Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery
Chapter 503 - 488 The Reputation of Tushan Sword Cultivator

The underground auction was eerily empty.

Apart from the cultivators from Hua Xue Palace and those of the Lingbao Commerce Association, only the man in the black robe—who had just spoken—stood at his spot, slightly embarrassed and annoyed, surrounded by silence.

"A bunch of cowards!"

"Even if Golden Pill Monks are strong, what can they do against more than forty joining forces? Such opulent wealth right before their eyes, yet they don't seize it. No wonder they shrink back and flee here, their path in the Dao stagnating."

He spoke with a mix of scorn and mockery.

No one around him responded.

The middle-stage Golden Pill cultivator from Lingbao Commerce Association waved his hand, and the surrounding cultivators respectfully retreated. In the blink of an eye, only the two of them remained.

"Fellow Daoist, as per tradition, the location of the underground auction is only used once. I shall take my leave now."

"In twenty years, should you be interested again, you can find out the location through the VIP order."

The middle-aged scholar from the Shang Clan, beardless and wearing white, bowed and took his leave, clearly not intending to engage further, avoiding the other like the plague.

"Shopkeeper, I wish to buy some information."

The man in the black robe stated in a deep voice.

Yet the middle-aged scholar quickened his pace, as if he hadn't heard anything at all.

The man in the black robe did not speak further, instead tossing over a token that glimmered with Spiritual Light, which flew in front of the beardless middle-aged scholar and hovered motionlessly.

"Star Order?"

The middle-aged scholar paused in his steps, showing a look of apprehension.

This was a token Lingbao Commerce Association only gave to important VIPs; this person must be exceedingly outstanding in either strength, wealth, or influence, or perhaps all three.

"What information does our guest want to purchase?"

The middle-aged scholar cast a Mana Technique and the Array Patterns around the underground auction activated, especially the Concealment Patterns, which operated at their limits to shield everything inside and out.

"Is all this necessary? It's just a Gold core sword cultivator after all."

The man in the black robe frowned, foregoing further talk, and asked with some frustration, "Why exactly did they all suddenly leave? Logically speaking, they don't have to be so fearful even if they choose not to act. They are all Golden Pill cultivators who have experienced countless life-and-death fights since youth; how could mere reputation cause such fear?"

"Does the fellow Daoist really need to ask?"

The middle-aged scholar let out a wry smile.

"Nearly a hundred years ago, the battle at Tushan Immortal City with the Gold Pagoda King, Ms. Thousand Snakes, Shang Chengye, and the subsequently rumored Blood Cloud Eighteen Knights' Bronze Drum Vajra Tuduo."

"Four great post-golden alchemists."

"Righteous and evil, loose cultivators, none concerned with life or death; those who dared to make a move are now but a pile of bones."

"Now, you have come again, wishing to make a move on Tushan Immortal City that is shielded by layers of formations. It's only natural for them to be suspicious and fear a trap."

"Suspicious of what? I'm merely after wealth."

The man in the black robe frowned.

"After wealth, logically speaking, it does not make sense."

"Of course, I believe you," replied the middle-aged scholar with a bow.

"To ignore the easy targets of Qiyu Sect and Hua Xue Palace, yet choosing to target the vastly more difficult Tushan Immortal City, anyone can see there's something off. There must be a reason, either a personal grudge or some major power's influence."

"I am not curious, so you need not explain," the middle-aged scholar hastily added.

In fact, there have been designs to take over Hua Xue Palace and Qiyu Sect over the years.

But due to their internal chaos, before any plan could start, squabbles over the division of spoils led to disarray.

Besides, post-golden alchemists could run away.

Once they detect a large number of Golden Pill cultivators threatening their lives, what is a mere sect to them?

It wasn't like no one had ever fled before.

Taking the sect's Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasures and important disciples, they could escape in mere moments, without even needing to catch their breath. How could a group of early and middle-stage cultivators possibly catch up with a post-golden alchemist?

Those dozens of Golden Pill cultivators who attacked their sect had better spend the rest of their lives together.

Otherwise, once they scatter...

"I see."

The man in the black robe fell silent, then calmly said, "It seems I have been too impetuous as a newcomer to these parts. Thank you, shopkeeper, for the information."

"Serving the commerce association's VIPs is my duty," replied the middle-aged scholar with a deep bow.

"Give me all the information on Tushan Immortal City, from its founding to now," the man in the black robe said, tossing over a bag of Spirit Stones.

"I shall prepare it for you immediately..." the middle-aged scholar said respectfully.

After being attended to, amidst the reverent gaze of the Lingbao Commerce Association members, a man in a black robe left the area through the underground auction's teleportation Formation, heading thousands of kilometers away.

