Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

Immortal Dinghai came before the confused Jin Lingfeng and lightly tapped her forehead.

”Go home, go home...”

Jin Lingfeng muttered to herself, struggling incessantly, showing signs of wanting to break free from An Siyan’s arm. Her eyes suddenly cleared, and she stared with widened eyes.

”What has happened to Jiang Ding?”

Her expression turned terrifying.

Forcing the will of a person, if not discovered early, one might never think to come here again in this life, instead instinctively wanting to go back home.

An Siyan cast a serious glance in the direction of the community.

”Taiyin Sword Intent...”

Immortal Dinghai’s hand manifested a wisp of moon-white Sword Intent, gently crushed it, and his expression also showed shock: ”As far as I know, he has only been exposed to the Taiyin Sword Sect’s Sword Intent once, and in just a few years, he has been able to forcefully simulate it with his own Sword Intent, this aptitude for Sword Dao...”

”Teacher, is there any way we can help him?”

An Siyan couldn’t help but ask.

”It’s difficult.”

Immortal Dinghai showed a look of difficulty: ”The Internal Demon Tribulation can only be overcome by oneself, there’s no way for others to assist. Forcibly interrupting it could potentially cause irreparable severe damage to the Divine Soul.”

”Moreover, I have never seen anyone so young encountering an Internal Demon. I lack experience in dealing with it.”

”Let’s wait and see, our lifespan as cultivators is long, there is no need to rush.”

He waved his hand, sending out an Array Flag after another, more than a thousand in total, all made of white jade with pure black banners, falling around the Fulin Community in an orderly fashion. The mysterious Divine Soul Runes flickered in and out of visibility, layer upon layer of Formation Method providing protection, instilling a sense of relaxation in onlookers.

”Third-order Soul Calming Formation.”

Immortal Dinghai habitually explained to the surrounding students: ”A Third Order Divine Soul class formation, it can protect the nearby mortals and cultivators, preventing their Divine Souls from being harmed by Jiang Ding.”

”Of course, his subconscious has always been cautious, apart from those Above Late-stage Qi Practicing cultivators who can break free from Sword Intent illusions similar to Taiyin Sword Intent and the shielding, he hasn’t harmed anyone so far.”

”However, protection is still necessary, as he may lose control later on.”

...

Unknowingly, he had already spent three and a half years at home.

In the evening, after dinner, after tidying up, the family of three gathered in the living room to watch television, still the melodramatic family ethics drama.

Such TV dramas are simply a scourge, no matter what, they never play out cleanly.

Jiang Ding closed his eyes, entering into sleep as usual.

But tossing and turning, he couldn’t fall asleep.

Picking up the pillow and sitting up again, there was a sense of perplexity and desolation in his eyes as he looked out at the cityscape at night, unsure of what he was thinking.

”Jiang Ding, you’re awake?”

Jiang Yuan was surprised: ”For the past few years, as soon as you touch the TV drama, you would sleep deeply until ten o’clock, what’s wrong today?”

”Just watch your television.”

Jiang Ding glared at her, unwilling to pay attention.

But the irritation in his heart couldn’t be dispelled, so he went back to his room to sleep, staring blankly at the night view outside the window, completely unable to fall asleep.

However, it seemed that he didn’t need to sleep, anyway.

He stayed by the window, silently watching the outside, until midnight, until six o’clock in the morning.

He got up to practice sword, had breakfast.

After waving goodbye to his mother and sister as they went to school, he visited his grandparents, listened to them talk, then had dinner, took a walk, watched television, and went to bed.

Another month passed this way.

This kind of life was simple, mundane, monotonous, but he didn’t find it dull to be with family.

”It’s just, some equally important things seem to have been forgotten.”

Jiang Ding murmured to himself, no longer able to bear the anxiety that had accumulated over the days, he went over to a bonsai covered in dust, inadvertently forgotten by everyone.

With a light touch of his hand, dust filled his palm, revealing a blue-golden tree trunk.

For some reason, a strong sadness welled up inside him, and his tears were almost about to fall.

”Mom, can I not go to school or work, and just stay by your side forever?”

Jiang Ding turned around and asked.

”That would be wonderful.”

”Although our family is not wealthy, we can still afford food and drink,”

Lin Wanqiu was taken aback for a moment, somewhat tempted, yet she shook her head, ”But that’s not possible. One must have their own career; otherwise, the spirit remains incomplete, forever stuck in childhood. In the end, even oneself will despise oneself, and life will become meaningless.”

”When I graduated from university, that’s what your grandparents told me.”

”No matter what a person experiences, whether success or failure, one must go through it. Only then is life complete.”

”Is that so?”

Jiang Ding gently touched the blue and gold bonsai, and finally, regardless of the dust, he picked it up, ”But your life is too short.”

”I’m scared that after a dozen or so Cultivation cycles, I won’t be able to see you or my grandparents again.”

”Yes... it is like that.”

Lin Wanqiu sighed.

”Birth, aging, sickness, and death, that’s just how it is.”

”Mother can’t do anything about it, nor can your grandparents.”

”People grow old...”

Jiang Yuan seemed to see his own future self, in his eighties or nineties, with a sea of wrinkles and white hair, and fell silent.

”But a mere hundred and some years, at most two hundred plus years...”

Jiang Ding muttered to himself, slowly putting down the bonsai in his hands.

...

”Oh young and tender life...”

A trace of hope appeared on Immortal Dinghai’s face, then fell, resignedly saying.

”You’re still a Foundation-building cultivator now!”

Jin Lingfeng was somewhat hopping mad, ”You also have just over two hundred years of lifespan. What do you mean just over two hundred years? That’s one-sixth of a Nascent Soul Monk’s life.”

”That’s more like it for a Nascent Soul Cultivator.”

After pondering for a moment, Immortal Dinghai instructed the Array Spirit, ”Calculate her chances of successful foundation building.”

...

”Ding!”

”Special lottery discount, can calculate the estimated success rate of foundation building for one person, do you wish to calculate?”

The voice of the Array Spirit rang in his ear.

”Calculate.”

Jiang Ding subconsciously trusted it, and designated Lin Wanqiu, who was now in her sixties, as the target.

”Name: Lin Wanqiu”

”Age: Sixty-four”

”Estimated time to reach the peak of the Ninth Layer of Qi Practicing: One hundred and eleven years old.”

”... Very advanced age: -43%, Ancient Wood Samsara Technique: +15%, Premium Foundation Building Pill: 40%, Slightly below average aptitude: -2%, Wisdom from years of experience: +1%, Frequent use of Breakthrough Pills: -...”

”Overall success rate: 6%.”

”6%? 6%!”

Jiang Ding’s eyes snapped open.

A streak of azure Sword light flashed past.

Within a ten-kilometer radius, the air suddenly cleared, something imperceptible vanished.

Many people’s eyes brightened slightly, pondered for a moment, but it didn’t seem to matter much, shook their heads, and continued focusing on their own affairs.

Clang!

The small blue and gold tree jangled, shook off the dust, glowed brightly, and vibrated happily, turning into a foot-long Flying Sword that flew towards him.

”A dream?”

Jiang Ding caught the Flying Sword, and heaved a long sigh.

Clarity had fully returned to his eyes, but he couldn’t fully mask a desolate air.

And was not particularly joyful.