Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery
Chapter 955 - 926: Throughout the Generations, the Grest Sun Swordsman Has Always Been Benevolent

The youth on the throne spoke in an indifferent tone, conveying a succinct and clear meaning with his icy words.

"Release your Divine Soul and submit to Soul Searching."

"Soul Searching..."

A chill filled the heart of the Ice Phoenix Demon Monarch, and anger flared within her.

She even considered burning her Essence Blood and Life Energy, fighting to the death, if only to splatter the other with her blood.

However, when she lifted her head.

What she saw was a youth in green robes sitting calmly on the throne, with eyes serene, devoid of triumphant glee commonly found in the newly ascended, and without the endless hatred for the Demon Race.

He was merely looking at her in such a way.

Somehow, the Ice Phoenix Demon Monarch felt an icy chill in her heart, losing all courage.

Even with the Divine Sense space Talisman in hand, what could she do?

Now that both her Divine Soul and demon body were restrained, what could she do?

What more could she do?

When facing such an old monster, one could only stall for time.

If she failed to make contact for a long time, her mother, regardless of how slow to react she might be, should realize something was amiss, and by then there might be a slim chance of survival.

"By Heavenly Monarch's command, I shall comply with everything!"

The Ice Phoenix Demon Monarch kowtowed again, respectfully saying, "Within the bloodline of the Ice Phoenix Clan, there indeed exists a Divine Soul inheritance restriction, which I am also unable to stop. Here are the details of the restriction, please..."

"Please show mercy, Heavenly Monarch."

She pleaded sorrowfully, releasing all the defenses of her Divine Soul.

"Mercy?"

"Mercy is indeed due, for how could one not cherish someone with your talent, Your Majesty?"

Jiang Ding was slightly surprised.

He slowly descended from the Cold Ice Throne, coming in front of the Ice Phoenix Demon Monarch, and with a finger, gently lifted her smooth, jade-like chin, speaking softly to Mu Tiansnow standing beside, "Do you see? This is the Demon Race's elite prodigy, I truly admire her."

"If I were in such a dire situation, I would only have the option of burning my Essence Blood in one last struggle."

"Yet she could do so much, inspiring one to cherish her talent."

"It's not easy."

"You should take it as encouragement."

"Thank you for the guidance, Heavenly Monarch."

Mu Tiansnow said admiringly, "Your Majesty is truly a paragon among our contemporaries."

"Indeed."

"Such talent should be put to good use."

Jiang Ding nodded and took up a spirit soul from the ground, that of a humanoid with a tortoise shell, who was the Tortoise Prime Minister from the Demon Imperial Court.

His Divine Sense swept through, confirming that there were no God-transforming Level Restrictions inside the soul, and he could easily read all sorts of information, "Your Majesty, from what I see here, your itinerary is not fixed; there are occasional deviations, inspections elsewhere."

"So, let's send out a decree."

"I need it to appear normal to the outside world, that everything is usual with you, at least for a few months, so as not to alarm the Ice Field Heavenly Monarch."

"For someone as clever as you, this should not be difficult, right?"

"I shall heed the Heavenly Monarch's command."

The Ice Phoenix Demon Monarch's face turned pale as she wrote a decree, which Jiang Ding reviewed before it was sent out.

"That's good."

"Your Majesty is really clever."

Jiang Ding nodded his head, lightly placing his hand on the Ice Phoenix Demon Monarch's smooth and pale forehead. A vast Sword Intent and Divine Sense force surged into it, beginning the brutal process of Soul Searching, perusing the information he desired.

If she resisted, her head would explode.

If she didn't resist, her head might still explode.

The strength of the Spirit Soul Restrictions in her bloodline, the sophistication of the Soul Searching secret technique, the skill of the magic used by the caster, all these could affect the final outcome.

"Ah..."

The Ice Phoenix Demon Monarch let out a piercing scream of agony.

She didn't utter a word, lost consciousness, her body limp, but her forehead remained pressed against his palm without the slightest disturbance.

Hours later, the body of the Ice Phoenix Demon Monarch slumped on the ground, soft as mud, her breath weak as a thread.

Soul Searching caused her great damage, and it was possible that her realm might have fallen as a result.

"Your Majesty..."

The dozen or so Demon Monarchs around her trembled but dared not make the slightest move, still prostrating on the ground.

"Heavenly Monarch, why not kill her?"

Mu Tiansnow suggested, "If you are reluctant to bully the weak due to your status, I can do it for you. Such a promising individual of the Demon Race, once released, will be an endless threat and a great disaster to our Human Race."

