“When heaven is about to confer a great responsibility on a person, it must first test their will, exhaust their muscles and bones…” The System’s words repeatedly echoed in his ears.

Jun Changxiao said impatiently: “Can you shut up?”

The System said: “Maintaining an array for a long time is a bit exhausting, but it can also temper the host’s soul power.”

Now that sounded more reasonable.

“Sect Leader.”

Liu Wanshi said: “Open your mouth.”

“Ah!”

Sect Leader Jun opened his mouth.

Liu Wanshi stood on a small stool, lifted chopsticks and fed the food into his mouth.

Very delicious, very fragrant.

Jun Changxiao praised: “Dudu, your culinary skills have improved considerably. If you entered the God of Cooking Competition, you’d definitely win the crown!”

Liu Wanshi said in surprise: “Sect Leader has also heard of the God of Cooking Competition?”

Oh no.

There really was such an event?

“Uh.”

Jun Changxiao said: “This master has heard a little about it.”

Liu Wanshi’s eyes shone with radiance: “That’s the most pinnacle culinary event on Xingyun Continent. Only true culinary masters are qualified to participate.”

“Unfortunately, it won’t be held for quite a while.”

“Moreover, you must win the Southwest Yangzhou Culinary Competition and place in the top ten to obtain an entry ticket to the God of Cooking Competition.”

“Sect Leader.”

Liu Wanshi raised her head, looking toward the sky, her eyes filled with infinite yearning: “Participating in the God of Cooking Competition and competing with culinary masters from all over has been Dudu’s dream since childhood.”

“That…”

Jun Changxiao said weakly: “Could you please move the chopsticks away first.”

Liu Wanshi turned to look and discovered that the pair of chopsticks she was holding were stuck in Sect Leader’s two nostrils!

“Ah!”

She cried out in alarm: “Sect Leader, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

Speaking of which.

Why was Liu Wanshi feeding Jun Changxiao?

Because both his hands were pressed against the Isolation Array, fully maintaining its thousand-zhang height. He had to handle eating, drinking, and relieving himself all in this spot.

Twitching his nose to shake off the stuck rice grains, Jun Changxiao said: “When does the Southwest Yangzhou Culinary Competition begin?”

“In about half a year,” Liu Wanshi said.

Jun Changxiao said: “When that day comes, this master will take you to participate. You’ll definitely obtain qualification for the God of Cooking Competition.”

This loli who had essentially been given away for free cooked for him and the disciples every day. Since she had a dream, as Sect Leader he had to help her realize it!

Join the Iron Bones Clanging Sect—let’s create dreams together.

That advertising slogan he’d put up in the city back then wasn’t just empty talk.

“Really?” Liu Wanshi said excitedly.

Jun Changxiao said: “Really.”

Liu Wanshi was very happy, very excited, her emotions couldn’t help but want to rush over.

“Stop right there!”

Jun Changxiao said: “This master is controlling the array!”

Liu Wanshi stopped in her tracks, smiled brilliantly and said: “I definitely won’t let Sect Leader down. I’ll obtain an entry ticket to the God of Cooking Competition!”

“Just obtaining an entry ticket won’t do.”

Jun Changxiao said: “We Tiegu Sect disciples, even when participating in a culinary competition, must take first place!”

“Alright!”

Liu Wanshi said with firm resolve: “Take first place!”

Jun Changxiao smiled: “This is our agreement—you need to work hard to improve your culinary skills.”

If not for both hands being pressed against the barrier, he might have added a gentle head pat.

……

“Right there, right there. Oh my, so comfortable.”

“No, no, too gentle.”

“Holy crap, are you guys trying to crush this master to death with that much force!”

Within the Isolation Array, Jun Changxiao’s hands remained pressed against the array barrier walls, while Su Xiaomo, Li Fei, and Tian Qi massaged his back and shoulders beside him.

Ah.

Having disciples was wonderful.

However, at first Sect Leader Jun could still endure it.

By the fourth day, he stood there completely numb, with dark circles under both eyes.

He could only stand there, and couldn’t relax even slightly—absolutely torturous!

Day Five.

Jun Changxiao’s eyelids drooped, his hair was disheveled, his appearance extremely haggard.

Day Six.

