The grand procession of alchemists came to an abrupt end, and there was no helping it. After all, when it came down to alchemy versus life, life was undeniably more important.
Moreover, Chen Xia had promised them that he would purchase their pills at a high price, ensuring their demands were met. While their pride might have taken a hit, at least their lives were spared.
This turn of events brought about a shift in the power dynamics of East Jia State. It seemed that all the pills in East Jia State now fell under Chen Xia's control. Cultivators came to him to buy pills, and alchemists sold their wares through him.
Almost every pill in East Jia State had to pass through Chen Xia's hands, effectively monopolizing the market.
If things remained this way, it would be beneficial for both cultivators and alchemists. But what if one day, Heaven Pill Gate became too powerful and started exploiting its customers?
This would affect the entire East Jia State, and such a scenario must be prevented at all costs.
The Eighth Mountain of Immortal Realm, which governed East Jia State, began to panic. East Jia State already had two uncontrollable factors—the Divine Realm Emperor and the Ten Thousand Mountains. They couldn't afford another one like Heaven Pill Gate. If that happened, East Jia State would truly become a colony.
The elders of the Eighth Mountain held an emergency meeting and decided that a soft yet firm approach was necessary.
Heaven Pill Gate had risen too quickly and was now deeply intertwined with East Jia State's affairs. Nearly half of the cultivators in East Jia State had become its esteemed customers, and Heaven Pill Gate had indeed brought significant benefits to the region. Therefore, they couldn't resort to force. Instead, they needed to negotiate and issue subtle warnings.
To bolster their negotiating stance, the Eighth Mountain elders even invited three Great Emperors of East Jia State to accompany them.
The Great Emperors, who typically stayed aloof from worldly matters, laughed when they heard they were being asked to negotiate with an alchemy sect.
"Are you joking, Elder? A mere pill sect requires the presence of three Great Emperors? If you hadn't told me, I would have thought we were going to war with the Divine Realm Emperor or marching on the Ten Thousand Mountains!" one of them chuckled.
Wu Xi Great Emperor rolled his eyes and retorted, "I won't even comment on going to war with the Divine Realm Emperor, but how dare you even mention marching on the Ten Thousand Mountains? You'd probably kneel at the foot of the mountains before the battle even began. You really know how to boast."
"Better to aim high," the other Great Emperor replied with a sheepish grin.
The Eighth Mountain elder shook his head and explained, "You haven't been paying attention to the outside world, and Heaven Pill Gate's rise has been too rapid. Let me fill you in.
"Heaven Pill Gate was established just three months ago. Its founder, the Heaven Pill Ancestor, is incredibly skilled in alchemy. He sells various pills at low prices and can even refine high-grade elixirs. In just one day, he sold over ten thousand pills, earning an astonishing amount of revenue.
"Not only that, but he also bought out surrounding sects, effectively acquiring ten percent of East Jia State's territory. He then convinced alchemists to sell their pills to him at high prices.
"All of this happened in just three months. Do you now understand the gravity of the situation?"
The three Great Emperors' expressions turned serious as they nodded.
"So, you're saying that if this Heaven Pill Ancestor has any ulterior motives, he could easily raise prices at will and even use pills to control and suppress the entire East Jia State?"
"Exactly," the Eighth Mountain elder confirmed. "That's why this trip is both about forming an alliance and issuing a warning."
Wu Xi Great Emperor agreed, "We should definitely go. If we let him grow unchecked, he'll become arrogant. By the time he's fully grown, it'll be too late to rein him in. He'll only rebel against us."
Little did he realize the severity of the situation or who exactly they were planning to warn.
The Eighth Mountain elder and the three Great Emperors set off, discussing their strategy along the way, trying to balance firmness with diplomacy.
During the journey, Wu Xi Great Emperor voiced his doubts.
"How does this Heaven Pill Ancestor have such a vast stockpile of pills? Could he really be refining them all himself?"
"That's impossible," another Great Emperor speculated. "Ten thousand pills in a day? It must be a long-term stockpile."
None of them knew the answer.
That is, until Wu Xi Great Emperor laid eyes on Chen Xia.
A memory exploded like thunder in his mind, growing clearer by the second. Chen Xia wasn't using any disguise, and his appearance matched that of a cultivator deeply etched in Wu Xi Great Emperor's memory.
The senior from the Great Death Realm!
No wonder he could produce so many pills!
Wu Xi Great Emperor shuddered, nearly stumbling as he walked.
Another Great Emperor glanced at him and frowned, "What's wrong with you? Are you having second thoughts?"
Wu Xi Great Emperor didn't respond. He simply lowered his head, looking visibly uneasy, as if he were afraid of something.
The other Great Emperors didn't pay him much attention, as Chen Xia had already appeared before them.
"Buying pills?" Chen Xia asked curiously, looking at the Eighth Mountain elder and the three Great Emperors.
"No, we're here to negotiate terms," the Eighth Mountain elder stated bluntly.
"Alright, go ahead. How many spirit stones or pills do you need?" Chen Xia replied generously, embodying the principle of resolving matters with courtesy.
"We don't need either. We just want a promise from you—an oath to the Heavenly Dao!" the elder declared.
"Maybe…" Wu Xi Great Emperor suddenly spoke up, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace. He turned to the Eighth Mountain elder and pleaded, "Maybe we should just leave. Let's not disturb this… esteemed friend's cultivation. We're just a bunch of fools who don't know any better. Let's get out of here."
The other Great Emperors were taken aback. One of them furrowed his brow and demanded, "What's wrong with you today? You've been acting strange ever since we arrived. You're insulting yourself and dragging us down with you. Tell us the truth—have you been bribed by this alchemist? What did he offer you?!"
Wu Xi Great Emperor looked helplessly at Chen Xia, wanting to speak but not daring to. He was truly in a difficult position.
Chen Xia remained calm, his hands clasped behind his back. He asked, "So, you're here to reason with me?"
"That's right," the Eighth Mountain elder confirmed.
"Very well," Chen Xia nodded. "I've lived for tens of thousands of years, and I've always loved reasoning with others. I've done it countless times, and I've always managed to convince the other side—usually by force. You can give it a try if you like. It won't take much time."
"You're an alchemist! Why resort to violence?!" the elder exclaimed, puzzled by Chen Xia's words.
"It's not exactly violence," Chen Xia replied, rolling up his sleeves to reveal the Ancestral Dragon tattoo on his arm. "It's more like a one-sided beating."
What followed was a scene too graphic for younger audiences, filled with agonized groans and earth-shaking commotion.
The ordinary Great Emperors were no match for Chen Xia. In less than fifteen minutes, they were lying in a massive crater, weeping and begging for mercy.
"I was wrong! I was wrong! I'm truly a fool. Please spare me!" one of them cried.
Chen Xia nodded, shaking his hand as he sighed, "I wanted to deal with you as an alchemist, but you forced my hand. Fine, I'll come clean. I'm a Four-Path Quasi-Emperor."
The injured Great Emperors in the crater nodded frantically. At this point, they would believe anything—Four-Path Emperor, Four-Path Quasi-Emperor, it didn't matter. Chen Xia was simply too terrifying.
With this level of power, not only could he control the entire pill market of East Jia State, but he could also dominate the entire region without anyone daring to oppose him.
This wasn't about alchemy anymore. It was pure, unadulterated strength. He toyed with them like they were idiots. His power was probably on par with the ruler of the Ten Thousand Mountains.
East Jia State truly was a land of extraordinary talents. How could such a small place produce so many monsters? It was getting harder and harder for the Great Emperors to show off.
Damn, this was truly humiliating.