Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

Back home,

he checked the time, it was nine o’clock, still fairly early.

Within Xianmen Sect, there were several express delivery services, including Yund Express, Suda Express, and Banyan Tree Express, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

Without a doubt, the most reliable one was Banyan Tree Express, with civilian-friendly prices and high security; even the official documents of the Xianmen Sect were entrusted to this courier service.

Jiang Ding opened the Lingtuan App, selected a ’Hehe Pharmacy’ with the highest number of stars, chose anonymous alchemy - bone forging, and Inner Qi Realm qi-nourishing elixirs as the method of alchemy, opted to pay with a portion of the spiritual materials, and picked Banyan Tree Express for delivery.

With anonymous alchemy, not even the trade families would know the customer’s information, but don’t even think about doing anything nefarious, as the Central Array Spirit Computer could inspect everything at will.

Moreover, as the Immortal Dao Industry within the Xianmen was prosperous and competitive, even mortals could easily hire alchemists to concoct elixirs for them at a low cost, with guaranteed quality.

”Chirp chirp!”

Twenty minutes later, a Cui Bird slightly larger than before landed on the windowsill, glanced at the wooden box in Jiang Ding’s hand, and somehow produced a thumb-sized plastic bag, which it then blew up to the size of a computer monitor, nudging its sharp beak forward.

Jiang Ding got the hint, opened the wooden box to show its contents clearly, and flipped through various compartments—

This was a security check, as the Cui Bird had a security check magic on it, and additionally, the inspection process would be uploaded to the Central Array Spirit Computer for future reference in case of disputes.

”Chirp chirp!”

The Cui Bird flapped its wings and gestured for him to place the wooden box inside the plastic bag, then hooked the plastic bag with its claws and flew away.

Jiang Ding felt at ease.

The number of people who could rob or steal from Banyan Tree Express was very small, and even if theft or robbery occurred, compensation would be available later.

According to the customer service of Hehe Pharmacy, the elixirs could be concocted and returned within three days.

”What’s this?”

Just as Jiang Ding was about to close his phone and practice his swordsmanship, he noticed an unread message on the library icon.

’Guan Xin, a primary researcher from Caiyun Pharmaceutical Group, has viewed the information of the plant specimen ’Purple Spiritual Plants’ you submitted and wishes to communicate with you.’

Caiyun Pharmaceutical!

Joy surged in Jiang Ding’s heart.

This was a big company from the neighboring Caiyun Province, famous throughout the entire Xianmen Sect; the Baiyun Meridian-nourishing Pill, one of the foundation building elixirs, was invented and popularized by this company, which owns patents on all versions of the pill throughout the generations.

’Purple Spiritual Plants’ were a new plant species discovered by Jiang Ding, carrying with it a patent lifespan three times that at its discovery, which is typically 100 years for mortals, meaning a 300-year patent.

This was significant.

It was good enough for mortals, but for those who were Golden Pill or Nascent Soul monks, the patent term extended over a thousand years, sufficient for several generations’ usage.

Therefore, whether it was clans or companies, there was immense fervor for various patents and inventions.

During this period, any individual or organization using the Purple Spiritual Plants or its unique active ingredients had to pay Jiang Ding the corresponding patent fees.

The fee already had a customary rate: for mortal-level medicinal plants, each license required payment of 0.1 Mortal coins, or 0.001 Spirit coins, depending on whether the patented item was of the Spiritual realm or the Mortal realm.

”Not easy, after uploading nearly 500 new plant species, finally, one that is of use,” Jiang Ding sighed.

He clicked to agree to communicate— anonymously.

Soon, a reply came through; these big companies had staff on duty 24 hours a day.

”Good evening, sir, I am Guan Xin, a primary researcher at Caiyun Pharmaceutical. Our company needs some live specimens of Purple Spiritual Plants. May I ask if you could provide them? We will pay the appropriate fees,” the message read.

Jiang Ding was slightly disappointed, thinking it was about discussing patent licensing.

Big companies often buy out the patent fees for certain products; although it meant a loss over the long term, it allowed for a substantial sum of money in the short term.

”Yes, how much are you willing to offer?”

There was no need to hesitate over this.

If it were elsewhere, Jiang Ding wouldn’t have dared agree, as once sent over, people would definitely exploit the situation with no return, but within the Xianmen Sect, there was no need to worry about such things.

