The Strongest Sect of All Times

On the sixth day after the fight on Spirit Spring Mountain, other than Liu Wanshi, all of the Ironbone Sect’s disciples had reached Meridian Opening Stage Twelve. 

“Sect Head.” Li Qingyang reported, “These days, some of the disciples have broken through to Martial Apprentice one after another. The total has reached 19.”

19 Martial Apprentices, 79 Meridian Opening Stage Twelve — how daunting!

Unfortunately there was a limit on the number of disciples so the sect could not become seventh-grade.

Jun Changxiao muttered, “It is time to open up the gates and recruit more disciples.”

Since the sect was becoming more standardized, the number of disciples had to be raised. He went to Qingyang City and visited the city lord. 

“Cit Lord Xie.”

Having just entered the great hall, Jun Changxiao brought them back to the proper topic. 

“This Lord wants to recruit more disciples, can I borrow the public billboards?”

“No problem,” Xie Guangkun immediately said. 

Thus, in various areas of Qingyang City, the public posters presented advertisements for the Ironbone Sect. Each advertisement’s slogan was different too!

East: Join the Ironbone Unyielding Sect, let us create dreams together. 

South: Gathering the world’s outstanding geniuses, recruiting talents; Ironbone Unyielding Sect, we're worthy of your trust.

North: Do not believe you are not a splendid steed, for you just lack a Bo Le. [1] 

West: If you wish to fly, I will give you a pair of wings.

The various sects on Falling Star Continent used genteel or classical style words to recruit disciples. The Ironbone Sect’s brief and distinctive recruitment style immediately attracted attention.

It was not just Qingyang City. 

Through connections with the Ai Family, Jun Changxiao also started advertising in Huyang City. 

However!

Even after the advertisement had been up for several days, registration was slow. 

…

Caw, caw, caw—

A crow flew towards the sky, its cry echoing through the area. 

Jun Changxiao sat at the entrance of the sect, holding his cheek. Dumbfounded, he said, “We’ve achieved many great accomplishments these days, how come no one is registering?”

Li Qingyang said, “Sect Head, our sect has grudges with the Holy Spring Sect and Vast Spirit Sect. With the situation like this, many people fear scruples and do not dare come for registration.”

“I guess,” Jun Changxiao responded. 

Actually this was not bad, since it could at least remove the bastards.

Ta. 

At this time, a youngster dressed in white robes walked up the steps.

He had one hand behind his back, the other holding a folding fan. A cool breeze blew through his black hair, revealing a handsome and elegant face. 

Jun Changxiao and Li Qingyang glanced at him and their first thought was — what a domineering aura!

Shua!

The white-clothed youth folded his fan and arrived at the registration counter. In a learned and mild manner, he said, “Sect Head Jun, this one has admired the Ironbone Unyielding Sect for a long time, especially coming here to acknowledge you as a teacher.”

The one he was bowing to was… Li Qingyang!

Jun Changxiao extended an arm, pushing his second disciple to the side. He put pen to paper and wrote ‘I am the sect leader’ on a piece of paper, then pasted it on his own forehead with a ‘pah'.

I ask you, is it clear enough now?!

“This…” The white-clothed youth saw this and awkwardly said, “Excuse me, I recognized the wrong person. I ask Sect Head Jun to not take offense.”

Offended?

How would that be possible, this Lord’s stomach is broad enough to pole a boat. [2]

Jun Changxiao crossed his legs, twirling the brush in his hands. A bit unhappily, he asked, “Name?”

“Long Ziyang,” the white-clothed youth said. 

Jun Changxiao startled, tearing off the piece of paper stuck to his head. He carefully sized up the person and thought, Being so well-mannered, he must have received a high-level of education. Moreover, he’s surnamed Long so his background is not simple! [3]

After a simple calculation, he took out the entrance form and inquired, “Sex.”

“Male.”

“Age.”

“Just 16 years old.”

“Realm.”

“Meridian Opening Stage Nine.”

Jun Changxiao did not ask about the spirit root. So long as he liked the person, low-grade or supreme-grade held no significance. 

Pah.

He directly stamped the form.

[Ding! Sect Members: 103/500.]

[Ding! Sect Contribution: 302/500.]

Jun Changxiao said, “Qingyang, bring your new junior brother into the sect and arrange him a room in the dormitory. Provide a sect uniform too. Oh right, do not forget the sect handbook.”

