Chapter 1725 to Chapter 1732

Chapter 1725: Huang'er in the Throes of Despair

The Taiyi Skymender Pill had appeared in a strange way indeed. There'd been nothing to suggest its emergence before now. The Eternal Sacred Land had announced it without rhyme or reason. Did it have a contingent of capable pill masters who had been conducting secret research?

As mentioned before, Shi Xuan was astonished by the method of the pill's refinement even more than by the pill itself. The technique had been beyond perfect. He was more curious about whose hands the pill had come about.

"Hmph. What does the Eternal Sacred Land mean by this pill and invitation? Is it flaunting its new acquisition before us?" one of the forefathers declared with displeasure.

"Haha, they're probably still upset about Elder Zimu," the other forefather remarked with off-handed contempt.

Shi Xuan smiled faintly. "Flaunting the new acquisition? I doubt they have the courage to do so. Still, this pill is rather startling in its own right. Apparently, there'll be more surprises at the festival itself. Have they obtained multiple pill recipes through sheer, dumb luck? That doesn't explain everything, though. There is definitely a master behind the Taiyi Skymender Pill."

The two forefathers traded a look. Shi Xuan's musings had only increased the amount of mystery around the matter.

"Are you going to the Skymender Festival, Shi Xuan?" one of them asked.

Shi Xuan smiled slightly. "Why shan't I go? I don't believe the Eternal Sacred Land can cause much of a commotion. Elder Zimu fell before me, is Ziju Min somehow going to surpass him? I don't think so."

"They might bear a grudge, haha. Are you sure, Shi Xuan?"

"I certainly am," Shi Xuan responded smoothly. "I didn't lay a finger on Elder Zimu. He died because he was too narrow-minded to accept his loss gracefully. How am I supposed to be held responsible for that? Plus, I don't think the Eternal Sacred Land has any pill dao talents worth mentioning."

"Right. Do you remember the affair around Ziju Min last time? About the Mirage Introspection Pill's materials?"

One forefather's response prompted the other to nod. "Yes, yes, there was something like that. The Mirage Introspection Pill is nothing important, so we didn't pay much mind to it at the time… but it was a hot topic for a bit."

The Mirage Introspection Pill wasn't exactly a high-rank pill. Thus, any attention attracted had been temporary. At the time, it had been public opinion that the Eternal Sacred Land had lucked into the discovery.

The appearance of the Taiyi Skymender Pill however, made the forefathers to recall what had happened back then.

"I hear a young genius was the one who caused that ruckus. Maybe this Taiyi Skymender Pill is related to him as well?"

"Impossible. How could a young genius know this much? There's no way his technique is so refined either."

Shi Xuan sighed softly. "Never mind. It's pointless to guess at the truth when the festival is so soon. I think a personal look will yield the most accurate observation."

...

Despite being on bad terms with Eternal Divine Nation, Flora Divine Nation couldn't resist the Taiyi Skymender Pill's allure. The other factions were no different.

The returning messengers carried good news with them from all over Myriad Abyss. Responses took many forms: some communicated goodwill; others, verbal promises; and still others, handwritten letters.

For the most part, almost every important faction had agreed to attend the Skymender Festival. Great praise and curiosity were expressed in the letters.

The steady stream of successes invigorated the three primes. At the same time, they felt pressure bearing down on them. The festival was set in stone now.

"Elder Ziju, all of the factions have expressed their willingness to attend the Skymender Festival. Shi Xuan is included in the list of attendees from Flora Divine Nation!"

Ziju Min's eyelids fluttered when he heard the name. So Shi Xuan was coming after all.

The battle between his young disciple and the pill dao giant was unavoidable. The prospect of it made his heart race uncontrollably. Could Shao Yuan win?

Though Jiang Chen was one of the combatants, he remained profoundly calm. Since he had no missions to refine pills, he spent his days in cultivation and meditation within the sacred land. This continued until Ziju Min told him of the certainty of the battle ahead.

"So, it's confirmed that Shi Xuan will come?" Jiang Chen's eyes lit up.

"Yes, we've confirmed that already. You have no avenue of retreat, Shao Yuan. Shi Xuan is a vicious character. You must prepare yourself for the confrontation."

Jiang Chen smiled coolly. He knew Ziju Min was still worried, but he saw no reason to console the senior with niceties. The immediate future would prove him correct soon enough.

...

