Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

Atop the cliff,

a vine as thick as a wrist, metallic in appearance, twisted around itself, its roots deeply embedded into the mountain rock, drawing spiritual energy, with seven or eight golden fruits glistening in the sunlight.

Melted Gold Fruit!

A Second-Order Spiritual Medicine, the pharmacopeia records that this fruit can be used to temper the body, in combination with medicinal baths and special cultivation methods, it endows cultivators with a formidable physique capable of withstanding the magic of Mid-Stage Qi Practicing cultivators without damage, and does not require the expenditure of mana, providing an extra trump card out of thin air.

But very few people know that this item can be used to refine Quenching Sword Spirit Liquid, which sharpens the Spirit sword and enhances its sentience.

Dozens of strange insects rested at the edge of the cliff, most of them at the middle to later stages of Qi Practicing, occasionally buzzing their wings to scout the vicinity, and even if they went out to forage, they would quickly return.

A streak of light blue sword-light suddenly appeared!

Then dozens of sword Qi burst out, exceptionally nimble, each with a target, piercing through the bodies of the strange insects one by one, nothing could stop them.

Ding!

The light blue sword Qi encountered resistance.

Thirteen Golden Strange Insects at the Peak of Qi Practicing were extraordinarily fierce. A streak of sword Qi that struck them was actually blocked by the armor on their backs, at least damaged slightly.

Their mandibles were exceptionally sharp too, biting the sword Qi, and within a few crunches, completely consumed the sword Qi.

Seeing their companions die off in a blink, they emitted angry metallic friction sounds.

Each turned into golden streaks and rushed toward the sky, clashing with dozens of light blue sword Qi amidst sounds like swords crossing, with metal shards and spiritual light splashing everywhere.

A few breaths later, the dozens of light blue sword Qi were devoured.

Left in their place were thirteen wounded Golden Strange Insects, resembling golden beetles, clad in thick golden armor, with four feet, barbs, bull-horn-like heads, and extraordinarily sharp mandibles.

Their armored backs had been sliced open in many places by the sword Qi, revealing strands of light gold liquid, and they roared for a long time with a galling friction sound.

Yet they found no enemy and could only reluctantly settle back down, consuming the Spirit Iron from the cliff to heal their wounds.

”Not bad, at the Peak of Qi Practicing they already pose a threat to foundation builders,”

an invisible and transparent gaze admired from seven or eight hundred meters away.

”Metal-attributed strange insects, this area is rarely researched by Xianmen Sects, and the most authoritative is the Wanshou Immortal Sect from the Outer Realm Nine Great Immortal Sects.”

Jiang Ding recalled a book in his Divine Soul for a moment, one that he had read before.

List of Ten Thousand Beasts and Insects!

This was a book seized from an opposing sect during wartime by Xianmen Sect, which recorded the top three hundred and sixty strange insects that Wanshou Immortal Sect believed to have the most potential.

”Number three hundred and thirty-one, the Iron-eating worm, an ancient species that has become extinct, ferocious in temperament, unruly, fond of consuming Spiritual Gold mines, and after absorbing a bit, excreting purified Spiritual Gold, stacking it into towers and burying it deep underground to hatch its offspring.”

These insects bore a strong resemblance to the Iron-eating worms listed in the List of Ten Thousand Beasts and Insects.

”Miners.”

Jiang Ding tagged them.

”Save it, it might be useful for the Xianmen Sect.”

Clang!

The Taiqing Flying Sword unsheathed, descending upon the heads of the thirteen golden armored insects in an instant, the terrifying Sword Intent suppressed them, freezing their screams and struggles.

When the sword is unsheathed, it inevitably reveals itself.

Jiang Ding showed himself, walking towards the pitted cliff edge, he opened a Jade Box, placing the thirteen golden armored insects inside, and expanded his Divine Sense.

Indeed, he found a tower-like pile of Spiritual Gold in the middle of the cliff, the size of a table, with nearly a thousand ant-sized golden insect eggs attached to it.

”Second-Order purified Spiritual Gold, Spirit Iron, such a large chunk, should be worth at least a hundred thousand or so.”

Jiang Ding’s toes touched the ground.

Hum!

