Xiao Zuiji was fighting desperately to become stronger.

And the greater reason wasn’t for himself—it was for the sect, and to not let down the Sect Master!

Lu Qianqian, Li Qingyang, and the other two weren’t idle either, spending their days either in the array formation or in the training room.

The five’s frenzied effort drove the sect’s atmosphere, with many disciples cultivating even harder, sometimes not even having time to eat.

Could their nutrition keep up?

In other sects, after several days of frenzied cultivation, their bodies would likely have collapsed long ago. But the Iron Bone Sect had Liu Wanshi.

This gold-medal chef would never let them fall behind in nutrition. She achieved the ultimate combination in meal preparation, keeping their bodies in excellent condition.

“Dudu.”

Jun Changxiao sat in front of the great hall, eating delicious pastries while watching the disciples cultivate: “Thanks to your meals, otherwise they would have collapsed long ago.”

Liu Wanshi clasped her hands behind her back and giggled: “Sect Master, this is what Dudu should do.”

Jun Changxiao swallowed the pastry in one bite, clapped his hands, and said: “In a while, this Sect Master will accept you into the sect.”

“Really?”

“Mm.”

Liu Wanshi jumped up happily.

She had always hoped to become a disciple of the Iron Bone Unyielding Sect, rather than just a gold-medal chef.

“Ding!”

“Xi Tianhao cut five hundred catties of grass, completing sect task.”

“Ding!”

“Sect Contribution Points: 53/100.”

“Sect Achievement Points: 91/100.”

The disciples in Qingyang Village continued completing tasks. Breaking one hundred achievement points was very close now.

“Six more tasks. Tomorrow we should be able to complete them all, just enough to gather one hundred achievement points.”

When achievement points maxed out, he could upgrade the sect’s construction. Not only could he expand the sect disciple limit, but he could also unlock the Alchemy Pavilion. This made Jun Changxiao incredibly eager.

…

The next day.

Eight days remained until the Sect Martial Competition.

The five disciples continued their devil training, and Jun Changxiao wasn’t idle either, constantly cultivating the Muscle Transformation Classic.

He had developed a habit—whenever he had free time, he would circulate the Lesser and Greater Heavenly Circuits. His body, blood vessels, and five viscera and six bowels were all subtly transforming.

Martial dao advancement wasn’t something achieved in one go. It required long periods of accumulation to become stronger and stronger.

“Ding!”

“Li Tianwen carried twenty buckets of water, completing sect task.”

“Ding!”

“Sect Contribution Points: 62/100.”

“Sect Achievement Points: 100/100.”

“Full!”

Jun Changxiao stopped cultivating and hurriedly opened the attribute panel. He saw an [Upgradeable] button after ‘Sect Construction: Level 1’.

Click.

“Ding!”

“Sect Construction upgraded to Level 2!”

“Sect member, contribution point, and achievement point limits increased!”

“Sect Alchemy Pavilion unlocked!”

The data panel before Jun Changxiao’s eyes changed—

Sect Name: Iron Bone Unyielding Sect.

Sect Master: Jun Changxiao.

Sect Tier: Ninth-tier.

Sect Construction: Level 2.

Sect Functions: Alchemy Pavilion.

Sect Cultivation Method: Muscle Transformation Classic [Divine Grade Elementary].

Sect Members: 100/500.

Sect Contribution Points: 62/500.

Sect Achievement Points: 0/500.

Sect Tasks: None currently.

Sect Main Quest: Within 100 years… omitted here.

…

From the data changes, after sect construction upgraded to Level 2, the limits for members, contribution points, and achievement points expanded to 500, while the original achievement points were reset to zero.

“Sigh.”

Jun Changxiao shook his head: “Even if contribution points are completely maxed out, I still can’t afford items in the mid-tier shop.”

The system said: “The host’s focus should be more on the Alchemy Pavilion. This is the greatest benefit brought by the construction upgrade.”

“That makes sense.”

With a thought, Jun Changxiao clicked on the Alchemy Pavilion. A completely new panel immediately appeared before his eyes, displaying a three-dimensional alchemy furnace shaped like a gourd.