News of the Taiyi Skymender Pill and the Skymender Festival spread through Eternal Divine Nation like wildfire.

As a first-rate faction within the divine nation, House Yan received an invitation despite its current state of decline. This had been done as a favor from Ziju Min, of course. The patriarch was stunned into silence after hearing of it.

Elder Ziju had sent someone here with an invitation that specially outlined Yan Qingsang's relatives should be brought alongside the other representatives. Yan Wanjun and Yan Qinghuang were both identified by name.

The patriarch didn't know what Elder Ziju was getting at and found it odd indeed. Why had someone of Master Ziju's stature point these specifics out? Had Yan Qingsang received a warm welcome at the sacred land?

He simply couldn't understand it. However, the invitation was clear enough. Because Yan Wanjun had been sent to Mt. Cloud Camel, a messenger was delegated to bring him back.

Yan Qinghuang was at home, but the patriarch really didn't want her to be seen out and about. Could he just brush off Master Ziju though?

After much thought, the patriarch decided it was best to bring her after all. He was concerned that they would encounter Xiahou Zong at the festival. If Xiahou Zong openly disgraced Yan Qinghuang, what then? What face would remain for House Yan?

Perhaps others would stay put at a convention hosted by the sacred land, but a genius like Xiahou Zong dared to do what others did not.

Ever since Jiang Chen's departure for the Eternal Sacred Land, Huang'er had lived a reclusive lifestyle. Her life with Ling Bi'er was relatively peaceful and quiet.

A few days ago, she had found out through Elder Shun that Xiahou Zong had emerged from closed door cultivation. The news made her rather uneasy.

Xiahou Zong's reappearance meant that misfortune marched ever closer to her.

She didn't want to succumb to it, but fate was a cruel mistress.

"Don't worry, Sister Huang'er. You need to believe in junior brother Jiang Chen." Ling Bi'er wasn't very good at consoling people. She too felt Huang'er's pain keenly.

"Sister Bi'er, do you remember what you promised me? If I can't escape my destiny, you must take care of Brother Chen, alright?" Huang'er's voice sounded hollow, tinged with sorrow and tenderness.

"You… you'll definitely be okay. Junior brother Jiang Chen is making his name known in the Eternal Sacred Land right now. He will defeat Xiahou Zong for sure and protect you."

As the two girls spoke, a voice sounded from outside. "Miss Huang'er, the patriarch has sent me to inform you that the Eternal Sacred Land is hosting the Skymender Festival. House Yan is invited, and the patriarch wishes for you to attend and gain more worldly experience."

The Skymender Festival?

Huang'er was astonished. What kind of convention was that? The sacred land had no such tradition. She wanted to make further inquiry, but the messenger had already departed.

In the midst of her confusion, Elder Shun arrived from outside in a hurry as well. Joy was plain upon his face. "Excellent news, Huang'er. The Eternal Sacred Land is hosting a Skymender Festival, and House Yan has been invited. I believe the patriarch has given you a spot."

"So you've heard as well, Elder Shun? Do you know what's going on with this convention?" Huang'er was perplexed by the suddenness of the event.

"I hear the Skymender Festival is being hosted because of a single kind of pill—the Taiyi Skymender Pill."

"They're hosting a meeting just for one kind of pill?"

"Yes. Apparently, the sacred land has managed to come up with a kind of pill that no one's seen before. Moreover… Shao Yuan is the man behind it." There was excitement in the elder's voice.

"Ah. But of course." Rather than surprise, Huang'er felt the relief of recognition.

She understood Jiang Chen and his pill dao talent very well. The Eternal Sacred Land would've shown off their genius long ago—if they had it in the first place. Why would they wait until now?

Any miraculous medicines would undoubtedly be related to Jiang Chen. Huang'er firmly believed this.

Now she knew why the patriarch had asked her to go to the Skymender Festival. The invitation had likely requested her presence outright. Her gloomy mood began to brighten thanks to the good news. Jiang Chen's accomplishment had reversed that which Xiahou Zong's emergence had dampened.

Her beloved had not let her down. He'd only gotten to the sacred land a short while ago, and yet he was already causing such a huge commotion. Perhaps the Eternal Sacred Land really would throw their whole support behind him?

Chapter 1726: The Gift of A Pill

As time went on, the day of the Skymender Festival came closer and closer. Pill dao giants from all over the divine nations streamed into Eternal Divine Nation with their entourages.

