Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery
Chapter 456 - 412 Tianfang Group

Jiang Ding gazed at the sprawling floating island with a size surpassing thirty kilometers before him.

The neon lights flickered as the gilded characters of Tianfang Group shone brilliantly, the island decked in splendor with spiritual light rising like a rosy dawn, causing all passersby to hold their breath and feel intimidated.

Yet for those with strength and the desire to cooperate, this direct and brutal display, brimming with the scent of wealth, put them at ease.

Nestled in the heart of Immortal City, Tianfang Floating Island!

This was the headquarters of Tianfang Group, one of the top ten powerhouses among Xianmen Sect's companies, deeply involved in the design and construction of some parts for Immortal Sects' warships and Air-Space Warplanes. Every century, it introduced new technological breakthroughs and offered generous compensations, making it one of the most coveted employers for graduates from prestigious Xianmen academies.

And now, it was surrounded by a large military formation.

The people coming and going immediately stopped in their tracks, realizing that a significant event was unfolding, and swiftly detoured around the area.

The wars of the High-Level Cultivators were not a spectacle to be observed casually, collateral damage was just that, and if one ignored the warnings and stubbornly refused to leave, even the compensation would be minimal.

Dozens of flying vehicles arrived from afar, docking here, as groups of security personnel in uniform disembarked, numbering hundreds. Most were Foundation-building cultivators with very few cultivating Qi and just three or four Golden Pill Monks.

A refined elderly man with a long beard alighted from one of the vehicles, emanating the aura of someone in the Middle Jindan Stage, all smiles, "This must be Student Jiang, delighted to meet you. My name is Luo Zhongfu, currently holding the position of Chief of the Economic Investigation Department at Xianmen Sect's security branch, tasked with investigating the case suspected to have triggered the sect's foremost law."

"It is exactly our duty to work together," he said.

As a senior, he showed no pretense of condescension.

The surrounding Golden Pill Monks acted as if this was only natural, showing no surprise whatsoever.

This swordsman, known for having personally slain more than a dozen Golden Pill adversaries and for his notorious recklessness, was obviously not someone to be mistaken for a mere Foundation-building cultivator.

"Good to see you, Elder Luo," Jiang responded, bowing slightly. "For this operation, my department will cooperate fully with you, rest assured."

"That's good to hear," Luo Zhongfu stroked his beard, feeling reassured internally.

The Dari Swordsman might be young, but he was certainly steady and dependable.

The two made their way toward Tianfang Floating Island together, while the investigators from the Economic Investigation Department filed in order, heading to various parts of Tianfang Group to intercept documents, interrogate employees, and carry out their work with great efficiency.

"Welcome, gentlemen," came the greeting.

Soon after, Xu Jianian, the current general manager of Tianfang Group, along with a group of the company's senior executives, approached them, all smiles and the epitome of a business elite.

"Why is it you again?!" Xu Jianian's voice turned sharp as he approached and saw a young man in green clothes, his professional demeanor collapsing somewhat, taken aback.

Jiang Ding merely glanced at him.

Latter Stage of Foundation Building.

He had honed the "Electromagnetic Light Wave Stealth Technique" to the point of instinct; were it not for job necessities, he would have involuntarily overlooked even if he were standing right in front of Xu Jianian.

"Last time it was you, and this time it's still you!"

"Won't you rest until you've sent me to prison, is that it?" Xu Jianian was frantically upset, his face darkening, "But Tianfang Group is being wrongfully accused. Liu's Military Industry, unable to compete in business, has resorted to such despicable tactics. They're truly bringing shame to the Liu Family."

"I recall the last time I caught you, you said the same thing," Jiang Ding said with a smile.

"I was framed that time," Xu Jianian retorted. "The subsequent judgment by the Xianmen Sect proved that. I was only implicated, and I certainly won't let such an incident happen again."

"Chief Luo, don't let this man influence you. He has a personal grudge against me."

