Jiang Ding concealed his figure, evading various formations, and flew low towards the Spiritual Medicine Garden.
After traveling over a thousand kilometers, indeed he started to see sporadic Golden Pill Monks appearing.
Groups of three or four Golden Pill Monks commanded Magic Tools, unleashing magic and engaging in fierce bombardment, with huge seals and swords clashing intensely, vines entwining, and water dragons roaring, causing the surrounding Heavenly Earth Spiritual Qi to churn restlessly.
From time to time, some heads burst open, with corpses and their Life Treasures falling to the ground.
"A scramble for opportunity…"
Jiang Ding glanced towards the center of the conflict between the two groups.
There was a plant shining with silver light, the size of a palm, which was originally closed. Now its stem and leaves slowly unfolded, revealing a metallic fruit, wrought like silver iron, sparkling brilliantly and emitting strands of pure Spiritual Energy.
Silver Blood Heavenly Spirit Fruit.
Jiang Ding searched briefly in his Sea of Consciousness and quickly recognized what it was.
A half-metallic plant life, whose fruit could be used in Artifact Refining, Alchemy, and setting up metallic formations, among other things.
Its most famous function is in the refinement of third-grade premium Stage-Breaking Pills, being one of its main ingredients, capable of helping cultivators in the middle Jindan Stage to break through to the late stage.
This was the reason for the deadly fight amongst these early and middle-stage Golden Pill Cultivators.
"Just now, two middle-stage Golden Pill Monks died, no…?"
Jiang Ding clicked his tongue.
Just for a main ingredient of a third-grade premium Stage-Breaking Pill, not even the complete elixir, so many Golden Pill Monks were willing to fight to the death, risking their lives.
The poverty of the Loose Cultivators of the Northern Plains, as well as their fierce and courageous spirit, was clearly evident.
He revealed his figure.
A surge of spirit-breaking and Law-destroying Sword Intent swept out.
The seven Golden Pill Monks, with ferocious and crazed eyes now blood-red, stiffened as a hint of terror appeared on their faces, feeling their Mana and Divine Souls suddenly stagnate significantly, becoming difficult to mobilize.
A youth with an ordinary face suddenly appeared before them. He didn't look at them, but instead went towards the Silver Blood Heavenly Spirit Fruit, recalled for a moment, took out a silver knife, and skillfully harvested the fruit, taking it without harming the plant in the slightest.
The surrounding people hesitated, not daring to act rashly for the moment.
After Jiang Ding took the fruit, he scattered a handful of powdery Spirit Stones and executed a third-grade Metal-aligned Spirit Rain Technique to replenish the plant's spirit.
A middle-stage Golden Pill Cultivator made up his mind, shouted fiercely, with a cold murderous intent pervading the air, and used his gaze to signal the few opponents who were previously locked in a do-or-die battle.
On the grasslands, such events are quite ordinary.
Continuous fights to the death, facing each other in life-and-death struggles, but when a new predator arrives, they can quickly unite, driving it away first.
Every Golden Pill Cultivator has experienced this scenario countless times in their path.
He believed that his opponents would understand and respond accordingly.
Among the three people opposite him, the one with the highest cultivation base was a burly bearded man.
This person was powerful, a middle-stage Jindan Realm practitioner with an extremely sharp fire-bladed Treasure; with a single cooperation, he had already taken down one of their Golden Pills, and he indeed responded.
He knelt on one knee without hesitation, placed the fiery red precious sword before him, and bowed his head deeply.
"Greetings, Lord Tushan!"
"Let's kill together—"
The first middle-stage Golden Pill Cultivator to speak cast a heavy Hammer Treasure and shouted intensely, about to say something when his hand trembled, his words stuck in his throat, he suddenly turned around, looking incredulously at the bearded man before him.
He remembered that this man had a nickname; he was known as Mad Knife Duke, a somewhat famous figure among the Flame-Risen Thieves of the plains, known for his ruthless, greedy, and murderous ways, infamous for valuing Treasure over life, daring to fight alongside others even against Post-golden Alchemists.
