Chapter 1717: Requesting Support
Ziju Min grew quite grave after reviewing the list.
He exhaled softly after a long while. "Shao Yuan, the Crowning Empyrean Pill's materials are indeed rare. But so far as I know, they can still be found on Myriad Abyss, and the Eternal Sacred Land is capable of shouldering the costs."
"Please put out requests for them then. The more complete the materials, the better. As long as I have the materials, I'll be able to refine flawless pills."
What Jiang Chen least wanted to waste now was time. He didn't want to jump through so many hoops to get to his objective. The sooner everything was resolved, the better. Only then could he fully devote himself to his clash with Xiahou Zong.
They were fated to meet in battle. Jiang Chen didn't want to be distracted by the issue of how to garner the sacred land's support after Xiahou Zong exited closed door cultivation. He wanted to spend all his energy on preparation.
Ziju Min didn't think for too long. He nodded gravely. "Alright. I have more than enough authority when it comes to pill dao–related things, so I can make the request for these materials. My connections in Myriad Abyss should ensure the success of that. However, hosting a pill dao convention is something I must inquire the three primes about. It can only happen with their acquiescence. It will be very hard for me to pull it off without full-fledged support."
Jiang Chen smiled faintly. "There is nothing to lose and everything to gain. I don't think the three honorable primes will refuse."
He was confident in the decision makers' wisdom here. If they didn't support him, he would then suspect exactly how much ability they had in the first place.
"Alright. I will ask the three primes right away."
Jiang Chen nodded. "The quicker the better."
"You're not coming with me?" Ziju Min blinked.
"I'll pass." Jiang Chen felt that his presence would make things too conspicuous. He wanted to see whether the three primes had the courage to approve his plan.
The three primes didn't brush off Ziju Min's request for audience. His current position within the sacred land was untouchable. He was one of the ten great elders, a pillar of pill dao. However, he was as courteous as ever and approached the primes with appropriate decorum.
The first prime smiled, pleased that the elder hadn't changed with recent events.
"Elder Ziju, you must have a reason for coming to see us in such a hurry. I hear that Shao Yuan has requested a sovereign mission. 'The Flames of Vengeance', was it? Do you support him in this?"
The second and third primes looked at Ziju with smiles as well. The matter had captured the universal attention of the sacred land's leadership. Their relative importance made overt enthusiasm inappropriate, so Ziju Min's visit was the perfect chance to sate their curiosity.
"That's why I'm here, yes," Ziju Min nodded.
"Hahaha, so you are supporting him in this." The first prime roared with laughter. Her eyes glinted shrewdly. "Elder Ziju," she inquired in a low voice, "how sure is Shao Yuan of being able to complete this mission? According to my intel, Shi Xuan is already a grandmaster within Flora Divine Nation. He is sixth in skill within all ten of the divine nations… a tough nut to crack."
"Tough is an understatement." Ziju Min grew serious. "That's what I told Shao Yuan as well. Alas, his opinion remained firm."
"Oh? So you weren't the one who told him to take this mission?"
"No." Ziju Min shook his head with a wry smile. "Actually, I hoped he would go slow and steady by taking things one step at a time. He's in a bit of a hurry though."
The first prime was perplexed. "Shao Yuan's already proved himself enough, hasn't he? Why is he in such a hurry?"
Ziju Min hesitated a moment, then sighed. "He has his reasons. He thirsts for our unequivocal support."
"Haha, he is more than talented enough to receive it in time. I think his challenge is too careless and abrupt. If he fails, it would be a very serious blow to his reputation and character." This was the first prime's foremost concern.
A genius like Shao Yuan needed to be well cultivated and popularized through every positive embellishment. Failing a mission would be precisely the opposite of that. As a new disciple, he had plenty of time to demonstrate his skill. He didn't need to risk so much.
"I've said that already to him, first prime. Unfortunately, he's too stubborn to be persuaded."
"It certainly seems like it. He has guaranteed to me that he has a sixty to seventy percent chance of succeeding—provided Shi Xuan accepts his challenge, of course. We've discussed the finer details for how to make this happen…"
Ziju Min related the finer points of his conversation with Jiang Chen. The three primes looked at each other when he finished.
The third prime coughed out a laugh. "Isn't this somewhat too laborious, Elder Ziju?"
"Somewhat, yes," Ziju Min nodded.
"We can do all that," the first prime interceded. "However, we must be certain that he wins his challenge against Shi Xuan at this convention. As long as that's the case, it will all be completely worthwhile. But..."
"Exactly. What if he fails? If he loses terribly, we'll have brought down a stone on our own foot." The second prime voiced his concerns.
Ziju Min remained silent. He had informed the three primes of all the particulars. They would be responsible for the final decision.
The first prime mused a long while, then gazed somberly at Ziju Min. "Elder Ziju, from your understanding of Shao Yuan, do you suspect that he's being hot-headed and overconfident?"
"I don't see any of that. From my observation, he is clever, quick-witted, and apparently supremely assured of his success in this endeavour. There is no blindness in his behavior." Ziju Min spoke only the truth.
Because Jiang Chen was completely certain of his victory in this case, he had been perfectly relaxed in all of his interactions.
The first prime was at an impasse.
"What do you think, my friends?" She found it hard to come to a decision by herself. This was a thorny issue. Hosting a convention was easy, but losing face at one's own event would be catastrophic for the Eternal Sacred Land. They couldn't afford becoming the butt of jokes for the rest of the world.
The third prime smiled wryly. "Personally, I don't really want to host a convention. We can't afford to lose so close to home."
"Maybe we can find another opportunity for Shao Yuan to challenge Shi Xuan?" The second prime couldn't help suggesting. "Everything's fine as long as we don't lose on home turf. He's still young, after all!"
Ziju Min had a different opinion. "I rather think there's nothing wrong with Shao Yuan losing at all. Just as you said, Second Prime, he is still young. As long as he doesn't lose too badly, I see no issue with it. If the match is an even one, it would be an honor for him. A tie would be a small victory for the Sacred Land, and a win, an unrivaled triumph."
It was exactly as the elder had said. As long as the loss wasn't too pathetic, the sacred land wouldn't mind at all.
A potential victory, on the other hand, came with fabulous benefits. It would be perfect vengeance as well as air out the depression that had clouded the sacred land for many a year. More importantly, the faction would gain some authority in terms of pill dao. It would become equals with the other divine nations' ruling factions in this regard.
When Shao Yuan did grow up, the Eternal Sacred Land's pill dao future would be bright indeed.
Ziju Min was sure that the young man's pill dao potential needed only time to blossom. Given sufficient space to grow, he would surpass every other pill dao giant before long. But would the battle he desired actually come to pass in the near future?
Were the three primes daring enough to make the decision?
The first prime mused for quite a while, unable to make up her mind.
"Elder Ziju, what would your decision be?" The leader of the sacred land suddenly asked, her eyes intent upon the elder's face.
"I would agree without any hesitation. I trust Shao Yuan completely. I feel that he has come for the sole purpose of creating miracles for us." Ziju Min was a diehard supporter now. "Plus, Myriad Abyss has never seen the two kinds of pills he's proposed. One increases the likelihood of breaking through from great emperor to empyrean, and the other grants a free level to an empyrean expert."
"What? You're sure he has these two kinds of pills?"
"He hasn't refined them yet, but he guarantees that he is entirely able to."
"That…" The first prime's expression grew conflicted. "Elder Ziju, do… do you believe that, too? If these two kinds of pills can be actualized, the entire pill dao world in Myriad Abyss will be turned upside down."
"My observations reveal the truth in his words. Moreover, I hazard that his expansive heritage doesn't entirely come from an ancestral bloodline. He may very well be a reincarnated divine!"
"What?" The news stunned the three primes like a thunderclap.
"What did you say? A reincarnated divine spirit?"
Ziju Min nodded seriously. "Indeed. His talent can't be explained solely through an inherited bloodline. Only the residual memories from a past life can fully provide him with such a wealth of knowledge."
