In a place of verdant mountains and clear waters.

Dai Lu, dressed in black robes, stood quietly, his entire body emanating grassland-green attributes, then spreading to nearby vegetation, completely absorbing the spiritual energy from within them.

“Hu!”

After a moment, he opened his eyes.

Exhaling a breath of turbid air, he said, “Breakthrough to sixth grade.”

Green Scarf Bro was really working extremely hard to become stronger and take revenge.

It’s just that having protagonist fate like him, compared to the cheating Jun, was truly a great tragedy.

“Boy.”

Hun said dissatisfied, “Just relying on absorbing vegetation and fierce beasts, breaking through to Emperor level is indefinitely far off—better to absorb same-realm martial artists, that’s much faster!”

Dai Lu shook his head, “Harming innocent lives for revenge—what difference is that from evil demons?”

Theoretically speaking, he had a grudge with Jun Changxiao and could be counted as a villain, but he was definitely not utterly evil, so he absolutely couldn’t do utterly unconscionable things.

“In a world where martial prowess reigns supreme, the principle is survival of the fittest!”

Hun roared in frustration, “You care so much about righteousness and evil, sooner or later you’ll get yourself killed!”

“Don’t say anymore.”

Dai Lu said, “I have my own plans.”

“…”

Hun immediately fell silent.

He had thought this fool would be easy to deceive, never expecting him to have such principles. It seemed that if he wanted to devour and possess him, it would still require a very long time.

…

Wangu Sect.

Jun Changxiao sat in Xiyu Hall, saying, “How is she only sixth-grade Martial King?”

Li Luoqiu pouted, “Managing both Xiyu Hall and the Procurement Hall—where’s the time to cultivate?”

She broke through to Martial King relying on Martial King Pills, and broke through to sixth grade by going to the Life and Death Secret Realm to train and advance, otherwise with no time for cultivation normally, she’d currently be at most second or third grade.

“You’ve worked hard.” Jun Changxiao said.

The Twenty-Four Meritorious Officials of Lingyan Pavilion could only have disciples enshrined—otherwise he’d definitely consider letting this woman be enshrined.

Li Luoqiu teased, “You came to Xiyu Hall just to ask about my realm?”

“Of course not.”

Jun Changxiao said, “The matter I had you investigate some time ago—any results?”

Talking about serious business, Li Luoqiu became serious, saying, “I’ve already ordered people to investigate thoroughly in many ways, but there’s still nothing unusual.”

Jun Changxiao stroked his chin, saying, “Could that old man have been fooling me?”

Inside the Ten Directions Fatal Tower, the Formation Emperor had said this: “Perhaps it will take a very long time, perhaps they’ve already arrived on Xingyun Continent, occupied human bodies, and are slowly growing.”

Although Jun Changxiao seemed not to take the great responsibility of saving the world to heart, he still ordered Xiyu Hall to investigate whether any supernatural events had occurred on the continent.

The space-time passage had been sealed again, stable for several hundred years without problem, but he feared the Soul Clan had snuck in early and were lodging in human bodies.

Combined with what the Formation Emperor said, Jun Changxiao roughly deduced:

If the Soul Clan wanted to become stronger, they might absorb human spiritual energy—as long as they didn’t destroy the evidence, they should leave clues behind.

However, after Xiyu Hall’s careful search, no such phenomena had occurred, so he couldn’t help but question whether he was being a bit too cautious.

“Best if there isn’t any.”

Jun Changxiao leaned back in his chair, saying, “This way the Soul Clan can’t kill their way over, and we’ll just wait until we kill our way over there.”

“Sect Master!”

Ding Xingwang walked in.

Jun Changxiao and Li Luoqiu’s gazes immediately became dazed.

Because Elder Ding’s hair had not only recovered, but was also extremely long—long enough to wrap around his waist several times!

“What on earth did you give me!”

Ding Xingwang pulled apart his thick hair, revealing a collapsed old face, “It grows every day—how am I supposed to go out in the future!”

“Cut it.”

“I’ve cut it eight times in two days, and it grows longer the more I cut!”

Jun Changxiao’s mouth twitched.

Others say “When my hair reaches my waist, will you marry me?” but Ding Xingwang has hair coiling around his waist, taking scissors to it every day.

Mainly because too much was used—after continuing to grow for a few days, it would return to normal.

“Sect Master.”

Du Nan smiled, “Could I have a bottle?”

Jun Changxiao patted his shoulder, looking at his shiny bald head, saying, “Buddhist martial cultivators should look like Buddhist martial cultivators. Come, lower your head—this seat will burn a few precept scars for you.”

