Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

Jiang Ding, in addition to his cultivation, continued to pay attention to the development of the Tushan maiden group over several years.

The situation temporarily stabilized, and with ten thousand of them stationed at the center of the eastern Black Snow Prairie, they established the Tushan Central Court as the center of governance upon the three Third-Order Superior Quality Spiritual Veins, where the Liudao Sect insisted on resisting, by arranging Formation Methods.

Then, they dispatched teams of a thousand to various places in the eastern Black Snow Prairie, and at each Third-tier Spiritual Vein they encountered, they left people to occupy it, accepting the loyalty of nearby Foundation Establishment forces and incorporating them into their rule.

Each Golden Pill Monk oversaw one Third-tier Spiritual Vein.

The Golden Pill level forces that resisted were eliminated on the spot.

Thus, over a few years, the eastern part of the Black Snow Prairie came under control, the Tushan maiden group began to collect taxes, recruit soldiers, and develop commerce and agriculture, just as in Tushan Immortal City.

Each year’s fiscal contribution amounted to thirty percent of that year’s revenue, two billion Low-grade Spirit Stones.

Among them, there were very few Fourth-tier Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasures, and the majority consisted of First and Second-tier Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.

Up to now,

Jiang Ding’s annual income was over four billion Low-grade Spirit Stones, which could cover part of his cultivation needs.

The plan for the Tushan Central Court was that by the tenth year, once the eastern Black Snow Prairie had stabilized and some troops had been replenished, they would immediately expand towards the territory of the Liudao Sect, the Yin’s, and the other three surnames’ lands, growing through war.

All of this, they were making the decisions on their own, merely sending a copy of the meeting minutes up for approval after a Central Court resolution.

But in fact,

from the moment the Central Court made a resolution, the various Tushan maiden units had already been executing it, rendering approval meaningless.

”Their tendency to act as independent warlords is quite serious...”

Jiang Ding commented.

He could feel that the loyalty of the Tushan maiden group had already dropped below seventy points, especially among Female Cultivators who joined halfway; it was nearly inevitable that they would start plotting against the master of Taoist Soldiers once they reached Nascent Soul. This was almost a certainty.

High-level Female Cultivators, Loose Cultivators, those from Collateral Lineages of families, none of these seemed to bear any relation to loyalty; they were never used to having anyone above them.

”It’s fine,”

”I’ve always been generous and magnanimous.”

”If they wish to leave the maiden group, they just need to hand over their Taoist Flying Swords, pay thrice the compensation for the resources they obtained from the Tushan maiden group, and make a great oath not to use any Taoist inheritance Cultivation Method again, as a licensing fee for the use of Cultivation Methods and Magic.”

Jiang Ding didn’t care about their loyalty one way or another.

He believed it was fair.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that because Cultivation Methods are readily available within Xianmen Sect and anyone can read whichever they like, they are without value.

Each Cultivation Method is the crystallized wisdom of numerous heroes of countless generations, and the result of sacrifices made over generations.

The purpose of their ancestors was to benefit their descendants, not to allow others to flaunt false modesty and generosity.

The value of Nascent Soul and Golden Pill Cultivation Methods could be seen by the impact of the Co-Nascent Soul Pact among Dao Friends caused by Blood Cloud, and even that spread only a barely Nascent Soul-level Cultivation Method, with suitability being another matter altogether.

The Tushan maidens receiving Nascent Soul Cultivation Methods, naturally had to give an account, and the mere threefold fee was already extremely cheap and extremely merciful.

As for the Taoist Flying Swords, they had always belonged to the Great Sun Swordsman from the beginning.

If they didn’t recognize this...

”Then that’s fine too,”

Jiang Ding said indifferently, caressing the hilt of his sword.

...

Years passed unknowingly under the Sun God Wood.

Here, where the Heavenly Earth Spiritual Qi and the Great Sun Essence were tumbling and in constant turmoil over dozens of kilometers, the area had calmed down, returning to a state of peace and quiet.

”I remember there was something...”

Jiang Ding opened his eyes, slightly puzzled, and after pondering for a while, he suddenly realized, ”Today is the day Senior Mieri is released from prison. I promised to pick him up before, almost forgot.”

Up to now, Sun Extinguisher Heavenly Monarch had served forty-three years in prison, with a good attitude towards reform and earned a seven-year sentence reduction for his accomplishments.

This was still the case with him holding back somewhat; it seemed like he had adapted to life in prison and had not put in his full effort, otherwise, he could have aimed for a reduction of over ten years.

Having put away the Taiqing Flying Sword, the Great Sun Battleship vanished into the deep layers of space, disappearing without a trace.

Jiang Ding merged with the sword, transforming into a blade-shaped Escape Light that tore through space and vanished.

After rushing for a few minutes, he reached the airspace above the city and stopped tearing through space to avoid harming others, and walked towards the entrance of Xiandu No.1 Prison.

