“Anyone else want to come up and spar?”

When Jun Changxiao said these words, his gaze carried complete disdain, full of provocation. The sect masters from various sects below the platform immediately became furious.

They were all big shots long accustomed to positions of authority—who could tolerate this!

But!

They must stay calm, must restrain themselves.

Even Shen Tong, a ninth-grade Wutu, had been beaten unconscious by him. Going up themselves—wouldn’t that just be asking for a beating!

The sect masters from various sects glared angrily, yet no one dared go up on stage.

Looking at this group of big shots, furious yet helpless about their own situation, Jun Changxiao shrugged: “So this is the Hundred Sects Alliance? Nothing special.”

In the distance, Alliance Leader Qin’s gaze was cold and severe. He stepped forward, having the impulse to spar with him.

“Sect Master Jun.”

Suddenly, Xie Guangkun’s voice came from behind. He strode forward with large steps, saying with a smile: “Defeating Sect Master Shen with just two moves, such extraordinary strength—Xie here has truly had his eyes opened!”

Jun Changxiao cupped his hands: “City Lord Xie is too kind.”

Xie Guangkun looked toward Qin Haoran, saying with a smile: “Alliance Leader Qin wouldn’t be planning to go up on stage and spar with a young person like Sect Master Jun, would he?”

If he had just said Sect Master Jun it would have been fine, but he deliberately added “young person.”

This made Alliance Leader Qin understand—he was telling him not to bully a junior.

Xie Guangkun, what a schemer you are!

Alliance Leader Qin said indifferently: “As a Wushi, Qin here would naturally not go up on stage to spar with a young junior. City Lord Xie is reading too much into it.”

“Wushi?”

Jun Changxiao thought to himself: “That really is a bit tricky.”

City Lord Xie said with a smile: “Your Hundred Sects Alliance people are all here, so the meeting must be over. Come, come, Xie here will host and hold a banquet for everyone at the city lord’s residence.”

Alliance Leader Qin cupped his hands, saying indifferently: “Qin here still has matters to handle, so I’ll take my leave first.”

With that, he flicked his sleeves and left.

From his retreating figure he looked normal, but actually he was suppressing a bellyful of anger.

“City Lord Xie, our sect still has matters to attend to, so we won’t trouble you to spend money. Farewell, farewell!”

The sect masters from various sects wouldn’t freeload at the city lord’s residence. They hastily found excuses to leave. When they had arrived, each one had been full of swagger; when they left, they were somewhat dejected and disgraced.

How could they not be dejected and disgraced?

Before the meeting started, they had planned to drown Jun Changxiao in their spittle, but instead were rebuked until they had nothing to say.

One sect master vomited blood, one sect master was seriously injured, the alliance leader and various sect masters left huffing and disheveled—this alliance meeting could be described as a complete defeat.

Jun Changxiao jumped down from the Grudge Resolution Platform, cupping his hands: “Thanks to City Lord Xie for coming, otherwise Alliance Leader Qin would have come up on stage to spar with Jun here.”

City Lord Xie shook his head: “Sect Master Jun, one shouldn’t be too competitive, otherwise one day you might hit a snag.”

Jun Changxiao said: “My Tiegu Sect’s principle is to develop in a low-key manner. As long as others don’t provoke me, I won’t provoke others.”

Li Qingyang and the others, already accustomed to the sect’s principles constantly changing, didn’t show the slightest ripple on their faces.

City Lord Xie said with a smile: “This time Alliance Leader Qin left angrily. Your Tiegu Sect will have a hard time mixing in the alliance from now on.”

Jun Changxiao said: “Our sect has already withdrawn from the alliance.”

City Lord Xie froze, then gave a thumbs up: “Since the Hundred Sects Alliance was established, various sects have been scrambling to join. Yet Sect Master Jun proactively withdrew—how bold!”

Jun Changxiao said indifferently: “They’re just a ragtag group. My Tiegu Sect associating with them would only damage our sect’s prestige.”

Distant martial artists who heard this had only one thought—Sect Master Jun truly is a remarkable person!

…

City Lord Xie had originally wanted to invite Jun Changxiao to visit the city lord’s residence, but he declined, bringing his disciples to the Li Family to let Li Qingyang catch up with his father.

Having witnessed Sect Master Jun defeat the Longdao Sect master, Family Head Li was both shocked and delighted, hastily setting up a banquet to host them.

After eating and drinking their fill.

