[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-cluster-artillery-shattering-the-immortals":3,"chapter-cluster-artillery-shattering-the-immortals-cluster-artillery-shattering-the-immortals-chapter-98":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Cluster Artillery: Shattering the Immortals",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2342109,4578,"Chapter 98: Dao Soldiers and Immigrants","cluster-artillery-shattering-the-immortals-chapter-98",98,"\u003Cp>Grand Void Illusion\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Li Tie, the strongest of Seven, was sliced into thin shreds by dozens of silver flying swords, Li Junhao and his team fully unleashed their abilities, thoroughly searching every corner of the tunnel, and after several hours, finally won the exam amid cheers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The illusion gradually collapsed, and everyone returned home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the proctoring room, Zhang Ding, Jin Dazheng, and others grew increasingly busy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Junhao, array carving calculation: 20 points, evading explosions: 10 points, providing machine gun cover for teammates: 5 points… total score: 85.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Ding froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How did this guy’s score increase in the more realistic Grand Void Illusion?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He immediately understood: candidates with high cultural scores are suited for logistics; as long as they aren’t directly sent to the battlefield, they can still accomplish much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zhou Liuchuan, reconnaissance of critical intelligence: 30 points, destroying enemy drones with heavy machine gun: 10 points… total score: 92.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We, the proctors, disagree with this score.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Ding glanced at the score sheet and immediately said: “First, they lost; losers must have their scores drastically reduced, no matter how well they performed. Second, ‘reconnaissance of critical intelligence’ is too vague—how can intelligence without significant battlefield results be considered critical? Thirty points is too much…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“On the contrary, with Qi Refining realm martial artists directly confronting numerous cultivators, this embodies the Grand Void Gate’s cherished spirit of fearless courage—higher scores are entirely reasonable…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Dazheng, chief instructor of Seven Middle, rebutted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both sides had valid points and argued fiercely; disputed scores would be escalated to examiners in other cities, who would also judge contested papers from other cities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long day of work, they finally completed grading over four hundred students from two schools.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next came the grading of Yu Xianmen cultivators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grand Void Illusion: spiritual concealment of critical intelligence was correct; no cultivators with serious anti-Daoist tendencies were detected.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The illusion’s array spirit conducted its self-inspection first, then reported.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Compliance: 6, combat capability: 6, cooperation: 6, alignment with Daoist sect: 1.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Ding assigned the lowest possible scores he could give under the condition of no major principle violations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Other proctors frowned at his scores: “Don’t let emotion influence your work. Yu Xianmen cultivators performed well in compliance and cooperation. Rivalries between peaks due to resource allocation and historical grudges are normal—there’s nothing wrong with that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As for resentment toward the Daoist sect, that’s expected.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You can’t expect them to serve as frontline troops while acting grateful. They aren’t under mind-control—this is sufficient.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not letting emotion affect my work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Ding said coolly: “A sect with high mobility, high burst power, and high stealth is inherently unsuitable as Dao Soldiers. Compared to enemies, once their flaw—failure to block radar waves—is exploited by outsiders, they instantly become the Daoist sect’s most dangerous adversaries.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The ideal Dao Soldiers are from the Canghai Small Realm, sects like Tianhai Sect—thick-skinned, skilled in healing and containment; even if something happens in the future, they can easily suppress threats.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These are the Dao Soldiers the Daoist sect should actively support.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every year’s final exam is not only a test for Daoist sect students but also an evaluation of disciples from protected small realms; if their ranking drops, resource support decreases and taxes rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Typically, at least eighty percent of a small realm’s resources must be surrendered; the sect’s elite already have extremely limited resources.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, a sect’s resource allocation isn’t determined solely by exams—battle achievements, new cultivation techniques, discoveries of new flora and fauna can also influence rankings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do as you wish.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The nearby proctor, unable to persuade him, left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yu Xianmen is unlucky—if there were more like you, hawkish types, their annual resource allotments and Ascension Immigration quotas would plummet. Fortunately, you’re the only one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another proctor from Seven Middle grumbled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Daoist sect occasionally accepts immigrant cultivators from protected small realms, with strict requirements: talent, battle merits, political orientation, and ability to develop cultivation technology—all undergo multi-layered review.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Small realm cultivators flocked to apply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because only those who successfully immigrate and Ascend receive cultivation methods and resources beyond Golden Core; otherwise, no matter how extraordinary their talent or insight, they remain forever trapped below Nascent Soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fewer Ascension Immigrants is better.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A female proctor from Seven Middle, grading nearby, joined the discussion dismissively: “All of us in this room—every single one—are Four-Spirit-Roots, ordinary humans. Outside the realm, what are we? Useless roots and ants—even Foundation Establishment sects won’t take us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If too many immigrate, what’s the point of cultivating? They should all be sweeping streets for me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s true.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Though our talent is poor, our ancestors served the Daoist sect, made contributions. The Daoist sect was built by the sacrifices of countless generations of ours—how can they compare to us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly. Three invasions by external sects, four internal wars triggered by Gao Jie cultivators—each time, hundreds of billions of ordinary human cultivators died. Our ancestors endured it all, establishing the Central Array Spirit Computer to balance Gao Jie power, constructing the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang and Seventy-Two Earthly Sha orbital aerospace forces into a super-composite defense array…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back home, after dinner with his mother Jiang Yuan, Jiang Ding fell into a deep sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He slept for over ten hours before waking—it was already night; only when Jiang Yuan knocked and entered did he fully awaken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dingding, should we enroll Jiang Yuan in a martial arts class?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At dinner, Lin Wanyiu suddenly said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Middle school ends earlier than high school; Jiang Yuan had already played for over a week, and her report card came out—she’d scored just like she did in her own middle school years. Undoubtedly her biological daughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without comparison, it would’ve been perfectly reasonable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But with a mutated son around, it felt like she could still be salvaged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No way!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Yuan, chewing vigorously on a chicken leg, froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I haven’t even finished my first middle school winter break—you can’t do this to me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ding answered without hesitation. Though he knew that once he grew stronger, he could definitely lift this little chick up, she still needed a foundation—otherwise, even if he fed her, she couldn’t digest it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I object!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You can’t destroy the happy childhood of the great Flower Fairy Jiang Yuan!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Yuan shrieked loudly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She waved her arms and legs in fury, but no one listened—decision was final.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Martial arts tutoring will help you make many new friends.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Wanyiu comforted her: “Besides, after the Lantern Festival, I’ll return to work, your brother will start his internship, and you’ll be alone at home—you’ll be lonely…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s at home too—just locked in his room cultivating!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Yuan was about to cry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After dinner,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the family took a walk outside. Jiang Ding practiced a slow-moving digestion sword technique for a while, then returned to his room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the courtyard of Chizhou Mansion, sunlight shone brightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ding retrieved his nearly dead drone, flicked his sleeve, and a golden talisman sword flew out, landing at the pond’s center, gathering heavenly and earthly spiritual energy and solar essence to refine its blade, glowing brilliantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The enemies in the exam were either too weak or too strong—the talisman sword was useless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ding closed his eyes to rest, his true qi circulating repeatedly through the twelve regular meridians, then surging into the Du Meridian, warming and refining all major and minor meridians.\u003C\u002Fp>",1229,"2026-06-20T23:34:14.007Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","74d76ab65b0fa4b25d8466e652ebb27bd6ad6fba7ebb3874b41ae166523c2d54","cluster-artillery-shattering-the-immortals-chapter-99","cluster-artillery-shattering-the-immortals-chapter-97",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fcluster-artillery-shattering-the-immortals-cover.jpg"]