Jun Changxiao was no longer the Jun Changxiao of before. He was more like a soulless wooden stake, muttering: “One more day… one more day…”

This truly was heaven conferring a great responsibility on a person—first testing their will, exhausting their muscles and bones, starving their body and skin, depleting their strength!

……

Standing in the array like a wooden stake, Jun Changxiao experienced what it meant to collapse.

With effort came rewards.

With his reinforcement during this period, the Spiritual Energy Revival Array inside the formation was exceptionally dazzling and brilliant, completely invisible from outside.

If Jun Changxiao hadn’t concealed it like this.

The seven-colored radiant flowing light manifesting would be clearly visible even from standing in Qingyang City.

Day Seven!

Just as Jun Changxiao was enduring pain that ordinary people couldn’t bear, the circular pattern suspended in the sky and symmetrical with the one on the ground began spinning wildly.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh——

Shortly after, from the cracked ground, waves of rich and pure elemental attributes diffused outward, spreading toward the Isolation Array.

At the same time.

The seven-colored radiant light existing in the sky changed from blindingly bright to dim, until it completely disappeared.

Elder Wei said: “The heavenly and earthly phenomenon produced by spiritual energy revival has ended. Sect Leader no longer needs to reinforce it.”

“Thud!”

The moment the words fell, Sect Leader Jun collapsed to the ground like mud.

Standing motionless in one spot for seven days without sleeping or even dozing off—if he hadn’t cultivated martial arts, he’d probably be long dead by now.

Swoosh!

Without reinforcement, the invisible barrier walls that had extended a thousand zhang rapidly retracted to normal range.

Although the heavenly and earthly phenomenon had ended, rich elemental attributes of heaven and earth continued to endlessly erupt from the cracked fissures.

“The spiritual energy is so pure!” Jun Changxiao exclaimed.

Elder Wei smiled: “This is just freshly revived. After a while, it will surprise Sect Leader even more.”

“Is that so?” Jun Changxiao was super expectant.

Elder Wei said: “Sect Leader can remove the Isolation Array and let the revived spiritual energy spread out, allowing all of Tiegu Mountain to benefit.”

“Mm.”

Jun Changxiao successively removed the Isolation Arrays.

Just as Elder Wei said.

Three days later, as spiritual energy was endlessly released throughout Tiegu Mountain, both richness and purity were ten times higher than before!

This meant that Tiegu Sect disciples no longer needed to enter the Spirit Gathering Array—they could absorb ten-times-strength spiritual power anytime, anywhere!

This was not the endpoint.

Spiritual energy continued to endlessly release!

Ten days later, powerful spiritual energy completely covered Tiegu Mountain, with purity increased twenty times!

“Absorbing one day’s worth of spiritual power equals absorbing twenty days’ worth before. This is absolutely awesome.”

Jun Changxiao said excitedly.

He and his disciples had cultivation methods, spiritual roots, various martial arts resources—what they lacked compared to Xingyun Continent’s powerhouses was simply time spent cultivating.

Now with twenty-times spiritual power attributes, they could definitely achieve faster breakthroughs and even overtake others on the curves!

Sect Leader Jun had already begun fantasizing about himself and his disciples rapidly improving cultivation under high-multiplier elemental attributes of heaven and earth, ultimately reaching the peak and marrying a rich, beautiful woman!

“Sect Leader!”

Li Qingyang came to report: “The Spirit Gathering Array has also improved considerably with the enhancement of elemental attributes of heaven and earth. Initial estimates suggest it’s at least thirty times what it was before!”

“Is that so?”

Jun Changxiao was immediately overjoyed.

When he went to the Spirit Gathering Array, he indeed discovered that the attributes inside were stronger than the outside’s twenty-times spiritual energy!

The System said: “The Initial-Grade Spirit Gathering Array refines the elemental attributes of Tiegu Mountain to produce stronger spiritual power. Now that external spiritual power intensity has increased, it naturally increases along with it.”

“Hahaha!”

Jun Changxiao planted his hands on his hips and laughed loudly: “Thirty-times spiritual energy intensity—cultivating here for one day equals others cultivating for thirty days. Simply couldn’t be more awesome!”

“It is pretty awesome.”

The System said: “However, if word spreads outside, it will inevitably bring catastrophic disaster.”

Every time he was happy, it dampened Jun Changxiao’s spirits. So annoying!

—