Chapter 8: Contempt From the Various Sects
Since the sect was still weak, Jun Changxiao had decided to develop in a low-profile manner and not attract any trouble.
After coming to Qingyang City, he did not stir up trouble, yet trouble itself came knocking on his door.
This was especially so after he heard the rude words of the disciples from the two eighth-grade sects. They caused Jun Changxiao to no longer be able to endure. Hence, he decided to launch a verbal attack.
"Aiya, damn!" The disciple from the Tiger Roar Sect was immediately unhappy. "You dare tell my Tiger Roar Sect to scram? Are you tired of living?"
Swish!
Swish!
In the span of a single breath, several disciples from the Tiger Roar Sect rushed out from the tent.
The people from the Long Blade sect also appeared.
These sect members not only had cultivation bases at the fourth stage and the fifth stage of the Meridian Opening Realm, they had well-developed muscles too.
Sect Leader Jun had a skinny figure. Being surrounded by a group of frowning people made Sect Leader Jun seem weak, so weak that he could not even withstand a single strike.
"What's the situation?"
"Are the Tiger Roar Sect and Long Blade Sect about to cross blows?"
The nearby cultivators from the various sects crowded over.
Only after they saw Jun Changxiao did they realized that it was not a clash between two sects. The two sects were targeting the same person.
"Eh?" Someone was bewildered. "Isn't he the guy who said that he is the second sect leader of the Iron Bones Sect at the city gates?"
The disciples of the Long Blade Sect and Tiger Roar Sect started. "This fellow is the sect leader of the Iron Bones Sect?"
Upon seeing their expressions, Jun Changxiao really wanted nothing more than to roar loudly, "I'm the damn sect leader. Is there a problem‽"
There was a problem.
His strength was too weak, and he looked too young.
From his appearance, he would at most be a new disciple who joined a sect.
The deacon of the Long Blade Sect lifted his hands and teased, "Oh, so it's the second leader of the Iron Bones Sect. I was disrespectful."
The disciple from the Tiger Roar Sect grinned. "We accidentally offended a sect leader. How terrifying, how terrifying."
The tense atmosphere weakened a lot with the teasing and ridicule from the two of them.
Even if they were ten times bolder, they would never have dared to act in Qingyang City. After all, the city lord did clearly state that the sects were prohibited from brawling with each other.
Jun Changxiao had a calm look on his face. "Everyone, you guys are surrounding me. Do you intend to stop me from recruiting disciples?"
"Bahahaha!" The disciple from the Tiger Roar Sect laughed. "A sect that has no leader still wants to recruit disciples? What a joke!"
"You can't put it like that." The deacon from the Long Blade Sect held back his laughter. "There might be some blind youths who are willing to join the Iron Bones Clang Clang Sect."
The disciple of the Tiger Roar Sect glanced at the crowd. The disdainful smile on his face grew even more obvious. "In this era, it's easy to find crippled youths but rare to find blind youths!"
The two of them echoed each other, whipping up laughter among the surrounding crowd.
The prestige of the Iron Bones Sect had suffered a devastating decline after their sect leader was beheaded. Those who chose to join such a sect were absolutely blind.
"Sigh…" Jun Changxiao sighed.
Encircled by all these muscular guys, he turned and walked back to his booth.
Lu Qianqian asked in a low voice, "Sect leader, do you want me to hack a hole for you to hide in?"
Jun Changxiao was originally unaffected, but his eyelids immediately twitched when he heard this.
Because they were in the Qingyang City, the two eighth-grade sects did not dare act and teach the Iron Bone Sect Leader a lesson. Hence, after a bout of ridicule, they would have no choice but to accept the fact that he was building his booth between the two of them.
The surrounding crowd also dispersed, returning to their own sect booth. All of them were discussing the Iron Bones Sect, and their words were filled with disdain.
It was as though Jun Changxiao did not hear it. He lay on his chair and began to nap.
"Sect leader," Lu Qianqian said, "your heart is truly broad."
Jun Changxiao smiled. "Since we are all living in the world, our hearts should be broader and more magnanimous. If we think too much and care too much, life would be very tiring."
Lu Qianqian felt that it was logical. "The Hundred Sects Recruitment is about to begin. How confident are you in recruiting any disciples?"
Jun Changxiao confidently laughed. "One hundred percent."
"Che."
Because their booths were near each other, the people of the Long Blade Sect and Tiger Roar Sect could not help but sneer when they heard this.
This sect leader of the Iron Bones Sect did not have a high cultivation, and he was also young. However, he was pretty good at talking nonsense.
"Deacon Sun." The disciple of the Tiger Roar Sect walked out. "Since we are idle now, how about we make a bet?"
"Oh?" The deacon from the Long Blade Sect smiled. "What bet?"
