forward and said, "If Second Junior Brother can't activate his Birth Chart, I won't activate my Birth Chart as well. It's not a big deal…"

Everyone was trying to comfort Yu Shangrong and ease the heavy atmosphere at the same time.

How could Yu Shangrong be unaware of everyone's intention? He smiled faintly before he said, "I appreciate everyone's good intentions. To me, activating the Birth Chart after sprouting the tenth leaf isn't any different from those Eight-leaf cultivators in the golden lotus domain who tried to sprout the ninth leaf back then. At that time, the road to the Nine-leaf stage was dark and uncertain, but everyone soldiered on and worked diligently just to sprout the ninth leaf. This is the essence of cultivation; to march forward despite the uncertainties that lie ahead. Cultivation itself is going against the heavens. The road of cultivation is destined to be fraught with danger and hardships. If there are no hardships to temper cultivators, how could there be experts?"

The four elders of the Evil Sky Pavilion nodded and responded one after another.

"Listening to Mister Second's words is better than studying for ten years..."

After all, the four elders were in the same boat as Yu Shangrong after they stepped on the path of severing their lotuses. It was only natural that they would be slightly upset seeing that they might not be able to activate their Birth Charts. However, with Yu Shangrong forging the path ahead of them, they felt more at ease.

Yu Shangrong cupped his hands at everyone. "Let's work hard together."

At this moment, Lu Zhou raised his hand.

The life heart suddenly flew out of Yu Shangrong's hand to his back.

The Birth Palace was connected to the Birth disk on the astrolabe; the Birth Chart would appear on the astrolabe's Birth disk after it was activated. Therefore, once the Birth Chart was successfully activated in the Birth Palace, the astrolabe, the most eye-catching thing of a Thousand Realms Whirling avatar, would appear as well.

Everyone instinctively looked up; their eyes were bright as they watched. Since Lu Zhou did not give up, did it mean there was still hope?

Meanwhile, the life heart flew around the position where the astrolabe should be. Unfortunately, there was still no movement,

Lu Zhou shook his head slightly before he moved the life heart close to Yu Shangrong's avatar.

Buzz!

'Hmm?' Lu Zhou felt a slight change in the life heart and quickly said, "Don't move!"

At this moment, everyone stared at the life heart intently.

Despite not holding much hope, Yu Shangrong obeyed his master and moved to the side after he saw the solemn expression on his master's face. After that, he continued to look at the life heart indifferently.

After taking a closer look, Lu Zhou thought he saw faint wisps of energy flowing out like smoke into the seemingly breathing avatar. He immediately recited the mantra for the power of sight from the Heavenly Writing Powers. With the supreme mystic power lingering around his eyes, what he saw was naturally different from what the others saw.

When the life heart was in front of the avatar, Lu Zhou could clearly see faint energy entering the avatar. Indeed, he was not mistaken. The avatar seemed to be breathing!

Lu Zhou's eyes darted between Yu Shangrong and the avatar, and he discovered that the avatar was breathing in rhythm with Yu Shangrong. 'The fusion of human and avatar?'

Lu Zhou cut off the Heavenly Writing Power and fell deep into his thoughts. Before severing one's lotus, one's avatar was just like a statue. Even the Wolf King avatar and the Tiger King avatar could only make slight biting movements. However, after severing one's lotus, one's avatar would gain mobility. One could freely control it to move in many different ways. It was just like one's second body.

However, apart from gaining mobility, there did not seem to be other benefits that came from severing one's lotus. However… if one's avatar could directly absorb the energy from a life heart… it would make up for all shortcomings that came from lacking a lotus!

Lu Zhou could not help but wonder what would happen once the avatar completely absorbed the energy from the life heart. Although nothing was confirmed at the moment, at least, he had made a new discovery.

Lu Zhou nodded as he stroked his beard and said, "The avatar is absorbing the energy from the life heart… See if you can sense it and expedite the process…"

"The avatar is absorbing the life heart's energy?" Yu Shangrong was slightly surprised. He felt as though his understanding of cultivation had been overturned. In the past, one had to work on oneself to cultivate or increase the strength of one's avatar. There was no such thing as an avatar being able to 'cultivate' on its own by absorbing energy.

Although Yu Shangrong was slightly skeptical, due to his trust in his master, he did as his master said. He recited the mantra for the Return and Enter Three Souls. With this, the movement of the avatar that could only be seen by Lu Zhou previously grew distinct.

Everyone was shocked when they saw the gentle rise and fall of the avatar's chest and wisps of green energy wafting out of the life heart into the avatar.

"It… It can be done in this manner as well?"