The Lingyao Empress joined the ten-year agreement, but Jun Changxiao wouldn’t fight her, because this was Ah Niu’s enemy—he must personally defeat her to take revenge.

“No good.”

Old Man Taixuan said, “This kid is too weak.”

He wasn’t even optimistic about Six-Revolution Dog Sheng, let alone Two-Revolution Ye Xingchen.

Of course.

It wasn’t looking down on Ah Niu. Mainly the gap was too large. Going there, he’d definitely be pressed to the floor and thoroughly ground down.

“Master.”

Jun Changxiao said, “Have you heard this saying?”

“What saying?”

“Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—don’t bully the poor youth!”

“…”

Tonggu Zhenren rolled his eyes, “Stop spouting these useless motivational phrases to your master.”

Jun Changxiao said, “There are still six or seven years until the agreement date. Disciple deeply believes Ah Niu can defeat the Lingyao Empress, because…” Speaking here, he looked toward Ye Xingchen again, his tone filled with incomparable pride, “He is my Eternal Sect disciple!”

The words were spoken exceptionally loud, echoing throughout the entire sect for a long time.

“Crack!”

Ye Xingchen clenched his fists tightly again. The blood in his body seemed to instantly boil under the encouragement of “Eternal Sect disciple.”

“…”

Tonggu Zhenren said speechlessly, “Won’t she improve and grow too?”

What he worried about most now was the Lingyao Empress stepping into Truth-Seeking Realm. At that point, there’d be almost no suspense.

“Master.”

Jun Changxiao said seriously, “She can improve and grow, but absolutely not as fast as my disciple!”

Whether he could make Ah Niu become stronger faster, even surpass the Lingyao Empress, Dog Sheng had no certainty. But that didn’t prevent him from establishing goals.

People.

Must have goals, must have ideals!

“Ye Xingchen!”

“Tell this seat loudly—can you defeat her!”

“Sect Master…”

Standing at the back mountain entrance, Ye Xingchen’s boiling blood instantly ignited. He looked up and roared, “Disciple will not only defeat her but personally execute her with my own hands!”

“…”

Tonggu Zhenren’s expression was spectacular.

Has my disciple’s disciple been kicked in the head by a donkey? With Two-Revolution cultivation, he dares declare he’ll personally execute Nine-Revolution Core Formation Realm?

“Sigh.”

He sighed, “I’ve already told you. Prepare well. For the ten-year agreement, absolutely don’t disappoint your master.”

“Whoosh!”

With that said, he flew away from Eternal Sect.

After he left, Li Qingyang and others appeared one after another, stopping before Ye Xingchen and casting encouraging gazes.

“Junior Brother Ye.”

Su Xiaomo raised his fist and thumped it on his chest, “Senior Brother believes you can do it.”

“…”

Ye Xingchen’s surface remained cold, but warmth still rose in his heart.

The current him wasn’t fighting alone.

Large numbers of disciples successively gathered at the back mountain area. They all stood near Ye Xingchen. The camera swept past them, finally settling on the plaque hanging in the great hall engraved with “Iron Bones Clanging.”

Li Shangtian naturally wouldn’t miss this excellent opportunity. He quickly found a good angle and pressed the shutter, giving birth to a photograph symbolizing unity.

…

On the mountain peak.

Ye Xingchen sat alone on a boulder, his gaze looking toward the distant sea of clouds scenery.

Although he boldly shouted he’d defeat the Lingyao Empress, deep in his heart he understood better than anyone that if he battled that woman, judging from his current state, he had absolutely no chance of victory.

“Still too weak.”

Ye Xingchen’s gaze held dejection.

Previously, when facing powerful enemies, he never had this mentality, because the Night Emperor’s proud bones didn’t allow him to lower his head.

Now it was different.

Because battling the Lingyao Empress didn’t just represent himself—it represented the sect.

The pressure was immense!

