Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

Jiang Ding's Divine Sense and Sword Intent swept out in all directions.

He observed every person, every Spirit Beast, and every living creature's life within the city.

Any invisibility or stealth techniques, skin and Bone Changing Techniques, light-obscuring magics, and the like were all rendered useless, exposed down to the slightest detail under the Sword Intent.

Yu Zhong, Wei Qingqing, and other Golden Pill Monks from vassal families were slaughtering the Hei Clan's direct lineage cultivators, regardless of whether they were Foundation-building cultivators or Qi Practitioners.

Even mortals were not spared; years of familial hatred were being vented.

The Hei Clan's and Shang Clan's Golden Pill Monks, on the other hand, were changing their appearances and hiding themselves, transforming into children, women, men, old people, or into birds, dogs, insects, and the like.

Some even transformed into bricks, deeply buried in the soil, all of them employing clever methods. Many Golden Pill Monks from vassal families walked past without the slightest awareness.

What remained were the Loose Cultivators, merchants, and other scattered individuals, as well as the original residents of the Beast Spirit Immortal City, a very large number that constituted the majority.

Many people took advantage of the chaos to murder, plunder, and loot wildly, hoping to defy fate and seize resources for advancing to the next realm.

Ding!

Jiang Ding flicked his Flying Sword with his finger.

The clear and slightly cool sound waves spread in all directions, reaching everyone's ears, whether they were Qi Practitioners, mortals, or Golden Pill or Foundation-building cultivators.

Upon hearing the sword's cry, everyone who was looting, as well as those roaring in combat, stiffened instinctively.

"All of you, return to your homes immediately."

"No disturbances, no looting or arson, no attacking others."

"Those who disobey will die."

Jiang Ding said softly, his voice devoid of any harshness or threat, as if he were making everyday small talk, without any fluctuations.

"Yes, Immortal!"

"We shall comply!"

Many Golden Pill Monks shuddered together, letting go of the people around them. Even if their swords or other Treasures were about to decapitate their enemies, they did not hesitate to swiftly withdraw their Treasures, ignoring even the Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasures scattered on the ground nearby.

Famous throughout the Northern Plains for being as good as his word, like Immortal Tushan,

was also the bloody and ruthless methods of the Sword Cultivator!

No one believed they could be the exception.

Nor did they think they had accomplished some monumental feat that could make them arrogant and exempt from consequences.

The Golden Pill Monks were all very aware of the times and very rational.

"Kill, damn it!"

"Plunder, the Jinyu Pavilion has Foundation Building Pills, at least a dozen Foundation Building Pills! Charge!"

Compared to Golden Pill Monks with six hundred years of Life Energy, almost enough to experience the rise and fall of two great dynasties, the Foundation-building cultivators and Qi Practitioners were not so rational.

Especially the Qi Practitioners, who often lived by the moment, were short-sighted, easily dazzled by immediate gains, recklessly so.

At this moment, not even an Immortal of Nascent Soul, let alone a Spirit Transformation Heavenly Monarch, could stop them from killing their present enemy and securing the Foundation Building Pills at hand.

Morality, etiquette, fear, nothing could stem the tide of frenzied individuals.

"Stop now."

Jiang Ding once again appealed patiently, his voice spreading throughout the entire Immortal City.

Some came to their senses, retreating, no longer fighting or looting; some turned a deaf ear, focused only on their enemies and Foundation Building Pills, unable to hear anything else.

"Fellow cultivators,"

"As I said, you will die..."

Jiang Ding sighed lightly.

Clang!

The sword was unsheathed, cutting through the air, flying across the entire Beast Spirit Immortal City in an instant, then looping back.

The sword's Spiritual Light was undiminished, untainted by a drop of blood.

"Kill..."

"Let go of that Jade Box..."

Inside the Immortal City, many Foundation-building and Qi Practitioners still shouting and combatting suddenly had a fine sword mark appear on their throats, blood gushing out.

"Spare me…"

Fear was thick in their eyes.

Unable to utter a word, their bodies fell silently to the ground.

Before they died, some saw that around them and further away, swathes of Qi Practitioners still in combat silently fell too, forming a thick layer on the ground.

Their weapons fell, clinking as they hit the floor.

From the sky above, a sudden swath of blood fog enveloped the city; groups of cultivators fell softly to the ground, their blood mingling with corpses to stain the streets of the Immortal City red.

Magic tools such as spirit swords and spirit daggers clinked as they fell from the air.

In the moment that followed, the entire Beast Spirit Immortal City became silent.

All cries, roars, the usual street hawkers' calls, the smoke from cooking fires, conversations, debates, and so on, ceased to exist, leaving not a single sound.

The wind blew through this utterly silent Immortal City, and every note it carried could be heard with crystal clear clarity.

