Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery
Chapter 998 - 967: Achievements Emerged from the Moon Exploration Expedition Laboratory

"Are we growing further apart?"

Jiang Ding was startled.

"Yes."

"I didn't feel it during Foundation Establishment, but once I entered the Golden Pellet Realm, the change became evident, and it became even more pronounced in the Nascent Soul Stage."

An Siyan recalled.

"This feeling, it's not pleasant."

"Is that so?"

Jiang Ding tried to recall the past, comparing each event in detail with the times of Foundation Establishment and Qi cultivation.

Eventually, he realized that it was indeed the case.

"It's because we spend less time together."

Jiang Ding spread his hands, helplessly saying, "An Immortal of Nascent Soul lives for twelve hundred years. Just cultivating for several years is easy; it's impossible to interact as frequently as during Foundation Establishment and Qi cultivation."

"Lack of interaction breeds a sense of distance."

"I think this is the destined fate of high-level cultivators; the higher you go, the more pronounced it becomes. This natural law is irreversible."

"That must be it."

Jin Lingfeng sighed.

For high-level cultivators, these changes were inevitable. They had just entered the Nascent Soul Stage and were not yet accustomed to it.

In time, perhaps they would get used to it.

The group quickly moved on to discuss some recent matters.

"Immortal Gulin, Teacher Ouyang Hui, and Mr. Liu have all formed their Nascent Soul. It went smoothly for all of them, each at least attaining a Superior Nascent Soul."

An Siyan said, "Among them, Immortal Gulin achieved his long-cherished wish, successfully condensing a Dao Principle Nascent Soul and formed a world's phantom in his Sea of Consciousness, just like the Taiyin Swordsman."

"Immortal Gulin is indeed powerful."

Jiang Ding admired.

Immortal Gulin, now nearly seven hundred years old, had taken several Longevity Elixirs. With a foundation so profound it was unimaginable, he managed to achieve the Dao Principle Nascent Soul and Refining Void Space without any inherited teachings.

Of course, this was also related to the efforts of the Xianmen Sect. As early as five or six years ago, the thesis on Refining Void Space in the Golden Core chapter had been published—this laid the foundation.

Otherwise, no matter how talented a Golden Core Monk was, it would have been impossible because this involved the Dao of Refining Nothingness.

The Imperial Weapon Prototype of the Horned Demon Race Emperor was also a significant factor. The Blood Void Heavenly Abyssal Gold contained within the prototype had a strong affinity with space and Essence Blood, making it particularly suitable for nurturing in the Refining Void Space, much more so than the Xianmen Sect's Law-Breaking Immortal Gold.

It's said that the Eight Great Immortal Sects are also very interested in this type of Inheritance Divine Gold.

They believe that the Blood Void Heavenly Abyssal Gold could be used in cultivating their own Taoist disciples, making their Dao journey smoother, and they have already made some progress.

Clearly, though the Eight Great Immortal Sects are usually slow to respond, when it comes to matters related to Refining Nothingness, they are extremely sharp and will utilize every possible means. This is not their usual lazy and inefficient style.

After several days of casual conversation, Jiang Ding took his leave.

With deepening cultivation bases, the time spent with friends decreased, and the sense of distance gradually increased—a normal phenomenon. He was confident that in the years to come, he would gradually adapt with them, and their friendship would not change.

Jiang Ding flew upwards, breaking through the atmosphere and passing through the orbits of Heavenly Gang Earth Evil, returning once again to the Great Sun Heavenly Pond.

With a sweep of his Divine Sense, he saw the Immortals and True Beings of the Warship Design Research Institute and Agricultural Science Institute busily at work or cultivating. Everything was proceeding in an orderly fashion, with no changes.

These Immortals and True Beings would continue their work for ten years, after which a higher-level research team would take over.

Foundation-building cultivators were rotated every three years. Their lives were too short to sustain long-term projects and needed recuperation.

However, this was not a big issue; the tasks performed by the Foundation-building cultivators were highly replaceable and easy to pick up, so it wouldn't affect anything.

"Chirp chirp!"

When Jiang Ding arrived, a fist-sized Green Bird was crouching outside the Great Sun Heavenly Pond and greeted him.