The three primes traded looks with each other, amazement writ all over their faces.
Chapter 1718: All In Readiness
The speculation completely subverted how the three primes perceived Shao Yuan.
God incarnates were uncommon. Over the past couple of hundred thousand years in Myriad Abyss history, very few geniuses had been recognized as true incarnations of divine spirits.
Most were merely imposters who couldn't prove their claims, while many of the real incarnations' awakenings were incomplete, recovering only part of their memory from their past lives.
There were also those who'd recovered a majority of their memory, but they'd reincarnated into a host with limited potential. Despite their awakening, the limitations prevented them from becoming as strong as other geniuses.
Thus, the martial dao world was sometimes fair.
Without the right body and the appropriate natural talents, even a god incarnate couldn't achieve greatness. What was more, those whose memories awakened too late in life would miss the best age for cultivation, hindering their future progress.
In Myriad Abyss history, very few people possessed both extraordinary talent and awakened when they were still young. Most of the time, they became leading figures of the generation.
It took a long while for the three primes to finally recover from their shock.
"How confident are you about your speculation, Elder Ziju?" the first prime asked in a low voice.
"Seventy to eighty percent," admitted Ziju Min.
"What did Shao Yuan himself say?" the first prime added.
"I don't think he's aware of the possibility himself. Since his memory hasn't fully awakened, he still believes that his knowledge comes from his ancestral heritage. No matter what, his memories are a treasure trove of information. The two pills he presented exceed the peak of Myriad Abyss Island as we know it."
The first prime's eyes shone brightly. "If the two pills work as he says, we will have a once in ten millennia opportunity. We will greatly increase our power and benefit generations to come."
Ziju Min hesitantly said, "First Prime, Shao Yuan has implied that he wishes that we won't force him to surrender the recipes for the pills."
The first prime paused. "He isn't willing?" A wry smile tugged at her lips as she added, "It's natural that he'd like to keep his personal knowledge his. He's just joined us. It's unreasonable to expect him to contribute the recipes for free."
It'd be inappropriate for Ziju Min to vocally affirm her reasoning. "That'd be a little unreasonable, but Shao Yuan is a loyal man. I believe that as long as we don't betray his trust, he'll come to see us as his home. Even if he doesn't give us the two pills, it's better to work with him than to have him turn to other factions."
"Other factions?" The first prime stilled. "No, that mustn't happen. Even if Shao Yuan isn't going to give the pills to us, he can't give them to the others."
Ziju Min smiled wryly. "This subordinate has to admit it's not entirely impossible."
"What do you mean?" the first prime asked nervously. They couldn't afford to lose the two pills to others. It'd be a serious blow in more ways than one.
Ziju Min was quiet for a long moment, agonizing over if he should stay silent. Finally, he sighed and said, "Do you know why Shao Yuan's so eager to gain our support, First Prime?"
"Why?"
"Because his target is Xiahou Zong."
"What? Is there any bad blood between them?"
"Not exactly," said Ziju Min. "But Xiahou Zong's going to take the woman he loves—Yan Qinghuang from House Yan."
Three pairs of eyes widened in collective shock. They struggled to come to terms with the revelation.
After a long stretch of silence, the first prime smiled with a tinge of resignation. "Do you mean to say that Shao Yuan joined us for a… girl?"
"That's right." Ziju Min sighed. "When I first invited him to join us, he turned me down without hesitation. The second time, it still took me a lot of time and effort to change his mind. I was able to succeed only because House Yan treated him with too little respect and disappointed him."
"Yan Qinghuang, Xiahou Zong..." muttered the first prime. She chuckled. "How interesting."
The second prime laughed brightly. "I didn't expect a love story to be involved. Shao Yuan sure is a ladies' man."
Their mood lightened once they understood Jiang Chen's motivation.
"First Prime, it makes sense for Shao Yuan to seek us for support. He can't possibly go against House Xiahou on his own."
"Agreed. Other than us, no factions in Eternal Divine Nation dare make an enemy out of House Xiahou."
The three primes had first been worried that the young genius had joined the sacred land for ulterior motives or personal agenda. Their concerns were rendered unwarranted with this explanation. The young genius' motivation was shockingly simple—love.
But then again, Shao Yuan was young. It was understandable that he'd be driven by his feelings. Such was the way everyone acted in their youth.
"Elder Ziju, how is this related to the possibility that he'll give the two pills to other factions?" asked the first prime.
Ziju Min hurriedly explained, "Of course it's related. Shao Yuan won't give up on Yan Qinghuang. If she ends up becoming Xiahou Zong's cultivation vessel, he'll blame us for not supporting him. Joining us will have turned out to be all for nothing. He won't be loyal then, will he? It's possible that he may leave and even turn against all of Eternal Divine Nation."
It was common for love to beget hatred in the martial dao world. In Myriad Abyss, it wasn't unprecedented for someone to destroy a faction, a country, or even an isle for a woman.
The three primes exchanged a look. They had to admit that Ziju Min had a point. Young people were often decisive. They loved and hated easily. If the sacred land disappointed Shao Yuan, there'd be no reason for him to stay.
The first prime thought for a long moment. "If Shao Yuan can complete the Flames of Vengeance, I promise that we will support him in a fair fight with Xiahou Zong. House Yan may be afraid of offending House Xiahou, but we aren't! I believe the venerated forefather will agree with me. We aren't going to let go of any real geniuses!"
The first prime was finally demonstrating the strength of a superior position.
Seeing her determination, the second prime nodded in agreement. "Well said. If he can complete the mission, there's no reason for us not to support him!"
"Agreed," the third prime added concisely.
"About the convention..." prompted Ziju Min.
"Elder Ziju," the first prime spoke up. "Tell Shao Yuan that if he can produce the two pills and meet our inspection, the three of us will spare no effort in holding the event."
"Right, I'll tell him immediately," Ziju Min said excitedly. "It's on him if he can't produce the pills. Then he'll have no one else to blame!"
In truth, he was firmly convinced that the young genius would be able to refine the two pills, or he wouldn't have made the proposal with such confidence. He went off to make the necessary arrangements without wasting any time.
He first relayed the good news to Jiang Chen, then started collecting the ingredients for the pills. Those used in refining Taiyi Skymender Pill could all be found in the sacred land. He'd have to purchase those for the Crowning Empyrean Pill elsewhere.
"I can give you all the ingredients for the Taiyi Skymender Pill tomorrow, Shao Yuan. Those for the Crowning Empyrean Pill will take at least half a month to collect. Will that be alright?"
"Half a month? That should work." Jiang Chen nodded after a pause. "I'll finish refining the two pills in a month. Then we'll spend two months preparing for the exchange and promoting the pills. We must make sure that Shi Xuan comes in person."
Three months would be enough for all that. The sword competition was about six months away. He would have ample time remaining to prepare for that.
Although he had to prepare the two pills, he still spent most of his energy on cultivation.
Ever since he'd ascended to empyrean realm, he'd been improving himself continuously. That was the only thing he could do before his fight with Xiahou Zong. He had to reach his full potential before their fated battle.
Ziju Min didn't disappoint. He brought Jiang Chen all the ingredients for Taiyi Skymending Pill the next day.
"There are three Taiyi Dragonscale Fruits in our inventory, Shao Yuan. I could only bring you one. There's no room for failure."
Every fruit can only be used to refine one cauldron of pills. If Jiang Chen failed, the fruit would have been wasted. That was why Ziju Min said that he mustn't fail.
Jiang Chen smiled. "The process of refining the Taiyi Skymending Pill is complicated, Elder Ziju, but I'm confident that I'll succeed."
"How many pills can you yield in a cauldron?" Ziju Min couldn't hold in his curiosity.
"Hard to say. About seven to a dozen. It all depends on if the refining process goes smoothly."
