Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

After seeing off the Sihai Business Association,

Jiang Ding sat cross-legged, eyes closed, as he nurtured the 60th to 100th branches of the Positive veins Kidney Yin meridian, the twelfth of the regular meridians. Inner Qi surged within the vortex of his Elixir Field, circulating throughout his body, before gradually seeping in.

A slight sting was followed by a soothing warmth, cycling over and over.

He estimated that within one day, he could complete the tempering and nurturing of the 1200th meridian, achieving the 'Small Circle of Vital Energy' realm.

As for the severe loss Sihai Business Association had suffered, he could only express regret.

In business, there must be gains and losses; risks and benefits were to be borne alone.

He wasn't too impressed with the likes of Fierce Tiger Village, but that was unimportant. In business, no other matters should mix.

As long as the goods were delivered, he would pay, without any discrimination.

Thud! Thud!

"Master, Ding Feng from the Jinlong Business Association has brought guests to visit," Huang Deyou said from outside the door.

"Please, bring them in."

Huang Deyou was startled, waiting momentarily before reluctantly departing.

He did not understand the host's standards for receiving guests; it was one thing for the likes of Long Shi and Liu Qi from the Wild Wolf Gang, but why the indifference when a representative from the larger Jinlong Business Association visited?

Huang Deyou nervously explained the situation.

"It seems this young master Jiang is dissatisfied," a burly man in a cloak said with a laugh.

"It doesn't matter."

With a kindly smile on his face, Ding Feng stepped inside.

Upon entering the courtyard, the masked burly man paused in surprise, his expression turning slightly cold.

Jiang Ding's gaze swept over, lingering momentarily.

This was an old acquaintance, the bandit leader who had previously led the attack on the Longsan Business Team. Unexpectedly, he was the one who came forward to negotiate this time.

"Young Master Jiang, I have a modest reputation in the domain of Dongling City, and friends from the 'Three Mountains and Five Ranges' would give Ding some face when passing through," Ding Feng said, stroking his beard with a smile.

"This is 'Ground-stamping Tiger' Lu Hou, one of Fierce Tiger Village's seven tigers, and the seventh brother. Entrusted by the chief, 'East Mountain Flying Tiger' Lu Jingtian, he has come to negotiate with you."

"As for the outcome, I am merely a mediator; it has no bearing on me."

He said so but did not leave, merely stepping aside to make room.

Jiang Ding offered a faint smile.

"The original price is off the table, you must add one Small Void Break Pill!"

Lu Hou threw back his cloak, revealing a face crisscrossed with scars, and spoke menacingly, "Young Master Jiang, it's been a long time since we last met. I wonder, have you been well since you killed my nephew?"

Jiang Ding glanced at him.

Ding Feng stood unperturbed, as if engrossed in thoughts beyond this world.

"Show them out."

Jiang Ding picked up his teacup.

Lu Hou and his companion were taken aback; wasn't the Blue Luminous Butterfly extremely important to him, to the point of not hesitating to use a Level-breaking pill?

"What, you need me to see you out?"

Jiang Ding's hand resting on the sword hilt, a hint of killing intent emerged as he inquired.

Lu Hou's ferocious face changed as he recalled the ease with which his opponent killed, and he became frightened.

This deal was made by the chief in conjunction with other powerful figures; if he could not secure even the smallest gain because of it...

With this thought, his complexion went pale and he looked to Ding Feng beside him.

"Ha ha!"

Ding Feng burst into laughter, breaking the deadly stillness of the atmosphere: "Why must you be so, young master? In business, there is always room for negotiation, an initial offer and a counteroffer. There is no rule about outright rejecting someone from the outset."

Jiang Ding scoffed, "Nor is there a rule that any Tom, Dick, or Harry can come knocking for a bargain. Who knows how many nephews he has? If a nephew could be exchanged for a Small Void Break Pill, I fear the entire Fierce Tiger Village would be his nephews."

"You..."

Lu Hou's veins bulged with anger, restrained only by Ding Feng's stern gaze.

Jiang Ding did not even spare him a glance, "Do you know the price I agreed upon with the Sihai Business Association?"

