Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

Northern Plains.

Tushan Central Court, within the Dark Demon Palace.

Jiang Ding opened his eyes on the Six Dao Throne, his Divine Sense spreading out, surveying in all directions.

”Obeisance to the Heavenly Monarch!”

”Obeisance to our Sovereign!”

”Obeisance to the Swordsman!”

Around him, voices erupted like a tidal wave, over six hundred Immortals of Nascent Soul simultaneously knelt in homage. They came from various places, systems, and sects within the Tu Shan Central Courtyard Cultivation World.

Each one of them was the sovereign of their own land, true immortals with lifespans reaching twelve hundred years, regarded by countless low-ranking cultivators as Nascent Souls with a peculiar temper. But here, each appeared so ordinary, neat and efficient like military officers without the unique edges of a Nascent Soul Monk.

Whether they were previously in seclusion, refining treasures, or attempting to break through to Divinity Transformation... whatever they were doing, they had all emerged, not daring any delay.

Because of a single order from the Dark Demon Palace of the Tu Shan Central Court.

Because of the will of that green-clothed youth sitting on the throne.

Not just these Nascent Soul Monks, outside the Dark Demon Palace, a hundred thousand sword cultivators from the Great Sun Longsword Metropolis, a hundred and eighty thousand maids from the Tushan Maiden Corps, and a million cultivators from the Primordial Magic Heavenly Metropolis had all arrived.

Indeed, gathering the elite, a grand army consisting of one million and two hundred thousand cultivators - Foundation-building cultivators, Golden Pill Monks, and Nascent Soul Monks!

This was the elite force of cultivators formed after the Tu Shan Cultivation World unified, experiencing hundreds of years, two generations of Immortals of Nascent Soul constantly training, honing, renewing the Formation instruments, and continuously practicing the Formation Methods, vastly surpassing the initial strength at the formation of the army.

Many cultivators within the army believed that even Peak Divine Transformation Cultivators would not dare to face them here.

Such a terrifying force.

Who were they preparing to face?

Who else?

Against the likes of Ice Field Heavenly Monarch, Heavenly Monarch Wan Zhu, Bai Zu Heavenly Lord and the like, part of the grand army could sweep them away, so why go to such lengths?

Could it be that the Heavenly Monarch desired to inspect the armies of Tu Shan?

Many Immortals of Nascent Soul were puzzled, their thoughts racing with various complicated and anxious speculations, and some even feared that this was the suspicion of the lord in his later years, a drastic change in temperament, thus cleansing internal forces to pave the way for his successors.

Humans are such complex and changeable beings; the convictions of one moment may not be the thoughts of the next.

Some Nascent Soul Monks with insight into the related politics speculated further.

At this moment, not only the one million and two hundred thousand finest field armies of the Tu Shan Central Court, but also many class-B and class-C armies of cultivators were called up, stationed at various sects and Spiritual Veins, amounting to tens of millions.

But this wasn’t the limit.

Beyond the class-B and class-C armies, even the most ordinary Qi Practitioners, those who hadn’t undergone military training, were in training now. In their spare time from their cultivational production, they trained one day out of ten, a practice that had been going on for decades, forming the most fundamental class-D army to ensure they could fill the various Formation Methods with their Mana at critical times.

These weakest of the demons and human Qi Practitioners numbered up to several hundred million!

One could say that every ounce of power within the Tu Shan Central Court Cultivation World was being mobilized, making preparations, with no cultivator exempt.

For the first time, the immense presence that had never shown itself in this Minor Thousand World revealed its full power. Its influence stretched into every corner, onto every person, and no one could remain uninvolved.

They, who had enjoyed peace and a relaxed cultivation environment, now had obligations.

No one was allowed only rights without duties, the Tu Shan Central Court as the Immortal Dao Organization wouldn’t permit such a thing.

Aside from personnel mobilization, there was also the movement of supplies from various places. Countless Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure, Elixirs, and Talismans were stored in the treasuries of various sects, ensuring self-sufficiency even if communication with the outside world were severed.

Moreover, there were increasingly frequent military Formation Method drills over decades...