Though Eternal Divine Nation was a lightweight in pill dao among its fellows, the nation itself was quite strong amongst the Ten. Therefore, the pill dao giants who'd come didn't dare cause too much of a disturbance. They maintained the necessary respect accorded to a divine nation of Eternal's strength, while Eternal Sacred Land occupied a lofty position that couldn't be scorned.

Ziju Min visited Jiang Chen's residence frequently over the past few days. His mood swung up and down like a pendulum as the festival and guests of all stripes approached. The man was enthusiastic one moment and anxious the next.

Jiang Chen remained a reflect of perfect placidity. Ziju Min couldn't see any emotional disturbance whatsoever on the young man's face.

"Elder Ziju, why do you look more distressed than me?" Jiang Chen chuckled.

Ziju Min laughed with some embarrassment. "Shao Yuan, you didn't live through the affair with Elder Zimu, so you might not understand our current mood. I daresay that even the three primes have mixed feelings right now."

"There's no need to be concerned," Jiang Chen replied smoothly. His confidence bolstered Ziju Min's own, but it was unrealistic to demand the senior to become as calm as the youth.

"Is Shi Xuan here yet?" the young genius asked suddenly.

"I think he'll be here soon. He's definitely coming." Ziju Min sounded very sure. "If not tomorrow, then the day after."

"So, Shao Yuan, have you thought of how to challenge him yet?"

"Don't worry. Leave it all to me. I need to reciprocate the sacred land's support with a wonderful surprise." Jiang Chen appeared to have a well-thought-out plan.

Though Ziju Min wasn't at the age to allow blood to easily rush to his head, he nevertheless felt a heady surge of recklessness.

"Ah, yes. I've also invited House Yan to attend this meeting, Shao Yuan, including Miss Yan Qinghuang." Ziju Min carried on the conversation for the sake of spurring Jiang Chen on.

"Very good. Did you also invite Xiahou Zong?" asked Jiang Chen.

"I invited House Xiahou, though no one was specifically named. Xiahou Zong is undeniably important enough to attend though," Ziju Min declared.

Jiang Chen nodded slightly, his eyes finally lighting up with anticipation. Was he finally going to meet his mortal enemy? In what way was this universally praised foremost genius excellent?

"Alright. Take the last three days to prepare as you like, Shao Yuan. I won't disturb you anymore." Ziju Min bid his farewell.

"If you're at all bothered, Elder Ziju, you can come chat with me anytime," Jiang Chen laughed. The young man knew that Ziju Min wasn't here for anything in particular. He was just here to assuage his own misgivings.

Jiang Chen was very grateful for all of the senior's help up to this point. The pill sovereign had worked hard to allow the young man to enter the sacred land and garner its support.

Not long after Ziju Min departed, the long-unseen Yan Qingsang snuck in. The young man from House Yan had cultivated behind closed doors for a while now. He was clearly exuberant at the sight of his friend, plopping down in front of him unceremoniously.

"Brother, you've done a lot of impressive stuff while I was cultivating. I opened my doors to hear discussions all over the sacred land about you. Even House Yan's people are sending letters, asking about you all the time." Yan Qingsang was extremely animated, spittle flying everywhere.

Jiang Chen gazed at his friend for a moment. "Do you want to break through to empyrean realm?" he asked suddenly.

"What do you mean?" Yan Qingsang brightened.

"The Taiyi Skymender Pill may not have much of an effect on the average great emperor, but you're only a whisper from breaking through. The pill will help you rip that thin layer to shreds, vastly increasing your chances of ascension."

Yan Qingsang had heard of the Taiyi Skymender Pill as soon as he'd come out of closed door cultivation. This was one of the reasons he had come to find Jiang Chen with so much excitement.

He knew that Jiang Chen had refined a batch of the pill, but had handed them all to the sacred land. As a new disciple, Yan Qingsang wasn't important enough to receive one yet—hence his presence here. Perhaps his future brother-in-law would give him an unexpected gift?

He hadn't expect Jiang Chen to be so blunt and straightforward though, and was overjoyed that he would get a Taiyi Skymender Pill.

"That, uh… haha…" Yan Qingsang rubbed his hands on his clothes. Despite his thick skin, he was at a loss for words.

"Take it. I kept this pill back for you. It's a supreme rank specimen."

"I can't very well let your goodwill go to waste then." Chuckling, Yan Qingsang took it and cradled it like a treasure. He was a child who'd gotten his hands on a precious toy.

