Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

Amidst the radiance of the teleportation formation.

Jiang Ding opened his eyes.

The sub-zero temperatures of the middle atmosphere wrapped around him, surrounded by towering Divine Trees like the Heaven-Covering Banyan with foliage and trunks forming a dense forest sea.

In the distance, Air-Space Warplanes and Air-Space Battleships took off and landed occasionally, spewing concentric rings of Mach cones.

”I’m off to form my Golden Pill.”

Jiang Ding said to himself, flying downward, ”But first, I’ll hand Yu Qianzi over to the police station to prevent her from being struck dead by my Golden Pill Tribulation, that wouldn’t be good.”

He flew out of the super teleportation formation.

Jiang Ding was taken aback.

Wu Mengsha, a group of senior brothers and sisters, and Zhang Junsheng all stared at him without blinking an eye.

Jiang Ding thought for a moment and then flew backwards a bit.

Then, forward a bit, downward a bit, upward a bit.

Their gazes followed his movements, their eyes darting around constantly, while their bodies remained motionless.

”What is everyone doing?”

Jiang Ding felt a bit uneasy.

”We’re examining our doctoral thesis, checking for any missing pages or errors.”

Wu Mengsha said seriously.

”There definitely aren’t any.”

Jiang Ding sighed in relief and said with a smile, ”I’m about to form my pill; does anyone want to join me?”

”Oh, and there’s this.”

Remembering something, he transmitted the Core Formation Secret Technique, Infant Formation Secret Art, and Divinity Transformation secret technique he received from Flame Spirit Heavenly Monarch’s remnant soul one by one to the senior brothers and sisters and mentors around him.

The Core Formation Secret Technique was detailed, while the Infant Formation and Divinity Transformation techniques were severely incomplete.

Although Flame Spirit Heavenly Monarch had the demeanor of a Heavenly Monarch of the Sword Dao, Jiang Ding didn’t just take his word for everything.

Besides, since he hadn’t cultivated the ”Great Sun Sword Sutra,” the Core Formation and Infant Formation Secret Techniques weren’t universal and needed modification before he could use them.

”The Great Sun Sword Pavilion’s original Core Formation Secret Technique!”

Zhang Junsheng and Wu Mengsha among others were shocked.

Having studied the Great Sun Sword Pavilion for half a lifetime, they recognized what it was almost line by line and cautiously received the information of the Spiritual Script.

After a long while.

”There’s nothing wrong with what we’ve done.”

”Nor have we set any traps for future advancement.”

After digesting the three incomplete secret techniques, Zhang Junsheng breathed a sigh of relief.

The thing that those engaged in research on the Immortal Path feared the most was creating a technique that seemed perfect at a cursory glance but turned out to be a dead end at higher realms and levels, leading to life-long regrets.

”However, we did find thirteen aspects that can still be optimized... Don’t be hasty; just give me half a month.”

”Half a month? That works.”

Jiang Ding thought for a moment and agreed.

”Is there anything else needed to assist with the pill formation?”

Zhang Junsheng asked with a solemn expression, ”The Magnetic Secret Realm, superior-grade Golden Core Pill, top-tier aid for the Core Formation Formation Method... I can get all these for you, and I’ll guarantee you can repay your debt after you advance.”

”No need for that.”

”I already have enough.”

Jiang Ding shook his head.

After so many years of grinding and the ultimate purification of mana and Divine Sense in the Great Sun Heavenly Pond, he had reached an extremely high level in Foundation-building.

Secret realms, elixirs, and the like were simply measures to enhance mana and Divine Sense further, reducing the difficulty of forming the core.

But he had already attained those levels.

Such things were inferior to his own standards and thus utterly ineffective.

”Alright, it’s up to you.”

Zhang Junsheng didn’t insist any further.

Cultivation is a pursuit driven by one’s own heart and self-awareness, no matter how good it seems to others, it can’t compare to one’s own feelings.

”Teachers, seniors, I’m going to rest.”

Jiang Ding waved his hand.

