"Immortal Tiejian, it's a pity, you too had the potential to comprehend Sword Intent,"
"It seems you were secretly plotted against,"
Jiang Ding sheathed his sword and shook his head slightly.
Fellow Golden Pill Cultivators, practicing a lesser Cultivation Method intentionally spread by the Great Sun Sword Sect to nurture potential disciples—their Elixir Fields and Divine Souls held no secrets from his eyes.
A glance was enough to discern ninety percent of the situation, often more clearly than they understood themselves.
Immortal Tiejian, Guo Kai,
his Divine Soul's purity, the intensity of his battle spirit, the sturdiness of his Dao Heart, and the concentration of his mana had all reached the standards for comprehending Sword Intent. He had survived countless battles, drawn his sword fearlessly against mighty foes and showed awakening—you could see it.
Such a person was a true disciple of the Great Sun Sword Sect.
Those Inner Sect and Outer Sect disciples, elders, appointed guests, and the like, while physically closer to the Sect, couldn't compare to him.
Upon Guo Kai's Divine Soul, there lay a faint and hidden injury.
It was this injury that obstructed his Divine Soul Qualitative Change, his comprehension of Sword Intent. For years he had been marking time, from the early stages of the Golden Pill to the Golden Pill Peak, wasting hundreds of years unable to take a step into the core of the Great Sun Sword Sect, ultimately driving him to madness.
"Is it intoxicating, to undercut a group for personal gain?"
Individual interests and Sect interests are not always aligned; clashes happen from time to time.
If the oversight isn't strict, such things are bound to occur.
That's human nature, unavoidable by anyone.
Even the Xianmen Sect couldn't avoid it, supervision always has gaps that are exploited, colluding with external forces for personal enrichment.
Without delay, he collected Guo Kai and the others' storage bags. This not only made up for the losses from the auctioned Scorching Sun Copper but provided a substantial surplus.
"A profit without initial investment can be so brutal, second only to ruling..."
Jiang Ding began to clean up the battlefield.
Different from the usual cleanup, he didn't completely remove all traces; he collected the treasures and bodies of Guo Kai and the others, removing most of the aura, but leaving behind subtle traces—
Following the standard of a powerful Golden Pill Loose Cultivator on the brink of death who had just barely managed a desperate victory over Guo Kai and his companions.
Creating such traces was tricky.
The lingering aura, the terrain damage, the residual effects of magic, seemingly insignificant sword marks, and so on, were quite complex, needing consideration from all aspects.
For Jiang Ding, who had meticulously studied Concealment Spells, it was quite manageable, as he could apply the experiences of many Xianmen Sect's wise elders directly, finishing in a matter of minutes.
With everything in order,
Jiang Ding concealed his figure partially and flew away like a wisp of smoke into the distance.
The reason for the partial Concealment was that he couldn't block the positioning on the Scorching Sun Copper; he couldn't fully unfold his Concealment abilities, as it wouldn't fit the identity of a Loose Cultivator.
The area calmed down.
After a long while, a breeze blew through, and a figure in a black robe appeared at the site.
Although he wore a black robe and a wide hat, with his aura completely concealed, there wasn't the slightest cringe of wrongdoing; his spine remained straight, as if he wasn't very worried about being discovered, lacking the conscious guilt of a 'thief'.
"These Loose Cultivators..."
The robed figure looked around indifferently, casting several glances at places that seemed well hidden, showing a hint of scorn.
He didn't bend over to pick up and carefully examine traces like broken soil and twigs; a single sweep of his Divine Sense was enough, exuding absolute confidence, looking down upon his surroundings.
The robed man looked in the direction Jiang Ding had left.
"It seems to be a desolate land devoid of Spiritual Veins? Most cultivators view it this way; nothing novel about that."
The figure in the black robe showed no surprise, his Divine Sense scanning the flashing tracking marks in his Sea of Consciousness, "He should continue trying for over ten years, attempting to refine, but in the end, he'll discover that only through relentless fighting, bloody battles, and killing can he refine Scorching Sun Copper bit by bit. By then, he'll have no choice but to emerge from his seclusion."
"That's too long, three years should suffice. The master is growing more and more impatient, pressing hard. When the time comes, orchestrate some accidents."
"This person was capable of killing Guo Kai, which means his strength must be considerable. He is a top-notch swordsmanship furnace cauldron. Without intervention, there's a chance he might comprehend Sword Intent, and that would be troublesome."
"Core disciples are to be neither insulted nor killed; that's the bottom line."
"Otherwise, no one will be able to save me. That old thing will immediately discard me and draw a clear line, proving unworthy of trust."
The figure in the black robe cast some magic, clearing the majority of the traces left behind in this place until they vanished and set off toward another furnace cauldron.
He periodically sent out subordinates to employ various means.
Serendipitous encounters, the caves of predecessors, auctions, hidden treasures in old broken jars, natural sword scars…
Above the land, many fortuitous opportunities were scattered, serendipitously falling into the hands of those with remarkable sword Dao talent. They meticulously meditated on these, understanding the ultimate truths of swordsmanship, and from time to time, some would burst into exuberant laughter.
Scene after scene transformed into shimmering marks that settled in the Sea of Consciousness of the person in the black robe.
The figure in the black robe moved from place to place, occasionally arranging encounters with Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasures, recognition and guidance from a previous master, or perhaps an enemy appearing at the doorstep, annihilating their entire clan, leaving only one surviving member with a deep-seated desire for vengeance, swearing to comprehend Sword Intent and make their enemies beg for life and death alike…
Some would eventually yield results, while others would explode in a fierce self-destruction, turning everything to ash.
The person in the black robe was like a diligent farmer, shuttling back and forth between places, manipulating forces, watering, fertilizing, or pruning, nurturing various sword-shaped Spiritual Plants, hoping to harvest fruits in the coming autumn to advance his own Cultivation Base further.
He didn't notice a Concealed gaze lingering in the void, silently following him and watching everything he did.
"This… is a major scourge of the Sword Dao in this realm."
"Deserves to be killed."
Jiang Ding's heart rose with flickers of killing intent as he declared.
"All those associated must die; otherwise, the Sword Dao cannot grow."
If this world were to be considered a Spirit Field.
A multitude of sword Dao cultivators engaged in combat and growth within it, with various insights into swordsmanship colliding and emerging, becoming part of this world's foundation of Sword Dao.
Individual cultivators are insignificant.
Countless sword Dao cultivators, aggregating wisdom over tens and hundreds of thousands of years—the results of their understanding may even enlighten True Immortals; their value is immeasurable.
Yet now, a pest has emerged.
Their existence not only fails to enhance the world's Sword Dao wisdom but is also suppressing the growth of the world's Sword Dao. One pest might not be too harmful; the destruction is minimal.
But now, the situation is that these pests are reproducing, expanding, intent on suppressing the development of the Sword Dao,
Even destroying the foundations of the Sword Dao!
Understand that the wisdom of the Sword Dao in this world currently appears unclaimed.
But in the long term, it might already be branded with the mark of water and work.
Jiang Ding cursed inwardly, "This is my money, my future foundation of Sword Dao! Perhaps the Sword Dao geniuses, capable of inspiring new swordsmanship and sparking my inspiration, have already been killed by you. Do you realize that?"
"Sword Intent practice requires more effort! Stop messing with these nonsensical things."
"Each and every one of you, remember this, no one will be able to escape in the future!"