Ziju Min was excited to hear the impressive figure. He clapped Jiang Chen on the shoulder. "The first prime has made you a promise, Shao Yuan. Rest assured, if you can produce the two pills, the three primes will devote everything to hold the convention. Even if you fail to defeat Shi Xuan, as long as you show them what you've got, we will support you in your fight against Xiahou Zong!"
Chapter 1719: Xiahou Zong Exits Closed Door Cultivation
Refining the Taiyi Skymender Pill was a first for Jiang Chen in his current life. It was a higher level pill, approaching heavenly rank. If not for his millions of years of prior experience, he wouldn't have been able to guarantee success.
Pills like these had an extremely complex refinement process. There was no room for error in any step. The smallest of mistakes would mean deleterious effects upon the final product, causing outright failure.
Jiang Chen wasn't in a hurry to start right away, even though he had all the materials. Instead, he sat down cross-legged after he finished the preparations, meditating in front of his pill cauldron.
This was a good habit for refining pills. Because this was a pill he hadn't refined before, he was being especially cautious.
He used his time in meditation to mentally work out the entire process of refinement. Paying attention to the details would help him improve his practical control later on.
Four iterations later, he was ready psychologically and practically to start refining the Taiyi Skymender Pill.
Ever since breaking through to empyrean realm, Jiang Chen had seen splendid improvement in every respect. Pill refinement had been no different.
Being at empyrean level had perfected his fine motor control over the minutiae. As a great emperor, Jiang Chen wouldn't have much luck in refining the Taiyi Skymender Pill. Even if he wanted to push himself, the results wouldn't have been the best.
Though he had a pretty good chance at success, one hundred percent was categorically out of the question. Even a successful refinement would not yield a large number of pills.
After reaching empyrean realm, both of the above were no longer problems.
Pill dao and martial dao were interconnected in a way. A pill dao master didn't necessarily need supreme martial prowess, but he did need appropriate cultivation to support his skills. It was unrealistic for a great emperor or emperor cultivator to be able to unconditionally refine empyrean rank pills.
Jiang Chen's control over his emotions had also improved since ascension.
He remained absolutely calm even when refining such an important pill. It didn't matter that his future plans were entirely contingent upon his success here; in that moment, he was unaffected.
He kindled the flame, warmed the cauldron, and added in the materials, carrying out all the actions in fluid motions.
...
Within the secret room, Jiang Chen was absolutely calm. Outside, Ziju Min was the picture of anxiety. He was much more apprehensive because he knew intimately what it meant for both the young man and the sacred land.
The refinement had no room for failure. Failure meant that all the young man's subsequent plans would be nipped in the bud. In fact, everything might very well spiral downward instead.
Ziju Min desperately hoped the young man would succeed.
The successful production of the pill would send an earthquake rippling through Myriad Abyss's pill dao world.
"Shao Yuan, you've performed many miracles in the sacred land already. You just need to keep doing what you've been doing!" the senior prayed silently.
Twiddling his thumbs wasn't the only thing he could do. He used his connections to collect the Crowning Empyrean Pill's materials from all over Myriad Abyss.
Thankfully, Ziju Min knew enough of the right people around Myriad Abyss. Not as many as the late Elder Zimu, but not far off either. More importantly, he knew how to deal with people. This distinguished himself from the proud Elder Zimu.
It had built him a pretty good reputation and network within the pill dao field in Myriad Abyss, making the search for the pill's materials possible in the first place.
...
The outside world knew nothing of what was transpiring within the Eternal Sacred Land.
Within a secret realm under House Xiahou's jurisdiction, a young man rested inside a hot spring. Indistinct vapor and mist coiled up all around him, adding to the mystique of the scene. It was none other than the foremost genius of the house, Xiahou Zong.
He had cultivated for several years in the vicinity of these springs. In that moment, he suddenly opened his eyes, revealing profound eyes as bright as the stars in a night sky.
"How many years has it been?" Stretching out both arms, he basked in the pleasurable sensations of the world. The colors he saw anew appeared more vivid than ever before.
"I wanted to break through to mid empyrean realm when I first closed my doors. The heavens haven't let me down. I'm fifth level empyrean now. It seems that I am truly blessed." Unbridled joy was apparent upon Xiahou Zong's face.
Everything in nature and creation had obviously been made for him. Whenever his emotions changed, the world should change alongside them.
He slowly rose from the waters of the spring, his skin as smooth and translucent as jade, creamier than a newborn baby's.
Splash!
The pool was disturbed by his motion, its surface rippling to reveal his perfect body. He stepped out of the mists onto dry land, laughing uncontrollably with his arms extended. "Just as heaven and earth are eternal, I too will become so one day!"
He narcissistically admired his own muscles, considering himself to be a marvel of creation.
"What a wonderful body," Xiahou Zong chuckled slightly. "Wearing any garment would be defiling it, no matter the kind. Alas, humans are different from animals. We cannot go naked."
If he could choose, he would rather have gone without clothes. He was the epitome of perfection.
The secret realm opened, introducing a well-dressed and vigorous Xiahou Zong back to the world. Since closing his doors several years ago, he had become a less popular subject of conversation in the capital.
"I'm back." Xiahou Zong asserted his return as forcefully as possible to the rest of the world.
The news propagated to every other faction in Eternal Divine Nation in almost the next instant, spreading through the capital like wildfire.
Xiahou Zong, the foremost young genius in the nation, had resurfaced!
His reappearance meant that there was no longer any doubt as to who would win the young geniuses' tournament. Countless geniuses would be trodden underfoot once more. It was the beginning of a different era.
Though Xiahou Zong was of the younger generation, he enjoyed greater status than the typical elder. His authority was inferior only to the most important members of the house, whom he enjoyed the meticulous affections from.
Clearly, all of House Xiahou knew what he meant for the rest. This was a genius who could potentially lead the house to much greater success.
"You're finally out, brother!" Xiahou Ying was the happiest to see him emerge.
Xiahou Zong cared for his sister very much. He touched her face lightly. "We haven't seen each other for a couple of years, Ying'er. You've gotten prettier."
Xiahou Ying had been indulged by her brother since she was a child. She pouted, her eyes reddening tearfully. "While your doors were closed, brother, I was bullied by others. You didn't care about me at all."
"Oh?" Xiahou Zong's eyes roved. "Who dares bully you? Don't lie to me, Ying'er. I remember all the geniuses in the capital fussing over you even before I was gone."
"Hmph, you don't care about me anymore." Xiahou Ying sulked.
Xiahou Zong had endless patience with a temper-tantrum throwing sister. "Enough with that, Ying'er," he laughed. "I can deal with whatever trouble you had now that I'm out, alright?"
"Really?"
"Of course. Since when have I under-delivered on a promise?" Xiahou Zong spoiled his sister a lot. Anyone who dared cross or upset her would answer to him. He had beaten up innumerable other young geniuses to this end ever since his childhood.
"Tell me, what buffoon was blind enough to annoy you?" Xiahou Zong's relaxed confidence turned his sister's tears into a smile.
"Is that your promise, brother? I'm annoyed with a guy from House Yan."
"House Yan?" Xiahou Zong paused, disdain plain upon his face. "Mayflies in June, without much time to live. Who is it? Yan Zhenhuai?"
In his opinion, the only young person worth considering within House Yan was Yan Zhenhuai. He didn't even think about the others.
"No, an outsider with a different surname. He came to Eternal Divine Nation when your doors were still closed. He was just some unknown wandering cultivator before that. He's joined the Eternal Sacred Land now though."
"Joined the Eternal Sacred Land?" Xiahou Zong smiled coolly, his expression unchanged. "I've beaten up geniuses from there before." He was used to lording it over everyone else. "Tell me. What's his name, and how did he upset you?"
Xiahou Ying loved her brother's dominance the most. She related how Jiang Chen had earned her ire with a great deal of embellishment and fabrication.
Chapter 1720: The Xiahou Siblings
Xiahou Ying had always been a bit of a spoiled princess. Jiang Chen had first drawn her attention at her birthday banquet with his astonishing performance.
