East Jia State made a major announcement three months later: the Eighth Mountain had granted East Jia State's jurisdiction entirely to Heaven Pill Gate.
This news shocked all cultivators upon its release. The local cultivators of East Jia State were initially astonished, but quickly came to believe that having Heaven Pill Gate govern East Jia State was actually quite favorable.
Heaven Pill Gate's reputation in East Jia State had already surpassed that of the Eighth Mountain, and its benefits to East Jia State far exceeded those provided by the Eighth Mountain. Whether it was through supplying medicinal pills or eradicating the Divine Realm Emperor, these actions were enough to make Heaven Pill Gate the new dominant force in the state.
For the entire Immortal Realm, this event signified something else: it was the first time in hundreds of thousands of years that a state had broken free from the control of the nine mountains of the Immortal Realm and fallen under the control of a faction.
Did this mean that the nine mountains of the Immortal Realm had become symbols of the old order, and that a new era would be governed by various factions?
The answer remains uncertain.
All we know is that Azure Sky Medicine Ancestor has indeed ascended to the position of ancestral leader, becoming the de facto founder of all of East Jia State.
To celebrate this occasion, Heaven Pill Gate opened its medicinal stockpile and distributed pills to all cultivators of East Jia State. Any cultivator from East Jia State could receive a portion of pills.
Those below the Heaven Mending Realm received spirit and tao pills, while those above the Heaven Mending Realm received major pills.
The pill consumption of Heaven Pill Gate reached an unprecedented level over these days, but it was manageable. Chen Xia's speed of pill refining was even more terrifying, and coupled with previous stockpiles, the situation was handled smoothly.
Cultivators from other states began to envy those from East Jia State, who were now under the governance of the powerful yet generous Heaven Pill Gate.
Personal comparisons are often disheartening, and the same goes for factions.
The other major mountains of the Immortal Realm began to fret, as compared to Heaven Pill Gate, they suddenly seemed petty and inconsequential in every way.
What could they do?
Perhaps they could discuss making Heaven Pill Gate the new Eighth Mountain, at least maintaining the appearance of unity and harmony.
They suggested this plan to the elders of the Eighth Mountain.
The Eighth Mountain elders shook their heads, their distant projections filled with a bitter smile as they responded to the elders of the other mountains.
"For the Medicine Ancestor, accepting the title of the Eighth Mountain would be a self-deprecation of his honor. So, he would certainly refuse."
The elders of the other mountains frowned, questioning, "How could that be? Our nine mountains of the Immortal Realm have stood for hundreds of thousands of years as a colossus. If Heaven Pill Gate becomes the new Eighth Mountain, the Medicine Ancestor could govern East Jia State, and we wouldn't lose face. It's a win-win situation."
The elders of the Eighth Mountain sighed, their faces filled with helplessness, as they continued, "You are not in East Jia State and thus do not understand the current situation. Let me tell you, in East Jia State, Heaven Pill Gate is now the absolute. Any faction can fade away or be replaced, but not Heaven Pill Gate."
"It encompasses medicinal pills, the strongest combat power in East Jia State, and nearly all the adoration of the cultivators. Making Heaven Pill Gate lower itself to become the new Eighth Mountain..."
The elder of the Eighth Mountain let out a bitter laugh and continued, "To put it bluntly, it would be like forcing a lion to degrade itself to the status of a dog. How could that possibly happen?"
This statement was indeed harsh, causing the elders present to fall silent, unable to speak. They had not expected Heaven Pill Gate to be so dominant within East Jia State.
This matter would no longer be discussed and was firmly concluded. From then on, there would only be one ancestral leader in East Jia State—the Medicine Ancestor.
Chen Xia had already strategized and secured control over one state in the Immortal Realm. As the saying goes, "The beginnings are always tough," and he had managed to open this door. Would it be long before he could seize control over other states?
By then, when he had become the will of the Immortal Realm, with three additional dimensions to support him, he might be able to attempt to breakthrough the barrier that locked the Great Heaven and the multiverse, returning to the Great Heaven, and more specifically, to the Blue Sky Sword Sea.
Apart from this, there was another matter weighing heavily on Chen Xia's mind: the Heavenly Dao Reckoning at the pinnacle of the Great Heaven.
Back then, he had used the past and future methods to summon his future self, colliding with the Heavenly Dao Reckoning and forcibly halting it.
But halting it was not eliminating it.
Perhaps the Heavenly Dao Reckoning would not return in the short term, but what about tens of thousands of years from now?
No one could guarantee that the Heavenly Dao Reckoning would not descend once more after tens of thousands of years, by which time, with few emperors left in the Great Heaven, the consequences would be dire.
Most likely, it would mean starting over again.
Chen Xia needed to become the new will of the Immortal Realm, become an emperor, become supreme, so as to resist the Heavenly Dao Reckoning and protect the entire Blue Sky Sword Sea.
His goals had always been modest, just wanting to live a stable life, spending his days playing chess and leisurely wandering.
Could anyone begin their journey with the sole aspiration of constant conflict and reaching the zenith of cultivation?
Chen Xia never held such lofty ambitions. He was, at his core, a lazy soul, but along his life's path, he encountered other people and events, creating his attachments.
There’s a saying that your life is never just your own.
You don’t live just for yourself.
This is how it was for Chen Xia. If he could discard some emotions and past events, perhaps he would have already disappeared into some unknown corner of a small dimension, lying around waiting for death, living the laid-back life he always dreamed of.
It’s a pity he couldn’t abandon those past memories. Life often works in such ways—you know which direction is right, which choice is better for you, but when it comes to making that choice, you hesitate, you waver, and then you end up going another way.
So, in times of action, do not ask if it’s right or wrong, do not ask about the future, and do not ask about the long, arduous journey ahead.
Ensure your heart is at peace.