Chapter 350

"Clues?"

"What clues could I possibly have?"

Jiang Ding gave the pure white immortal robe girl before him a strange look, daring not to believe it: "Lord Huaxue, you don't seriously think I killed them?"

"These are three Jin Dan cultivators!"

"Could Lord Tiankuang really be such an inconceivable powerhouse that he'd make you believe such a ridiculous thing?"

He was utterly stunned.

This reaction made the three Jin Dan cultivators hesitate.

Foundation Establishment mid-stage, slaying Jin Dan!

And three of them!

This was trampling their common sense underfoot repeatedly; only after much time had they convinced themselves to believe it, and now they could not help but waver.

"Lord Xiang Qiyu, the Sword Disciple."

Mu Mu Tianxue's expression remained unchanged, smiling sweetly: "I never once said you were the one who did it—I merely asked you for a few clues."

Bai Mei and Zhou Zhou Sanyan's hearts stirred.

"So that's how it is."

Jiang Ding exhaled in relief, glanced at the two Xiang Qiyu Jin Dan, saw they offered no objection, and fell into thought and memory.

"No, during this time I remained at Lanshan Spirit Mine until I received Li Li Qingyun's message, then left and went into hiding—no anomalies occurred at all."

After a long while, he shook his head.

"Is that so?"

Mu Mu Tianxue seemed slightly disappointed.

"Precisely so."

Jiang Ding bowed, solemnly saying: "I am young and weak, unable to participate in the great affairs of your Lordships. I wish you all swift success in restoring the bright heavens of Yue and Chu."

"I take my leave."

The spiritual sense signal severed, his body turned transparent and hazy.

Foundation Establishment mid-stage, possessing Jin Dan combat power.

This must never be revealed—such a person's potential is too deep, too dangerous.

Every enemy would want to crush him before he could grow.

Even Jiang Ding himself, upon seeing An Tu Zi, wanted to kill him for the Immortal Sect.

"Within the Demon Country lies a large mercury-silver mine, with reserves at least ten times greater than Lanshan Spirit Mine."

Mu Mu Tianxue spoke calmly and softly: "There is also a Class Three high-grade spiritual vein, seven or eight Class Three spirit mines, and the dense mountain forests frequently yield Class Three spiritual herbs—below them, countless Class Two spirit mines and veins."

"My three companions seek a destined one to bestow them upon."

"Lord Xiang Qiyu, the Sword Disciple, do you know this destined one?"

Jiang Ding's spiritual sense imprint, about to vanish, paused.

He couldn't help but pause.

This reminded him of the vast quantities of mercury-silver spirit gold seized from the Demon Country's treasury.

The Dyson Solar Sword Domain—even the monkey version of the monkey version of the monkey version—requires one thousand and twenty-four mirror-faced drone swords; the amount at Lanshan Spirit Mine was nowhere near enough.

The original plan was to apply to the Immortal Sect for use in scientific research.

But there's a waiting list—strategic-level mineral reviews tied to the Immortal Sect's vital defenses are extremely strict; even if approved, it would take at least a hundred to two hundred years to obtain, even under expedited conditions.

You say your project is important, but others think theirs isn't?

There's nothing to be done.

As for the promise of ceding an entire Demon Country, it's equally tempting—the specialized aerospace warship construction requires at least a billion low-grade spirit stones; plundering the Demon Country would accelerate progress.

He pondered for a long time.

He calculated for a long time.

"Regarding this destined one."

"When I established my Foundation, I had a strange encounter and became a disciple of a Jin Dan sword cultivator."

Jiang Ding turned around, apologetically saying: "Brothers, when I was establishing my Foundation, I was in dire peril and had no choice but to take another master. Please forgive me—I will one day return to the Ancestral Hall and beg forgiveness from my master when the sect is restored."

"No problem, no problem…"

Bai Mei's lips twitched.

Zhou Zhou Sanyan's expression was filled with doubt.

Mu Mu Tianxue's expression remained unchanged, yet inwardly she could not help but waver.

Compared to the absurdity of Foundation Establishment slaying Jin Dan, the explanation of this unknown Jin Dan sword cultivator was far more plausible—Yue and Chu were no death traps for Jin Dan cultivators; occasional travel there was entirely possible.

