Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

Jiang Ding muttered and cursed under his breath.

He spent the whole afternoon cursing the withered flesh and blood, calling down the ancestors of the last eighteen generations and all the distant relatives, which made him feel much better.

”Indeed, abandon decency and enjoy a carefree life.”

Jiang Ding took a long, relieved breath.

Then, he closed his eyes and, in the endlessly bright and scorchingly destructive Sun Abyss, began to absorb Heavenly Earth Spiritual Qi and Great Sun Essence for cultivation, while tempering his own Sword Intent with the ubiquitous Great Sun Destroying Sword Intent in the Sun Abyss.

In this cultivation, Mana, Sword Intent, Divine Soul, and Flying Sword were all growing slowly yet firmly.

This is the supreme instrument of the Great Sun Sword Pavilion—the Great Sun Heavenly Pond.

The underdevelopment of Mingguang Zi, one of the extremely important reasons, was the loss of the Great Sun Heavenly Pond, which couldn’t be compensated for by any inheritance from the Great Sun Sword Pavilion.

Having cultivated for only a few days, Jiang Ding suddenly opened his eyes.

”Eh?”

Jiang Ding was taken aback.

The flow of Mana on his body was erratic and in extreme disorder, as was the sea of his consciousness, where there were subtle unnatural fluctuations.

Although very subtle, they were indeed present—parts that were beyond his control.

In the past, his Sea of Consciousness was like a lake or a mirror’s surface, never a ripple that wasn’t allowed by himself, with the mature Great Sun Destroying Sword Intent dominating and controlling everything.

Now, there was a breach in that control.

To 99% of cultivators in the world, such subtle uncontrollable ripples in the Lake of Heart are normal, natural phenomena.

But not for him.

”What’s going on?”

”Is it the influence of that withered flesh and blood?”

Jiang Ding’s expression became serious.

Without hesitation, he summoned the Central Array Spirit Computer to conduct a top-tier physical examination on himself, even if it meant spending a lot of library points.

”Ding!”

”Detection complete.”

The Central Array Spirit Computer virtually discovered the issue the moment it made contact with him, simply very straightforward, just a Nascent Soul Monk.

”Citizen Jiang Ding, you have encountered an Internal Demon.”

”Please deal with it as soon as possible.”

A medical report appeared in front of Jiang Ding, regarding the Divine Soul and Sword Intent, with various data detailed on it, thoroughly describing the detection process, and how the results were obtained.

”Internal Demon?”

Jiang Ding’s voice rose, but he was somewhat disbelieving.

”How could I possibly encounter just an Internal Demon?”

”For hundreds of years, I have behaved righteously, acted uprightly, killed those who needed to be killed, preserved what should be preserved, without regret, walking steadfastly on my own path. How could an Internal Demon emerge?”

”How could such lowly vermin possibly affect me!”

He spoke with conviction, his voice firm, showing his strong confidence.

The so-called Internal Demon is the flaw in one’s own heart, regrets, guilt, the past one cannot bear to recall—such things never existed in his life.

The Central Array Spirit Computer ignored him.

”Internal Demon?”

Jiang Ding calmed down, mused silently, his Divine Sense and Sword Intent constantly scanning his heart.

He extensively read the Immortal Sect’s documents on Dao Heart and Internal Demons but couldn’t find the answer. There were no similar cases in the history of the Immortal Sects, and the experience of his predecessors couldn’t guide him.

In the end, Jiang Ding beckoned with his hand, pulling the Great Sun Heavenly Pond Moon Spirit over.

Yue resembled a drifting, ethereal Moon Palace Fairy. She sized up Jiang Ding from head to toe, pursed her lips, and smiled, ”Swordsman, have you encountered an Internal Demon?”

Her demeanor suggested that she knew everything already and wasn’t surprised at all.

”Tell me.”

Jiang Ding’s expression was grim.

This inexplicable flaw in his Dao Heart directly affected his path of cultivation, giving him a sense of losing control, unable to autonomously direct his way, unable to master everything.