”30 stems, 3000 yuan, what do you say?”

”Deal, I’ll have it delivered within 7 days, leave your address.”

Jiang Ding didn’t dare to haggle; clearly, the other party was in the research stage and still uncertain about using the Purple Spiritual Plants. How could he create obstacles out of thin air at the starting phase?

...

The last class of the afternoon was math class.

”Students, the Sharp Gold Array is one of the five basic Formation Methods. It can gather metal properties to add sharpness. The principle is actually quite simple, similar to adding a metal blade to a wooden handle. The key is to use the Formation Method to gather metal property Spiritual Power...”

”It involves using micro-carving techniques, applied to weapons...”

The last class of the afternoon was math class, and the teacher, Wang Lan, was a serious middle-aged woman.

Below the lectern, Jiang Ding barely listened, feeling as if his head would explode, when suddenly he paused, flipping through several pages of the book.

’Why does this look so familiar, ”Shenxiao’s Hundred-Step Flying Sword”!?’

He suddenly realized that the Sharp Gold Array and the Hundred Step Flying Sword Cultivation Method had oddly similar key points. When combined, the math problems he couldn’t understand before and had to memorize by rote suddenly made sense.

”Next, we will start the practice. Please draw the Sharp Gold Array on the Talisman Paper.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ding and the others carefully opened the Spirit Ink, picked up the Talisman Pen, and spread out the Talisman Paper—these were all Spiritual Materials, with only three pieces of Talisman Paper allowed and Spirit Ink and Talisman Pen only available for use during class.

Even though the Immortal Dao Industry was developed by the Xianmen Sect and only required a small amount of Spiritual Materials to make the necessary items, the sum total used by high school students from all over was a colossal amount every day.

Jiang Ding glanced to his left where Li Junhao’s face was solemn. He had brought a magnifying glass specifically and started practicing on plain white paper with regular ink before attempting the complex Sharp Gold Array diagram.

Though he was just a Body Refining Realm Mortal, if energy was inputted, this Array diagram could actually produce a glint of Gold light and then self-destruct.

In this respect, Jiang Ding was convinced.

Most people, including himself and many Inner Qi Realm Martial Artists, as well as some Qi-cultivating Cultivators, drew Array diagrams that only looked complete but were fundamentally unusable.

Out of ten points, scoring two was already due to the teacher’s leniency.

Jiang Ding had wanted to practice on white paper like Li Junhao before, but the more he looked, the itchier his hand felt. Fortunately, as soon as he picked up the pen, he started drawing from the central Array Base, extending in all directions following the pattern of the Bagua.

Insights surged up from within, scenes of years of sword practice, the scene where he, alone, scattered a group of bandits with a single sword strike, the core of the first layer of the Talisman Sword technique in ”Shenxiao’s Hundred-Step Flying Sword”...

The more he drew, the faster he got. Minute, hair-thin Array Patterns started to take shape on the paper, one by one, just wanting the final stroke to complete the entire Array diagram.

This final stroke involved the soul, involved the breath, something he had never learned and couldn’t even imitate.

The hand holding the Talisman Pen was stiff, trembling for a long time, but ultimately, he couldn’t make the stroke.

”In the center, Hook Rune Method.”

The voice of Wang Lan suddenly rang out, carrying an enigmatic power. Jiang Ding involuntarily followed her instruction and made a heavy stroke.

All of a sudden, the ordinary-looking Talisman Paper developed a huge pull, and it seemed as though something from his brain was rushing out and entering it.

”Pain...”

Jiang Ding turned pale, his brain feeling as if it had split open, a constant, excruciating pain as if an iron nail was being hammered into his mind. It took a long while before he came to his senses.

On closer inspection, the Talisman Paper in front of him seemed to have a layer of hazy light, establishing a faint connection with him.

”Where did you see this Array diagram?”

Teacher Wang Lan’s face was furious: ”How many times have I told you not to study material beyond your level, not to look at it. If I weren’t here to supervise today, do you realize you could have possibly brain-dead?”

Jiang Ding stood up and bowed his head, ”Teacher, I was wrong.”

But his heart didn’t regret much. With mediocre talent and an average household, if he wanted to set foot on the Immortal Path, he must be aggressive in areas that require it.

Wang Lan seemed to see something else, her anger intensifying as she waved her sleeve.

”I will report this to your guardian truthfully.”