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With the Sect Mission List, the disciples could just accept missions and Jun Changxiao did not need to do much himself, freeing him from burden.
He then called for Su Xiaomo, Li Fei, and Tian Qi. Based on their spirit roots, he gave them one bottle of Aptitude Transformation Fluid each.
Since these three had tasted the benefit before, they eagerly took the medicine.
Tian Qi and Li Fei’s spirit roots climbed to mid-grade and their cultivations entered Sixth Stage Martial Apprentice.
Su Xiaomo became a high-grade spirit root and broke through to Seventh Stage Martial Apprentice.
Hence, the Ironbone Sect now had four high-grade spirit roots. Although it was only eighth-grade, it was now equal with the sixth-grade Vast Spirit Root in the number of high-grade talents.
That was just in terms of talent, since the Ironbone Sect was lacking in overall strength.
“Many thanks, Sect Head!”
Su Xiaomo and the other two humbly said.
Jun Changxiao said, “Continue to cultivate hard. In one month, this lord will lead you to Death Valley for some experience.”
The trio, who were originally very happy, heard the words ‘Death Valley’ and immediately froze.
‘What’s wrong?” Jun Changxiao asked.
Su Xiaomo hurriedly said, “Sect Head, Death Valley is one of Qingyang Commander’s restricted areas! There are savage beasts that can take the attacks of a Martial Ancestor running around in there!”
Tian Qi and Li Fei also looked terrified.
These three had listened to their elders talk about Death Valley and all sorts of terrifying places since childhood, so they had some fear.
Not only them.
Any martial artists in Qingyang Commandery would feel fear when hearing about Death Valley.
A restricted area.
That wasn’t said for fun!
Jun Changxiao said: “It is because there is difficulty that this lord is leading you for this experience, since it will enhance our strength!”
Wasn’t it just because he needed to complete the epic mission? He spoke like he was some chivalrous person.
“Since Sect Head said to go, we’ll go!” Su Xiaomo said, to which Tian Qi and Li Fei also nodded.
Fear? Overcome it!
The one with the biggest response was Li Qingyang.
After learning of the plan, he nearly tripped and fell.
“Sect Head!”
Li Qingyang seriously said, “Death Valley is a savage beast breeding ground. Without Martial Ancestor level cultivation, even if 10 people go inside, it will be good if 2 or 3 people return!”
“So dangerous?”
“Extremely dangerous!”
Jun Changxiao tapped his chin, then said with a smile: “The more dangerous it is, the more one should have a challenging spirit. Prepare well, we will go to Death Valley in one month.”
Li Qingyang was silent.
As the disciple, he would not oppose the sect head’s decision. Following instructions, he found 10 junior brothers with mid-grade aptitudes and started to teach them specially for the trip.
Jun Changxiao also knew that Death Valley was filled with dangers and that he could not play around with his disciples’ lives. Thus, he started to make Qi Gathering Pills for them en masse, hoping to increase their cultivation during the coming month.
“We can’t miss the secondary tanks either
 Yang Yuhua, that boy has a strong physical body. If Zuiji teaches him, he can also be used to draw aggro.”
Li Qingyang led the ten mid-grade disciples and Xiao Zuiji gave special lessons to Yang Yuhua, so everything was arranged.
Next, they would just have to wait to finish the training and head towards Death Valley!
As for the other disciples, Jun Changxiao would not neglect them just because his cultivation was suppressed, so he went to train them personally.
First, he set a small goal.
In the shortest amount of time, he wanted all of the newly joined disciples to reach Meridian Opening Stage Twelve, or even Martial Apprentice!
There were many Meridian Opening Pills, so it was no problem!


The chosen disciples started their special training for the Death Valley mission in one month.
The new disciples cultivated under Jun Changxiao’s guidance.
Elder Wei also planted the herbs while training the five disciples.
The sect continued to prosper.
On the third day, Li Luoqiu brought her people back to the sect.
“Sect Head.”
In the study room, Hall Master Li placed a storage ring on the table and smiled: “The Xiao Family’s mineral mine has collapsed and we took several hundred thousand liang (50 grams) of iron ore.”
Jun Changxiao said, “Not bad.”
The mineral lode collapsed, but the Xiao Family could just dig again.
But doing so would consume more physical resources and manpower, so there would be heavy suffering for the short term.
“This lord placed equipment that promotes footwork in the training room, Drizzle Hall members can use it,” Jun Changxiao said.
“Equipment to improve footwork?”
Filled with curiosity, Li Luoqiu arrived at the training room and saw that nearby the Molding Room was a tent twinkling with light, so people were obviously training inside.
Ding!
The timer ended.
The footwork training room opened and Su Xiaomo’s black and blue form fell out with a ‘putong’, foaming at the mouth.
Li Luoqiu tapped her chin, “It seems a little scary.”
Saying that, she stepped inside.
What she saw was a spacious area, and the moment the gate was closed, her body began to run uncontrollably.
It was a little similar to a treadmill, except as Li Luoqiu ran, there would be weapons flying at her from all directions, forcing her to run and duck.
After one hour, the timer ended and Li Luoqiu walked outside drenched in sweat, her legs quivering. She panted, “Too
 Too scary!”


Xiao Family.
When Great Elder Xiao heard that the direct descendants supervising the work were missing and that the entire mine had collapsed, he coughed up blood.
Losing the Ai Family’s commercial relations could still be considered tolerable, but the main source of income — the mineral mine — collapsing was an absolutely fatal blow. That the man hadn’t fainted from anger was already pretty good.
“Hateful. Who the hell was it?!”
“First it was Qingya House, then it was relations with the Ai Family, and now it’s the mineral mine randomly collapsing — someone is definitely pulling strings in the background!”
Each and every member of the Xiao Family felt their anger soaring into their heavens.
The several industries supporting their family continuously suffered heavy losses, an absolute and unbearable fatal blow.
Think about it. Losing the source was equal to losing the funds, and without the funds to purchase resources, how were their clan members supposed to maintain normal cultivation?
News of the Ai Family cutting commercial ties and the collapse of the mine quickly spread through Liyang City.
Having already been guessing that the Qingya House was caused by someone else, the martial artists were even more convinced now.
But who was the culprit?
Many people thought about it and numerous guesses spread through Liyang City.
“The Bei Family and Xiao Family have grievances, so in my opinion, it’s probably the Bei Family playing tricks.”
“Some years ago, the Zhang and Wei Families were also upset with the Xiao Family, so those two are also possibilities.”
“Hmn
”
Martial artists gossiped amongst themselves and the matter continued to ferment. It seemed that almost all the small and large families in Liyang City had reasons to harm the Xiao Family.
At first, the Bei Family did not pay attention to the rumors outside, since they didn’t care about things they didn’t do!
But after the Xiao Family heard these rumors, they subconsciously believed that the Bei Family was at fault! When clan members met on the streets, the two sides would find each other unpleasant and start fighting. Soon, it had evolved into large-scale fighting.
Thus, because of these two factions, the streets of the originally peaceful Liyang City were filled with brawls every day.
Many of the other suspicious families also got involved, causing more chaos.
Various rumors trickled to our great Sect Head Jun, who sat in the study room and listened to Li Luoqiu’s reports.
“Criticism should be feared, ah.”
***
TN: The author (and I) have mistakenly been calling Yang Yuhua as ‘Li Yuhua’, they are the same person.