Jun Changxiao’s treatment of Hua Meigui had already changed. Ye Xingchen’s treatment of Eternal Sect had changed even more obviously—he’d already truly become one with it, though his proud personality was hard to change.

“Step!”

Suddenly, a sound came from behind.

Looking back, a jar of Life and Death Wine appeared beside him.

“Junior Brother Ye.”

Xiao Zuiji sat in a distant tree, one leg casually dangling, holding a wine jar in his hand, smiling, “How about we compete?”

Ye Xingchen’s gaze showed disdainful color.

In martial dao, he dared not claim to be the strongest among Eternal Sect disciples, but in wine dao, he absolutely didn’t fear anyone.

“Come!”

Ah Niu skillfully slapped open the seal, lifted the Life and Death Wine, and drank.

Very irritated.

Just right to drown sorrows with wine.

Xiao Zuiji similarly lifted his Life and Death Wine.

One sat on a boulder, one sat in a tree. Both drank heartily. That kind of bold and unrestrained atmosphere was instantly created.

“Junior Brother.”

Xiao Zuiji wiped away wine stains from his mouth, recalling the past, “Back in the lower realm, I had no cultivation—a complete waste. But the Sect Master still set a three-year agreement for me. Do you know why?”

Hearing this, Ye Xingchen understood why he came to drink with him, so he answered, “Because of goals, motivation?”

“No.”

Xiao Zuiji drank another mouthful of wine, “Because the Sect Master had confidence he could make me stronger.”

“…”

Ye Xingchen’s facial expression became spectacular.

This answer completely didn’t follow the pattern he guessed!

“Facts proved it.” Xiao Zuiji said, “The Sect Master has this ability—he can make a waste like me stand up again in three years and recover the dignity I once lost.”

“What are you trying to express?”

“Trust the Sect Master. Trust yourself.”

Ye Xingchen fell into silence, then lifted the wine jar and drank.

Xiao Zuiji also didn’t continue speaking, because simple words conveyed the meaning. There was no need to repeat them—that would seem rather deliberate.

Lower realm, three-year agreement.

Upper realm, ten-year agreement.

Both hurt by women, with similar battle agreements—these two were truly good friends who’d walk together for life.

“Glug glug.”

Ye Xingchen drank an entire jar of Life and Death Wine, then stood up swaying, casually tossing it away. He spread both arms and shouted loudly, “I, Ye Xingchen, will definitely defeat that woman!”

“Bang!”

The empty wine jar traced a beautiful arc, directly falling from the mountain peak, landing precisely on Purple Scale Demon King’s head.

Which bastard was littering from high up? Don’t you know how dangerous that is!

…

After drinking wine, Ye Xingchen’s inner confusion disappeared. He focused more attention on cultivation and deeply believed the Sect Master definitely had a way to make him stronger.

In fact, Jun Changxiao was very conflicted.

Although he established a small goal for Ah Niu, how could he make him rapidly become stronger?

“Sigh.”

The system said helplessly, “Stop letting disciples randomly plant Flags!”

“Stop talking nonsense.”

Jun Changxiao rolled his eyes, “Quickly think of a way for me—how to make Ah Niu rapidly improve.”

“Use all the sect’s martial dao resources on him alone,” the system said.

“Can he surpass the Lingyao Empress?”

“No.”

“Then what’s the point of you saying that?”

The system said, “Mobilizing the entire sect’s resources should enable qualitative leaps for him in just a few years, but the Lingyao Empress will also cultivate. So at this point, you need to use the shop to cheat.”

“As expected.”

Jun Changxiao said helplessly, “Still have to rely on it.”

The system said, “The gap between Ye Xingchen and the Lingyao Empress is simply too large. To catch up or even surpass her within six or seven years, this is definitely the only path. Otherwise, go jump off a cliff—maybe you’ll accidentally obtain a great expert’s legacy and come out at max level.”

“…”

Jun Changxiao covered his forehead, “Then let’s still cheat. At least it’s more realistic.”

—