The Type 88 sniper rifle’s recoil was truly massive. After Xiao Zuiji fired one shot, even with the bipod supporting it, he was still sent flying over ten meters and ended up hanging from a tree branch.

However, two things greatly surprised Jun Changxiao. First, this kid’s shot was very accurate. Second, after resting for a bit, he stood up as if nothing had happened.

My cultivation is higher than his, but I was knocked back so hard it took me half the night to recover!

The system explained: “That’s because the host fired three shots in succession, enduring enormous recoil, while he only fired one shot.”

“I see.” Jun Changxiao understood.

Regardless, Xiao Zuiji’s shooting talent and powerful physique made him even more determined to train him as a sniper.

“Zuiji.”

Jun Changxiao said: “This Type 88 sniper rifle is yours now. Practice with it whenever you have free time.”

“Yes!” Xiao Zuiji picked up the gun. Although thinking about the earlier recoil made his back turn cold, when he saw the shattered rock, his eyes burned with passion.

Men loving guns is human nature.

Even men from other worlds are no exception.

From then on, Xiao Zuiji would spend two hours every day lying alone in the grass, behind rocks, or in trees on the back mountain, with one eye pressed against the scope, aiming at distant objects.

He never fired the gun, because the Sect Master had said there were only six bullets left in the rifle.

To better adapt to the recoil, Xiao Zuiji would also stand in the training grounds and have his senior brothers ram him with thick logs.

“Junior Brother, are you ready?”

“Step!”

Xiao Zuiji took a stance, bare-chested, patting the right shoulder where he’d brace the rifle, and said: “Senior Brothers, come at me!”

“Charge!”

At Su Xiaomo’s command, ten disciples carrying wooden logs slammed into him hard with a “bang,” sending him flying.

The muscle sculpting machine used scientific methods to temper the body for maximum muscle enhancement, while this method was quite extreme.

“Swoosh!”

Xiao Zuiji got up, returned to his previous position, planted his stance again, and endured the pain as he said: “Again!”

“Bang!”

“Again!”

“Bang!”

“A…again!”

…

On the great hall’s steps, watching Xiao Zuiji fall again and again, stand up again and again, Li Qingyang said: “Sect Master, Junior Brother Xiao really wants to become stronger.”

Jun Changxiao leaned his arms on the stone railing and said: “Qingyang, your junior brother may have won the sect tournament championship and proven himself with his strength, but he still has his former fiancée to surpass.”

Li Qingyang said solemnly: “Sect Master, as far as I know, Junior Brother Xiao’s fiancée is named Murong Xin, a direct descendant of the Murong Family, one of the four great families of Tianhai Commandery.”

Tianhai Commandery?

Jun Changxiao had some impression—it seemed to be a populous commandery.

He asked: “Is the Murong Family very strong?”

After a brief silence, Li Qingyang said: “If we rank them by sect levels, the Murong Family of Tianhai Commandery is at least no weaker than Cangshan Sect.”

Jun Changxiao said in surprise: “That impressive?”

Li Qingyang said: “Murong Xin possesses supreme-grade spiritual roots and was taken as a personal disciple by the Eleventh Elder of Lily Sacred Sect, a second-rate sect.”

Jun Changxiao wasn’t concerned about supreme-grade spiritual roots; what caught his attention was Lily Sacred Sect—that name was truly meaningful!

He joked: “Is there a Brotherhood Sect too?”

“Brotherhood Sect?”

Li Qingyang scratched his head and said: “This disciple has never heard of it.”

Jun Changxiao returned to the main topic: “A family comparable to a fifth-rate sect, and she herself is a disciple of a second-rate sect—this Murong Xin is truly extraordinary.”

“However.”

He stroked his chin and said: “Being so outstanding, how did she end up engaged to Zuiji?”

“It was an arranged marriage from when they were babies.” Li Qingyang said.

Jun Changxiao said: “No wonder.”

Looking at Xiao Zuiji training, he murmured: “For this disciple of mine to surpass the woman who abandoned him will be quite difficult.”

