Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery-Chapter 372 - 330: Devotion to One Man from a Whole Country
The middle-aged scholar hesitated briefly before flying over alone.
"I am Shang Chengxuan from the Lingbao Commerce Association, greetings to you, fellow Daoist."
As soon as the middle-aged scholar arrived, he bowed deeply and was extremely courteous.
"Greetings to you, Business Friend Shang."
Jiang Ding quickly searched through his memories, especially those of Immortal Yuling he had seen, and soon found information about the Lingbao Shang Clan.
This was a major family in the Northern Plains, not unlike the Liudao Sect which established its own Sect; instead, it had always existed in the form of a commerce association, living by trade, with branches spread throughout the Northern Plains, known for a relatively gentle and orderly way of conducting business.
"After discussions with my master and the surrounding Golden Pill cultivators."
Jiang Ding understood his intentions and said indifferently, "The Tushan Monster Country has a new name now, called the Tushan Dojo. As long as you do not force or steal, business can proceed as normal, without any worries."
"Tushan Dojo?"
"The Demon Country has been destroyed?!"
The heart of the middle-aged scholar trembled.
He was aware of the strength of the Tushan Monster Country, which possessed three Golden Pill great demons, one of which was even at the late stage of Golden Pill. An elder from his race at the late stage of Golden Pill had once coveted this place but eventually backed down.
Without pulling resources from within the clan, there was nothing they could do.
And with more important interests to guard in the Northern Plains, where was the spare capacity to attend to this remote place?
In the end, they could only sign a trade agreement and let the matter rest.
"I understand, I will definitely abide by the rules of the master of this land."
Shang Chengxuan gave a solemn bow once again, showing his respect.
He felt a genuine sense of loss in his heart.
The Demon Race, not skilled in cultivation arts and producing a variety of spirit mines, elixirs, and spirit wood, was a perfect match for the weapons, talismans, and other items brought by the commerce association.
The Lingbao Commerce Association had been able to buy low and sell high here with ease, making a large profit in spirit stones, occasionally even offering third-order items as tribute to the elders in the clan and receiving rewards.
It was also a place that produced many items required by Diabolism, such as vital souls and Blood Pills, with no taboos.
Now that it had become a Sect of the Human Race, trade could still be conducted.
But achieving such high profits as before would be difficult.
"As long as we do not force or steal..."
Shang Chengxuan’s mind raced, realizing this new power upheld order, and his eyes lit up. He handed over a storage pouch and said, "Fellow Daoist, may I ask if it’s possible for us to conduct business in Chu Country and Yue Country?"
In the past, it was not allowed to freely enter other areas of the Demon Country; otherwise, those Demon Generals and great demons would not care about someone from the commerce association and would capture them to be cooked over a fire.
Although the trade volume of one country was reduced, the combined three countries might be able to make up for it.
Jiang Ding’s Divine Sense swept over the storage pouch, which contained ten thousand spirit stones, a huge attraction for Foundation-building cultivators; under normal circumstances, it was possible to make an accommodation.
"It’s possible."
But he did not acknowledge the storage pouch in the other’s hand.
"Thank you for the information!"
Shang Chengxuan did not show the slightest embarrassment, putting away the storage pouch and spirit stones, and gave a salute with his hands clasped.
He regarded the person before him in a higher light.
This must be an extremely important person under that Golden Pill, hard to sway with ordinary spirit stones.
"You are too kind, Business Friend Shang."
Jiang Ding nodded slightly and, paying no further attention to the other party, flew towards the western part of the city, stopping at a slaughterhouse where the smell of blood was overwhelming.
Dozens of pale blue Sword Qi flew out, entering the fray, the screams and the hissing sound of swords cutting flesh were non-stop.
Eventually, it quieted down.
He walked into it.
A stream ran through the center of the slaughterhouse, carrying away excrement, filth, and bloody water.
From one iron hook to another, hung eviscerated half-corpuses, with other parts like the heart, liver, spleen, stomach, and intestines each categorically organized, meticulously scientific, the process refined.
