Although cultivating by using children as resources is indeed extremely cruel.
But there was no other way.
The general cultivation environment of the Azure World is just like this.
One can only blame their own bad fate.
Putting others aside for now.
Just take the Original Owner of Du Tianle's current body as an example.
If he hadn't transmigrated here.
A mere Menial Servant.
He would have died, and that would be that.
Absolutely no one would have stood up for him.
However, Du Tianle was, after all, a person from the Dragon Country who had received nine years of compulsory education.
He possessed a basic sense of morality and right and wrong.
If he hadn't encountered it, he wouldn't say anything.
But since he encountered it.
Then—
Ghost Cultivator bastard, behold my sword!
The sound of thunder roared mightily.
The Gilded Light Splitting Sword, enveloped in layers of Sword Light, descended from the sky.
Like a sharp knife cutting through tangled hemp.
It dismembered the Zombie attacking Zhang Liang into dozens of pieces.
Then the Sword Light shifted, heading straight for the Ghost Cultivator.
The Ghost Cultivator's already pale face turned even whiter from shock at this sword strike.
He roared loudly, activating all his Cultivation Methods.
The remaining three Zombies jumped in front of him, attempting to block the fiercely aggressive Flying Sword.
However, the thought was good.
But reality was cruel.
A Sword Art cultivated for two hundred years, tempered by Thunder ninety-nine hundred and ninety-nine times!
How could three Zombies equivalent to Qi Refining Perfection possibly withstand it!
The first one, shattered!
The second one, shattered!
The third one, shattered!
It did, however, buy the Ghost Cultivator some time.
At this moment, the Ghost Cultivator was pitch black all over, his exposed skin flashing with an inexplicable radiance.
His Physical Body had also been refined using the method of refining Zombies.
And it had reached the second stage—Iron Zombie!
Equivalent to the Foundation Establishment Stage of Dao Cultivators.
Adding the Secret Art enhancement.
His Physical Body Strength at this moment far surpassed ordinary iron and stone!
The Ghost Cultivator saw the Flying Sword approaching.
He roared in anger and smashed a fist into the Sword Light.
Using offense as defense!
But it was utterly useless.
In the face of the sharp Flying Sword, all actions were futile.
The fist he swung was instantly pulverized.
Then his arm, then his chest.
The Thunder Sword Light attached to the Flying Sword further shredded half of his body into powder.
What strong Ghost Cultivator, what disciple of a major Sect.
Killing them is like crushing ants!
He retracted the Flying Sword.
Du Tianle turned to look at the Qing River County Lieutenant.
Zhang Liang, who had just snapped back to his senses, looked at him nervously.
Du Tianle thought for a moment and was just about to speak.
When he saw many people approaching from afar.
The one leading them was the Dog Demon from the Auction and the head of the You Family.
Du Tianle was instantly overjoyed.
Why are you only arriving now? You made me anxious to death.
Worried they might escape.
Without waiting to get closer, he immediately merged with his sword and pounced over.
...
The head of the You Family was named You Taisheng.
He left the Market Town specifically to hunt for the Ghost Cultivator.
In fact, those twenty children were not consigned by others.
But were specifically abducted by him from Qing River County.
He originally planned to sell them off cheaply, even gifting them, to the Dog Demon.
All for the sake of connecting with the Black Dragon Ridge line.
So that the You Family could advance further.
Who knew a Ghost Cultivator would suddenly appear halfway!
After the Auction ended, You Taisheng suddenly recalled what the Ghost Cultivator had said.
Since he needed young boys and girls for his cultivation.
The Heavenly Corpse Dao, as a First-rate Sect, must have a huge demand with so many disciples!
Wouldn't their demand be enormous?
This was clearly a path to wealth!
Even if sold cheaply.
As long as they could connect with the Heavenly Corpse Dao, who would still care about Black Dragon Ridge!
The more he thought, the more excited he became.
Since the matter was crucial, he couldn't let others know.
He had no choice but to come alone to chase after the Ghost Cultivator.
Unexpectedly, he ran into the Dog Demon's group halfway, couldn't shake them off, so they came together.
As for any other dealings mixed in.
It wasn't convenient to elaborate.
As a result, they spotted the Ghost Cultivator's tracks from afar.
Just as they got close, they witnessed a scene that struck terror into their souls.
That Ghost Cultivator, along with the Zombies he refined, were smashed into pieces all over the ground!
Before he could even recover, a brilliant Sword Light greeted him.
You Taisheng quickly shouted:
"Daoist Friend, a misunderstanding..."
