Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

Back home, Jiang Yuan was, as ever, watching television.

What was different was the sound of Lin Wanqiu chopping vegetables and humming in the kitchen; it was clear that she was in a good mood without the need for overtime.

"Brother, you're back!"

Jiang Yuan sweetly glanced back, then turned her head again to watch television.

A 500 yuan red envelope was worth just this one sentence.

Jiang Ding curled his lips and put down his schoolbag to help in the kitchen.

"Dingding's back, huh."

Lin Wanqiu hummed a tune and said, "The Qinghua Yunji Elixir that Yuanwang sent over has arrived; I've placed it in your room, remember to check it later."

"Got it, Mom."

Jiang Ding's heart leapt with joy; this was one of the few elixirs that could enhance one's natural talent, which ordinary cultivators would find difficult to obtain if it wasn't for the connections of the Qianling University Cultivation Department.

After washing the potatoes clean, he placed them on the cutting board and then wiped the sword blade with a cloth.

Jiang Ding gripped the hilt of the sword, his Inner Energy flowing through the several already partially unblocked meridians throughout his body.

Clang!

Expose Sword Style!

A bright flash of sword-light passed, and the sword returned to its sheath, as if it had never moved; the potato was still oval, completely unharmed.

Jiang Ding gently touched the potato with his index finger, and strands of potato the size of matchsticks fanned out, uniform in size and thickness, except for the two middle layers of potato strands that were as thick as chopsticks and irregular in size.

"Inner Energy control is still not up to standard."

Jiang Ding frowned, placed another washed potato on the cutting board, and gripped the sword hilt once more.

Lin Wanqiu was secretly amazed.

She was at the stage of Internal Qi Perfection and had been working for more than a decade as an operator of an Optical Formation Recording Machine at Rongcheng Steel Plant—a highly precise job—but she could not achieve this level of skill.

Is the difference between Eaglet Qi and ordinary Inner Qi really that significant?

Flash after flash of sword-light, and each potato turned into potato strands; the kitchen seemed to have become a battlefield of flashing blades and sword shadows.

"That's enough, that's enough!"

Seeing that Jiang Ding had cut four potatoes and still seemed eager for more, Lin Wanqiu quickly said, "If you keep cutting, we won't be able to eat it all."

Jiang Ding had no choice but to place the green onions on the cutting board, draw his sword, and cut countless sections of green onion, followed by celery, beef, and others.

After they were finished with the prep, he washed the blade with dishwashing liquid and then carefully dried it with the cloth.

Jiang Ding sheathed his sword and sat on the sofa to rest with his eyes closed, circulating his Inner Energy and warming the ten main meridians of the Fourth Principle Meridian, the Large Intestine Channel of Hand Yangming.

After dinner, for the first time in a while, the family went for a walk downstairs to aid digestion; Jiang Yuan took the opportunity to play with her friends, while Lin Wanqiu chatted with neighbors.

Jiang Ding, meanwhile, practiced his sword nearby with gently flowing movements, helping his own digestion.

"Dingding, why don't you go play basketball with them?"

Lin Wanqiu pointed to a basketball court not far away, concerned about her son's social skills.

After all, she had never seen her son playing with any friends.

"No, thanks."

Jiang Ding shook his head and continued practicing the sword.

Half an hour later,

Seeing Lin Wanqiu and the neighbors deep in conversation and Jiang Yuan playing happily with her friends, Jiang Ding called out a greeting and headed back home by himself, entering his room.

The first thing that caught his eye was a pure black box the size of a palm, with the 'Qian' emblem of Qianling University printed on top.

Jiang Ding tore open the sealed paper with a hint of excitement, revealing a green elixir bottle and a white instruction sheet inside.

[Qinghua Yunji Elixir]

[Produced by the Elixir Refinery affiliated with the Qianling University Cultivation Department, suitable for martial artists below the Xiantian level to consume, with the effect of enhancing the martial artist's natural talent. Not to be used by pregnant women and children under seven years old. Drug Administration Certification Number...]

