Chapter 606: The Great Sun Sword-Bearer Stands for the Justice of the World

"We thank you, Master Dinghai Zhenjun!"

Yu Zhong and the others bowed deeply in loud, resonant voices, every word sincere.

A single day, and freedom was won!

Everyone was so moved they could not hold back their tears.

Many stood dazed and blank where they were, never having imagined that one day they would truly cease to be someone's servants, free to speak boldly of pursuing the great Dao of the Nascent Soul, of extending their lives by a thousand years.

In a haze, some recalled the bold, headstrong youths they had once been.

Back then, fearing nothing under heaven or earth, from the very first day they set foot upon the immortal path, they had sworn to attain the true immortal, to live forever, to look upon the prodigies and heroes of the past as so much dung, unworthy of a glance, to vie with the heavens themselves.

Yet by the time their hair had whitened and they had advanced to Jin Dan, everything had turned to ash.

They had gone to Master Tushan Xiancheng to pay court to General General Heishi, accepted the binding restraints, and become another's servant.

From that day on, their lives were never their own again.

Any hint of disrespect toward their master invited severe punishment; every day they groveled and fawned before fellow Jin Dan, even before Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining juniors, walking on eggshells.

Let alone speaking such treasonous words as declaring they would pursue the great Dao of the Nascent Soul.

The moment such words left their lips, death would come in an instant, their clans wiped out, their bodies reduced to blood-food, their souls, after endless torment, twisted into Slaughter-Spirit Curse-Hate Threads.

But now,

the clouds have parted, the mist has scattered, and the sun is seen at last!

"You should not thank me — these were the terms agreed upon in advance."

Jiang Ding shook his head slightly, neither smug nor swollen with pride.

For cultivators of immortal sects, cooperating with other cultivators, achieving victory together, and dividing the spoils by merit were all part of daily life; there was no stirring of emotion over it.

"Go and search out my spoils."

Jiang Ding surveyed his surroundings and said, "The scope is limited to all the wealth of General General Heishi and the Lingbao Merchant Guild's Shang clan — shops, warehouses, scripture halls, and the like. No attacking one another. No violently destroying anything."

"Of this, two parts of the spoils shall be divided among you according to your merits."

He regarded all the Jin Dan cultivators, judging two parts — that is, two percent of the spoils — to be fair.

In the Luoxu Sect, his avatar took only thirty percent.

That was because his own strength was limited; he needed to borrow the power of others to accomplish things, so giving up seventy percent was only right.

His true body was different — this was Nascent Soul-level combat power!

Naturally, he could not split such a large share of the spoils with a group of Jin Dan cultivators; their contribution did not warrant it.

If he really took thirty-seventy,

that would be exploiting the superior, turning heaven and earth upside down.

Yu Zhong and the other Jin Dan all bowed their heads, raising no objection.

"Beyond General General Heishi, the Shang clan, and the twenty-eight clans of the Northern Plains, you are not to plunder anyone's wealth, nor to disturb them."

Jiang Ding added.

Master Tushan Xiancheng was an open city, a gathering place for cultivators from everywhere — loose cultivators, practitioners from remote regions, even cultivators of the Dari Sect — a chaotic mix of all sorts.

"Yes!"

Yu Zhong, Wei Wei Qingqing, and the others showed puzzlement in their eyes, not understanding, but that did not stop them from immediately obeying.

"Go. No concealment of any kind."

"If you encounter any difficulty you cannot overcome — formations, jade slips, anything — tell me."

Jiang Ding tossed out a pile of superior-grade magic artifacts, the Single-Eyed Cicadas, which flew individually to each Jin Dan cultivator's side. He said calmly, "Within a quarter of an hour, we must finish everything, then each find our own way forward."

"Remember — this place is still a battlefield."

A quarter of an hour was the deadline he had settled upon after careful deliberation.

By habit, he would have stayed no more than ten breaths before leaving, but the wealth here was staggering, and would be of great help in his future refinement of flying swords and the evolution of the super warship Great Sun. So he was willing to take a little risk.

"Yes!"

Yu Zhong and the other Jin Dan cultivators' hearts tightened, and they answered in solemn voices.

They had nearly forgotten.

Though the Zhengmo Alliance no longer dominated the Northern Plains as it once had, it was still an immensely vast power, its members bound by close intermarriage, descended from a common ancestor — any one of them might step forward for General General Heishi.

Freedom did not mean the end of trouble.

Many challenges still lay ahead; one misstep and they would die, their clans annihilated.

Swoosh swoosh swoosh!

One by one, the Jin Dan cultivators shot forth on swift escape-lights, divine senses unfurled, flying toward every direction. Their division of labor was clear, each responsible for a designated zone, breaking open the General Heishi and Shang clan's shops, cave-dwellings, auction houses, scripture halls, and the like, sweeping up spoils with abandon, wasting not a single breath — their efficiency terrifyingly high.

One must not forget: as Jin Dan of vassal clans, generation after generation had lived in Master Tushan Xiancheng for thousands of years; they knew every corner intimately, beyond all familiarity.

Where the secret passages ran, where the hidden doors lay, where concealed spatial restraints were placed — all was crystal clear to them.

Vast quantities of heavenly materials and earthly treasures were swept clean, piling up at tremendous speed into storage pouches, their numbers swelling rapidly.

Even the most seasoned Jin Dan cultivators grew covetous, unable to suppress the stirrings of treachery, wanting to block the Single-Eyed Cicadas — yet still hesitating.

Jiang Ding paid no heed to any of this.

He walked slowly along the familiar streets of Master Tushan Xiancheng. It was his first time here, and comparing each sight with his avatar's memories stirred something in him.

