Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

Divine Sense unfurled, and the Type 58 pistol floated in mid-air, spontaneously disassembling into more than thirty parts including the barrel, recoil spring, sleeve, firing pin, and magazine. The oil bottle opened automatically, applying maintenance oil.

Of course, with her strength at the Sixth Layer of Qi Practicing, the Type 58 self-defense pistol was merely symbolic and could not offer any real protection.

More than thirty classmates also started to work, with the clicking sounds echoing intermittently.

Jiang Ding’s fingers danced like phantoms, disassembling the pistol into variously sized parts before applying maintenance oil to each, then reassembling them.

He was very meticulous, checking the wear and tear of each part one by one and whether the bullets were intact—unlike powerful Qi Practitioners, these were the things that truly related to his safety.

Although Rong City had been peaceful for many years without any incidents of Outer Realm Cultivators intruding and slaughtering, it was essential not to be unprepared.

By the time he had reassembled everything and put it back into the holster at his waist, thirty-two seconds had passed.

Looking around, everyone else was also finishing up gradually.

”First, the safety on the firearms must be engaged, begin!” Hua Bing took the lead, and everyone followed.

”First, the safety on the firearms must be engaged, and the muzzle must never point toward people, or it will be treated as drunk driving;”

”Second, on the bus, give up your seat to the elderly and children...”

”...You must not use firearms for anything other than self-defense.”

”End of class!”

”See you, class leader!”

Jiang Ding grabbed his backpack and ran out of the window in a leap.

His actions were considered normal, some people upstairs were directly exerting their lightness skills and Wind-riding Technique, leaping more than ten meters, others were running to the treetops, disappearing with each jump, and there were even some wealthy ones, who with a flair, flew in the Sky controlling Magic Tools like Flying Swords, drawing enviable gazes.

”That’s Gongsun Ling from Class 2, also at the Sixth Layer of Qi Practicing. I heard she just obtained the flight license for magic flying tools a few days ago.” Li Junhao climbed down from the window, enviously said.

”Just in the Mid-stage of Qi Practicing, not afraid that lack of Mana will cause her to fall,” someone said sourly beside him.

”If she falls, so be it, it’s only a dozen meters high, and it’s not like she could get hurt.”

Jiang Ding glanced at the young girl in the sky above, feeling equally envious.

Such a person in the clouds wouldn’t be harmed in the slightest by his Type 58 pistol even if he emptied all its bullets at her shield, right?

The struggling him could only walk on the ground, carrying his backpack, leaving a footprint with every step.

Boom~

Boom~~

Approaching the school gate, he heard the powerful roar of engines in the distance, one after another.

Jiang Ding hastily made way.

”Hurry up!”

”Ouch, you guys, drive slower, the formation is going to get messed up!”

A medium-sized tank entered the school gates, with its 100 mm muzzle slightly raised, revealing the bright bore lines. A 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun at the rear aimed diagonally into the sky at a forty-five degree angle. The armor was smooth and thick, with the wheels freely turning as students along the path quickly stepped aside.

A student with dark skin was seated cross-legged on the turret, meditating with eyes closed.

Type 62 training tank!

That thought appeared in Jiang Ding’s mind.

Generally, the driver should be in the cab, as the frontal armor of the Type 62 tank can withstand the attacks of Late-stage Qi Practicing Cultivators without damage.

But the tracks, muzzle, and other vulnerable parts are a different story.

Therefore, many Cultivators did not like to stay in the driving compartment and preferred to control it with Divine Sense instead.

”Formation! Formation!”

Behind the tank, students of Senior 3 (Class 3) shouldering the heavy 89-type machine guns weighing 125 kilograms were standing almost in two straight lines, conforming to the military formation, strictly aligned with the width of the tank—inconsequential for Cultivators, but for themselves, still Martial Artists, so fragile as if made of paper, this was the only defense they could rely on after the enemy Cultivators broke through their own Cultivators’ interception on the battlefield.

Several Type 62 tanks rumbled past, stirring up dust all over.

”Class 3 is back from field training.”

Li Junhao mockingly said:

”Such outdated tactics should have been phased out long ago. The current active army units have already reorganized into formations of tanks plus a few or a dozen Self-propelled Artillery, eliminating enemies from several tens of kilometers away, outside the Divine Sense range of mid and low-level Cultivators, how much better is that?”

