Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

”Ancestor Master... sob sob sob...”

The gray-bearded elder hugged Blood River King’s thigh and wept bitterly, tears and snot streaming down, clinging tightly and refusing to let go, wetting the Blood River King’s blood robe.

”Sigh!”

Jiang Ding sighed, allowing the little one to cry his heart out.

Contrary to what most people think, inside the Mountain Suppressing Sect which is essentially the Blood Path Demon Sect, there’s a lot of warmth, at least in the mentor-disciple relationship; there’s no such deceit and scheming between mentor and disciple, no plotting against each other, minimal internal strife. It can be said that the relationship is both that of a teacher as well as a father, disciple as well as a son.

Such typical deceitful behaviors in Demon Sects are common in domains where the Human Race thrives and they’re not a big deal.

In the Horned Ming Realm, however, such internal strife, mentor-disciple deceit, and mistrust would have led to the Sect’s destruction long ago; there would be no buffer for strategic mistakes, one wrong step means death.

The Mountain Suppressing Sect has come far today; birthing a Spirit Transformation Heavenly Monarch in the perilous Horned Ming Realm is nothing short of a miracle, naturally the internal foundation is well-established.

Blood River King’s mentor treated him as his own child, and Blood River King in turn treated his disciples the same way, and so did Blood River King’s disciples with their own... Across generations, this tradition was passed down, the mentor of True Lord of the Sturdy Rock treated him the same way, and he did the same when dealing with the mentor of the current Supreme Elder Purple Stone True Person.

Today, seeing Blood River King, True Lord of the Sturdy Rock lost his composure, emotions bursting forth as if an abandoned child had finally found his parents.

Jiang Ding waited patiently until True Lord of the Sturdy Rock’s crying subsided, then gently stroked his head, sighing, ”These years have been hard on you.”

”Not hard, not hard.”

”None as hard as the Ancestor Master.”

True Lord of the Sturdy Rock wiped his tears and stood up, saying, ”I’ve heard about what Ancestor Master has gone through these years, always being hunted, hiding, constantly in life-and-death combat, always on the brink of being surrounded and killed by the kings of the Horned Demon Imperial Clan; it’s been much harder than what the disciple faced.”

He expressed with pain, harboring no resentments.

In this order governed by the Horned Demon Imperial Clan, everyone’s life has been too harsh, nobody is exempt from bearing burdens.

”Come, Purple Stone, come here.”

True Lord of the Sturdy Rock waved his hand and summoned the current Supreme Elder of the Mountain Suppressing Sect, Purple Stone True Person, proudly saying, ”This is our Sect’s Ancestor Master, the seventy-sixth generation Ancestor Master, who ascended to be a Spirit Transformation Heavenly Monarch over four thousand years ago, the Heavenly Lord of the Blood River!”

”You, my lad, are very fortunate. As a young man, I never had such a great opportunity.”

He spoke proudly, then instantly switched back to the demeanor of a Nascent Soul Immortal, the old Ancestor of the Sect, moving between roles with utmost fluidity.

’Spirit Transformation Heavenly Monarch!’

’Heavenly Monarch!’

Purple Stone True Person was instantly stunned.

Heavenly Monarch!

In the circle of Human Cultivators, this is almost mythical, too daring to even contemplate, where even the Nascent Soul Realm feels like an impossible goal, believing they could only ever reach Middle Jindan Stage in their life.

”Pay respects to Ancestor Master!”

”Pay respects to Ancestor Grandmaster!”

Purple Stone True Person’s heart was buzzing, but it didn’t hinder his actions; he first kowtowed to Blood River King, then to his Ancestor Grandmaster, particularly his Ancestor Grandmaster True Lord of the Sturdy Rock, who he had seen since he was a child, received teachings from, and revered immensely, assuredly without error.

In his heart surged an ecstasy, as if walking on clouds, soft and cushiony.

In a flash, he now had a Heavenly Monarch Ancestor Master, a True Immortal Ancestor Grandmaster!

”Not bad, not bad,”

”The lad’s foundation is quite solid.”

Jiang Ding offered several words of encouragement, bestowed a few suitable elixirs, treasures, and various cultivation methods and secret techniques, which utterly overwhelmed Purple Stone True Person, making him forget to even give thanks.

