Chapter 773: Fourth-Order Forbidden Nuclear Weapon, Please Bloom After My Death

The slight unpleasantness did not affect the conversation among the Nine Great Dao Children; everyone discussed the mysteries and expounded the Dao, exchanging cultivation experience, each gaining greatly.

The Qingmuxian Sect Dao Child on wood-attribute spell and Gong Fa, the Ten Thousand Beasts Immortal Sect Dao Child on spirit beast rearing and control, the Upper Clarity Spirit Treasure Sect Dao Child on artifact refining... all of these deeply impressed Jiang Ding, and he learned a great deal.

Over the course of more than ten days, the Dao Discussion Assembly proceeded in full swing.

"Jiang Ding Zi,"

During the gathering, Taiyi Qingmu Dao Child Ji Liuyue asked a question.

"What do you think of the saying: longevity and enduring vision, the Great Dao is one, all else may be discarded — does it make sense?"

"It does, but it is not comprehensive."

Jiang Ding thought briefly and said: "Longevity is important, and the 'true self' is equally important."

"And the true self is the cultivator's ideals, beliefs, emotions — this is what distinguishes a person from a dead thing."

"Take that stone, for example,"

Jiang Ding pointed at a meteorite flying past outside the immortal garden: "It has existed since time immemorial, and will continue to exist, turning to powder, turning to soil, changing form, but still existing — is this not longevity?"

"However, what is the use of such longevity for a dead thing?"

These words moved the other Dao Children, touching their hearts and plunging them into deep thought.

"It makes sense."

The usually taciturn Ten Thousand Beasts Dao Child Liu Kuang was quite in agreement: "A dead thing becoming immortal is not what we cultivators seek; severing emotion and desire, the Supreme One's forgetfulness of feeling — this is not the proper Dao."

"Not so,"

"The two of you are too extreme, imagining absolutely extreme situations."

Brother Xuanwu Dao Child Tian Tian Xuanzi stared at Jiang Ding and said slowly: "A cultivator is of course not a dead thing, and of course needs emotion, but one also need not give up nothing, violate nothing — this does not conform to the Heavenly Dao. Everything requires trade-offs; one cannot be perfect in every way."

"Sometimes, appropriate abandonment is also part of the Heavenly Dao."

"It makes sense — one cannot be perfect in every way."

Jiang Ding also agreed, looking at him.

"Therefore, Jiang Ding Zi, you may consider something."

Tian Tian Xuanzi felt a little uncomfortable inside, but suppressed it, and said lightly: "We cultivators, in this life, must not fail our sect, must not fail the Great Dao — weigh, weigh, trade off, trade off."

"Oh?"

Jiang Ding was somewhat curious: "Specifically, how?"

"You and the six fellow Daoists stand by and watch, not participating in the war."

"How about it?"

Tian Tian Xuanzi said lightly: "One person pinning down six Dao Children — you have already done right by the sect. No one in the sect can say anything; in fact, they will heap even more praise on you.

From then on, regardless of how the war goes, it will count as Da Gong, and you need not take any risk."

"Thus, you will not fail the sect, nor fail the Great Dao!"

"And the Immortal Dao can be achieved."

The surrounding Dao Children all looked at Jiang Ding at once, wanting to see how he would answer.

In their view, this choice was entirely in line with their own Dao hearts.

It fulfilled one's duty to the sect while guaranteeing one's absolute safety — truly a perfect arrangement with the best of both worlds; they could think of no flaw in it.

"Not good at all."

Jiang Ding did not hesitate much, and said with a smile: "I am looking forward to Fellow Daoist Tian Xuan; he absolutely will not break his promise for any reason — that would not conform to a cultivator's Way of integrity."

If he were in the Northern Plains, he would absolutely not fight evenly matched opponents, but only wait, and wait; as time passed, seemingly invincible enemies would gradually become unable to withstand a single blow — entirely zero risk.

This too was in line with his Dao heart.

