Jun Changxiao spent 200 Contribution Points to purchase the Array Formation Enhancer.

The Initial-Grade Disciple Spiritual Energy Array belonged to spiritual energy-type array formations. Enhanced by this item, the spiritual energy intensity would increase by 100%, which was extremely satisfying.

With more sect disciples, Qi Gathering Pills definitely couldn’t keep up with supply.

At this time, cultivating within the spiritual energy array was undoubtedly the best choice, since it only consumed one Contribution Point per day.

“Hum!”

After installing the Array Formation Enhancer into the spiritual energy array’s formation core, the gathered spiritual energy became three times that of the outside world.

Though it only increased by one fold, it could undoubtedly allow disciples to absorb spiritual energy faster to improve their cultivation.

Sect Leader Jun made arrangements for newly initiated disciples to temper their physical bodies in the training hall on one hand, while entering the array formation to cultivate in batches on the other.

After finishing these tasks, he entered the Tempering Tower and began his routine physical body and speed tempering.

As for the third floor, Jun Changxiao calculated that once he could comfortably lead a group of fierce beasts on a run for two hours, he would then go challenge it.

Li Qingyang, Xiao Zuiji, and Ye Xingchen were still cultivating on the first floor. They wouldn’t go to the second floor until they had tempered their physical bodies to the extreme.

Su Xiaomo and Li Fei both focused more on cultivating on the second floor, as it helped with movement techniques.

Song Xuanzhou had only just entered the sect a month ago. Though he also wanted to enter the Tempering Tower, he could only continue sculpting his physical body in the Body Sculpting Hall.

Having stood up from paralysis, he cherished this especially and cultivated extremely diligently.

In the Iron Bones Sect, genius halos were weakened. To become stronger, one could only continuously strive and work hard.

If one slackened even slightly, they might be surpassed by ordinary fellow disciples.

Several days later.

The disciples completed the remaining sect missions.

Achievement Points rose to 500, and Contribution Points also increased to 1,287.

“What should we buy?”

“I think Qi Gathering Powder is most cost-effective.”

“Right, we don’t need weapons for now. Let’s just buy Qi Gathering Powder!”

Many disciples, after completing sect missions and obtaining their own Contribution Points, rushed to purchase Qi Gathering Powder from the marketplace vending machines.

Though they didn’t have much supply of high-multiplier Qi Gathering Pills, with the spiritual energy array and the watered-down version of Qi Gathering Powder, their cultivation still improved quite rapidly.

Ten days later, among the four hundred newly initiated disciples, apart from Yao Mengying who had never touched martial arts, all had opened their twelve meridians to Meridian Opening Stage Twelve.

Some disciples had even relied on Qi Vortex Pills to step into Wutu.

From initiation until today was only about fifty days. For many disciples who started at Meridian Opening Stage One to break through to Stage Twelve, this speed was absolutely fast enough.

……

Falling Star Continent had a vast area, divided into twelve landmasses, hence called the Twelve Provinces.

Nine of these provinces were connected near and far, communicating with each other. The other three provinces, separated by endless seas, had no interaction with each other, as if isolated from the world.

Each province had its own culture, with areas far larger than Earth, like independent worlds.

Apart from special provinces, most provinces had no countries and were primarily divided into commanderies, cities, and towns.

For example, Southwest Yang Province, located in the furthest southwest, had two to three hundred commanderies within its territory, each with populations exceeding ten million.

Qingyang Commandery was precisely one of the most inconspicuous ninth-rank commanderies in Southwest Yang Province.

Never mind within Southwest Yang Province—even across the entire Falling Star Continent, it belonged to the absolute bottom tier.

Due to geographical location, Southwest Yang Province’s strength among the nine provinces wasn’t particularly strong, positioned at mid-to-lower tier.

Southwest Yang Province had no country, but each commandery governed itself independently, essentially functioning as small political entities.

Among them, the strongest was third-rank Tianyu Commandery.

Tianyu Commandery’s main city was Tianyu Royal City, which could be considered the capital of Southwest Yang Province, as it was the only city within the province that had achieved Royal City status.

Indeed.

Commanderies had divisions of third, sixth, and ninth ranks.

Cities also had classifications.

To achieve Royal City status required not only strong comprehensive strength but also a certain number of Wuwang stationed there.

Other commandery cities in Southwest Yang Province also had Wuwang, but their numbers didn’t meet requirements, so they could only be named as cities, unable to use Royal City designation.

