Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

Chapter 1345: Chapter 1313: The Fortieth Taoist University, Netherworld University

The Xianmen Sect had entered the fervent phase of Immortal Path research.

Various projects and initiatives were rapidly established within a short period of time. Temporarily demobilized citizen cultivators participated in research, production, and teaching across numerous sectors. They seamlessly transitioned into various occupations as ordinary citizens, setting down their weapons and stepping into civil roles.

Jiang Ding had also temporarily retired from the military.

He returned to his previous role in education, tasked with establishing the Xianmen Sect’s fortieth university with a Cultivation Department — Qingfeng University — and planning the foundation for Netherworld University.

The Nine Spirit Realm was being constructed as a standard mother realm by the Xianmen Sect.

Netherworld University was one such unprecedented example. It became the first cultivation university established outside the mother star, which the Xianmen Sect refused to treat like other minor thousand worlds under the administration of native inhabitants.

The various intelligent beings originally residing within the Nine Spirit Realm, including remnants of the Horned Demon Imperial Clan, were to be gradually relocated, emigrating to other minor thousand worlds for resettlement.

However, Netherworld University was different from other Xianmen universities. It would only accept students over 100 years of age or transfer students, offering exclusively postgraduate-level courses.

This was to ensure that citizens maintained a sense of belonging to the mother star.

Young citizens were not permitted to grow up within the Nine Spirit Realm and develop a stronger attachment to it than to the mother star; such sentiments were forbidden.

Jiang Ding stood amidst the seventh-rank spiritual veins beneath the Heaven-Covering Banyan Divine Tree.

Mountains, forests, and rivers rose from the ground under his divine sense, forming classrooms, plazas, school gates, dormitories for students, and other structures. In mere moments, the outline of these buildings had materialized.

But this was merely a framework.

The interior cultivation chambers, formation methods for classrooms, and various teaching and research instruments naturally could not be created in an instant. These details fell to others to handle.

“Proceed according to Qingfeng University’s standards and accommodate the requirements of current research projects,” Jiang Ding instructed.

“Understood, Principal!”

A group of Nascent Soul cultivators bowed in response before leaving alongside numerous Nascent Soul monks.

With Xianmen having evolved into a harmonization-level power, the faculty qualifications for universities had risen significantly.

Generally speaking, top-tier universities only permitted Nascent Soul cultivators to serve as instructors. Even extraordinary Nascent Soul monks were rarely appointed beyond assistant roles.

This was a profound shift compared to millennia past.

“Jiang Ding, you rascal, you’ve become a principal now?”

Dinghai Heavenly Monarch remarked with a hint of amazement.

Having awakened, he had also achieved divinity transformation. Each Qingfeng University principal had been one of the most exceptional talents in Xianmen Sect over centuries, and attaining Divinity Transformation was hardly surprising—especially with Xianmen Sect controlling a medium thousand world.

Nearby, Slaughter Spirit Heavenly Monarch, Chengyang Heavenly Lord Zhang Junsheng, and Si Yan Heavenly Monarch gathered. They hailed from the education industry and were highly experienced, now tasked with overseeing various educational aspects.

“Teacher praises me too highly.”

“I am merely acting as a temporary substitute to quell discontent among newly ascended Divinity Transformation cultivators,” Jiang Ding said with a smile. “In time, I may be reassigned back to Xianmen’s mother planet to replace Canghai True Venerable and take on guarding duties. When that time comes, I can recommend you to serve as the Principal of Netherworld University — it is a wonderful position that allows you to steadily build experience and aim for Refining Nothingness.”

“Though I’m unsure whether the council will approve, given your rather… well, average degree of excellence.” Jiang Ding chuckled.

Dinghai Heavenly Monarch’s qualifications were indeed somewhat lacking.

Having ascended to Divinity Transformation less than six centuries ago, he remained a novice among Divinity Transformation cultivators.

The Great Sun Heavenly Lord taking on the role of Netherworld University principal was met without objection.

This venerable elder commanded respect from every Divinity Transformation cultivator, much like a child revering an elder, their admiration heartfelt and genuine.

