Causing Trouble

Inside the hall, Wang Jun often laughed as he settled into an ancient nanmu chair that had witnessed a thousand years of history. For a long while, he remained in contemplative silence.

The brief exchange with Lu Lu had stirred something within him. He couldn't deny the truth in her words. His martial arts arsenal consisted solely of the Yi jin jing technique. How could he strengthen his Solid Strike Sect and aspire to dominate the mainland with just this single technique?

"Hey," he sighed and opened the first-level mall, curiosity guiding his fingers.

With a swift glance, he spotted a particular elixir named 'Energy gathering pill.' Out of habit, he proceeded to open its details.

Item: Energy gathering pill

Efficacy: After consumption, the warrior's aura condensation speed increases by 5 times. 

Note: Exclusive to the head.

Duration: 24 hours.

Price: 10 contribution points.

Wang Jun couldn't help but grin, "Boosting aura condensation by 5 times? That's quite the handy tool!"

Considering his innate talent and divine spirit, he could accumulate enough psionic energy in just two days. However, with a fivefold acceleration, that time would be significantly shortened.

Without hesitation, he clicked "Buy."

A pleasant chime sounded, signalling the transaction, "Ding!"

"The host has spent 10 contribution points to acquire one Energy gathering pill, which has been deposited into the space ring."

"Ding!"

"Martial contribution: 40/100."

With the purchase completed, Wang Jun retrieved the vial containing the 'Energy gathering pill' and gently poured out a pill roughly the size of a red date.

He opened his mouth and swallowed it, experiencing an instant sensation as the pill dissolved on his tongue. The effects were immediate. Each pore on his body seemed to expand infinitely, and he felt invigorated.

With a contented smile, Wang Jun resumed his seat and began practicing the Yi Jin Jing once more. However, as his thoughts delved into a serene state, the spiritual power within the hall surged and eagerly sought to be absorbed.

It seemed that the spiritual energy was making up for yesterday's neglect, surging even more today. Wang Jun couldn't help but remark, "You ignored me yesterday, and today, you're showering me with abundance."

Without further ado, he allowed his mind to focus on absorbing the spiritual power. In just four short hours, he had amassed enough psionic energy to condense his aura. This was a feat that used to take him two full days, but now, it was accomplished in less than five hours.

"Chong," Wang Jun chuckled determinedly.

However, the third attempt also ended in failure.

"Let's try again!" he declared, undeterred.

Several more hours passed, and he continued to push himself, attempting to open the meridian once more. Yet, the fourth attempt met the same fate—a failure. It wasn't until the fifth strenuous effort that the eleventh meridian finally yielded to his determination.

As he basked in the newfound power that came with the breakthrough in meridian, Wang Jun slumped in his chair, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He mused, "A 50% success rate, and it took five attempts to succeed. I must have looked quite gloomy."

He had initially claimed that he didn't need the assistance of a system and could rely on his own efforts to break through the meridian. However, Wang Jun had eventually succeeded with the aid of the Energy gathering pill. It made him reflect; since he had the system, it was wise to use it to quickly upgrade his skills. Not utilizing it would be a missed opportunity.

After a moment of self-consolation, Wang Jun felt invigorated. It was a reminder that he needed to use the items in the mall urgently. As Lu Lu had pointed out, he wasn't just a casual practitioner; he was the leader of a faction. He couldn't afford to waste time. His goal was to become strong as quickly as possible to lead the entire martial arts world.

As for the effort, well, that depended on the situation.

With determination, Wang Jun opened the mall once more. Sure enough, the 'Energy gathering pill' had turned gray, displaying the message "limited to purchase once a month."

He shook his head and mused, "If it were unlimited, one could infuse energy five times a day, and even a pig could break through to foundation establishment stage."

Emperor Wu Wu (a colloquial expression of frustration): Is this some kind of joke?

"So," Wang Jun grinned as he held his chin, "it's mentioned that the efficacy is exclusively for the head's use. Does that mean there's an elixir for disciples?"

