Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

”In the Northern Plains,”

”The right and demon alliance, the Great Sun Sect, and the various cultivation families and powers are becoming more and more fiercely mired in battle. The recruitment of various servant powers by both sides is increasingly exhaustive.”

”The Foundation Building Clans are recruiting all Foundation-building and Qi Practitioners, the Golden Pill families are recruiting all Golden Pill Monks and Foundation-building cultivators, leaving no root untouched.”

”From time to time, there are Foundation powers and Golden Pill powers that are annihilated for refusing recruitment or because their ancestors fled, dying out completely, or killed by opposing powers as a warning and retaliation. The entire Northern Plains is in utter chaos and instability, with a large number of cultivators dying every day.”

Dong Cang said with a grave expression.

As for the mortals, they have always been the same - if there is no need, neither righteous nor demon cultivators would lay hands on them. Besides consuming mana, there is no value in it.

”Isn’t it said that the small families in the Northern Plains are leaning towards the Great Sun Sect?”

Jiang Ding asked with mild surprise.

In the Northern Plains, the top-tier large families strictly block the channels for Infant Formation, using the Collateral Lineage for sustenance, and severely suppress any small or medium powers daring to pry into the Nascent Soul, being exceedingly bloody and brutal both internally and externally.

”Generally, that’s the case.”

Dong Cang nodded, then shook his head: ”Ambitious Golden Pill [figures], naturally lean towards the Great Sun Sect, even if the Great Sun Sect acts in an equally domineering and bloody manner.”

”Those without ambition, with no hope for progress, remain compliant and generally maintain loyalty.”

”Because the Great Sun Sect isn’t much better for the smaller powers, and due to emerging powers, the exploitation is even harsher. However, there is still a path for progression. Once loyalty is confirmed, they are even willing to provide Nascent Soul Cultivation Methods, truly generous.”

”But there is one exception, the Collateral Lineage. There is a considerable number of defectors in the Collateral Lineage of the righteous and demon alliance families, and they are very harsh on the Direct Lineage with methods like flaying and planting a Soul Lamp, which has led to a part of the families in the Northern Plains severely suppressing their own kind with more restrictions and starting to employ external surnames, completely encircling and keeping the Collateral Lineage.”

”In these past hundred-plus years, the intensity of the wars has increased each year, and now it seems we’re starting to dig up the roots of the smaller powers.”

”What do you mean by that?”

Jiang Ding showed a contemplative expression.

”The intensity of the war is escalating each year and has continued for more than a hundred years, with no end in sight, but there must be a limit.”

”Even the Nascent Soul great sects, with their far superior power, and the immense wealth of the Northern Plains, are not limitless.”

Dong Cang said with a grave expression: ”The cultivators and mortals of the Dao Strategy Pavilion in Tushan believe that, in as little as ten to twenty years, or at most another hundred-plus years, there will be a phase change in the great wars of the Northern Plains.”

”As to which change that will be - whether the righteous and demon alliance will win, or the Great Sun Sect, or some other power - it is beyond our level. Without the relevant information, it’s not possible to judge.”

Dao Strategy Pavilion.

An institution established more than thirty years ago out of necessity. It recruits outstanding ministers and generals from the courts of Tushan, Yue Country, and Chu Country, as well as talented cultivators, aimed at studying the grand trends within the cultivation world.

Whether it is useful or not, at least, it has some reference value.

Certainly better than those cultivators who only know how to fight and cultivate behind closed doors, indifferent to external affairs.

”Twenty to thirty years to a hundred-plus years... that isn’t long.”

Jiang Ding muttered to himself.

He had a certain confidence in the Dao Strategy Pavilion; it was made up of individuals trained by the Xianmen Sect in methods concerning the study of grand trends, thus, it had definite referential value.

’Not long?’

Dong Cang’s body shook.

”How are the casualties in our family?”

Jiang Ding asked.

