The Strongest Sect of All Times

The reception room. 

Jun Changxiao placed the recipe for the Meridian Opening Pill on the table, clasping his hands together. With a smile, he said, “Patriarch Ai, of the medicinal herbs listed here, how many does your Ai Family have?”

Ai Shangni looked at the list and pondered slightly. “Sect Head Jun, these four types of raw materials, my Ai Family does not have much. We have about 300 of each.”

“This lord wants it all,” Jun Changxiao immediately said. 

The Meridian Opening Pill could increase the opening of the meridians by 50%. If paired with the Tendon Altering Sutra, which could also increase the probability by 50%, wasn’t that just going against Heaven’s will? Therefore, they had to be refined as soon as possible!

Ai Shangni smiled. “Sect Head Jun, please wait a bit.”

He meaningfully glanced at Storekeeper Ma, who hurried to the inner courtyard and brought back several storage rings, which were placed on the table. 

The ingredients needed for the Meridian Opening Pill were not too precious. Therefore the shop had some on hand. 

After Jun Changxiao examined the storage rings, he said, “Patriarch Ai, give a price.”

Ai Shangni said, “The total of these herbs is 110,000 taels. Sect Head Jun can just give 100,000.”

If it were another customer, he would definitely not negotiate like this. 

But whether the Ai Family could fill their land with riches depended on the healing pill, depended on this god of wealth. 

Jun Changxiao said, “Deal.”

The two people went according to custom and signed the contract, completing the business trade. 

“Oh, right.”

Jun Changxiao pointed towards the old man pruning the bushes outside and curiously asked, “What is this senior’s background?”

Ai Shangni answered, “Apothecary.” [1]

Apothecary?

Jun Changxiao had never heard of it. 

The original had lived in Qingyang Village his whole life. After joining the Ironbone Sect, he had rarely left the sect, so there were many things he did not understand. 

Ai Shangni explained, “An apothecary is a profession, they’re trained in growing and preparing medicinal herbs.”

“So that’s how it is.” 

Jun Changxiao understood and said, “No wonder he understands herbs.”

Ai Shangni shook his head. “Sect Head Jun, this person is a third stage apothecary. Compared to him, there are many more knowledgeable apothecaries.”

Apothecaries also had differentiating grades, just like the martial way, such as apprentice, master, ancestor, and king.

Alchemists and spirit masters did too. 

Third stage of Medicinal Apprentice. 

Very ordinary for Falling Star Continent. 

Compared with other occupations, apothecaries were relatively common. Their status was not very high either, as their job was sometimes called medicine farming. 

Of course, without them carefully tending to the plants, it would be hard to satisfy market demand by solely digging for herbs in the remote mountains. Thus, apothecaries were still indispensable. 

Many powers specially invited apothecaries and opened a medicinal garden in order to be more self-sufficient. 

The old man heard Ai Shangni’s words and opened his mouth to refute, “A third stage Medicinal Apprentice is still an apothecary. Patriarch Ai, do not look down on this old man!” 

“Aiya, you crazy old man. You dare speak like that to our patriarch, are you tired of living?” The servant rolled up his sleeve, walking over in an imposing aura. 

Ai Shangni waved a hand. “Stand down.”

The servant glared at the old man, retreating resentfully. 

Jun Changxiao walked over with a smile. “Senior, my Ironbone Sect also lacks an apothecary. Are you interested in joining?”

The old man waved a hand. “There are better apothecaries than this old man, Sect Head Jun can invite others to join instead.”

“Tch,” the servant coldly snorted and then muttered, “Sect Head Jun taking a liking to you is your good fortune. Really a crazy old man.”

Ai Shangni smiled. “Sect Head Jun, my Ai Family has several apothecaries, mostly seventh and eighth stage. If your honorable sect lacks, this Ai can—”

Jun Changxiao interrupted him with, “You can just let this senior come with this Lord.”

Ai Shangni’s smile tightened. “Sect Head Jun, Old Wei is a casual laborer of my Ai Family. Whether he goes or not is his own decision.”

“So it’s like that.” 

Jun Changxiao said, “Senior, this lord is willing to invite you with high pay, but are you willing to go to the Ironbone Sect and take on the apothecary’s duty?”

Ai Shangni was a little puzzled. 