Jiang Ding's expression was calm.

Whether they believed her or not, they could never find concrete evidence.

Without concrete evidence, such absurd claims would never be believed, and thus would not trigger a massive uproar drawing the attention of true powerhouses.

The Cultivation World has never lacked sensational rumors.

People dare claim the True Immortal has descended, the Fruit of Eternal Life exists, or that someone attained enlightenment in a hundred years and ascended—so a Foundation Establishment slaying Jin Dan is utterly ordinary among such tales.

"Lord Huaxue, could you elaborate?"

Jiang Ding asked.

Being tempted did not mean he would act—he needed to assess the risks.

"Since Lord Xiang Qiyu, the Sword Disciple, knows this destined one."

"Then it's simple."

Mu Mu Tianxue set aside the doubts in her heart: "As long as your master can slay True Person Tiankuang…"

Specks of shattering sword intent spread out, causing the body condensed by his divine sense to ripple, and he lost his voice.

"Stop telling jokes."

Jiang Ding said lightly: "Senior Huaxue, you are a venerable elder; you ought to maintain decorum before juniors. Being so frivolous like this is unbefitting of an elder's bearing."

"You—!"

Mu Mu Tianxue was seized by a fit of annoyance.

"I'll say it one more time."

Jiang Ding's voice was icy: "My master has come for floating wealth, while you, sir, fight for your life, for your Dao, to break free from the backdoor control of the Liu Dao Sect's Gong Fa."

"You need to set your position straight."

A strange glint flashed and vanished in the eyes of the old cultivator Bai Mei.

One Foundation Establishment mid-stage, one Jin Dan late-stage — the two were evenly matched in presence, though sword cultivators had always been fierce and resolute, so one couldn't really say anything definitive.

"Not bad, indeed so."

Mu Mu Tianxue was silent for a moment, then said calmly: "Daoist Tiankuang will be handled by Senior Li and me. Right now we still need someone to hold back Hundred Ghosts, Princess Princess Chiyan the Yao King, and Venom Corpse — three Jin Dan."

"Won't Daoist Venom Corpse and Daoist Hundred Ghost turn back to our side?"

The old cultivator Bai Mei frowned, immediately feeling it was a thorny problem: "I reckon the Liu Dao Sect treats them as servants too, not much better than that."

"Haven't tested it, but the two of them probably wouldn't want to. The Liu Dao Sect is too strong; they had no hope of Nascent Soul to begin with, so betrayal is impossible — some humiliation they can still endure."

Mu Mu Tianxue shook her head.

"I can hold back Daoist Venom Corpse and Daoist Hundred Ghost."

Zhou Zhou Sanyan stepped forward.

The gazes of the three Jin Dan cultivators swept in unison toward the blue-robed youth before them.

"Impossible."

Jiang Ding shook his head: "My master is only at the Jin Dan Chu Qi realm, while Princess Princess Chiyan the Fox King is a Jin Dan late-stage Yao cultivator — they cannot be matched. It seems the rest of us should just scatter and flee for our lives."

He was also somewhat disappointed in his heart.

To rule a nation's Cultivation World with oneself as sovereign.

An opportunity like this was hard to come by. If paired with some ancient-method mining puppets, mining efficiency could be boosted ten-odd times; perhaps within several decades he could save up enough to cover the construction cost of a one-to-two-billion sky warship.

"You need not worry, sir."

Mu Mu Tianxue smiled: "Princess Princess Chiyan the Fox King suffered grave injuries and was repeatedly dual-cultivated to replenish; she may have already fallen from Jin Dan late-stage. As long as your master holds her off, wait until we free our hands and that will suffice."

She transmitted to the people around her a series of unsightly scenes — precisely the moments of Daoist Tiankuang draining Princess Princess Chiyan the Fox King in broad daylight. She had worn her down rapidly, deliberately causing her to slowly fall from the Jin Dan late-stage realm, making her easier to control.

"May have already fallen from Jin Dan late-stage… may have."

Jiang Ding frowned, deeply displeased.

In a life-and-death battle like this, she throws out a "may"!

He truly wanted to beat this demonic-path witch to death right now, take back the last Yi Mei Po Fa steel bullet, and not save it for later.

(End of chapter)