Within the foul-smelling human enclosure,
a group of seventeen and eighteen-year-old boys huddled together in one corner, naked, their eyes vacant as they sought warmth from one another. Occasionally mixed in were some elderly women who had lost the ability to reproduce, and three or four-year-old toddlers designated by the demon race’s nobility.
The pen was at most a meter high, and there were no restrictions.
Yet they did not think to escape. Upon hearing noises, they would scream, crowding together in a stinking mass.
"How could this be."
"You are the descendants of the Sovereigns of Operating Heaven Domains."
Jiang Ding looked at them, sighing softly to himself.
Releasing his Divine Sense, waves of gentle emotional ripples flowed forth, soothing them gradually until they calmed down and showed relaxed expressions, slightly squinting their eyes.
"Without education, they are but children."
"They can’t live independently and require a period of teaching. No, in some cities where the demon race breeds humans, there must be normal humans; the demons wouldn’t care for them as meticulously as pigs are reared, they must be granted a lot of freedoms."
"I don’t have time." freeωebnovēl.c૦m
"No hurry, I need to find people to do this, to hire from the Qiyu Sect with Spirit Stones. Some survivors from the old ranks of the Fanren Supervision Bureau should still be alive; they used to do this very well."
After gathering the human inhabitants of the city, leaving them food, and finding humans native to the large breeding city to lead and take care of them, Jiang Ding left.
He flew to where the Demon Palace used to be, now amidst a pile of solidified magma.
A thick rush of Heavenly Earth Spiritual Qi hit him, far surpassing the second-grade premium Gold Attribute Spiritual Vein in the mine dormitory, as if his Cultivation Base had advanced somewhat.
Triple Grade Superior Spiritual Vein!
"Pity that a Nascent Soul from the Liudao Sect might appear."
"Even more so, this potential Nascent Soul Monk could be a dark character, an old silver coin, who would attack Golden Pill level enemies through concealment and sneak attacks."
"Not a good place for cultivation."
Jiang Ding said with a touch of regret.
"Setting up a quasi-third rank Formation and teleportation Formation should suffice."
With a gesture from Jiang Ding, a line of Array Flags flew out from his Storage Jade Pendant, each embedding itself into the formation nodes around the Demon Palace while also combing through the earth veins and directing the flow of Spiritual Energy.
As of today, quasi-third rank Formations were a matter of convenience to him, presenting no difficulty.
"Sky Sword Meteor Stream Formation, rise," Jiang Ding incanted a Mana Technique.
A hazy Formation arose within the Demon Palace; fiery Array Patterns intertwined, covering a seven to eight-kilometer area and enveloping the entire Triple Grade Superior Spiritual Vein.
In the sky, an enormous flaming sword flickered in and out of visibility, its aura sharp and scorching, pausing for a moment before vanishing.
This was a Formation casually memorized from the library, an inheritance propagated within the small world. It could gather a giant fiery sword to descend from the sky and obliterate enemies, possessing the power of a quasi-third rank.
"With the extravagant amplification of a Triple Grade Superior Spiritual Vein, it should barely muster the strength of a third rank," Jiang Ding assessed after sensing for a moment.
"This place will henceforth be the heart of the Ten Thousand Miles Demon Country."
Countless thoughts emerged in his mind.
"Using this as a foundation, with Cultivators and a large number of ancient puppets as extensions, I will go to the large Poisonous Liquid Silver Mine, to the eight Third-order Spirit Mines, as well as to numerous second-order Spiritual Veins and Spirit Mines. I will also go to various first, second, and third-rank Spirit Wood and Spiritual Medicine Gardens."
"I’ll mine the resources of the Ten Thousand Miles Demon Country to advance my Cultivation further."
"Within the Xianmen Sect are professionals who can design detailed mining plans, build a society for the common people and even set up native Sects; comprehensive schemes can be designed."
"Now, what’s needed is accurate information, a personal reconnaissance of the detailed situation of the Ten Thousand Miles Demon Country."
"It’s not necessary to find something new, just to re-survey the important Spirit Mines and Spiritual Veins of the Demon Country remembered by King Kong Que - take it slowly."
"It could be done within a few years."
"That’s a job for Armor-25."