Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery
Chapter 534 - 519 Great Sun Sword Sect

"Find a place..."

Jiang Ding pondered for a moment.

He needed an identity that could move about in the open, as well as a hidden nest to conceal himself.

The latter was simple, find any place that was as inconspicuous as possible and set up a Concealment Array.

The former, however, would require some thought.

This was meant for the Nanofluid Robot.

When necessary, he could apply for a puppet clone similar to Armor-25, a Golden Pill Peak-level entity incapable of comprehending Magic, but more than capable of handling miscellaneous affairs and possessing the combat power of someone at the Golden Pill Peak.

The mission of this clone was critical.

Firstly, it needed to secure priority materials like Gold Copper Stone, essential for the production of No. 21 Synthetic Gengjin, ensuring the annual procurement of a piece from the limited output of No. 21 Synthetic Gengjin from the steelworks in Xiandu.

Like now, always relying on trading at a loss with Nascent Soul-level materials was not a solution, it was only for emergencies.

Secondly, it was to gather intelligence, to have some understanding of the surrounding situation, so that he could take flight before any major environmental changes that could threaten him, rather than foolishly staying put.

"In this regard, Immortal Tiankuang seemed to have prepared a backup for himself, named after a power known as the Wei Family of Tuling, located about seven or eight hundred kilometers away in a place called Tuling."

Jiang Ding recalled Immortal Tiankuang's arrangements.

"The Wei Family is a vassal to the Hei Clan, with its family head Wei Jian, a Mid Jindan Stage Cultivator, originally a scholar serving a direct descendant of the Hei Clan. Loyal to the Hei Clan for over a thousand years, serving riskily in life and death situations multiple times, his fidelity has earned him the trust of the Hei Clan's direct lineage."

"However, Immortal Tiankuang incidentally discovered that the Wei Family was secretly communicating with the Great Sun Sect, covertly supplying intelligence about the Hei Clan's direct lineage in exchange for Nascent Soul Cultivation Methods."

"After Immortal Tiankuang executed him, he didn't report it to the Liudao Sect but kept it a secret. Using a Secret Technique, he devoured Wei Jian's Divine Soul and memories, regularly presiding over the Wei Family to continue maintaining the friendship with the Great Sun Sect, obtaining Nascent Soul Cultivation Methods... and, in times of discord, would truly become Wei Jian."

"When Immortal Tiankuang went to the cultivation world of the Three Kingdoms, he left some arrangements behind in the Wei Family, staging a scenario where he was critically injured in an attack by a Jindan from the Great Sun Sect, making it appear as if he had fled to recuperate far away. In the Wei Family, their Soul Lamp remained lit."

Jiang Ding spent a long time rummaging through his Storage Jade Pendant, eventually pulling out a piece of human skin that emitted faint traces of Spiritual Light.

A hundred years had passed, yet it still looked a healthy flesh color, with good elasticity and no changes.

The human skin bore the face of an honest and simple middle-aged Cultivator.

"The human skin Secret Technique of the Heavenly Man Dao of the Yin's from the Liudao Sect."

"Disgusting."

Jiang Ding showed a look of disgust, a flame appeared in his hand, and in an instant, the human skin was incinerated to ash.

He did not need such a crude method of concealment.

"Over a hundred years have passed, and it's uncertain whether Immortal Tiankuang's arrangements are still of any use," Jiang Ding mused to himself.

Every Cultivator needed an identity.

Otherwise, the sudden emergence of an unfamiliar High-Level Cultivator in the area would attract the notice and wariness of many nearby Cultivators, which wouldn't be conducive to his goals.

If the Wei Family could not be utilized, he would simply look elsewhere.

From the current perspective, the Northern Plains were not lacking in Diabolic Cultivators who needed to act righteously on behalf of the heavens— finding an appropriate one should not be difficult.

Concealing his figure, ignoring all the conflicts he encountered on the road, he traveled across the grasslands stretching seven or eight hundred kilometers.

A low-lying, khaki-colored Little Mountain appeared before him, the aura of a Third-tier Mid-grade Spiritual Vein faintly present.

A Third-tier Mid-grade Spiritual Vein.

Jiang Ding reflected thoughtfully.

The Wei Family's ancestor, that scholar.

His master, who must have had a certain affection for the scholar who grew up with him, intentionally situated his family near a Third-tier Spiritual Vein close to the Beast Spirit Immortal City.

A Midgrade Third-tier Spiritual Vein, the Mid Jindan Stage, it was a suitable Cultivation Base.

Advancing any further, becoming a Post-golden Alchemist, would inevitably lead to yearning for the Nascent Soul, inadvertently straying from the boundaries set by the Hei Clan for its vassal families, breeding resentment and bringing disaster upon their own family.

It was indeed thoughtful consideration.

But clearly, in this age of upheaval incited by the Great Sun Sect, the Wei Family wasn't content to be a Golden Pill-level family for all eternity, forever serving as slaves and servants.

...

In the ancestral shrine of the Wei Family,

A blue-gowned woman at the early Golden Pill stage silently gazed at a Soul Lamp, her eyes brimming with longing and melancholy.

"Miss,"

"Our esteemed ancestor is blessed by heaven, surely nothing will befall him."