Girls' hearts could be strange things. She was long used to the fact that every man near her wanted to fawn on her, so she found them uninteresting. But when a man different from her admirers appeared before her, she felt rather different.
Curiosity and inquisitiveness were positively alien emotions to her. When they roared to life, they were the source of incredible motivation. She had held out one olive branch after another, testing, inviting, and messaging Jiang Chen on House Xiahou's behalf.
Sadly, every single attempt had been ignored. In fact, Jiang Chen never bothered to hide his dislike for her whenever they met. At their last meeting at the Eternal Sacred Land, he had also openly mocked her. Her curiosity and inquisitiveness had morphed entirely into hatred because of this.
Since childhood, Xiahou Ying had always been chased after by others. This was the fundamental reason for her haughty personality. Thus, the animosity that rose at her suffered indignity was easy to imagine.
How could she not embellish and exaggerate when Xiahou Zong asked her about what made her angry? She'd wanted her brother to emerge as soon as possible to teach Jiang Chen a lesson. It would be best if her brother could smash him irrecoverably into the ground, so she could step on and shame him too.
Xiahou Zong frowned a little after she finished.
"Shao Yuan?" He was slightly confused. He'd closed his doors for several years, but thought himself reasonably well-informed on the Ten Divine Nations' affairs regardless. He hadn't heard of anyone among the divine nations' factions with the surname Shao. As a name, 'Shao Yuan' was foreign to him.
But he found Xiahou Ying's declaration that he was a wandering cultivator even odder. Wandering cultivators had always been a bunch of underdogs in Myriad Abyss. Geniuses did exist among them, but the chances were slim. Similarly, their quality couldn't compare to geniuses from the larger factions.
Xiahou Zong found all of this rather odd. However, his personality was such that he considered himself number one in the world without question. No matter what kind of genius or his background, he didn't care.
"Don't be upset, Ying'er. If the kid participates in this year's tournament, I promise he'll regret having come to Eternal Divine Nation."
"Don't underestimate him, brother. He's not easy to deal with. There's never been anyone who has passed the Eternal Sacred Land's Nine Winding Caves before him. That kid passed the entire exam in a single attempt, so he's wildly popular. I hear the sacred land is focusing on raising him—maybe he'll be a serious opponent for you someday." Xiahou Ying's provocation was a bit more indirect this time.
Xiahou Zong chuckled. "I already have opponents, but they're not here in Eternal Divine Nation. My goal is to win the Ten Divine Nations' young genius tournament in three years. I want all of them to tremble before me. I will become a nightmare that persists for the rest of their lives!"
The young linchpin of House Xiahou was irritatingly haughty. However, he had good reason to be confident.
Xiahou Ying giggled. "I knew my brother was the best in the world! Brother, you need to really teach that cocky kid a lesson. Otherwise, people will think that you can't compare to the Eternal Sacred Land's geniuses at the end of the day."
"Hmph. The Eternal Sacred Land? Their so-called geniuses wouldn't dare boast before me." Xiahou Zong knew of the 'Five Great Gentlemen' from the Eternal Sacred Land. But were they really that great if none of them was brave enough to face him?
Their self-styled title was nothing more than self-consolation. He and they were not on the same level at all. This year's competition between Eternal Divine Nation's geniuses would provide an opportunity for them to compete. Xiahou Zong could barely wait.
He had closed his doors to cultivate all these years in order to prepare for precisely this. Regardless of who his opponents were and where they came from, Xiahou Zong was going to sweep the floor with them. They would tremble beneath his feet!
His road to stardom would be littered with the bodies of other geniuses. This was his ambition, his most faithful belief on his martial path. He had always felt that the rise of a real genius needed to use others as stepping stones. Therefore, his goal was to crush every genius he saw.
This Shao Yuan would be no different.
Mid-conversation, a secret letter was delivered into Xiahou Ying's hands. She took and opened it, then was stunned by its contents. Her slender eyebrows grew sharply angled in indignation.
"What is it?" Xiahou Zong asked with mild surprise. His sister's reaction was unusual.
Xiahou Ying gritted her teeth. "That Shao Yuan has been causing a real ruckus," she huffed angrily. "This secret letter came from the Eternal Sacred Land. Apparently, that kid has requested one of their sovereign missions."
"A sovereign mission of the Sacred Land?" Xiahou Zong was taken aback. He knew the Sacred Land's customs, and understood very well what a sovereign mission represented. Sovereign missions were typically meant for the oldest generation within that faction.
Each such mission possessed an astronomical reward in contribution points, but were so commensurately difficult that younger members couldn't pay the penalty. Even the most senior members weren't all capable of taking on sovereign missions. Each request was only made after serious and lengthy consideration.
Requesting them willy-nilly would only lead to ruin.
"That's so annoying, brother. How long has it been since that Shao Yuan got into the Eternal Sacred Land? Not even a year, right? What gives him the guts to take on a sovereign mission?"
"This is very strange." Xiahou Zong nodded. If he hadn't cared about the name 'Shao Yuan' before, he certainly felt it dig into his throat like a thorn now. It felt slightly uncomfortable.
"Right? He's just a kid. I think he's gone crazy for the sake of making himself famous. A sovereign mission? Really?!" Xiahou Ying was furious.
"I don't think he did it to make himself famous, Ying'er. As long as his brain hasn't fried, he would only take on the mission if he thought he had a decent chance at success. What would give him the courage otherwise? If he fails the mission, he'll lose a tenth of the reward contribution points. He's just a newcomer, so I doubt he has many in the first place. He wouldn't want to go into the negatives." Xiahou Zong's reasoning was more detailed. He didn't think that Shao Yuan had requested a sovereign mission out of stupidity.
Even if Shao Yuan was being reckless, had the senior mentoring him gone mad as well? According to his sister, Ziju Min had taken the young man under his wing. Where was the senior's opposition to the foolishness?
"Give me the letter, Ying'er." Xiahou Zong wanted to investigate in a bit more detail. He needed to get to the bottom of this.
Xiahou Ying handed the paper over to her brother.
Looking over the letter, Xiahou Zong was mildly impressed. "Shao Yuan aside, Ying'er, you've done well in creating informants within the Eternal Sacred Land. Remember, use your advantages to the best of your ability. Wrap all these young geniuses around your little finger."
"Hehe, I know that! I can control pretty much sixty to seventy percent of the geniuses in the sacred land. Not quite all of them, but it's a start." Xiahou Ying looked particularly enthusiastic and confident when she mentioned this.
"From what you and the letter have said, this Shao Yuan isn't just a martial dao genius. His pill dao talent is even more shocking. His mission is called 'the Flames of Vengeance', and rumor has it that it's related to a pill dao giant who died several decades ago."
"Oh? Do you know about the mission, brother?" Xiahou Ying was a bit surprised. She was too young to have known about something so old.
Xiahou Zong nodded. "I've heard about it, but I'm not clear on the details. I am sure about one thing though. This is a pill dao mission that requires tremendous talent and knowledge to complete."
"Looks like the kid is ignorant and incompetent after all," Xiahou Ying remarked scornfully. "Putting his pill dao skills on display like this means he'll delay his cultivation. Maybe he'll end up getting nothing done at all."
Xiahou Zong shook his head. "Ying'er, his data doesn't look like he'll be a fleeting genius. Perhaps he's the real deal, capable of achieving great things in both pill and martial dao."
"How genius can he be, really? He won't ever match even a tenth of my brother, hmph!" Xiahou Ying continued to put her enemy down, flattering Xiahou Zong in the process.
"So you've learned to sweet-talk me, eh?" Xiahou Zong roared with laughter. "Though I don't mind. I like it, hahaha! Ah, that's right. Ying'er, has that House Yan girl been good lately?"
"Hmph, she wouldn't dare be anything but. House Yan will iron her out either way!" Derision dripped from Xiahou Ying's tone.
Chapter 1721: Full Support
Ziju Min was rather surprised to hear the stone door to the secret room open. It couldn't have been more than ten hours since Shao Yuan started. Had he finished refining the pills? Or had he failed?
