Our Tiegu Sect’s reputation is so high now that even bandits thousands of li away have heard of it?

Jun Changxiao said, “That’s right.”

“Your Excellency addresses yourself as ‘this Sect Leader’—could you be the second Sect Leader of the Iron Bones Clanging Sect, Jun Changxiao?” the bandit leader said.

“Tsk tsk.”

Jun Changxiao said, “You even know I’m the second Sect Leader. Looks like you’ve done quite a bit of inquiring.”

The bandit leader said, “Leading a group of disciples to kill into Huayang Commandery and consecutively annihilating four evil sects—this Xue greatly admires such righteous heroes who eliminate evil for the people, so naturally I would investigate extensively.”

Righteous hero?

Jun Changxiao didn’t dare accept such praise.

Whether annihilating evil sects or eliminating bandits, the true reason was never really about eliminating evil for the people.

“Since you greatly admire this Sect Leader, why not join the Iron Bones Clanging Sect?” Jun Changxiao said.

The bandit leader said, “How can Your Excellency prove you’re the Tiegu Sect Leader?”

“…”

Jun Changxiao immediately felt crushed.

The Dragon Family people didn’t believe him, and bandits didn’t believe him either.

Being this Sect Leader is too pathetic.

“Thwack!”

He stamped the Sect Leader’s seal on the table.

Jun Changxiao picked up the paper, pointed at the seal impression, and said, “Do you believe me now?”

The bandit leader said, “This kind of sect leader’s seal—you can get four or five made at any town for a tael or two of silver. Even imperial seals can be counterfeited.”

“…” The corner of Jun Changxiao’s mouth twitched.

However, thinking of how that kid Sun Bukong had produced various Great Emperor successor waist tokens, he also felt that in this otherworld, making a fake sect leader’s seal wasn’t too difficult.

“If you believe I’m the Tiegu Sect Leader, then I am?” Jun Changxiao said.

The bandit leader said, “I heard the Tiegu Sect has a spiritual-power type martial technique that can be continuously executed…”

Swoosh swoosh swoosh—

Crescent-shaped streams of light tore through the void, instantly flying out of the great hall and bombarding the mountain wall!

Jun Changxiao withdrew his hand and said, “Is this the move you’re talking about?”

The bandit leader’s eyes widened.

He could naturally see that the opponent had executed a spiritual-power type martial technique.

Unleashing so many in one breath with such powerful force—it was absolutely identical to the rumors!

“I heard the Tiegu Sect has a disciple with extremely strong physical strength who also won the championship at the Qingyang Commandery Sect Competition.”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Jun Changxiao swung his fists, bombarding Xiao Zuiji’s chest several times, and said, “Is this who you’re talking about?”

The bandit leader’s expression went blank.

This guy’s single punch carried at least over one hundred thousand jin of force.

That martial cultivator not only withstood it but didn’t even step back once—how strong must his physical body be?!

“Swish!”

The bandit leader cupped his fists and said, “If Sect Leader Jun doesn’t mind, this Xue is willing to follow you!”

Actually, when Jun Changxiao said he was the Tiegu Sect Leader, he’d already half-believed it, because these martial cultivators were very young yet had strong cultivation, matching the information he’d gathered.

During this time, the bandit leader had been constantly inquiring about the Tiegu Sect’s affairs, learning of their various deeds. He especially admired them for annihilating evil sects.

Since they were recruiting him, he was naturally willing to join!

Jun Changxiao had Li Qingyang sheathe his sword and took out an enrollment form, saying, “Name.”

“Xue Rengui.”

“…Xue Rengui?”

The ancient famous general from my China!

Just for this name alone, I must recruit him!

“Thwack!”

Jun Changxiao directly stamped his seal, and after hearing the prompts for disciple increase and contribution points, said, “From today on, you are a disciple of my Tiegu Sect.”

Recruiting a Martial Venerable—wonderful!

Moreover, judging from the proud aura he emanated, he was definitely a soldier who had fought on battlefields.

The Wolf Cavalry Hall was just lacking a hall master. If he had the ability, making him hall master wouldn’t be bad.

“Swish!”

Xue Rengui cupped his fists and said, “I greet the Sect Leader!”

Becoming a bandit had been a last resort.

