Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

Jinlingshan Mountain,

another three cycles of spring and autumn had revolved, and the mountain top was a field of golden yellow.

”I always feel like time is becoming less and less valuable.”

”I vaguely remember, many years ago, three years was a long period, capable of bringing many memories, experiencing many things.”

Jiang Ding muttered to himself.

Whoosh!

The Taiqing Flying Sword flew out, crisscrossing among the waves of golden wheat on the mountain top; moments later it returned, and swathes of wheat stalks fell, crumbling to powder.

The faint blue magnetic fields of the ”All-transforming Magnetic Origin Sutra” unfurled, and with a flash of dotted lines, grains of wheat floated up, converging into a stream that flowed into the Storage Jade Pendant.

The plants left behind, which still teemed with life force and Spiritual Light and held the potential to advance to Second-Order Golden Spirit Wheat, were just one-tenth.

There was no need for further sowing; the Spiritual Energy needed for Second-Order Spirit Wheat and the space for growth were several times more than that of First-Order Gold Magical Wheat, and the selection was just right.

After dealing with these, Jiang Ding then turned his gaze to a pile of Storage Bags on the ground, drawing them over.

The specimens were as expected, scarce, and each had a higher value, with the total for three years being less than what had been collected in half a month previously.

However, it’s always good to add some animal and plant data to the Xianmen Library.

Over the years, there were also many elixirs and synthetic materials born, related to the specimens he had collected, earning him tens of thousands of Spirit Stones in patent fees.

The key was that it was an ongoing source, available for the next seven hundred plus years, triple the lifespan of Foundation-building Cultivators.

Lastly, there were over a dozen Jade Slips, each containing information from Liu SanQi’s Sect intelligence, Han Lin and Gong Caiyu’s collection of specimens and encounters, as well as some Cultivation inquiries.

”Two years ago, did the Jindan of our Sect have a battle with a Jindan from Xuetu Hall?”

Jiang Ding’s gaze lingered on a piece of intelligence, pondering for a moment.

As a result, of course, the Qiyu Sect’s Jindan retreated in defeat, and Patriarch Zhou Sanyan of the Huomai Jin Dan was severely injured; if not for the Sect’s ancestral treasure, the Seven-Line Stele, which was extremely mysterious, perhaps another Jin Dan would have been lost.

The current situation was far from auspicious; Xuetu Hall disciples were attacking and seizing territories, constantly eroding Qiyu Sect’s various Spirit Mines and Spiritual Veins, and their sphere of influence was shrinking, with a large number of Foundation-building and Qi Practicing Disciples being seriously damaged.

The Jindan had not joined the Foundation-building and Qi Practicing battles.

Xuetu Hall’s Jindan were capable of defeating Qiyu Sect’s Jindan, but relying on the Sect’s ancestral treasure, there currently was no certainty of killing, and they were not eager to escalate the situation to a lose-lose stage where both sides’ Jindan would annihilate the lower and middle-tier Cultivators.

Typically, in wars within the Cultivation World, unless there’s absolute certainty of eliminating the opposing Jindan, the only option is to slowly whittle them down, forcing one side to give up and leave the Sect, rather than both sides perishing together.

Thanks to the sudden loss of dozens of Foundation-building Cultivators in Xuetu Hall a few years ago, while the battle situation for Foundation-building was not favourable, they were still able to hold out.

”Quite troublesome.”

Jiang Ding frowned.

On a personal level, given that he could ensure his own safety, he was willing to exert some effort for Qiyu Sect, but except for the Magic Arts-Breaking Immortal Gold and the Super Airspace Warplane, he could at most deal with Mid-stage Golden Core Cultivators.

These two items, if exposed, would require silence at any cost.

Otherwise, even if he fought to the death for Qiyu Sect, once exposed, the Sect’s Cultivators might still become enemies under external pressure, despite being allies currently.

”Leave it to fate”

Jiang Ding’s expression was indifferent.

Indeed, he had received quite a few things from Qiyu Sect, which had provided a lot of help during his early growth, the most valuable being the usage rights to a Second-Order Top-Grade Spiritual Vein and an opportunity to enter the Nine Heavens Relics.

Especially the latter, which gave his mother the chance to live beyond the average mortal’s maximum lifespan of 120 years.

All of this, he kept in his heart, factoring in the interest accrued from growing from a weak child to his current status.

”Killing Xuetu Hall disciples in the Nine Heavens Relics and acquiring a large number of main ingredients for Foundation Building Pills, that counts as repaying one-fifth.”

