After obtaining the martial techniques, the Iron Bones Sect disciples began cultivating them.

They first cultivated the Clear Heart Art.

Surprisingly, once this mental cultivation method was circulated, their mental state truly stabilized considerably!

People have seven emotions and six desires. Except for those with true great willpower, they would more or less lose focus during cultivation or be disturbed by external things.

The Clear Heart Art’s function was to eliminate all distracting thoughts, stabilizing one’s mental spirit.

As long as one’s mental state calmed down, comprehending the martial path would naturally be faster.

City Lord Xie arranged temporary lodgings. Jun Changxiao circulated several major and minor circulation cycles and murmured: “Circulating the Clear Heart Art allows faster achievement of embracing origin and guarding unity. This is truly a good thing!”

Moreover, this mental cultivation method could not only be used to comprehend the martial path but could also be circulated when comprehending martial techniques. It was completely a multifunctional auxiliary mental method.

The Iron Bones Sect disciples also realized this, so they focused even more intently on comprehending the Clear Heart Art.

Several days later.

At the military camp’s training grounds.

Several Iron Bones Sect disciples released their spiritual energy, forming mist-like aura that gradually covered their entire bodies, gathering into faint armor.

The martial technique—Spirit Armor.

After executing it, not only was armor donned on the body, even helmets condensed into being. It was just short of arming even the teeth.

This defensive martial technique was easy to learn but difficult to master.

Even if one comprehended it successfully, the defensive strength would still be determined by one’s spiritual energy.

The few Iron Bones Sect disciples testing it were only Second or Third-Rank Martial Masters. They could only form armor that seemed real yet illusory, unable to achieve substantialization.

“Whoosh whoosh!”

Xiao Zuiji walked over, releasing his spiritual energy. Majestic attributes roared forth, gathering armor in the fastest time. He threw several punches consecutively and said: “No hindrance whatsoever.”

“My heavens!”

“Senior Brother Xiao’s condensed armor is so strong!”

The few disciples gathered around enviously.

As a peak Martial Master, Xiao Zuiji’s spiritual energy exceeded his junior brothers’. His armor was already close to substantialization. Standing on the training ground, he looked like a brave and battle-ready general!

Just then, Su Xiaomo walked out and said in surprise: “Junior Brother Xiao, your condensed armor is way too cool!”

He also executed Spirit Armor.

However, standing next to Xiao Zuiji, he was obviously somewhat inferior.

Li Fei, Tian Qi, and others also came over one after another.

They executed Spirit Armor with great interest. In the final comparison, whether in substantialization or form, all had some gap compared to Xiao Zuiji.

This was probably related to Xiao Zuiji’s primary cultivation of physical body strength.

“Utterly boring.”

Ye Xingchen, sitting on the city wall, looked at the people below testing martial techniques. A trace of disdain floated at the corner of his mouth.

He had also learned Spirit Armor but didn’t take it to heart. What he truly cared about was the Clear Heart Art. This kind of mental method that stabilized mental spirit was truly too helpful for the martial path!

Even Zhou Hong had cultivated it, because it could help him better calm his mind to comprehend the sword path.

While defending Qingyang City, the disciples remained immersed in cultivating martial techniques, making Xie Guangkun secretly sigh: “No wonder the Iron Bones Sect is so strong—their disciples cultivate very diligently!”

…

After the Tiger Might Army’s defeat, the enemy’s main army stationed in Heyang Commandery and Huayang Commandery made no moves, actually giving Jun Changxiao quite a bit of time.

Tao Yuan, who had become a prisoner, was rather tragic.

He was locked in a cage without even being given food, starving for three whole days.

Every time Jun Changxiao finished cultivating, he would come over to chat. The topic wasn’t persuading surrender but explaining culinary delicacies to him.

Making someone starve while talking to them about food—there’s never been anyone so despicable!

Even more outrageous.

Jun Changxiao even called Liu Wanshi over, set up a stove in the dungeon, and deeply and solemnly explained every single step of cooking.