Nascent Soul Monks possessed strong Divine Soul Computational Power. Connecting all these conditions and speculations, many Immortals of Nascent Soul started to tremble, their hands shaking, unable to prevent a sense of panic rising in their hearts despite thousands of years of cultivation.

This was universal mobilization!

This was prep for total war!

What kind of enemy was this war against?!

To the point that Tu Shan Heavenly Monarch, invincible in the world, would make such a desperate war decision, sending a message of resoluteness and a will akin to perishing together from top to bottom.

”Heavenly Monarch...”

Immortal Yin Dao, now the supervising governor of Primordial Magic Heavenly Metropolis, asked with a dry throat and trembling voice, ”Could it be, is it, that cultivators from the Outer World are about to arrive?”

With these words, it was as if a layer of fog had been lifted.

Many Immortals of Nascent Soul had a sudden epiphany. They looked up at the green-clothed youth on the Six Dao Throne, and many of their thoughts and doubts were instantly answered.

”Yes, Outer World Cultivators!”

”Outer World Cultivation World!”

Only such an explanation makes sense.

In the Minor Thousand World, Tushan Central Court has become invincible—what else could warrant such grand preparation?

Only something beyond the Minor Thousand World!

At this moment, many Cultivators were plunged into deep fear, trembling incessantly.

At this moment, the eyes of many Cultivators suddenly brightened, their bodies trembling, not out of fear, but out of uncontrollable excitement, their blood boiling as if they saw a pathway of light before them.

The great hall instantly became noisy and chaotic, as many Immortals could not control their emotions.

”Quiet.”

Jiang Ding said indifferently.

The whole hall fell silent.

Order was immediately restored; over six hundred Immortals stood solemnly, and you could hear a pin drop.

”Wait.”

”Be patient. Don’t be restless. That will lead to losing one’s composure, which is detrimental to the greater cause.”

Jiang Ding offered no explanations to them. He placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, closed his eyes slightly, and continued to wait.

There are three more days until the arrival time of the Upper Realm as mentioned by Immortal Da’ai.

Due to Immortal Da’ai’s own request for secrecy, he did not explain anything to these Nascent Soul Monks because, indeed, it was difficult to explain. He did not want to cover it up with some random excuse because lies were something he did not take pleasure in.

Tick-tock,

Tick-tock,

Tick-tock...

In the Sea of Consciousness of many anxious Immortals of Nascent Soul, time dripped away like water, each breath resounding distinctly, creating ripples in their Sea of Consciousness.

They tried to operate secret techniques to soothe their Divine Souls, forcing themselves to calm down, standing quietly in the hall, waiting.

As a host of Immortals of Nascent Soul silently waited, three days slowly passed.

Everything was normal.

No accidents happened.

Immortal Da’ai, present in the hall, felt a deep chill inside, ice-cold to the bones: ”Heavenly Monarch, I implore you—”

”Do not worry,”

”Do not worry, Fellow Daoist.”

Jiang Ding’s voice came to his ear, warm and kind: ”The way of Tianji is prone to errors; it’s quite normal. I am not a harsh person.”

”Let us give it another three years.”

”It’s all right, it’s all right.”

His voice was extremely gentle, which was unprecedented.

Yet, Immortal Da’ai felt an increasing tremor in his heart.

However, he said nothing further, took a deep breath, continued to close his eyes to rest and spirit, waiting for time to flow.

Months passed again.

Time seemed to stand still.

The Heavenly Monarch on the throne cultivated with his eyes closed; a host of Immortals of Nascent Soul stood quietly and respectfully; 1.2 million elite troops of the Tushan Central Court stood silently and respectfully, like neatly arranged statues, unmoving, unaffected by wind or rain not in the slightest.

At a certain moment.

Boom!

Beyond the Minor Thousand World, a terrifying thunder exploded, creating a horrifying celestial event. Countless lightning snakes emerged, devouring the starry sea, eclipsing the sun, casting their presence into the Minor Thousand World, known to all beings within.

Numerous Nascent Soul Monks trembled.

”Upper Realm, the army of Upper Realm Cultivators...”

Jiang Ding, upon the throne, opened his eyes and spoke slowly.