The Strongest Sect of All Times

Jun Changxiao led his disciples down the mountain side. 

The bandits, bandit leaders, and the entire Black Wind Stronghold had been reduced to ashes, thoroughly becoming something of the past. 

This trip had been a great harvest. 

Not only had he completed a hidden mission and received 50 points, he had also filled his storage rings with piles of gold and silver. 

Jun Changxiao did not understand the currency of Falling Star Continent, but he woughly inferred that all the silver taels would at least value 10,000 gold taels. 

And so I have the money to repair the inner courtyard. 

Walking, Sect Head Jun was all smiles, but his heart was growing colder. 

Spirit Spring Sect. 

You spent money to hire disciples to threaten my disciples, good job. 

Initially, when Zhou Tianba knew his name, Jun Changxiao was already a little suspicious — who knew it had truly been a set up!

Kidnapping the disciples and demanding ransom… If I did not go to save them, that would disappoint the other disciples and harm the sect’s prestige. If I did go, I and the disciples would all die, even with the ransom paid. 

What a calculated move, Jun Changxiao shook his head. Unfortunately, the big chief and the Spirit Spring Sect could not have imagined I have the Irretractable Sabre and can easily exterminate the Black Wind Stronghold. 

Ah, he rubbed his temples. I just want to develop in a low-key way and complete the main mission, why must you provoke me?

Spirit Spring Sect. He straightened up and said slowly, This lord pay you a visit to discuss justice sooner or later. 

Why sooner or later and not now? Because with the Irretractable Sabre sealed, going to the Spirit Spring Sect now was was a bit difficult. 

“Does the store sell Seal-Opening Talismans?”

Jun Changxiao searched, but found nothing. 

The system said, [The Seal-Opening Talisman is not for sale; the host will have to complete specific missions to obtain it.]

“Specific missions will only give me a chance to obtain them?” Jun Changxiao shrugged, “You mean to say that if I want to obtain the Seal-Opening Talisman, I will have to count on luck?”

[Correct.]

“This is harder than winning the lottery…”

The great Sect Head Jun muttered to himself. Regarding things that depended on luck, he was truly a black hole.

…

“Senior Sister, Second Senior Brother!”

“Sect Head has brought the junior apprentices back!”

A disciple ran over from the outer court, shouting. 

Li Qingyang rushed out of the main hall. Seeing that the sect head was safe, intact with 30 or so disciples, he felt a weight lifting from his shoulders. 

Although he had just joined, Qingyang City’s number one talent had already approved of Jun Changxiao. 

The senior disciple Lu Qianqian was different. She stood by the entrance and glanced over at Jun Changxiao, indifferently saying, “How come there isn’t even any wounds on his body?”

The sect head had returned and the Ironbone Sect was lively. 

“What?”

“The Black Wind Stronghold on Black Mountain was exterminated by the sect head?”

The disciples who had not witnessed it themselves were dumbfounded. 

Li Qingyang was filled with disbelief. “Sect Head, the bandits on Black Mountain, did you really kill them all?”

Jun Changxiao confirmed, “Mhm.”

Li Qingyang cupped his fists and admired, “The bandits have been a calamity on the villagers for many years. Sect Head killing them is definitely ridding the people of evil!”

“A minor matter, not worth mentioning,” Jun Changxiao said. 

The government and major sects repeatedly tried to fight them, but Sect Head was able to kill them all. If this is something minor, then what is major? Li Qingyang was a bit doubtful, but asked, “Sect Head, there were 32 disciples kidnapped, why is there one less?”

Jun Changxiao said, “That disciple feared death and was killed by the chieftain.”

The disciple begging for mercy had been killed by Zhou Tianba, disappointing him greatly. It also made him realize that he could not randomly accept disciples, but had to carefully consider their spirit and loyalty. 

Fearing death? Li Qingyang seemed to understand something and did not inquire further. 

Lu Qianqian was still leaning at the doors. “Sect Head, since the Black Wind Stronghold was destroyed, there should be a good harvest, right?”

