When Jun Changxiao announced his sect name, the surrounding martial artists all turned to look and whispered in discussion, their words full of disdain.

This was very normal.

Every Sect Martial Competition had participants from eighth-tier sects and above. A ninth-tier sect overestimating itself and coming to register was truly somewhat incomprehensible.

“Sigh.”

Jun Changxiao let out a sigh.

He didn’t think he was born with a face that invited mockery, but rather that the martial supremacy philosophy revered on the Xingyun Continent was too cruel.

In ancient times in his former world, people were also divided into different social classes.

Servants and slaves were often viewed as lowly commoners. If they appeared at important occasions, they would definitely be verbally destroyed by those with status.

Though the Iron Bone Sect was a sect, it was only ninth-tier. In a world full of sects, there wasn’t much difference between it and lowly commoners.

Just wait.

I will make my sect the most dazzling existence on the Xingyun Continent, making all living beings come to worship it.

Jun Changxiao didn’t care about worldly opinions, but he would strive hard toward a stronger path.

The middle-aged man with the brush said indifferently: “Though the Sect Martial Competition doesn’t restrict participation by tier, registrants must be high-ranking sect members. What are you, a mere disciple, doing here causing trouble?”

“Smack.”

Jun Changxiao pressed the Sect Master’s seal onto the white paper on the table: “Iron Bone Unyielding Sect Master, Jun Changxiao.”

His manner was very proud.

Others could look down on him, but he couldn’t look down on himself.

The middle-aged man glanced at the seal mark on the paper and said coolly: “So it’s Sect Master Jun. My apologies, my apologies.”

“He’s the Iron Bone Sect Master who gave guidance to the Cangshan Sect elder in Qingyang City?”

“I didn’t expect him to be so young.”

“I heard his cultivation is only at Meridian Opening fourth or fifth stage, yet on the Grudge Platform, he severed an arm of a Lingquan Sect elder at Meridian Opening twelfth stage!”

“I heard about that too, but it always feels like a rumor.”

“How could someone at Meridian Opening fourth or fifth stage possibly severely injure someone at Meridian Opening twelfth stage?”

The events that occurred at the Hundred Sects Recruitment had also been heard by martial artists in Liyang City, but since they hadn’t witnessed it firsthand, they merely regarded it as hearsay.

Jun Changxiao paid no attention to the crowd, instead saying: “Since there’s no rule that ninth-tier sects can’t participate, why are you spacing out? Hurry up and ask, hurry up and fill out the form. Are you sitting here playing the lord and drinking tea?”

The middle-aged man’s face immediately darkened, but duty-bound, he still suppressed his anger and said: “How many participating disciples?”

“Five.”

“Names and ages.”

“Lu Qianqian, sixteen years old. Li Qingyang, seventeen years old. Su Xiaomo, sixteen years old. Tian Qi, eighteen years old. Xiao Zuiji, seventeen years old.”

The middle-aged man’s expression showed astonishment: “Who was that last one?”

“Xiao Zuiji,” Jun Changxiao repeated.

“Xiao Zuiji?”

A martial artist standing in the distance laughed: “Don’t tell me it’s that waste expelled by the Xiao Family?”

“Swish!”

Jun Changxiao turned his head, his gaze cold and stern: “Try saying that again?”

His eyes were extremely fierce. When that martial artist met his gaze, he immediately stopped laughing and took several steps back, the hair on his back standing on end!

The middle-aged man said indifferently: “The former direct-line member of the Xiao Family, Xiao Zuiji?”

“Please remove ‘direct line of the Xiao Family.’ My disciple doesn’t treasure that connection in the slightest,” Jun Changxiao said.

A former genius who had brought countless honors to his family, yet was expelled at age twelve because his cultivation regressed—for such a family, Jun Changxiao felt Xiao Zuiji wasn’t worth it. He could only describe it with two words—Ptui!

The middle-aged man understood and filled in the names, tossing over five bamboo tokens: “On the day of the competition, make sure the disciples bring their identity tokens to the venue, otherwise it will be considered forfeiture.”

Jun Changxiao collected the bamboo tokens and turned to leave.