Approaching the prison entrance,

several pairs of eyes looked his way in unison.

Jiang Ding was taken aback.

Immortal Dinghai, Immortal Luling, and Zhang Junsheng, all three of them, were present.

Canghai Heavenly Monarch was also there.

However, this was quite normal; every few months, he would send an avatar to visit the prison, and Jiang Ding had seen him many times already.

”Good day, Teacher.”

”Good morning, Senior Canghai.”

Jiang Ding stepped forward politely to greet them and asked curiously, ”Mentor, what brings you here as well?”

The three had always been busy, especially with the term change approaching, and with all sorts of affairs in a tangled mess, it was common not to see them for years apart from lectures.

”To pay homage to Senior Mieri.”

The words of Immortal Luling were succinct.

”That’s right, to bear witness to Senior Mieri’s valor is truly an unparalleled fortune for us juniors!”

As the prison gates began to open, a tuft of yellow hair appeared on the bars, and Immortal Dinghai became even more obsequious, shouting loudly.

Jiang Ding, not understanding, looked towards Zhang Junsheng.

”Have you forgotten? More than forty years ago, Senior Mieri promised to show us Immortal Techniques.”

Zhang Junsheng whispered discreetly.

Jiang Ding had a sudden realization.

”Hahaha...”

”Once freed from bonds, the dragon roams the four seas, traversing the world!”

The signature boisterous laughter of Sun Extinguisher Heavenly Monarch resounded, and a pale-faced young man with yellow hair appeared at the prison entrance. He laughed heartily, drawing the watchful eyes of many prison guards.

He shrank his head and, quick as smoke, ran off towards the group.

”Greetings to Senior Mieri!”

Jiang Ding and Immortal Dinghai, among others, yelled in unison.

”How come there’s only a few of you?”

”The scene isn’t grand enough, we need more people for it to be imposing.”

Sun Extinguisher Heavenly Monarch, somewhat dissatisfied, said, ”I see in the news other bosses getting out of prison greeted by crowds, with gongs and drums, firecrackers booming, looking very lively. That’s how you make a statement, a statement!”

”Fatty, do you know how important ’face’ is to us people of the streets?”

”Big brother, I know!”

”Just... since we’ve just gotten out, we should lay low for a bit.”

Canghai Heavenly Monarch nodded and bowed, ”Didn’t you see the second half of the news? That boss just got out and was already snatched back in. We can’t be doing our business right over the heads of the government, right?”

”Nonsense!”

”The news only shows low-probability events; that’s why it makes the news. Many people don’t end up in trouble...”

Sun Extinguisher Heavenly Monarch was still discontented.

”Yes, yes, it’s my lack of consideration as a younger brother...”

Canghai Heavenly Monarch kept apologizing profusely.

After scolding for a while, the two walked on, arm in arm, swaying towards the direction of Qingfeng University.

Jiang Ding observed that in front of Sun Extinguisher Heavenly Monarch, this commander of the Immortal Sect Army momentarily lost all his imposing aura, fitting the role of a bag-carrying lackey very well, with every move well arranged.

The others followed behind the two seniors.

”Fatty...”

”...think back to the old days, your big brother here fought from one end of Tongtou Street to the other by himself, battling hundreds without a single defeat, bringing down eighty-seven. Which one on the streets didn’t admire me?”

”Who didn’t dare to call out to me as Heavenly Brother?”

Sun Extinguisher Heavenly Monarch boasted with animation.

”My big brother is wise and invincible.”

Canghai Heavenly Monarch showed his solemn respect.

”That’s not even worth mentioning, it’s a trifling matter, a trifling matter.”

Sun Extinguisher Heavenly Monarch declared proudly, ”What’s more crucial is that those eighty-seven thugs all lay there on the ground, and when they went for their injuries assessed, guess what?”

”They were all minor injuries! Not a single one was seriously injured!”

”In the end, when it came to charges of fighting, your big brother didn’t spend a day more in jail than anyone else!”

”Big brother is awesome!”

The two Heavenly Monarchs boasted to one another, while Jiang Ding and a few Immortals of Nascent Soul pricked up their ears.

”...sigh, let’s not talk about the past.”

”Old Huang, Old Yang, how are they doing? Are they dead?”

”Not yet, big brother. They’re a bit younger than us and have been gradually awakening. Rest assured, I’ve arranged everything well. They won’t be left hanging in the Sleeping Hidden Realm; we have to choose a good place for them.”

”Xuanwu Heavenly Palace is not bad, we have to maintain a reputation...”

”That’s good, that’s good. I trust you to handle things. There aren’t many of the old brothers left...”

Jiang Ding stayed silent at the back, listening to it all unfold.

Now, he understood where the numerous hardliners within the Xianmen Sect had come from.