Chapter 308: You Are the Product of Our Professionalism

"To be honest, I want you to help me with something."

The yellow-haired man's expression turned serious: "After you complete the task, I'll give you the Great Sun Sword Intent, and also forge it into a vessel barely worthy of being called a spiritual treasure—only something of this caliber can carry the Sword Intent of the former Great Sun Sword Disciple."

"Only I, with years of accumulated battle merits and patent wealth, have this kind of fortune."

"What is it?"

Jiang Ding watched him warily: "Let's be clear—I won't do anything beyond my capabilities, and I won't take on excessive risks. I haven't hit a bottleneck yet; I'm not at that point."

"It's not a big deal."

The yellow-haired man explained: "My ranking for exchanging battle merits for a Soul Transformation opportunity is number one in the Immortal Sect—but the sect is now utterly broke, still short by a bit. I want you to join the war in the Huangtong Minor Realm and help the sect swiftly seize it."

"My remaining lifespan is starting to run out."

"Huangtong Minor Realm?"

Jiang Ding froze.

"Yes—the same minor realm you took the college entrance exam in, the one with the strategic specialty: Magnet-Fusing Crystal Stone. The sect's and Brother Brother Xuanwu's armies are still locked in stalemate and combat there."

"There's a problem now."

The yellow-haired man sighed: "Xia Hou Ding, a candidate heir of Brother Brother Xuanwu, has broken through—he now possesses Jin Dan Zhong Qi combat power even while still at the peak of Foundation Establishment, nearly matching the actual Brother Brother Xuanwu heir."

Together with another Brother Brother Xuanwu candidate heir, he has firmly held the four pillars of the Brother Xuanwu Four Poles Stabilizing Heaven Array on the eastern sea of Huangtong Minor Realm, and even shows signs of wanting to expand."

"The sect might still win after greater casualties, but the time it would take—I can't wait."

"That's all. It's simple."

He assured him.

"Go in and kill Xia Hou Ding and the other Brother Brother Xuanwu candidate heir. Then I'll use all my remaining wealth to forge you a pseudo-spiritual treasure capable of carrying the Great Sun Sword Intent—so you can repeatedly experience it without being instantly killed by its power."

Jiang Ding's heart stirred deeply.

The Great Sun Sword Intent is the most orthodox sword legacy of the Great Sun Sword Pavilion.

It contains the highest-level immortal dao scientific and technological explorations of the Great Sun Sword Pavilion—extremely precious for someone like me, who lacks sword dao guidance.

It could even be said to determine the path beyond Jin Dan!

This is something the sect cannot currently provide—and won't ever give me.

"Senior, not now—at least wait until I reach late Foundation Establishment, preferably the peak."

Jiang Ding said first, then added: "Then I need at least a month to consider before giving you my answer."

"Hurry up."

The yellow-haired man nodded, his figure blurred, and vanished.

Jiang Ding dared not linger. He unleashed his magic power and flew at top speed toward the Qingfeng University floating island, only relaxing once he entered his mining district dormitory.

After what happened with Li Yun Sect, he had come to understand the madness of old cultivators nearing the end of their lifespan.

Without exaggeration,

anything standing in their way—whether the sect's great righteousness or strict laws—was useless.

Even a Soul Transformation cultivator face-to-face would be met with a desperate fight.

Though this Senior Mier seemed normal, he wouldn't be surprised if the next moment he suddenly erupted into savagery.

Fortunately, this is still within the Immortal Sect's mother planet—there is still safety.

"Array Spirit, did Senior Mier harbor malice or murderous intent toward me?"

Jiang Ding asked.

Not everyone wishes for the Great Sun Sword Pavilion's legacy to revive—even if they are from the sect.

He had anticipated this.

"Too subjective. Cannot answer."

"Human thought is endlessly variable and extremely complex. The Central Array Spirit Computer can only observe events that have already occurred."

The Array Spirit replied.

"Then, if I enter the Huangtong Minor Realm and encounter forces at the Nascent Soul level or higher, can you rescue me as a key priority target?"

Jiang Ding rephrased his question.

The Great Sun Sword Intent was too vital for him; lacking sword dao legacy and guidance, he did not want to give it up lightly.

"A single Void Refining cultivator acting personally could rescue you."

"Three or more Void Refining cultivators launching a coordinated ambush—certain death."

