Black Eagle Hall’s Hall Master He pursued them with only one purpose—to intercept the Iron Bones Sect and make them hand over what they had obtained in Death Valley.

This kind of thing was very common. He had done it more than once or twice. Whether sects or individual teams, all had been visited.

Of course.

When encountering tough targets, the Black Eagle Hall didn’t dare provoke them.

For example, the last time Alliance Leader Qin brought disciples for training, though they received the news, they pretended not to know.

One must pick the soft persimmon to squeeze—this was the way of survival.

Unfortunately.

This time, the Black Eagle Hall Vice Hall Master squeezed the wrong persimmon, resulting in himself and over sixty disciples being completely annihilated.

If it were forces that considered themselves righteous sects, they might have left survivors. Unfortunately, they provoked the Iron Bones Sect, so they could only collectively go to hell and sing their laments.

Sect Leader Jun wouldn’t actively seek trouble.

However, if someone provoked him and harbored killing intent, he must respond with the same methods.

This domineering, this formidable.

“Search them,” Jun Changxiao waved his hand.

The Iron Bones Sect disciples began looting, quickly finding over sixty small spatial rings.

This type of ring—any sect with some financial power would provide one per person, capable of storing a limited number of items.

The Iron Bones Sect was somewhat interesting.

Because Sect Leader Jun had never purchased spatial rings, disciples who had spatial rings mostly obtained them from assassins they had dealt with.

Therefore, looting was still necessary—at least it could save some expenses.

“Sect Leader.”

After tallying everything, Li Qingyang said, “There’s a total of thirty thousand taels in banknotes and some low-grade medicinal herbs.”

“How poor,” Jun Changxiao said.

If the deceased Hall Master He heard these two words on the road to the Yellow Springs, he would definitely roar, “If I were wealthy, would I have led people to rob you?!”

“Sect Leader, these corpses?”

“Pile them up and burn them.”

“Yes.”

“Whoosh! Whoosh!”

Great fires burned, corpses turned to ash.

Because many people had died here and the place was filled with the stench of blood, Jun Changxiao had no appetite for barbecue and led his disciples away.

On the road.

Song Hui and the other two martial artists were contemplating whether the Iron Bones Sect they had joined was righteous or demonic.

If you said demonic—

In Death Valley, they tolerated rogue cultivators following to scavenge.

If you said righteous—

Just now when killing the Black Eagle Hall, they showed absolutely no mercy!

Especially the Sect Leader, who raised that strange object and with a bang eliminated Hall Master He—absolutely decisive in killing, absolutely swift and efficient!

The more the three thought about it, the less they understood.

However, whether the Iron Bones Sect was righteous or demonic, they would firmly join!

…

The next day.

Jun Changxiao accelerated the journey, bringing everyone back to the Iron Bones Sect by evening.

As usual, as soon as they entered the sect, disciples surrounded them, competing to ask about the training expedition.

Though they hadn’t followed along physically, their hearts had gone with them.

After finishing cultivation, they would all sit together discussing how the Sect Leader and senior brothers fought fierce beasts!

The scenes they imagined were even more exciting than the novels written by See You Again in the Jianghu.

“Ahem.”

Su Xiaomo stood in the center of the training grounds, cleared his throat, and like a storyteller said, “This matter is a long story. Listen as I tell it slowly.”

The disciples listened attentively, their eyes flashing with excitement.

Jun Changxiao brought Song Hui and the other two to the great hall, had them fill out entrance forms and stamped them with the sect seal.

“Ding! Sect Members: 503/1000.”

“Ding! Sect Contribution Points: 703/1000.”

The other two martial artists were named Yue Xiao and Jin Lang.

Both were like Song Hui—in their early thirties, with strength all at first-grade Wushi.

Jun Changxiao sighed. “Without families or forces providing resources, for you to break through to the Wushi level is truly commendable.”

Song Hui said bitterly, “Sect Leader, whatever achievements we have today were all fought for on the edge of death.”

These words spoke to the difficulty and heartache of rogue cultivators.

Jun Changxiao said, “So from today onward, you need only devote yourselves wholeheartedly to the sect. This seat will provide all resources.”

The Iron Bones Sect was full of youths with dreams. Though vigorous and spirited, they lacked a measure of steadiness.

Recruiting veterans with life-and-death experience was still necessary.

“Sect Leader, please rest assured.”

The three said in unison, “We will devote ourselves wholeheartedly to the sect. Even ascending mountains of blades or descending into seas of fire, we will not hesitate!”

Jun Changxiao believed this.

Because from following them into Death Valley onward, it was more like an entrance examination.

While others left successively, they could follow to the end and pledge themselves—their loyalty was definitely not a problem.

“This is our sect’s special pill. Take them and consume them.”

Jun Changxiao tossed over three Body Tempering Pills.

The Iron Bones Sect didn’t have the heritage of great sects, nor abundant martial arts resources, but giving each entering disciple one Body Tempering Pill was a unique characteristic.

“Sect Leader, this is…” Song Hui said.

Jun Changxiao said, “A type of pill that can strengthen physique. Eating it has all benefits and no harm.”

“Understood.”

Song Hui swallowed the pill.

Yue Xiao and Jin Lang also tossed the pills into their mouths.

At this moment, even if the Sect Leader gave them poison pills, they wouldn’t hesitate.

The pills dissolved upon entering their mouths, forming pure energy that nurtured meridians and muscles, causing the three men’s spirits to lift.

After a moment, the energy was exhausted. Their muscles, meridians, blood, and strength had all substantially improved, their eyes flashing with intense shock.

“My heavens…”

Song Hui exclaimed, unable to contain himself, “My strength seems to have increased greatly!”

Greatly.

An increase of about ten thousand jin!

Yue Xiao and Jin Lang were the same.

The three had mediocre talents and hadn’t been cultivated with any heavenly treasures or earthly delicacies.

Reaching first-grade Wushi, their strength was around 25,000 jin—only the lowest baseline for advancement.

After consuming the Body Tempering Pill, their physical strength improved, instantly rising to around 35,000 jin, already considered mid-level.

Excellent Wushi at first grade could reach around 45,000 jin.

Top-tier geniuses could reach around 55,000 jin.

Heavens!

Were we eating immortal elixirs and spiritual medicine?!

While Song Hui and the others were dumbstruck, Jun Changxiao distributed the “I Slash” and Explosive Fist manuals, saying, “Qingyang, arrange rooms for them and issue uniforms and sect rules handbooks.”

“Yes.”

Li Qingyang led them to the inner courtyard and arranged chambers for them.

The three entered the high-end, atmospheric, and classy rooms, their eyes unable to hide their shock.

The outer courtyard buildings and great hall were already sufficiently impressive. They hadn’t expected the inner courtyard to be even more luxurious. If someone said this was a sixth-rate sect, the three wouldn’t have any doubts!

“Brother Hui.”

The three sat in one room. Yue Xiao said excitedly, “This Iron Bones Sect is truly formidable!”

Jin Lang said in shock, “Consuming one pill and being able to increase strength so much—even in dreams one couldn’t dream of this!”

Song Hui said with extreme excitement, “Our joining the Iron Bones Sect is absolutely the wisest choice of our lives!”

This conviction became even firmer after perusing “I Slash” and Explosive Fist, because just speaking of spiritual power-type martial techniques, these were priceless treasures!

The spatial rings given to the Sect Leader, worth several tens of thousands?

Sorry, they completely didn’t care. If given another choice, even hundreds of thousands they would hand over without hesitation, just to be able to join the Iron Bones Sect!

Those rogue cultivators who left earlier because they were reluctant to part with their wealth—how utterly foolish!