"I only have this one. If anyone in the house wants to borrow your connection, don't promise anything too hastily on my behalf," Jiang Chen reminded.

"Of course, of course. I don't like anyone else in the younger generation in the house aside from Brother Zhenhuai, anyways. He's long past the point of needing it though. Oh yes, and Huang'er…"

"Don't worry about her." Jiang Chen frowned.

"Okay, okay. She's like a sister to me, but you're going to be my brother-in-law. Of course you're the one that needs to worry about it." Yan Qingsang was now unabashedly supporting Jiang Chen's bid for his sister.

He understood that Jiang Chen didn't have many Taiyi Skymender Pills on hand. After all, his brother was just the refiner; most of the pills had been turned over to the sacred land. And of course, he had no plans to ask for a pill for anyone else.

He wasn't on good enough terms with any of them, and he didn't want to unduly trouble Jiang Chen either. Requests like these were a bottomless hole. If he accepted one, he would be obligated to do so for an endless stream of them.

House Yan had countless young geniuses who would leap for the chance at a pill to help them reach empyrean realm, but these pills were destined to remain rare and scarce.

Putting the pill carefully away, Yan Qingsang wondered, "Brother, will the Taiyi Skymender Pill be brought to market in the future?"

"Not necessarily." Jiang Chen shook his head. "The pill is too expensive to refine. The materials are hard to get, which makes each cauldron precious. There won't be very many of these anytime soon. I'm not sure if the sacred land even has enough for internal use, much less external sales. Even if a couple do make it out, they'll be exorbitantly expensive and impossible to procure for the average person."

The Taiyi Skymender Pill wasn't as limited as the Crowning Empyrean Pill, but the Taiyi Dragonscale Fruit used as the primary ingredient wasn't something easy to get one's hands on. It was impossible to mass produce the pill, much less sell it on the open markets.

"Ah, that's fine then." Yan Qingsang grinned.

His line of thought was a bit childish. The fewer people that got the Taiyi Skymender Pill, the better! That would make his own more exclusive.

Jiang Chen knew what his friend was thinking, but changed the subject. "Any news from House Yan?"

Yan Qingsang had remained connected with his own house all this time.

"Nothing too big. Xiahou Zong has come out of closed door cultivation, but he hasn't mentioned wanting to take Huang'er yet. Don't worry, the house will try its best to delay him as much as possible."

Yan Qingsang followed up his encouragement with a digression. "Right, my grandfather is back from Cloud Camel Mountain. I think he's coming with Huang'er to the festival."

"How are things over there?" Jiang Chen was rather curious about the mountain. The elder who'd been in charge of it within House Yan had invited him over, but he had refused at the time.

There'd been news of a huge dispatch from House Feng afterward as well. An apparent invading force, which was more than enough cause for Yan Wanjun to reinforce the mountain with a contingent of elite clansmen.

He hadn't heard the conclusion to the affair since he'd entered the Eternal Sacred Land, though. He wanted to go there to see what was up for himself. is intuition told him that Cloud Camel Mountain hid a secret that hadn't yet been uncovered.

"It's the same as before. The house doesn't have any ways of excavating the place. House Feng seems to want to take the fight to us, but they're clearly unprepared too. My grandfather served as a strong deterrent, so there should be a standstill right now."

"If your grandfather comes, will House Feng take the opportunity to invade?"

"They wouldn't dare. A large-scale war bears no benefit for House Feng. Plus, they know that the Eternal Sacred Land owes House Yan a favor. They will only lose if they irreparably break our relationship."

Jiang Chen nodded. "I need to go check Cloud Camel Mountain out, if I have the chance."

His words excited the Yan youth. "I want to go with you. Elder Liang always says that Cloud Camel Mountain is a treasure trove. I've heard him repeat it so often that I'm curious too."

"Sure, we can go together."

The next few days were spent in further calm repeats of meditation and cultivation. A boring schedule, to be sure, but a fulfilling one.

It was finally opening day for the Skymender Festival, an event that had taken the outside world by storm for the past month and a half. Jiang Chen didn't know that 'Shao Yuan' had become one of the hottest topics within the Ten Divine Nations.

Chapter 1727: A Duel of Eye Techniques

The Eternal Sacred Land was more than qualified to hold the pill dao festival with the strength and foundation they possessed.