A moment later, he arrived before the Lingbao Merchant Guild.

His divine sense and sword intent swept through.

Certain people, who believed themselves well hidden, lay prostrate in underground chambers, straining to suppress every trace of their aura, stopping even their heartbeats and breath, as still as corpses.

In the Lingbao Merchant Guild's warehouse lay many demonic-path materials — arms, human skins, entrails, and the like. In cages were imprisoned tens of thousands of slaves, most of fair countenance and bearing spiritual roots; their cultivation was mostly at the fifth or sixth layer of Qi Refining, with some at Foundation Establishment, and astonishingly three at Jin Dan.

Their origins were presumably war, abduction, trafficking, and the like.

Clang~

Jiang Ding drew his sword; sword light flashed, severing the slave-binding iron chains of every slave.

"Go. Flee. Live as long as you can."

Jiang Ding, rare for him, kept a trace of warmth as he spoke softly.

"Many thanks, Master Dinghai Zhenjun!"

"Your great kindness…"

The many slave cultivators froze for a beat, then burst into sudden joy, kowtowing nonstop in gratitude, tears streaming down their faces.

Even more of them wished to follow at the Nascent Soul Master Dinghai Zhenjun's side, to serve him like dogs and horses, but were gently refused.

At once, the swarm of slave cultivators dared not linger, striding quickly to flee Master Tushan Xiancheng.

Jiang Ding stared at the ground and flicked his finger.

The ground rumbled and shook, mud churning; in the span of a breath, a secret chamber sealed by layer upon layer of sophisticated concealment formations was forcibly dragged out by wisps of blue-gold sword qi.

Jiang Ding sliced casually; the secret chamber split open, revealing seven or eight Jin Dan cultivators of the Merchant Clan who had tried to flee when they saw things going badly.

Thud!

"Greetings, Tushan Master Dinghai Zhenjun."

Shang Shang Sanwu prostrated himself on the ground, face deathly pale, tears and mucus streaming, consumed by regret: "We never had the slightest thought of making an enemy of Master Dinghai Zhenjun. We were merely forced by that beast Hei Hei Chengxiu, who has no lord and no father—he threatened our lives and our families. With no other choice, we reluctantly went along with a thing or two."

"Before this, we tried many times to contact Master Dinghai Zhenjun, to offer our service, but were blocked by that villain Hei Hei Chengxiu every time."

"Although our Lingbao Merchant Guild has some modest strength, we have always been neutral, sincerely serving as a bridge for the many great heroes of the Northern Plains, doing a bit of small business."

"How could we possibly be willing to make an enemy of Master Dinghai Zhenjun?"

"We beg Master Dinghai Zhenjun to clearly discern the truth!"

Shang Shang Sanwu wept bitterly: "I am willing to offer up all the wealth within the Guild. I beg Master Dinghai Zhenjun to forgive us for not knowing the might of Heaven, for our unintentional offense. I beg Master Dinghai Zhenjun to pardon us!"

"Please, Master Dinghai Zhenjun, pardon us!"

He kowtowed like a pestle pounding garlic, utterly abject.

"Fellow Daoist Shang, you truly are a wily old hand steeped in the merchant's way for hundreds of years."

Jiang Ding sighed in admiration, somewhat impressed.

That whole speech was delivered with real skill.

His posture was extremely low: first he spoke of being compelled against his will, then subtly hinted at the might of the neutral Merchant Clan's power, and finally, in the capacity of a branch Shopkeeper of the Lingbao Merchant Guild, offered up a monstrous gift, not keeping a single spirit stone for himself.

An ordinary Nascent Soul Master Dinghai Zhenjun might well have let him go.

After all, the strength of the Merchant Clan, and their outward neutrality, were still greatly feared by people.

"Then, Master Dinghai Zhenjun, you…"

Shang Shang Sanwu's heart leapt with joy.

"Me? I'm different."

"I'm a great good man who hates evil as a sworn enemy."

Jiang Ding rested his hand on the sword hilt, drawing it out little by little, seeming somewhat regretful: "The Lingbao Merchant Guild traffics in people, utterly devoid of conscience. Although I want to let Fellow Daoist Shang go—because I truly can't bear it—"

"But what can I do?"

"Sigh, the justice in my heart will not allow me to betray my conscience for the sake of some gifts."

"Don't you agree, Fellow Daoist Shang?"

"Master Dinghai Zhenjun speaks rightly…"

Shang Shang Sanwu said bitterly, giving himself up to be bound.

"Right up your old mother's—!"

The next instant, his face shifted abruptly from humble ingratiation to a savage, terrifying look. From within his sleeve, an invisible fine needle shot out soundlessly, stabbing toward the eyes of the blue-robed youth before him.

"Kill!"

Behind him, the seven Jin Dan cultivators of the Merchant Clan roared, burning their essence blood, each gripping a magic treasure and smashing it forward with terrifying momentum.

With such a sudden eruption, even a peak Jin Dan cultivator might have been slain by them in a single strike.

"See? I told you—you lot are utterly without conscience, aren't you? Even launching a sneak attack."

Jiang Ding wore an expression of "just as I expected."

Clang!

The sword was drawn, the sword cut, the sword returned to its sheath.

The invisible fine needle snapped; the seven magic treasures snapped.

The eight Jin Dan cultivators stiffened, a thin line of blood appearing on their throats; their bodies went limp and collapsed, utterly devoid of breath.

Shang Shang Sanwu's mouth spewed fresh blood wildly; his lips wriggled, emitting faint, venomous cursing sounds.

"The… Old Ancestor will… avenge us…"

(End of chapter)