In a place like the Northern Plains, even Golden Pill Monks can’t protect themselves, let alone Foundation-building cultivators, even if they are a bit stronger than their peers and stay out of trouble.

”To this day, in forty-two years, seventeen sisters have died in battle.”

Dong Cang said succinctly, without any emotional fluctuation.

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Cultivators, every day, fought and died, vying for opportunities, contesting for Spirit Stones and Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. They were already fortunate enough to not have to worry about Spirit Stones and Cultivation Methods, with no one to oppress them or to deliberately send them to certain death.

Such treatment had already surpassed that of ninety percent of Foundation-building Cultivators, and serving unto death was a matter of course.

”Take good care of their families.”

Jiang Ding remained silent.

This was the destined fate of Cultivators.

He often risked danger in battle, and naturally, these women should do the same. Nobody was naturally entitled to be supported by others without giving anything in return.

As for the issue of leaks.

Firstly, there were Spirit Soul Restrictions within their Divine Souls, which limited the leakage of secrets, whether intentional or otherwise.

Secondly, the ”Heaven Light Shining Sun Sword Canon” they cultivated, from the name to the content of the Cultivation Method, was commissioned by the Xianmen Science Institute and made extensive use of the world’s related Cultivation Methods and Immortal Path technologies. The name was also different. Even if the Great Sun Sect’s Nascent Soul Monk had a whim one day to capture someone, they would not be able to find any trace of Xianmen.

At most, they might think that another Son of Destiny like the infamous Blood Cloud from the Northern Plains had dug up some legacy.

It was possible to conceive a covetous thought, but to alarm those at the Divinity Transformation stage was absolutely impossible.

”Yes!”

Dong Cang, Gong Caiyu, and the other maids bowed deeply and retreated slowly.

After the maids left, Jiang Ding’s figure blurred and transformed into an ordinary-looking young man.

Without any background or anyone to shield them from the winds and rains, being too outstanding was a calamity that could attract too many enemies intent on relentless pursuit and encirclement.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to sleep, for fear of dreaming about their clan being exterminated hundreds of years later.

Disguising oneself as a Golden Pill Monk in the later stages or a Nascent Soul Monk was quite effective; such power was common for Cultivators of that level.

Sizzling...

The second-tier, top-level ”Electromagnetic Light Wave Stealth Technique” erupted with threads of electric light, a sign of incompatibility between the magic and mana, threatening collapse.

After reducing some of the inputted mana, the hazy image stabilized once again.

”The third-tier magic needs to be addressed.”

Jiang Ding frowned slightly.

In his current state, it was natural that Golden Pill Monks would have no ability to see through him, but facing a Nascent Soul, it felt almost like the Emperor’s new clothes; hiding was as good as being bare, completely exposed.

The figure vanished.

He flew out of the Demon Palace, patrolling Tushan Immortal City again.

His Divine Sense swept over nearby shops, auction houses, and residences, with all forms of Formation and Magic unable to obstruct it, confirming once more that Tushan Immortal City was just as the reports from below had indicated, with no deceit or oversight.

It’s just that the number of Golden Pill Monks was a little lower, with only about seven or eight in sight, the rest were unaccounted for.

This was actually normal.

Golden Pill Monks were restless by nature, not to mention that this place was actually not suitable for Cultivation.

According to the intelligence from Tushan Immortal City, every twenty years, they would head to the border between Chu Country and Tushan to participate in an underground auction held by Hua Xue Palace, exchanging for some items from Diabolism and the restricted objects of Tushan Immortal City.

The reason for choosing the border was, of course, their lack of trust in the Demon Palace of Hua Xue, a Diabolism Sect, and the ability to retreat into Tushan Immortal City’s jurisdiction at any moment.

”I hope you guys aren’t evading taxes.”

Jiang Ding muttered to himself.

Landing on a hidden Formation, his body flickered a few times, and his silhouette transformed within the teleportation Formation, quickly traversing tens of thousands of kilometers to reach the border of Chu Country.

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