Now that the disciples of the Body Sect are equipped with the Millelith Set, they have gained some self-preservation abilities, which has resolved a major concern.
However, the same mistake must never happen again.
In the past, there were too many things he failed to protect.
But now, things are different. He has ample time to prepare and is determined to protect every one of his people.
Originally, Zhongli was ready to step down and let Du Bafang, the acting sect leader, take over the Body Sect.
But the somewhat betrayal from Paimon caught Zhongli completely off guard, leaving him no time to react or space to maneuver.
His retirement day seems to be pushed further and further away.
"Sect Leader, after equipping the Millelith Set, the elders and disciples have found it much easier to deal with those monsters. Much, much easier," Du Bafang enthusiastically explained how powerful the Millelith Set was, all thanks to the man before them who had crafted it.
Without Zhongli, Du Bafang couldn't imagine what the Body Sect would become.
"I never expected that armor and weapons could provide such a significant boost..."
When it came to armor and weapons, a hint of surprise flashed in Du Bafang's eyes.
Indeed, such a thing was not only hard to achieve but also something one wouldn't even dare to think about.
On the Douluo Continent, the status of blacksmiths was relatively low.
Even the most skilled blacksmiths could only craft armor capable of withstanding attacks from Soul Emperors.
Anything stronger either didn't exist or might have existed in the past but was no longer available.
Armor that could only withstand Soul Emperor-level attacks was practically useless in the eyes of true powerhouses.
Therefore, martial souls were the foundation of a soul master.
Almost no one would think of relying on weapons or armor to enhance themselves.
Those things were far inferior to one's own martial soul and were completely unnecessary to equip.
With the development of soul tools, the status of blacksmiths began to rise, especially after the emergence of mechas and battle armor.
Battle armor, another type of protective gear, provided terrifying enhancements to soul masters.
The power of four-word battle armor was even more formidable than the full enhancement of the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda.
Red mechas could also transform into weapons and even possess self-awareness.
With a little more enhancement, they could become divine artifacts!
Of course, battle armor and mechas were not yet available.
Compared to the Millelith Set, the enhancements provided by four-word battle armor and red mechas were insignificant.
The true strength of the Millelith Set lay not in its individual attributes but in its ability to form battle formations, enhancing the strength of all participants.
The more people involved, the greater the boost in power.
Even if a god were to descend now, the Body Sect wouldn't need to mobilize all its disciples to easily suppress them!
"It's good that you all have the strength to protect yourselves," Zhongli nodded, feeling quite relieved.
Hearing this, Du Bafang was slightly taken aback and looked at Zhongli with some confusion.
What did he mean by "strength to protect themselves"?
Wasn't the Body Sect now invincible?
And yet, the Sect Leader called this merely "strength to protect themselves"?
Du Bafang felt his scalp itch, a sign of his growing numbness.
What kind of opponent could make the Sect Leader so cautious?
"The Sect Leader must have his reasons for saying this. I mustn't get carried away, I mustn't get carried away..."
Du Bafang thought to himself, nodding in agreement without challenging Zhongli's words.
He truly couldn't imagine what kind of opponent would make Zhongli speak in such a manner.
"After you return, have the disciples practice their battle formations more. They can put aside their usual training for now."
"Relying solely on individual strength will make it difficult to survive in the battles to come," Zhongli said, then took a sip of tea from the cup on the table. It had been a long time since he had relaxed like this.
"Yes!" Du Bafang nodded with a serious expression.
He didn't ask why Zhongli said this, as he assumed Zhongli must have known something.
The reason he didn't elaborate was likely because they were still too weak.
Suddenly, Du Bafang seemed to remember something, his eyes lighting up as he looked at Zhongli with a new understanding.
He felt that Zhongli was not as simple as he had imagined.
Three thousand sets of Millelith Armor, how could such a workload be completed in just ten days or half a month?
Even if Zhongli were a quasi-god-level powerhouse, it would be impossible to achieve!
"Sect Leader, you've succeeded, haven't you?!" Du Bafang's tone was questioning, yet filled with certainty.
He was sure that Zhongli had succeeded, he had become a god!
The hand holding the teacup trembled slightly but quickly steadied.
It seemed that there were more than just one or two smart people in this world.
The reason they didn't seem smart was that they rarely used their brains to think.
For soul masters, the people they interacted with could be categorized into three types: ants, fellow cultivators, and seniors.
When faced with ants provoking them, they would simply crush them without a second thought, there was no need for negotiation.
When faced with seniors...
If you've already cultivated to such a level, why bother using your brain to think? Wouldn't that be a waste of all that cultivation?
"Yes," Zhongli replied, seeing no point in hiding it any longer.
"However, the news must remain confidential for now. It cannot be spread."
Hearing this, Du Bafang nodded repeatedly, eagerly agreeing.
He had never imagined that while crafting the Millelith Set, Zhongli had also managed to break through to the god level...
Wait, something wasn't right!
Was it possible that Zhongli had already been a god all along?
Once this thought took root in his mind, it was hard to shake off.
Regardless of how Zhongli had become a god or why he had hidden his true strength, he was still the Sect Leader of the Body Sect.
Without Zhongli, the Body Sect would be nothing.
"I pay my respects to the Martial God!" Du Bafang knelt on one knee, his face filled with fanaticism and devotion.
He was already envisioning the future of the Body Sect.
"Sigh..." Zhongli sighed, waving his hand to help Du Bafang up.
Even after being helped up, Du Bafang's expression remained one of fervent admiration.
This was a god—a god leading the Body Sect!
A god, a legendary and terrifying existence, now stood with the Body Sect.
To say he wasn't getting carried away would be a lie.
With such an invincible figure backing them, they could act with confidence in everything they did.
The feeling of having someone so powerful supporting them was truly one of "inaction, yet omnipresent action."
"There's no need for such formalities. Just act as you normally would."
"Understood, Sect Leader!"
It seemed Du Bafang hadn't fully absorbed the message, but Zhongli let it go.
"In a few days, it will be Qinghe's coronation. If you have nothing else to do, you can go and witness it."
The coronation of "Xue Qinghe" was also something Zhongli hadn't anticipated. He had never even considered it.
But as the saying goes, life is full of surprises, and now she was about to ascend the throne.
The reason Xue Ye had passed the throne to "Xue Qinghe" likely had something to do with Zhongli.
"I hope she will treat her people well," Zhongli thought to himself.
Upon hearing this, Du Bafang immediately agreed without hesitation.
As a guest of the Crown Prince and the Sect Leader of the Body Sect, if Zhongli was going, how could any member of the Body Sect not attend?
Not only would they attend, but they would also bring more disciples, not only to show support for "Xue Qinghe" but also to display the strength of the Body Sect.
If cultivation wasn't for showing off, then what was the point?
Du Bafang understood this deeply.