Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

”Immortal Da’ai is indeed a remarkable figure,”

Jiang Ding nodded, taking note of this person and making a mental mark.

Such an independent and unique individual who has not been killed yet, and who has actually achieved something significant, must be either extremely benevolent or extremely malicious.

Of course, thinking this way might be too prejudiced.

Judge by deeds, not by intentions.

As long as one does good deeds, that person is good.

If we were to scrutinize intentions for perfection, who doesn’t harbor some sordid thoughts?

Take, for example, the browsing history on Jiang Ding’s smartphone.

This is a top-secret matter; anyone who dares to pry into it must be killed, then grinded a thousand times by the Demolishing Spirit Demolishing Skills, making sure not a trace of memory-laden soul residue remains.

”Given the dire situation in Blood Cloud, why do you choose to get involved at this time?”

Jiang Ding asked.

”Because there is no other way,”

Shanggong, the leading maiden of Summer, respectfully said: ”The growth of a Golden Pill Monk requires a vast amount of Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure, needs the stable environment of a Triple Grade Superior Spiritual Vein. We dare not touch the spoils of war that belong to the young master and delay his cultivation; we can only go abroad to fight and compete, unregretful of our demise today.”

”Is that so?”

Jiang Ding fell into contemplation.

This was the reality. Dao Soldiers existed for the Sword Master; they could not delay the Sword Master’s cultivation to support the Dao Soldiers’ own cultivation.

Supporting one or two Golden Pill Monks was still manageable, but if there were more, dozens of them, it simply wouldn’t be possible to provide for them all. The only solution would be to reduce their needs and lie low waiting for the chance.

And this is just for Golden Pill Monks.

A multitude of maidens at the Peak of Foundation Building and in the Latter Stage of Foundation Building, who are merely Two or Three Spiritual Roots, have no chance of naturally attaining the Golden Pill. They must have Golden Pill Opportunities, a great amount of such opportunities, along with extensive experiences on the Dao Heart, and endurance. Guarding one place for cultivation, the odds of breakthrough are minuscule.

They would need to wait for hundreds or even thousands of years.

Only then will the Tushan maiden group see the opportunity for development, using it to control various areas and establish accurate rule.

At that time, the Tushan maiden group will still exist, their strength not diminished in the least, but even stronger.

However, the people within will no longer be the same.

Shanggong, Shangyun, Dong Cang, Chun Jian, Gong Caiyu, and many maidens at the Peak of Foundation Building looked eagerly at the young man in green, full of anticipation, yet not daring to urge him in the slightest.

”In that case, you are free to go,”

”Ten percent must stay to guard the territory of the Three Kingdoms, the rest can choose freely, take turns, those who wish to go may go, and those who wish to stay may stay. Decide among yourselves, and no coercion is allowed,”

Jiang Ding said calmly: ”I’ll write a letter; Blood Cloud will give you conveniences.”

Because he had once obstructed the Divine Crow Immortal, Jiang Ding felt that Blood Cloud owed him a favor, even though it wasn’t intentional, but the deed was done. If Blood Cloud did not acknowledge this, then he would make them acknowledge it.

Besides, Jiang Ding had cooperated with many Golden Pill Monks in the Luoxu Clan and Beast Spirit Immortal City, forming good relations. If it’s a matter that won’t cause too much trouble, he expected these Golden Pill Monks to provide some convenience.

”Thank you, young master!”

Chun Jian, Shanggong, Shangyun, and other maidens were ecstatic, bowing deeply in gratitude.

”No need to thank me, this is war,”

Jiang Ding shook his head lightly: ”Be careful out there, I hope that in two hundred years you all can return, fulfill your wishes as you are today, without having betrayed your former selves.”

The battle for the King’s Court lasts two hundred years.

In two hundred years, when the Court’s Blessed Land opens, the victors will vie for Nascent Soul Opportunities, to either become Nascent Soul or perish. This cyclical event happens every thousand years, a total of twelve hundred years, coincidentally the lifespan of an Immortal of Nascent Soul.

The direct lineage Nascent Soul Immortals of the major families of the Northern Plains are born from such King’s Court battles, generation after generation.

The one who wins the King’s Court warfare is not lacking in talent or tact, ensuring a baseline of capability for the family’s leaders.

