Xiao Ziji's Original Intention

A once-in-a-millennium genius?

The disciples currently training on the Training Ground cast their gazes over, whispering among themselves: "Could he be Xiao Ziji from the Xiao Family in Liyang City?"

"The super genius who tested for a Top-grade Spirit Root at ten and opened his Twelve Meridians by twelve?"

"That was just past glory. Five years ago, his spirit root and cultivation regressed, and he ended up a commoner. Even his Fiancée came to the family to break off their engagement."

"The Xiao Family expelled him, and there was no news of him since. Who would have thought he'd end up a beggar."

All the disciples shook their heads in pity.

Back then, Xiao Ziji was a prominent figure in Qingyang County, someone even Li Qingyang could hardly compare to.

But what about now?

The former super genius had fallen into a waste, and seeing him in this state truly made one sigh with emotion.

As Xiao Ziji walked step by step toward the gate, he heard the crowd's discussion and said dejectedly, "I am nothing but a waste now; how could I ever reclaim everything I've lost?"

Li Qingyang wanted to say more.

"Qingyang."

Jun Changxiao walked out and leaned against the spot where Lu Qianqian had just been standing. "If he looks down on himself, there's no point in him staying at the Iron Bone Unyielding Sect. No need to comfort him further."

Li Qingyang fell silent.

Xiao Ziji continued to walk forward, his back looking decadent and despondent.

"Step."

He stopped on the stone steps, not turning around as he said, "Sect Leader Jun, thank you for the treatment. Xiao Ziji will keep this great kindness in his heart."

Jun Changxiao said indifferently, "If this seat had known that the person I saved looked down on himself, I never would have rescued him. I would have even swiftly delivered a finishing blow to let him die sooner."

Li Qingyang: "..."

Lu Qianqian brushed the dark hair hanging over her shoulder and said, "The Sect Leader's words are quite hurtful, too."

Xiao Ziji said expressionlessly, "That's right. I shouldn't have lived anyway."

Jun Changxiao pointed outside and said calmly, "Turn left out the door and there's a cliff. If you want to die, you can jump off. Perhaps you'll encounter a fortuitous event and reach the pinnacle of life from there."

"..."

The corners of everyone's mouths twitched.

Since when did the Sect Leader become as sharp-tongued as the Senior Disciple Sister?

Xiao Ziji gave a bitter smile. "From the moment I fell from a genius to a waste, it was destined that I would never have any more fortuitous encounters or opportunities."

"Fortuitous encounters are for those who are prepared."

"For a guy like you who gives up on himself, even if a pie fell from the sky, it wouldn't land on your head."

Jun Changxiao said calmly, "Before you leave, this seat will leave you with one sentence: there is no one born strong in this world, only those born with a strong will. Whether you are a genius or a waste, if you lose the heart to strive, you are truly nothing but a waste."

No one is born strong, only born with a strong will?

Xiao Ziji's body trembled slightly, and his despondent eyes gradually began to glow.

Jun Changxiao crossed his arms and said indifferently, "If you have forgotten the original intention that brought you to the Iron Bone Unyielding Sect, then get lost quickly."

Xiao Ziji remained standing in place and did not get lost.

During the previous Hundred Sects Recruitment, he had seen Jun Changxiao guiding martial artists from various sects on the Training Ground, and his dormant will had been ignited.

After struggling for a period of time, he decided to head to the Iron Bone Sect, hoping to join the sect and restart his martial path.

To that end, he had gone to Huyang City to steal pills from the Ai Family.

What kind of pills?

Pills that could briefly boost one's cultivation.

Xiao Ziji knew that joining the Iron Bone Sect had conditions, and with his low-grade aptitude and lack of cultivation, he would certainly be rejected.

The theft ended in failure, and he fled in a panic to this place, only to be caught by the Ai Family and subjected to a brutal beating.

Why do all this?

Everything was for the original intention of becoming stronger!

Jun Changxiao said, "Can you really endure being dumped by your Fiancée?"

Xiao Ziji clenched his fists and bit his lip.

Jun Changxiao said, "Don't you want to become strong again to tell that short-sighted woman, to tell the whole world, that the river flows east for thirty years and west for thirty years, so do not bully the young because they are poor?"

"Do not bully the young because they are poor..."