Even the most ordinary stir-fried cabbage, under his build-up and rendering, exuded the fragrance of time!

Tao Yuan could only remain silent, silent, and continue to remain silent.

Even though he was already famished, as a soldier, he absolutely couldn’t let food temptation shake his resolve!

Sect Leader Jun wasn’t in a hurry either. Whenever he had time, he continued explaining culinary delicacies.

…

That night.

The sky was full of stars.

Jun Changxiao lay on the city tower rooftop, looking up at the full moon and murmuring: “I miss home a little.”

These past few days, constantly explaining food to Tao Yuan, and mostly Chinese cuisine like Lu cuisine and Sichuan cuisine, inevitably stirred up emotions of “raising head to gaze at the bright moon, lowering head to think of hometown.”

“I wonder if anyone still remembers me?”

Jun Changxiao smiled bitterly with self-mockery: “No relatives, few friends—who would remember me?”

Suddenly, he realized that he had no attachments on Earth. Why be obsessed? Living peacefully in this other world would be fine, wouldn’t it?

Moreover.

He was a sect leader with many disciples. Although they weren’t blood relatives, they were both teachers and friends, growing together harmoniously—that wasn’t bad either.

Whoosh—

Little Dragon leaped over from the city wall, landing beside Jun Changxiao, then tucked in its head and lay down next to its master.

Because it had beast cores, the little guy’s food problem was solved, so it rarely appeared recently.

Jun Changxiao stroked its fiery red little head and said: “When will you grow up?”

“Coo coo.”

Little Dragon made a strange cry and lazily closed its eyes.

Jun Changxiao shook his head, then turned to look at the northernmost city wall, locking onto Lu Qianqian in her white robes.

This woman had been standing there for quite some time.

Sect Leader Jun, who continuously released his spiritual sense, had captured this early on.

What was she thinking about?

Lu Qianqian was thinking about the Clear Heart Art.

This kind of mental method that could stabilize one’s mental state was extremely helpful for her comprehension of the Supreme Mystic Ice Heart Art.

After a few more days passed, Sect Leader Jun noticed that the ice mountain woman who had originally thawed slightly was emanating increasingly stronger cold day by day.

“So cold.”

Walking past fellow disciples, everyone involuntarily shivered.

“Sect Leader.”

One day, Lu Qianqian came to see him and said: “After the war ends, this disciple wishes to go out for tempering.”

After cultivating the Clear Heart Art, her originally slightly rippling mental state gradually progressed toward the level of a heart like still water, so she urgently wanted to head to Northeast Luzhou.

“Fine.”

Jun Changxiao didn’t object.

The two of them—one standing on the city tower, one standing below the city tower, separated by over ten meters—after this exchange of words, neither spoke further. The atmosphere was slightly awkward.

“Sect Leader.”

Just then, Li Luoqiu, who was at the Iron Bones Sect, transmitted: “Trouble arose.”

“What trouble?” Jun Changxiao said.

Li Luoqiu said: “According to intelligence from our informants, Zhenyang Commandery’s sect forces have brought quite a few experts to Cangshan Sect. It seems they’re going to cause trouble.”

“Cause trouble?” Jun Changxiao’s brows slightly furrowed.

Zhenyang Commandery’s sect forces going to Cangshan Sect should be related to this war.

“If it were me wanting to attack a certain commandery, I’d naturally need to properly arrange the influential forces within that commandery.”

“Elder Jiang, Hall Master Xue.”

Jun Changxiao jumped down from the city tower and said: “You’re responsible for protecting Qingyang City.”

“Qianqian, Xingchen.”

He added: “Follow this Seat to Cangshan Sect.”

Little Dragon, who had been sleeping, suddenly perked up and jumped onto its master’s shoulder.

“Aoowu!”

The Hurricane Wolf King was summoned. Jun Changxiao leaped up, bringing Lu Qianqian and Ye Xingchen as they charged toward Cangshan Sect at high speed.