The food Liu Wanshi researched could increase combat power, but because the medicinal ingredients were incorrectly matched and produced toxins, it poisoned Sect Master Jun.

Of course.

Elder Wei’s statement that recovery would take two or three months only applied to ordinary people.

Jun Changxiao, who had experienced various body tempering processes, only needed two or three days of rest to recover completely.

What did this demonstrate?

That’s right—his life was tough, he could handle the torment!

“Sect Master.”

In the study, Liu Wanshi hung her head like a child who had made a mistake, reproaching herself: “I’m sorry, I was wrong. I’m willing to accept punishment.”

How could Jun Changxiao bear to punish this adorable loli?

Moreover, researching food that increased strength had good intentions—there had just been an error in the process.

“Study medicinal ingredient knowledge properly with Elder Wei—that will be your punishment,” Jun Changxiao said.

This matter was fortunate to have befallen him. If it had happened to the disciples, it might have caused fatalities. He absolutely had to make the little girl properly learn about medicinal ingredients.

“Mm.”

Liu Wanshi knew this didn’t really count as punishment, so she silently admonished herself that she must study medicinal ingredient knowledge diligently.

Jun Changxiao said: “Don’t neglect the research on strength-increasing food either. Continue investigating it.”

This kind of strength-increasing food, although it couldn’t compare to Strength Enhancement Talismans, didn’t cost contribution points, which was its greatest advantage. She absolutely must continue exploring it.

“Sect Master.”

Liu Wanshi said: “I’m afraid there will be more problems.”

Jun Changxiao placed his arms on the desk, interlocked his ten fingers to support his chin, and began dispensing chicken soup: “You can’t choose to give up because of one failure. Only by continuously attempting through failures can you truly succeed.”

“I understand!”

With the Sect Master’s support, Liu Wanshi regained her confidence!

Moreover, she had even greater certainty that she could research safe and harmless strength-enhancing food.

Because Elder Wei’s understanding of medicinal ingredients was truly too professional. After just listening for one day, she had gained earth-shattering understanding of numerous medicinal ingredients!

“What are you standing around for? Go study quickly.”

“Oh oh oh!”

Liu Wanshi hurriedly went to the medicine garden to find Elder Medicine.

Jun Changxiao cupped his chin, murmuring: “Being able to match ordinary medicinal ingredients with food ingredients and create strength-enhancing food—this little girl is really not simple.”

She.

What was her background?

Jun Changxiao’s understanding of Liu Wanshi was limited to encountering her being frantically chased by a group of thugs in Qingyang City, then saving her himself.

No, no.

There was one more thing he understood.

Lu Qianqian had once said that the Ouyang Family of Tianyu Royal City had great research in food preparation and could make dishes that enhanced martial cultivation.

“Could Dudu possibly be a direct descendant who came from the Ouyang Family of Tianyu Royal City?”

Jun Changxiao murmured.

If that were the case, she definitely wouldn’t be called Liu Wanshi, but rather Ouyang XX.

“Alas.”

Jun Changxiao sighed: “Each of my disciples seems to be quite extraordinary, yet as Sect Master, I don’t know anything.”

Like Lu Qianqian, like Ye Xingchen.

Actually, he could send people to Tianyu Royal City to investigate and would gain some information more or less, but he never had this notion.

In Sect Master Jun’s view, regardless of what stories the disciples had or what unknown secrets they possessed, since they had entered the Iron Bones Clanging Sect, they were Iron Bones Clanging Sect disciples.

As long as their hearts were toward the sect, all he could do was provide them with a safe harbor where they could focus single-mindedly on becoming stronger.

Sect Masters like this were truly hard to find on Xingyun Continent!

However.

Iron Bones Sect might be a bit unsafe now.

Because Heyang Commandery had already completely exploded. Since the Sect Grand Competition, it had been almost half a month, yet Qishan Sect’s Sect Master Liao still hadn’t returned to his sect.

Disappearing along with Sect Master Liao were many high-level members of various sects.

This wasn’t normal.