Xiao Ziji's expression was dazed, his heart feeling as if it had been pierced by a sharp blade. It shattered his despondency, and his clenched fists slowly loosened, bright red blood dripping from his fingers onto the stone floor.

"Enough said."

"If you're going to get lost, get lost quickly."

Jun Changxiao said indifferently.

"Thump!"

Xiao Ziji suddenly turned around, his knees hitting the ground with a heavy thud. With tears streaming down his cheeks, he cried out loudly, "Sect Leader Jun, I want to join the Iron Bone Unyielding Sect. I want to become stronger, and I want to reclaim everything I have lost!"

In that moment, all the pain he had endured and his burning desire to become stronger were released through his cries.

Li Qingyang, Lu Qianqian, and every disciple present watched Xiao Ziji; no one mocked the grown man for his tears.

"Ding!"

"Congratulations to the host for completing the Side Quest, gaining 5 Sect Contribution Points."

"Ding!"

"Sect Contribution Points: 34/100."

"Phew!"

Jun Changxiao let out a sigh of relief, thinking to himself, Finally, I've restored this guy's confidence.

As it turned out, when Xiao Ziji walked out of the Medicine Pavilion, the system had issued a Side Quest: to help the fallen genius Xiao Ziji regain his confidence in the martial path.

"Qingyang."

Jun Changxiao snapped his fingers and said, "Handle the initiation procedures. Remember, have him clean up the bloodstains in the Outer Court."

"Yes!"

Li Qingyang hurried over.

He was thoroughly impressed by the words the Sect Leader had just spoken.

Jun Changxiao looked at the disciples in the Training Ground and said in a deep voice, "Keep this in your hearts: in this world, there is no distinction between geniuses and trash, nor is anyone born strong—only born with the will to be strong!"

"Yes!"

The disciples shouted in unison.

Especially when they recalled the Sect Leader's words about how the tides turn every thirty years and one should never bully a youth for being poor, their blood seemed to boil.

"Glug, glug."

Inside the main hall, Jun Changxiao drank from a teapot, then leaned back against his chair and said, "To restore the martial confidence of such a deeply depressed guy—I really admire my own eloquence, damn it."

The system chimed in at an inopportune moment, "The aptitude of the sect disciples is generally low, and now you've taken in another piece of trash, which will only drag down the development of the sect."

Jun Changxiao rested his chin on the back of his hand and smiled, "Don't you think that cultivating them and turning them into powerhouses is a very fulfilling thing?"

The system remained silent.

Jun Changxiao had built up Xiao Ziji's martial confidence because of the Side Quest.

As for accepting him into the sect, it stemmed more from sympathy; after all, a former genius reduced to trash, having his engagement broken and being expelled from his family, was truly pitiful.

"Sect Leader."

Li Qingyang walked over and handed over an initiation form, saying, "Junior Brother Xiao's initiation form has been filled out."

Jun Changxiao glanced at it casually and took out the Sect Leader Seal to stamp it.

"Ding!"

"Sect Member: 100/100."

"No contribution point reward?"

"The member count had already reached the upper limit. Since this is a replacement due to death or expulsion, no secondary contribution points will be granted."

"Fine."

Jun Changxiao shook his head.

"Ding!"

"System detects that members are full and all disciples are present in the sect. Requirements met, Sect Mission initiated."

Hearing the notification, Jun Changxiao almost coughed up blood.

No wonder there were no Sect Missions before; it was because the sect members weren't full, and they weren't all present in the sect!

"Swish!"

He hurriedly opened the Data Panel of the Strongest Sect System and saw the content under Sect Mission: There are Sect Missions, click to view details.

Jun Changxiao focused his mind and clicked on the details. A small Data Panel immediately appeared, listing many tasks.

The content was—

Help Aunt Wang of Qingyang Village clean her courtyard [Recommendation Index: ★]

Help Mother Sun of Qingyang Village carry manure to water the vegetables [Recommendation Index: ★]

Help the villagers of Qingyang Village write letters [Recommendation Index: ★]

Help Xiao Dan of Qingyang Village find his lost Little Yellow [Recommendation Index: ★★]

Help the villagers of Qingyang Village eradicate the Earth Flame Wolf that is plaguing the neighborhood [Recommendation Index: ★★★]

There were many more tasks behind these, totaling about forty or fifty. Jun Changxiao only looked at the first few lines before collapsing into his chair, his mouth twitching as he said, "What kind of bullshit Sect Missions are these!"