“Yes.”

Li Qingyang brought Long Ziyang into the sect. 

Jun Changxiao cultivated the Tendon Altering Sutra while he continued to wait. 

Shortly, a muscular man walked up and wiped the sweat off his forehead. “Excuse me, are you still recruiting?”

“Recruiting,” Jun Changxiao nodded. 

The man walked over and placed both hands on the table, panting, “I must join the Ironbone Unyielding Sect.”

Jun Changxiao rested his chin on his hands, sizing up the man. “Your physical strength seems alright, why are you so tired from hiking up this mountain?”

“I… I…” The man huffed and puffed, saying, “I ran all the way over from Huyang City.”

Jun Changxiao was surprised. 

The Ironbone Sect was several hundred li (500m) from Huyang City. If he could run all the way over, his physical strength was pretty great. 

“Name.”

“Yang Yuhua.”

Such a strong person, but his name was a bit elegant-sounding. 

“Age.”

“15 years old.”

Jun Changxiao raised his head, looking at the boy’s physique and his uneven face. He exclaimed, “You’re only fifteen?”

Yang Yuhua scratched his head. “Others say I look quite old.”

“You aren’t old, just grew a little fast.” 

Jun Changxiao then said, “Realm.”

Yang Yuhua whispered, “Meridian Opening Stage Three.”

He looked quite valiant and could run all the way to the Ironbone Sect, but was only Meridian Opening Stage Three. It seemed that his body was quite developed, but his spirit root was bad.

“Buddy, can I join?” Yang Yuhua weakly said. 

Jun Changxiao stamped the sect leader’s seal and pointed at the big gates. “Take the form and go, someone will arrange everything for you.”

[Ding! Sect Members: 104/500.]

[Ding! Sect Contribution: 303/500.]

Yang Yuhua took the entrance form and walked towards the sect, not forgetting to gratefully call out, “Many thanks, buddy!”

“Brat.”

Jun Changxiao lightly said, “I have the sect leader’s great seal, did you just call me ‘buddy’?”

Gah. 

Yang Yuhua suddenly halted and turned his head, his expression rapidly changing. He hurried to bow, “I’m sorry, bud… Sect Head! Sect Head!”

…

Some others registered one after another. 

But Jun Changxiao would first judge based on his impression, then decide on whether to accept. 

There were more registrants other than Long Ziyang and Yang Yuhua; five were accepted, the others were eliminated. 

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to accept them, but that some of the people were just too weird. 

For example, the last person was unexpectedly a 70-80 year old hump-backed man!

“Ah. Perhaps Li Qingyang was right. The sect seems to be caught in a struggle, so few martial artists dare register.”

Ten days later.

The Ironbone Sect had only recruited 46 new disciples.

Jun Changxiao handed the matter over to Li Qingyang, then called Su Xiaomo, Tian Qi, and Li Fei into the study room. 

“In view of your good behavior these few days, I will reward each of you with one bottle of Aptitude Transformation Fluid.”

“Aptitude Transformation Fluid?” Su Xiaomo was puzzled and asked, “Sect Head, what is this?”

“After taking it, your original spirit root will raise one quality level,” Jun Changxiao explained. 

He said it very casually, but the three others were wide-eyed and open-mouthed; their mouths were so wide that you could fit two whole eggs and have room to spare. 

Su Xiaomo had ordinary aptitude, so his Aptitude Transformation Fluid was for the ordinary level; Tian Qi and Li Fei had one suitable for low level.

As if they had received some supreme treasure, after the three returned to their rooms, they cautiously drank the medicine. 

Not only did their spirit root instantly upgrade, their cultivation was also driven up, and they all broke through to Second Stage Martial Apprentice!

“Too mysterious!”

They were refreshed, but Sect Head Jun had used 150 contribution points and was now left with only 185 points. 

The system said, [Using the contribution points on them is a bit of a waste.]

Jun Changxiao rolled his eyes, arrogantly saying, “Not fearing the Holy Spring Sect on Spirit Spring Mountain. Such unyielding iron-boned disciples, this Lord is willing to use contribution points to raise them. Why do you care?”

[1] The slogan means something like ‘do not look down on yourself, for you are a genius in obscurity’; Bo Le was the inventor of equine physiognomy

[2] stomach is broad enough to pole a boat (idiom), means that he is magnanimous or broad-minded

[3] Long Ziyang's surname means ‘dragon’