"Heavenly Monarch, no!"

A Golden Wing King Clan Demon Monarch, who had not acted from the beginning, anxiously said, "The Heavenly Monarch taking action against our junior violates the agreement!"

"The Ice Field Heavenly Monarch will retaliate, and in the end, Nascent Soul and even Golden Core Foundation Building cultivators of the Human Race will be slaughtered in large numbers, this is a loss for both sides!"

"Heavenly Monarch, the killing has been enough before now, it was their own fault for failing to recognize a great one. Ice Field Heavenly Monarch will also acknowledge this."

"Do not repeat the same mistake, over and over again!"

"Silence."

Jiang Ding shook his head slightly, and all the Demon Monarchs' voices stopped abruptly.

"I will not kill her,"

"Because she might ascend to Divinity Transformation."

Jiang Ding said indifferently, "I am younger and compared to seniors like Ice Field Heavenly Monarch, I care more about the people of old times. Unless it's absolutely necessary, I will not let them be slaughtered."

"Moreover, the True Lords of the Human Race also need opponents to grow."

"The Human Race is a Domain Overlord Race!"

Jiang Ding spoke calmly, "Yet now, it is intimidated by a mere Demon Race, not daring to face an equal opponent, which is truly embarrassing."

"Such a situation, I will not allow to exist."

"Either defeat them or die!"

"There is no second path, no second outcome."

"In this world, within a race, there is no one who can be relied on indefinitely, one can only rely on oneself, and I am no exception, not forever reliable."

"If your generation of the Human Race cannot defeat Demons on the same level, then leave the resources and opportunities to the next generation, and the one after that, and the ones after them, endlessly… The goal will eventually be reached."

"This is the path of the strong for the Human Race!"

In that instant, Jiang Ding faintly understood the predecessors who were Dari Swordsmen.

The cruelty they displayed, their indifference to subordinates being slain by the enemy, might not be an innate callousness, but rather kindness.

Yes, kindness.

For Sword Cultivators, opponents and enemies are the nourishment for growth, the source of advancement, and an essential condition for a great elevation in life.

Without opponents, there are no strong Sword Cultivators.

What is handed down to the subordinates are not enemies, but rather moving Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasures, chances for the Dao.

Dari Swordsmen could cut down these opponents with a single strike, effortlessly and without much exertion.

But what about afterwards?

Where would the subordinates go to seek the Dao?

Where to find the chance to advance?

This is not affection.

It is personally cutting off the subordinates' path to further advancement, the great opportunities of the Dao!

"I am kind, therefore I cannot block the future of the younger generation."

Jiang Ding muttered to himself.

'Kindness…'

Mu Tiansnow's breath hitched, her body suddenly turning cold as she foresaw a future bleak and lightless.

This Heavenly Monarch seemed quite unreliable!

Jiang Ding paid no attention to this woman.

He still remembered the events of the past.

If it were not for the Human Race being invaded, and the situation being chaotic—if it were not for the fact that the Blood Spirit Holy Body was after all a talent that could assist the overall strength of the Human Race—he would have already swung his sword and settled both new and old scores.

Even now, if he discovered this woman doing something to harm the interest of the Human Race, no longer shielded by the righteousness of the Human Race, he would instantly kill her.

These past matters are not something she can fool her way out of by feigning innocence and cuteness.

"Heavenly Monarch Wan Zhu…"

"Ice Field Heavenly Monarch... and also Xi Ping'an…"

Jiang Ding closed his eyes in contemplation.

Through Soul Searching and the account of the Ice Phoenix Demon Monarch, he was aware of the intelligence regarding the three Divinity Transformation cultivators. Among them, the Ice Field Heavenly Monarch was the strongest, in the Late Truth-Transforming Stage, Xi Ping'an was at the Mid-stage of Spirit Transformation, and Heavenly Monarch Wan Zhu was in the Late Truth-Transforming Stage but reaching the end of his Life Energy, with his strength in decline.

The cultivation location of Heavenly Monarch Wan Zhu was the Guishan Tie Family, where he had been in seclusion for a long time.

"Then, to the Liudao Sect."

Jiang Ding opened his eyes, a fleeting crimson light flashed: "These damned guys are either in the mid or late stages of Spirit Transformation, I'm not confident enough to kill them, I'll go retrieve my Yin Yang Magnetic Extreme Divine Light first, integrate it into my Flying Sword, and discuss increasing my strength later."