On the Planar Battlefield, only Lingyuan Continent counted as Jun Changxiao’s intimately close old partner, so this visit was mainly to bid farewell to Ke Jinnan.

“Sect Master Jun, what are you going to do?”

“Do something big!”

“Then Ke will first wish Sect Master Jun success in all endeavors and everything goes smoothly!”

If Ke Jinnan knew the big thing Jun Changxiao spoke of was taking disciples to collectively illegally ascend to the Upper Realm, saying these words would definitely require great courage.

“City Lord Ke, farewell!”

“Sect Master Jun, take care on your journey!”

The two partners who had cooperated perfectly multiple times thus parted ways. Who knew if they’d have chances to act together again in the future.

Jun Changxiao also separately visited other realms before returning to the Xingyun Continent outpost.

Rose Empress still sat on the blue stone without leaving, but had already arranged clan affairs properly through special abilities.

After becoming the new empress, she had been constantly campaigning externally, so her subordinates managing realm affairs daily had become accustomed to it.

“Are you certain you want to come with me?” Jun Changxiao asked again.

“Certain.”

Rose Empress said seriously.

“Then let’s go.” Jun Changxiao said.

Surprise rippled in Rose Empress’s eyes, because when he spoke, he extended his hand. Did this mean…

The system said in surprise: “Nine years of secluded comprehension actually made him come to his senses. Today he’d actually take the initiative to hold someone’s hand!”

Or did he secretly buy a bottle of emotional intelligence elixir while upgrading?

No!

For someone like Host, truly taking emotional intelligence elixir would require at least 999 bottles to reach the minimum defined value of emotional intelligence.

“Don’t misunderstand.”

Jun Changxiao turned his face away: “The entrance to Xingyun Continent requires me to bring you to pass through.”

“Oh.”

Rose Empress generously raised her hand. But just as they made contact, she was directly pulled along, her steps quite stumbling.

“…”

The system said speechlessly: “Steel straight man style steel handholding.”

“Wait!”

It said full of confusion: “Since when did outsiders entering and exiting through the transmission gate require Host to personally lead them? When was this new setting added!”

“Scram!”

……

Over ten-plus years, Purple Scale Demon King changed, Ye Xingchen changed, and as Sect Master, Jun Changxiao was actually also changing, especially when in seclusion researching arrays—his mentality changed even more.

Today’s small step of handholding might lead to a big step tomorrow.

“Listen to me when we reach the Upper Realm.”

“Yes, husband.”

“Don’t wander around when we reach the Upper Realm.”

“Yes, husband.”

“Call me Sect Master!”

“Yes, husband.”

“…”

Jun Changxiao huffily pulled Hua Meigui’s hand as they merged into the transmission gate.

Thus ‘Rose Empress’ would also become the past, because when she chose to go with him, it represented temporarily abandoning all status and position.

……

The Eternal Sect exploded!

Because the Sect Master went to the Planar Battlefield and actually brought back the Sect Master’s wife!

Disciples had actually long known the Sect Master was married, and moreover on the Planar Battlefield, but many hadn’t seen her, so when Hua Meigui first came to the sect, it naturally caused enormous sensation.

The question arose.

Who was the big mouth that spread it?

Reference: when Ye Xingchen first challenged a large batch of prisoners alone and was carried back by Zhao Doudou, Su Xiaomo happened to see it, and the next day the entire sect knew.

“Heavens!”

Yao Mengying stared wide-eyed in shock: “The big sister Sect Master brought back is so beautiful, so elegant!”

“Girl!”

Liu Wanshi said seriously: “Can’t call her big sister. Must call her Sect Master’s wife!”

“Oh, oh, oh!”

Yao Mengying hurriedly nodded.

Because of Hua Meigui’s arrival, disciples had no mind for cultivation, gathering in groups looking toward the great hall while privately discussing.

“Second Senior Brother, I always feel calling her Sect Master’s wife sounds awkward.”

“Then call her Master’s wife.”

Sect Master and disciples were equivalent to master and apprentices, so Li Qingyang and Su Xiaomo calling the Sect Master’s wife Master’s wife made perfect sense.

……

Inside the great hall.

Hua Meigui glanced at the entrance form on the table and smiled: “Is this why you burned the divorce paper?”

Jun Changxiao, seated in the head position with his ten fingers interlocked, said seriously and solemnly: “Only by becoming a member of the Eternal Sect can you follow me to the Upper Realm.”

“Very well.”

Hua Meigui said: “I agree.”

She was the Soul Clan’s empress. Though ruling the entire realm, she herself had no sect or faction, so joining a sect force wouldn’t create resistance. Moreover, this was where her own man was in charge.

“Ding! Sect members: 100,001.”

“Ding! Sect contribution points: 210,001.”

When Hua Meigui went through the entrance procedures, the Eternal Sect welcomed another powerhouse, with strength second only to Lower Void-Breaking Realm.

Jun Changxiao thought to himself: “With no upper limit on members, if I keep recruiting disciples, couldn’t I infinitely farm contribution points?”

“Host’s idea is good, but don’t forget, one more disciple means one more share of martial arts resources. Unless you recruit them to neglect, otherwise stop daydreaming.” The system said.

“…”

Cold water splashed, making Jun Changxiao’s little heart ice cold.

