Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

"Brother Sanwu!"

"Great kindness and great virtue shall never be forgotten by the Hei Clan!"

Hei Chengxiu, who had just taken over as the clan leader, managed to spare some of his concentration even while struggling to control the Formation Method, deeply bowing to express his utmost respect for the Shang Clan.

He was deeply moved.

The descendants of the ancestors, although often in conflict and having faced each other in battle multiple times over territories, were ruthless in everything but preserving the last piece of land for ancestral tribute.

But at the critical moment of life and death, it was the bloodline of honor flowing through their veins that was the most reliable.

"For the blood of our ancestors."

Shang Sanwu did not take credit, stating solemnly.

He was very much in favor of, and instrumental in, this decision for his clan.

For a merchant, profit comes first.

Business with Diabolism can be done, Righteous Dao business can be done, dealings with lowly Loose Cultivators and those outside the Northern Plains are all permissible, everything for the sake of Spirit Stones.

But this is not the Shang Clan!

The Shang Clan has roots too.

This is what the families of the Northern Plains, connected by the blood of the ancestors, form—an entity.

Without this entity, the Shang Clan, no matter how good at doing business, could not continue to survive in this world where strength is revered.

"For the blood of our ancestors!"

Hei Chengxiu also responded with a solemn voice.

Then, after a brief exchange of pleasantries, they were immediately assigned urgent tasks, with dozens of Golden Pill Monks and hundreds of Foundation-building cultivators from the Shang Clan stationed at various Formation Method nodes.

With these cultivators, all of whom had received an education in the Immortal Path from the Shang Clan and had a certain standard of Formation Dao, the stability of the Formation Method was further enhanced.

Although it was still unstable under the attack of the Taiqing Flying Sword, it no longer seemed on the verge of breaking at any moment.

"Rest assured!"

"It can hold at least a month!"

The main operator, Hei Chengxiu, exaggerated a little and immediately communicated this good news to his whole clan, also mentioning that reinforcements from other families would arrive soon.

Morale surged immediately, and they were inexplicably overjoyed.

The wavering hearts of many cultivators vanished at once, and they earnestly exerted themselves to control the Formation Method.

...

"Formation Method data collection complete."

Jiang Ding, who had been striking with numerous swords, paused and closed his eyes slightly.

In the Sea of Consciousness, data concerning the Black Feather Heavenly God Slaughter Ten Thousand Spirits Formation of the Hei Clan, the flow of Spiritual Energy nodes, the level of Formation Dao amongst the main formation personnel, the solidity of the Formation instruments and Array Bases... and other data were all dumped into a classic Xianmen Formation-breaking structure in the center of the Sea of Consciousness. The Sea of Consciousness operated, rapidly calculating.

One hour, two hours,

One day, two days,

He remained motionless, allowing the direct lineage Golden Pill Monks of the Hei Clan within the Beast Spirit Immortal City to restore their Mana and Sea of Consciousness, while he himself stepped outside the Formation Method. Even his figure vanished, as if he had completely given up on the place.

Meanwhile,

Within the Beast Spirit Immortal City, a hidden undercurrent was slowly surging.

...

Severe restrictions had already been implemented throughout the Beast Spirit Immortal City, and every Cultivator, whether willing or not, was assigned to various Formation Method nodes.

They could not talk about having any control; they were simply obeying the orders of the Hei Clan's direct lineage, channeling their Mana and Divine Sense.

Many vassal family Golden Pill Monks could clearly feel their Sea of Consciousness restrictions subtly twitching from time to time, in a highly sensitive state, ready to activate at any moment, capable of obliterating the Cultivator's Divine Soul and flesh, leaving no remains.

Clearly, this was a very sensitive time.

Every direct lineage Golden Pill became suddenly courteous, issuing orders occasionally with an exceptionally gentle tone, with kind words, devoid of the usual harshness and arrogance, giving the many vassal family Golden Pills a first taste of respect among equals.

But within, the distrust was almost palpable.

