Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

When Dingding Heavenly Monarch, the Palace Master of Xuanwu Heavenly Palace, laid the Eastern Devil School’s armistice treaty on the table, the entire alliance meeting place fell silent in an instant, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Dingding Heavenly Monarch put down the alliance treaty of the Eight Immortal Sects, which he had prepared in advance, gently placing it aside, stood up, said nothing, and walked to the window to look out at the distant sea of clouds.

The meeting place was known as Ascension Tower.

This tower, built by the Great Sun Sword Pavilion alongside the Nine Great Immortal Sects over fifty thousand years ago, was jointly refined and is a treasure of Refining Nothingness with unpredictable power.

The tower was built to celebrate the birth of this Minor Thousand World, the Little Spiritual World, hence the name Ascension, synonymous with this event.

The Little Spiritual World, which gathers all the resources of the small worlds within the entire star domain, has the potential to become a Middle Thousand World, and theoretically, it could give birth to cultivators above Void Refinement; an effort made by the ancient Nine Great Immortal Sects for the sake of those above Refining Nothingness.

Unfortunately, the path to power is replete with selfish interests.

Before the Little Spiritual World could be completed, a bloody internal conflict broke out among the Nine Great Immortal Sects. Amid the chaos, the Great Sun Sword Pavilion rose and nearly succeeded in becoming the dominant force, until the emergence of the Eastern Devil School, which led to the Great Sun Sword Pavilion’s demise, persisting until today.

Though the Little Spiritual World did not reach the anticipated standard of becoming a Middle Thousand Worlds, it remains significantly more advanced than ordinary Minor Thousand Worlds, including the various mini-worlds of the Nine Great Immortal Sects, which are extremely beneficial for cultivation.

After the destruction of the Great Sun Sword Pavilion, the Eight Great Immortal Sects excluded Xianmen Sect and divided up the Little Spiritual World.

This place holds special significance, symbolizing the unity of the Nine Great Immortal Sects.

Throughout history, matters affecting the entire domain were discussed here, influencing shifts in the regional situation.

”Fellow Daoist Dingding, this is a plot by the Eastern Devil School to sow discord. I cannot believe you fail to see through it!”

The Sect Master of Wanshou Immortal Sect, known as Heavenly Monarch Qianxu, bearing a colorful beard made from the hairs of a thousand top spirit beasts, seemed anxious, ”The Heavenly Palace has always been a leader; it must not engage in actions that would please enemies and pain allies!”

”Yes, indeed.”

Other cultivators around him echoed in support, all Sect Masters and Palace Masters of esteemed status as Heavenly Monarchs, advising earnestly with heartfelt entreaties.

”The rise of the Eastern Devil School is a sight so alarming it’s hard to ignore, in just a mere three thousand years, less than the lifespan of a Nascent Soul Cultivator, insignificant to the Immortal Sects as a whole, yet their strength has already swollen to such an extent!”

”If we let them go unchecked, and once they have cultivators capable of Refining Nothingness among them, what will become of our Ancestor Masters’ legacy?”

”Should we not seize this rare opportunity, and put aside our former grievances amongst the Eight Great Immortal Sects, unite, and exterminate this foe? If we let them be, what will become of our future generations?”

Each word of advice was courteous and measured, each utterance like pearls of wisdom, provoking deep reflection.

After a while,

Dingding Heavenly Monarch turned around, patiently waiting for the last cultivator to finish speaking, then said with a half-smile, ”Fellow Daoists make a compelling case. Together, we shall indeed join forces to eradicate the Eastern Devil School and benefit our future generations.”

He returned to the table and slowly began shredding the previously prepared alliance treaty of the eight sects.

”Very well, we may now discuss how to attack the Eastern Devil School.”

”Xuanwu Heavenly Palace humbly volunteers to lead the charge,”

said Dingding Heavenly Monarch methodically.

The persistent entreaties of Heavenly Monarch Qianxu and the other cultivators came to an abrupt halt, as hints of anger appeared on their faces.

The intentions of Xuanwu Heavenly Palace were clear,

to completely deny the previous treaty of the eight sects and establish an alliance where the Sects worked together as equals!

Xuanwu Heavenly Palace might contribute more.

But expecting Xuanwu Heavenly Palace to give up parts of its domain, to plead and compromise as before, was out of the question!

”Dingding!”

”How dare you?!”

Heavenly Monarch Qianxu roared in anger, scolding, ”Is this how Xuanwu Heavenly Palace acts? Without our support, Xuanwu Heavenly Palace would have already been annihilated by the Eastern Devil School!”