One of the most secluded secret realms in the sacred land was selected as the event ground. The guests invited had to go through a series of careful checkups to verify their identities before entering.

It was called a festival, but only a few selected factions could participate. Every nation was given twenty to thirty spots. Only a few from the ones in Eternal Divine Nation had been invited. The rest came from pill dao figureheads located in second tier islands and nations in Myriad Abyss, but limited to those who had a friendly relationship with the sacred land.

In total, the participants amounted to less than five hundred people. The exclusivity was exactly what signified the festival's prestige.

The three primes personally led the contingent from the Eternal Sacred Land. Jiang Chen had a place after Ziju Min and a few other pill dao seniors, a low profile and calm demeanor his modus operandi for the festival. With him was Yan Qingsang, his assistant for the event's duration.

Considering Yan Qingsang's status in the sacred land, he wouldn't have been allowed to participate. There were many young geniuses more remarkable than he, and he was a recent addition to boot. Jiang Chen had requested a spot to allow him to make an appearance. It was a great opportunity for the young man to show his face.

The festival was clearly divided into different regions, with strict rules regarding where each faction and guest should go. Once the guests entered, they were led to their seats in an orderly fashion by disciples of the Eternal Sacred Land.

Everyone arrived after a while. Their curiosity was piqued when they saw how the Eternal Sacred Land had organized the festival.

During this period of time, they'd devoted themselves to studying the Taiyi Skymender Pill. They were all amazed by it and wanted to gain some more insight.

However, the pill was more complicated than they anticipated. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't find out more about it.

They knew Taiyi Dragonscale Fruit was the main ingredient, but that alone wasn't enough for them to find out more. Thus, the pill dao heavyweights came to the festival with great curiosity and a desire to learn.

The three primes walked out of the host's area with an entourage trailing after them. Jiang Chen stayed behind Ziju Min with a relaxed and almost meditative expression, paying no heed to the hundreds of guests present.

Suddenly, his eyebrow twitched. He could feel a highly invasive consciousness targeting him, coming from some corner. He opened his eyes and cast them to the source.

A young man and lady whispered among themselves. The man was elegantly handsome, his eyes bright like the stars. He considered Jiang Chen with an icy gaze. The lady was Xiahou Ying.

The man bore some resemblance to her. His lips quirked slightly, an air of superiority and roguishness to him. It was as if no one in the entire world was worthy of his attention.

A name came to Jiang Chen's mind. Xiahou Zong.

Jiang Chen looked back and assessed his opponent with indifferent eyes.

When Xiahou Zong noticed that Jiang Chen was sizing him up, he was surprised by the vaguely provocative glint in the latter's eyes.

He was highly put out. As the top genius of the younger generation, he was unrivaled in Eternal Divine Nation. No geniuses even dared look at him wrong, to say nothing of meeting his eyes in a challenging manner.

Not even the Five Great Gentlemen from the sacred land might be bold enough to do so.

The Xiahou genius' star-like eyes shone brightly, shooting out a violent beam of light, accompanied by a harsh crush of consciousness.

How dare the young man challenge his authority?! Offended, Xiahou Zong decided to teach Jiang Chen a lesson. This wilfulness had always marked his character. The fact that he was in sacred land territory didn't even give him pause.

His eye techniques were well known throughout the nation. They contained the powerful scorching consciousness of the sun that he'd been born with, making the attack as explosive as a supernova. His eye and consciousness combined made for a formidable force.

That was why his lips twisted into an angry smile when he noticed Jiang Chen's taunting look. The kid's obviously courting death.

His explosive attack was highly aggressive. Once it landed, it'd penetrate into the target's consciousness and burn it. It wouldn't be fatal, but absolutely enough to inflict some serious damage.

However, things didn't go as expected. When his gaze shot through the air, a powerful force of consciousness shot from Jiang Chen's eyes as well, its energy just as powerful.

Boom!

The two rays of consciousness clashed in the air and dispersed. To both their surprise, neither of them came out on top.

Even Jiang Chen was startled. He'd never considered Xiahou Zong much of a threat, but here he was, meeting an equal in eye arts for the first time.

Xiahou Zong's trained in eye techniques as well, and his are as powerful as my Evil Golden Eye!

It was their first face off. Neither had said a word, and the opening round of an intense duel already carried out through a single glance.

The result startled Xiahou Zong even more so. Not only had his art been ineffectual, but it'd been dispersed by a countering gaze!

