Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

After the feast, Rongcheng City gradually quieted down.

Even for the College Entrance Exam top scholars, with future prospects as limitless as the skies, there were a few or perhaps one each year.

If it wasn’t for Rongcheng City’s very first occurrence of such an event, people would have forgotten about it after seeing the news, and it wouldn’t have caused a sensation.

Even so, after causing a period of heated discussion, everything returned to normal.

Those who should work, worked; those who should slack, slacked.

Jiang Ding’s life remained the same as always, a mundane routine between home, library, and school cultivation room without any change.

Each time during the summer vacation, Jiang Yuan, who played games and watched television, would feel a sense of guilt upon seeing him.

After several days, he completely adapted.

Unknowingly,

two months passed.

”I wish you all a prosperous path on the Immortal Path!”

Jiang Ding walked out of the coffee shop next to the library, bidding farewell to the friends with whom he had studied for several months.

From this point on,

it might be five or six years before we see each other again. A year in the Cultivation Department is five years, and everyone is so focused on studying that they might not have time to meet.

”I wish the Dari Swordsman a promising future on the Immortal Path!”

Hua Bing said with admiration.

Over these two months of studying and progressing together, this guy’s learning pace was frightening.

At first, we could still catch a glimpse of each other and discuss things, but later it was just him studying alone, solving any formation method or rune problems without even needing to think.

”Haha, I wish myself, Li Junhao, no need for the Immortal Path, but a Nascent Soul is within reach, and I wish you all the same.”

Li Junhao laughed.

”Same wishes, same wishes.”

...

Everyone left with a hint of melancholy, going back to their own homes.

Tomorrow was the time to board the train, leave their hometowns, and head to various parts of the country to study.

Jiang Ding did not take the bus, but slowly walked on the streets, passing through the city where he had lived for sixteen years, all too familiar with every street corner, every shade of the trees.

Many memories from the past surged in his mind.

”It’s the feeling of farewell again.”

”In my lifetime on the Immortal Path, how many more times must I experience such farewells?”

Jiang Ding sighed wistfully.

Between the lines, he glimpsed a figure, one that bid farewell time and time again, until it succumbed to the eternal solitude, facing the unchanging river of time alone.

He partly understood why many high-level cultivators had peculiar temperaments, often unpredictable.

When all the people he knew had aged and there was no one left to confide in, could he still maintain the pure heart of his youthful days?

”Sword Boy, no need to worry.”

”Reaching the pinnacle of the Immortal Path allows one to single-handedly dictate for eternity, reversing time and life and death as if they were trivial matters.”

A refined middle-aged cultivator with gold-rimmed glasses, wearing a cerulean silk robe and exuding the air of a scholar, approached with a smile.

”Good day, senior.”

Jiang Ding bowed slightly.

Within his sleeve, the Taiqing Flying Sword buzzed and trembled.

”Sword Boy, may I have the honor of your company for a cup of tea?”

The refined middle-aged cultivator had a gentle smile on his face, ”My name is Liu Zhiyuan, a professor in the Department of Social Sciences at Qingfeng University. I greatly admire that the Sword Boy, coming from humble beginnings and with average talent, was able to rise against the odds.”

”Good day, teacher.”

Jiang Ding greeted him again, his heart stirring.

Since he did not mention the Cultivation Department, he must be a professor from a regular department.

That was still very valuable, undoubtedly a highly skilled senior and expert in academics, possibly with great strength as well.

There was no need to be apprehensive about anything.

This place was under the gaze of the Central Array Spirit Computer!

An antique tea house.

It was expensive to patronize, with each visit costing at least one hundred spirit coins, frequented only by rich cultivators; Jiang Ding had never been there before.

After a round of cordial greetings and small talk, the other party revealed his purpose.

”I have served in the Xianmen Elder Council,” Liu Zhiyuan said with a hint of pride, ”Sword Boy, are you aware of what the Xianmen Elder Council is?”

”What is it?”

”The Xianmen Elder Council was established by a group of senior and high-achieving individuals from the Immortal Sects. Its purpose is to gather the world’s outstanding figures and to use them, not hesitating to provide precious resources unconditionally, far exceeding what universities can offer.”