”In the blink of an eye, with nothing but shallow and ridiculous tactics of discord, you turn your back on us. What is your true intention?”

”Do you not fear that the next time the Eastern Devil School attacks, without allies, you will be certain to die?”

The surrounding Sect Masters, Abyss Masters, and Palace Masters of the Immortal Sects had faces full of rage, murderous intent laid bare, cold and piercing to the bone.

They felt their dignity being insulted and trampled upon!

The term ”you all” also carried deep significance.

For Dingding Heavenly Monarch to decisively tear apart the alliance with the Eight Immortal Sects must not have been a decision of a single Nascent Soul Cultivator; it must have come with the consent and guidance of a Master of Refining Nothingness.

This only fueled their anger even more.

It was an utter betrayal!

”Fellow Daoist Qianxu,”

Facing the furious accusations of Heavenly Monarch Qianxu, Dingding Heavenly Monarch’s expression gradually turned colder as he said, ”Is the Eastern Devil School only the enemy of my Xuanwu Heavenly Palace?

Or are you saying that the Eastern Devil School only has a grudge against my Xuanwu Heavenly Palace, and after devouring the Heavenly Palace, they will immediately stop and forever live in peace with the Wanshou Immortal Sect?”

”No, that’s absolutely impossible!”

”Such a Demon School, with greed that never extinguishes, coveting more upon obtaining, once they gain momentum, will eradicate all the Immortal Sects and turn them into their nourishment.”

”My Xuanwu Heavenly Palace is fighting with our own power for your sake!”

”And how have you all acted?”

Dingding Heavenly Monarch’s face showed a vicious look, no longer maintaining his genteel and subdued demeanor. He exploded in rage and said, ”When the Heavenly Palace was in its direst straits, you all took advantage of the situation, forcing the Heavenly Palace to cede Minor Thousand Worlds, effectively severing its own arms, cutting off the Heavenly Palace’s future!”

”Even so, you all want the Heavenly Palace to be grateful and overwhelmed with emotion?”

”Very well then, Fellow Daoist Qianxu, let your Wanshou Immortal Sect immediately take over. As before with the Heavenly Palace, Xuanwu Heavenly Palace does not ask for much, at most a Small World will suffice. Such a price is far less than what your Wanshou Immortal Sect previously offered, right?”

”How about it, Fellow Daoist Qianxu, are you overwhelmed with gratitude and appreciative of the Heavenly Palace’s great grace?”

The more Dingding Heavenly Monarch spoke, the angrier he became, until he was finally consumed with fury. The emotions he had suppressed for years poured out, his roar barely containing any regard for the dignity of the other Immortal Sects.

The face of Heavenly Monarch Qianxu of the Wanshou Immortal Sect turned ugly.

The faces of the Sect Masters from the Five Elements Heavenly Sect, Green Wood Immortal Sect, Shangqing Lingbao Sect, Heavenly Mechanism Immortal Palace, and other Sects were fluctuating between anger and unease, revealing their murderous intent.

”Where are the friends from Five Elements Heavenly Sect?”

”How about you all take over? The Heavenly Palace can offer you an even better deal, not even demanding a Minor Thousand World, and we will not act underhandedly or do anything despicable and shameless.”

”How about you all from Green Wood Immortal Sect?”

”What about Shangqing Lingbao Sect?”

”Shadow Demon Abyss...”

They remained silent, but Dingding Heavenly Monarch did not stop, sneering as he questioned each one of them, wanting to hear their answers.

Rage, and even murderous intent, simmered within the ranks of the various Immortal Sects, freezing the space around them with coldness that pierced to the bone. Due to a variety of reasons, an outbreak had not occurred, maintaining a basic restraint.

”Fellow Daoists, since you all are unwilling to consider the bigger picture and repeatedly launched secret attacks on the Heavenly Palace during its battle with the Eastern Devil School, tearing at the Heavenly Palace and severing its limbs,”

”Then, the Heavenly Palace need not consider the bigger picture either.”

Dingding Heavenly Monarch said coldly, ”If nothing changes, the Heavenly Palace will sign this truce with the Eastern Devil School, ensuring peace for at least tens of thousands of years, leaving the Heavenly Palace worry-free for the time being.”

”Should any Sect wish to strike in secret and swallow up the Heavenly Palace’s foundation, they may also reveal their weapons and come forth for battle.”

”The Heavenly Palace will not fear!”

He spoke each word deliberately.