Jun Changxiao said, “There’s a bit.”

When Li Qingyang heard the bandits had been killed, his first thought was that this was a blessing for the common people, indicating his heroic heart. 

Lu Qianqian emphasized the harvest, seeming to indicate she didn’t care much about anything other than money. 

My senior and second disciples have entirely different characters.

“Sect Head,” Li Qingyang said. “Should we repair the inner court?”

“Of course.” Jun Changxiao had money now, so he straightforwardly tossed several gold bars over. “Is this enough?”

“E-Enough!”

Although Li Qingyang was from a prestigious family, he was usually practicing and training — when would he have ever seen such heavy gold bars?

“Did the other disciples join the sect?”

“Reporting to the sect head, they arrived!”

“Transmit my orders, tell them to gather at the field tomorrow morning.”

“Yes!”

…

The next day. 

Jun Changxiao wore a long, clean gown and stood on the stairs of the main hall. 

On the training field, 98 disciples gathered in neat lines. Since they had not been provided with sect uniforms, they had all worn whatever clothing they brought, so it did seem a bit rag-tag. 

It’s best to look for a tailor as soon as possible; best to create some uniforms. 

“Ahem, ahem.”

Jun Changxiao coughed a few times, then clasped his hands behind his back. He said, “Since you have all entered the ironbone Unyielding Sect, then you must remember that the sect’s first rule is to be an unyielding person, and to behave unyieldingly!”

“Then what, you may ask, is an unyielding person? How does one behave unyieldingly?”

Jun Changxiao paused for a moment, then said, “The sect’s honor or disgrace, is your honor or disgrace — we advance and retreat together. Those who walk the straight and narrow path, those who are as steady as the mountains, those are unyielding people!”

The disciples echoed as a group, “We share in honor and disgrace, we advance and retreat together. We will walk the straight and narrow path, and be as steady as the mountains!”

Jun Changxiao then said, “Facing the insults of others, to the best of your abilities, you must return the favor. Even if you are facing death, keep your head up and shoulders squared. Those who are cowardly and fear death are not in line with the unyielding path!”

“Yes!”

The disciples shouted in unison. 

“Capisce? Good, dismissed.” Jun Changxiao flicked his sleeves and left. [1]

The disciples left on the training field stared at each other in confusion — I look at you, you look at me. 

What did the capee-huh that the sect head said mean?

…

Despite calling the disciples to gather at the main hall for the first time, Jun Changxiao did not prepare some lengthy speech, but decided that covering the main principles of the sect was enough. 

Naturally, a sect would definitely not only have one sect rule, so a more comprehensive list of rules had to be made. He therefore called to discuss with Li Qingyang. 

“Sect Head, the sect rules are made by you and the other high-levels of the sect. Disciple does not have the qualifications to participate.”

Li Qingyang bowed as he said so. 

“This lord says you are qualified, so you are qualified.” Jun Changxiao handed over the sect rules he had written down and said, “Quickly, quickly, take a look and see if they need changes.”

“This…”

Li Qingyang felt quite awkward, but still read the rules written on the piece of paper. He made some corrections and added some rules. For example, disciples could not arbitrarily leave the sect grounds, nor could they kill one another. 

After some discussion, the initial version of the Ironbone Sect rules were completed. 

It was no different from those of other sects, but it stressed that one should be an unyielding person and to behave unyieldingly. 

Jun Changxiao then handed over some scratch paper. “Go into town and find a pretty good tailor shop. According to the specifications of this design, and considering the amount of male or female disciples in the sect, have the school uniforms be made.”

“School uniforms?”

Li Qingyang looked a little dumbfounded. 

Jun Changxiao said, “The unified clothing that sect members wear.”

“Oh.”

Li Qingyang accepted the design. But upon seeing the actual illustrations of the clothing, he was speechless. “S-Sect Head… this clothing is a little…”

“Get going!”

“Yes!”

[1] He actually says “OK”

TLN: “to be an unyielding person, to behave unyieldingly” is the first rule, but it also serves as a motto