Above Royal City were Imperial City, Sacred City, and Emperor City.

Imperial City and Sacred City, as the names suggested, required sufficient numbers of Wuhuang and Wusheng stationed there respectively.

Within the nine mainstream provinces of Falling Star Continent, there were no fewer than ninety-nine Royal Cities if not a hundred, but Imperial Cities and Sacred Cities were relatively rare.

As for Emperor City, from ancient times to the present, it had only appeared once, and that was tens of thousands of years ago.

According to rules established by predecessors, only with three or more Wudi stationed could a place be called Emperor City.

The current Falling Star Continent only had nine great Wudi total. For one city to gather three Wudi was absolutely impossible.

This digresses a bit.

Let’s turn our lens to Tianyu Royal City, to the Sect Certification Hall.

At this moment, an elderly white-haired man sat in the place of honor in the great hall, his withered fingers rhythmically tapping on the tea table.

His name was Yi Tianjian.

Hall Master of the Southwest Yang Province Certification Hall headquarters.

On both sides of the seats below him sat four elders wearing long robes trimmed with gold.

They were Certification Hall Elders. Though their gazes appeared turbid, their auras were strong—clearly masters at a glance.

“Everyone.”

After a moment, Yi Tianjian spoke: “What are your thoughts on the news brought by Steward Zhao from Qingyang Commandery?”

One elder said: “A sect from a ninth-rank commandery receiving a Second Grade A evaluation is truly inconceivable.”

Another said: “Since this old one assumed the position of Yang Province headquarters elder, I’ve never seen a ninth-rank commandery with a sect whose potential reached Second Grade A.”

“Moreover.”

He paused and said: “That Iron Bones Sect only just advanced from eighth-rate to seventh-rate.”

Another elder said: “Could it be a mistaken evaluation?”

“Zhao Xingming has served as steward at the Qingyang Commandery branch for thirty to fifty years.”

The elder beside him said: “Though he has no outstanding achievements, he has always been dutiful. He shouldn’t have evaluated incorrectly.”

“Elder Zhou, if this old one remembers correctly, Zhao Xingming should have been promoted by you, yes?” An elder said with a chuckle.

Elder Zhou’s brow furrowed: “Elder Zhen, what do you mean by that?”

Elder Zhen said: “According to what this old one knows, Zhao Xingming in Qingyang Commandery arbitrarily reached an agreement with the Hundred Sects Alliance, requiring provision of alliance certification documents. This is utterly absurd.”

There were no walls that didn’t let wind through.

What Steward Zhao had done in Qingyang Commandery had still reached this elder’s ears.

Elder Zhou’s expression turned extremely ugly.

Zhao Xingming had been promoted by his own hand. If he had done such things and the Hall Master investigated, he himself would definitely be implicated as well.

Damnable fellow.

Had his head been kicked by a donkey to be so brain-dead as to privately establish agreements with the Hundred Sects Alliance!

Elder Zhen’s words immediately made the atmosphere in the great hall solemn.

The other two elders remained silent.

Elder Zhou and Elder Zhen had always found each other disagreeable. During discussions, trading barbs back and forth was quite normal.

Yi Tianjian said: “We are discussing serious business. As for Zhao Xingming’s matter, we’ll address it another day.”

Elder Zhen cupped his hands: “Hall Master, Steward Zhao may have accepted bribes. This old one believes that the Iron Bones Sect’s fraudulent Second Grade A evaluation should be denied.”

“Elder Zhen.”

Elder Zhou said coolly: “Without evidence, please do not casually slander a dutiful steward. This will chill the hearts of stewards from other commanderies.”

“Hmph.”

Elder Zhen said: “Given the collusion between Zhao Xingming and the Hundred Sects Alliance, this old one finds it very difficult to believe he would be dutiful rather than knowingly violating regulations.”

Full firepower!

How could Elder Zhou back down? He was about to retort.

But before he could speak, he heard Yi Tianjian say: “Just send someone to Qingyang Commandery to certify again. Wouldn’t that suffice?”

“Correct.”

One of the elders watching the excitement said: “This old one also feels that having headquarters personnel re-certify would be most fair and just.”

Elder Zhen said: “Hall Master, this old one is willing to go.”

“I’ll go too!” Elder Zhou said.

The other two elders shook their heads.

For a sect from a ninth-rank commandery, dispatching two elders from headquarters to certify—this treatment was high enough indeed.