Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

”Birth, aging, sickness, death?”

For a moment, everyone around the sickbed fell silent.

In the old man’s words, it seemed as though they saw the scene of a baby’s first cry at birth leading up to several decades later, where he has now aged to this point.

Suddenly, a streak of green light appeared.

When the light dissipated, the figure of a youth in blue clothes was revealed, his face still carrying a trace of immaturity, just like many years ago, without any change.

The crowd was startled, then became dazed, plunging into memories of years past.

”Grandpa.”

Jiang Ding said softly.

”Dingding!”

Lin Gang was overjoyed, but then he put on a stern face and said to Lin Wanqiu, ”Didn’t we agree not to tell Dingding? He should focus on his studies. This old frame of mine still has a long time to live, I won’t die just yet.”

”Mom didn’t say anything.”

”You’ve forgotten, today’s the time for university graduation, having graduated, I naturally should come home.”

Jiang Ding explained.

He then greeted his grandmother, uncles, and aunts, and his mother.

”Hello, Brother Yuanwang.”

Lin Yuanwang was also there, at the Seventh level of Qi Practicing, with the aura of a Fa-Level Technique, having achieved his wish one year after graduation.

The best age to start foundation building is before sixty-five, and he still had twenty-eight years left, so there was relatively plenty of time.

”Jiang Ding, long time no see.”

After many years, Lin Yuanwang was somewhat restrained, not as casual as his uncle Lin Yong and his wife.

This was the natural tension that one faces when meeting a foundation-building cultivator, the instinctive reaction of humans when confronting a high-energy dangerous creature. It takes time to get accustomed before one eventually can shake it off.

”The last one... our little friend Jiang Yuan.”

Jiang Ding kept a stern face as he looked at a woman who was shorter than himself, yet appeared to be around thirty years old. She was still at the peak of Eaglet Innate, had not practiced any Magic-Level techniques, nor any top-level techniques.

She remained a martial artist.

Next to her, there was a handsome man who was extremely nervous under the gaze of a foundation-building cultivator, unable to say a word even though the other party looked like a school kid.

”...this...that...”

Jiang Yuan felt guilty.

She looked left and right, her palms sweating, entirely lacking the efficiency she had at work in the company.

”Why did you quit school?”

Seeing this, Jiang Ding’s heart softened, and he asked in a gentle voice.

Five or six years ago, Jiang Yuan couldn’t handle the academic curriculum of Qianling University’s Cultivation Department and, despite her family’s persuasion, she dropped out to join a regular department. She acquired her diploma a year later.

Then, she went straight to work in Qianyang City and experienced the life of a member of society.

”Because... I couldn’t keep up with the learning.”

Jiang Yuan said quietly, ”After more than ten years, there was no progress at all. I couldn’t keep going, thinking I was still young, I wanted to gain some experience...”

”... After a few years of playing around, I felt again...”

In the end,

She showed a look of dejection.

At just thirty-one, she clearly felt her youth slipping away.

It was completely different from when she dropped out of Qianling University’s Taoism Department at the age of twenty-five or twenty-six.

With such favorable conditions for cultivation, she was much stronger than her classmates.

Yet the end result was such, and she felt too ashamed to face anyone.

”What did you feel again?”

Jiang Ding patiently asked again.

Lin Yuanwang showed an extremely envious expression.

He was certain that if he’d fallen into such decay, no one would be there at this moment to slowly pull him back up and try to offer him a better future.

If missed,

it was truly missed.

But others have a brother who is the top scholar of Xianmen Sect; it’s different for mortals.

”... I still want to learn.”

Jiang Yuan said quietly.

”If you want to learn, then learn.”

Jiang Ding sighed, touched her head, and said, ”We can’t go back to Qianling University anymore, so let’s go to Rongcheng No.1 Middle School. The teachers there can still properly instruct on cultivation before achieving foundation building.”

”Magic-Level Techniques, I cannot learn.”

”Then let’s learn Top-level Techniques, which also hold the possibility of achieving foundation building.”

”Hmm!”

Jiang Yuan nodded emphatically.

A hint of anxiety flashed in the eyes of the handsome youth beside him as he subtly tugged at Jiang Yuan’s clothes.

”May I have the honor of your name?”

Jiang Ding smiled and finally turned his gaze to him, asking.

”Brother, his name is Qi Qingshi, and he was my classmate in the Business Administration Department at Qianling University,” Jiang Yuan introduced. ”Qi Qingshi’s academic performance is very good; he was always first in every course during our studies.”

”We work at a foreign trade company in Qianyang, and his performance there is also the best, often praised by the manager,” Jiang Yuan said proudly.

”Not bad, an accomplished young man indeed.”

Jiang Ding complimented him.

To achieve such accomplishments at the age of twenty-five or twenty-six, to be able to support a family and lead a middle-class life in the city.

Indeed, he counts as a young talent.

”Oh, I’m nothing compared to Brother Ding.”

Qi Qingshi expressed his delight.

A hint of disdain appeared in Lin Yuanwang’s eyes.

Any cultivator at the Middle-Stage of Qi Practicing simply needs to make a move to easily surpass these laughable achievements; mortals and cultivators differ too vastly in capability.

Furthermore, being first in the Business Administration Department at Qianling University, such a feat is not particularly distinguished among mortals; there are plenty of such similarly capable mortals.

As his cousin, she truly shouldn’t be just this.

”So...”

Jiang Yuan started hesitantly, ”Is it possible for Qi Qingshi to join me at Rongcheng No.1 Middle School as well? His company would be good for me in a school full of kids, and it could improve the efficiency of my studies.”

”Don’t worry, these Spirit Stones can be considered a loan to our family, and once he becomes a cultivator, he will repay us double,” she emphasized.

Qi Qingshi’s expression turned eager as he looked up.

The atmosphere in the hospital room turned cold.

Lin Wanqiu, the grandparents, and others all looked this way with displeasure, their fleeting fondness for the young man quickly fading.

”It’s not possible,” Jiang Ding said with a smile.

”But if he isn’t there to accompany me...”

Jiang Yuan, in her urgency, was about to say something but then met Jiang Ding’s eyes.

As calm as a lake.

It seemed that nothing could stir the slightest ripple; it would always remain this tranquil.

The words Jiang Yuan was about to say somehow got swallowed back down.

She didn’t utter them.

”If my sister cannot continue, then she can’t,” Jiang Ding said indifferently. ”However, I will not support a stranger for no reason, not even your own son.”

”I will only do my best to take care of my sister and other family members.”

”The thing I dislike the most since I began my path in cultivation is the so-called clan and blood ties. I will never allow such things to appear among my family.”

”Do you understand?”

”I… understand.”

Jiang Yuan replied dejectedly.

”Why!”

”Why are you cultivators so arrogant!” Qi Qingshi’s face instantly turned ashen, and he said despairingly, ”Given another chance, I would definitely return the Spirit Stones tenfold or a hundredfold...”

Jiang Ding gave him a glance.

Qi Qingshi felt a chill in his body and Divine Soul, instantly becoming rigid and frozen, and he left the hospital room on his own, no longer disturbing the tranquility of the grandfather.

”Sister, you will not be able to achieve foundation building if this continues,” Jiang Ding sighed. ”Consider it for yourself. Others may help with cultivation, but one also needs an internal drive; otherwise, let it be.”

”Brother, I understand,” Jiang Yuan said softly, nodding.