“Damn.”

The corner of his mouth twitched: “This is the alchemy furnace? It looks like a hologram.”

Below the alchemy furnace were four pill medicine names.

Jun Changxiao was dumbfounded just looking at the first one, because it said ‘First-Grade Healing Pill’!

Damn, isn’t this the pill from the shop!

The system said: “Pills sold in the shop can be refined in the Alchemy Pavilion.”

“This is great!” Jun Changxiao was overjoyed.

Though the First-Grade Healing Pills in the shop had fierce efficacy, they had limited purchase times. If he could refine them, he wouldn’t need to spend contribution points or wait anymore!

“How do I refine them?”

“Click on the pill to be refined.”

Jun Changxiao clicked on the First-Grade Healing Pill, and a small panel immediately popped up with the following text—

Pill Medicine: First-Grade Healing Pill.

Effect: When consumed by injured persons at the Meridian Opening, Wutu, or Wushi levels, as long as they still have a breath left, they can rapidly recover.

Medicinal Materials: Green Leaf Grass 0/3, Red Lotus Leaf 0/3, Earth Spirit Fruit 0/1.

Fire Seed: None currently.

At the bottom was a [Refine] button, but it appeared grayed out, clearly unable to be used for refining.

Jun Changxiao said: “I know what medicinal materials mean, but what the hell is a fire seed?”

The system said: “On the Xingyun Continent, only by possessing a fire seed can one refine pills. So the host not only needs materials but also a fire seed.”

“Where do I get a fire seed?” Jun Changxiao asked.

The system said: “Many fire seeds of varying strengths are scattered across the Xingyun Continent. The host can search for them or purchase directly from the shop.”

“I have to manage the sect—where would I have time to search? I’ll definitely have to buy from the shop,” Jun Changxiao murmured.

The system said: “In view of the host upgrading sect construction to Level 2, a fire seed is specially provided. Please check in purchased items.”

“Why didn’t you say so earlier!”

Jun Changxiao hurriedly opened the purchased shop. In one of the original slots appeared a cluster of flames, labeled ‘Supreme Grade Fire Seed, Exquisite Fire’, priced at 50 contribution points.

“This expensive?” Jun Changxiao’s eyes widened.

He currently only had 62 contribution points. If he bought the supreme grade fire seed, it would basically bottom out.

The system said: “With a fire seed you can refine medicine. Five-star recommendation for the host to purchase.”

“Five stars again…” Though Jun Changxiao was rolling his eyes, he knew the system’s recommendations were usually quite good.

But he still didn’t buy it!

Not because he was stingy with contribution points, but because the Sect Martial Competition was about to start soon. Better to keep them for emergencies.

Moreover, items in the purchased section wouldn’t disappear. He could buy them anytime.

Jun Changxiao looked at the other three types of pills. The first was called First-Grade Body Sculpting Pill—as the name suggested, it was used to strengthen the physical body.

The second was called Qi Gathering Pill, exactly the same as the one sold in the shop, but clearly requiring more materials than the Healing Pill.

The third was even more impressive—called Qi Spiral Pill. When consumed by Meridian Opening twelfth-stage martial artists, it could increase the success rate by 50% when spiritual energy condensed into a qi spiral!

If not for having too few contribution points, Jun Changxiao would have wanted to buy the Exquisite Fire right now, then search for the medicinal materials above to refine pills.

“Ding!”

“Side quest triggered!”

Jun Changxiao, who was just worrying about not having contribution points, hurriedly returned to the homepage of the attribute panel after hearing the notification sound.

Side Quest—Eliminate assassins hiding in the shadows attempting to kill the host 0/3 [Elite Quest].

“Swish!”

Jun Changxiao jumped up from his chair, one hand gripping the Desert Eagle tucked at his waist, scanning his surroundings vigilantly: “There are assassins trying to kill me?”

Right at this moment, he noticed a trace of dust falling before his eyes. He hurriedly looked up, and his pupils suddenly dilated.

“Bang!”

A thunderous sound came from within the great hall. The disciples cultivating outside were so startled they nearly fell to the ground…