Going to participate in the Sect Martial Discourse, they naturally couldn’t bring too many people.

Jun Changxiao tossed Xue Rengui an Iron Bones Token and had him lead his subordinates back to the Tiegu Sect first.

The Iron Bones Token was engraved with the four characters “Iron Bones Clanging”—he’d had an ironsmith in Qingyang City forge them earlier to represent sect identity.

“Sect Leader.”

Jiang Xie said, “Xue Rengui is a military leadership talent. You could let him take the position of Wolf Cavalry Hall Master.”

“This Sect Leader has that plan too.”

Jun Changxiao paused slightly and said, “However, I still need to observe his performance.”

Having just recruited him, there needed to be a probation period. If very satisfied, he would definitely give him the hall master position.

Everyone continued toward Mount Hua.

On the road, they naturally wouldn’t forget to search for bandits.

“Whoosh! Whoosh!”

Raging flames burned as another thoroughly evil bandit organization was annihilated by Jun Changxiao and his disciples.

When he walked down the mountain, prompts came.

“Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing hidden quest [Eliminating Evil for the People V], receiving 500 contribution points.”

“Ding! Sect contribution points: 3961/5000.”

“Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the [Eliminating Evil for the People] series quest, receiving 1000 contribution points and being granted the [Righteous Hero] title.”

“Ding! Sect contribution points: 4961/5000.”

“Holy crap!”

Jun Changxiao’s eyes immediately widened.

As he’d guessed, Eliminating Evil for the People was a series quest, but he hadn’t expected to receive 1000 contribution points, much less a title!

Jun Changxiao hastily pulled up his attribute panel.

After “Sect Leader: Jun Changxiao,” there was now a “Righteous Hero” suffix.

Clicking on his own name brought up a small attribute panel.

Host: Jun Changxiao.

Luck Value: 1.

Title: Spending Little Prince.

Title Attribute: Luck Value +1.

Available Title: Righteous Hero [Replace].

Clicking on replace, the title changed from Spending Little Prince to Righteous Hero, and luck value changed from the previous 1 point to 5 points.

Jun Changxiao said in surprise, “This title adds so much luck value!”

The System said, “So doing good deeds still brings good rewards.”

Jun Changxiao said, “Now that the Eliminating Evil for the People series quest is complete, if I eliminate bandits and brigands in the future, will I no longer get rewards?”

“Correct,” the System said.

“…”

Jun Changxiao felt a bit dizzy.

If there were no limit, how wonderful that would be.

—

Since the Eliminating Evil for the People series quest was gone, Jun Changxiao refocused his attention on heading to Mount Hua.

However, if they encountered bandits harming the countryside on the road, he would still conveniently act righteously and annihilate them.

Act righteously, my ass!

He was still annihilating people and taking all their property!

Actually, along the way, counting Xue Rengui’s stockade, a total of five bandit organizations were dealt with. Sect Leader Jun earned quite a bit of silver and martial resources, especially obtaining many ores.

Opening the Forging Pavilion, many weapons could now be crafted.

“Craft everything.”

Jun Changxiao maximized all craftable weapons and mass-produced them with one click.

From his trip to the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range, he’d obtained quite a bit of cold iron, and his spatial ring still held several hundred already-crafted mid-grade Cold Gleam Swords.

These weapons of higher grade than the Cold Edge Sword, Jun Changxiao temporarily didn’t plan to distribute to disciples.

He would give disciples basic facilities and martial resources without reservation.

But higher and limited superior items—like spirit stones and Cold Gleam Swords—naturally needed to be earned through effort.

—

Mount Hua.

Its spiritual energy wasn’t particularly strong, but the scenery was exceptionally beautiful.

Especially halfway up the mountain where clouds and mist swirled, making one feel as if in a celestial realm.

At the mountain’s base, many sect leaders brought disciples, coming from all directions.

They gathered in an open area, numbering six to seven hundred people, enthusiastically greeting acquaintances.

“Sect Leader Wang, it’s been quite a while since we last met.”

“Sect Leader Sun, your aura has deepened again. Your cultivation must have advanced considerably, yes?”

“You flatter me, you flatter me.”

Pleasantries rang out endlessly—whether they were sincere was anyone’s guess.