Jun Changxiao left the Li Family alone and went to the marketplace, searching for medicinal ingredients that could be used to refine pills.

Of the four types of pill ingredients in the Alchemy Pavilion, aside from the Elementary-grade Healing Pill which was easy to find, the others were relatively rare. After searching several shops in succession, he only managed to gather enough materials for two Elementary-grade Body Tempering Pills.

As for the Qi Gathering Pills and Qi Spiral Pills, he hadn’t gathered even a single set of materials.

“Alas.”

Jun Changxiao sighed: “Although the Alchemy Pavilion can quickly refine pills, without medicinal ingredients, even a skilled housewife cannot cook without rice.”

The system said: “The host can grow them yourself.”

Jun Changxiao rolled his eyes: “Just talking about the hundred-year ginseng used in Qi Condensing Pills, even if I could grow it, by the time it matures, I’ll have already kicked the bucket from not completing the main quest.”

The system said: “The shop has products that can accelerate medicinal ingredient growth, it just depends on whether the host has the luck to refresh them.”

Jun Changxiao said helplessly: “Can’t you just be straightforward and have them appear directly? Must you make me rely on luck to refresh them?”

The system said: “The shop refresh function is to prevent the host from overly depending on the system. If you want to obtain needed items, you must earn contribution points to refresh.”

Jun Changxiao said helplessly: “This lottery-style model is scamming my contribution points!”

The system said: “That’s why the host must earn contribution points, because if you run out of contribution points, you won’t even have the qualification to draw from the lottery.”

“Fine.”

Jun Changxiao didn’t argue with it further and continued searching the marketplace’s medicinal ingredient shops.

By the time he returned to the Li Family, the materials he had obtained were: Healing Pills 4 sets, Body Tempering Pills 3 sets, Qi Gathering Pills 1 set, Qi Spiral Pills zero.

Whether disciples could rapidly improve and grow stronger still depended on the Alchemy Pavilion’s pills—he couldn’t do without materials.

“Sect Master Jun has something on his mind?”

Just after returning to the Li Family, Family Head Li noticed his gloomy expression and came over to inquire.

Jun Changxiao said: “I’ve been researching the Dao of alchemy recently and am lacking some medicinal ingredients. I searched the city for half the day but couldn’t find what I needed.”

Family Head Li said in surprise: “Sect Master Jun understands the Dao of alchemy?”

On the Xingyun Continent, Forgemasters, Alchemists, Formation Masters, and Spirit Masters were most respected by the world. Especially Alchemists and Spirit Masters—they were held in the highest esteem.

Pills and spirit stones provided tremendous help in martial cultivation. Many sects had Alchemists and Spirit Masters, who were even treated as honored guests, enjoying special treatment and special privileges.

“I understand a thing or two.” Jun Changxiao answered.

Family Head Li’s gaze became even more astonished.

This Tiegu Sect master was indeed extraordinary. His son becoming this man’s disciple was absolutely the most correct choice!

“Sect Master Jun, although Qingyang City is the main city of Qingyang County, it’s relatively weak in dealing with medicinal ingredients. If you want to buy medicinal ingredients, you’ll need to go to Huyang City.”

Huyang City?

Jun Changxiao thought of the Ai Family. His eyes brightened as he thought: “The Ai Family has dealt in pills for generations—they might just have the medicinal ingredients I need for refining pills!”

…

The next day.

Jun Changxiao bid farewell to Family Head Li and brought his four disciples back to the Tiegu Sect.

However, upon returning, he discovered that in front of the red lacquered main gate stood a man wearing a conical hat, coarse clothing, and holding a blade. Regular snoring sounds rhythmically emanated from him.

It’s him again!

Who?

The wandering blade-wielder, Ma Yongning.

Su Xiaomo walked over and stood in front of him, waving her hand: “Sect Master, this guy has fallen asleep standing up again.”

Jun Changxiao said: “Zuiji, carry him outside. Don’t let him block the main gate here.”

“Yes.”

Xiao Zuiji walked over and hoisted Ma Yongning up.

The other party seemed truly exhausted—snoring sounds still emerged as he was carried away.

“Swish!”

Xiao Zuiji placed Ma Yongning at the area leading to the stone steps, then turned to leave. Little did he know, he had placed him right at the edge of the steps, with half of one foot dangling in the air.

Right now he was sleeping as steady as a rock, but when he woke up and stretched or yawned, he would definitely lose his center of balance, and then…