It defied logic for a pill of such importance to be refined in less than a day. It had to take more than a couple days, surely!
It didn't bode well for the process to end so soon. Ziju Min shot to his feet and hurried to the door.
Jiang Chen walked out after refocusing his mind. He was met by a concerned Ziju Min.
"Why have you come out already, Shao Yuan?" the pill sovereign asked without ceremony, his tone anxious. "Did something go wrong?"
Jiang Chen smiled. "No, everything went very smoothly, which is exactly why I came out earlier than expected."
His words sounded as an explosion in Ziju Min's head. He felt almost woozy. That was it? The pill had been refined successfully just like that?
The time it took was so short that it surprised and befuddled him.
Seeing was believing. Jiang Chen placed an exquisite pill bottle on a table nearby.
"Please take a look, Elder Ziju. It's my first attempt, so the efficiency wasn't particularly high. Only nine pills were yielded."
Ziju Min was ecstatic. "That's more than enough. The yield exceeds my expectations! I thought you'd failed when you came out after such a short period of time."
Jiang Chen smiled slightly, covering his satisfaction. In truth, the refining process had gone unusually well, yielding fifteen pills, but he felt that he deserved some reward for his hard work. He kept six for himself and handed Ziju Min nine. But even that was more than Ziju Min could've hope for.
Jiang Chen wondered if he'd been too generous when he saw the wide smile on Ziju Min's face. The pill sovereign would probably be just as happy presented with five or six pills. He wasn't going to become greedy, though.
Six pills were more than enough for him. This wouldn't be the last time he refined the Taiyi Skymender Pill. There had been three Taiyi Dragonscale Fruits in the sacred land.
The other two would be delivered to him sooner or later. He could keep some for himself then. He was partial to the Taiyi Skymender Pill, but he didn't have the resources to refine any in the human domain.
Aside from the Taiyi Dragonscale Fruit, even the supplemental ingredients would take great effort to collect, and there was no guarantee he would find them.
Such were the perks of staying on Myriad Abyss Island. There were a lot of resources, and they fell into his lap without much work on his part. It's actually quite nice to let my pill dao talent shine every once in a while, huh!
If he'd kept his talents hidden, he wouldn't be given the opportunities to refine and keep so many pills.
Ziju Min considered the Taiyi Skymender Pill, his expression growing increasingly serious. The more he looked, the more he believed that the pill was close to perfection.
He sighed. "I didn't believe that the two pills you mentioned existed, Shao Yuan, but it seems I was the oblivious one here. This pill far surpasses anything I've seen in my life. It's not a scam. Its energy alone is awe-inspiring."
Even without knowledge of how the pill was refined, he was able to appraise it. The color, runework, and presence it brimmed with were more than enough to convince him that the pill would live up to its name.
Jiang Chen smiled. "I wasn't exaggerating when I talked about its effects, Elder Ziju. For some geniuses, the effects may turn out even more impressive than what I described."
Ziju Min's face lit up in joy. "Good, good. If you don't mind, Shao Yuan, I'm going to take the pill to the three primes. With their help, it'll be easier to collect the ingredients for the Crowning Empyrean Pill. They have more connections and resources than I do."
Jiang Chen chuckled. "Of course I don't mind. I'm honored that the first prime has been so supportive of me. It's only right that I should give her something to earn her trust."
Ziju Min was pleased with Jiang Chen's tactful response. Without hesitation, he took the pill to the three primes.
The three primes were also surprised that the Taiyi Skymender Pill had been finished in such a short time. Shao Yuan was more efficient than they had ever expected.
The first prime laughed. "That young man sure is driven," she said before taking the pill from Ziju Min. "What a surprise that the pill's refined already! Elder Ziju, you've seen the pill yourself. What's are impressions?"
Ziju Min responded honestly, "This subordinate wouldn't claim to be observant, but in my opinion, the pill's more remarkable than I expected. Please have a look yourselves, Your Excellencies."
He presented the pill respectfully to three expectant primes. Their merry eyes turned surprised and thoughtful once they took the pill. Its appearance alone was enough to win their approval.
"Good," complimented the first prime. "I can see immediately that it's a fine pill."
"You'll be even more surprised when you inspect it closely," Ziju Min prompted, subtly praising the pill. He could, on good conscience, talk the pill up to his heart's content. It deserved any praise he could think of.
The three primes reacted the same way Ziju Min had. Solemnity descended and their eyes lit up more and more.
At the end, the first prime slapped the table and exclaimed, "Extraordinary! My pill dao is mediocre at best, but I know a good pill when I see it. This one is flawless, truly flawless. What say you, gentlemen?" added the first prime.
"It's indeed a remarkable achievement," said the second prime. "But how could Shao Yuan refine a pill of such energy in such a short time? Isn't that a little hard to believe?"
"That's right." The third prime echoed his worry. "Elder Ziju, are you sure that Shao Yuan was the one who refined the pill?"
"This subordinate can guarantee that it was him. There is a trace of the Taiyi Dragonscale Fruit's energy left in the pill. I left my unique mark on the fruit. So yes, I am sure. Moreover, I can feel that the pill has just been refined. That's something no one can fake."
Ziju Min was an authority figure in pill dao after all. He wasn't old or decrepit enough that he'd be tricked by a preexisting pill.
The three primes nodded earnestly.
The first prime couldn't be more pleased. "Elder Ziju, Shao Yuan keeps on surprising us. We can't possibly not support him now, can we?"
Ziju Min smiled. "I dare not say so, but Shao Yuan's talent in pill dao is beyond my imagination. Even if I knew the recipe and method for refining the Taiyi Skymender Pill, it would be almost impossible for me to refine it in only a few hours. His foundation in pill dao is much more solid than I expected."
"Are you confident that he'll be able to complete the mission?"
"I've been confident in him since he took the mission," admitted Ziju Min. "However, as an elder of the sacred land, I couldn't show my support too enthusiastically, or my objectivity may be questioned."
The three primes broke into laughter.
"You don't have to restrain yourself anymore, Elder Ziju," the first prime said with a smile, her tone relaxed. "This seat hereby authorizes you to provide any support Shao Yuan asks for. We'll also spare no effort in holding a pill dao festival. The Taiyi Skymender Pill more than justifies it. Everyone in the Myriad Abyss pill dao community is greedy. Once they see the pill for themselves, it's impossible for them to turn us down."
Ziju Min perked up. "What do you mean exactly, First Prime?"
"Give Shao Yuan the remaining two Taiyi Dragonscale Fruits and ask him to refine more pills, Elder Ziju. The more, the better. In two days, I will send out my confidantes to the other divine nations with the pills. Do you think our friends from different nations will be willing to trade a pill with a Taiyi Dragonscale Fruit?"
Ziju Min smield. "Of course they will. The pill is a gamechanger. They won't be able to resist their curiosity."
"Yes, we want them curious," the first prime responded confidently. "Only then will they put aside their pride and come to the pill dao festival. Wouldn't you agree?"
Ziju Min nodded emphatically. The first prime was being much more thorough than he had been. Her plan was well thought out. They'd be able to promote the pill and attract people's attention at the same time, making them curious.
No pill dao figureheads from the greatest factions of the Ten Divine Nations could resist such a perfect pill. They'd all come to the festival.
There was one thing the first prime was worried about. "Elder Ziju, I have a concern. If we trade them the pill, will they be able to figure out the recipe?"
Ziju Min contemplated for a short while before shaking his head decisively. "That's impossible. If people could figure out the recipe of any pill simply by studying it, everyone would be a pill god."
He was an expert in the field and knew the possibility of that happening was slim. Even if someone did figure out the recipe, it would most likely take them a lifetime to successfully refine it.
Chapter 1722: The World is Collectively Stunned
With the support of the three primes, the other two Taiyi Dragonscale Fruits were quickly delivered to Jiang Chen. He refined another two cauldrons of Taiyi Skymender Pills with ease and great efficiency.
