Chapter 102: The Benefits for Jianzong Disciples Are Truly Excellent

At dusk, Xu Xing bid farewell to his senior sister and returned to the grand hall atop another mountain, where a middle-aged man stood at the entrance, tall and straight, wearing the original uniform of the Jianzong Sect.

Upon seeing Xu Xing, his stern face flickered with a trace of emotion.

“Disciple congratulates Master on emerging from seclusion.”

Xu Xing nodded slightly: “You’ve waited long.”

“Master speaks too lightly,” he replied solemnly. “I learned of your emergence but did not come to greet you personally—please forgive this disciple’s lapse.”

“Changing guard in the Star Domain is a major matter; it cannot be delayed for my sake.”

Unlike his senior sister, Xu Xing’s sword path had few restrictions on taking disciples, so he had no shortage of students.

In that perilous age, passing on the lineage was of utmost importance—it meant the continuation of hope.

This middle-aged man was Jing Hai, one of Xu Xing’s earliest disciples, known to the world as the “Absolute Death Sword Lord.”

His realm was exceedingly high, his combat strength among the top in Jianzong and throughout the Tai Xuan Realm.

He was the one who replaced Chi Jiuyu’s uncooperative senior sister in the guard rotation.

“I humbly follow Master’s teachings,” he bowed again, solemnly. “Your elder uncle instructed me that the materials on the ‘Deep Abyss’ you requested have been compiled and placed inside in advance.”

“Thank you.”

“It is this disciple’s duty.” The two walked into the hall, Jing Hai stepping one pace behind. “I sent a disciple to Xuanjian City—have you…?”

“You mean Xiao Qingyang? Though we’ve never formally met, his performance has been acceptable.”

From his Master’s tone, he clearly had not seen him.

This lazy, disobedient disciple!

“Do not punish him over such a trivial matter.”

This was no trivial matter!

Yet since his Master had spoken thus, he abandoned the fleeting thoughts that had just risen in him.

“As you command.”

Jing Hai remained as rigid and formal as ever.

In ancient times, when the Cang Clan dominated the Central Continent, his entire clan was captured, over a hundred souls thrown into hunting grounds to be shot for sport.

Jing Hai, then a child, was deemed too weak to be worth hunting by the Cang Clan, and thus narrowly escaped death.

He was later rescued by Xu Xing and taken as a disciple.

Perhaps because of that trauma, he was rigid and precise in daily conduct, yet on the battlefield, he fought like a madman, heedless of life or death.

Among all of Xu Xing’s disciples, none had killed more Cang Clan members than Jing Hai.

After a while, the two entered a quiet chamber, containing only a desk, a few chairs, and several bookshelves—plain and unadorned.

Light glowed from the ceiling, and the candle on the desk ignited.

Without Xu Xing’s permission, no one dared touch anything here, so everything remained exactly as he had left it.

Xu Xing glanced around: “I’ll need to redecorate this place.”

Though the hall’s construction materials were of high grade and bore many beneficial effects, to him they mattered little.

By contrast, Xu Xing was more curious about the new things of this era.

“Shall I summon the head of the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall?”

“No need for such trouble—I’ll just fix it up myself later.”

Xu Xing walked to the desk, where lay several jade slips, a laptop, several crystal cards, and several ancient books that looked decades old.

“These are all the records within the sect regarding the ‘Deep Abyss,’” Jing Hai explained, then bowed again. “I shall not disturb Master further.”

“You’ve worked hard—go rest.”

Upon receiving this reply, Jing Hai withdrew.

Yet he had barely stepped out of the hall.

Ding! A clear alert tone rang out. Jing Hai pulled out his phone—black, an old model.

Had it not been for the group his fellow disciples created—where all of Master’s and Elder’s disciples gathered—he wouldn’t have bought one at all.

The sender was… his junior sister.

Jing Hai put the phone back.

He didn’t need to look—he knew exactly what it contained. Over the past two days, it wasn’t one or two messages—nothing but complaints about the guard rotation.

………

Outside the Jianzong Sect, Transmission Pavilion, first floor.

After treating Zhang Yunlu to a lavish meal, Chi Jiuyu escorted her here.

Swiping her identity jade tablet, the two entered successfully.

“Alright, now you look around on your own. I’ll come find you tomorrow,” Chi Jiuyu whispered.

Silence is required inside the Transmission Pavilion! “Thank you.”

“Don’t be so formal—you’re the second-in-command of our ‘Future Sect Leader Alliance.’”

Perhaps too proud, her voice rose slightly. An old woman who had been dozing with half-closed eyes suddenly opened them and glared at her.

“I’m going, I’m going.”

Chi Jiuyu shrank her head and hurried out of the Transmission Pavilion.

‘She’s actually afraid?’

Watching her depart, Zhang Yunlu gave it little thought and turned inward. Chi Jiuyu had already advised her which texts to seek.

She intended to find and read them one by one.

“‘Three Tiers of Foundation Establishment,’ ‘New Compilation of the Human Body as Microcosm of Heaven and Earth,’” a withered voice suddenly echoed beside her.

Zhang Yunlu paused, then turned to see the old woman reclining on a lounge chair, eyes closed.

After a moment’s thought, she bowed deeply and whispered: “Thank you, Elder.”

No reply came.

Yet Zhang Yunlu waited a moment before turning and stepping inside.

Though late, the hall remained crowded; all moved quietly, so the atmosphere was hushed.

The first floor of the Transmission Pavilion housed Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivation methods, techniques, sword arts, and elders’ personal insights from their Foundation Establishment trials.

Sword arts like “Flowing Cloud Sword Art” were so numerous here they seemed countless as grains of sand.

Yet to access the second floor for cultivation methods, one had to spend a certain number of contribution points—but the price was remarkably… affordable.

Unlike middle schools, Jianzong gave every disciple the freedom to choose their own path: whether to cultivate cultivation methods or not was entirely up to the individual.

Zhang Yunlu walked along the bookshelves and display stands.

She found not only books, but also countless sealed crystal cards, and occasionally a jade slip.

This was normal—crystal cards were more convenient than paper books and cheaper than jade slips.

With clear signage in each section, Zhang Yunlu quickly found what she sought.

Three crystal cards: two recommended by Chi Jiuyu, one a sword art she chose as reference.

Two books: the “Three Tiers of Foundation Establishment” and “New Compilation of the Human Body as Microcosm of Heaven and Earth,” mentioned just now.

Holding the books and crystal cards, Zhang Yunlu left the archive area and entered the nearby reading room.

The reading rooms of the Transmission Pavilion were small semi-circular chambers, each with a single one-way glass window to respect disciples’ privacy.

Pushing open the door, she saw a long table inside, each equipped with a crystal card reader, and seats of exceptionally soft, comfortable sofas.

Air-conditioning arrays were mounted on the walls, allowing instant temperature adjustment.

Behind the table stood a glass cabinet filled with drinks and snacks, refreshed daily.

Glancing around, Zhang Yunlu noticed the room was silent—likely due to a sound-dampening array.

Most importantly, everything on the first floor of the Transmission Pavilion was free, just like the outermost layer of the cafeteria.

The benefits for Jianzong disciples are truly excellent.

Placing the crystal cards and books on the table, Zhang Yunlu stepped forward, took a bottle of water from the glass cabinet, and then saw a bold, red, capitalized sign.

【Do not defecate or urinate in the reading room. Violators fined 100,000 contribution points】

Defecate or urinate… here?

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(End of chapter)