Continuing his perusal of the merchandise, he soon stumbled upon something intriguing—an item known as the "Disciple Reiki Enhancement Array," which piqued his curiosity.

Clicking to open the details of the item, Wang Jun found the description:

"Item: First-time disciple Reiki array."

"Efficacy: When inserted into the ground, it can condense an aura array spanning ten square meters, with spiritual power attributes twice as potent as those outside."

"Aging: Upon activation."

"Price: 10 points of contribution."

"Note: Only for disciples, it will consume 1 contribution for 24 hours."

Upon seeing the note, Wang Jun chuckled and remarked, "One point per day, that's quite the contribution burn rate."

While it might not seem like much for a single day, he only had 40 points of contribution. After purchasing this item, it would provide Reiki enhancement for his disciples for at least 30 days.

"But it's exclusive to disciples, so exchanging it doesn't make sense," Wang Jun concluded, deciding not to exchange for the first-time disciple Reiki array.

The system then prompted, "As disciples grow stronger, so does the martial arts school. The host is recommended to purchase with a five-star rating."

Wang Jun playfully rolled his eyes and quipped, "You're not recommending it to me; you're recommending that I spend my contribution points, right?"

The system responded, "The system's mission is to assist the host."

"Alright," Wang Jun chuckled, a hint of hesitation in his voice. "I'll trust you this time."

"Ding!"

"The host consumes 10 points of contribution to acquire 1 First-time disciple Reiki array, which has been delivered to the space ring."

"Ding!"

"Martial contribution: 30/100."

In his space ring, an additional bag appeared seemingly out of thin air. It contained various flags and a fabric array manual.

Wang Jun couldn't help but silently mutter, "Why isn't there a warranty for this?"

However, before he could proceed further with the Reiki array, a disciple rushed in, panting, and exclaimed, "Head! There's trouble outside!"

"What?" Wang Jun slammed his armrest and stood up angrily. "Who dares to come to my Solid Strike Sect and stir up trouble?"

Before him, Zhu Hong, Jinyi's brother, stood, angrily saying, "Hit him! Hit him hard!"

Several of his men, at the fourth and fifth stages of meridian opening, were pummeling a young boy who had fallen to the ground.

"Damn it! A low-life trying to steal our elixirs from the Cui family! Disgusting!" one of the servants shouted as they continued beating and berating the young man.

Tong Jinyi's voice was cold as he remarked, "Don't underestimate him just because of his low cultivation level. He's surprisingly fast. If he hadn't ventured into the Barren Mountain himself, we wouldn't have caught him."

"Keep going!"

"Beat him to a pulp!"

Following orders, they continued to pummel the young man, leaving him bruised and bloodied, his mouth dripping with blood.

"Stop!"

A commanding voice interrupted the brutal scene. The servants halted their assault and turned to see Wang Jun walking out of the gate with a group of disciples.

"What's this?" Tong Jinyi sneered as he glanced at the sign on the gate. "So this nameless Barren Mountain is the pinnacle of the Solid Strike Sect."

His tone was filled with disdain.

Wang Jun smiled and looked at him, then shifted his gaze to the battered young man. He spoke calmly, "This is the territory of my Solid Strike Sect. If you're here for a fight, you can leave."

It became apparent that the commotion at the martial arts school's entrance was not caused by an attack on the school but by a brawl involving outsiders.

Out of the blue, Jin Jinyi declared, "Get out of here before I get angry."

Wang Jun glanced at the servant and smirked, "You expect this seat of yours to leave his own territory? Are you out of your mind? Are you foolish..."

*Thud!*

Wang Jun stomped on the man's face, causing his muscles to sink instantly, propelling his entire body into the air. With a crooked expression, the man's mouth flew open.

*Thud! Thump!*

Brother Jin Jinyi was sent flying over ten meters and crashed in front of the stone steps leading up the mountain. Any closer, and he would have tumbled down the mountainside.

"Oh, bother," Wang Jun often laughed, retracting his foot. He remarked, "There's no need for so much chatter."