Now joining the rising Iron Bones Clanging Sect was also a wise choice.

—

Over five hundred bandits with mediocre cultivation held long spears and surrounded the great hall in layers.

Typically, bandits’ standard weapons were large ring-sabers, yet they used long spears or pikes—clearly more like professionally trained soldiers.

“A bunch of trash.”

Ye Xingchen stood at the door holding his sword, disdain emanating from his cold gaze.

As long as the Sect Leader gave one command, he guaranteed this trash would die and return to the garbage heap at maximum speed.

Emperor Ye was just that domineering!

Unfortunately, after waiting a long time, no order came.

Ye Xingchen couldn’t help muttering inwardly, “This isn’t like the Sect Leader’s previous style.”

What style?

Entering an evil force’s territory—as soon as he saw innocent people who’d died miserably, he would decisively say, “Kill them all, leave none alive.”

“Put down all your weapons.”

Xue Rengui walked out from the great hall and shouted sternly.

His subordinates obeyed their boss’s command and threw their weapons on the ground.

This kind of absolute obedience and discipline—who would believe they were bandits?!

“Brothers.”

Xue Rengui said, “I’ve already joined the Tiegu Sect. Whoever wishes to continue following me may stay. Those seeking other opportunities can leave now.”

Joined the Tiegu Sect?

What’s going on?

Though everyone looked bewildered, they all shouted loudly, “Wherever the boss goes, we go! If the boss joins the Tiegu Sect, we’re willing to join too!”

“Thwack.”

Li Qingyang set a table outside, and Xiao Zuiji placed chairs.

Jun Changxiao gracefully took his seat and said, “Then hurry up and come register one by one.”

“Ding! Sect members: 2015/5000.”

“Ding! Sect contribution points: 1952/5000.”

“…”

“…”

After recruiting over five hundred well-trained bandits, members increased from the initial 2014 to 2525.

Contribution points also gained 511, increasing from the previous 2950 to 3461.

Jun Changxiao thought to himself, “This Mount Hua Martial Discourse has been quite profitable.”

“Whoosh! Whoosh!”

The mountain stockade burned under raging flames.

The fire was set by Xue Rengui, because joining the Tiegu Sect meant starting everything anew—the identity of bandit becoming the past.

“Tell us your story,” Jun Changxiao said on the way down the mountain.

Xue Rengui hesitated slightly, then sighed and said, “The Sect Leader guessed correctly—I’m not just a soldier, but a general.”

“Why did you become a bandit?”

“Because…”

Xue Rengui stopped, his fists clenched tightly, and said with great courage, “I became a deserter.”

Li Qingyang and the others looked completely astonished.

Earlier, with a sword at his throat and death imminent, he’d shown iron bones—yet such a person had become a deserter. This was truly unexpected!

“Why did you become a deserter?” Jun Changxiao said.

Xue Rengui said, “Because I received an order to massacre a town full of ordinary civilians.”

“You found it cruel, so you ran away?”

“Correct.”

“A soldier’s nature is to obey orders.”

Jun Changxiao said, “As the general of an army, first you didn’t execute orders, second you deserted in the face of battle—indeed you shouldn’t have.”

“So, from the moment I removed my armor, I could never again deserve the title of ‘soldier.'”

Xue Rengui’s eyes held complex emotions—the only thing absent was regret.

If time could flow backward and give him another choice, he still wouldn’t harm innocent civilians. Moreover… those civilians were from his own country.

A soldier’s duty is to protect home and country.

Using weapons to kill the people he was meant to protect—this was something he absolutely could not do.

Military orders are like mountains. If he didn’t comply, he would certainly be stripped of rank and punished, so he could only become a deserter with a group of trusted subordinates, then occupy a mountain peak and become a bandit who robbed the rich to aid the poor.

This was Xue Rengui’s story.

A man who would rather violate a soldier’s nature, would rather become a bandit, than raise weapons to massacre innocents.

“This Sect Leader hopes you can obey orders and not become a deserter again,” Jun Changxiao said.

Xue Rengui said earnestly, “As long as the Sect Leader doesn’t wantonly kill innocents, this general is willing to brave raging flames and waters for the Tiegu Sect, unto death!”

—