The Strongest Sect of All Times

Li Qingyang said to save him, but Lu Qianqian said not to. 

Two people had different personalities, so they came to different conclusions. 

“Senior sister!” Li Qingyang seriously said, “Saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-tiered pagoda!”

Jun Changxiao was speechless. 

This was something he himself had spoken when saving Li Qingyang. At the time, that young woman had stared at him as if he were an idiot. 

“Tch.” Lu Qianqian indifferently countered, “There are numerous people who die on Falling Star Continent each and every day, how many can you save?”

Li Qingyang was silent. 

Lu Qianqian continued, “We are a sect, not a noble hospital that saves the sick and wounded. The Sect Head doesn’t have so many of these pills; there is no reason to use them on an outsider when we can save them for our own use.”

Li Qingyang had nothing to say in response. 

Jun Changxiao patted him on the shoulder. “Qingyang, you are good-hearted, this point is commendable. But sometimes, reality is very harsh.”

“Sect Head, I…” Li Qingyang started to speak, but hesitated. 

Jun Changxiao said, “At the time, this lord did not know that these pills were so precious, and so saved you on a whim. Now that I know its value, I need to use it prudently and cannot casually use it on some outsider.”

Lu Qianqian sniffed, “Finally straightened out.”

Li Qingyang bitterly asked, “Does Sect Head regret using the healing pill on me?”

Jun Changxiao shook his head. “Because I saved you, you joined the Ironbone Unyielding Sect as the second disciple. Not saving you at the time would have been this lord’s regret.”

Hearing this, Li Qingyang felt less bitter. 

Walking in front of the unconscious youth, Jun Changxiao muttered, “One healing pill allowed this lord to receive a remarkably talented disciple. I hope that I will also have an unexpected harvest this time.”

Lu Qianqian exclaimed, “You want to save him?”

“A disciple died earlier, this youth can take his spot,” Jun Changxiao responded. 

Lu Qianqian did not say anything. 

Although they hadn’t known each other for very long, she knew that the sect head was not one to change his decisions. 

[Ding! The host has spent 1 contribution point, obtaining Basic Healing Pill x1. The item has been transported to the storage ring!]

[Ding! Sect Contribution: 29/100]

From the day he had rescued Li Qingyang to now, it had been exactly one month. If they hadn’t mentioned the medicine, Jun Changxiao might have forgotten about it. 

1 contribution point for an instant-recovery pill. Without a time limit, he would definitely buy a ton without hesitation. 

Jun Changxiao summoned the pill and tossed it into the injured youth’s mouth. 

Lu Qianqian codly said, “Sect Head, do you really think that a talent like Second Junior Brother is easy to find?”

“Perhaps my luck will be good,” shrugged Jun Changxiao. 

Lu Qianqian rolled her eyes. “If his talent was good, why would he be bullied by Meridian Opening Stage Three trash?”

“Right,” Jun Changxiao tapped his chin. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

“Cough, cough.”

At this moment, the youth had been healed by the pill and regained consciousness. He opened his eyes and exclaimed, “I-I’m alive?”

“Correct, you are alive,” Jun Changxiao said. 

The youth got up off the bed and raked through his disheveled hair. Once he clearly saw the man standing in front of him, he immediately bowed. “Sect Head Jun, please let me join the Ironbone Unyielding Sect!”

Jun Changxiao asked, “Do you know this lord?”

The youth said, “A month ago, I saw Sect Head Jun at the Hundred Sects Recruitment. I came all this way in hopes that I could join the Ironbone Unyielding Sect, following Sect Head to study martial arts!”

“So that’s how it is.” Jun Changxiao asked, “What’s your name? Where are you from?”

The youth paused, then seemed to gather courage. “My name is Xiao Zuiji, direct descendant of the Liyang City’s Xiao Family.”

Li Qingyang gasped, “You’re Xiao Zuiji?”

Jun Changxiao asked, “You know him?”

Li Qingyang solemnly explained, “He’s a millennium-rare talent with a superior-grade spirit root. In Qingyang Commandery, who wouldn’t have heard of him?”

“Superior-grade spirit root?”

Jun Changxiao stared, wide-eyed. 

Nearby, Lu Qianqian was also filled with surprise. 

This tattered-looking youth actually had a superior-grade spirit root, even better than Second Junior Brother?

“Haha!” Jun Changxiao laughed, “Qianqian, this lord’s bet was correct!”

One healing pill had brought him the high-grade Li Qingyang, another brought him the superior-grade genius. 

What did this mean? It meant that those who did good deeds would be rewarded!

“Starting today,” Jun Changxiao announced, tamping down his good spirits. “You will be my Ironbone Unyielding Sect’s 99th disciple.”

Xiao Zuiji excitedly bowed, “Disciple Xiao Zuiji greets Sect Head!”

“Mhm, mhm.” Jun Changxiao nodded. “Qingyang, bring the sect entrance form.”

“Yes.”

Li Qingyang made a sound of compliance.

But he slightly hesitated, then whispered, “Sect Head, Disciple must be frank. This person was indeed a rare genius, but his spirit root degenerated for some reason. His spirit root is now low-grade and all twelve of his main meridians have been blocked, so he has no cultivation at all.”

Gah. 

Jun Changxiao’s expression solidified. 

Such an important matter, but you only tell me now? Isn’t that too late?

Sect Head Jun immediately felt regret. 

But he had already spoken — it wasn’t like he was going to take them back. 

Li Qingyang added, “Because of his spirit root and cultivation downgrade, his fiancée brought people to the Xiao Family and broke their engagement. The Xiao Family was humiliated and they expelled him from the family clan.”

Jun Changxiao felt the corners of his mouth twitching. 

A genius becoming a loser, the fiancée breaking the engagement? 

This circumstance… wasn’t this the standard opening scene of a novel, introducing the male lead? How unexpected that someone like that would become his disciple! [1]

Although Li Qingyang had spoken in a soft voice, Xiao Zuiji had heard him. The boy lowered his head, the corners of his mouth raised in a self-ridiculing smile. His fists were clenched, nails pressing into his palms and bringing him pain. 

This action, Jun Changxiao caught. He said, “Go bring the entrance form.”

“Yes.”

Li Qingyang left. 

Lu Qianqian indifferently said, “Sect Head, this type of waste—”

A serious look appeared on Jun Changxiao’s face and she immediately fell silent. 

“Sect Head.” Xiao Zuiji asked, “Are you willing to accept a loser?”

“Not willing,” Jun Changxiao truthfully responded. 

Xiao Zuiji dejectedly said, “I also know that I am unfit to be a disciple of the Ironbone Unyielding Sect… I have disturbed Sect Head Jun.”

With his shoulders sagging and head hanging, he walked out of the medicine pavilion. 

Li Qingyang rushed back with the entrance form, but saw Xiao Zuiji departing dejectedly. He asked in confusion, “Senior Sister, what happened to him?”

Lu Qianqian apathetically responded, “He felt himself to be a loser, lacking qualifications to join the sect, and so left on his own.”

Seeing that dispirited back, Li Qingyang tried to console him. “Young Master Xiao, you were once the genius of a generation. As long as you join the Ironbone Unyielding Sect, under the guidance of Sect Head, you can definitely take back everything you have lost!”

[1] reference to Xiao Yan from Battle Through the Heavens