Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

The sky cleared, and the rain stopped.

All the oppressive aura had vanished, as if it had been an illusion, leaving only the foundation-building cultivators gasping for air, greedily inhaling every breath, still shaken.

Fear flashed in the eyes of Princess Chiyuan and General Moyu, but it was fleeting.

"Haha, Brother Kong Que!"

Zhou Sanyan laughed heartily and stepped forward to pull over the Peacock Demon Kong Que, extremely intimate: "I thought Brother would need a short nap after drinking, so I didn't call you, My bad."

"Come, come, these are all your juniors; today, accompany me to see which ones within the sect have potential for future nurturing and care. Afterward, you and I will drink to our heart's content."

He gestured towards the foundation-building cultivators below.

"Zhou Big Brother speaks to my heart…"

Peacock Demon Kong Que was overjoyed, slinging an arm around Zhou Sanyan's shoulder, and sat down beside him.

Elsewhere.

"Kong Que is straightforward and has always been so in the Demon Country; he harbors no ill intentions," King Chiyan said apologetically: "Grand Elder, please don't take offense."

"What is the King talking about?"

Cultivator Baimei appeared displeased: "I understand the character of Brother Kong Que well, he usually likes a bit of rough and tumble, nothing that would be taken to heart."

"It was my misplaced concern."

...

In an instant, the great hall was again filled with laughter and cheerful voices, leaving only the younger generation looking at each other uncertainly.

"...The Nine Apertures Golden Fruit promised to King is ready; it will be duly offered with both hands after a confrontation with Xuetu Hall."

Cultivator Baimei laughed and chatted for a few moments before refocusing his attention on the disciples in the hall, clearing his throat slightly.

"Disciples."

"According to the teachings of our Ancestor Master, the Nine Apertures Golden Fruit will be bestowed upon the disciple within the sect who has made great contributions and possesses the strongest aptitude and combat abilities."

The Nine Apertures Golden Fruit!

Lei Linghe, Zhou Kunlong, and other foundation-building cultivators showed an intense fervor in their eyes.

Consuming such a spiritual object alone could increase the chances of reaching Foundation Establishment by half; if combined with a dozen rare auxiliary elixirs gathered by the sect over the years, it could add another ten percent chance of success!

Should they also be favored by the Immortal Path,

They would see a great surge in Mana, live for an additional six hundred years, and rank among the terrestrial immortals!

"The combat platform, activate!"

Cultivator Baimei tapped the ground with his foot.

Streams of Spiritual Light crisscrossed, and with a rumbling sound, four pillars, each about a dozen zhang in height, rose from the ground. A stone platform appeared at the center, with faint spatial fluctuations radiating around, encircled by Runes carved to expand the space, making the inside much larger than it appeared from the outside.

"The victor of the combat will be granted the Nine Apertures Golden Fruit by the Sect on behalf of the Ancestor Master."

"All disciples remember, once a victor is determined, one must not intentionally harm others; otherwise, do not blame the Sect's disciplinary laws for being merciless."

Cultivator Baimei's authoritative gaze swept over the crowd as a warning.

"Yes!"

The hearts of the many foundation-builders turned cold.

"With that said, any disciple who wishes to claim the Nine Apertures Golden Fruit may enter the combat platform."

Cultivator Baimei nodded.

The crowd of foundation-builders fell silent, their gazes shifting between Zhou Kunlong, Lei Linghe, and also glancing at the peaceful youth in blue clothes.

Their spirits sank, none of them made a move.

In previous years, there would have already been countless supporters and many negotiations over benefits.

While peak foundation-building cultivators have impressive strength, they are not invincible; after a series of consecutive battles, they would likely be severely drained of Mana and could be easily defeated by later challengers.

Therefore, every ambitious peak foundation-building cultivator would need to cultivate alliances, garnering followers—an occurrence the Sect was happy to see.

But at this moment, none of that seemed to matter.

"Elder, your disciple has a question."

Zhou Kunlong gritted his teeth and knelt on both knees, tearfully speaking.

"Ask."

Cultivator Baimei was not surprised.

With the Golden Pill path at stake, no peak foundation-building cultivator would be daunted, even if faced with a Golden Pill.

"The Ancestor Master said that those who have made great contributions for the Sect have the right to contend for the Nine Apertures Golden Fruit."

"From a young age, your disciple has fought bravely and shed blood for the Sect for 216 years, slaying one Mid-stage Foundation Building and nineteen Mid-term Cultivators or below from Xuetu Hall, countless Qi Practicing Demon Cultivators, always working diligently without dare to slack."

"Not just your disciple, there are many among my fellow disciples who have also endured without complaining."

"And those who died in battle, countless numbers, sacrificed their lives for the Sect, thus maintaining our Sect's grand enterprise spanning three thousand years in Yue Country."