After a trip to the Great Sun Heavenly Pond, continuous combat, and the cruel and dangerous honing of the Flying Sword and Sword Intent, even he felt quite worn out and needed some time to recover his peak condition.

He had just flown tens of kilometers when someone blocked his way again.

”Hello, Teacher Zhang!”

Jiang Ding’s Escape Light reluctantly stopped on a dime as he bent down to bow.

”Hello, Jiang Student.”

The person who came was none other than Immortal Dinghai, with a faint smile on his face.

Shoulder to shoulder with him stood a large-eared, round, and plump old man with a spring-like smile that immediately brought about a sense of warmth and friendliness.

”Greetings to True Monarch Bo Ming.”

Jiang Ding gave another bow, immediately knowing the reason they had stopped him.

Bo Ming, the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Xianmen!

In charge of Xianmen’s foreign exchange and trade affairs, he was one of the Xianmen cultivators most familiar to cultivators from the Eight Great Immortal Sects, with many matters communicated through him to the inner circles of Xianmen.

Behind them stood respectfully more than a dozen Golden Pill Monks, all wearing kind and polite smiles.

Yet, with his Sword Intent of Destruction, he could sense that many were filled with dissatisfaction, anger, and subtle hostility.

None of these escaped the perception of the Taiqing Flying Sword.

Jiang Ding remained composed.

Unfazed by the emotional changes of the Xianmen Golden Pill Monks.

”Young Jiang, you are indeed a formidable junior,” praised True Monarch Bo Ming. ”I’ve worked in the Foreign Affairs department for many years, and it’s always been either the Xianmen Sect Army beating others down or an individual cultivator being beaten or killed by others, and then I’d go protest.”

”Today, however, the protests have come to us.”

”It is indeed quite novel.”

”Just like this...”

True Monarch Bo Ming spoke diplomatically, ”Desire is natural, especially in the young. It’s perfectly normal to want things, but... still, it’s best not to abduct other girls without any reason. It’s rather inappropriate.”

”True Monarch, your lesson is well taken.”

Jiang Ding said accepting the teaching.

His gaze then turned to Immortal Dinghai.

Immortal Dinghai blinked.

”Hmm,”

”The True Monarch speaks the truth.”

Jiang Ding thought for a moment and pulled out a girl in a moon-white fairy skirt from his storage jade pendant. Gripping her dress to check, he confirmed she was still alive, ”Is this what the True Monarch is referring to? There’s nothing groundless about it, she occupied my cultivation spot; she’s a thief. I was just about to hand her over to the Xiandu Police Department for detention.”

Several Golden Pill Monks sprang to attention, their mouths agape.

The girl’s skin was as white as snow, and at some unknown time, a small blanket had appeared on her moon-white fairy skirt. She hugged a pristine Little Bear, deep in sleep, occasionally turning in her slumber, oblivious to the world around her.

The Taiyin Swordsman!

This fellow had actually managed to capture the Taiyin Swordsman of the Green Wood Immortal Sect!

”A thief?”

True Monarch Bo Ming was somewhat amused and exasperated but said no more.

After all, the Taiyin Sword Sect was a chess piece put forward by the Eight Great Immortal Sects to counter the Xianmen Sect. As an enemy, killing or whatever else would be within reason and justifiable.

As for the Taiyin Swordsman hailing from the Green Wood Immortal Sect, the Xianmen Sect could acknowledge it or deny it.

”Hmm.”

Jiang Ding explained his logic and then made a request, ”I want the inheritance of the Great Sun Sword Pavilion from the Green Wood Immortal Sect.”

”This...”

”I will try my best.”

True Monarch Bo Ming shook his head, ”Many of the Nascent Soul Cultivators from Green Wood Immortal Sect who participated in the destruction of the Great Sun Sword Pavilion are still alive. They are very wary of the Great Sun Sword Pavilion, and they might not agree. I can only say I will do my best to persuade them.”

”However, even if it’s not possible, at least we could trade for some of the benefits the Xianmen Sect needs.”

”You might receive a commendation for a feat of Divinity Transformation.”

”Understood, thank you, True Monarch.”