Behind her, a benevolent-faced old woman at the Peak of Foundation Building spoke softly, "After the ancestor left, many relations within our main family have become distant. Recently, the Yu and Shi families have been active, intending to revoke our Yu Family's A-rank vassal status and relegate us to guard a Third-tier Low-grade Spiritual Vein on the front lines against the Great Sun Sect."

The Hei Clan categorized their vassal families into four grades: A, B, C, and D, with A being Mid Jindan Stage, B being Early Jindan Stage, C being Foundation Building Clans, and D being Qi Cultivating Families.

"Although Immortal Hei Pang is from a Collateral Lineage of the Hei Clan, he is exceptionally talented and also a Mid Jindan Stage Cultivator. Becoming... becoming his concubine might not be unacceptable."

"Miss, it's certainly better than being sent off to die against the Great Sun Sect."

The old woman didn't dare to press the issue, instead she tried to persuade her with kind words.

"If it were from the Hei Clan's Direct Lineage, then being a concubine might be acceptable," the beautiful, blue-gowned woman sighed, "but it just had to be a member of the Hei Clan's Collateral Lineage, especially at a time when legitimate and illegitimate branches are vying for power."

"But the family..." the benevolent old woman said anxiously.

"But, if I go to the front lines, I might live while all of you are certain to die."

The blue-gowned woman sighed, "Aunt Xiu, you watched me grow up, so do you think it's okay for a Golden Pill Cultivator to be humiliated, to be used as a bargaining chip for your survival?"

"There is no such thing..."

The kind-looking old woman felt a chill in her heart, her eyes widened as if she was seeing the woman in front of her for the first time.

Just as she was about to say something, she felt a pain in her throat.

A kind-looking head rolled to the ground.

"Father has been cultivating for many years, Aunty Xiu, you raised me."

The woman in the blue dress sighed, "You've spoken so much and lived for so long, it's enough to repay the kindness. Under the nine springs, you should be able to rest in peace."

Having said that, she continued to look sadly at the soul lamp in the center of the ancestral hall with a worried face.

A breeze blew, causing the flame of the lamp to flicker.

A man dressed in a black robe, with an honest face, and at the Middle Jindan Stage, appeared in front of her, quietly watching her.

"Father!"

Wei Qingqing blurted out.

Then she realized something was wrong.

The person in front of her, although in appearance, divine soul fluctuations, and cultivation base, was just like her father, the look in his eyes was completely wrong, utterly indifferent, looking at her as if she was a stranger.

This was almost instinctual, the instinct between father and daughter.

"Run!"

Wei Qingqing didn't even think, she waved her sleeve and brought out a green shield treasure to protect herself. She erupted with mana to escape outside while her Divine Sense communicated with the sect's grand formation.

"Good thing, this person is arrogant."

She thought to herself, feeling relieved.

With all the arrangements in place, even if it were a Post-Golden Pill Alchemist, relying on the formation method could buy some time, enough to flee.

As long as she could get to Beast Spirit Immortal City...

"Sigh."

"Sure enough, I'm not used to this kind of infiltration."

Jiang Ding said to himself and flicked his finger.

All around, space solidified.

Just as Wei Qingqing was trying to connect with the grand formation to escape, her body also stiffened and she couldn't move at all, her eyes showing extreme terror.

Space!

For a small Golden Pill cultivator like me!

A terrifying thought emerged in her mind.

The matter with the Great Sun Sect,

was it exposed?

"Miss Wei, your slaughter of mortals is an offense."

Jiang Ding searched through the memories of Immortal Tiankuang for a moment and found a legitimate reason.

The Hei Clan is a Diabolism family; many things are routine.

"Now, I need you to serve for a period of time."

Jiang Ding took out a talisman and affixed it to her forehead.

A third-grade superior mind-confusing talisman.

It could modify some memories of a Golden Pill cultivator and set some memory anchors that would make the subject thoroughly convinced.

Such talismans were somewhat mediocre, only effective if there was an overwhelming divine soul advantage, and the target had no ability to resist.

Wei Qingqing showed a confused and struggling expression.

Several days later.

"Father."

Wei Qingqing showed joy, with no more doubt.

"Mhm, don't let anyone know about my return,"

Jiang Ding said indifferently, "Everything in the clan shall proceed as usual, no need to make a fuss. I will handle any trouble."

"Yes."

Wei Qingqing respectfully took her leave.

In her divine soul, a strand of Sword Intent of Destruction served as the final safeguard. If any anomalies were detected, it would automatically initiate self-destruct, which even a Nascent Soul cultivator could not prevent, ensuring a degree of secrecy.

Of course, even if exposed, it wasn't a big deal; his real body wouldn't stay here for long.

"The alliance between righteousness and evil has lost, yet it has not."

Jiang Ding no longer paid attention to Wei Qingqing and pondered some of the information in her memory, his expression becoming grave.

"Han Lin didn't deceive me; the alliance indeed lost."

"Numerous Nascent Souls have fallen, clans with thousands of years of heritage have been exterminated by the Great Sun Sect, and sects like the Liudao Sect have even initiated a seed project to disperse and flee from the Northern Plains."

"But at this time, the already victorious Great Sun Sect split into factions and engaged in infighting. Many cultivators from the Great Sun Sect died in a single battle, with the level of bloodshed and cruelty comparable to the battle with the alliance."

"Now, the Northern Plains has a three-pronged power balance; the righteous and evil alliance, the Great Sun Sect, and—"

"The Great Sun Sword Sect."