The requirements for a sect to become eighth-rate were: five Wutu, five disciples at Meridian Opening twelfth stage.
The disciples Jun Changxiao brought, even Xiao Zuiji who had no cultivation, all produced power far exceeding the minimum standard, so passing certification was naturally a matter of course.
“Sect Master Jun.”
At the counter, Steward Zhao handed over a token carved with the character ‘Eight’, his face trembling with a smile as he said: “Congratulations on your sect’s promotion to eighth-rate.”
Now, even without Cangshan Sect’s elder standing there, he would still behave respectfully, because the strength demonstrated by that group of disciples was truly too formidable. Iron Bone Sect’s future was likely limitless.
“Ding! Congratulations to the host for upgrading the sect to eighth-rate. Reward: 100 achievement points, 200 contribution points.”
“Ding! Sect achievement points: 100/500.”
“Ding! Sect contribution points: 355/500.”
Holy crap!
Raising the sect level also gave achievement points and contribution points!
Jun Changxiao was pleasantly surprised.
Actually, when he first heard that sects needed certification, he had been reluctant. Now, having gained achievement points and contribution points, it felt incredibly satisfying and wonderful with a clang.
The system said: “The higher the sect level, the higher the rewards.”
Jun Changxiao’s eyes burned with passion as he said: “Steward Zhao, what conditions are needed to advance from eighth-rate to seventh-rate?”
Steward Zhao hurriedly said: “The Sect Master must advance to Wushi, the disciples must have at least fifty Wutu, and five hundred at Meridian Opening twelfth stage.”
“That many?” Jun Changxiao frowned.
The sect’s disciple limit was only 500. It seemed that to advance to seventh-rate, not only did the overall cultivation of sect members need to improve, but the building also needed to be upgraded to level 3.
…
The ‘ninth-rate’ on the system panel changed to ‘eighth-rate’. Sect Master Jun, having gained 100 achievement points and 200 contribution points, walked out of the Certification Hall in high spirits.
“An eighth-rate sect token!”
“My heavens, Iron Bone Sect actually advanced!”
“Incredible, incredible!”
Passersby saw the eighth-rate sect token hanging at Jun Changxiao’s waist, their eyes filled with shock.
Over two months ago, Iron Bone Sect in the eyes of the world was just an obscure garbage sect, its first-generation sect master even becoming a laughingstock after being killed for visiting brothels.
Just a few dozen days later, under the second-generation sect master’s leadership, not only did it rapidly expand, it also advanced from ninth-rate to eighth-rate—making many people feel it was unreal, like a dream.
“Sect Master Jun.” The Cangshan Sect elder bowed his hands and said: “Ma has some matters to handle. If you have time in the future, please come visit my Cangshan Sect for a chat.”
It sounded like polite words, but many martial artists were dying of envy, because after all, not everyone was qualified to hear such polite words from an elder of a fifth-rate sect.
Jun Changxiao bowed his hands and said: “When I’m free another day, I’ll definitely visit Cangshan Sect.”
“Farewell!”
“Farewell!”
Elder Ma left, but along the way he thought to himself: “To bring a group of ordinary youths to such a level, this young man is truly extraordinary.”
“If we meet again in the future.”
“This Iron Bone Sect will likely have become even stronger.”
With a group of disciples able to produce such terrifying power values, Elder Ma naturally wouldn’t look down on them.
…
After sect certification, Jun Changxiao led his disciples to the market and entered a crystal core shop, beginning to select various quality crystal cores.
Considering that the higher the crystal core level, the greater the recoil produced when firing bullets, he focused his attention on low fourth and fifth grade crystal cores.
After some selection.
Jun Changxiao chose two low seventh-grade crystal cores similar to the Earth Flame Wolf King’s crystal core, and fifty low fifth-grade crystal cores.
The shopkeeper smiled and said: “Sect Master Jun, two low seventh-grade crystal cores are twenty thousand taels, fifty low fifth-grade crystal cores are one hundred fifty thousand taels, totaling one hundred seventy thousand taels.”