Threads of light blue Sword Qi formed, dense and numerous, pouring into the cliff, following the hole and pulverizing the obstructing rock into dust, revealing the table-sized chunk of Second-Order Spirit Iron within.

”Collect!”

Jiang Ding waved his hand, gathering the Spirit Iron and the nearly thousand eggs attached to it, putting them into the Golden Pendant handed down by the previous generation’s Supreme Elder, Immortal Jinlian, from the Qiyu Sect.

This Golden Pendant from Qiyu Sect’s legacy was much more advanced than his Storage Jade Pendant and could store living creatures.

”Four days already...”

In such a short time, he had gathered Spiritual Gold worth over a hundred thousand spirit stones, along with the miners, insects that clearly were excellent materials.

Jiang Ding wasn’t very happy, his face gloomy.

In these few days, he had searched through this place filled with mists, and a large number of rare Second-Order Spiritual Medicines had been collected in his bag, including sixteen Golden Jade Mushrooms.

The total value of the spiritual medicines reached four or five million spirit stones.

But still, he had not found the rare Spirit Fruit that could gift a mortal with a spiritual body!

”Is it that my luck is not enough, or is there simply none here?”

Jiang Ding muttered to himself.

Five million low-grade Spirit Stones, not considering the high-grade items that cannot be bought with mere Spirit Stones, was almost comparable to the wealth of a Golden Pill Monk.

Would it be possible to buy such rare Spirit Fruit at the Xianmen Sect?

And if they refuse to accept Spirit Stones, only willing to trade for Third-Order items, then what?

That was also possible.

In these past years, he had searched and refreshed the Rongshu Trading Network multiple times but never found anything like it for sale!

Bang!

In the distance, another Magic Glyph of sword-light appeared, signaling a sword type.

This symbol had appeared multiple times; it was the signal sent by disciples of the Qiyu Sect after they found the item he was rewarding, and this had already happened thirty-two times before.

All for naught.

They were all similar items, utterly useless to him.

Jiang Ding did not blame them.

Apart from the two instances that were too ridiculous, where they essentially called him over to ask for help, he would gift whatever was found to the person, greatly encouraging them.

As for those who were trying to deceive him, he simply ignored them.

An invisible Escape Light flew across the sky.

It crossed several tens of kilometers and stopped over a patch of grassland, casting its gaze down upon it.

”Han Lin?”

Jiang Ding was slightly surprised and manifested his form, perking up a bit.

This guy, despite having somewhat lesser talents, always proved reliable, at least for the tasks he had entrusted to him so far.

”Greetings, Junior Martial Uncle!”

On the grassland, a misty gray cloth was lifted, and a young man of exceedingly ordinary appearance revealed himself.

”What is it?”

Jiang Ding glanced at the gray cloth in his hand.

It seemed to have the function of shielding Divine Sense of Foundation-building cultivators, curiously wondering how Han Lin, with his lower talents and cultivation only at the Seventh Level of Qi Practicing, managed to obtain it.

But he never pried into others’ secrets, only giving it a fleeting look.

”Disciple has discovered something that seems to be a Herbal Magical Fruit.”

Han Lin said respectfully.

”Lead the way,” Jiang Ding, now accustomed, said indifferently, ”As long as there is no deliberate deception, it is fine if you are mistaken.”

”Disciple is seventy to eighty percent sure!”

Han Lin said solemnly, yet with a bit of hesitation, as if he was struggling with something.

Long time passed without a word.

Jiang Ding calmly watched him.

”There are two Herbal Magical Fruits, Disciple wishes to keep one!”

After much deliberation, Han Lin bit the bullet and spoke.

If it were anyone else, he would not dare to make such a request, which could easily lead to a deadly peril.

But this person seemed trustworthy.

”Oh?”

The voice seemed somewhat surprised.

Han Lin felt a chill down his spine, instantly regretting his lapse in judgment due to the allure of the Spirit Fruit and revealing the abnormality of his willingness to forego three Foundation Building Pills.

Instinctively, he was about to activate an Amulet to flee.

”Alright.”

But then, without any further inquiry, came the acquiescence.

”Thank you, master!”

Han Lin felt moved, his body relaxed as he bowed in thanks.