After Lu Qianqian left, the faint cold aura pervading Tiegu Sect completely dissipated.
However, the disciples felt as though something was missing. When doing their routine morning exercises, they all felt somewhat off.
Sect Leader Jun also wasn’t used to it.
After morning exercises ended, sitting in the great hall, he’d occasionally raise his head to look toward the entrance.
There, she would often appear out of nowhere, then lean against the doorframe and say some ice-cold words.
People have feelings.
Even if those feelings had nothing to do with romance.
After spending so much time with Lu Qianqian, though she normally had little presence, now that she’d left, they definitely felt something was missing.
“Sigh.”
Jun Changxiao heaved a long sigh.
Had he known, he wouldn’t have approved her request to train outside.
“She just left.”
Li Luoqiu walked in from outside, smiling: “Sect Leader already misses her?”
These words carried implications, but Jun Changxiao with his destined-to-be-single constitution definitely didn’t catch the subtext. Instead, he said rather melancholically: “After all, she’s the first disciple. How could this seat not miss her?”
Li Luoqiu said: “Stop thinking about it. Let me tell you some good news.”
“What good news?” Jun Changxiao asked.
Li Luoqiu smiled: “Zhenyang Commandery and Chiyang Commandery have gone to war. Both sides have deployed five hundred thousand troops each.”
Jun Changxiao’s eyes brightened: “That is indeed good news!”
With Zhenyang Commandery fighting another sixth-grade major commandery, they definitely had no mind to target Qingyang Commandery. He could develop the sect peacefully.
…
“Senior Brother.”
In the training grounds, Su Xiaomo said quietly: “Eldest Senior Sister isn’t here, and everyone seems listless.”
“It needs time to adjust.” Li Qingyang replied.
“Swish!”
He stood up, clapping his hands. “Stop spacing out. Those going to do tasks, do tasks. Those going to cultivate, cultivate.”
With Eldest Senior Sister absent, as the second disciple, he had to shoulder the responsibility.
“Yes!”
The disciples adjusted their mindsets and began focusing on cultivation.
…
Sect Leader Jun also gradually emerged from the negative emotions brought by his first disciple’s departure and began laying out follow-up plans for the sect’s development.
First, expand the sect.
After accommodating five thousand disciples, the inner and outer courtyards seemed rather crowded. Expansion was very necessary.
Receiving the order, Li Qingyang produced many architectural blueprints, even bringing out many small-scale models.
Looking at the exquisite architectural models, Sect Leader Jun asked in surprise: “You made these?”
“Yes.” Li Qingyang replied.
“Tsk tsk.”
Jun Changxiao praised: “These architectural models you created can completely rival the Yangshi Lei family.”
“Yangshi Lei?” Li Qingyang looked blank.
“Er.”
Jun Changxiao didn’t explain further, handing over a spatial ring. “There’s ten million taels here. If it’s not enough, come get more.”
Li Qingyang’s mouth twitched.
Ten million taels to expand Tiegu Sect—that was absolutely extravagant!
No choice.
Sect Leader Jun currently lacked cultivation, lacked large numbers of high-aptitude disciples—the only thing he didn’t lack was money!
…
The next day.
Under Li Qingyang’s supervision, Tiegu Sect’s inner courtyard expansion proceeded vigorously.
Other disciples continued normal cultivation.
After morning exercises ended, Sect Leader Jun went to Huyang City.
Having bought the middle-grade Spirit Gathering Pill formula, he lacked the medicinal materials and seeds for refining.
“Sect Leader Jun!”
Inside the medicine shop, Ai Shangni hurried to meet him, extremely grateful: “Defending Qingyang City means protecting Qingyang Commandery. This is a tremendous favor!”
“A trivial matter, hardly worth mentioning.” Jun Changxiao replied.
Ai Shangni’s mouth twitched.
Facing head-on against Zhenyang Commandery’s three hundred thousand troops and beheading Bai Ruihu—if this counted as a trivial matter, what would be a major one!