Third stage Medicinal Apprentices could be found everywhere, just his Ai Family had more than ten. Why had the Ironbone Sect’s sect leader taken a liking for this eccentric old man?

Old Wei said, “Sect Head Jun really wishes to invite this old man to the Ironbone Sect as an apothecary?”

“Correct,” said Jun Changxiao. 

Old Wei placed the scissors back on the rack. “This old man has been an apothecary for 60 years no, Sect Head Jun is the first to invite.”

Jun Changxiao said, “Talents are everywhere, but they are seldom recognized.”

“Is that so?” Old Wei replied with a smile. “If Sect Head Jun is being sincere, this old man is willing to go to the Ironbone Sect. But how much is a large sum of money?”

“Monthly salary of 10,000 taels,” Jun Changxiao said. 

Ai Shangni was stunned. 

His family’s eighth or ninth stage Medicinal Apprentices had monthly salaries of 10,000 taels. For a Third Stage, a salary of 1200 taels was already high. 

Old Wei said, “Sect Head Jun is very sincere. This old man must return home to explain and will then follow you back to the Ironbone Sect.”

Jun Changxiao said, “Patriarch Ai, it should be no problem for this lord to take this person, right?”

“No problem, no problem.”

…

City’s south end, in some alley. 

Jun Changxiao followed Old Wei to where the old man lived. 

The house was very worn down, the environment quite dark and unclean. 

Just as they went inside, a group of 8 or 9-year-olds gathered around, shouting for grandfather and wearing pure smiles. 

Jun Changxiao said, “Old Wei has a house full of children and grandchildren, it seems you are a person of good fortune.”

Old Wei passed out the candies that he had bought one by one, affectionately saying, “There are orphans this old man has adopted.”

Jun Changxiao was stunned. 

In this brutal world, it was quite unbelievable that someone would adopt orphans. 

Sect Head Jun’s impression of the Gaowu World was a little too dark. The truth was that no matter the place, there would always be people who were willing to do good, even if others found it laughable.

“Sect Head Jun,” Old Wei said. “Can you pay some of the wage in advance?”

“Of course.”

Jun Changxiao immediately pulled out 1000 taels. 

After Old Wei received the money, he only gave the youngsters 300 taels. After some lecturing, he organized his baggage to leave. 

On the road, Jun Changxiao asked, “Old Wei, you can actually take them with you to the Ironbone Sect.”

Old Wei shook his head. “This world is very brutal, they must learn how to face it themselves. This old man can only help them for a while, not forever.”

“Therefore,” Jun Changxiao finished. “You gave them several hundred taels so that they wouldn’t excessively rely on you?”

“Correct,” Old Wei confirmed. 

This old man must have had some unusual experiences. 

[Ding! Side mission complete. The host has obtained 50 contribution points.]

[Ding! Sect Contribution: 313/500.]

After Jun Changxiao and Ai Shangni completed their transaction, a side mission had been triggered, tasking him with inviting Old Wei to the Ironbone Sect as an apothecary, 

No wonder Jun Changxiao was willing to invite him with a salary of 10,000 taels a month. 

Actually, even without the side mission, Jun Changxiao would also have recruited Old Wei, simply because his intuition told him that the old man wasn’t so simple. 

Alright. 

Your family’s Ironbone Sect, everyone there has some story. We’ll rush across the world, sit on a few boxes and listen to you tell stories. 

“Sect Head Jun,” Old Wei said. “Since you hired this old man to be the Ironbone Sect as an apothecary, does the sect have seeds?”

“Let’s go buy some,” Jun Changxiao responded. 

The two people went to the market and bought a variety of medicinal herbs, then returned to the Ironbone Sect. 

Just after returning to the sect, Li Qingyang handed something over. “Sect Head, someone sent a letter four hours ago.”

“Oh?” 

Jun Changxiao tore open the envelope and unfolded the letter: “I invite the Ironbone Sect’s leader to head to the Spirit Spring Sect in three days for a martial exchange.” The sender was the Holy Spring Sect’s inner disciple Mo Shangfei. 

Li Qingyang solemnly said, “Sect Head, this is a war declaration!”

Jun Changxiao crumpled the letter, slightly smiling. “The Holy Spring Sect can no longer sit still. But sending an inner disciple, are they underestimating me, Jun Changxiao?”

[1] strictly translated as ‘medicinal materials master’, but I decided to just use apothecary (even if they mean arguably different things)

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