He'd never failed in a match of eye techniques before. Anything less than winning was essentially a defeat in his book.

His Scorching Sun Eye rivaled many of the arts displayed by his seniors, and in fact surpassed them. It was unstoppable. Even opponents more powerful than he sometimes fell victim to it.

And yet, a young nobody from the Eternal Sacred Land had proven him wrong today.

Xiahou Ying whispered by his side, "That's the one I was talking to you about, brother. Look at how cocky he is! He think he's better than anyone else! Hmph, how dare a former wandering cultivator be as reckless as him?"

Xiahou Zong stayed uncharacteristically quiet, a trace of surprise flashing through his eyes. He threw Jiang Chen another glance and was met with a meaningful smile—one tinted with derision and mockery.

Xiahou Zong burned with rage. Everything from Jiang Chen's eyes to his expression seemed to be taunting him.

"This is the Eternal Sacred Land, Zong'er!" one of the Xiaohou elders snapped in a low voice. He'd noticed something was amiss with Xiahou Zong. "Don't get into petty conflicts."

Xiahou Zong huffed, but managed to suppress his emotions. He knew he mustn't go overboard here. It wouldn't end well for him if he angered the three primes.

"Brother, that guy... "

"That guy's an interesting one, Ying'er." Xiahou Zong smiled, his anger controlled and contained. "He's also trained in eye techniques, and his gaze almost rivals mine. How unusual… Since when was there a talent like him in the sacred land?"

"Hmph, so what? He should pray he doesn't meet you during the sword competition, or he'll suffer a terrible defeat!" Xiahou Ying scrunched up her nose and pursed her lips, her tone bitingly angry. "Aren't I right, brother?"

"Of course," Xiahou Zong responded coolly.

Ziju Min was right beside Jiang Chen. Naturally, he'd felt the conflict between two youths. He was shocked by the outcome as well.

Shao Yuan had daringly taunted Xiahou Zong and come out undefeated! The short match ending in a draw was a startlingly impressive feat.

Before Shao Yuan, no one in the sacred land could even tie with Xiahou Zong. None of the Five were able to go against him either. This had always been a great source of concern and shame for the sacred land.

As the proclaimed wielder of authority in the Eternal Divine Nation, the sacred land should've, in theory, produced the best and most geniuses. And yet House Xiahou was an exception, causing all of the young geniuses in the sacred land to lose their confidence.

Xiahou Zong made every genius in the sacred land pale in comparison, making them unremarkable. In some sense, he was dulling and suppressing their shine. Naturally, the sacred land wanted the situation to change.

Therefore, the three primes had high hopes for Jiang Chen. They had sensed the clash between Jiang Chen and Xiahou Zong as well, but as seniors, they weren't going to mention the fight between the young folks.

Chapter 1728: Verbal Sparring

The ocular duel between the two young men was a minor scuffle at best. After testing the waters, Jiang Chen leisurely shifted his eyes away from Xiahou Zong. He ignored the Xiahou genius completely.

Instead, he gazed at the nearby section that belonged to House Yan. Six people were present there: the patriarch, Yan Wanjun, Yan Zhenhuai, Yan Qinghuang, an elder who was a pill dao specialist—and surprisingly, even Ling Bi'er.

Dressed in light-blue clothes, Huang'er gave off an elegant and exquisite aura. Jiang Chen's eyes radiated a faint sheen of gentleness as they settled upon her.

It was a gaze imperceptible to most. However, there was someone who'd been paying attention ever since Jiang Chen's appearance. Xiahou Ying's intuition immediately told her everything she wanted to know.

There was something awry about Shao Yuan's gaze. Had Shao Yuan fallen in love with that girl from House Yan during his time there?

She had discovered unexplored frontier. Xiahou Ying elbowed her brother. "Hey brother, you've got trouble in front of you."

There was a hint of laziness in Xiahou Zong's smile. "Trouble? Don't exaggerate, Ying'er."

"I'm not lying. I've noticed something I'm sure you'll care about." Xiahou Ying delivered her words with the maximum amount of melodrama possible.

"What?" Xiahou Zong smiled coolly. "Don't try to scare me. I've seen plenty of that tactic from you since we were young."

"I'm not just trying to scare you, honest! Haven't you noticed?" Xiahou Ying leered. "Someone's trying to steal something from you."

"Oh? How so?" Xiahou Zong arched an eyebrow.

