Ren Shan, fearing he would be silenced, chose to join Tiegu Sect. Little did he know that Sect Master Jun recruited him precisely because he was worried about news of discovering the spirit stone vein in Black Demon Forest spreading.
Once someone became his disciple, if they committed any act of betrayal, their memories would be erased—everything was arranged.
“Ding-dong!”
“Ding-dong!”
Inside the cavern, Tiegu Sect disciples wielded sharp Hanfeng Swords, mining at maximum speed.
This spirit stone vein wasn’t particularly large and was completely excavated in just a few days.
After taking inventory, they had obtained over thirty thousand spirit stones in total.
Jun Changxiao shook his head. “This can’t compare at all to our Tiegu Mountain spirit stone vein.”
Jiang Xiezhuai said, “Sect Master, this should be a small-scale spirit stone vein. If it were any larger, the heavenly and earthly anomalies it would create couldn’t be hidden by the forest miasma alone.”
“I see.”
Jun Changxiao led everyone out of the cavern. Once they reached the forest, he summoned the Hurricane Wolf King and returned toward Tiegu Sect.
“Swish! Swish! Swish!”
Hurricane Wolves carried Tiegu Sect disciples racing through the depths of the forest. Because their numbers were so great, fierce beasts hiding in the shadows couldn’t help but tremble in fear.
Ren Shan, riding alongside Xiao Zuiji, once again witnessed Tiegu Sect disciples mounted on fierce wind-element wolf beasts. His heart still couldn’t calm down, and he thought silently, “My destiny may very well change because I joined Tiegu Sect!”
…
From his journey to the Mount Hua Martial Gathering, Jun Changxiao had absolutely struck it rich.
Setting aside Contribution Points and various goods, the over thirty thousand natural spirit stones alone were enough to make him grin from ear to ear.
“Sect Master.”
Upon returning to the sect, Jun Changxiao had barely sat down in the great hall when Hall Master Li came to report. “During your absence, we mined over twenty thousand more spirit stones.”
“Is that so?”
Jun Changxiao broke into a wide smile.
At present, he had already accumulated over seventy thousand natural spirit stones—definitely enough to help himself and his disciples advance.
Moreover…
Judging from the anomalies that had previously appeared at Tiegu Mountain’s spirit stone vein, it represented at least a large to medium-sized vein that could continue being mined for quite a long time.
Calculating at an extraction rate of three thousand stones per day, that would be over a million stones in a year—definitely sustainable long-term supply.
Still not enough.
He still needed to increase the intensity of martial dao resources!
After returning, Jun Changxiao focused his attention on the Mid-Grade Spirit Gathering Formation. After three full days of comprehension in his room, he finally emerged with successful understanding.
…
Back mountain.
Jun Changxiao began upgrading and transforming the Basic-Grade Spirit Gathering Formation.
After approximately two hours, he not only successfully upgraded it to Mid-Grade, but also expanded its range considerably—it could now accommodate a thousand disciples.
“Whoosh! Whoosh!”
Within the formation, magnificent heavenly and earthly attributes surged in madly, and the intensity kept strengthening.
When it finally stabilized, the spiritual energy intensity had increased from the initial thirty times to one hundred times.
Jun Changxiao knew this must be the extreme limit that a Mid-Grade Spirit Gathering Formation could achieve.
Because the Thirty-Two Extraordinary Formations clearly stated it could condense spiritual energy sixty times stronger than the outside world.
Tiegu Sect now had a spiritual energy intensity of twenty times due to the spiritual qi revival. Multiplied by sixty would easily break a thousand, not just barely exceed a hundred.
The System said, “The formations in the Thirty-Two Extraordinary Formations are based on the most ordinary spiritual energy intensity and also have certain limits. If it truly reached one thousand times intensity, it definitely couldn’t handle the load and would explode on the spot.”
“One hundred times is already excellent.”
Jun Changxiao said contentedly, “At least when I and my disciples cultivate here for one hour, it equals what others would absorb in one hundred hours.”
Tiegu Sect now had high-level martial arts and various equipment. The only thing lacking was higher cultivation levels. The Mid-Grade Spirit Gathering Formation and high-multiple Qi Gathering Pills were undoubtedly key to advancement.
“Clap.”
Jun Changxiao clapped his hands. “Next, let the disciples cultivate peacefully for a while and have everyone advance from Wutu level to Wushi!”