Jiang Ding bowed respectfully and handed the Taiyin Swordsman over to Immortal Dinghai.

”The Taiyin Swordsman is one thing; after all, she is named after the Taiyin.”

”But what about the Taoist of Five Elements and the Swordsman from Shangqing Lingbao Sect?”

At this moment, a Golden Pill Monk from the diplomatic corps, who had been enduring for a long time, finally burst out, ”Do you not realize how much risk of war your actions have brought to the Xianmen Sect?”

”These two Immortal Sects will surely seek revenge!”

He was furious, ”Do you have any idea how many citizens from the Outer Realm may die because of this?”

”If everyone behaved as recklessly as you, the grand strategy of the Xianmen Sect...”

”Oh?”

Jiang Ding’s gaze shifted to him.

”...the grand strategy...”

His voice faltered, the reproachful words somehow halting in his mouth.

”Your name is Jin Xiuyan.”

Jiang Ding glanced at his identity tag, ”A late-stage Golden Pill Monk, you must have participated in Outer Realm wars too. When attacked, even by neutrally aligned Immortal Sects, did you surrender without resistance, putting up no fight at all?”

”Did you?”

A faint Sword Intent of Destruction permeated the air, settling on the late-stage Golden Pill Monk, carrying with it a hint of killing intent.

Even as a citizen of the Xianmen Sect!

There still exist all sorts of individuals within, and even if not openly hostile like the Xus, often engage in various actions.

This needs rectification!

”You!”

Jin Xiuyan, addressed directly by a Foundation-building cultivator, became furious, yet a chill crept into his heart, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

Instinctively, he raised a shield and activated a brown hill-shaped treasure, but his disquiet did not subside, instead, it intensified.

Jin Xiuyan turned pale with fright, dropping his inherently condescending attitude typical of a Golden Pill Monk.

This man is a madman!

Jin Xiuyan instinctively took two steps back, until he saw two Immortals of Nascent Soul, which settled his nerves somewhat as he retorted, ”You clearly have far greater power than the Baijian Swordsman of the Shangqing Lingbao Sect. Why not let him go just once? He poses no threat to you, and the Shangqing Lingbao Sect plays an important role in the diplomacy of the Xianmen Sect...”

”I was just now... asking you.”

Jiang Ding interrupted him again and stared, saying coldly, ”On the battlefield in the Outer Realm, if the so-called neutral Golden Pill Monks from the Shangqing Lingbao Sect tried to kill you, did you surrender for the grand strategy of the Xianmen Sect?”

Jin Xiuyan fell silent.

”No.”

”But your power...”

He still wanted to insist on his point.

”My power, that’s my business,”

Jiang Ding stated coldly. ”Something you cannot accomplish yourself, yet you demand that I do it. Sir, do you consider me weak and easy to bully, so much so that you feel in the right to stand on a moral high ground and scold me?”

Jin Xiuyan said no more.

It wasn’t that he had been persuaded.

He had sensed a faint killing intent from this man.

If not for the restrictions of Xianmen Sect laws, there might have even been a clash, and currently, his actions lacked the explicit support of Xianmen Sect laws.

”Then there’s An Tuzi.”

”I spared his life, thus fulfilling the obligation of a citizen,” said Jiang Ding coldly. ”Should the Shangqing Lingbao Sect and Five Elements Heavenly Sect seek justice, let them come for it.”

”How can we be so afraid of others’ retaliation that we dare not seek our own interests?”

”The Diplomatic Corps has done a lot of work for the Xianmen Sect, securing many things, which is quite admirable,”

Jiang Ding looked towards True Monarch Bo Ming, ”But the conduct of diplomatic activities, I think, should be based on strength. Many fundamental issues cannot be changed by diplomacy.”

A subordinate acting alone,

Such things could not simply be a coincidental occurrence.

Having controlled Tushan Immortal City for many years, although I’ve not learned to be worldly-wise, I can still see through these most basic things.

”I understand what Comrade Jiang means,”

True Monarch Bo Ming nodded slightly, his figure disappearing from sight.