For each batch, he handed Ziju Min nine or ten pills and kept six for himself. In total, he'd accumulated eighteen pills, a result which he was greatly pleased with.
He didn't need any himself, but he had a lot of friends in the human domain whose talent in martial dao was limited. The Taiyi Skymender Pill could greatly benefit the domain as a whole and create a few more empyrean experts.
The first prime had a decisive nature. She sent out messengers to the other sacred lands, each of them with a Taiyi Skymender Pill, an invitation, and a message. She strictly specified to the messengers that the pill could only be traded for a Taiyi Dragonscale Fruit.
One fruit could produce around ten pills. The trade was massively to their benefit, and the profit tremendous.
In half a month, all of the messengers reached their respective destinations and presented the Taiyi Skymender Pill to their audience. Shock respectively rippled through the pill dao community in each sacred land. The pill was perfect in its color, shape, and character.
All the pill dao figureheads had keen observation skills and couldn't mask their surprise and appreciation when they saw the pill. They asked about the pill's origins insistently, but he messengers were more than clever enough to know what they could and could not say. Their embellished descriptions painted the pills in a mythical light.
Of course, the pill dao figureheads weren't going to be deceived by pretty words. The pill itself, however, was convincing enough.
The Eternal Sacred Land purposefully handed the invitation letter over with the pill. Their intention was clear: A celebration was to be held for the development of a new pill, and their pill dao counterparts from the Ten Divine Nations were invited.
Any new pill, especially one of this level, would take the ten nations by storm. No sacred land would be able to turn it down. They beat around the bush and finally discovered that they could buy the pill with a Taiyi Dragonscale Fruit.
Almost every sacred land had a couple and could afford to spare one. However, everyone immediately connected the dots and wondered if the fruit was an ingredient in the recipe.
Still, there was no arguing that the trade had to be made. The pill was magical in its effects. They had to get their hands one so that they could study it.
The early birds would end up taking the lead. No factions were willing to be left behind. Even though they knew that they were being taken advantage of, they had no choice but to pay the price willingly.
The collection of ingredients for the Crowning Empyrean Pill also went smoothly. In half a month, Ziju Min was able to acquire all the ingredients from different sources. He delivered them to Jiang Chen with great excitement as he'd come to trust the young man unconditionally.
Jiang Chen was thrilled as well. The Taiyi Skymender Pill wasn't that important to him; he'd already ascended to empyrean realm. But the Crowning Empyrean Pill was another case entirely.
He wasn't going to let slip any opportunities to improve his cultivation at this critical juncture. Therefore he was much more excited about refining this pill than he was about the Taiyi Skymender Pill.
Even from a pill dao standpoint, the Crowning Empyrean Pill was better and of a higher level than the latter. The former was a true empyrean pill, while the latter was of a slightly lower level.
As usual, Jiang Chen didn't immediately start refining after receiving the ingredients. He had a sufficient amount of ingredients, but they were so rare that he didn't want to waste even a little.
He couldn't recover ingredients he'd used. He couldn't be careless with them.
Refining the Crowning Empyrean Pill was much more difficult in comparison. There were more details to pay attention to, and the process itself was more complicated. Fortunately, since he had reached empyrean realm, the challenging refining process wouldn't be difficult enough for his concentration to falter.
This time, it took him a night and a day to finish refinement. However, two thirds of the time was actually spent on meditating.
Once he started, he did everything with practiced ease and brooked no disruptions. One after another, the pills leapt out of the cauldron like little sprites, full of life and spirit. Pills of such level could be considered quasi-sentient.
Jiang Chen placed the pills in his palm, feeling the energy radiating from them. He felt at peace and a sense of achievement from the bottom of his heart. These pills were the finest work of nature, and also his best to date.
These were the highest level pills he'd refined since arriving on Divine Abyss Continent. There was nothing more satisfying than seeing the pills emerge exactly as he expected.
The cauldron had yielded quite a good number of Crowning Empyrean Pills. He unceremoniously kept four for himself and gave the other seven to Ziju Min.
Ziju Min almost teared up when he held the pills. Before the success of the Taiyi Skymender Pill, he wouldn't have ever believed that there could exist a magical pill to increase an empyrean expert's cultivation by one level at no cost. Not even in his dreams could such pill exist.
And yet the young genius had accomplished the unimaginable while he bore witness. He stared at the pill with great concentration, like a man meeting his first love.
He gently handled the pills, worried that he'd hurt them, his eyes filled with adoration. Someone oblivious would have assumed that he was in a relationship with the pills.
Jiang Chen could understand the reaction. There were many pill fanatics in the world of pill dao whose obsession with masterful pills befuddled regular folks. Ziju Min was a prime example.
It took some time for him to come back to himself. He turned to Jiang Chen with an indiscernible expression. "I don't know what to say, Shao Yuan, so I'll just say this: we are fortunate to have you. Bringing you here is one of the greatest achievements of my life. Though I can be considered a pill dao master, my greatest contribution to pill dao is none other than bringing you here from House Yan."
His words were the greatest compliment possible to Jiang Chen. He couldn't admire the young man more.
Before, he'd recruited Jiang Chen out of appreciation of the young man's talent. He'd wanted to take the young man in as his disciple. Now though, he'd thrown the plan out of the window.
He knew his limits. He wasn't good enough to teach a genius like Jiang Chen. In truth, Jiang Chen was the one who should teach him. Perhaps no one on the entire Myriad Abyss Island was qualified to teach the young man.
Ziju Min was both thrilled and pleased.
The Crowning Empyrean Pill made everything felt like a daydream. He could anticipate that the Taiyi Skymender Pill and Crowning Empyrean Pill would turn the Eternal Sacred Land from a faction negligible in pill dao to one of the greatest powers in Myriad Abyss.
Fate could be such an interesting beast sometimes.
No matter how little recognition they had received before, the two pills would turn things around completely. Many would hold them in high regard, and those who used to look down on them would have to treat them as equals.
Either of the two was enough to astound the world. They were one of a kind and disrupted the market in their own ways. And the Eternal Sacred Land was the sole supplier! Who would dare look down on them then?
The Crowning Empyrean Pill was especially groundbreaking. Ziju Min could foresee that the whole of Myriad Abyss Island would lose their mind over it. Every empyrean expert would covet it day and night. It was an extraordinary pill that had no alternatives.
The exclusivity would enable the Eternal Sacred Land to set the price however they wanted. They'd have neither competition nor rivals.
"Shao Yuan, do you know how the Crowning Empyrean Pill will impact the pill dao world?" Ziju Min couldn't help but ask.
How could Jiang Chen not know? He responded with a smile, "The demand will far exceed the supply, I think. However, Elder Ziju, the ingredients for the pills are difficult to acquire, and the refining process arduous. I don't want to end up becoming a pill refining machine for the sacred land. You have to be ready that I will decide when and how much to refine. No one can force me to do anything against my will."
"Of course." Ziju Min didn't want Jiang Chen to misunderstand him. The young man was a valued treasure to the sacred land. They mustn't let him feel any discomfort.
Ziju Min wanted nothing but to ask the three primes to give the young man full, open support and help him save Yan Qinghuang!
Chapter 1723: Reaching a Consensus
The Crowning Empyrean Pill was much more convincing than the Taiyi Skymender Pill. When Ziju Min brought the finished product to the three primes, their few remaining doubts were completely assuaged.
The pill sovereign took the opportunity to intercede. "Honored primes, I don't see the reason why we shouldn't fully support Shao Yuan. He is gifted beyond belief."
The primes traded looks, then slowly nodded in unison.
Even if Shao Yuan had no martial dao talent whatsoever, they should still support him unconditionally. That he was amazing in martial dao was just icing on the cake. He was among the very best in both categories in the entire faction.
Of course, there were also the Five Great Gentlemen. But would Shao Yuan be inferior to them given enough time? The primes couldn't be so intellectually dishonest.
