Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

”Yes, teacher.”

Jiang Ding recalled for a moment.

”You asked me if I had considered emulating Immortal Gulin in establishing the Great Sun Conglomerate Army.”

”At that time, I said that my talent did not lie in this area, and I had some hesitation because I feared it might delay the crucial cultivation, so I hesitated. Just as I reached this point, the class ended.”

Yuan always dismissed class on time.

When it was time, he would conclude the class promptly and decisively.

He seemed to have a densely packed schedule for research and deduction of cultivation methods, every minute assigned a specific purpose, not easily disturbed.

”Mm, your consideration is also reasonable.”

”The Immortal Path must definitely be the priority.”

After pondering for a moment, Yuan asked, ”When you were a youth, during your Xiantian period, you comprehended Sword Intent. What do you think of Intent, be it Sword Intent or Magic Intention?”

”Very strong.”

Jiang Ding replied without hesitation, ”To me, Intent is a kind of extremely specialized Divine Sense, giving a powerful amplification to a certain aspect.

For example, Sword Intent in relation to swords, or Magic Intention in relation to spells, can bestow transformative power.”

”Having an Intent or not can create a substantial gap between two cultivators of the same stage.”

Jiang Ding recalled the Xianmen cultivators he had encountered.

”The Immortal Sects delve deeply into this area. The Five Elements Reincarnation Truth of the Taoist of Five Elements is ever-lasting and never ceases; even if he cultivates the most basic cultivation method, it can match the classics.”

”Among the other core and true disciples of the Immortal Sects, many have comprehended Intent.”

”In comparison, the Xianmen have done much less in this aspect of research; we simply rely on warships and army formations to forcibly increase our combat capabilities, somewhat like the sects that depend on artifact refining and puppets to dominate under heaven.”

”Of course,”

Jiang Ding smiled, not minding it, ”these warships are developed and built by ourselves, from the initial materials to the parts to the finished products, that’s how it is. To call them external objects is just outsiders being sour and envious.”

”Indeed.”

Yuan agreed deeply.

”Those Immortal Sect cultivators, always babbling on about Dao, Dao Heart, and not relying on external things—what seem like profound truths are in fact pretentious and empty talk.

If we really talk about it, shouldn’t our Xianmen cultivators’ day-to-day research and exploration of the scientific path of cultivation be considered a refinement of the Dao Heart?”

”We are not lacking in these things.”

”Speaking of external objects, are treasures not external objects, are flying swords not external objects? There’s no need to pay attention to that noise.”

”Back to the main topic.”

Yuan’s voice became more solemn, ”You just mentioned that Xianmen’s exploration into the concept of Intent is somewhat lacking, but this isn’t the case; Xianmen also has its own achievements in this area.”

”Ah?”

Jiang Ding was somewhat puzzled.

In the past hundred or so years, he had been reading texts on the Immortal Path daily—cultivation methods, spells, swordsmanship, formation methods, and the like. It was unrealistic to have read every book within the Xianmen, but he believed he had some understanding of each direction.

”Xianmen’s exploration of Intent is not found within spells and cultivation methods.”

Yuan knew of his confusion and explained, ”This knowledge is in the category of army formation command, which you probably overlooked due to your talent.”

”Army Formation Command?”

”Correct, the mandatory course for officers in the category of Army Formation Command.”

Yuan explained, ”Xianmen’s exploration of Intent isn’t focused on the individual. In personal aspects, whether it’s combat, research, or other areas, we are not very adept.”

”We excel in groups.”

”The same is true for our research and exploration of Intent.”

”Our Intent, the academic term for it, is the ’phenomenon of specialized cultivation of the Immortal Path due to the combination of the collective will and consciousness of an army group with spiritual power and the Divine Soul.’”

”A more colloquial term would be,”

”Military Spirit.”

”Military Spirit?”

Jiang Ding’s heart was shaken.

Such a simple phrase, yet it made him detect the scent of blood and fire. It was as if, through the mists of hundreds and thousands of years, countless citizens went forth, one after another, sacrificing themselves, facing death, before ultimately merging into a towering blood-colored banner.