He reverted to the appearance of a sharp businessman and addressed Chief Luo Zhongfu of the Security Department's Economic Investigation Department, "My company will fully cooperate, and I ask that you complete the investigation as soon as possible, to clear our name."

"Please rest assured, Manager Xu."

With a solemn tone, Luo Zhongfu declared, "Xianmen Sect will never wrong a good person. If it turns out to be a false accusation in the end, Xianmen Sect will make amends, and the accuser will be punished as they should."

"That's good to hear."

Xu Jianian's expression slightly eased, "I can't wait to see Liu Yan and the higher-ups of Liu's Military Industry go to prison."

"Me, go to prison?"

"You're quite the actor, but it's useless."

At this moment, another luxurious flying car convoy arrived, one after another disembarked, and a handsome, young master, just in time to hear Xu Jianian's words, furiously retorted, "Your Tianfang Group, four or five hundred years ago, when my great-grandfather was still around, was nearly bankrupt. Without any personnel or organizational changes, all of a sudden, you developed new technology, who would believe there's no trickery involved?"

This person was naturally the heir of Liu's Military Industry, Liu Yan.

A cultivator at the Latter Stage of Foundation Building, looking to be over a hundred years old, there was still hope for him to reach the Golden Pill stage, but his aptitude was far from that of Xu Jianian.

This was normal, as the grandson of the Divinity Transformation direct lineage, although also a second-generation, there were differences.

"The Lius?"

Jiang Ding's gaze flickered, as the data of Liu's Military Industry surfaced in his mind.

The founder of Liu's Military Industry was a Golden Pill Monk from over seven hundred years ago, the winner of the once-in-a-century Xianmen Sect Luban Military Engineering Award, who later used this achievement to attract many investments and founded Liu's Military Industry, which has thrived to this day.

The Liu Family held approximately twenty-one percent of the shares in Liu's Military Industry, with most other shareholders being dispersed, and the second-largest shareholder holding just about five percent.

Thus, the Liu Family firmly grasped and controlled Liu's Military Industry.

Overall, compared to the entirely Xu-owned Tianfang Group, Liu's Military Industry was a relatively normal Xianmen company.

"In the field of scientific research, sudden breakthroughs are pretty common, aren't they? If you can't keep up, you just can't keep up, dealing with underhanded stuff."

Xu Jianian looked disdainful as he ridiculed.

"Sudden breakthroughs?"

"With you lot?"

Liu Yan chuckled coldly, looking at Jiang Ding and Luo Zhongfu with a hint of respect, "Fellow cultivators, you might not be aware of the internal personnel structure of Tianfang Group. Allow me to enlighten you."

"All positions at manager-level and above in Tianfang Group, including the primary R&D department, are occupied by Xu's own people, and it seems that they are not selected based on talent or achievement but merely on relation, with a clear distinction between the direct lineage, the collateral lineage, and even external surnames."

"Furthermore, as the Xus have adopted too much of the aggressive and overbearing practices of Extra-terrestrial Immortal Sect families, they strongly emphasize a hierarchical order, which is very uncomfortable for citizens of Xianmen Sect."

"Often, it requires at least double the salary and benefits to entice a citizen of Xianmen Sect to choose Xu's."

"After all, we're not people who lack a meal."

"As for the top scientific talents, they are never short of offers; this is true everywhere, and they never have to sacrifice their dignity in looking for work. Xu's can't possibly offer a high position, and therefore they don't have any."

"Is this not the reality?"

Liu Yan looked at Xu Jianian and demanded loudly.

"We Xu's also have talented people."

Xu Jianian's face was cold.

"Talented people?"

"It's not for you to decide."

Liu Yan snorted coldly, looking towards the two Xianmen officials, "Under such circumstances, the military research and development of Xu's suddenly achieved breakthroughs, which goes against common sense."

"If not for using unfair competitive practices, who would believe it?"