The disciple of the Tiger Roar Sect intentionally glanced at the Iron Bones Sect's booth. "Let's bet how many people will consult this rubbish sect during the Hundred Sects Recruitment."
The words 'rubbish sect' were naturally referring to the Iron Bones Clang Clang Sect.
"Interesting." The deacon of the Long Blade Sect laughed. "Sure, why not?"
The disciple of the Tiger Roar Sect said in a clear voice, "I will bet a tael of silver that there are no people who will come over and consult the Iron Bones Sect during the day of the recruitment!"
The deacon of the Long Blade Sect laughed. "No matter what, they are still a part of the hundred sects. No matter how rubbish they are, there should be a few blind youths coming over to consult them. I bet that there will be one person who consults them on the day of the recruitment. My bet will also be one tael of silver!"
One tael of silver was not a lot.
In any case, their original intention was not to gamble. The main thing was that they wanted to ridicule the Iron Bones Sect.
There were no solutions to it.
Who asked Jun Changxiao to set up his booth between the two eighth-grade sects? If he wanted to use them to gain attention, he could do so, but he had to pay the price.
Maybe the other sects were also too idle. When they heard the bet between the Long Blade Sect and Tiger Roar Sect, the cultivators of the various sects began to discuss this fervently.
"Given the Iron Bones Sect's current situation, there definitely won't be anyone showing interest in them on the day of the recruitment."
"In addition, this incident is circulating crazily throughout the city. Why would those ambitious youths choose to join such a rubbish sect?"
"There's something strange. Why does that beautiful girl keep standing in the Iron Bones Sect Booth? Could it be that she's a disciple?"
"It can't be the case, right? Such a rubbish sect, how can it recruit a girl whose looks are as beautiful as flowers?"
The cultivators of the various sects chatted, turning their gazes onto Lu Qianqian.
One could not help but say that…
Wherever a beauty went, she would always constitute a beautiful scenery.
"Qianqian," Jun Changxiao said, "come and give this seat a shoulder massage."
Lu Qianqian furrowed her brows.
Jun Changxiao suppressed his voice. "There are so many people watching. Help me to gain some face."
"…"
Lu Qianqian walked over and lifted her hands up lightly before slamming them down on his shoulders in a rhythmic manner.
However, the strength she put in them had no difference from the amount of strength she exerted when punching a sandbag. Although Sect Leader Jun felt extremely agonized, he had to show a relaxed expression before everyone.
"Damn!"
"She really is a member of the Iron Bones Sect!"
"How can the heavens permit this!"
Upon seeing Lu Qianqian giving Jun Changxiao a shoulder massage, the cultivators from the various sects were all extremely shocked and filled with envy.
…
Three days later, the Hundred Sects Recruitment officially began.
Jun Changxiao leaned back in his chair as he quietly watched the young men and young women entering the drill ground.
"Sect leader, do you need a shoulder massage?" Lu Qianqian asked.
"No, no, no!" Jun Changxiao hurriedly said. "I still want to live longer!"
Because the Hundred Sects Recruitment had begun, the various sects were all busy preparing. No one went to bother or mock the Iron Bones Sect.
Over the past few days, Jun Changxiao had obtained quite a lot of intel from the various sects. For example, there were youths from this village and that village with good aptitudes, and they would attend the recruitment event this year.
Although the young men and women could freely choose which sects to join, the sects also needed to inspect their aptitudes to see if they were qualified.
For example, for eighth-grade sects, which were higher ranked, the disciples they recruited all had to meet the qualifications. Ninth-grade sects were more casual in terms of accepting disciples. As long as one had the slightest aptitude, they would be able to join a ninth-grade sect.
"For the Hundred Sects Recruitment this year, the various sects are all competing to recruit the most popular youth, Li Qingyang, who is from a direct line of descent of the Li Clan in Qingyang City.
"It's rumored that when he was fifteen years old, he was inspected and found to possess a high-grade spirit root. If a sect recruits such a genius, there will only be advantages and no disadvantages," Jun Changxiao mumbled to himself.
All of a sudden, he felt the surroundings becoming quiet. He instinctively inclined his head and saw the members of the two eighth-grade sects all staring at him in astonishment.
"Haha!"
"Li Qingyang is a genius of Qingyang City. His talent is so great that it's rare for someone like him to appear even in a hundred years. All the major sects are competing to recruit him, yet this fellow also wants to join in? There must be a problem with his brain!"
"It's good to be young. They dare to dream!"
Everyone present laughed uproariously.
Jun Changxiao was speechless. He had mumbled that unintentionally, yet the intent of his words was magnified by them. Could it be that his hatred stat had shot up after he crossed over to this world?
"Sect leader," Lu Qianqian said, "stop daydreaming."
These words were like a knife being stabbed into Jun Changxiao's heart. He lay back in his chair as he silently wailed to himself, Can I still continue to be the sect leader‽