With a cultivation sanctuary like the Mid-Grade Spirit Gathering Formation, breaking through would become extremely easy. However, entering major realm boundaries would require testing martial cultivators’ comprehension of martial dao.
No problem.
Sect Master Jun had Wushi Pills.
Disciples only needed to reach Peak Wutu, and after taking the pill they could easily enter Wushi.
However, the required medicinal ingredients were numerous and precious. Large-scale production was still quite unrealistic at present.
…
Medicine garden.
Jun Changxiao sat in the small pavilion and took out the medicinal ingredients needed to refine Wushi Pills. “Now that the sect has stronger spiritual energy, how long will it take to cultivate these ingredients?”
Elder Wei considered briefly. “At fastest, three months.”
Previously he had said three to five years. Now it only required three months—one could see that the benefits brought by the spiritual qi revival and Wild Boar Peppa’s soil transformation were indeed quite significant!
“Can it be even faster?” Jun Changxiao asked.
Elder Wei shook his head. “With my current abilities, three months is the limit.”
“Very well.”
Jun Changxiao said, “This Sect Master will obtain seeds. Elder Wei, please first designate an area specifically for cultivating this type of medicinal ingredient.”
“Mm.” Elder Wei said.
The medicine garden had now expanded from the previous ten-plus acres to over a hundred acres. Planting other quality medicinal ingredients posed absolutely no problem.
…
“Heavens!”
Inside the Mid-Grade Spirit Gathering Formation, Su Xiaomo exclaimed, “The spiritual energy intensity here is even stronger than before!”
Li Fei said, “In just two hours, the Sect Master upgraded the formation to be so powerful—he’s truly a top-tier formation grandmaster!”
While the two exclaimed in amazement, Li Qingyang, Xiao Zuiji, and others had already sat down cross-legged.
Their physical strength had already been tempered to the extreme in the Training Tower, so now they could focus on breaking through cultivation levels more quickly!
“With such strong spiritual energy, combined with Qi Gathering Pills and spirit stones, reaching Peak Wushi will be effortless!” Ye Xingchen thought silently.
After the Mid-Grade Spirit Gathering Formation was completed, disciples who had trained in the Training Tower for considerable time shifted their focus to cultivation.
Some disciples were only at Wutu level. Combined with Qi Gathering Pills and Qi Gathering Powder, after cultivating inside for just a day or two, they easily advanced one rank.
“Whoosh! Whoosh!”
“Whoosh! Whoosh!”
Inside the formation, almost every moment, disciples manifested breakthrough momentum.
Jun Changxiao worried this would affect other disciples’ cultivation, so he made further improvements, dividing the formation into many independent spaces and naming them “Cultivation Rooms.”
…
As a result, Tiegu Sect disciples became even more diligent in cultivation.
Those disciples who had joined recently, such as Xue Rengui and the subordinates he brought, focused on spending time in the Body Forging Chamber, undergoing comprehensive physical tempering.
Of course…
Sect Master Jun had been constantly evaluating Xue Rengui and temporarily appointed him to manage Wolf Cavalry Hall’s members.
He didn’t disappoint.
General-born Xue Rengui had quite a knack for training.
He even researched numerous cavalry tactics suitable for the Hurricane Wolves that members rode!
On Tiegu Mountain’s open grassland…
Five hundred Wolf Cavalry Hall members rode Hurricane Wolves at full speed. Under Xue Rengui’s frequently waving battle flag, they would scatter into small units one moment, then reform into whole formations the next, arranging various battle formations.
Jun Changxiao, watching from a mountain peak as disciples achieved such coordinated cooperation after just a few days of training, said, “This Xue Rengui is truly talented.”
Jiang Xiezhuai said, “After all, he was born a general.”
Li Luoqiu suggested, “I think appointing him as Wolf Cavalry Hall Master would be most suitable.”
Managing two halls simultaneously meant she had no time for cultivation. She definitely hoped the Sect Master would quickly find someone capable enough to replace her.
“It’s decided then.”
Jun Changxiao said, “Xue Rengui will serve as Wolf Cavalry Hall Master.”
The next day.
After assembling all disciples and publicly announcing that Xue Rengui would be Wolf Cavalry Hall’s first Hall Master, his subordinates were all assigned to Wolf Cavalry Hall, each equipped with a Hurricane Wolf.
“Swish!”
Xue Rengui stepped forward, received the waist token representing the Hall Master position, and said solemnly, “Thank you for the Sect Master’s trust. Xue will certainly manage Wolf Cavalry Hall wholeheartedly!”
—