Jin Hao, whose chest had been pierced through, actually managed to escape—this caught Jun Changxiao completely off guard. Could it be his heart was in the wrong position?
“Alas.”
Gou Sheng shook his head and said, “What a pity we didn’t finish him off.”
“Wasn’t the First Wish equipment amazing!” the System said.
“Amazing is amazing.”
Jun Changxiao raised the modified lightning rod, looking at the dim gray recess, and said helplessly, “But it exhausted all its energy in one strike. How am I supposed to use it in the future?”
“Nonsense.”
The System said, “The Inescapable Blade also needs Unsealing Talismans.”
Jun Changxiao said speechlessly, “At least those come from completing tasks. Where am I supposed to charge this thing in the future? Am I supposed to court death every day and deliberately tank Realm Hall tribulations?”
“Why do you keep thinking about tribulations instead of thinking about using lightning-attribute substitutes?” the System said.
“Right!”
Jun Changxiao slapped his forehead and said, “I can find substitutes!”
Being able to pierce directly through Jin Hao’s chest and force him to flee wounded, the modified lightning rod from First Wish had proven its strength with actual power. Gou Sheng also determined this would become another powerful trump card after the Inescapable Blade.
“Elder Zhen!”
Jun Changxiao called out loudly, “Set up lightning formations outside the sect!”
“Buzz!”
“Buzz!”
Lightning formations rose from the ground throughout Phoenix Roost Immortal Mountain.
“Boom boom boom!”
Jun Changxiao stood within them, raising the modified lightning rod to draw in the lightning. After being bombarded for a long time, the recess remained dim gray, clearly having no effect whatsoever.
The System said, “The level is too low to store energy.”
“…”
Jun Changxiao broke down.
There were still many things to do for the sect’s ascension to the Upper Realm, so he didn’t dwell on how to charge the lightning rod. Instead, he came to the front of the great hall and summoned all the leadership and disciples.
“We are now in the Upper Realm, which has far stronger heavenly and earthly attributes and laws than the Lower Realm. What you need to do now is quickly elevate yourselves and strive to enter the Void-Breaking Realm as soon as possible!”
“Yes!”
The disciples’ eyes burned with fervor.
They had already sensed the brand new attributes and brand new air—their souls and bodies seemed to be undergoing a transformation.
“Of course.”
Jun Changxiao said gravely, “This place is equally filled with danger, so the old rule stands—without approval from the leadership, no one is permitted to leave the Eternal Sect.”
In ordinary small towns, even three to five-year-old children had strength comparable to peak-level Wutu. He was genuinely afraid that if disciples went out casually, they’d be bullied by slightly older ordinary people.
…
Before the dilapidated stone cave, Old Man Taixuan felt somewhat melancholic—after all, this was where he’d lived for many years, and now it was just destroyed.
Fortunately, he didn’t know that back in the day at Xingyun Continent, both the box storing secret manuals and the great stone door in the cave he used for cultivation had been pilfered by Gou Sheng.
“Senior.”
After finishing sect matters, Jun Changxiao approached and said apologetically, “I’m sorry for implicating your residence.”
Old Man Taixuan said, “What you should be concerned about now is what consequences will come from severely wounding that golden-armored man.”
“That guy and I had a one-on-one duel fair and square. If his skills were inferior and he got beaten away, would he really come looking for trouble?” Jun Changxiao said.
Old Man Taixuan shook his head, “Though you had an honorable duel, he’s from the Realm Hall after all. In the future, even the slightest offense could be infinitely magnified.”
“Senior, please rest assured.” Jun Changxiao said earnestly, “The Eternal Sect’s first principle is to conduct ourselves with a low profile and handle matters conscientiously. We absolutely will not cause trouble in the Upper Realm.”
If these words came from someone else’s mouth, Old Man Taixuan might believe them. But from someone who, shortly after arriving in the Upper Realm, provoked dozens of sects and ultimately made him take the blame—where did he get the face to say the words “low profile”?
“I hope so.”
Old Man Taixuan said, “I’ll be going now. If fate allows, we’ll meet again.”
“Senior!”
Jun Changxiao cupped his hands, “My Eternal Sect has just arrived in the Upper Realm and needs an expert like you to assist!”
You think using the master-disciple connection to scam Old Man Taixuan was enough?
