The twenty-ninth day.

Auspicious for: traveling, demolition.

Inauspicious for: opening markets, meeting friends and relatives.

On this day, the sky was clear and boundless, with a gentle breeze caressing their faces.

After resting overnight in the wilderness, Jun Changxiao stood at the foot of the Righteous Qi Gate’s mountain with his eight disciples.

Before them was a stone stairway extending upward with fully ten thousand steps. Halfway up the mountain, faint morning mist existed, giving people a feeling of immortal qi swirling about.

“Wow.”

Li Fei opened his mouth and said, “So imposing!”

“Smack.”

Jun Changxiao pulled out the Records of the Grand Historian and whacked him on the forehead. “Look at how little ambition you have.”

Li Fei covered his head and chuckled.

Su Xiaomo clenched her fists excitedly. “Just thinking about beating up disciples from a major sect, my blood feels like it’s about to burn!”

Li Qingyang said calmly, “Sect Leader, the people from the Hundred Sects Alliance have probably already arrived early. When we go up, we’ll inevitably face targeting.”

Jun Changxiao said, “Last time I berated them until they vomited blood. If they’re smart people, they definitely won’t engage in verbal sparring.”

“Let’s go.”

As he spoke, he led the disciples up the stone stairs.

Our great Lord of Night tragically shouldered the modified sound system.

The ten gold-ranked assassins in the shadows also followed, but the Sect Leader had given instructions to stop and lurk in the shadows along the mountain path, not planning to go up.

When everyone reached halfway up the mountain, on the left side was a smooth giant boulder with three vigorous and powerful large red characters carved on it: “Righteous Qi Gate.”

“The person who carved these characters must have had a body full of righteous qi, but Sect Leader Qin…” At this point, Jun Changxiao shook his head, his gaze full of contempt.

To be honest, he quite admired the name Righteous Qi Gate and didn’t want to become enemies with Qin Haoran, but at Spiritual Spring Mountain, Qin had fanned the flames, clearly wanting to push him off a cliff. So they could only tear off all pretenses.

—

Righteous Qi Gate, training grounds.

The sect leaders and family heads from various factions were warmly greeting each other, giving people the feeling of visiting friends and relatives.

Because he had previously strongly protected Jun Changxiao, Xie Guangkun, though noble as a city lord, had very few bigwigs coming forward to greet him, treating him like air.

“Hmph.”

City Lord Xie was also quite proud. If you won’t pay attention to me, why should I bother with you?

Following City Lord Xie were several high-ranking family members from within Qingyang City, including Li Qingyang’s father. They were representatives of the three million six hundred thousand citizens, here to support the Iron Bones Clanging Sect.

However, there were only six or seven of them.

Compared to the dozens of sect leaders from the Hundred Sects Alliance, they were far inferior.

Moreover, which sect didn’t have some friends?

Many families who came to watch the excitement mostly had connections with the Hundred Sects Alliance, chatting enthusiastically with each other, wishing they could immediately drink and make merry together.

The most popular was definitely still Family Head Ai. At this moment, whether sect leaders or family heads, all crowded around him, enthusiastically getting close.

The Ai Family did business in medicinal pills and had extensive connections to begin with. Now with Healing Pills and Body Tempering Pills, people definitely wanted to establish good relations.

The most enthusiastic was none other than the Long Sword Gate’s sect leader.

After all, with injuries on his body, not only had his strength greatly decreased, but it also affected his cultivation. He urgently hoped to buy a Healing Pill.

He had also gone to the second auction, but all the participants were major sects and major families, fighting so bloodily that he was too scared to even open his mouth.

“Family Head Ai.”

Sect Leader Shen said with a fawning smile, “Could you possibly sell me a Healing Pill privately? I’m willing to pay…”

“Sorry.”

Ai Shangni coolly interrupted, “The Healing Pills refined by my Ai Family are only sold at auctions, never in private transactions.”

If it were someone else, he might still be flexible.

But who was this guy?

A member of the Hundred Sects Alliance, Qin Haoran’s lackey.

He had even challenged Sect Leader Jun in Qingyang City before. Would my brain have to be kicked by a donkey to sell to him and offend my own business partner!

Family Head Ai’s stance was very firm.

Anyone with grudges against the Iron Bones Clanging Sect had grudges with the Ai Family. Forget buying Healing Pills—they wouldn’t even be welcome to buy medicinal ingredients at the herb shop.