Zhou Kunlong's tears flowed out. In front of a Golden Pill, he was like a child, unwilling to accept it, he said, "If there is someone who, since entering the sect, has not taken a step outside the mountain gate, has not established any merit, can they still compete for the Nine Apertures Golden Fruit left by our Ancestor Master?"

"Is this fair?"

"Does it conform to the instructions of our Ancestor Master?"

His voice sounded like sobs, his forehead knocking on the ground incessantly, blood gushing like a fountain.

The other foundation-building cultivators remained silent.

Thinking back on their own cultivation and life of nearly two hundred years of strife and the many brothers who died in battle, they couldn't help but feel a sense of shared grief.

"Alas, foolish child..."

A trace of tenderness appeared in Cultivator Baimei's eyes, yet he did not blame him.

These foundation-building cultivators were all like children he'd watched grow up; he kept their credit and hard work in his heart.

How could he be devoid of feelings?

However, in the cultivation world's cold and cruel reality, such feelings were useless.

Many gazes filled with jealousy, resentment, or dissatisfaction turned to one place.

Jiang Ding's expression was indifferent.

With Divine Sense unfolded, he easily located the cultivators who had reached the foundation-building phase in the past seventeen years after finding the Nine Hevens Relics.

Quite a few, indeed. There are still twelve alive, all in the early stage of foundation building.

It must be due to the wars and the honors speeding up the exchange of Foundation Building Pills.

Cold Sword Intent spread, carrying a warning, reaching into the Divine Souls of these twelve people.

Some faces turned deathly pale.

Others looked uneasily at Zhou Kunlong, a cultivator at the peak of foundation building, not daring to do anything.

After a brief pause, still no one came forward.

The Sword Intent now carried a clearer intent to kill, especially towards those Qi Practicing Phase disciples who had appeared on the Nine Heavens Relics and Xuetu Hall battlegrounds in the past.

I saved your life once before.

Now I require repayment, or you will die.

Once second on the Dragon and Phoenix List, 'Half Ghost' Wu Makong, shuddered and finally unable to bear it any longer, stood up, steeled his heart, and said with righteous indignation, "Do you have any military exploits?"

"Your junior uncle personally killed hundreds of Qi Practicing warriors from Xuetu Hall in the Nine Heavens Relics; he personally killed the Three Sons of Xuetu, Hua Xuezi, Du Jiangzi, Bai Gui Zi!"

"If those three had not died, by now they would surely have become mid-stage foundation building cultivators. How many casualties would they have caused among the foundation-building cultivators on the battlefield?"

Many foundation-builders imagined the scenario of the Three Sons of Xuetu appearing on the battlefield together, and felt a shiver down their spines.

"Furthermore, where do you think the Foundation Building Pills used by all your nephews and disciples in recent years have come from?"

As Wu Makong spoke, the unease in his heart lessened. By the end, he ignored the cold gazes of the foundation-building peak cultivators, suppressed all distractions, and loudly said, "I have fought for the sect for nearly two hundred years, killing thirteen foundation-building cultivators; how does that compare to the slaying of the Three Sons of Xuetu?"

"Nearly two hundred years, and that's it?"

Zhou Kunlong's face turned from white to green and back as he stared at Wu Makong with a murderous gaze, his lips quivering, but he couldn't say anything.

The Three Sons of Xuetu!

These were the carefully nurtured Golden Pill seeds of Xuetu Hall, unbeatable among their peers, destined to become strong among foundation-building cultivators. How could thirteen ordinary foundation-building cultivators compare to them?

"Not to mention!"

Wu Makong took a deep breath, smelling an opportunity, and decided to fully align with the sect's half-step Golden Core combat power, "One battle secured the sect's supply of Foundation Building Pills for over a hundred years, one battle benefitted the sect for over a century."

"With such accomplishments, nearly two hundred years of credit and hard work, does anyone else have such a record?"

"Such an ordinary person, even if you gave them two thousand years, to toil and bleed tirelessly for the sect, what would they be able to achieve?"

"The Ancestor Master's decree."

"Talent, merits, spell duel, lacking any of these, we, the younger generation, must remember well!"

Wu Makong bowed to both the Grand Elder and Jiang Ding, then stepped back slowly.

"How dare you insult me, you junior..."

Zhou Kunlong's killing intent surged as he stared coldly at him and menacingly whispered.

Wu Makong's body trembled but he did not respond.

"Kunlong."

"Do you have more to ask?"

Cultivator Baimei sighed lightly, then asked again.

"Grand Elder, I dare not ask more," Zhou Kunlong said hoarsely.

His complexion was ashen, as if drained of spirit, looking extremely haggard as stood up and returned to the crowd.