On the battlefield, this blood-colored banner swept through the heavens and myriad enemies with its majestic will, unstoppable and destructive.

”Within domains, Army Formations take precedence.”

Yuan slowly said.

”Xuanwu Heavenly Palace, Green Wood Immortal Sect, Wanshou Immortal Sect, and the like, all these Immortal Sects have Taoist Soldiers.”

”Whether it’s the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals worshipped with incense fire, the Taoist Soldiers of Taiyi Green Wood born from thousand-year-old ancient trees, or the Wild Blood Beast Soldiers, they are all incredibly formidable. In an era where Masters of Refining Nothingness do not come forth, they could suppress a Sect, sweep through regions where Immortal Path’s cultural development is weak, maybe even defeat a Master of Refining Nothingness.”

”But, none of the Eight Great Immortal Sects can deny the absolute dominance of Xianmen when it comes to Army Formations within domains.”

”A very important aspect of this dominance is the existence of the Military Spirit.”

Yuan’s voice was calm, not emphasizing anything, simply stating a fact.

”What of the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals, what of the Taiyi Green Wood, what of the Wild Blood Ancient Beasts, how can they compare with our legions?”

”Our legions, where officers and soldiers engage in production and construction in peacetime, and go to war to slay the enemy in wartime. We develop warships, we lead the political development of Xianmen, we set future goals...”

”We are the rulers of the domain.”

Yuan continued indifferently, ”Taoist Soldiers of Taiyi Green Wood, transformed from ancient trees, hold prestigious status. Heavenly Soldiers and Generals, enjoying the worship of incense fire, aloof and high above. Wild Blood Ancient Beasts, with their noble bloodlines, inherently standing at the pinnacle of all creatures...”

”They seem noble.”

”However, in essence, they are nothing more than slaves bred by the Immortal Sects, with prohibitions at the core of the ancient trees, present since they were saplings. As the ancient trees grow, prohibitions spread throughout. Heavenly Soldiers and Generals, the Wild Blood Ancient Beasts, they’re all the same.”

”A bunch of servants who can only show off within the lower tiers of Immortal Sects, their lives not their own.”

”What right do they have to compare with us?”

Yuan said calmly.

”A bunch of slaves, what spirit do they possess to gather the hearts of many, to be steadfast and unyielding, to maintain an undying Military Spirit?”

”On the frontal battlefield, our strongest legions can effortlessly destroy the Refining Void Dao Soldier Troops of the Eight Great Immortal Sects, leaving nothing behind, not even their Divine Souls remaining.”

Jiang Ding held his breath.

Only now did he glimpse a trace of the lofty defiance in the kind, seemingly decrepit old man.

In days of old, he must have been like a commander on a horseback, leading legions, facing the Masters of Divinity Transformation from the Eight Great Immortal Sects alone, with legions attacking head-on, ultimately deterring them with the threat of Forbidden Nuclear Weapons, daring to scoff at the indecision of the Masters of Divinity Transformation from the Eight Great Immortal Sects, each harboring their own intentions, causing the cultivators within their Sects to waver.

”In Xianmen, the strongest is the Army Formation.”

After a long while, Jiang Ding concluded, seemingly understanding his meaning.

”That’s right.”

Yuan’s lofty defiance receded, and he said helplessly, ”All of our Immortal Path’s technological advancements are focused there. It would be a real pity if you couldn’t utilize it.”

”Who the future enemy will be, how many there will be, these are all uncertainties, and we need to be as prepared as possible in all respects.”

”Then... how do we resolve the issues with talent and time?”

Jiang Ding asked.

”Start with the preliminary preparations first.”

Yuan thought for a moment and said, ”The establishment of each Military Spirit level legion takes a long time, including designing the Army Formation, warships, Air-Space Motherships, battle tactics, personnel selection, and integration with other Army Formations and Formation Methods. All these tasks are ongoing. It’s going to take at least five to six hundred years, I guess.”

”The legion of Immortal Gulin is inheriting the previous generation’s legion, with not many changes.”

”According to the Education Department, you should now pick up the Army Formation again, so that by the time you reach the Nascent Soul Stage, you can directly form the formation and participate in the battles at the God-transforming Level.”