Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

Sword Casting Manor, blazing sun casting a golden hue.

Jiang Ding, cradling a flower pot in his arms, squinted and lay on a lounge chair sourced from who knows where. He channeled Inner Energy through his hands into the seeds within the pot.

The flower pot seemed like a vortex of Inner Energy, ceaselessly swallowing the energy until after more than ten minutes, a faint sense of fullness could be felt.

Jiang Ding ceased channeling Inner Energy, and after slightly sensing the vitality of the sword seed, he closed his eyes, nurturing the minor meridians of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians.

After another advancement in aptitude, his daily nurturing and tempering of meridians improved to 240 lines, and he estimated that in just over twenty days he would enter the Eaglet Large Circle of Vital Energy and gain another increase in strength.

It had been five days now, and the sword seed was growing normally, daily absorbing Heavenly Earth Spiritual Qi and Eaglet Internal Force, its life force strengthening bit by bit. In another eleven or twelve days, it should accumulate enough vitality to root and sprout, breaking through the soil.

He glanced over at the surveillance of Jindaoshan Mountain.

The Heavenly Sound Stone was still there, so was the figure in black robes, not having changed their sitting position once, making one wonder if they had gathered much dust.

”It’s manageable.”

Jiang Ding closed his eyes and continued his cultivation.

This was the reason he still insisted on staying here after temporarily losing his Flying Sword: The Heavenly Sound Stone was crucial and had to be monitored around the clock.

The newly acquired Centennial Elixir was in the process of being refined into a Ginseng Essence Qi-transforming Elixir, which would take roughly a month to complete.

The New Year was approaching, and many First-order alchemists had chosen to take leave, not accepting new orders, significantly extending the waiting time.

…

”Bro Liu, after the death of ’Green God Sword’ Song Qing, who ranked ninth on the Dragon and Phoenix List, his father ’Mountain-Splitting Divine Sword’ Song Lingyun has gone mad. The struggle between the righteous and demonic paths has intensified, and it is said that even those at the Xiantian level have been seriously injured.”

Zhang Zihou expressed his worries, ”My family’s business has taken a hit, and my pocket money has been halved, and then halved again.”

”If this continues, I will really have to rely on the bookshop to subsist.”

”Brother Zhang, in these times, our well-being is a blessing, no need to worry too much.”

Jiang Ding placed the flower pot on an adjacent seat.

He did not dislike this neighbor who often dropped by. Through their conversations, he could understand more about the culture, customs, and habits of the people in this world—all very helpful for when he would formally enter the Cultivation World.

”You have a point!”

Zhang Zihou sighed.

”But, my comfortable life is dependent on my clan. If our clan declines, and given my frailty since childhood, unable to carry or hold anything, and without a clever tongue, it would be difficult even to sustain a livelihood.”

”If only I could become a martial artist, even if I were to die in battle for the clan, it would be better than living in constant fear and anxiety.”

Jiang Ding glanced at him.

Indeed, the man came from a remarkable family background. An ordinary bookstore had a practitioner skilled in concealment techniques and at the peak of the Internal Qi Realm protecting it in secret.

However, that was of no concern to Jiang Ding.

”If only the Qixuan Secret Cave had elixirs that could change the channels and marrow, altering one’s constitution. They even have Immortal Pills.”

Zhang Zihou’s eyes displayed longing.

”Immortal Pills?”

”Yes.”

Zhang Zihou nodded, ”The first person to get a great haul from the Qixuan Secret Cave, ’Meteor Electric Sword’ Zhou Weitu—Bro Liu knows of him, right?”

”I know a little.”

”A few months ago, using the inherited godly weapon ’Dragon Patterned Saber,’ he exchanged it with ’Sea Splitting Saber’ Wei Xian, who ranked seventh on the Dragon and Phoenix List, for an opportunity to assist in breaking through to Xiantian. He then immediately disappeared to seek that breakthrough.”

”Recently, he re-emerged, but it was a failure. The Xiantian level is too difficult. Once the breakthrough is achieved, even princes and marquises must show respect to the juniors,” Zhang Zihou yearned and then continued.

”This person also revealed a shocking secret. He had entered the Qixuan Secret Cave several times by relying on a treasure map of the secret cave, and he actually spotted a flaw. He claimed he was confident he could avoid the soul-confusing formation outside the cave and excavate the entire cave!”