"Four Small Void Break Pills that can break through Minor Completion of Inner Qi, and one Xu-Breaking Pill that can break through the Great Achievement of Inner Qi," Ding Feng recited as if treasuring them: "Already paid are three pills, the remaining ones at one hundred fifty thousand per Blue Luminous Butterfly for a Small Void Break Pill, and the last one hundred fifty thousand for exchanging a Xu-Breaking Pill."

Lu Hou couldn't help but swallow a mouthful of saliva.

If he had one Small Void Break Pill, within just a few days, he could become an expert of Great Achievement of Inner Qi, and he'd be someone of note within Dongling City.

If the masters of Internal Qi Perfection didn't intervene, one could dominate a region.

"Then what's there to say?" Jiang Ding said indifferently, "You bring the Blue Luminous Butterflies, and I give you the elixirs, we'll be even on the deal."

"Why does Master Jiang pretend to be ignorant?"

Ding Feng said with a smile, "This deal was set by several grand masters together. How could one Small Void Break Pill and one Xu-Breaking Pill be enough to share?"

"Oh?"

Jiang Ding pretended to listen attentively.

"The grand masters' intention is," Ding Feng paused, his gaze fixed on the youth before him: "At least three Xu-Breaking Pills to break through the Great Achievement of Inner Qi!"

"I understand."

Jiang Ding nodded his head, saying calmly, "You, you think of me as a wish-granting Bodhisattva. Three Xu-Breaking Pills, I can set their price high in the Jianghu, enough to buy the heads of five Internal Qi Perfection martial artists."

With an unchanged expression, Ding Feng said, "Master Jiang, mastering Internal Qi Perfection makes one a leader of power; I'm afraid they aren't so easy to employ. Besides..."

His words carried an implicit threat.

"The Blue Luminous Butterflies on Donglingshan Mountain are countable, and if something happens to this batch, it might not grow back even in ten years."

"Good, very good."

Jiang Ding smiled, killing intent rampant and unrestrained within his heart.

Lu Hou felt a chill run down his spine, as if he were being watched by some ferocious beast.

"Please consider, young master."

Ding Feng remained nonchalant, evidently certain that the other party would yield.

"Leave. If the Blue Luminous Butterflies are not delivered within three days, the deal is off," Jiang Ding picked up the teacup and threw it to the ground, letting it shatter, with scalding tea splashing everywhere.

Yield—not in the slightest.

The wealth already revealed was quite enough. With a bit more pressure, out came elixirs worth several times more. What would the real rulers of Dongling City, the Zhendonghou Mansion, think of it?

Putting himself in the shoes of a great force's leader who has yet to break through to Xiantian, and then projecting those feelings, even he couldn't help but want to send an army to snatch it.

No matter how powerful one's background, could it truly rival the royal family?

When the time comes, offering most of the treasure, who could cause trouble?

"Young master, you're doing what..."

Ding Feng's expression changed, and he repeatedly laid out various reasons, but the other party remained silent, as if lost in another world.

However, yielding was not an option.

Behind this incident were significant figures, none willing to suffer losses. How could he dare make decisions on their behalf?

"No matter what, according to the Sihai Business Association's old ways, it's absolutely impossible."

Left without a choice, Ding Feng could only say goodbye and leave to report to the big shots behind him, letting them decide.

"In three days, we will visit again."

Watching the two figures leaving, Jiang Ding's eyes glinted coldly, and he then calmed his mind, closed his eyes to regulate his breath, nurturing the fine branches of the Kidney Meridian of Foot-Shaoyin.

At a certain moment, Jiang Ding's entire aura surged then gradually settled.

"The Small Circle of Vital Energy, achieved."

Jiang Ding used inner view on himself, his Inner Qi rushing like a stream through the twelve regular meridians and their various branches, unceasing, and then returning to whirl in the Elixir Field, endlessly circulating.

The rate of refining the fine branches of his meridians increased again, doubling from forty to eighty a day.

The next state was the Large Circle of Vital Energy.

Warming up a thousand branches within each of the twelve regular meridians, and then with the momentum of the Yangtze River, smashing through the barriers of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians like Ren and Du, nurturing them to be on par with the twelve regular meridians; this is the Eaglet Large Circle of Vital Energy.

Even among the immortals of the Xianmen Sect, more than ninety-five percent of mortals never reach this state in their lifetime.

Whoosh!

Jiang Ding, now close to achieving the Art of Small Concealment, totally activated it, and his figure vanished from sight.