"Why don't you come in and sit? There are people inside to receive you."

Jiang Ding asked with a smile.

This is a Nascent Soul level Green Bird, responsible for the Xianmen Sect's Banyan Tree Express delivery service, the preferred courier company of the Xianmen official institutions, handling all kinds of secret and official document deliveries.

"Chirp chirp! (The courier can't enter someone else's home.)"

The Green Bird's sharp beak searched inside the pocket on its chest for a moment, pulled out a human-height express carton, and handed it to Jiang Ding along with a delivery slip for him to sign.

"A delivery from the Xianmen Science Institute..."

Jiang Ding scanned with his Divine Sense and showed a look of realization.

He signed his name on the delivery slip and waved goodbye to this Green Bird Immortal.

Holding the human-height express carton, Jiang Ding returned to the Sun Abyss and opened it.

The contents were simple—five single horns, black as ink, with mysterious runes flashing from time to time, causing the surrounding space to blur.

These were the single horns of five Horned Demon Race Emperors, also their Storage Treasures.

These contained spatial restrictions unique to the Horned Demon Race. Even though Jiang Ding's skills in restrictions were not weak, and his power far surpassed any emperor, he dared not tamper with them, fearing that the horns might explode if mishandled, so he had handed them over to the Xianmen Science Institute and the Moon Exploration Expedition Laboratory as part of their research materials.

Today, they were returned.

"The restrictions have been lifted."

"This means that Xianmen Sect and the Eight Great Immortal Sects now have a preliminary understanding of the spatial technology of the Horned Demon Imperial Clan, no longer completely in the dark... Just over a decade, that's quite efficient."

Jiang Ding praised.

As research materials, not only did this include single horns and the corpses of emperors, but also several living emperors. If their Divine Soul Restrictions could also be broken, much more intelligence could be gathered.

Over the years, the Xianmen Sect and the eight Great Experts tirelessly utilized the power of Spirit Transformation Heavenly Monarchs, Immortals of Nascent Soul, Central Array Spirit Computers, focusing entirely on these areas.

Now, with the Storage Treasure's restrictions removed, the Divine Soul Restrictions of the emperors probably won't be far behind.

If the Divine Soul Restrictions of the emperors were removed, then it might be possible to successfully trace back the coordinates of the star domain where the Horned Demon Imperial Clan resided.

At that time, a race war of unimaginable cruelty might ensue.

Then, showers of blood, scenes of Nascent Soul Monks and Nascent Soul Cultivators dying in droves.

Visions of the population of hundreds of billions in the Minor Thousand World being annihilated in a short period...

Such terrifying events, challenging the limits of humanity, might become frequent and not unusual.

Any Elite, any hero, would be vulnerable in the face of such genocidal wars, wiped out in an instant by a massive wave.

"Don't think too much, this shouldn't be my concern right now."

Jiang Ding shook his head, dispelling the chaotic thoughts in his mind, and his Divine Sense flooded into the five single horns.

These were his spoils of war, already allocated to Immortal Gulin among others, and Xianmen Sect's cut, the remainder all his.

"Probably, fifteen trillion low-grade Spirit Stones."

Jiang Ding was somewhat surprised.

Just a Golden Core Realm Peak, even as an emperor, it's impossible to carry so much wealth. According to his initial estimates, his share would be at most two to three trillion low-grade Spirit Stones.

Now, that amount had quintupled!

After a brief reflection, he understood.

"Specialties, domain specialties!"

Jiang Ding took a deep breath: "Some common items in the Horned Ming Realm are extremely precious top-tier Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures in the domain of Xianmen Sect, and if someone could facilitate exchange between the two realms, earning tenfold profits would be effortless."

"Of course, provided they aren't discovered and killed by those who covet them."

More thoughts emerged in Jiang Ding's mind.

"It seems, the murderous intent and greed in the hearts of those eight Great Experts are probably soaring wildly now, anyone who dares to obstruct their cross-domain expeditions and plunder opportunities will die."

"Even, they are likely to crazily risk their lives by Burning Essence Blood."

"Nobody can stop them, neither the Taoist disciples nor the Immortal Sect Heavenly Monarchs."

"Nor can Xianmen Sect!"