406: Chapter 406 Xiao Nianyin, for some reason, no longer harbored resentment.

The few Disciples who had received the qi-breaking guns held them, inspecting them from every angle, unable to put them down.

Zhou Daniu stroked the Array Pattern on the gun body and muttered, "Good heavens, this is the Sect Master's qi-breaking gun... I could only watch from afar before, never even daring to dream that I could touch one..."

Li Ergou was so excited he became incoherent: "Sect Master! This Disciple is willing to go through fire and water for the Hehuan Sect, no matter the cost! This Disciple is willing to be a beast of burden for the Sect Master! This Disciple is willing to..."

Xu Ruyu waved his hand and smiled, "Alright, alright, stop the flattery. Hurry up, I'll teach you how to use them; we have to fight the devils in a bit... uh, no, that's not right, we're fighting foxes."

The few female Disciples who had received the Source Energy Armor had already started putting them on.

Sun Xiaohua put on the breastplate, spun around, and said in surprise, "This battle armor is so light! It doesn't feel bulky at all!"

Zhou Xiaolian put on the helmet, felt the energy fluctuations coming from within, and said excitedly, "I feel like my strength has increased! At least doubled!"

Xu Ruyu explained, "This battle armor can increase your strength by more than three times. Once you learn how to activate all the Array Pattern, it can be even stronger."

"Three times?!" The female Disciples gasped, looking at Xu Ruyu as if they were looking at a deity.

The few Disciples who had received the support cannons circled the three cannons, touching the barrels and inspecting the mounts, their eyes filled with curiosity and excitement.

Zhao Tiezhu swallowed hard and asked cautiously, "Sect Master, how do you use this thing?"

Xu Ruyu walked over and began to explain, "You load the Source Energy crystals here, adjust the muzzle angle here, and here... never mind, I'll teach you in a bit. Come over first, I'll explain it all together."

He gathered all the Disciples who had received Spiritual Artifacts and began to teach them one-on-one how to use them.

He taught the Disciples with the sniper rifles how to aim, how to calculate wind speed and distance, and how to kill with a single shot.

"See this? This is called a scope. Looking through this, distant objects will be magnified. This crosshair is the aiming point. Remember, when the wind speed is high, you need to compensate slightly in the opposite direction of the wind. When the distance is far, you need to raise the muzzle..."

The Disciples with the sniper rifles listened with bright eyes, nodding repeatedly.

He taught the Disciples with the support cannons how to load Source Energy crystals, how to adjust the muzzle angle, and how to calculate the trajectory.

"This cannon has great power, but it reloads slowly. So you can't fire indiscriminately; you have to find the right timing. Wherever you see a crowd, fire there. One shot can kill a whole group at least. Remember, after firing, immediately change your position; don't stay in the same spot..."

The Disciples with the support cannons nodded repeatedly, their eyes filled with excitement.

He taught the Disciples wearing the battle armor how to activate the Array Pattern, how to use the armor to increase speed and strength, and how to protect their vital points.

"There are several key Array Pattern on the battle armor: the Strength Array Pattern, the Speed Array Pattern, and the Defense Array Pattern. Usually, just activating the Defense Array Pattern is enough; activate strength and speed only at critical moments. Note that activating all Array Pattern will consume a large amount of energy and cannot be sustained..."

The Disciples wearing the battle armor took mental notes, nodding from time to time.

He taught the Disciples with the qi-breaking guns how to pull the trigger, how to control recoil, and how to shoot while moving.

"The qi-breaking gun has significant recoil; when using it for the first time, grip it tightly, spread your legs, and lower your center of gravity. When firing, do not close your eyes; focus on the target. After firing one shot, immediately prepare for the next..."

The Disciples with the qi-breaking guns were eager to try, wishing they could test them right away.

After Xu Ruyu finished explaining, he had them each practice a few times, and only after confirming they had mastered the basic essentials did he nod with satisfaction.

He knew that while these Spiritual Artifacts couldn't make them invincible, at the very least, they would give them a better chance of survival in the upcoming battle.

And what he wanted was for every Hehuan Sect Disciple to return alive.

The Disciples who hadn't received any Spiritual Artifacts watched this scene with envy.

But some whispered, "Sect Master, what about us? Do we get some too?"

Xu Ruyu heard this, looked up at everyone, and smiled, "Don't be envious. Once our Hehuan Sect has firmly established itself, I will craft a set of Spiritual Artifact gear for each of you and arm you to the teeth! By then, our Hehuan Sect will have every member equipped with Spiritual Artifacts, and everyone will be able to fight!"

Once these words were spoken, everyone cheered!

"Long live the Sect Master!"

"The Sect Master keeps his word!"

"Our Hehuan Sect will be a Sect where everyone has a set of Spiritual Artifact gear!"

Amidst the cheers, the previous tension and oppression vanished completely. It was as if the besiegers outside the mountain gate were not a threat at all, but rather whetstones sent to their doorstep.

Xu Ruyu looked at these cheering Disciples, and a surge of heroic spirit welled up in his heart.

He turned around, looked at the Disciples who were ready to go, and said loudly, "Everyone, are you ready?"

"Ready!" Over three hundred people roared in unison, their voices shaking the heavens!

Xu Ruyu nodded and waved his hand, "Let's move out!"

The gates of the Martial Arts Arena swung open with a boom!

Sunlight poured in, shining on the eager Disciples and the Spiritual Artifacts in their hands, refracting dazzling light!

Over three hundred people filed out and walked toward the mountain gate!

Behind them, Xiao Nianyin stood in place, watching Xu Ruyu's back, a hint of complexity flashing in her eyes.

She suddenly remembered that the young man she had once viewed as an ant at the Hehuan Sect's ancestral grounds had now become the pillar of the entire Sect.

And she herself, from a high and mighty Sect Master, had become his Bed-warming maid.

Yet, in her heart, she felt inexplicably devoid of any resentment. All she felt was a kind of indescribable... peace of mind.

She took a deep breath and stepped forward to follow.

Outside the mountain gate, the members of the Taihu Clan did not yet know that an overwhelming battle was about to unfold.