There was definitely something fishy going on!

“I heard that after the Sect Grand Competition ended, many forces couldn’t accept that a disciple from an Eighth Rank sect from another commandery won the championship, so they all sent people to pursue.”

“Sect Master Liao and the high-level members of various sects still haven’t returned. Could they have entered Qingyang Commandery?”

“Impossible. There’s news claiming that the high-level members of various sects intercepted the Iron Bones Sect disciple within Heyang Commandery’s borders.”

“That Xiao Zuiji was pretty good, but ultimately he’s just a Martial Disciple. Facing a Martial Sect Master like Sect Master Liao, he definitely had no power to fight back.”

“If that’s the case, why haven’t they returned after half a month? Could an accident have occurred?”

“Don’t tell me the Iron Bones Sect disciple counter-killed Sect Master Liao and the others?”

“Qishan Sect is temporarily being managed by the Grand Elder, who has already organized large numbers of disciples to go down the mountain to search.”

“Other sects have also mobilized their own forces and connections. I believe there will be news soon.”

A Sixth Rank Sect Master not returning for so long, with high-level members of various sects without any trace, immediately became a hot topic of discussion in Heyang Commandery.

But no matter how much they discussed, it was hard for people to imagine they had died at Iron Bones Sect’s hands.

Although Jun Changxiao had destroyed corpses and eliminated traces, there were no walls in the world that didn’t let wind through. If martial artists from various sects persisted in investigating, sooner or later there would be a day of exposure.

He naturally thought of this too and had prepared early.

When various forces in Heyang Commandery were searching in full swing, he ordered Fine Rain Hall members to begin spreading rumors.

What rumors?

That in a certain mountain forest in Heyang Commandery, a strange phenomenon had suddenly occurred half a month ago—a supreme treasure was suspected to have been born into the world.

As soon as this news was spread, it immediately transmitted crazily throughout Heyang Commandery, even overshadowing the news of Sect Master Liao and others’ disappearance.

In a world where martial prowess was supreme, strange phenomena appearing in heaven, supreme treasures being born into the world, or the discovery of cave dwellings and tombs left by great experts were all very normal.

Whenever such things appeared, martial cultivators would flock to them like ducks, even at the risk of losing their own lives.

To become a strong expert, diligent cultivation was indispensable, but fortuitous encounters were even more indispensable.

Look—how many martial cultivators harboring dreams, in order to obtain various fortuitous encounters, bravely jumped down from cliff faces, only to end up shattered to pieces.

That said.

What was Jun Changxiao’s purpose in creating this rumor?

Definitely to make the people of Heyang Commandery believe that Sect Master Liao and others’ disappearance was related to the birth of a supreme treasure.

Sure enough.

As the news spread wider and wider, martial artists began speculating—Qishan Sect’s Sect Master and the high-level members of various sects not returning for so long, could they have gone to find the supreme treasure?

“I heard that where the supreme treasure was born was in a mountain valley. The ground split open, revealing a cave entrance, then after a few hours it disappeared again!”

“If that’s the case, Sect Master Liao and the others must have discovered the cave entrance and gone inside to seek the supreme treasure, which is why they still haven’t returned!”

“It’s eighty or ninety percent likely to be this situation.”

The martial artists of Heyang Commandery were all led astray by the rumor Jun Changxiao spread.

Some might ask—what about their intelligence? They believe a random rumor just like that?

Sorry.

Since Jun Changxiao was playing this trick, he would definitely make the rumor sound as real as possible. Otherwise, how could he come out and fool people?

Moreover, he didn’t expect to rely on the birth of a supreme treasure to continuously deceive forever. He only sought to have the sects of Heyang Commandery investigate him later, gaining time to become stronger.

After Qishan Sect and the various sect forces heard the rumor, although they were half-believing and half-doubting, they still focused their attention on the supreme treasure and began searching mountain forests and valleys one by one.

There was no other way.

Without absolute investigation, who would imagine that an Eighth Rank sect had come on a long-distance raid, killed Sect Master Liao and others, then stylishly returned?