Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

Devotion.

A person devoted to the Sword Dao.

Even if one has poor understanding or aptitude and may not go far, this alone is sufficient.

In this era when the Sword Dao is just beginning to thrive, what's needed are people like this, who can be slowly nurtured and who can spread the Sword Dao for it to grow strong.

The Sword Leader is determined.

On September 9, 11264, the first Mount Hua swordsmanship competition organized by Xianmen Sect took place, and the first laureate emerged.

"What a great moment, this is a day worth commemorating."

Jiang Ding praised.

Squawk!

From the void, a proud and piercing cry ripped through the clouds and shattered rocks; the Sun God Wood collapsed in layers, and the spiritual light disintegrated.

Thereafter,

A Sun God Crane with wings spanning a kilometer unfolded its gorgeous feathers, blazing gold and brilliant white; the Sword Intent of Destruction spread in all directions, causing layers of unstable ripples in the void.

"Go."

Jiang Ding spoke softly.

Squawk!

Another cloud-splitting cry sounded as the Sun God Crane spread its wings lightly, tearing through space with a thunderous motion, and vanished into a spatial fissure.

Lines of dark cracks in the net-like fabric of space slowly healed.

Jiang Ding closed his eyes.

The Taiqing Flying Sword contained his Golden Pill and a part of his Divine Soul. It could be said to be an even more important part of himself, which was fully capable of independent combat; it just hadn't been necessary before.

...

At Mount Hua's peak.

Amid the attention of tens of thousands, Wang Tiansheng, the Sword Leader of the first Mount Hua swordsmanship competition, was receiving cheers from the crowd. This event was being broadcast live to the entire Xianmen Sect and thirteen Small Worlds.

In an instant, his name was known throughout the world.

Even though Wang Tiansheng was an outstanding Xianmen Sect scholar, at the moment he was somewhat elated, which is a young man's nature.

"Will Elder Jiang come?"

Wang Tiansheng quietly transmitted his voice to Wei Hu, who was not far away.

This person had personally slain many prospective Taoist disciples and true disciples of the Xuanwu tiangong while only at the Foundation-Establishment stage and had seized the Gang Han World, almost becoming a legend in the Xianmen Sect.

There have been over ten thousand Xianmen Sect scholars, but none have shone as brightly as him.

"He will."

Wei Hu's face showed reverence.

Although both were cultivators of Qi, he didn't think he was on the same level as the other.

This was a person who was certainly going to become a Golden Pill Monk, and he had at least a one in ten chance of reaching the Nascent Soul stage.

Wang Tiansheng felt reassured.

Tens of thousands of people around Mount Hua also gathered their focus and held their breath, looking up at the sky, among them numerous Golden Pill Cultivators.

Squawk!

Accompanied by a sword cry that tore through the clouds and stone, a black dot appeared in the sky, spreading into web-like cracks, as a terrifying presence of a broken space spread in all directions.

The thoughts of over a hundred thousand people solidified, unable to breathe under the pressure.

Even the Divine Souls of many Golden Pill Cultivators trembled, their bodies shook as if facing a natural disaster; they were as vulnerable as candles in the wind, which could be extinguished at any moment.

"Golden Pill? A Golden Pill Monk!"

"He is a Golden Pill Monk? Damn it, how did I not know!"

Many of the Golden Pill Cultivators from Xianmen Sect cursed under their breath.

"A Taoist disciple, a Xianmen Sect Taoist disciple!"

"Definitely a Taoist disciple!"

Some of the Golden Pill Cultivators who had participated in wars within their realms were so excited that they trembled, truly convinced, imagining all sorts of wonderful scenes, smiling foolishly, as if gone mad.

First, a crane's head broke through the space, its tip sharp as a sword.

Then came a neck as graceful as a swan's, a splendid body, and finally the Sun God wings, spanning a kilometer, with the heavy oppressive force of destruction spreading in all directions.

The miles of white clouds dissipated, and the warm light of the Sun God illuminated the earth, draping a golden cloak over the peak of Mount Hua.

"Wang Tiansheng."

The Sun God Crane spoke in human language.

"Greetings, Elder!"