”So that’s how it is.”

Jiang Ding nodded slightly, his reaction remaining calm.

”Uh...”

Liu Zhiyuan paused, seeing that his words didn’t get the expected reaction.

”Sword Boy doesn’t believe it?”

”Yes, Xianmen is indeed a domain-level power, overall rich beyond ordinary people’s imagination, with no organization comparable, but Xianmen’s expenses are also huge.”

”All the Nascent Soul, Divinity Transformation, and Golden Pill Cultivators need cultivation; armies, various scientific research units, and educational institutions need to be maintained; spread out to each individual, it becomes very little.”

”Although Sword Boy is the Top Scholar of the Fairy Door, it’s merely one of the many that come out each year, and you can hardly expect substantial investment.”

”That makes sense.”

Jiang Ding nodded again, agreeing with this point of view.

You can’t assume that just because you’ve become a top scholar, you’ll receive the treatment of a Tao Son of the Nine Great Immortal Sects, with the entire sect at your behest, granting all your requests.

”Good that Sword Boy understands!”

Liu Zhiyuan was delighted, ”For example, in the Qingfeng University Cultivation Department, they only provide a First-Order Top-Grade Spiritual Vein for the Qi Practicing Realm students at best, and a Second-Order Top-Grade Spiritual Vein for Foundation Establishment Stage students at best, never willing to exceed that, hardly fulfilling the cultivation needs of exceptional talents.”

”Family treatment is the same.”

”As a grand Sword Boy, your mother should be working in Xianmen’s best company, your sister should attend Xianmen’s best high school, your grandparents should be in the best sanatorium, receiving the finest Longevity Pills; your travels should be by Star Shuttle Flying Cars, accompanied by beauties and servants...”

”Only then would a true man live a life without regrets!”

”Xianmen, not to speak ill of it, treats its geniuses too harshly in this regard!”

”As long as you join the Elder Council, all of these are within easy reach, instantly putting you hundreds of steps ahead of your peers, without the need to offer anything extra, and you can opt out anytime.”

Liu Zhiyuan promised.

”Indeed, it is enticing.”

Jiang Ding nodded.

Beauties, luxury cars, spiritual veins, all are desirable, and family, all well arranged, are also what he hoped for.

”So, do you agree to join?”

Liu Zhiyuan was overjoyed.

”What about the Nascent Soul Opportunity, the Divinity Transformation Opportunity?”

Jiang Ding posed a question.

”That...”

Liu Zhiyuan’s smile faded little by little, and he stopped speaking.

The Xu family didn’t have enough for themselves; how could they possibly provide such things?

Where could there be a better chance of Nascent Soul or Divinity Transformation than in Xianmen? As long as you have enough merit and pass the political review, you can obtain it.

”Short-sighted gains...”

Jiang Ding sighed, got up, and left without looking back at him.

In the distance, a faint whisper carried through the air.

”What kind of foolish hyena would forsake the path to heaven offered by Xianmen for a few short-sighted gains, to join a minor Divinity Transformation power?”

”Really?”

”No way, no way, really?”

Liu Zhiyuan’s expression turned utterly dark.

”Or is it that this hyena, these few short-sighted gains, are sufficient to buy him off because he could not even earn this much in his lifetime and must forsake human rights to become a hyena in order to receive them?”

”Or maybe he’s projecting his own point of view onto others?”

”Hahaha!”

”My homesickness is gone, thank you, senior.”

”You dare, you scoundrel!”

Liu Zhiyuan’s face flushed red with blood, the tea table along with the teacups were overturned, clattering to the floor.

”Guest, you need to compensate for the damages.”

The shop owner and the waiter, hearing the noise, rushed over. Ignoring his murderous gaze and the fierce pressure of a Golden Pill Realm, they spoke directly.

”Merely a Qi Practicing ant...”

Liu Zhiyuan grew even more infuriated, wishing he could crush these ignorant minor cultivators and mortals with a single palm.

But he was very clear.

If he made a move, he would be the actual ant crushed by the Central Array Spirit Computer.

”Here is the compensation.”

After a long silence, he dropped a Mid-grade Spirit Stone and turned to leave.