Jiang Ding didn’t mind.

A Golden Core Early Stage Cultivator over a hundred years old is still a child, care is fine, rudeness is excusable, it’s all normal, discussing serious matters with him would be preposterous.

”True Lord of the Sturdy Rock,”

”I remember hundreds of years ago, you were in the Golden Core Late Stage. Now, you’ve ascended to Nascent Soul, not bad, not bad.”

Jiang Ding praised.

”Ancestor Master, your disciple has gained some benefits during these hundreds of years of turmoil.”

True Lord of the Sturdy Rock awkwardly said: ”I also owe much to the Ancestor stirring up the situation. Otherwise, under the order of the Horned Demon Imperial Clan, I would surely have had no chance and would have just died of old age after three hundred years.”

These words were said lightly, but they certainly encapsulate countless dangers and bloodbaths he survived through.

”How old are you this year?”

Jiang Ding asked again.

”Reporting to Ancestor Master, this disciple is five hundred and eleven years old this year.”

”Five hundred fifty-one years old? Not bad.”

”Not bad indeed.”

Jiang Ding repeatedly praised: ”Our Sturdy Rock, it seems you are truly a genius. At just over five hundred years old, you have already ascended to Nascent Soul. If the sect situation were better, you might have been able to progress even further and ascend to Nascent Soul faster with a more solid foundation.”

”Very good, very good.”

Purple Stone True Person respectfully stood by, listening to the conversation of the two elders, and was secretly astounded.

Over five hundred years old, it seemed quite young in the eyes of the Ancestor Master, almost child-like, yet this was nearly twice his lifespan, a lengthy period of time he could hardly yet imagine.

The master and disciples chatted leisurely for a long time, mainly with True Lord of the Sturdy Rock and Purple Stone True Person asking about difficult aspects of Cultivation, with Blood River King providing answers that brought them substantial benefits.

Both gained many techniques created by Blood River King over the years to bolster their foundation. If resources were sufficient, and with diligent Cultivation, their futures would definitely be much smoother.

As they discussed the Dao, months passed imperceptibly.

During this time, True Lord of the Sturdy Rock tactfully did not ask why Ancestor Master appeared here openly, without even hiding, nor did they ask about the external situation or anything at all, enjoying this rare moment of peace.

Without worries or concerns, they were now free to pursue the Dao and cultivate without fear of sudden visitors from the Horned Demon Imperial Clan or the Magic Stone Clan.

Indeed, True Persons and Immortals, even in the presence of a Spirit Transformation Heavenly Monarch, are deeply experienced Cultivators; they must have guessed something but refrained from asking.

Transient peace and freedom, but still freedom.

”… The Blood God does not die, the Great Dao does not cease... The Blood God is not some deity, but our blood, our Blood God Scripture Mana, even our own Dao…”

”… It will definitely not end.”

After explaining the Sect classics, Jiang Ding fell silent.

True Lord of the Sturdy Rock and Purple Stone True Person also remained silent, their faces showing expressions of misery, tears nearly falling but forcefully repressed to maintain composure.

”The current situation is extremely perilous.”

Jiang Ding finally began revealing his purpose for coming, heaving a sigh, ”I wish to explore the path to the Imperial Realm, but internally, I’m besieged by Internal Demons and rampant thoughts, constrained by vows; externally, I’m oppressed by the numerous Great Emperors of the Horned Demon Imperial Clan. The possibility of success, I reckon, is at most one in ten thousand.”

”Yet, one in ten thousand is still a chance.”

”It’s worth a try.”

”Don’t blame me, the Human Race in this world is originally destined to despair, having a one in ten thousand chance is already a tremendous fortune; there will never be a better opportunity.”

”Ancestor Master…”

Tears streamed down the faces of True Lord of the Sturdy Rock and Purple Stone True Person, no longer able to control them.

With the Ancestor Master’s venture, regardless of success or failure, it’s feared that the entire Mountain Suppressing Sect will be annihilated, none spared. The Horned Demon Imperial Clan’s power is vast; many harsh realities must be faced, with no room for luck.