Golden Pill Monks like Yu Zhong, Wei Qingqing, and those who hid, such as Shang Sanwu and other Golden Pill Monks, felt a chill in their hearts when they recalled their previous hesitation and second thoughts, causing cold sweat to stream down their faces.

If they had really hesitated and delayed, there would have been one more Golden Pill corpse lying on the ground.

After a brief hesitation, Golden Pill Monks like Yu Zhong and Wei Qingqing converged before the youth in green, about a hundred Golden Pill Monks communicated briefly with their Divine Sense, lined up neatly, and bowed deeply in unison, declaring loudly.

"We greet you, Immortal Tushan!"

"Congratulations to the Immortal on the grand defeat of Hei's Demon Den, for ridding the Northern Plains of a great evil, amassing infinite merit, with a name that will be passed down through the ages!"

The many Golden Pill Monks said respectfully and delightfully.

Northern family clans!

They dictated status by bloodline, with non-direct lineage, no matter how talented or brilliant, being useless, reducing them to mere slaves and servants, insignificant as ants.

Even a direct lineage Foundation-building Qi Practitioner from the Hei Clan could yell at them and treat them like pigs and dogs.

That past now surfaced before their eyes, how could they not harbor hatred?

Only, the Hei Clan ancestral master was powerful, and they dared not express any grievances.

Now that the Hei Clan had perished, they felt as though clouds had parted to reveal the sun, seeing the light of a new day. Despite hidden worries about the future, it did not hinder their current joy.

"My fellow cultivators are too polite, please rise," said Jiang Ding with a slight nod.

"Yes!"

"We duly follow the Immortal's command!"

Yu Zhong and other Golden Pill Monks, considering themselves subjects, rose respectfully and looked at the person before them with eyes full of fervent expectation and anticipation.

Just as renowned for its brutality and bloodshed,

Was its emphasis on rules and absolute adherence to its own promises!

"My fellow cultivators, release your Divine Souls. Let me take a look at your restrictions," Jiang Ding nodded slightly, no pleasantries or reminiscing, ever so direct.

"...Yes, Immortal!"

Yu Zhong and the other Golden Pill Monks hesitated for a moment before steeled their hearts and lowered the defenses of their Divine Souls, exposing the Sea of Consciousness—a crucial component for a Golden Pill Monk.

The Hei Clan had imposed Spirit Soul Restrictions upon them.

The secret technique previously used could only cause confusion for a quarter of an hour, after which it could no longer be resisted, inevitably leading to an explosive death. It was not the time for hesitation.

Jiang Ding's Divine Sense and Sword Intent unfolded, flooding into each Golden Pill Monk's Sea of Consciousness.

He did not snoop for secrets or Cultivation Methods, but, after applying a degree of self-sealing to block external perceptions, streams of Divine Sense and Sword Intent went straight to the core of the Divine Soul, transforming into tiny spirit swords, like the most delicate scalpels, busily engaged within.

He severed the perception of the Spirit Soul Restrictions, intricately peeled away the self-destruct restrictions from the core of the Divine Soul, and began initial repairs on the damaged Sea of Consciousness...

It seemed simple, but in reality, it required powerful Divine Sense and Sword Intent control precision, as well as targeted understanding of the specific Spirit Soul Restrictions.

Most Immortals of Nascent Soul from the Northern Plains would not be capable of lifting the restrictions for so many Golden Pill Monks at once.

A quarter of an hour later.

Jiang Ding opened his eyes and withdrew his Divine Sense and Sword Intent, revealing a trace of fatigue in his eyes: "It's done. After years of recovery, you should be able to return to your former state."

"So soon?"

The many Golden Pill Monks from vassal families doubted, unable to believe, until they felt carefully for a moment.

They suddenly discovered that the restrictions that had been placed on their Divine Souls since their advancement to Golden Pill—and had existed therein for hundreds of years—had disappeared without a trace, leaving no new Spirit Soul Restrictions behind.

Apart from the weakness of their Divine Souls, there was no aftermath to worry about.

"It's really true..."

Even though the Golden Pill Monks like Yu Zhong had hearts of iron and wily natures, they couldn't help but feel shaken inside, feeling genuinely grateful and admiring.

Over a hundred Golden Pill Monks, along with foundation-building Qi Practitioner juniors from various clans, formed a substantial force that could be employed, even for an Immortal of Nascent Soul.

All this without any deceit or duplicity.

Upon reflection, if they themselves had the opportunity, they surely would not have let it pass by, and would have seized the chance to impose their own controls.

In this instant,

They understood why the cultivators occasionally emerging from the Luoxu Clan spoke with such reverence and intensity about the Tushan Sword Cultivators, a sentiment that had not faded after many years.