It was even said that a member of the Xianmen Political Council’s nine leaders, the Great Sun Heavenly Lord taking on the Netherworld University principalship, represented a step down, signifying Xianmen’s seriousness in establishing Netherworld University, thus elevating its prestige rather than devaluing it.

This was the Great Sun Heavenly Lord.

Dinghai Heavenly Monarch, however, might provoke dissent. Given the abundance of talented Divinity Transformation cultivators aspiring to the role of principal, even the honorable title of “mentor to the Great Sun Heavenly Lord” couldn’t intimidate them.

To be frank, no matter how prestigious the lineage, it was strength that spoke volumes, not past associations.

“Principal of Netherworld University?”

“Can I handle it?”

Dinghai Heavenly Monarch hesitated, his confidence faltering.

With Xianmen at the height of its prowess, boasting over a thousand Divinity Transformation cultivators, each one a luminous figure in Xianmen’s history with countless prodigious and peerless talents blended among them, Dinghai’s once impressive track record now seemed unremarkable in comparison.

“Why not give it a try?”

“At worst, it will serve as valuable training, greatly benefiting your path ahead,” Jiang Ding encouraged.

Beyond Dinghai Heavenly Monarch, Jiang Ding also made arrangements for Si Yan Heavenly Monarch, Slaughter Spirit Heavenly Monarch, Chengyang Heavenly Lord, and the others. Most were appointed as lecturers or professors across various disciplines, roles they were entirely capable of fulfilling.

In fact, his current form was only one of his Divinity Transformation-phase avatars.

His true body remained within the Great Sun Heavenly Pond, still cultivating and imparting divine sense into the network. He was engaged in a military conference remotely, discussing strategic developments after the complete recovery of the Eight Great Immortal Sects’ eight Great Experts.

“Should we covertly target and eliminate promising cultivators like Dingding Heavenly Monarch who belong to the Eight Great Immortal Sects?”

“These individuals have the potential to reach Refining Nothingness,” Wanji True Venerable suggested coolly. “The Eight Great Immortal Sects possess lineage for the Harmonization Formation. If granted tens of thousands of years to nurture talent, with Refining Nothingness cultivators ascending and Divinity Transformation cultivators advancing, accompanied by the creation of Harmonization-level army formation weaponry by their Great Experts, they could establish Harmonization-level Taoist Soldiers.”

“Such forces could threaten our strategic security.”

“Instead, we could sabotage them now, delaying the formation of Harmonization Taoist Soldiers. The damage would be marginal compared to inciting the wrath of the Eight Great Experts.”

The surrounding members of the Xianmen Political Council considered this proposal.

“Unacceptable.”

Far shook his head slightly and replied, “If Great Experts cannot be openly defeated and slain by us, such underhanded tactics are beneath us, too petty and unbecoming.”

“Should any of our Divinity Transformation cultivators venture out, they would risk retribution. This is not advisable.”

“…True.” Wanji True Venerable ruminated briefly before withdrawing his suggestion.

“Great Sun, in 350 years, after the next guardian rotation, how would you feel about taking up the thousand-year task of guarding the mother star?”

Far remarked to Jiang Ding, “The cultivation environment in the Nine Spirit Realm is superior. Research instruments are of higher quality, and harmonization-level computational power is available. Conditions are privileged, making it unwise for Canghai alone to bear the burden indefinitely.”

“Furthermore, having a cultivator remain stationed in one location for too long risks the emergence of separatist tendencies, breaching Xianmen’s policies.”

“Thus, the next millennium’s protector will be Wanji. The millennium following that will be Divine Machine. Aside from myself, who must guard against Great Expert ambushes, the other nine members will rotate in shifts — a cycle spanning nine thousand years.”

Xianmen’s regulations had always avoided placing blind trust in any individual cultivator, even Far himself. Reliance on individual moral integrity was avoided, despite the reliability of Canghai True Venerable.

“I will comply with orders.”

Jiang Ding voiced no objection.

It was evident that although the Eight Great Experts had yet to fully return, Xianmen no longer feared them. The sect regarded the anti-Xianmen alliance with little concern, even in the face of a potentially more unified and formidable force.