“Never mind, I’ll go sweep the inner courtyard.” Du Nan instantly disappeared.

“Sect Master.”

Elder Wei came to report, “The new batch of medicinal herbs has matured.”

“Mm.”

A smile appeared on Jun Changxiao’s face.

He could refine more Martial King Pills, and the disciples’ overall strength would increase again.

“Sect Master.”

Li Luoqiu walked in, saying, “There’s something I must report to you.”

“Speak.” Jun Changxiao said.

Li Luoqiu said, “Intelligence sent by Xiyu Hall—the Palace Master of Miaohua Palace has left her sect and headed to Nanhuang Province.”

“Why?” Jun Changxiao said.

Li Luoqiu said, “Palace Master Xi was invited—the place she went is Nine Poison Palace.”

“A fifth-rate evil sect?”

“Correct.”

Jun Changxiao was puzzled, “Miaohua Palace is also considered a righteous sect in the martial world—why would Palace Master Xi go to an evil sect?”

“From what I know,” Li Luoqiu said, “Xi Jingxuan has an eldest senior sister who had extremely high prestige in Miaohua Palace. Later, after losing the competition for Palace Master position, she left the sect in resentment and became a disciple of Nine Poison Palace in Nanhuang Province.”

“So.”

Jun Changxiao said, “This so-called invitation is actually a Hongmen Banquet?”

“Possibly.” Li Luoqiu said.

Actually, this kind of matter from other sects, if it wasn’t extremely important, she would generally filter it out and not report it, but Xi Jingxuan and the Sect Master had a somewhat unclear relationship, so after hesitating, she still reported it.

“Only Palace Master Xi went alone?”

“Changsun Fanghua and Leng Xingyue accompanied her.”

Hearing Leng Xingyue’s name, Elder Wei sitting in the side seat became serious.

Jun Changxiao caught this, so he said indifferently, “Palace Master Xi has two peak Martial King elders accompanying her—there shouldn’t be any problem.”

“Although Nine Poison Palace is only fifth-rate, their poison techniques are unparalleled in the martial world. If they have designs on Palace Master Xi, even with peak Martial Kings accompanying her, it may not be safe!” Elder Wei said gravely.

“Elder Wei means?” Jun Changxiao said.

Elder Wei said, “At the summit of Huashan, Palace Master of Miaohua Palace didn’t hesitate to offend two third-rate evil sects to cheer for our Wangu Sect, so I believe we should send people over to take a look.”

Jun Changxiao smiled, “Elder Wei is worried about his old flame, right?”

Elder Wei looked at him with a very uncomprehending expression, “Doesn’t the Sect Master worry about Palace Master Xi?”

Jun Changxiao said, “Palace Master Xi and I are also old friends—since I know she’s going to a Hongmen Banquet, naturally I can’t sit by and do nothing.”

“Elder Wei.”

“You take Elder Jiang to Nine Poison Palace, just under the pretense of Wangu Sect paying a visit.”

“Yes!”

Elder Wei hurriedly stood up and, together with Jiang Xie, flew toward Nanhuang Province at top speed.

On the road, he collapsed inwardly thinking, “If Palace Master Xi really encounters trouble, if the Sect Master personally came to rescue her, it would definitely increase her favorability—but instead he sends us while sitting in the sect himself, this really is… beyond help.”

On the romance battlefield, Elder Wei was definitely king-level, but facing bronze-level Jun Changxiao, he could only shout—can’t carry this!

…

“Palace Master Xi.”

Jun Changxiao stood outside the great hall, saying, “I hope nothing happens.”

He could have personally gone to Nanhuang Province, but ultimately it was just a fifth-rate evil sect—sending two Emperor-level experts over already gave them tremendous face.

Li Luoqiu muttered, “If a disciple encountered danger, the Sect Master would probably already be in Nanhuang Province killing everyone in sight.”

“Mm?”

Suddenly, intelligence sent by a member reached his ears.

“Sect Master, scouts report that in a dark mountain forest in Donghao Province that’s rarely visited, vegetation across more than ten li has completely withered, without any life force remaining!”

“Exact location.”

“At…”

“Crack crack crack—”

Jun Changxiao’s Armed Wings unfurled, and under the blessing of flight power, he transformed into a flowing light and disappeared into the firmament.

“…”

Li Luoqiu shook her head speechlessly.

Not going to save a great beauty, yet so proactive about this matter—truly the Sect Master fell from a tree when young and fell into serious problems.

—