Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

More than ten minutes later,

Jiang Ding arrived at the central area of the Eastern Army Group.

Along the way, the security was extremely tight. Every five hundred meters, there was a tank on patrol, not to mention the highly concealed Taoist Soldier units protecting many locations.

Reaching the military headquarters, the area was filled with Taoist Soldiers from various large and small sects like the Tianhai Sect, Chongshan Sect, and Golden Armor Sect. Groups of a hundred, comprising Qi-cultivating cultivators at the middle and late stages, were stationed every fifty meters, specializing in defensive formations.

A hundred cultivators working together could resist an early-stage Foundation Building cultivator for a few seconds.

As for Foundation Establishment Stage Taoist Soldiers, there were none.

Most resources of Xianmen Sect were used to train Fairy Gate Citizens, and it was already not easy to maintain some Taoist Soldiers of the same or lower rank with the few remaining resources.

It was impossible to massively cultivate beings a whole rank higher than Fairy Gate Citizens, as no clan's fortune could withstand such squandering.

Unless Fairy Gate Citizens were falling into decay en masse, proving unworthy of development, forcing the sect to take desperate measures under tremendous external pressure.

Such incidents had indeed occurred in Xianmen Sect's past history.

Three thousand Taoist Soldiers, thirty with the combat power of Foundation Builders.

The positioning was relatively dense, enough to withstand most Foundation Building cultivators for at least a few seconds.

Unfortunately, the combat power of core True Disciples from the Xuanwu tiangong subtly surpassed the Peak of Foundation Building, nearing the Golden Pellet Realm—these defenses were still insufficient.

One thousand eight hundred meters, one thousand meters, eight hundred meters!

"Aim!"

"You're an hour late!"

Xu Jianian in the central military camp was startled and looked in Jiang Ding's direction, almost summoning the artillery to bombard. Remembering the prior notice, he stopped and said with displeasure.

"Although some achievements have been made, they are worthless compared to my safety!"

"You should have rushed to me at all costs long ago!"

Jiang Ding couldn't be bothered with him and directly asked.

"Where are my subordinate troops?"

Even if he had sped up, he couldn't have caught up with the attack from the core True Disciples of Xuanwu tiangong. This anger was meaningless.

Moreover, his concern for his own safety was right.

But it seemed all too self-centric, as if others' sacrifices for him were a matter of course, a natural duty.

"Disrespectful, insubordinate!"

Xu Jianian's anger flashed.

But he didn't have a good solution. This was a Xianmen Sect's army, not some warlord's private army. As long as no military laws were broken, he couldn't do anything to a junior officer.

Not just him, including Jiang Ding.

Even after he had expressed several times to not be called Dari Swordsman, some still did, and he too could do nothing about it.

No one could.

"Xu... Xu San, Xu Si... Xu Qi, and deputy team leaders from the Taoist Soldier teams eight to thirty come over."

Xu Jianian huffed coldly.

"Xu... Xu Qi, are all these people you brought?"

Jiang Ding instinctively sensed something.

A barely uncontrollable savage killing intent began to rise from his heart, yet his expression remained unchanged, even becoming somewhat kinder.

"They are all children born in Xu Jiezhong from the Xu Clan."

Xu Jianian proudly said, "We grew up together, they are my subordinates as close as brothers. If it were not for you, one of them might have even entered the top ten of the cold weapons examination."

"I see, Brother Xu truly comes from an extraordinary background," Jiang Ding said with due respect.

"Not bad," Xu Jianian restrained a smile, his impression of the person in front of him improving slightly.

...

Xiandu

"Oh no!"

"The Dari Swordsman wants to kill!"

"And it's the kind where he aims to completely eradicate their Divine Soul and body."

Immortal Huangmao mockingly said, yet his eyes softened.

"Xu's..."

Immortal Dinghai fell silent.

...

"Greetings to the Immortal Envoy of the Travel Department!"

Thirty Taoist Soldiers, both from the main and deputy teams, respectfully prostrated themselves before Jiang Ding, including seven Fairy Gate Citizens from Xu Yi to Xu Qi.

