Five years.
A full five years.
The Eternal warship constantly wandered through the universe.
During this time, Jun Changxiao passed through many planes, experienced different customs and cultures, gained some elevation in his mental state, and also earned quite a few martial dao resources.
Don’t ask how he earned them—if you ask, he was a traveling merchant.
Of course.
Along with his mental state, what also elevated was his shamelessness.
After all, as a businessman, you not only had to be eloquent but also bargain, otherwise how could you obtain profits?
“Sect Master.”
Flying out from a certain plane, Shangguan Xinyao skillfully plotted the route: “Estimated to arrive at the Crossing Heaven Realm in about half a month.”
“Mm.”
Jun Changxiao leaned back in his chair, one hand propping up his face.
Five years of time hadn’t left any traces of age on his refined face. Instead, his entire being now exuded an even stronger aura of a superior, along with… the shrewd cunning that only merchants possessed. He was truly a contradictory combination of dignity and pettiness.
“Whoosh—”
The Eternal warship tore through the void, flying toward the Crossing Heaven Realm.
As for the plane Jun Changxiao had just visited, groups of local martial artists with bruised and swollen faces lay on the ground, howling in unison: “Sako, you bastard! Of all people to provoke, you had to provoke a demon!”
Sako said nothing because he had long since been beaten unconscious.
Here’s what happened: the Eternal warship was flying through the universe when it nearly collided with another warship. The other party opened their door and immediately started cursing, even pulling out a communication token to call for backup.
“……”
Jun Changxiao’s anger flared.
I was going straight.
You came from the side to hit me.
Do you think I’m blind? Can’t tell this is insurance fraud?
“Brat!”
Sako held the communication token, pointing at Gou Sheng’s nose and angrily saying: “My people will arrive soon. If you don’t pay up today, you’ll leave your life behind!”
“Waiting is too slow.”
Jun Changxiao said: “Why don’t we go to your territory instead?”
Sako was a bit confused. In all his years doing this, this was the first time he’d encountered someone who voluntarily went to their home base.
“Fine!”
“Come if you dare!”
So he led Jun Changxiao to his home. On the surface, it looked like he was leading a person, but in reality, he was leading a… group of demons!
The rest of the plot was nothing more than local martial artists standing up for him, ultimately all being knocked to the ground, not only getting injured but also losing their spatial rings.
It would have been fine if they hadn’t tried to scam Jun Changxiao, but to try scamming him—they really didn’t know how the word “death” was written.
……
Crossing Heaven Realm.
Gu Tianxing stood outside the Star Sea Alliance’s great hall and said: “Only three days left until the event. Why hasn’t that little dog thief returned yet?”
Vice Alliance Leader Peng said in a low voice: “Could he have stood you up?”
“……”
Gu Tianxing frowned.
“In my opinion.” The Grand Elder said: “Jun Changxiao completely didn’t take the Universal Holy War seriously. Otherwise, five years ago, he wouldn’t have registered so many disciples to compete.”
So much time had passed, yet everyone still couldn’t understand the behavior of having one sect send out several dozen disciples.
“He won’t.”
Gu Tianxing said: “I trust that guy.”
Though he said this with his mouth, in his heart he was thinking: “You brat, if you dare stand me up, I’ll beat you up no matter where you are in the world!”
“Whoosh—”
At this moment, the sky twisted, and an imposing warship flew over, then slowly docked on the grass at the base of the Star Sea Alliance’s mountain.
“Click click!”
The cabin door opened, and Jun Changxiao walked out dashingly, shouting loudly: “Uncle, this junior has arrived!”
His voice rang like a great bell, echoing throughout the Crossing Heaven Realm.
Those geniuses who were heading to Crossing Heaven City to participate in the preliminaries all stopped in their tracks, their brows uniformly furrowing.
Pressure.
Suddenly unprecedentedly intense!
“This time in the preliminaries, I have an ominous premonition…” one competitor said with a grave expression.