Jiang Ding mused: ”When the time is right, I’ll take out Patriarch Bai Gui, who is in the Middle Jindan Stage; that would account for four-fifths.”

”With that, I can say with a clear conscience,”

As for what others might think,

he was not particularly concerned.

”Besides, Liu SanQi is ninety years old this year? How time flies.”

Jiang Ding sighed and put down the jade slip.

This man had been hustling about for the affairs up and down Jinlingshan Mountain since Jiang Ding arrived eighteen years ago, and now, finally, the time had come when their fates concluded.

Divine Sense touched the storage jade pendant, sending a transmission passing through.

A moment later, an excited streak of escape light flew hurriedly from the distance, respectfully descending a kilometer away, and approached with measured steps.

His hair peppered with gray, a face lined with wrinkles, moving through the latter half of life, the Qi Practicing Realm cultivator could no longer use his mana and Divine Sense to prevent the arrival of old age.

”Your humble servant, Liu SanQi, greets the junior uncle grand-ancestor!”

Liu SanQi said respectfully, unavoidably feeling a trace of distraction in his mind.

This scene, just like eighteen years ago at their first meeting, had not changed at all, the youth in blue clothes in front of him looked just as he did years ago, untouched by time or the years.

The only thing that had changed was himself.

”Junior uncle grand-ancestor, your servant is advanced in years, my body no longer as nimble, my mind often foggy and unclear, I am no longer able to serve you effectively, thus I’ve come to beg your permission to return home to worship ancestors and tend to my parents’ graves, and to educate the younger generation.”

Liu SanQi composed himself and bowed deeply.

Wishing to kneel, but blocked by a force.

”It’s not very peaceful outside, is it safe for you out there?”

Jiang Ding asked softly.

”Your servant’s hometown lies amongst the mortals of Yue Country, the chaos of the Cultivation World hardly reaches there, and even if it does, it’s usually just Qi Practicing Phase cultivators, which I can barely handle.”

Liu SanQi showed an expression of gratitude.

This master was indeed benevolent, always considering his subordinates to the utmost, a pity that when he met him, he was already in his seventies, with cultivation that could no longer advance.

He felt regret in his heart.

”Over the years, thank you for your hard work on my behalf, never making a mistake, eighteen years, sixty-hundred days and nights, it has not been easy,” Jiang Ding said with a sigh.

”Do you have any wishes?”

”This is your servant’s duty, junior uncle need not concern himself.”

Liu SanQi’s spirit lifted as he cautiously said, ”Your servant has a son, at the ninth layer of Qi Practicing Phase, over sixty years old. I wish for him to have a future, I wonder if you would allow him to join the ranks of the True Disciples and represent Jinlingshan Mountain in the competition for the Foundation Building Pill two years from now?”

”Your servant only has this wish, regardless of my son’s eventual fate, it will be his heart’s desire.”

”Wait a moment.”

Jiang Ding nodded.

He took out a talisman, infused it with his own mana, and transformed it into a stream of light blue smoke that flew towards the Sect Master’s Grand Hall.

After several tens of minutes.

A talisman flew from the horizon, carrying a shimmering jade box wrapped in green light.

”This is…”

Liu SanQi was overwhelmed with joy, his mouth quivering, his words turning incoherent.

”Foundation Building Pill.”

Jiang Ding casually opened it, revealing a brilliant red elixir, radiating with rich and pure medicinal power. Divine Sense Scanning over it, he noted, ”A mid-grade Foundation Building Pill, able to increase the chances of foundation building by twenty percent. I wish your son a long and prosperous journey on the Immortal Path, and that he may meet me again after many years.”

The jade box closed and flew to Liu SanQi.

”Thank you, junior uncle grand-ancestor!”

Liu SanQi’s eyes reddened, he prostrated and bowed deeply, tears could not help but fall, streaming through the wrinkles: ”Your servant only did some trivial matters, your gift is too significant, I do not deserve it, I often reported your whereabouts on the mountain to the old grand-ancestor.”

”I am not a man!”

He repeatedly smacked his own face, filled with immense regret and vexation.

”It’s fine, just a small matter, elder brother was merely concerned about my cultivation and living situation.”

Jiang Ding waved his hand, his eyes faintly closed as he entered into a state of cultivation.

Liu SanQi bowed again, picked up the jade box, not daring to disturb Jiang Ding further, and backed away. Upon reaching a kilometer out, he bowed once more and departed.