Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

”Subsidizing Cultivators without work for their cultivation can only be a temporary measure.”

”If this goes on much longer, Tushan Immortal City’s finances will collapse, and we’ll have to peacefully disperse, giving up the plan to build a Northern Plains economic and trade center.”

Jiang Ding watched the back of the green-robed maid as she left.

In fact, there are ways, such as investing in infrastructure, water conservancy, order-led investments dominated by Tushan Immortal City, and building Spiritual Veins, all of which could create some jobs.

Alas, the pool of resources in the Three Kingdoms is too small.

With just three Third-tier Spiritual Veins supporting dozens of Golden Pill Monks and five to six hundred thousand Qi cultivating and base-building Cultivators, the burden is already too heavy, surviving only on blood transfusions from outside to sustain cultivation and prosperity through the development of processing trade.”

”Losing the largest source of external transfusions, any investment by the Immortal City officials would be futile, they might as well let things deteriorate.

”When that time comes, those who are willing to stay here and endure the harsh cultivation environment just need to obey the law, we won’t interfere. Those who wish to return to the Northern Plains will be subsidized for part of their ship fare.”

”That’s all there is to it.”

”The key lies in the situation in the Northern Plains, the situation on the Black Snow Prairie...”

Jiang Ding thought faintly.

Having said that, it is wishful thinking to expect him to personally intervene in the King’s Court conflict in the Northern Plains.

No mere economic loss could possibly make him go against his principles and put himself in danger.

”However, eighteen years from now, when Scorching Sun Spirit Iron emerges, my annual expenses will surge to one billion Low-grade Spirit Stones, equivalent to the cost of a heavy-armored division... although I manage my finances quite frugally.”

”It’ll be troublesome if I run out of money by then.”

Jiang Ding looked towards the Northern Plains and took some time to receive the latest intelligence from the maids there.

”Blood Cloud didn’t die, he escaped.”

”Indeed, he is the man who has escaped from Immortals of Nascent Soul multiple times; even gravely wounded, he remains elusive...”

”He has not given up, has not become despondent, it seems he’s carrying out reforms?”

A flicker of interest appeared in Jiang Ding’s eyes.

”Originally he didn’t reform when he had the advantage, and now he’s reforming after such a catastrophic defeat. Isn’t he afraid his subordinates will betray him and directly surround and kill him with an Army Formation?”

...

On a remote prairie.

Here, over fifty Golden Pill Monks had gathered, most of them in the late or peak stages of Golden Pill cultivation, forming an extremely strong force.

These Cultivators were fully dedicated to the path of the Nascent Soul.

Fame and fortune meant nothing to them.

This was the reason they followed Blood Cloud to the death.

They were solely focused on everlasting life and the path of cultivation.

Liudao Sect recruiting vassal families without any prerequisites held no attraction for them.

Immortal Baimei, Iron Bone Vajra, Hei Loucheng, and others were no different.

Everything was for eternal life.

By the same token, it was for this reason that they did not hesitate to betray their comrades in arms.

Seeing many enemies surrounding them, they didn’t think twice about fleeing, neglecting any Army Formation or greater scenario. Without life, there’s no point in a greater scenario.

They had been accustomed to this for hundreds of years.

It had become instinct.

To follow to the death and to flee in the face of battle were not contradictory to them.

At this moment, everyone gathered together.

You look at me, and I look at you, with expressions of desolation on your faces.

Looking at each other without saying a word.

”Sigh!”

”Let’s not talk about the past.”

”The current situation is already much better than before, at least there’s no Immortal of Nascent Soul coming to slaughter us, and our lives are not in immediate danger.”

Blood Cloud coughed incessantly, his face flushed, his breathing erratic, clearly not recovered from his severe injuries.

He, in turn, consoled everyone else.

”Fellow Daoists, over hundreds of years on the Golden Pill path, have we not experienced failure, setbacks, and hardships?”

”Have we not faced even tougher situations than this?”

Blood Cloud smiled, lost in memory.

”When I was thirteen years old, I was just a commoner child. I killed a noble youngster from Yin’s family and was chased by dozens of armed riders and hounds. I had no power then; I jumped into a river in a snowy world, barely escaping with my life, all thanks to luck that I stumbled upon a Qi cultivator’s legacy and survived.”

”Fellow Daoists, some of you come from small Sects, others from Collateral Lineages; haven’t we all been in situations like this? I don’t believe you haven’t.”

”Leader, we have, many times.”

The atmosphere among the surrounding Golden Pill Monks relaxed a bit, and their morale rose.

”Leader,”

Someone laughed, ”I’m also from a Loose Cultivator background, not some Direct Lineage noble of the prairies. How could I not have experienced such things? It’s pretty normal.”

”The lifespan of a Golden Pill is just so, with the path ahead of us, only death awaits.”

”Only death awaits.”

Immortal Baimei, Hei Louxi, the First Maid of Spring Chun Jian, and others agreed, showing no fear.

”Among us, there is no one who fears death or clings to life.”

”With superior strength and at least six times more in numbers than Yin Dao’s forces, how did we lose so easily?”

Blood Cloud sighed deeply.

”In the secret realm of the Luoxu Clan, Immortal Tushan wielded the power of a Golden Pill avatar, commanding a temporary army, withering and clever, invincible.”

”Why are we inferior to others?”

”What exactly did Immortal Tushan do to make it this way?”

”This...”

