Sovereign of the Three Realms

Even someone as composed as Dan Chi was visibly moved by those calmly spoken words. He was less than a hundred years old and was in no immediate need of the pill. However, he was knowledgeable enough to immediately understand the value of this pill. He hastily pulled Jiang Chen behind him. “Jiang Chen, there’s no need to speak anymore.”

Beneath the stage, Elder Yun Nie also couldn’t help but shoot to his feet, his expression one of shocked understanding. As one of the pill dao heavyweights of the Myriad Domain, he was even more clear about the pill’s worth than even Palace Head Dan Chi’s. When Jiang Chen spoke of the Longevity Pill, it was as if Elder Yun Nie’s brain had been rocked by an explosion. However, he was immediately struck by the importance of the situation, and instantly regained his calm.

“Old brother Dan Chi, now what are you doing?” The Sacred Elephant family head chuckled. “It’s the first time we’ve all heard of the Longevity Pill, we should take advantage of this opportunity to increase our knowledge.”

Palace Head Dan Chi smiled faintly. “The Pill Battles are over. Since this pill reaches the necessary requirements for the score it was awarded, then it’s in line with the rules of the contest. Nothing else needs to be said. We cannot repeat ourselves and grow bolder each time. When Jiang Chen had good scores previously, you asked to test his lineage. Now that his pill’s level is high, you want him to explain where it comes from. Everyone, how can you bear to treat a young junior thus? Does this not speak to your conscience?”

From Palace Head Dan Chi’s perspective, he naturally wanted to protect Jiang Chen. Based on what Jiang Chen had described, this pill would cause an absolute uproar when it got out. It was a wonderful thing for the Regal Pill Palace, but was also both fortune and disaster for Jiang Chen.

Naturally, its upside was that Jiang Chen’s name would be spread far and wide, but the pressure it brought was a significant drawback. Having grasped both the recipe and refining method of such a high level pill, Jiang Chen would undoubtedly become a popular figure. There would absolutely be countless others who would make a move on him with ulterior motives.

Wei Wuying laughed darkly. “Ole brother Dan Chi, now you’ve placed yourself in the wrong with your words. As long as you have a clear conscience, what reason would you have to fear speculation?”

Palace Head Dan Chi only snorted coldly. “Palace Head Wei, just say so if you feel that you can’t afford to lose. We might possibly see ourselves bestowing the Pill Battle championship title on you.”

His words were sharp and incisive, doing double damage to Wei Wuying. He leapt up like a cat that’d had its tail stepped on. “Dan Chi, what exactly do you mean by that!”

“Alright, alright now.” The Sacred Elephant family head stepped forward to smooth over the situation. It was clear as day in his heart that the Regal Pill Palace would never stoop to cheating, and he was well aware from beginning to end that it was impossible for anything untoward to be about Jiang Chen. His origins were no secret at all thanks to the Precious Tree Sect and Regal Pill Palace’s public alliance. His background had long since been thoroughly investigated.

The Walkabout Sect was causing trouble because they’d just seen the championship vanish before their very eyes. The Sacred Sword Palace was causing trouble because they were hated rivals with the Regal Pill Palace. Now that the Longevity Pill had appeared, there was only one thought in the family head’s mind. Somehow, he had to obtain this pill!

This family head was the strongest amongst the four families in the Great Cathedral. He was the most senior, but also the most elderly. He didn’t have many years of life left to him. Although his cultivation was the highest in the Myriad Domain, it wasn’t much of a point of pride if one didn’t have enough years left to live. Therefore, his was the heart which had pounded the most when he heard Jiang Chen mention the effects of the Longevity Pill.

“Ole brother Wei, ole brother Dan Chi, both of you should just speak fewer words. There are so many eyes watching the Pill Battles; what wrong could occur under our watch?” The family head’s words were blatantly biased towards the Regal Pill Palace. It wasn’t that he’d suddenly discovered his conscience towards this much abused sect, but that he now had something he wanted to ask of them.

Dan Chi nodded. “Since the Sacred Elephant family head has spoken, I think it’s time to announce the end of the Pill Battles and distribute the spots for Mt. Rippling Mirage. Continuing this farce would only disgrace ourselves. A vaunted fourth rank sect should have the bearing of a great sect so as to not become a laughingstock for the world.”

The Sacred Elephant family head also knew that it was asking a bit much to have the Regal Pill Palace share the Longevity Pill. He could only ask privately if they could make a transaction, but he also knew that if he didn’t please Dan Chi at this moment, there was no way in hell that Dan Chi would sell the pill to him.

“Mm, my Great Cathedral has no objection to these results. What say you, ole brother Zhu?” The family head was well aware that the Dark North Sect would absolutely support the Regal Pill Palace. So apart from the Sacred Sword Palace and Walkabout Sect, all that remained was the Tristar Sect’s attitude.

Tristar Sect Head Zhu smiled wryly. “To be honest, although I have many questions in my heart, I feel that I should accept the truth with how things have developed. Since we can’t find any evidence, it’d be a waste of time to continue arguing here. We might as well start distributing the spots to enter Mr. Rippling Mirage.

“This makes sense, I say we accept these results as final.” Honored Master Tian Ming of the Dark North Sect grinned.

Wang Jianyu of the Sacred Sword Palace looked at Wei Wuying, but saw the latter sigh softly, seemingly out of resignation, and not voice a single word of protest. Wang Jianyu’s original intention had been to cause trouble to the very end, but as the last of the six great sects, the Sacred Sword Palace really didn’t have much right to kick up a fuss.

With the fourth rank sects having reached an accord, the fifth rank sects naturally wouldn’t have any objections. They accepted from the bottom of their hearts the fact that the Regal Pill Palace had taken the championship.