The Central Array Spirit Computer paused for a long time, calculating for seven days, then answered.

"At present, the likelihood of a Void Refining cultivator personally ambushing a Foundation Establishment cultivator is extremely low—less than one in a million, let alone multiple Void Refining cultivators acting together."

"Decades for them are like seconds to mortals—they likely have never even heard your name."

"Yet human nature itself is chaotic—this possibility still exists."

It did not advise Jiang Ding to act or refrain from acting.

As it said, humans possess immense chaos—it did not know which choice would ultimately lead to a better outcome.

"I understand."

Jiang Ding nodded solemnly.

There's no rush to decide now—late Foundation Establishment is still far off; perhaps something will change by then.

He unfolded the Blue-Gold Tree and trained in the mining district for several days.

"The appointment with Professor Zhang Zhang Junsheng has arrived."

Jiang Ding opened his eyes, flew into the sky, continuously adjusting direction, his spiritual sense searching the Shenmu Shenmu Futianrong until he locked onto a leaf bearing a scorched sun mark.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

He knocked on the door three times.

"Is this student Jiang Ding? Please come in."

A hoarse voice came through.

On the leaves, a vortex-shaped, translucent hole appeared; it was pitch black, with faint traces of scorching heat and sharpness radiating outward.

"Greetings, Zhang Laoshi."

Jiang Ding hesitated for a moment, then flew into it.

His vision blurred.

The sky was hazy gray; on the ground, collapsed pavilion ruins lay everywhere, spanning at least several hundred kilometers, stretching endlessly to the horizon. The ground was pocked with glass-like deep craters, and deep sword marks sliced through the earth, cleaving the land itself.

The air was filled with faint radiation, which had fused with the spiritual energy to undergo a terrifying mutation; even after multiple rounds of disinfection, it was still enough to kill a Qi Condensation cultivator instantly.

"Welcome to the Qingfeng University Science and Engineering Building - Da Ri Ruins Laboratory."

The voice of the Array Spirit rang out.

Jiang Ding said nothing; he flew in the sky, following the guidance for dozens of kilometers, before finally stopping at the edge of a glass-like deep crater and walking forward.

A thin, elderly man with a dark complexion was carefully excavating something alongside several other Jin Dan cultivators of similar dark complexion; they occasionally stopped to record and measure changes in the surrounding soil and air using strangely shaped instruments.

"The Da Ri Sword Disciple!"

Several Jin Dan cultivators looked at him simultaneously, their eyes glowing green and burning with intense heat, as if someone who had been starved for decades had suddenly seen their girlfriend, making one's scalp prickle.

"Greetings, Zhang Laoshi. Greetings, Senior Brothers."

Jiang Ding forcibly suppressed the urge to draw his sword and cut them all down, speaking shyly.

"Greetings, Student Jiang Ding."

Zhang Zhang Junsheng smiled: "Do you feel it is different from what you imagined? Not wearing a white lab coat, writing and drawing before the Array Spirit computer, discussing and calculating, but rather digging for things like at a construction site?"

"It is a bit."

Jiang Ding nodded.

"This laboratory ruin was moved here by a Soul Transformation cultivator from the Immortal Sect back then for research purposes; my true form and other senior brothers are currently exploring and researching in the Dayang Dayang Tianchi of the Da Ri Gao Jie."

"Scientific research is quite dull and tedious before results are produced."

Zhang Zhang Junsheng put down his work, stood up, and took him around to look at the area.

"Your current tasks are to study, improve your cultivation, and, submit requests."

"Submit requests?"

Jiang Ding was surprised.

"Yes."

Zhang Zhang Junsheng spoke seriously: "Other graduate students in the Da Ri Ruins Rescue and Excavation major require various explorations and various studies; you are different."

"You yourself are the result of the Da Ri Ruins Rescue and Excavation major!"

Heat burned in his eyes.

"As long as your cultivation can be raised, you can announce to the outside world with undeniable facts how successful our major's results are."

"Your mentor, me, and a host of dirty-faced, hard-luck senior brothers will all welcome a bright and promising future."

"My Dao title, or even entering the Immortal Sect Academy to become an Immortal Sect Academician, is highly possible; each of your senior brothers will turn the tables and become winners in life."

"So, what are your technical needs?"

I will try my best to adjust my schedule and not stay up so late.

(End of this chapter)