No—Gou Sheng also wanted to recruit this tech nerd. If conditions allowed, he even wanted to recruit True Person Tonggu and Seven Profound Saint Venerable!
“My apologies.”
Old Man Taixuan said, “I’ve always preferred a life of freedom. I have no interest in joining a sect.”
“In that case…” Jun Changxiao scratched his head, “Senior, why don’t you lend me Bamboo Mountain Number One?”
Defeating Jin Hao relied on the lightning rod—he didn’t think he was impressive enough to contend with the Core Rotation Realm. So bringing the sect up here, his first consideration was how to gain a foothold. Not to directly confront Profound-ranked sects, but at least not be bullied by trash-tier sects.
“Child.”
Old Man Taixuan said seriously, “Do you have any shame?”
Bamboo Mountain Number One was something he’d painstakingly created and treasured more than a wife, yet this guy had the audacity to ask to borrow it.
Jun Changxiao said, “I’ll write an IOU!”
“Get lost, get lost, get lost!”
Old Man Taixuan turned to leave. Before departing, he tossed over a formation manual, saying, “Since we’re both from the Lower Realm, I’ll give you Phoenix Roost Immortal Mountain. All the formations within the mountain are recorded here. Since you can deploy the Heaven-Seizing Creation Array, you should be able to master them completely.”
“Thank you, Senior!” Jun Changxiao cupped his hands.
“Oh, right.”
Old Man Taixuan added, “Sword-Wielding Profound Sect and Blade-Commanding Profound Sect probably won’t let you off. Be prepared—don’t get your sect destroyed right after arriving.”
After saying these final words, he flew out of Phoenix Roost Immortal Mountain.
“That won’t happen.”
Jun Changxiao thought to himself, “The Eternal Sect has always been the one destroying others—how could we be destroyed by someone else?”
“Ding! The host successfully led the sect through the Myriad Tribulation Thunder Array and obtained legitimate ascension status, meeting the criteria. Epic quest complete, completion rate 100%, host receives 500,000 contribution points!”
“Ding! Sect contribution points: 700,000.”
“Holy crap!”
Jun Changxiao exclaimed, “Only 100% completion rate and it gave this many contribution points!”
The mortal realm’s Epic Quest Thirteen only gave 200,000 at 200% completion. This minimum standard completion giving 500,000 was truly terrifying.
“Very normal.”
The System said, “After all, this is a brand new Upper Realm version epic quest.”
“Ding! Congratulations to host for completing Upper Realm version Epic Quest One, receiving Radiant Illumination Heart Sutra ×1, Heaven-Crossing Palm Seal ×1, Sect Function Upgrade ×1.”
“Ding! Host has obtained a heart technique and palm technique, meeting conditions for automatic matching as sect cultivation methods.”
On the System data panel, previously matched sect cultivation methods had been reset to zero and replaced by the Radiant Illumination Heart Sutra and Heaven-Crossing Palm Seal. This meant that the sect’s ascension was equivalent to starting over.
However.
First forcefully breaking through the Myriad Tribulation Thunder Array, then severely wounding a Realm Hall Nine Revolutions expert—Jun Changxiao and the Eternal Sect’s fresh start was far more spectacular than any previous ascenders.
…
Iron Bone Mountain was still Iron Bone Mountain, the Eternal Sect was still the Eternal Sect, and even the leadership and disciples remained the same. The only thing that changed was the entire world—they were even incompatible with their surroundings.
“Whoosh!”
Jun Changxiao closed his eyes and took a deep breath, carefully sensing the richer heavenly and earthly attributes permeating the surroundings, and said, “A brand new beginning!”
“Fortunately.”
The System said, “There’s no soul bomb attached.”
“Ding! Main quest triggered.”
“…”
Jun Changxiao’s facial muscles instantly stiffened. With ten thousand helpless feelings, he opened the quest panel. The content read—Within 100 years, develop the Eternal Strongest Sect into an Immortal-rank sect. If unsuccessful, when the time comes, the host will immediately have their soul scattered!
Li Qingyang and the others, who were getting used to and accepting the brand new world, suddenly discovered their Sect Master standing before the great hall, both hands desperately choking his own neck, as if fighting himself—and fighting to the death at that.
“You damn well milked me again, I’ll fight you to the death!”
“This isn’t my fault!!!”
—