After carefully checking that the elixir had not been opened beforehand, Jiang Ding sat cross-legged on his bed and swallowed the elixir.

A cool sensation traveled smoothly from his throat to his stomach and then suddenly spread out, reaching his flesh, bones, and particularly his meridians.

It felt as though he was soaking in a hot spring, his entire body extremely comfortable, as if he had returned to the clarity of newborn freshness.

Jiang Ding closed his eyes, silently feeling every tiny change within his body.

An hour later, when the effects of the elixir had fully manifested, he felt a sudden stomach cramp and hastily sprinted to the bathroom.

After a while, Jiang Ding returned to his bed and sat cross-legged again, channeling his Inner Energy to nurture the fourth vital meridian.

Moments later, a look of pleasant surprise appeared on his face.

"Doubled... My cultivation speed has doubled!"

Jiang Ding was deeply shocked, "What originally took two days to nurture the Large Intestine Channel of Hand Yangming can now be tempered and refined in just one day!"

"With my current talent, I would not be considered poor even among the citizens of Xianmen Sect, at least I would be considered a minor genius. Plus, with the minorly successful 'Eagle Taking Off Sword Technique' and the continuous use of Hundred Essence Qi Pills every day..."

"I should have reached the cultivation speed of a genius."

Thinking of this, Jiang Ding couldn't help but feel a deep sense of gratitude towards his uncle and Lin Yuanwang.

Such a precious elixir would probably not be so easily obtainable even within the Taoism Department of Qianling University. Cousin Lin Yuanwang must have spent a lot of time and effort on this, it wasn't as simple and casual as Uncle had mentioned.

...

Two days later,

In the small courtyard.

Under the morning sunlight, Jiang Ding balanced his sword on his knees, his eyes slightly closed, his Inner Energy circulating and nurturing inside the ten main channels of the sixth vital meridian, the Sanjiao Channel of Hand Shaoyang, already over halfway done.

In just two days!

The main ten channels of both the fourth vital meridian, the Large Intestine Channel of Hand Yangming, and the fifth vital meridian, the Sanjiao Channel of Hand Shaoyang, had been nurtured to completion!

Knock Knock Knock!

"Come in!"

Jiang Ding opened his eyes and joked, "Manager Huang, I thought you wouldn't come back."

Huang Deyou, always timid and afraid of trouble, wouldn't dare continue working here after offending the Wild Wolf Gang, which was why Jiang Ding intentionally gave him a holiday and a generous reward of twenty silver, somewhat like a severance pay.

"What are you saying, boss?"

Huang Deyou said earnestly, "I, Old Huang, am alive as a man of our shop, and will be a ghost of our shop in death. This heart has never changed!"

In fact, he had thought more than once about not coming back.

But holding the twenty newly warmed silver in his arms, he couldn't resist. When the time came, his legs would bring him to the shop on their own, unstoppable.

It was just half a month's time!

How much is the life of an ordinary person worth?

If he missed this opportunity, he would regret it for the rest of his life.

Not just him, all four shop assistants remained, without leaving.

Jiang Ding smiled. This was a good sign, indicating that the so-called important figure behind Long Shi had given up and was no longer pursuing the matter.

"Boss, Shopkeeper Long from Sihai Business Association has come to visit."

Huang Deyou approached Jiang Ding and whispered, "Han Lin said that Shopkeeper Long had also visited two days ago, but left upon not finding you. He came again the next day, and today is the third day."

Surprise and suspicion filled his eyes.

He wondered what kind of background his boss had to make Long Three so humbled and persistent.

The Sihai Business Association was no small entity. Although they tended to be softer towards their distinguished clients, they were a famous trading company throughout Yue Country.

The offspring of the Long family carried a certain pride, displaying neither arrogance nor obsequiousness even when facing the Zhendong Marquis.

Just as Huang Deyou thought he would have to ask permission to let Long Three in, he saw Jiang Ding standing up, tidying his clothes and sword.

"Follow me to receive Shopkeeper Long."