”Inside, there are definitely elixirs capable of breaking through to Xiantian, no less than ten legacy divine weapons, countless secret cultivation methods and scriptures collected by the Qixuan School when they dominated the Jianghu a thousand years ago, exotic and rare treasures, gold and jewels, elixirs to break through the Internal Qi Realm, and even Muscle Changing Marrow Washing Pills that can enhance one’s aptitude!”

Zhang Zihou’s eyes gleamed with desire as he spoke.

”Even then, these items are merely from the outer and middle layers of the secret cave. After numerous Jianghu people have explored the Qixuan Secret Cave, they believe that the most precious things inside are three items.”

He paused, taking a sip of tea.

”What three earth-shattering treasures could surpass even the Xiantian Pills and legacy divine weapons? That’s impossible.”

Jiang Ding played along, his face full of disbelief.

”Many have seen a glimpse of the treasures and described them vividly, how could it be false?”

Zhang Zihou stated with satisfaction, ”These three items are called the Golden Stone Foundation Building Pill, Empty Mysterious Crystal Copper, and Flying Sword Charm!”

”What kind of shocking, marvelous treasures are these?”

Jiang Ding continued to play along.

However, his mind was stirring as he recalled a third-order material known as Empty Copper Gold.

After entering the Foundation Building Period, every Xianmen Cultivator would have their own Air-Space Warplane, and upon enlistment, the Xianmen would issue a basic model.

Yet most cultivators would invest as many spirit stones and spirit mines as possible to upgrade this guardian mechanism.

Among them, Empty Copper Gold is a coating material most coveted by Foundation-building cultivators, even Golden Pill Monks.

Once the warplane’s shell is coated with this material, its defense is greatly reinforced, and it can even achieve concealment in midair, making it difficult even for Golden Pill Monks to detect!

The issue is that covering the entire warplane’s shell with this coating requires such a large amount of Empty Copper Gold that not even Nascent Soul heirs can afford it.

”Let’s not mention the Golden Stone Foundation Building Pill, which is said to be an Immortal Pill that could make one a master in one step; this Empty Mysterious Crystal Copper, I don’t know about it, but to be mentioned alongside must be extremely precious.”

”But this Flying Sword Charm is the legendary Immortal’s Flying Sword!”

Zhang Zihou said excitedly.

”Just think, the ’Dream Eating Sword Demon’ Jiang Ding, with just Internal Qi Realm, was able to directly defeat the veteran Xiantian ’Ten Flower Sword Fairy’ Wan Qianyu, all because he had a Hundred Step Flying Sword.”

”How could his flying sword compare with Master Qixuan’s flying sword!”

”Some speculate that it is the Hundred Step Flying Sword left by Master Qixuan, a peerless Jianghu master from a thousand years ago. It holds not only all of Master Qixuan’s legacy but also the power to enable an ordinary martial artist to instantly possess the strength to slay a master!”

”This is a treasure that can change the entire Jianghu and the world!”

He paused briefly, seemingly lost in anticipation.

”With the appearance of ’Meteor Electric Sword’ Zhou Weitu, all of Yuejing has been in an uproar recently, even the struggles between the righteous and the demonic have quieted down a bit. Many Xiantian experts have staked their reputations, promising that if the Qixuan Secret Cave is really found, they will join forces to win a Xiantian Pill for Zhou Weitu!”

”Bro Liu, although the time we’ve known each other is not long, I know that both your family background and character are of the highest caliber.”

After saying so much, Zhang Zihou finally revealed his intentions, sincerely adding, ”Our two families, why not join hands in exploring the Qixuan Secret Cave? My Zhang family will not take a single treasure found within; I only desire the Muscle Changing Marrow Washing Pill.”

”Allow me to ponder for a moment...”

Jiang Ding pretended to consider, though he had already thought of refusing.

Not to mention whether the barely known Zhang family was trustworthy, even if they were, he wouldn’t go; the signs of a setup were too evident.

Besides, Foundation Building Pills and Flying Sword Charms held no attraction for him.

The Empty Mysterious Crystal Copper that was presumably Empty Copper Gold did have some appeal, but he had inquired—it was no bigger than a fist, could forge a Supreme Magic Tool at most, but was utterly useless to him, not even enough to coat a wing.

”I’m sorry, Brother Zhang, I’m simply too weak to be of any assistance.”