No one had decreed that a sword Dao cultivator must be a brute, going red-eyed at the sight of blood, charging in regardless, breaking through amid death.

Sword intent should follow the heart; sword intent should follow the self.

However, the Immortal Sect was different.

Here lay the very root of his Great Dao; here were his beloved family, friends, teachers, the environment he liked where he could sleep without worry... there was no retreat.

'Sigh...'

In the unseen, countless sighs could be heard.

This was not fear.

A law cultivator would avoid any unnecessary and risky war; face was not a primary consideration at all — not even in the top three.

Swallowing an insult in silence was trivial; the Immortal Dao's enduring green was the foundation.

'Great Sun Sword Child... sword...'

For a moment, no one spoke; many chewed on this phrase, intense killing intent surging uncontrollably in their hearts, yet well hidden, as they continued to smile and chat, feast with guests, and discuss the mysteries and expound the Dao.

The Great Sun Sword Pavilion's Great Sun Sword Child's Zi Zhi Fa, and its people,

must be eliminated, utterly exterminated!

Otherwise, they would not sleep or eat in peace.

……

A month later, this conference came to an end.

"Brother Zhenjun Shenji, take care, take care..."

"Brother Lord Dingding, stay a moment; on some other day when we are free, let us drink together again..."

Master Canghai Canghai Tianjun walked out of the palace gates amid the repeated attempts of the Badaxian Sect sect masters to detain him, a warm smile on his face, declining again and again before finally breaking free, and returned with Jiang Ding.

In the transit space of the Grand Void Illusion Realm, Master Canghai Canghai Tianjun's smile gradually faded.

The Grand Void Illusion Realm was the Immortal Sect's top-tier crystallization of Immortal Dao technology in the divine soul path, combining divine soul attack, divine soul defense, concealment, and other functions — it was not merely a simple game space.

"How was it, Commander-in-Chief?"

Jiang Ding asked.

Although he said so, he had already known the answer, deduced from the fragmentary words of the Eight Dao Disciples.

"The talks broke down."

"Expected."

Master Canghai Canghai Tianjun said indifferently: "They finally conceded only to the point of having the Immortal Sect retreat to its original territory, no compensation—nothing more, not an inch further."

"Is that possible?"

"We've killed so many just to occupy eleven Minor Thousand Worlds, and now they want to walk away with empty words? If I dared agree, the cultivators below would erupt in rebellion at once—Heaven would punish the traitors!"

Master Canghai Canghai Tianjun laughed heartily.

"Moreover, this war was pushed forward entirely by me."

"Prepare for war."

"This time, we defend. Many places on the Starry Battlefield may be left unguarded; the Minor Worlds will be invaded. At that time, it all rests on you."

Master Canghai Canghai Tianjun looked at the boy before him and said seriously: "I will allocate to you forty fourth-rank taboo nuclear weapons. Do you need them?"

He did not know the path of the person before him, whether it would be affected, whether his Dao heart would be shaken—hence this question.

Jiang Ding fell silent for a moment.

The supercarrier was the scabbard.

This was unquestionable, an inevitable truth—it could not be an external thing. Those who chattered were malicious, seeking to shake his Dao heart.

But taboo nuclear weapons.

If facing higher-rank cultivators, it would be fine.

To win, one must use every means possible—that is natural. Sword cultivators need only victory, regardless of where it comes from.

But even against peers…

He truly could not convince his own Dao heart.

"Hand them over to Commanders Teacher Ouyang Hui and the others. Let them operate them."

Jiang Ding said slowly: "The activation condition must be set in the taboo nuclear weapons' activation protocol: I must die. Cultivators cannot defy it."

"I hope for this."

"Senior, please respect my decision."

Jiang Ding bowed deeply in plea.

This violates the Immortal Sect's combat regulations—severely so. It would land one before a military tribunal.

But it aligns with his sword intent, with his Dao heart.

Master Canghai Canghai Tianjun fell silent for a long while.

"Fine."

(End of Chapter)