Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

Above the wilderness, in the morning sunlight, before the eyes of the tribespeople, four grassland warriors engaged in a life-and-death battle.

One side, at the initial stage of Inner Qi, was commanded by a Centurion with two pinnacle body-refining warriors, the Chieftain’s in-laws—loyal and sharing in honor and disgrace. They had to step forward; otherwise, the new Chieftain would never spare both of them.

On the other side stood a young swordsman, alone, also at the initial stage of Inner Qi.

Unwilling to take risks, the Chieftain had stirred up trouble once, but just as twenty years ago when he had challenged the previous Chieftain, the herdsmen watched with cold eyes, not involving themselves; all previous oaths of loyalty were a joke.

Blood was scattered, a sword-wielding arm was thrown into the air, falling to the ground as warriors wailed in agony.

Jiang Ding watched the scene indifferently.

Unique to the Great Sun Sword Sect’s customs of the grassland kingdom, an ancient knight-like system where the stronger swordsman had everything, the weak deserved death.

In life and death, a great potential gets unleashed, leading to the willful breakthrough of a swordsman—this was the tenet of the Great Sun Sword Pavilion.

Therefore, the cultivators and mortals who died were seen as soil, unable to evoke any empathy. The defeated were not disciples of the Sword Pavilion; such was their fate.

The fight wasn’t a flashy display of martial moves, full of various forms and styles.

In just a dozen moves, Chieftain Tuhe lay fallen, his thigh cleanly severed at the root, blood pooling on the ground as he cried out pitifully for mercy, ”Spare my life! Meng, spare me, I once spared you back in the day, please, I beg you, spare me!”

By his side, two pinnacle body-refining Centurions were disarmed and decapitated, with steam rising from the severed necks, gradually growing cold.

Chieftain Tuhe, with a higher realm and two subordinates, died because his swordsmanship wasn’t strong enough and the strength gained from his realm wasn’t a big enough advantage.

The only achievement was a deep, bone-revealing wound on the opponent’s face, from which blood drip-drip-dripped down, wetting the eyes.

”Tuhe, you’ve grown old.”

Meng laughed heartily, ”I still remember when you slaughtered my father and my whole family with your sharp and ruthless swordsmanship, always fighting as if your life was at stake. How come now, you’re so hesitant, thinking of how to protect yourself before your sword is even drawn?”

”Is it because your woman is too flirtatious, her breasts too big, that your sword has turned soft and flaccid?”

”Hahahaha!”

He laughed wildly, a foot crushing Tuhe’s face: ”Your wife and daughter, I will take good care of them. I won’t kill you; just watch!”

”You damned bastard...”

Tuhe, no longer harboring any illusions, cursed venomously.

”Greetings, Chieftain!”

Meanwhile, the herders from the Tahe Tribe no longer glanced at him, over ten people heedlessly fled upon sensing the tide turning, and the rest approached the young swordsman, kneeling on one knee, offering their loyalty as per the long-standing grassland custom.

”Hahahaha, this day...”

Meng’s face flushed with excitement, his long-harbored wish finally realized, he couldn’t contain himself, stretching out his hands: ”This is not the end, just a beginning. Once I advance further in my Sword Dao, I will conquer those around me, embark on the path to challenge the tribe of ten thousand people, become a Chief of Ten Thousand, and the fame of the Zha family will spread in all directions...”

”Chieftain, that day will come.”

”Indeed it will.”

The surrounding herdsmen flattered obsequiously.

Some of the elderly herdsmen showed a hint of vagueness in their eyes.

It seemed that twenty years ago, Tuhe had said something similar; the words were different, but the meaning was much the same.

I wonder how long this new chieftain will last.

”Everyone feels endangered in an environment where their minds are constantly tense.”

Jiang Ding concluded, no longer paying attention, and turned to leave.

After flying for more than ten days, he finally passed through the grassland’s mortal kingdom and began to see first and second-tier Spiritual Veins, inhabited by many Foundation Building Qi Practicing Cultivators.

Unsurprisingly, all their weapons were Flying Swords.

Moreover, they were purely Flying Swords, without any other Magic Tools like sabers, spears, swords, halberds, jade Ruyi, etc., not to mention defensive Magic Tools like shields or jade beads.

Occasionally, when someone used a defensive Magic Tool in a life-or-death spell battle, it was often done sneakily, with a swift execution and immediate flight from the scene.

It must be said, many Cultivators kept such defensive Magic Tools hidden away; good quality ones were prohibitively expensive, with mid-grade defensive Magic Tools daring to be priced as top-grade ones, as if smuggling forbidden items.

In fact, this was the case.

Jiang Ding skimmed the surface memories of a few Qi Practitioners and discovered that within the territory of the Great Sun Sword Sect, regardless of whether one was a Loose Cultivator or from a subordinate power of the Sword Sect, the use of defensive Magic Tools was a capital offense.

Once someone was reported with solid evidence, the Great Sun Sword Sect would immediately execute the person and announce it far and wide.

For many Loose Cultivators, the ultimate goal was to comprehend Sword Intent, join the Great Sun Sword Sect, and become a core disciple of the Great Sun Sword Sect, ranking just below one and above tens of thousands, with a boundless future.

As long as one comprehended Sword Intent, regardless of background or the severity of crimes committed in the past—except those against core disciples of the Great Sun Sword Sect—

Even if you had previously killed many Inner Sect Disciples of the Great Sun Sword Sect or were a spy from another Sect, it wouldn’t matter.

As soon as one understood Sword Intent, one would immediately be accepted by the Great Sun Sword Sect as a core disciple.

One’s family would also be properly taken care of, living a life of wealth and honor, and freed from the never-ending challenges and being challenged on the plains. The entire family would no longer need to worry about anything; the Great Sun Sword Sect would grant them favorable treatment, even providing Third-tier Spiritual Veins without hesitation.

The next-best dream was to have a specialty in non-offensive pursuits such as Alchemy, drawing Talismans, Artifact Refining, or Formation Methods. One could then enter the Great Sun Sword Sect, becoming an Inner or Outer Sect Disciple, serving the few core disciples, and escaping the blood battles.

Lastly, there were those who dreamed of joining the army of Immortal Da’ai.

It is said that in the kingdom of Immortal Da’ai, brothers were as close as family with no endless blood battles. Every Cultivator could obtain a legacy upon which to establish themselves, with equal access to Cultivation Methods, Spiritual Veins, and a steady supply of Elixirs and Talismans. Loose Cultivators from all over came pledging allegiance, as if it were a heavenly place.

”Immortal Da’ai?”

Seeing this name again, Jiang Ding paused, ”His influence seems greater than reported. There’s a semblance of early equality budding, or is it the radical extreme faction? Such a system, when uncorrupted at its inception, does indeed inspire a great number of people to fight to the death with genuine conviction.”

”However, it is too extreme; the productivity cannot keep up, it doesn’t align with the material laws of reality, and the rate of corruption will also be quite astonishing.”

”Left to time, they will implode from within.”

As Jiang Ding hurried along his way, concealing his presence, he chose to ignore the myriad disturbances around him. Before he knew it, another year had passed.

On his journey, he passed many affiliated sects and family powers of the Great Sun Sword Sect, most of which were mired in constant challenges and blood battles.

From mortals to Golden Pill Monks, no one could escape; as long as one did not manifest Sword Intent, as long as one was not accepted by the Great Sun Sword Sect, one had to face never-ending challenges. Those who failed perished, their families were destroyed, and they lost everything.

All for the birth of Sword Intent Sword Cultivators, to carry on the legacy of the Sect.