However, he stopped in front of that martial artist from earlier, saying sinisterly: “Dare call my disciple a waste again, and next time I’ll make you…”

“AAAHHH!”

This guy suddenly let out a strange cry, directly scaring the other person into falling on his backside.

“Tch.”

Jun Changxiao said disdainfully: “You’re scared to the ground by this, yet you have the nerve to call others waste?”

“Damn it!”

That martial artist was humiliated and angry, yet didn’t have the courage to charge forward. First, fighting was prohibited in the city. Second, this kid’s eyes were truly somewhat terrifying.

Jun Changxiao left.

But not long after he’d gone, the martial artists at the registration venue began discussing animatedly.

“That Xiao Zuiji that guy mentioned must be the Xiao Family’s Xiao Zuiji. Looks like after that waste was expelled, he joined the Iron Bone Sect.”

“If his talent and cultivation were still there, forget fourth or fifth-tier sects—even second or third-tier sects would scramble to recruit him. Unfortunately, now he can only idle away in a ninth-tier sect waiting to die.”

“Who knows what the Xiao Family will think when they hear that their expelled direct-line member joined a sect even lower than the family?”

…

Liyang City. The Xiao Family was also a centuries-old family. In terms of comprehensive strength and business holdings, they were far stronger than the Li Family of Qingyang City.

This day, the Xiao Family’s Grand Elder stormed furiously into the great hall.

The Xiao Family Head, seated in the place of honor, set down his teacup and smiled: “Grand Elder, what’s the matter?”

The Grand Elder said angrily: “I just heard news from outside—that waste who was expelled has joined the Iron Bone Sect and even registered to participate in the Sect Martial Competition.”

“Oh?”

The Xiao Family Head was quite surprised.

The Grand Elder was so angry he nearly slammed the table: “Our Xiao Family has been established in Liyang City for over two hundred years. In terms of foundation, we’re completely on par with eighth-tier sects. That waste joining a ninth-tier sect—isn’t he deliberately bringing shame to our Xiao Family?”

The Xiao Family Head took a sip of tea: “Since he’s already been expelled, even if he became a beggar, he has no connection whatsoever to our Xiao Family. No need to think so much about it.”

“That may be true.”

“But some families in the city with ulterior motives are deliberately spreading the news, wanting everyone in the entire city to laugh at our Xiao Family!”

“I suggested long ago that the Family Head grant that waste a cup of poisoned wine, letting him go underground to reunite with his parents. But the Family Head insisted on merely expelling him!”

From the Grand Elder’s words, it wasn’t hard to see that all his fury was vented toward Xiao Zuiji.

The Xiao Family Head set down his teacup, his fingers turning his thumb ring, and smiled: “Making a waste die is quite an easy matter. In my view, Grand Elder need not work yourself into a rage.”

…

Xiao Family inner courtyard.

“Did you all hear? That waste Xiao Zuiji joined the Iron Bone Sect and even registered for the Sect Martial Competition. In a few days he’ll be coming to Liyang City.”

“No way—without spiritual roots, without cultivation, he still dares come to Liyang City?”

“Several of our older cousins’ sects are also participating. Will they encounter that waste?”

“It seems there are many sect disciples participating in this competition. For our cousins to encounter that waste—I think that’ll be difficult.”

“Regardless, we must definitely go watch on the day the competition starts. We haven’t seen that waste in years—I really miss him a tiny bit.”

“Hahaha, you mean you want to bully him again, right?”

The younger generation disciples of the Xiao Family gathered together discussing Xiao Zuiji, their eyes full of disdain and contempt.

Little did they know, the waste they spoke of incessantly was currently in the Iron Bone Unyielding Sect’s training room, undergoing the most brutal muscle tempering.

Insufficient talent? Make up for it with effort!

“Become stronger, become stronger!”

As deep night arrived, Xiao Zuiji circulated the Muscle Transformation Classic while frantically pounding the strength testing machine, beads of sweat on his forehead and fresh blood from his fists dripping down together.

Jun Changxiao lay on the roof of the great hall. Hearing the faint sound of punches from the training room, he murmured: “Release all the humiliation you’ve suffered, all the torment you’ve endured—let it all out on the day of the Sect Martial Competition.”