“Young Master need not worry.” The accompanying old servant smiled: “This Crossing Heaven Realm preliminary has fifty slots. As long as you occupy one, you can proceed to the star system advancement tournament.”
“True.”
That young competitor felt relieved, then shook his head and said self-deprecatingly: “Perhaps I’ve been training too hard recently and taking the preliminaries too seriously, becoming anxious about gains and losses.”
……
Star Sea Alliance, Great Hall.
Gu Tianxing carefully scrutinized Jun Changxiao and found that after five years, he seemed to have become even more charismatic, yet also more slippery.
“Uncle.”
Jun Changxiao said: “During this training expedition, I happened to encounter a world focused on medicinal materials and brought back quite a few herbs of varying quality. Please be sure to accept them.”
Various heavenly treasures and potted plants appeared out of thin air.
Gu Tianxing was quite knowledgeable in this area and immediately became interested, but soon looked with suspicious eyes: “You didn’t steal these, did you?”
“……”
Jun Changxiao said helplessly: “All purchased at great expense. I have receipts and invoices.”
“Worthy nephew is thoughtful.”
With a wave of his hand, Gu Tianxing collected all the medicinal materials.
At first, he called him Jun Dog Thief, Little Dog Thief, but now he called him Worthy Nephew. The change in attitude was too real.
“By the way.”
Gu Tianxing said: “Where’s my son?”
“Chaoxi is still training and will return tomorrow.” Jun Changxiao said.
“Oh.”
Gu Tianxing added: “What about those competing disciples of yours?”
“They’re also training.”
“……”
Gu Tianxing said helplessly: “With the preliminaries imminent, you still won’t have them hurry back. Do you even take the Universal Holy War seriously?”
“Uncle.”
Jun Changxiao said: “I’m very serious!”
Indeed.
For these five years, he constantly emphasized that disciples should diligently cultivate, appearing very solemn and serious, even treating it as a top priority.
No wonder when he shouted earlier, the competitors felt tremendous pressure. After all, if the usually casual Eternal Sect disciples were already terrifying, and now they were treating things seriously, it completely… left people with no hope whatsoever.
……
Five years passed quickly.
Three days naturally passed even faster.
This day.
Eternal Realm, clear skies turning cloudy, good air quality.
“Whoosh!”
Jun Changxiao stepped out from the great hall, putting on the Sect Master’s exclusive cloak while straightening his collar, proclaiming loudly: “Assemble.”
“Boom!”
Xiao Zuiji set down the mountain and swiftly returned to the sect.
Under the morning sunlight, the muscles exposed outside gleamed brilliantly.
From this, one could see that after five years of physical refinement, although his realm hadn’t substantially improved, his defense had probably increased considerably.
Xiao Duo: “Afraid of pain so maxed out defense?”
……
At this moment, it was early morning.
A beam of sunlight penetrated through the window.
Su Xiaomo got up, walked to the wardrobe, and took out a brand new Eternal Sect uniform. After putting it on, he looked back at Xia Shuiyun, who was still sleeping soundly, thinking: “I’ll go and come right back.”
“Creak.”
Gently opening the door, gently closing it.
However, when he walked out of the small courtyard built five years ago, a languid voice came from behind: “Not waiting for me?”
Xia Shuiyun had already woken up. She leaned against the window, her waterfall-like black hair casually draped down, looking very feminine.
“Didn’t want to disturb your rest.”
“Creak!”
The door opened. Xia Shuiyun had already changed into her uniform, tying up her disheveled black hair: “Don’t forget, I’m your fiancée and also an Eternal Sect disciple.”
Su Xiaomo paused briefly, then reached out his hand with a smile: “Let’s go.”
Xia Shuiyun gave him a look but still extended her hand, and they left together the home they had built five years ago, officially announcing their return to the Eternal Sect.
Life winner.
Su Xiaomo.