Shuoyang Heavenly Monarch really cherishes his descendants, having planned everything meticulously.

Two hundred years.

In such a lengthy period, inevitably many Golden Pill monks die of old age, many new Golden Pill monks emerge, and many Golden Pill monks desperately cling to life with the aid of Life Extension Elixirs and secret techniques.

How many joys and sorrows, reunions and separations, how many acts of loyalty and betrayal, each unique, it must be quite interesting, very spectacular.

”Yes, young master!”

All the maidens bowed neatly and in unison, the atmosphere gradually becoming solemn and respectful.

No one called for help.

In the maidens’ hearts, the person before them was an Immortal of Nascent Soul, the renowned Immortal Tushan of the Northern Plains; naturally, he could not get involved in the King’s Court battle of lower-order cultivators, leaving them to rely on themselves.

Some couldn’t help but glance at their friends from days gone by, making a mental note, because this might very well be their last meeting.

Blood Cloud of the Northern Plains’ great families, Six Dao Saint, Scorching Sun Swordchild, Iron Family’s Rule Enforcer... and so on, all are once-famous powerful Golden Pill heroes.

No matter how arrogant they may be, they do not believe themselves capable of looking down on these figures.

This journey is bound to be fraught with hardship and peril, life and death at every turn.

”Go.”

”May the Immortal Path watch over you.”

Jiang Ding nodded, watching as each woman disappeared from the bronze platform.

In the Dao Soldiers training of Great Sun Sword Pavilion, the ordeal of life and death is essential.

Every year, elites from numerous Small Worlds come to Great Sun Sword Pavilion, receive the Flying Swords of the Dao Soldiers taught by the Dari Swordsman, then rush to various battlefields to fight, temper themselves, and die, with new elites from Small Worlds continuously arriving.

Until, after thousands of years, nearly ten thousand years later, built upon a mountain of their own and their enemies’ bones, they emerge from the sea of corpses, becoming renowned Great Sun Dao Soldiers across all domains.

Having dealt with this matter, what remained was handed over to the Tushan Incarnation.

...

Demon Palace of Tushan.

It still bore that name, its master a person fond of history who did not change the original designation, representing that some things gain greater value because of their history.

Jiang Ding opened his eyes on the Black Crow Throne, looking towards the palace entrance.

This palace was built entirely of mundane Heikuo stone, without a trace of impurity, grand and majestic. The cultivators of Tushan Immortal City took several months to build it, simply setting up a Triple Grade Gathering Spirit Formation and nothing more, devoid of further embellishment, distinctly different from the opulent extravagance of the Hei Clan’s wealth and luxury through ten thousand years.

Today, this newly completed palace welcomed its first guest, the first Golden Pill cultivator.

Moments later, accompanied by gentle footsteps, a middle-aged cultivator of dignified appearance stepped into the palace. From a distance, he deeply bowed to the youth in green on the Black Crow Throne, ”Greetings to my junior master. It’s been many years, how have you been?”

”Not bad,” Jiang Ding replied, feeling a ripple in his Lake of Heart.

The cultivator in front of him, mature and steady, known by many in the Three Kingdoms as Old Green Flame Demon, adept with a Green Flame Magical Treasure, often launching attacks on various Hei Clan’s cities and Spirit Mines, has caused numerous deaths and injuries, his notoriety widespread.

Looking closely at his face, one could faintly discern the visage of the youth who topped the Dragon and Phoenix List in Yue Country’s Jianghu over a hundred years ago, stirring many memories in his heart.

True Disciple of Qiyu Sect, Li Qingyun!

”Brother Li, it’s been many years since we’ve seen each other. Seeing you advance to Golden Pill with a stable cultivation base fills my heart with joy. Congratulations.”

Jiang Ding couldn’t help but express with a sigh.

Those old acquaintances from Yue Country, now only a few like Han Lin, Gong Caiyu, and Li Qingyun remain.

The rest, either dead or scattered, have disappeared without a trace.

It’s also unclear how Han Lin has fared after escaping from Luoxu Clan back then, whether he continues to treasure-hunt in other clans’ ancestral lands and ancient ruins, or has already met his demise, vanished from the Dao altogether.