Indeed, one more sect member equaled one more burden. If they had extremely high cultivation value, recruiting was worthwhile; otherwise, it was definitely a blood loss with no profit.

“Sigh.”

Jun Changxiao sighed.

“Sect Master.” Li Qingyang walked over: “Master’s wife’s residence has been properly arranged, right next to the courtyard where you live.”

Jun Changxiao’s mouth twitched.

I clearly gave very subtle hints earlier to arrange that woman on Dragon Ridge Peak where high-ranking members lived. How did she end up arranged on Dragon Head Peak!

The system said: “After all, all sect disciples know she’s the Sect Master’s wife. Not living together with you as Sect Master would easily cause gossip, so I think Second Disciple’s arrangement is fine.”

“I don’t want what you think, I want what I think!”

“…”

Forget it, forget it.

Where she lived didn’t matter. Better hurry up and prepare for ascension.

……

After proper arrangement, Hua Meigui began touring the Eternal Sect. Especially seeing wave after wave of disciples with extraordinary bearing, she said in surprise: “Husband’s sect is very strong. No wonder various major realms fear it.”

Over the following days, as she understood more about the sect, she grew increasingly shocked, even suspecting that all the mid-level forces of her own realm combined might not match one Eternal Sect.

“Too incredible!”

“How did husband accomplish this!”

Hua Meigui was thoroughly shocked by the Eternal Sect’s formidability.

When she gradually learned about the sect’s history from Li Qingyang and other disciples, she finally understood that behind strength lay foundation!

Yes.

The foundation of cheating.

“Master’s wife, good morning!”

“Master’s wife, greetings!”

Eternal Sect disciples were very proper. Whenever they encountered the Sect Master’s wife, they would respectfully bow.

……

Half a month later.

Miaohua Palace sent a personal letter from Xi Jingxuan.

After reading it, Jun Changxiao shook his head: “Still chose to remain in Xingyun Continent.”

“I’m sorry.”

Xi Jingxuan, still in the sect, looked apologetic: “My strength is limited. I cannot follow Sect Master Jun traveling north and south.”

Jun Changxiao had invited her to travel together, and she was very happy at the time. But after calming down and thinking it over, she still chose to refuse, because she really didn’t want to be his burden.

“Sect Master Jun.”

Xi Jingxuan’s gaze became determined: “I will cultivate diligently. I hope one day I can fight shoulder to shoulder with you!”

……

Another half month passed.

Jun Changxiao determined the time was ripe. Taking advantage of a dark and windy night, he stood at the central area of the entire Seizing Heaven and Earth’s Fortune Grand Array.

“Hum!”

“Hum!”

Hidden flowing light shot skyward, enveloping the entire Tiegu Mountain.

“It’s coming!”

Li Qingyang, Xiao Zuiji and others looked up, their gazes flashing with fervor, anticipation, and unease.

The Upper Realm.

A strange place.

No one knew what trials they would experience after entering.

They weren’t afraid, because regardless of whether ahead lay mountains of blades and seas of flames or bottomless abysses, they would unwaveringly follow the Sect Master all the way!

“The time is about right!”

Jun Changxiao looked up at the full moon, smiling wickedly: “Upper Realm, here I come!”

“Prajnaparamita!”

“Whoosh—”

In an instant, Xingyun Continent, plunged into darkness, was rendered into daylight by intense light. Warriors who hadn’t fallen asleep walked out one after another, their gazes shocked as they looked toward Southwest Yang Province’s Qingyang Commandery direction where light pierced the clouds!

City Lord Xie, wearing the Hello Kitty pajamas Jun Changxiao had given him, walked out from his bedroom. Upon seeing the celestial phenomenon, he stared wide-eyed in shock: “What’s happening!”

“The light is emanating from the Eternal Sect!”

“What’s going on!”

The major families and warriors nearest to Tiegu Mountain were all dumbfounded.

Especially when that aura containing supreme profound meaning spread over, they all felt an impulse to worship.

“Could it be…”

City Lord Han said in shock: “Sect Master Jun shattered the void?!”

From the celestial phenomenon appearing, it indeed matched the scene of shattering the void and ascending to the Upper Realm, but in fact it was illegal immigration.

“Heavens!”

In the area where the white light was most dazzling, Eternal Sect disciples stared dumbfounded.

“Whoosh—”

Shortly after, the daylight-like radiance suddenly disappeared. The entire world returned to calm. Jun Changxiao, who had been at the central area of the Seizing Heaven and Earth’s Fortune Grand Array, had vanished.

This represented successful illegal ascension!!

However… a very serious problem appeared—Gou Sheng was gone, but Tiegu Mountain remained, and the disciples remained!

Li Qingyang, Xiao Zuiji and others stood frozen in place like wooden chickens. After a while, they looked at each other, expressions uniformly showing utter bewilderment.

“Damn it!”

Hua Meigui frowned: “He promised to take me to ascend together. How did he go alone!”

Xingyun Calendar, year 12028, September 9th, night.

Celestial phenomena arose, piercing the clouds. The Eternal Sect’s Sect Master, Martial Alliance Leader Jun Changxiao, witnessed by the world, shattered the void and ascended to the Upper Realm, becoming the continent’s new generation legend!

—