Distributing the spots was a rather easy task. The top 30 of the elder and genius groups had the right to enter Mt. Rippling Mirage. The first ten of each group had 20 days to spend, and the next ten had ten days worth of time. The last ten had five days.

“Alright, the Pill Battles of Mt. Rippling Mirage end here. Opening the restrictions around Mt. Rippling Mirage will take a few more days. As such, everyone can continue staying here. Use this time to interact with each other. Previous rules will be once again in effect, and a few small-scale trading fairs will be allowed during this time. Everyone can exchange for what they like.”

The various great sects of the Myriad Domain all had their respective specializations. This was how they were able to sit on the throne of a fourth rank sect. The Great Cathedral had the richest lineage and strongest power. The Sacred Sword Palace pursued swords as the true way and reigned sovereign over sword dao. The Regal Pill Palace was founded on pill dao and had no equal. The Walkabout Sect was the worst to antagonize due to their prowess in poison. The Tristar Sect was adept at crafting talismans, and the Star and Moon Glyph was their trademark work. The Dark North Sect was located deep in the north of the Myriad Domain and had the richest resources. Each of the six great sects had their strengths and their own trump cards.

To the candidates of the six great sects, it wasn’t a matter of whether or not they’d receive a spot to enter the mountain, but just a matter of when they’d enter.

On the Regal Pill Palace side, all of their four geniuses had made it into the top ten and would be amongst the first batch to enter. They would enjoy twenty days worth of harvesting time. From the elder group, only Elder Yun Nie and Vice Hallmaster Wang Yue had made it into the top ten. Ouyang De and the other elder Che Ziwu was only in the top twenty, and therefore the second batch. After the spots were allocated, the first part of the Pill Battles of Mt. Rippling Mirage were announced to have come to an end.

To Jiang Chen, the first part was merely warm up. His true goal was to enter the mountain to harvest spirit herbs. This Mt. Rippling Mirage was the best peak in the Myriad Domain for harvesting spirit herbs, and doubled as the royal spirit herb garden back in the days of the Myriad Empire, reveling in royal fortunes. This history alone made it clear that this mountain was no ordinary landscape feature.

“Come here for a moment, Jiang Chen.” Palace Head Dan Chi called out to him. Elder Yun Nie was also quietly standing next to Dan Chi. It was obvious that the two heavyweights wanted him for something.

Back in his residence, Dan Chi enclosed his secret chamber in a soundproof shell before he spoke, “You were far too impulsive today Jiang Chen. Whether that Longevity Pill is real or fake, you shouldn’t have said that it could extend one’s lifespan to eight hundred years.”

Elder Yun Nie also sighed. “The consequences for those words will be severe. Jiang Chen, tell us, is the Longevity Pill that miraculous?”

Since Jiang Chen had dared announce the pill, he naturally wouldn’t dare not admit to it. He nodded and confessed all he could share, “The Longevity Pill does indeed have that kind of miraculous effect. However, only sage realm cultivators can use it. To take it when one has yet to enter the sage realm means bodily detonation. Taking it beyond the sage realm will result in a lack of benefit. It will only extend lifespans by three to five years.”

Palace Head Dan Chi and Elder Yun Nie looked at each other, the light of surprise and shock dancing in their eyes. It was obvious that they were stunned by the news that Jiang Chen had brought, and were also certain at the same time that this wasn’t something Jiang Chen had randomly made up. Although they were long since used to all sorts of heaven defying performances from him, their hearts were still plunged into an emotional turmoil this time. If Jiang Chen were willing to offer the pill to the sect, it alone would be enough to bring unmeasurable wealth to the Regal Pill Palace! If they handled things well, then it could even birth a real chance of having the Regal Pill Palace vault into the ranks of a third rank sect after a few decades!

However, how could they broach the topic of having Jiang Chen offer up the Longevity Pill? After all, technically speaking, Jiang Chen wasn’t someone who their sect had cultivated. If it’d been a direct descendent of the sect, they might’ve been able to have him hand over the pill and give him some benefits in return, focusing some attention on raising him. But Jiang Chen was not a direct descendent of the sect, and the Regal Pill Palace had merely supplied a platform for his heaven defying rise. They hadn’t actually contributed to his rise at all. Their faces weren’t so thick as to demand the pill.

When Jiang Chen glimpsed their complicated expressions, and how they were restraining themselves from speaking, he could roughly guess their thoughts.

“Palace Head, Elder Yun Nie, since I’ve spoken of the Longevity Pill, I don’t have the desire to hoard it. I owe a debt of gratitude to the Regal Pill Palace for being my patron, and you two have done your best to mentor me. There are no outsiders here. Treat this pill as a bit of my contribution to the sect.” Jiang Chen’s proactiveness in raising this subject dialed down some of the awkwardness. But it was now the two heavyweights who were speechless.

They’ve been thinking of how to convince Jiang Chen, but who would’ve thought that he’d actually speak of it first. This made them feel that even a young man’s bearing was greater than the two heavyweight’s.

Dan Chi smiled ruefully. “Jiang Chen, Elder Yun Nie and I are the ones embarrassed after your words. All of us have seen your accomplishments for the sect. Setting aside this time’s Pill Battles, you have brought about a new culture to the Rosy Valley, setting the best example for the young disciples in the Rosy Valley and inspiring in them a kind of ferocity and bearing they lacked before.”

Elder Yun Nie was also of the same opinion, but he still felt a bit embarrassed at just accepting the Longevity Pill with no reward. “Jiang Chen, this pill is too precious and it may not be a bad thing for you to give it to the sect. But if you have any requests, please speak of them. We would hate to be treated as outsiders.”