Wang Tiansheng bowed excitedly in greeting.

"You have won the title of Sword Champion in the First Mount Hua Swordsmanship Tournament. In terms of swordsmanship, you are the foremost of the young generation in the Xianmen Sect."

The Sun God Crane opened its pointed beak slightly and a pure golden Flying Sword flew out from its mouth, landing in Wang Tiansheng's hand, "I gift you a Mount Hua Sword, with my Sword Intent inside it. If you wish in the future, you may draw upon it for reference."

"Additionally, I gift you one hundred thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones."

"I wish you, young friend, a smooth journey on the Immortal Path."

He knew that the young man before him wouldn't likely follow the Sword Dao, but that didn't prevent him from offering guidance and support, just as many Elders had done for him so many years before.

"Thank you, Elder!"

Wang Tiansheng bowed deeply and said aloud.

Jiang Ding nodded slightly.

"Fang Yilong."

He looked towards the dark-skinned old farmer in his forties or fifties.

"Greetings, Elder Jiang."

Fang Yilong's gaze was burning as he looked at the Sun God Crane before him as if he were seeing the actual sun.

"You have claimed the second-ranked sword, so I bestow upon you thirty thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones and a Silver Fish Sword, which contains Sword Intent for your reference."

"Thank you, Elder!"

Fang Yilong bowed deeply.

"Liu Yu."

"I bestow upon you ten thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones and a Copper Fish Sword, which contains Sword Intent for your contemplation."

Jiang Ding followed the procedure.

The third place went to a short-haired girl, seemingly a student from Mulan University, and she too was not weak.

"That will be all."

Finally, the Sun God Crane gave one more look to the many who were qualified to be called Sword Sprouts, tore through space, and vanished from sight.

After a long time, the oppressive aura of the Sword Dao dissipated.

A buzzing sound arose as people excitedly discussed something

As expected, after today, a large number of articles related to the Mount Hua Swordsmanship Tournament will dominate the headlines of various big websites of the Xianmen Sect.

The might of the Sword Dao will be deeply etched into people's hearts.

It could be imagined that, from now on, an unknown number of people will begin to try this path, considering it as an alternative way, no longer obscure and unnoticed.

...

Some time later.

The Taiqing Flying Sword returned and landed in the hands of a young man in a blue robe at the Silver Sky Island dormitory.

"Grow quickly, my little sprouts," Jiang Ding said, looking forward to watching Fang Yilong and the others who had performed well in the First Mount Hua Swordsmanship Tournament. They would likely take up the Sword Dao, a talent that had always been within them but had never been brought forth before.

In the future, their Cultivation Base would make great progress, advancing by leaps and bounds, because the Sword Dao was their gift, previously unexplored.

Then they would encounter bottlenecks and try to overcome them.

Some would succeed, furthering their Cultivation Base, while others would fail and meet their end.

But whatever happened, they had existed.

Their existence was, in itself, a part of the Xianmen Sect's exploration of the Sword Dao.

Jiang Ding wouldn't take them as disciples to keep by his side, applying massive resources and carefully nurturing them.

He didn't need just one or two powerful individuals.

What he needed was a society that constantly produced Sword Dao Cultivators, a genuine Sword Dao that existed independently of any one person, he needed the Sword Dao of the Xianmen Sect to possess a tenacious vitality.

He would offer help, provide a favorable environment, encouragement, and support, for genuine Sword Dao prodigies to emerge tenaciously, to grow undeterred and indestructible, and to find their own funds and form teams for research when they faced difficulties.

Instead of becoming a batch of fatten-up ducks.

Besides, even as a Nascent Soul Monk with a modest fortune, he couldn't bear the cost of such support.

After a moment of reflection, Jiang Ding inserted the Taiqing Flying Sword into his glabella, stood up, and flew towards the sky.

"Jiang Ding!"

Not far away, An Siyan and Jin Lingfeng also flew towards him, calling out in greeting.

The three had agreed to inspect the Lianyun Air Harbor Shipbuilding Group today and take the opportunity to check out the Great Sun Battleship, which was more than half completed and having its outer deck and Formation Method laid out.