Misunderstanding your mother!
Human Race bastard, behold my sword!
In the Man and Sword as One state, further activating the Thunder Sword Art.
The power increased by another two levels.
Although You Taisheng possessed the cultivation of Foundation Establishment Late Stage, his Physical Body Strength was far inferior to the Ghost Cultivator.
He was directly blasted into dust.
Then the Sword Light shifted, carrying bursts of thunderous sound, heading straight for the Dog Demon.
The Dog Demon's group consisted of six Demon Cultivators in total.
Only the Dog Demon was at the Foundation Establishment Stage, and it was merely Foundation Establishment Mid-stage.
The rolling thunderous sound accompanying the Thunder Sword Art.
Even Human Race Cultivators would feel their Qi and blood fluctuate upon hearing it.
Let alone Demon Cultivators who were suppressed by it.
Its legs went weak, and it immediately knelt down, shouting loudly:
"I am a patrol squad leader under the Great King of Black Dragon Ridge..."
"High Immortal, spare this dog's life."
Nonsense, this is just something done in passing.
You licking dog of the Demon Race, die!
The Sword Light swept over.
It shredded the Dog Demon and the few Demon Race members following behind it.
All into meat paste.
The sky even rained a small shower of blood and flesh.
What Family Head? What Dog Demon?
I slaughter them like clay chickens and pottery dogs!
The Man and Sword separated, the killing finished.
Zhang Liang, standing nearby, was completely stunned.
What happened in this short time was more exciting than his entire life.
Du Tianle turned to him and said:
"Considering you traveled a thousand miles for the sake of the children."
"I will not kill you to silence you."
The Qing River County Lieutenant immediately calmed down.
He heard Du Tianle continue:
"After you send the children back."
"You must immediately abandon your official post and get as far away as possible."
"Otherwise, whether it's Black Dragon Ridge or that Ghost Cultivator Sect."
"If they find you, even wanting to die will be difficult."
"Do you understand?"
Zhang Liang nodded repeatedly upon hearing this.
After giving his instructions, Du Tianle looked around.
He saw severed limbs and minced flesh everywhere.
He casually searched through the remains.
Whether it was the Ghost Cultivator, the Dog Demon, or the You Family Head.
They had all been ground into powder.
He didn't know if they hadn't carried Spatial Magic Tools or if they were destroyed by the Sword Light.
He didn't gain much.
He only managed to retrieve a Cultivation Method from half of the Ghost Cultivator's body.
It was the Zombie Sacrifice and Refinement method of the Heavenly Corpse Dao.
However, it only went up to the Iron Zombie level.
It could be considered a unique body-tempering Cultivation Method.
But Du Tianle didn't want to cultivate himself into something neither human nor ghost.
He casually burned it to ashes.
He inwardly sighed, "What a pity."
Then he summoned his Sword Light and fled into the distance.
...
Calculating the days.
It had been about ten days since he left the Qiyun Sect.
Returning to his small courtyard again.
He felt a strange sense of familiarity.
After all, since transmigrating.
He had spent a full two and a half years here.
He had grown from a Menial Servant constantly worried about survival.
To an Immortal Cultivator capable of Sword Riding and killing enemies.
It felt quite marvelous when he thought about it.
But he was still too weak right now.
This was not the time for idle thoughts.
After a simple tidy-up, Du Tianle lay on the bed and began checking the System records.
Ghost Cultivator, Iron Zombie Mid-stage equivalent to Foundation Establishment Mid-stage.
Total Lifespan one hundred and eighty-three years, Remaining Lifespan one hundred and three years.
You gained one hundred and three years of Lifespan.
Your Remaining Lifespan: 545 years.
Huh, killing a Ghost Cultivator can also plunder Lifespan?
Aren't Ghost Cultivators human?
Oh, right, the System said that as long as one slays Demons, Monsters, Ghosts, and Ghouls, one gains Lifespan.
Ghost Cultivators are included in that.
What about the Earth God?
Is that considered a monster?
But this is good too; he has another channel for acquiring Lifespan.
Anyway, Ghost Cultivators aren't good things.
Dog Demon, Foundation Establishment Mid-stage.
Total Lifespan four hundred and sixty-five years, Remaining Lifespan one hundred and sixty years.
You gained one hundred and six years of Lifespan.
Your Remaining Lifespan: 705 years.
...
Demon Cultivator × 6, Qi Refining Stage.
Remaining Lifespan three hundred and seventy-five years.
You gained three hundred and seventy-five years of Lifespan.
Your Remaining Lifespan: 1080 years.
...