The potential Shao Yuan had exhibited thus far was already historically unprecedented. This was hardly an exaggeration; there had never been a genius so skilled with both pill and martial dao in the Eternal Sacred Land's past.
"We can't hesitate anymore, First Prime. I hear that Xiahou Zong has opened his doors already. Perhaps…" The third prime paused.
The first prime's expression turned serious as well. "Yes, indeed. We must decide whether we will stand with Shao Yuan."
Ziju Min was shaken by the news of Xiahou Zong's emergence as well.
"Xiahou Zong… he's exited closed door cultivation?" His tone was colored with surprise.
The senior had been entirely devoted to pill-related affairs for the past few days and hadn't had the time to pay attention to the outside world. At the same time, he was also mildly concerned for his disciple. If Xiahou Zong had come out of cultivation, would he take away Yan Qinghuang immediately?
His worries weren't unfounded. Recent contact with Shao Yuan had impressed upon him the young man's stubbornness in this matter.
If Xiahou Zong were allowed to take away Yan Qinghuang without his knowledge, the young man would be severely disappointed in the sacred land. He might very well leave immediately, or even bear a grudge against the entire divine nation for the rest of his life.
"Elder Ziju, you don't need to tell Shao Yuan about it yet. He shouldn't be distracted from refining pills," the third prime ventured.
Ziju Min shook his head. "I can't keep it from him. On the topic of refining pills, I have something to report."
"What is it?"
"After refining the Crowning Empyrean Pill, Shao Yuan told me that it was a very difficult task. He doesn't wish to be treated as a tool for refining pills. He wants to decide how many he will refine, and when."
A pill dao genius normally wouldn't have the right or courage to say something like this. If the sacred land wanted someone to refine pills, what room was there to refuse? A young man should be satisfied with the exposure and reputation alone!
But Jiang Chen was far from the average pill dao genius. He had his own principles.
The third prime wasn't happy to hear the demand. Wasn't this young man thinking too highly of himself? He'd only just joined the sacred land, but he was already negotiating on the small stuff?
However, the first prime smiled and nodded. "Real geniuses are always somewhat strange in their temperaments. Shao Yuan's genius entitles him to negotiating with us. Elder Ziju, do you think that the Crowning Empyrean Pill is as difficult as he claims?"
"Yes, I believe so. The time and energy Shao Yuan spent on it indicates that it is significantly more difficult than the Taiyi Skymender Pill," Ziju Min replied truthfully.
"Hmm. Elder Ziju, go tell Shao Yuan that we will back him fully on the matter of Yan Qinghuang. If there is any disturbance whatsoever, we will mobilize immediately. However, it would be ideal for him to help the sacred land by refining a few more pills in his spare time. We can discuss how much of a cut he gets in the profits. Any distribution is on the table."
The third prime frowned a little. "First Prime, aren't we making too many concessions? At the end of the day, he's just one young man."
The first prime shook her head in disagreement. "We must plan for the future, number three. I daresay that if we limit or coerce him in any way, it is highly doubtful he will align himself with our values. We must spoil and flatter such a genius in order to keep him around. Moreover, Shao Yuan doesn't seem to be an unreasonable youth. If we can help him accomplish his heart's desire, he will repay us in kind. I trust him." The leader of the Eternal Sacred Land had a keen eye for people.
"What do you think, Elder Ziju? Are you satisfied with our treatment of him?" Chuckling, she turned to the elder.
Ziju Min took a moment to think. "First Prime," he responded with sincerity, "I don't think it's enough to merely mouth support. What if Xiahou Zong goes to House Yan to take Yan Qinghuang away? Our words will not satisfy our young friend."
"Are… are we supposed to help him take the girl by force? Or forcefully stop Xiahou Zong from taking Yan Qinghuang? We might have the power, but doing so might be perceived as being too domineering. This is a private matter between Xiahou Zong and House Yan, and it's unbecoming for us to intercede so barbarically."
"First Prime, we can help him bring his marriage proposal to House Yan. If he completes 'the Flames of Vengeance' in the upcoming pill dao festival, he will be made famous overnight. His name will be more than enough to ask for House Yan's daughter then. In fact, the house would not be worthy of someone like him." Ziju Min gave his own suggestion.
The three primes traded meaningful looks. This solution was the most appropriate, though it would anger House Xiahou regardless.
After all, the entire world knew of the enmity between House Xiahou and House Yan.
Yan Qinghuang had been fated to be Xiahou Zong's cultivation vessel at a young age. This was public knowledge to just about anybody in Eternal Divine Nation. If someone butted in to ask for Yan Qinghuang in marriage now, it would be a resounding slap to Xiahou Zong's face.
Well, impulsive acts were common among young people for the sake of love. And what was so wrong with upsetting House Xiahou?
Hadn't the Eternal Sacred Land been looking for a genius who could beat Xiahou Zong for a long time? The Five Great Gentlemen had been raised up as potential challengers for quite a while now, their somewhat lackluster performance notwithstanding.
Though Xiahou Zong had made his name known throughout the world, the Eternal Sacred Land had also unexpectedly gotten its hands on a new exceptional genius.
It was a serendipitous surprise indeed.
Would this genius surpass their wildest hopes and dreams? Would he usurp Xiahou Zong's so-called throne as the foremost genius?
The Eternal Sacred Land was willing to devote itself to the attempt. The young man deserved unconditional support for his pill dao talent alone.
The first prime nodded with sobriety. "It's settled, then. Elder Ziju, if Shao Yuan can defeat Shi Xuan and complete 'the Flames of Vengeance', he is approved to ask House Yan for their daughter's hand in marriage. We will back him up utterly, no questions asked!"
The speaker was weighty enough for this answer to be conclusive. After all, the first prime was the ruler of the Eternal Sacred Land in name. Furthermore, the venerated forefather had promised that he would give the go-ahead if the young man could fulfill his part of the deal.
Opinions from the two most important individuals in the Eternal Sacred Land meant that Shao Yuan was more than qualified to compete with Xiahou Zong.
At the end of the day though, the competition required his own strength.
"Elder Ziju, you know too that the tournament of geniuses is in a few months. If Shao Yuan wants to compete with Xiahou Zong, he will inevitably meet his rival in that tournament. What should he do then? The arena is fair to its combatants, regardless of their relative status. Shao Yuan's martial dao is on the shallow side. Does he have a way to deal with the commanding Xiahou Zong?"
"That's not something we need to worry about, First Prime. Shao Yuan doesn't seem to care much about Xiahou Zong."
Ziju Min found this somewhat odd as well. Where did Shao Yuan's courage come from? Why didn't he care about Xiahou Zong, the foremost genius of the Eternal Sacred Land? And yet, there seemed to be a reason for Shao Yuan's confidence. It didn't appear to be blind.
Having received the first prime's guarantee, the senior returned to Jiang Chen to inform him of the good news.
Jiang Chen was unsurprised by the development. The three primes had taken a completely sensible course of action. If they had remained indecisive, he would've suspected their sincerity and wisdom.
Ziju Min marveled at the young man's lack of a reaction. Had he predicted this would be the case? He really was extraordinary.
It was difficult for anyone not to be overwhelmed with joy at this juncture, especially someone so young. Calmness in the face of great change was a valuable trait.
"Shao Yuan," he reminded, "the first prime's meaning is very clear. If you can defeat Shi Xuan, then the sacred land will openly support you. But you also have to remember another thing: winning over Yan Qinghuang will require your own strength. You must clear away Xiahou Zong yourself before you can bring your love home. Do you understand?"
"Yes." Jiang Chen smiled faintly. "I don't need the sacred land to cheat for me. I just need public and moral support, just like how Xiahou Zong is backed by his house."
"There's no problem, then. The first prime and the venerated forefather are in agreement on this. Don't worry about House Xiahou. We will not allow such an overreach."