“My goodness, that expensive?”
The disciples who had followed inside widened their eyes. One hundred seventy thousand taels—they hadn’t even dreamed of such an amount in their dreams!
Jun Changxiao took out bank notes and slammed them on the counter, saying: “Sold.”
Seeing so much money, the Iron Bone Sect disciples felt dizzy and secretly thought: “Our Sect Master is really rich!”
…
After purchasing pills, Jun Changxiao went around the medicinal materials market again. Finding only a few portions of healing pills, he led his disciples back to the sect.
On the road, he unloaded the bullets from the Type 88 sniper rifle, loaded the Earth Flame Wolf King’s crystal core back in, and reloaded 10 bullets using low fifth-grade crystal cores.
Arriving at a deserted place, Jun Changxiao pointed at a hornet’s nest hanging from a tree ahead and said: “Zuiji, shoot it down.”
“Yes.”
Xiao Zuiji found a spot, set up the bipod, then shouldered the rifle and calibrated the target. During this process, Li Qingyang and the others had already retreated over ten meters away.
Sect Master Jun also retreated, thinking to himself: “Low fifth-grade replacing low seventh-grade, the recoil produced shouldn’t be too great, right?”
“Bang—”
As he was thinking, Xiao Zuiji, having finished calibrating, decisively pulled the trigger. The gun barrel ejected a stream of light, then precisely shattered the hornet’s nest.
From the gunshot sound and the light stream, it was obviously not as good as bullets condensed from low seventh-grade.
Of course.
The higher the crystal core level, the stronger the condensed bullets.
Although the power was much weaker, the recoil produced only knocked Xiao Zuiji back half a meter, with only a faint numbness in his shoulder.
Lu Qianqian said coolly: “The power of this strike—even seventh or eighth grade Wutu with full spiritual power might not be able to withstand it.”
“Really?”
Jun Changxiao smiled with satisfaction: “Excellent, excellent.”
Xiao Zuiji stood up, rubbed his shoulder, and grinned: “Sect Master, if this disciple adapts for a while longer, there should be no problem.”
At this point, his smile suddenly froze.
What’s wrong?
Jun Changxiao and all the disciples followed his gaze.
They saw at the shattered hornet’s nest location, a swarm of hornets gathering. Red light flickered around their bodies, and buzzing sounds came from them.
“Not good!”
Li Qingyang exclaimed: “They’re Poison Hornets!”
Poison Hornets.
A type of small social ferocious beast. Though low in level, their group attack power was extremely strong.
Never mind Wutu—even Wushi wouldn’t dare provoke them easily.
Just as Li Qingyang opened his mouth, Great Sect Master Jun had already taken off running on his long legs, sprinting forward while shouting: “What are you standing there stupidly for? Run!”
“Swoosh! Swoosh!”
The disciples hurriedly followed in a panic.
“Buzz buzz!”
The swarm of Poison Hornets immediately charged over.
Their poisonous stingers gleamed, their tiny eyes filled with rage.
“Ow!”
Tian Qi screamed: “My butt!!”
“Ahhh!”
Li Fei was chased by dozens of Poison Hornets, running around clutching his head. He even released his spiritual power to block attacks, but was still hit by the all-penetrating poisonous stingers.
Su Xiaomo ran the fastest!
However, the flying Poison Hornets could actually shoot out poisonous needles, instantly piercing his butt, followed by screams of “Ahhh!”
…
Dusk arrived.
The group returned to the sect. Except for Lu Qianqian, all the other disciples were covered in welts from Poison Hornet stings.
Especially Xiao Zuiji—his lips were stung so swollen they looked like two sausages.
Jun Changxiao was also stung, right on his eyelid. The swollen bump had squeezed his eye into almost a line.
“Sect Master…” Li Qingyang clutched his stung butt and said despairingly: “Next… next time please don’t have Junior Brother Xiao shoot any hornet’s nests!”