“Family Head Ai.”
Jun Changxiao got to the point: “This seat has come seeking to purchase some medicinal materials and seeds.”
He handed over a list of materials.
Ai Shangni looked it over carefully: “Sect Leader Jun, our shop doesn’t have much stock of these medicinal materials, but we have plenty of seeds.”
“I’ll take them all.” Jun Changxiao said very straightforwardly.
With Elder Wei and Medicine Hall, seeds held definitely more value than ordinary medicinal materials.
Ai Shangni’s work efficiency was very fast. In just half an hour, large quantities of medicinal materials and seeds for refining middle-grade Spirit Gathering Pills were delivered.
“How much?”
“Sect Leader Jun resolved the catastrophe for our Qingyang Commandery. Ai is immensely grateful and will present all of these free of charge!”
“This…”
Jun Changxiao reluctantly agreed: “Very well then.”
Before leaving, he gave Ai Shangni several dozen Healing Pills and over ten Body Shaping Pills.
On the main street.
Sect Leader Jun walked straight ahead. The city’s common people all cast grateful and admiring gazes.
“Li’er!”
A woman holding a three-year-old boy said: “This is the Tiegu Clanging Sect leader, our Qingyang Commandery’s great benefactor!”
“Mother!”
The child’s eyes showed determination: “When I grow up, I definitely want to join Tiegu Clanging Sect!”
“Sect Leader Jun.”
An elderly man knelt down: “Please accept this old man’s bow!”
He wasn’t originally from Qingyang Commandery.
A hundred years ago, he migrated here with relatives because his hometown suffered war’s baptism.
As someone who’d experienced it, the old man understood war’s cruelty better than anyone, and understood the importance of peaceful life better than anyone!
So he knelt down, just to thank Sect Leader Jun!
Writing this passage, I thought of my great-grandmother. The old lady is still living, nearly a hundred years old.
In her youth, during the era when China suffered foreign invasion, she hid with my still-young grandfather from enemy artillery bombardment.
Living in a peaceful era, how can we comprehend how those elders from wartime lived in constant fear?
Therefore.
National humiliation cannot be forgotten.
Countless ancestors who shed their blood brought today’s peace and prosperity. Future generations must remember this forever!
“Elder, please rise quickly.”
Jun Changxiao waved his sleeve. Gentle spiritual energy lifted the kneeling old man.
However.
Just as he helped the man up.
The common people standing on the street all knelt on the ground.
“Sect Leader Jun.” Everyone kowtowed: “Please accept our bow!”
“This…”
Jun Changxiao felt very awkward and hurriedly left Huyang City.
However, when he’d just reached a remote area, two black shadows shot out from the darkness, bodies erupting with powerful spiritual energy!
From their aura, they were definitely Martial Kings!
Boom!
Boom!
Jun Changxiao suddenly turned, directly blasting the ambushers away.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The two black shadows landed, staggering backward, eyes filled with disbelief.
They’d hidden so well and attacked suddenly, yet he reacted so quickly and counterattacked—his reaction speed was too fast!
Jun Changxiao withdrew his palm, sneering: “You two have been following this seat for quite a while, haven’t you?”
Indeed.
They’d picked up his trail in Huyang City.
“Sect Leader Jun.”
One black-robed man with rough features, appearing about thirty, cupped his fists: “Your strength is truly formidable. We two brothers admire it greatly!”
Jun Changxiao replied coolly: “Are you from Zhenyang Commandery?”
“No.”
“Demon Fiend Sect people?”
“No.”
“God Slayer Hall people?”
“Also no.”
Jun Changxiao was puzzled.
He only had these few enemies. If they weren’t any of them, who could have sent them?
“Sect Leader Jun.”
The black-robed man cupped his fists: “We two brothers have no sect affiliation and have wandered the world for years. We wish to join Tiegu Clanging Sect!”
“Huh?”
Jun Changxiao was dumbfounded.
Two Martial Kings voluntarily joining Tiegu Sect—this approach seemed a bit off!