Difficult means challenging.

Only then could he prove his ability to train disciples.

Murong Xin of the Murong Family, just wait—one day, this master will make you understand how foolish it was to break off that engagement.

…

The craftsmen in the inner courtyard were building feverishly, and the disciples were each cultivating.

Seven days passed peacefully like this. Iron Bone Sect welcomed a historic moment—except for Xiao Zuiji and the newly-admitted Liu Wanshi and Ye Xingchen, all other disciples broke through to the twelfth stage!

Tian Qi, Li Fei, Zhang Wei and others even advanced to Wutu, increasing the count from the original five to ten.

Normally, a ninth-rate sect having three to five Wutu would be considered good. Iron Bone Sect having ten was undoubtedly quite impressive.

“Strange.”

Jun Changxiao opened the data panel and looked at the sect level still showing ninth-rate. Puzzled, he said: “The sect has nine disciples who’ve reached Wutu, and most of the rest are at Meridian Opening twelfth stage. Why hasn’t it leveled up yet?”

The system said: “Sect level advancement isn’t determined by the system. It requires certification from the relevant authorities of Xingyun Continent.”

“Which authority?”

“You can ask your disciples.”

“…”

Jun Changxiao called Li Qingyang over.

Li Qingyang said: “Sect Master, as far as I know, to advance a sect from ninth-rate to eighth-rate, you need to go to the Sect Certification Hall for certification.”

“Sect Certification Hall? Where is it?”

“Qingyang City.”

“How does the certification work?”

After thinking briefly, Li Qingyang said uncertainly: “I believe you bring disciples who meet the realm requirements for certification.”

“What a hassle. Too lazy to go.”

Jun Changxiao dismissed the idea of getting certified.

In his view, as long as the sect had strong power, being considered ninth-rate didn’t matter.

…

In the weeds on the back mountain, Xiao Zuiji was completely covered by wild grass, only his eyes exposed, lying completely motionless.

“Swoosh!”

After a long while, a rather large wild boar appeared about six hundred meters away.

Xiao Zuiji slightly lowered his head, pressed one eye against the scope, locked the crosshair on the boar’s head, then pulled the trigger.

“Bang—”

The gunshot rang out. Xiao Zuiji, holding the gun, was knocked back sliding two meters. As for that wild boar, it was precisely headshot and its body crashed to the ground!

Su Xiaomo ran over, hoisted it up, and said: “Junior Brother Xiao, your marksmanship is really accurate!”

“Phew!”

Xiao Zuiji stood up, holding the gun in one hand while rubbing his numb right shoulder with the other, a brilliant smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

Over seven days, through the sculpting chamber and extreme physical tempering, he was no longer like the first time he fired—sent flying to hang from a tree by the recoil.

“Excellent, excellent.” Jun Changxiao walked out clapping.

Xiao Zuiji crouched motionless for two hours, then when prey appeared, instantly delivered a headshot—he was absolutely a natural-born sniper!

This was the advantage of a genius.

Even if he couldn’t succeed in martial arts, he could still excel in other areas.

“Zuiji.”

Jun Changxiao said: “Once the watchtower is built, the responsibility of protecting the sect will be entrusted to you.”

This guy gave Xiao Zuiji the Type 88 sniper rifle to make him a sniper, hoping he could protect the sect and keep others from approaching.

Although they had a sect protection array, it cost 1 contribution point per day—burning through resources like that long-term was simply unaffordable!

If they stationed a sniper in the watchtower who could instantly eliminate suspicious persons or assassins, that would be very comfortable.

“Yes!” Xiao Zuiji said.

“However…” he said weakly: “Sect Master, there are only five bullets left.”

Jun Changxiao stroked his chin and said: “Yes, the bullets are running low. Need to make a trip to Qingyang City to buy some crystal cores.”

“Qingyang.”

“Notify the disciples who’ve broken through to Wutu that tomorrow they’ll accompany this master to Qingyang City’s Sect Certification Hall.”

Since they were going to Qingyang City anyway, they might as well get certified while they were at it.