They appeared exceedingly respectful, even more so than many of the deputy commanders of the Taoist Soldiers who looked puzzled and uneasy.

Xu Si, who was on the verge of comprehending Sword Intent, was incredibly excited, almost wishing to kowtow in worship.

In accordance with the education he received from his family, Xu Jianian subtly and carefully observed the youth in blue clothes standing before him.

Commanding military power, with generals and valiant warriors obeying orders beneath his banner, ready to charge into battle at a single command.

This was the scene that many young people had fantasized about in their hearts, to which they were intoxicated and for which they were willing to strive for a lifetime... if only...

Yet the other party was utterly calm.

Clang!

A sword's ring, not spreading outward, precisely reached the ears of the thirty Taoist Soldiers present, and the faint Sword Intent involuntarily inspired a chill in their hearts.

The bewildered commanders of the Taoist Soldiers respectfully lowered their heads, with not a hint of doubt remaining.

"Disperse now. What you need to do is simple, just obey my orders and defend in all directions."

"Yes, Immortal Envoy of the Travel Department!"

Xu Yi and other commanders of the Taoist Soldiers respectfully bowed and returned to their respective Taoist Soldier squads.

Jiang Ding concealed his form and disappeared from view.

...

"Fairy Gate Citizens can also be enslaved?"

Jiang Ding muttered in the communication channel, his killing intent overflowing: "How dare he, how dare he!!"

He wasn't speaking to anyone in particular, he was communicating with the Array Spirit.

Xu Si and the others took the college entrance exam which only citizens could take.

That makes them citizens!

Yet they were being used as servants.

So much for being as close as brothers—it's all bullshit!

Even if a Nascent Soul Cultivator was in front, I'd dare to call him 'bro' if I were in a bad mood, who the fuck wants to be as close as brothers with this dumbass? Huh?

Absurd!

"In the year 9541, during the millennium celebration of the Immortal Gate's victory over the Great Sun Sword Pavilion,"

"A rebellion broke out."

The mechanical voice of the Array Spirit rang out, not the artificial intelligence from the exams relying on many computers but the voice of the Central Array Spirit Computer.

"Two Nascent Soul Cultivators and twenty Nascent Soul Monks with similar beliefs were involved, with a large number of low- and mid-level cultivators being implicated, and there were faint shadows of a Master of Refining Nothingness from the Xuanwu Heavenly Palace."

"After a small-scale war, they failed to suppress it fully, and instead, the rebellion showed signs of expanding."

"Under the threat of Masters of Refining Nothingness, there was even a faint risk of clan annihilation."

"The Great Assembly of Citizens finally decided to sign the 'Treaty of Xu City,' dividing two Small Worlds as spoils of war, awarded to the two Nascent Soul Cultivators, to become their private Small Worlds."

"In addition, they were granted certain privileges that do not involve the First Law of the Immortal Gate and the foundations of the Immortal Gate, including their children being able to take the college entrance exam without conditions every year, with their moral character scores fixed at ninety, the freedom to conduct business, participate in trade, and so on."

"The two Nascent Soul Cultivators and the many Nascent Soul Monks under their command are likewise regarded as part of the Immortal Gate, with military obligations."

"A breach of treaty?"

Jiang Ding became completely calm.

In the face of life and death, many things can be compromised and postponed for later.

In fact, the actions of the ancestors proved to be right; after assimilating the legacy of the Great Sun Sword Pavilion, the Immortal Gate did indeed experience great development, with a rapid increase in strength compared to two thousand years earlier.

"The Central Array Spirit Computer will not violate the treaty; the program does not allow it."

"Can the safety of my person and family be guaranteed?"

"As a high-priority individual, inside the Lanying Planet, there will be no issues, even if a Master of Refining Nothingness personally attacks, a prior relocation is possible."

"Understood."

Jiang Ding muttered to himself and stopped the communication with the Central Array Spirit Computer.