Jiang Ding shook his head, ”It’s not that simple, the Outer Realm Cultivators are increasingly inclined to cultivate Concealment or Earth Escape, Water Escape, and other mobility Shielding magic spells. Our Infantry Spirit Radar can’t always find and lock onto the enemy.”

During their casual conversation, the two waved goodbye to each other at the intersection.

Jiang Ding stopped under the sign for the No. 18 bus stop, found a corner with fewer people, and waited for the bus.

After six in the evening, there were already some people there.

A group of chattering elementary school students contributed the loudest noise and most vitality. Aside from them were some very tired-looking office workers, most of them Inner Qi Realm Martial Artists with gun cases on their backs – not the kind of self-defense handguns like Jiang Ding’s but combat firearms like submachine guns and shotguns.

As for heavy machine guns, sniper rifles, or even dual-mount anti-aircraft machine guns, though one can usually purchase and collect them, bringing them to public places is quite difficult; very few individual firearm permits are issued for these types of guns.

The streets were full of Inner Qi Realm Martial Artists. There were very few people in the Three Levels of Body Refinement, either minors, disabled people, or overly lazy street loafers.

This isn’t to say that the students at Rongcheng No.1 Middle School, known as the top high school in Rong City, were all slackers; in the entire class, there were only three within the Inner Qi Realm.

That’s because the ”Eagle Taking Off Technique” is in fact a Cultivation Method, and even with the assistance of Rongcheng’s Array Spirit Computers provided to the students, the difficulty is beyond imagination.

After graduating from high school, many students or most vocational school students would no longer practice the ”Eagle Taking Off Technique.” Instead, they would switch to Mortal martial arts, naturally progressing very quickly.

According to online information, the most popular Mortal martial arts are currently ”Nine Yang Divine Skill” and ”Nine Yin Divine Skill.” The former strengthens the body and nourishes vital energy, and the latter nourishes yin and beautifies skin, its True Qi power is equally impressive, enough to become the treasure of any Mortal sect, accessible only to core direct disciples.

Extremely popular is the secret technique ”Minor Yin Yang Skill.”

Of course, even so, reaching Xiantian is still a threshold few can step over.

A Xiantian Martial Artist wouldn’t have much difficulty becoming middle class.

The harsh screeching of the bus brakes, a fart-like release of air, children swarming onto the bus with their chatter, and then people like Jiang Ding – he swept his gaze over the bus, found no surprises, and took his place by the rails next to the window.

Leaning back, the breeze from the window side brought a hint of coolness.

Jiang Ding silently pondered the various meridians and muscle movements he had observed during the previous cultivation class, combining them with the basic principles of the Cultivation Methods mentioned in his language and math classes.

Why is meridian circulation in the preparatory phase the most efficient?

What if I change it a bit?

Woo~~

Hoo hoo~~ Woo~~

Screech!

The sudden air raid siren and the brakes caused Jiang Ding’s body to jolt, awakening him from his thoughts. He gripped his sword hilt tightly, his gaze swiftly scanning his surroundings.

”Headquarters has reported an invasion by Cultivators breaking through the realm; passage ahead is forbidden.”

The driver shouted loudly to explain, frantically pulling out an AK47 from the cabinet.

”Cultivators breaking through the realm?”

There was a moment of silence in the bus, followed by a stir.

”Don’t panic! Please exit the bus in an orderly manner; the police are handling it...” The driver, too, was somewhat flustered. He opened the bus doors, organizing passengers to get off through the front and rear exits.

Fortunately, though Rong City hadn’t suffered an invasion by Cultivators in many years, news of such events still occasionally appeared online in other places, so people weren’t entirely out of control.

Jiang Ding followed the crowd, walking behind a group of kids as he got off the bus.

”To the air-raid shelter, hurry...”

”Mommy, I’m scared...”

Jiang Ding looked around. The road that was bustling with traffic just a moment ago had come to a halt, and amidst the noisy mass of evacuating citizens, many places that looked like walls or grass opened up to reveal doors, with the red signs of the air-raid shelters highly visible.

Whether at schools or companies, there are monthly air-raid drills. Although quite chaotic, the crowd was keeping order.

Whoosh!

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The sharp whistle of objects slicing through the air.

”Missiles!”

Someone in the crowd exclaimed.

Jiang Ding looked up.

One trail, two trails, three trails... hundreds of trails with flames shot across the sky, their speed far exceeding the speed of sound, leaving only afterimages on the retina before vanishing.