The Sect Martial Discourse was held on the mountain, so why were they gathering at the mountain’s base?

Because this grand event had traditionally included a segment—seeing which sect could reach the mountain peak first.

They were all powerful—why compete at mountain climbing?

Little did they know, on the long stairway from mountain base to peak, long ago several sect formation masters had jointly arranged a momentum formation.

Normally the formation was hidden in darkness, impossible to detect.

Whenever the Sect Martial Discourse occurred, it would activate, and martial cultivators climbing the mountain would endure a powerful obstructive force.

The higher one’s cultivation, the stronger the obstructive force endured.

Initially, this was just a little plaything created by several bored bigwigs, but as the number of participating sects grew larger, it instead became an important segment.

Truthfully, the Sect Martial Discourse was actually a competitive comparison event.

The forces participating naturally wouldn’t fall behind others, so the mountain climbing segment was absolutely full of open and covert rivalry, with none yielding to anyone.

Indeed, as they chatted, Sect Leader Sun smiled and said, “Sect Leader Wang, at last discourse, my sect was a step slower. This time we return determined to be one step ahead of your esteemed sect.”

“Heh heh heh.”

Sect Leader Wang smiled and said, “That may not be so certain.”

Just as everyone was exchanging words and waiting, the Miao Hua Palace disciples led by Xi Jingxuan also arrived, immediately becoming the focal point of the entire venue.

Among the seventh-tier sects participating in the Mount Hua Martial Discourse, there were at least twenty to thirty, but fourth-tier sects were rare.

As for even higher third-tier sects, traditionally there were either none or just one.

Put simply, this wasn’t a particularly large-scale sect gathering.

“Li’er.”

Xi Jingxuan said, “Has Sect Leader Jun arrived?”

“No.”

Li’er looked around but didn’t see Jun Changxiao or any Tiegu Sect disciples, and immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

She didn’t want the Palace Mistress to have too much contact with Jun Changxiao.

“Didn’t he say he’d come participate?” Xi Jingxuan murmured, her words carrying a trace of melancholy.

Li’er said, “The Tiegu Sect is only seventh-tier. Participating in the Sect Martial Discourse would only make them a laughingstock. Not coming is the wise choice.”

“Everyone.”

Just then, a fourth-tier sect leader declared loudly, “Most people have arrived. We can all head up the mountain together.”

“Let’s go, let’s go!”

Everyone agreed one after another.

“Ah.”

Xi Jingxuan sighed resentfully and led her disciples toward the mountain.

“Buzz! Buzz!”

Just stepping on the first stair, faint ripples appeared.

Sect leaders and disciples from various sects orderly merged into the formation and began climbing toward the peak, accompanied by waves of obstructive force.

At first, they could still move swiftly, but as they climbed higher, their speed gradually slowed, and beads of sweat formed on their foreheads.

Pulling the view back, one could clearly see all the sect members forming a line on the winding mountain path.

One hour passed.

Everyone had only reached halfway up the mountain.

However, just as they continued climbing upward, Jun Changxiao leisurely arrived at the mountain base with his disciples.

“Sect Leader.”

Jiang Xie looked up and said, “They’ve gone up.”

“Let’s go.”

Jun Changxiao led his disciples forward. As soon as he stepped onto the stairs and merged into the barrier, he said in surprise, “There’s a formation?”

“Whoosh! Whoosh!”

Right at that moment, waves of special force permeated outward.

Li Qingyang said gravely, “Sect Leader, this approaching aura is very similar to the gravity in the Training Tower’s first floor!”

“Correct,” Jun Changxiao said.

Jiang Xie said, “Who’s so bored as to arrange formations on stairs?”

Jun Changxiao raised his head, looking toward the various martial cultivators who’d already climbed halfway up, and murmured, “If I’m not mistaken, this should be a test of the Mount Hua Martial Discourse—testing who reaches the mountain peak first.”

“Tch.”

Ye Xingchen said disdainfully, “This kind of force is much weaker than the Training Tower. Climbing up is effortless.”

“Clap.”

Jun Changxiao clapped his hands and grinned, saying, “So that means it’s time for our Tiegu Sect to show off.”

—