The surrounding Golden Pill Monks fell silent.

With hundreds of years of cultivation experience, who wasn’t cunning? How could they not know the trick to it?

But...

Seeing this, Blood Cloud did not press further, quietly waiting.

The Golden Pill Monks around him were as silent as if they had become mute.

```

They looked up at the white clouds in the sky, at the ground, at the green grass, but they had no time to speak.

For several days in a row, it was just like this.

No one was willing to offend others, to be resented by all.

Throughout history, those who spearheaded reform all met with terrible fates!

”Do you not realize this?”

”Indeed, the actions of an Immortal are profound and unfathomable; it is only natural that we cannot comprehend them.”

Blood Cloud saw this and felt a sense of despair, his enthusiasm waning: ”If that’s the case, let’s go our separate ways.”

”A mob, talking about what path? Forcefully charging forward will only result in more death and injury.”

”It’s better to enjoy what’s left of life and wait for death in the grave.”

Having said that,

Blood Cloud made no gesture, stood up, flew away from there, never looking back, without any hint of reluctance.

”City Lord!”

”No, it must not be!”

”We still have hope...”

Upon seeing this, Immortal Baimei and the others immediately became anxious.

Apart from Blood Cloud,

where else could they pursue the great Dao of Nascent Soul?

What power would offer the opportunity of Nascent Soul to loose cultivators like stray dogs?

None!

Not a single one!

No power would do so.

Blood Cloud didn’t care, didn’t look back, and flew away even faster, unwilling to be entangled in any more karma.

”City Lord!”

Immortal Baimei and the others were suddenly filled with panic.

The last trace of their path was about to fade away, and in this life, there would be no more chance for a Nascent Soul.

”City Lord!”

”Immortal Tushan was able to command temporary troops and destroy the weak precisely because we know the reason!”

Immortal Baimei and a few other Golden Pill Peak cultivators with little life energy left looked at each other, gritted their teeth, and said sternly, ”It’s nothing more than strict punishments and laws!”

”Those who flee, kill!”

”Those who fight over Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure, disregarding military discipline, kill!”

”Those who retreat, kill!”

”In addition, reward them generously, soothe those who have made achievements, and advance their path.”

”The so-called art of leadership is nothing but ’clear rewards and punishments’; there’s no mystery, that’s all there is to it!”

”Is that so?”

Finally, Blood Cloud stopped, but he didn’t agree right away.

”Clear rewards and punishments?”

”Indeed, it is so.”

Blood Cloud asked, ”These four words are simple, yet knowing and doing are hard; how can one achieve it?”

”You must understand, I’ve given orders to deal with the power struggles and fights among the brothers many times, but to no avail, only to meet with evasion and unwillingness.”

Immortal Baimei and the others fell silent.

Blood Cloud also remained silent, just looking at them, without urging anything.

”We are willing to join the enforcement team.”

”Willing to kill all who do not follow the Blood King Army’s laws.”

A moment later, Immortal Baimei and several dozen Golden Pill Peak cultivators sighed and said, ”City Lord, we can make a Daoist Pact, we can refine treasures for monitoring and enforcement, imitating Immortal Tushan, and allow all brothers to review the enforcement process.”

”We will bear all the resentment of the Golden Pills alone, and in battle, we too can be the vanguard, taking the lead and killing any who flee first.”

”There’s just one condition, for the Nascent Soul opportunity, after you and a few others, we must be the first to choose!”

By the end, they spoke with ferocity, their killing intent chilling, fearless of any so-called Elites of the Northern Plains, the grand heroes, or the encirclement and suppression by army formations.

”Brothers, we agree to this!”

Blood Cloud laughed heartily.

In the Blood King Army, these Golden Pill Peak cultivators were the backbone.

Once they were resolved, the others would be similar.

A Daoist Pact brimming with spiritual light flew out.

Coming from the ancient Blood River Sect, it stipulated their respective duties and rights, and Blood Cloud’s name had already been signed, prepared in advance.

Immortal Baimei, Blood Hand Demon Li Tu, Iron Bone Vajra, and other Golden Pill Peak cultivators hesitated for a moment, carefully checked, and signed their names.

In less than a quarter of an hour, all the names of the Golden Pills were entered.

There was a subtle change in the atmosphere among the Golden Pill monks, the wariness between them seemed to lessen somewhat, and the trust increased.

”Had the brothers had such awareness before, how could we have been defeated so tragically?”

Blood Cloud laughed loud, ”But, it’s not too late now!”

”Brothers, don’t think that I am deserted by all now, with many Golden Pills surrendering to the Liudao Sect, but with just one plan of mine, in an instant, I can attract a million-strong army!”

”Do you believe, or do you not believe?”

”What’s the plan?”

Immortal Baimei and the others were startled.

The Golden Pills of the Northern Plains didn’t have that loyalty, and with the Liudao Sect’s power being so great, and having taken them in to become vassal families, they would not rejoin Blood Cloud just because of his name.

”The Nascent Soul Cultivation Method.”

”Just this.”

Blood Cloud said calmly.

”As long as the Golden Pills join, they get the Nascent Soul Cultivation Method, first half of it, the rest as they achieve merits; the full method is available for all the brothers here to see.”

”I don’t believe these Golden Pills will not be tempted, and that Liudao Sect would be able to offer the same terms to win them over.”

”So, tell me, can we attract a million-strong army or not?”

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