”It’s because of the Dharma-Ending City Imprint from your own Eastern Extreme Demonic Sect,” Yue said, lips curling into a smile. ”You possess protection by the Void Refinement Power without restraint. Protection that enables only escape, yet it is indeed Void Refinement Power.”

”Under the influence of Void Refinement Power, all struggles, killings, and desperate struggles at the Nascent Soul Stage are laughable.”

”Because of this, your Sword Heart has lost its interest in life.”

”Your Life Flying Sword is thus sullen, losing its keen edge within.”

”This is the reason.”

Yue explained softly and slowly, ”Sword Pavilion Ancestors from past generations strictly forbade both the Great Sun Celestial Pond Moon Spirit and Sword Pavilion Legacy Messengers from participating in battles beyond their level, and watched as Dari Swordsmen died in battles against equals or higher ranks. All of this is for a reason.”

”The depth of our Ancestor Masters’ wisdom is beyond our comprehension.”

”Within the Sword Pavilion and the Immortal Sects, every seemingly unreasonable rule has its profound reasons.”

”The Taoist disciples of the Xuanwu Heavenly Palace have died generation after generation, those of Shadow Demon Abyss lurk in hiding, those of the Heavenly Mechanism Immortal Palace are gentle and refined like jade, befriending disciples from all sides... it is all the same.”

”The reason of the Dharma-Ending City Imprint?”

Jiang Ding was taken aback.

”Yes, that’s it,” Yue confirmed. ”This is the path of a Sword Cultivator, one must fight.”

”Although you rely on external objects, it seems your Sword Heart does not think so; after all, it is merely a scabbard, and this could be deemed reasonable.”

”Sword Heart, Sword Intent are essentially the expressions of ’I think, therefore I am.’ As long as one believes in oneself, others’ unsolicited opinions are of little consequence.”

”But under the protection of Void Refinement Power, you will probably no longer be able to deceive yourself.”

”There are two solutions.”

”First, abandon the Sword Dao and follow the path of Magic Cultivation, just like the Taoist disciples from the Eight Great Immortal Sects.”

”These disciples shamelessly summon Void Refinement Power to suppress enemies. As long as they can, they often bully the weak without hesitation, yet their Dao Heart doesn’t seem affected and remains stable. This is the path of Magic Cultivation, which doesn’t emphasize the process.”

”Using strength to oppress the weak, this is wisdom instead.”

”Second, you restrict the Dharma-Ending City Imprint.”

”You need to ensure that it does not interfere with battles below the Refining Void Stage until then, even if you are facing the True Immortal’s Child, young True Phoenix, or young true dragon, they just watch you die.”

”With that, your Sword Heart will immediately stabilize.”

”Rest assured!”

Yue spoke seriously, ”The legacy of the Sword Pavilion is extraordinary. If taken to the extreme and beyond the achievements of past Swordsmen, it is not impossible to escape from the hands of a True Immortal’s Child or a young True Phoenix.”

”Such an accomplishment would be the glory of us Swordsman Cultivators!”

Her eyes blazed with fervor, yearning for the path.

”...”

Jiang Ding was speechless.

To surpass the achievements of past Great Sun Swordsmen, only then might one have a chance to flee from the hands of a True Phoenix’s Child or a True Immortal’s Child?

Is that not utterly futile?

”Do not underestimate this achievement, Swordsman,” Yue said, knowing what he was thinking and spoke earnestly. ”The Sword Dao is about constantly challenging oneself. If you can escape from a True Immortal’s child of the same rank, your Sword Heart will surely make significant progress, and your strength will transform.”

”In the future, it may no longer be about fleeing...”

”Those inherently powerful individuals, what are they in the end? They are but whetstones for my path as a Swordsman Cultivator...”

She indulged in her fantasy.

”I will take care of the Dharma-Ending City Imprint.”

Jiang Ding couldn’t be bothered with her suicidal fantasies. He stood up and flew out of the Great Sun Heavenly Pool, heading towards the Golden Palace.

As for restricting the Dharma-Ending City Imprint from interfering with battles below the Refining Void Stage, he had no regrets. Mere cultivators of the same and higher ranks, daring to bare their teeth and sneer, would be cut down on the spot. There was no need for any special targeting.