[{"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-991":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},2343002,4578,"Chapter 991: Seeking the Emperor","cluster-artillery-shattering-the-immortals-chapter-991",991,"\u003Cp>The demon-rock tribe cultivator Kuo Yan did not stay long in Zi Shi City; after patrolling, he departed to continue inspecting the surrounding regions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ding silently observed him within his spiritual soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He discovered many strengths of the demon-rock tribe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meticulous to the finest detail, they could instantly discern whether each slave clan in every region worked diligently, which slaves could be further exploited, which had been drained to their limit, and which produced too little and needed to be culled and replaced…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All these matters, the demon-rock cultivator named Kuo Yan handled efficiently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘A worthy race.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘After exterminating all demon-rock individuals with blood debts, some should be spared to enhance the diversity of the immortal races.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ding unconsciously thought from the perspective of the Lord of the North Plain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, he had no authority over this matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The immortal sects enforce strict, isolationist immigration policies; these talents among the myriad tribes are likely to be gathered by the Eight Immortal Sects to strengthen their power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, their enhancement will not be too great.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Talents from the myriad tribes are restricted below Void Refinement; only a few are permitted to ascend to Void Refinement, and they will inevitably become puppets or clones, unlikely to affect the balance of power between the immortal sects and immortal clans in the short term.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuo Yan patrolled the outer regions for several years, then returned to Mo Yan Ancient City via a teleportation array.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Good.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The distance to the Emperor’s Son has shortened again…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ding estimated for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the Shadow Abyss’s stealth technique: using a spiritual soul as armor to conceal oneself—far safer than traveling through empty space, and avoiding layer upon layer of inspections and guards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mo Yan Ancient City sat atop a top-grade fourth-rank spiritual vein, serving as the core of a region spanning over one hundred thousand li.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon returning, Kuo Yan immediately ascended a towering mountain, where he met his father—a general-rank demon-rock cultivator and also the deputy city lord of Mo Yan Ancient City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The true city lord, of course, was a general-rank member of the Horn Demon Emperor Clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was true everywhere: any position of value was held by a Horn Demon Emperor Clan cultivator, while all slave clan cultivators served under them and pledged loyalty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through this Horn Demon Emperor Clan cultivator, the distance to the Emperor’s Son could be further narrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These were no coincidences.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Jiang Ding decided to infiltrate Zhen Shan Sect, he had already seen this network—and when needed, he activated it to obtain what he required.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Father, I…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuo Yan recounted everything he had experienced, how he handled each slave clan matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His father occasionally offered guidance, corrected him, critiqued his actions, and taught him how to do better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These matters were, for the demon-rock tribe, more important than cultivation strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their very existence was as servants of Flame Stone Emperor, performing countless menial tasks to gain the Emperor’s favor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Father, regarding Ling Jing Lake—that blood demon seemed dead, but he may still be alive.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuo Yan hesitated: ‘Should we report this to the King, and request the King’s intervention to eradicate these blood demons entirely? Otherwise, they reappear every few decades—perhaps they will one day cause great disaster.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuo Yan hesitated: “Should we report this to the Sovereign and ask the Sovereign to act, uprooting these Blood Demons entirely? Otherwise, they reappear every few decades—this could become a great disaster.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mountain-tall demon-rock cultivator shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Reporting this to the King is our failure. If we, father and son, fail, our clan status will be instantly replaced.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The Kings within our clan spend their days receiving the Emperor Clan’s Kings, obeying the Emperor Clan’s orders, the Emperor’s and his bloodline’s commands, and their own cultivation—they are already overwhelmed, with little free time.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘To disturb them further would easily provoke their wrath.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the highest-ranked slave clan members, those of the ninth tier, find it difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Slave Clan, even reaching the highest ninth rank, is not easy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuo Yan remained uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No buts.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mountain-tall demon-rock cultivator spoke slowly: ‘Blood demon lineages exist everywhere. Even if chaos erupts, it won’t happen here—it’s too unlikely.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Blood demon uprisings occur everywhere—why don’t others report them?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Because they’ve already been handled.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s common knowledge that blood demons cannot be eradicated. Five or six hundred years ago, many Kings already purged them once. What merit do you have to command multiple Kings to purge them again so soon?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Blood Demons are hard to eradicate—everyone knows that. Five or six hundred years ago, many Sovereigns already cleansed them once. What have you done to deserve forcing so many Sovereigns to cleanse them again in such a short time?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Yes, Father.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuo Yan’s heart tightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The father and son discussed cultivation for a while longer; Kuo Yan bowed and withdrew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mountain-tall demon-rock cultivator resumed his cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within his spiritual soul, countless lights swirled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, he suddenly felt he should go meet the city lord and report everything that had transpired in Mo Yan Ancient City during this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was entirely reasonable—nothing strange about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had done this periodically for years, even though the city lord, absorbed in cultivation, never asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the duty of a demon-rock clansman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many coincidences,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many leaps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unaware, years passed, until a Horn Demon Emperor Clan cultivator named Jiao Yan appeared near the center of the Demon Stone Minor World, close to Huo Shi Emperor City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gazed at Huo Shi Emperor City, shrouded in clouds and volcanic haze, his expression one of reverence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiao Yan was a general-rank cultivator of the Horn Demon Clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was born into Flame Stone Emperor’s family, his forehead horn bearing flame-like patterns—a collateral branch. His ancestors, generations ago, had been brothers with Flame Stone Emperor’s ancestors, and at that time, they too were imperial bloodline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that was long past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His branch’s imperial bloodline had faded; without a prodigy’s bloodline undergoing a miraculous breakthrough, he would forever remain noble blood, his ultimate limit perhaps only reaching King rank, never rising further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, this was already good enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even within the Horn Demon Emperor Clan, his branch was upper-class; his ancestors’ legacy had not yet been exhausted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiao Yan came here seeking an opportunity to break through to late General rank; he had some confidence, for his mother had once been a maid to Flame Flower Emperor’s Son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within his spiritual soul, a faint dark light flickered and sank into complete stillness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiao Yan came here seeking an opportunity to break through to the General’s late stage; he had some confidence, because his mother had once been a maid to Flame Flower Emperor’s Son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Will the Emperor reside here?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ding pondered inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Generally not. Minor worlds are too small for Void Refinement beings; they usually dwell beyond minor worlds, gathering spiritual energy from multiple worlds, or reside in the Horn Demon Emperor Clan’s intermediate world—Horn Demon World—where Void Refinement cultivators truly desire to be.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The Eight Immortal Sects’ “Minor Spirit Realms” are crude imitations of intermediate worlds.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Yet, the Emperor’s will and countless methods must surely exist here.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘These things are extremely sensitive.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ding dared not remain conscious any longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He activated the Shadow Abyss technique, plunging himself into deep slumber, minimizing his aura to the utmost, leaving only a single thread of spiritual vitality reserved for escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would awaken only when he truly encountered the Emperor’s Son—when he stood before the Emperor’s Son outside Huo Shi Emperor City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He activated the Shadow Abyss Secret Art, plunging himself into a deep slumber to drastically suppress his aura, leaving only a single thread of spiritual vitality tied to his escape method.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would not awaken until he truly encountered the Imperial Son, the Imperial Son beyond Huoshi Imperial City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Keep writing\u003C\u002Fp>",1313,"2026-06-20T23:34:28.016Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","e737c11f1c9e5f4fdac945b4064ad29d8cb369c01f6c3f83b6a3ffdf47b40743","cluster-artillery-shattering-the-immortals-chapter-992","cluster-artillery-shattering-the-immortals-chapter-990",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fcluster-artillery-shattering-the-immortals-cover.jpg"]