Chapter 1724: Flora Sacred Land
The Eternal Sacred Land's stance was more than enough for Jiang Chen. He didn't actually want the faction to help him raid House Yan for his girl; that would be far too crude. As long as the sacred land took a hardline attitude in front of outsiders, that was enough for his purposes.
The lack of disagreement from Jiang Chen prompted a follow-up from Ziju Min. "There's another important thing I have to tell you. Xiahou Zong has emerged from closed door cultivation!"
"He's out?" Jiang Chen's eyes grew keen. "Has he made any moves?"
"Not for now. Don't worry, House Xiahou isn't the sort to keep things on the down low. Even if Xiahou Zong was going to fetch your girl, many other preparations would need to be made. The tournament of geniuses for Eternal Divine Nation is in only a few months' time. Since he's just finished closed door cultivation, there's no way he'll go right back to it. He can't make use of a cultivation vessel anyway, so your beloved is safe for now, and we will keep abreast of any developments."
Jiang Chen became both serious and thoughtful.
"Don't worry too much for now, Shao Yuan," Ziju Min consoled. "If you can defeat Shi Xuan, none of this will be a problem. Do you understand what I mean?"
The corner of the young man's mouth curled, revealing a proud smile. "Shi Xuan… Xiahou Zong…" he muttered quietly.
These two were nothing more than obstacles in Jiang Chen's way. His objective—pulverize everything that hindered him!
"How goes the preparation for the festival, Elder Ziju? Is Shi Xuan coming or not? It won't mean anything if he's not present."
"Don't worry, unless Shi Xuan has closed his doors to the world on pain of death, he has no reason not to come when faced with such attractive bait. He's probably the furthest thing from an ascetic you'll find. Are you still going to insult him as planned?"
"If he'll come out of greed, why dirty my mouth over it?" Jiang Chen smiled coolly. "Plus, insulting him isn't as interesting as crushing him outright. Sadly, he's not likely to be the kind of person to commit suicide over a loss. His heart seems more steadfast than that."
Ziju Min sighed softly. "I suppose you're right. He's not the kind of person to be easily swayed by his emotions. He wouldn't die over being upset."
"Regardless, I'll try my best," Jiang Chen laughed.
He was absolutely sure he would win against Shi Xuan, but he wouldn't necessarily be able to replicate how the man had driven Elder Zimu nuts. Someone without a personality flaw wouldn't drop dead over something as mundane as a loss.
...
The Eternal Sacred Land was hosting a pill dao festival of grand proportions. Called the 'Skymender Festival', it was named for the Taiyi Skymender Pill.
Invitations from the faction alone wouldn't command much of an attendance, given its lack of expertise in pill dao. But the presence of a single Taiyi Skymender Pill with the messengers was more convincing than any paper could be.
When they got wind that this miraculous pill was the product of the sacred land's private research, the recipients' tunes changed completely. Furthermore, there was to be an demonstration at the festival of the pill's origins!
Everyone was astonished and curious about the Taiyi Skymender Pill. They wanted badly to find out what the Eternal Sacred Land, a faction that was historically weak in pill dao, had in store. Was this amazing pill really the product of the sacred land's secret research?
The very prospect of it sounded incomprehensible.
The Ten Divine Nations knew the level of the Eternal Sacred Land's pill dao. It didn't make sense for such explosive news to come from there. Moreover, the messenger had insinuated that the Taiyi Skymender Pill wouldn't be the only feature at the festival.
Any inquiries were met with the rather response that those interested would find out more at the festival itself. A wave of interest swept up the Ten Divine Nations' pill dao experts without them realizing it.
The various divine nations and sacred lands were exceptionally courteous to the Eternal messengers. Hand-written letters were drafted in return, stating the parties' certain attendance.
Moreover, the other sacred lands were exceedingly generous. They traded the pills the messengers had brought for Taiyi Dragonscale Fruit from their own stock. The name of the Taiyi Skymender Pill overtook Myriad Abyss almost overnight. It was the hottest talk of the pill dao world across the realm.
Nearly everybody wondered how the Taiyi Skymender Pill had been researched in the first place. Who had come up with this remarkable pill? Was it an ancient pill recipe that had been lost to some corner of history?
Regardless of its origin, the Taiyi Skymender Pill was to be a source of fortune for the Eternal Sacred Land.
Pills with this kind of effect were a completely unexplored territory in Myriad Abyss. If the pill could pass the test of time, it would be enormously beneficial to the sole manufacturer.
Within Flora Divine Nation's Sacred Flora Mountain, its sacred land's pill dao giants were gathered together.
As the sacred land with the highest pill dao level among the ten, Flora Sacred Land had a plethora of pill dao masters. Each person in attendance here could take charge of a faction's pill dao business in the outside world.
Though the Flora Sacred Land wasn't among the best in martial dao, it was the undisputed best in pill dao. It benefited from both the divine nation's traditions and geographical location. Furthermore, it cared about raising pill dao geniuses more than any other faction.
It occupied a unique position in Myriad Abyss. Its climate and ground were especially suitable for the growth of spirit herbs—a natural garden. Many spirit herbs unable to grow anywhere else were happy to take root in Flora Divine Nation's soil. Still, others that yielded average crops elsewhere grew with exceptional vigor here.
The superior land and water gave the divine nation an undeniable advantage in procuring spirit herbs, which translated directly to proficiency in pill dao.
It occupied the same state of importance in Flora Sacred Nation as the Eternal Sacred Land did in its own. Within it, Shi Xuan was considered equivalent to a forefather.
The other two pill dao forefathers who'd lived for several millennia or more had raised the hundred-year-old pill dao master to their own level. In fact, they'd intentionally gaven up a portion of their authority to Shi Xuan in hopes that he would improve the sacred land's pill dao through his oversight.
After all, Shi Xuan's youthfulness afforded him a huge advantage. He was less than a hundred, practically a young man in the pill dao world. They tried their best to cultivate Shi Xuan in every way—reputation, skill, and status.
For his part, Shi Xuan was clever enough to cooperate wherever he could. On the surface, he showed commensurate respect to his elders. Thus, he had quickly risen up through the ranks without making many enemies.
A single Taiyi Skymender Pill was placed within a jade plate upon a table before the crowd. Its color and aura were both exceptionally tempting.
"Honored forefathers, what do you think of this Taiyi Skymender Pill?"
The forefathers traded a look, then chorused in unison. "One look is enough to tell the pill is obviously extraordinary. The man behind it is clearly no lightweight."
"Absolutely. The pill has been refined with impeccable splendor." The two forefathers had only the highest of compliments for the pill.
"What do you think, Shi Xuan?" They were curious as to what their young charge thought.
Though Shi Xuan was only a hundred years old, he dressed like an otherworldly immortal. Right now, his gaze was concentrated upon the Taiyi Skymender Pill. After a long while, a conflicted look made its way into his narrowed eyes.
He sighed softly. "Sharp eyes as always, venerated forefathers. I can't find a flaw with the pill from any angle. It seems completely natural. This is the work of a true master."
"Flawless? Entirely natural? The work of a true master?" The two forefathers were both shocked. Shi Xuan was known for his incredible haughtiness and general aloofness. And yet, he was defying expectation by praising the pill.
If Shi Xuan couldn't find any problems with the pill, then it really was flawless.
"This is odd," one of the forefathers blurted out. "We all know what kind of skill the Eternal Sacred Land has in pill dao. How can a faction of their resources come up with a pill of this level? I just don't understand."
"Perhaps they were lucky enough to dredge up an ancient pill recipe somewhere," the lankier forefather speculated. Neither believed such incredible skill possible from the Eternal Sacred Land.
Shi Xuan shook his head gently. "The pill recipe can be the product of fortune, but the method of refinement is even more fearsome. I've never seen such a perfect masterpiece in all my years," he praised. "Since when did the Eternal Sacred Land have such a prodigious master?"
"After Elder Zimu dropped dead, Ziju Min apparently took his leadership post. That man is inferior to his predecessor, so I don't think this pill comes from his hands. We wouldn't be ignorant of him otherwise."