Concealing his form, he flew across the sky.

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"These cultivators escaping the Northern Plains are too cowardly, hardly useful for anything significant."

"It is no longer feasible for one person to exterminate the forces in the territories of the Three Kingdoms."

The man in the black robe silently said in his heart, "Although I can defeat and slay many Post-golden Alchemist cultivators when joined together, the chances of slaying them amidst their Formation Method are not great. I'll wait for someone from my sect to come..."

The Escape Light sped up slightly once more, piercing through the mountain forest sky.

"Which sect are you talking about?"

Suddenly, a voice appeared in his heart.

The voice was young and clear, like that of a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy, or perhaps a man in his forties or fifties; it echoed within the Lake of Heart, rousing layers upon layers of ripples.

"Who is it?!"

The man in the black robe was greatly shocked. His body flashed with black light and streaks of black feathers emerged on his cheeks as he shouted sharply.

He certainly didn't have the habit of speaking when alone!

All of this was in his heart; someone was able to directly invade his Divine Soul and uncover his thoughts, which was simply terrifying.

The Divine Soul scanned frantically within the Sea of Consciousness, churning wildly.

Finally, in a corner of the Sea of Consciousness, he discovered a thread of extremely fine Bluegold Sword Qi, carrying an aura that destroyed spirits and souls.

"Playing god or ghost!"

The man in the black robe coldly shouted. His Sea of Consciousness surged like a tide, crashing down and shattering the thread of fine Sword Qi into nothingness.

Divine Sense unfolded in all directions, but found nothing.

Not far away, the air shimmered transparently, and the figure of an ordinary-looking youth materialized.

Clearly, the person was right there.

Yet, when the Divine Sense swept over, it clearly told him that it was merely a clump of air, with nothing present, and this remained the case with every scan.

A sinking feeling settled in his heart.

"Tushan City Lord? Lingbao Commerce Association!"

The man in the black robe said coldly.

Being ambushed right after leaving made him lose all trust in the Lingbao Commerce Association, leading him to believe that he had been betrayed.

The commerce association here and Tushan Immortal City had already colluded together, forming a tight alliance impervious to both needle and splash.

"You mentioned a sect?"

"In my cultivation journey to this day, the only sect I have offended is the Liudao Sect."

Jiang Ding looked at the person in front of him and slowly said, "You are even stronger than Immortal Tiankuang, both in the purity of your Mana and the concentration of your Divine Sense. Are you from the direct lineage of the Liudao Sect? Is your surname Yin, or something else?"

Judging the strength of a cultivator of the same rank, Divine Sense and Mana are two very accurate indicators.

"I am Hei Shan, and I have had the pleasure of meeting this fellow daoist."

The man in the black robe forced a smile on his face and bowed with a cupped fist greeting.

"Hei?"

"So, you are from the Beast Dao's Hei Clan of the Liudao Sect, and from its direct lineage, no less. A fellow daoist from a renowned family indeed."

Jiang Ding recalled the memories of Immortal Tiankuang and others, slightly nodding and curiously asked, "Has the Tianrendao of the Yin's given up? Why have they sent you?"

"This has been the territory of the Beast Dao all along."

Hei Shan's face showed some ugliness but soon recovered and explained, "The Yin's were overbearing and forcefully seized it before, but later they found a better place, and this territory was contested over by our Beast Dao."

He was very polite, extremely cooperative, and showed none of the crazed ruthlessness often associated with the diabolical major sects' direct lineage.

"I see."

"It appears that within the Liudao Sect, the Tianrendao is very strong, whereas the Beast Dao is somewhat weaker."

Jiang Ding mused.

"Fellow Daoist of Tushan."

"My earlier mistake was my fault, and I am willing to compensate with half of my possessions. I ask for your forgiveness."

Hei Shan said earnestly, "Although I am of low status and my words carry little weight, I am nonetheless from the direct lineage of the Beast Dao's Hei Clan, and I have the mark left by our Patriarch Nascent Soul. Upon my death, it can automatically track nearby enemies and attach to them."

"Risking this for me, a small fry, is truly not worth it."

He spoke humbly, with an implicit warning, and his posture could not have been lower.

Then, Mana surged and tensed, his eyes fixed on the person in front of him.

"No,"

"You are worth it."

Jiang Ding smiled faintly, "I'm very interested in what is in your Divine Soul. How about you open your Divine Soul for me to take a look? The reward will be leaving your body intact."

"Are you tempted?"

"Seeking death!"

The smile on the man in the black robe's face disappeared, revealing a cruel expression.

He threw out a Black Feather Treasure, radiating the aura of a Top-grade Magic Treasure. Blades of force spread across the fields, screaming harshly as they swooped down to kill.

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