Sect Leader Shen was rebuffed and left resentfully, thinking to himself, “Did I offend him? Why such a cold tone?”

Thinking that Jun Changxiao was coming and the Righteous Qi Gate could help him vent the anger of being beaten and injured, his irritated mood immediately became much more comfortable.

“Family Head Ai, when will you hold the auction?”

“Can that Body Tempering Pill really strengthen the physical body and increase strength?”

“We’re all people from Qingyang Commandery. Could you take care of us a bit and not always let people from other commanderies spend big money to buy everything?”

The prominent bigwigs of Qingyang Commandery surrounded Ai Shangni asking about pill matters, showing that Healing Pills and Body Tempering Pills had already become deeply ingrained in people’s hearts.

“Ahem.”

Just then, Qin Haoran walked out wearing a short jacket and fitted outfit, clearing his throat twice with his hands clasped behind his back. An aura of someone long in a position of authority spread out.

The training grounds immediately became quiet.

The bigwigs turned around one after another, smiling and cupping their fists in greeting.

Xie Guangkun didn’t go to curry favor, because in terms of status, he was on par with Qin Haoran.

The family heads from Qingyang City wanted to go forward to greet him, but since the City Lord didn’t go, they could only stand awkwardly in the back.

Qin Haoran saw Xie Guangkun and, knowing he favored Jun Changxiao, didn’t acknowledge him, treating him like air.

“Family Head Ai!” Seeing Ai Shangni, he immediately changed to a smiling face. “How do you have time to come to my Righteous Qi Gate?”

He had previously cooperated with the Ai Family.

After all, as the Alliance Leader, Ai Shangni politely cupped his fists. “Such a major event, naturally I came to support.”

Hearing this, the smile on Qin Haoran’s face grew even broader.

The surrounding bigwigs and family heads were extremely envious.

They had long heard that the Righteous Qi Gate and the Ai Family had frequent business dealings and a close relationship. With the Iron Bones Clanging Sect coming to challenge and the Family Head personally coming to support, the rumors were indeed true!

“Someone!”

Qin Haoran said, “Prepare the seat of honor for Family Head Ai.”

“No need.” Ai Shangni said, “Standing is fine.”

“Family Head Ai is quite courteous!”

“His relationship with Sect Leader Qin must be extraordinary!”

Many bigwigs discussed in low voices.

Qin Haoran’s gaze revealed pride, feeling somewhat pleased with himself about Family Head Ai’s show of support.

However, Xie Guangkun’s lips curved into a mocking smile, thinking, “Qin Haoran, Sect Leader Qin, you really think you’re something special?”

Others didn’t know about the Ai Family’s Healing Pills, but he knew very clearly, because Jun Changxiao had once given him two. So he had long guessed that the young man must have reached a business cooperation with the Ai Family.

City Lord Xie had eaten much rice and walked many roads, so naturally he wouldn’t expose the truth.

“Report!”

Just then, a disciple hurried over and said, “Iron Bones Clanging Sect’s Sect Leader Jun Changxiao has brought disciples and requests an audience at the mountain gate!”

This use of “requests an audience” was quite clever—it was nakedly looking down on our great Sect Leader Jun.

Qin Haoran said indifferently, “Let him come in.”

“Yes.”

The disciple withdrew.

The training grounds, which had been somewhat quiet, immediately became lively again as everyone naturally began discussing Jun Changxiao.

The bigwigs from the Hundred Sects Alliance exchanged glances with each other, their lips all curving into contemptuous smiles.

Dozens of sect leaders had already prepared themselves. As soon as Jun Changxiao appeared before their eyes, they would immediately burst forth with invisible imposing auras to give him a show of force.

Creak.

The gate opened.

Jun Changxiao, wearing flashy sunglasses and a cigar in his mouth, led eight disciples striding in.

Just as they watched him approach step by step and the sect leaders were about to release their auras, suddenly an ear-splitting sound rang out!

“Ah ah ah, ah ah ah ah ah! Vaguely in dreams as if once seen, waves surging within my heart, casting aside worldly matters severing grudges and enmities…”

Under the Cantonese version of the Iron-Blooded Loyal Heart background music, Jun Changxiao ascended to the training grounds.

Snap.

The sound system was turned off.

Sect Leader Jun gently raised his head and smiled faintly. “Sect Leader Qin, my Iron Bones Clanging Sect has come to wreck your place.”

“Tap, tap, tap.”

Eight disciples strode forward, standing behind their sect leader in a single row.

Iron bones clanging.