How could he be so spineless?
Had he been confounded by someone's concealed Illusion Technique?
"Greetings Lord Tushan!"
Not only was Mad Knife Duke, a Middle Jindan Stage cultivator, alone in this act, after releasing his treasure and kneeling on one knee, three others followed suit with nearly submissive gestures.
Among them was even one person from behind the Golden Pill Monk who had first spoken out; he was his subordinate.
"What are you all doing..."
The cultivator wielding the Hammer magic tool, also at the Middle Jindan Stage, trembled as he seemed to realize something; he tightly gripped the heavy hammer magic tool that was about to fly out and, falling to his knees, hurriedly bowed deeply.
"Greetings, Lord Tushan!"
The Hammer cultivator didn't know who this Tushan was, but it didn't prevent him from making the same gesture and revealing an expression that was extremely sycophantic and ingratiating.
Influenced by a few individuals, the remaining Golden Pill Monks all did the same, with no one left standing.
Jiang Ding's hand released the sword hilt, and his gaze passed over the faces of the several Golden Pill Monks: "Fellow Daoists, have we cooperated before? That's good; there's no need to get acquainted all over again."
"The great kindness of Lord's Sutra Pavilion, we dare not forget."
Mad Knife Duke respectfully said, without any of the recklessness or bloodthirstiness that the rumors suggested.
"Lord's Heavenly Man demeanor, how could we forget..."
The other three Golden Pill Monks also spoke out, evidently having encountered him during a previous trip to the Sutra Pavilion.
The cultivator behind the one who first attacked Jiang Ding with his Hammer treasure revealed a hint of panic, his Divine Sense moving rapidly, quickly explaining something to his leader.
Clearly, out of consideration for keeping his cultivation method confidential, he had not shared his encounter with the other party.
"Fellow Daoists, there's a deal now that I'd like to discuss with you."
"Well, it's just a small matter, and it doesn't amount to much whether it succeeds or not."
Jiang Ding didn't care about these small movements, nor would he interfere with how others handled their spoils of war, and said with a smile: "Firstly, within the Luoxu Clan, there shall be no more infighting among Golden Pill Monks; violators will die."
The bodies of the surrounding Golden Pill Monks trembled.
"Secondly, within the Spiritual Medicine Garden, I will have thirty percent of all elixirs, regardless of their grade or type."
"The remaining portion will, in the form of merits, be distributed to cultivators who obey my commands. The general principle will be ten parts for Golden Pill Peak cultivators, six parts for Post-golden Alchemists, three parts for Middle Jindan Stage cultivators, and one part for Initial Jindan Stage cultivators, with additional parts granted based on the amount of merit."
"Fellow Daoists, what do you think of my little deal?"
"Willing to serve Lord!"
Mad Knife Duke said without hesitation.
On the plains, power is respected.
The person before them was far stronger than he was, and he acted with rules and was willing to share benefits with subordinates; naturally, his word was law.
If there were any matters he couldn't handle in the future, well, that could wait; after all, his legs were his own.
"Willing to serve Lord!"
The other six Golden Pill Monks said just as respectfully, without a moment's hesitation.
"It looks like everyone is quite interested in my little venture."
Jiang Ding nodded, his Sword Intent enveloping and marking each of the seven monks' Divine Souls to track them and restrict their actions. He then took out some ores and silk leaves and other Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure and casually refined several Lower-grade Magic Tools to give to them.
"Lower-grade Magic Tool, one-eyed moth."
Seeing the puzzled expressions on their faces, Jiang Ding explained: "A little thing. You must always wear this, and you're not allowed to use any concealment spells. I will be watching you all the time, which will serve as a criterion for judging the merit awards."
"If it's damaged, I will take it as hostility."
"I know this is a bit much, since cultivators all have their privacies, so I'm quite sorry..."
Jiang Ding apologised.
"You wouldn't intentionally conceal and destroy it, would you?"
Mad Knife Duke and the others shook their heads frantically, saying in unison.