Some harbored wavering thoughts,

While others concealed malicious intent,

And some were sincerely anxious and fearful, without any ulterior motives, having long been accustomed to it.

Everyone had different attitudes.

In one corner of the Formation Method, Wei Qingqing, a Golden Pill from the Wei Family, a vassal family loyal for a millennium, opened her eyes with her mana restored to perfection. She looked around.

In the distance, at the outer periphery of the protective family Formation Method, two Golden Pills, father and son from the Yu Family, were sincerely transferring mana, not daring to make any unexpected moves.

Clearly, even among the vassal families, in the eyes of the Hei Clan's direct lineage, the Yu Family was far inferior to the Wei Family, lacking even a bit of basic trust.

This was because two thousand years ago, an ancestor of the Yu Family who had made great contributions to the Hei Clan might have been the sworn brother of the previous Hei Clan patriarch and was personally killed by him. The promised Nascent Soul Opportunity vanished without a trace as well.

After killing him, the previous Hei Clan patriarch magnanimously enfeoffed his descendants as a vassal family.

The entire Yu Family was extremely grateful and utterly loyal, never showing any signs of abnormal behavior. The family head's name was Yu Zhong.

"Brother Yu,"

Wei Qingqing sent a message, speaking bluntly, "Ancestor commanded me to have you defect immediately. If you agree, I will transmit to you a verse that can temporarily affect the Spirit Soul Restrictions, valid for a quarter of an hour."

This was quite easy for those who controlled the channels of Xianmen Sect.

Even if they were not conversant with Spirit Soul Restrictions, placing an order through Xianmen Science Institute, it would cost just over ten million Low-grade Spirit Stones to achieve this, not to mention it's cheap and fast.

It was just too simple.

"Ancestor? What ancestor?"

Yu Zhong trembled inwardly but firmly denied it, and retorted, "My Hei Clan's loyalty is witnessed by heaven and earth and clear as day; you wretched slave dare to sow discord between my Yu Family. I will report to my lord immediately!"

And he was indeed prepared to do just that.

To this enemy family, Yu Zhong did not trust them in the least.

"The ancestor is Immortal Tushan."

"Ancestor Tushan."

Wei Qingqing responded calmly, "If you dare report, you will die, irrespective of who wins or loses, because you are deeply entwined with Blood Cloud. Even if the Hei Clan triumphs, they will execute you immediately, with no other possibility."

She transmitted some intelligence that had been passed down from above.

It was indeed some images of the collusion between the Yu Family and the Blood Cloud Eighteen Knights.

"How could this be..."

Yu Zhong was shocked. After reviewing the intelligence, he hesitated for a moment and then respectfully said, "The Yu Family is willing to serve Immortal Tushan faithfully. If we betray this accord, may we be struck down by heavenly wrath!"

He knew that this was the truth; nobody needed a servant who conspired with their enemy.

"Very well."

Wei Qingqing did not say much more; she sent through Divine Sense a secret technique capable of temporarily scrambling the Spirit Soul Restrictions.

"Continue to work on the fellow cultivators around you; they don't need to be absolutely reliable. Some inclination is enough."

She commanded, "If exposed, immediately disperse this secret technique indiscriminately, kill all nearby cultivators maintaining the Formation Method, causing maximum disruption to the nearby Formation Method."

"After the battle, Immortal Tushan is willing to share half of the spoils of war with those who have made meritorious contributions in this fight."

"Moreover, he has promised to lift the Spirit Soul Restrictions on all Golden Pill cultivators and set you free. The history of your families being servants for thousands of years, forever barred from the Nascent Soul path, will be ended."

"You should know how precious a true Immortal's promise and reputation, and his benevolence and magnanimity, can be," Wei Qingqing said with a fervor in her voice.

"The Immortal has spoken; the top three contributors can choose any single Cultivation Method from the Hei Clan, including the Nascent Soul Cultivation Method expurgated of the Diabolism's bloodiness!"