"That Shao Yuan snuck a look at Yan Qinghuang just now. His gaze didn't look right. I recognize that kind of look from a mile away." Xiahou Ying smacked her lips, quite indignant. "No wonder that arrogant idiot ignored me all this time. His heart was on another girl all along! What's so good about her, huh? How does she compare to me?"

Xiahou Zong furrowed his brow. "Did you really see it clearly, Ying'er?"

"I make stuff up about other things, brother, but why would I do that about this?" Xiahou Ying was vehement in her assertion. "I swear I saw him sneak a look at Yan Qinghuang with sweetness in his eyes. There's no way he could feign that kind of thing."

Xiahou Ying was furious. Shao Yuan was seriously blind! She was a young lady of House Xiahou with impeccable looks, figure, and status. What part of her was inferior to that House Yan chit?

Yan Qinghuang could only pretend to be pitiably frosty. What else was she good for?

To Xiahou Ying, Yan Qinghuang was a hypocrite. She merely pretended to be icy to stave off anyone approaching her, so that she could appease House Xiahou and her brother.

Therefore, the Xiahou miss was furious about Jiang Chen's tenderness. She added fuel to the flame as she recounted the incident to her brother.

Xiahou Zong felt nothing towards Huang'er, but he had always seen her as his private property. No one else was allowed to touch her or even think about her.

In Eternal Divine Nation, anyone who did, that he found out about, was made to pay a painful price. For Xiahou Zong, anyone that dared think about Yan Qinghuang showed him great disrespect. Thus, he was incited to anger once more by his sister's words.

The causes of his outbursts both times had been a single look. The only difference was that instead of provoking him directly this time, it touched upon what he considered his exclusive property.

"That bastard!" Xiahou Zong gritted his teeth, cold killing intent filling his eyes. "One day, I'll make him regret being born!"

Xiahou Ying giggled. "Brother, don't you have a sense of danger? That House Yan girl has been free for so long. Get her to come to the house in a bit. Otherwise, someone in a closer position than you might..."

"Shut up." Xiahou Zong knew what she was getting at. He wouldn't allow even his own sister to insinuate such a thing. To him, it was the vilest of blasphemies.

Xiahou Ying stuck out her tongue for a brief moment, but didn't go on. Her brother's ire had been successfully ignited already. Both Yan Qinghuang and that Shao Yuan kid were going to suffer!

This brief interlude didn't affect the progress of the festival. When the three primes appeared, all the other guests rose.

"We are honored with everyone's presence here today." The first prime smiled. "Almost every pill dao giant is gathered here for the festival. Aside from hospitality, all I can offer is our best effort in making your trip worthwhile.

"Please seat yourselves, and excuse any sparseness in our accommodations. Since this festival is related to pill dao, I'd like to give the floor to Elder Ziju for the rest of the event."

The first prime handed the matter over to Ziju Min after only a few brief words. The elder had made ample preparations for the festival.

He wasn't especially prominent in the pill dao world of the divine nations, but he had the advantage of being on home turf. Furthermore, Shao Yuan served as the bulwark that bolstered his confidence.

Clearing his throat, his voice rang out. "I believe everyone seated here today has already seen the Taiyi Skymender Pill. Even if that isn't the case, surely you've heard of it. This festival is being held in commemoration of the pill's unveiling before the world. We wanted every party in attendance here today to share our joy in embracing this momentous occasion."

Ziju Min was relatively proficient at making speeches. There was no end to his eloquence once begun. Even Jiang Chen was secretly impressed.

"Though we have never been much of a frontrunner among the Ten in pill dao, I believe that the Taiyi Skymender Pill heralds the fact that we will become a faction not to be ignored in pill dao. I trust that our own improvement will also translate to our peers here in Myriad Abyss as a whole. Only through healthy competition will pill dao thrive. Don't you agree, friends?"

There was an overwhelming response from the audience. Of course, most of it came from factions within and close to the Eternal Sacred Land.

Those who were on lukewarm terms with the sacred land only offered perfunctory smiles. They didn't put much credence in Ziju Min's grand words.

"Elder Ziju, was it?" someone piped up. "This is the first time I've heard of your name. What is your relation to the Elder Zimu of yesteryear, if I may ask?"

The tone of this interloper was nothing less than arrogant. It came from a pill dao forefather from Nirvana Divine Nation, a decrepit old man who sported a shock of white hair and a matching beard.

The statement was truthfully, quite rude.

Ziju Min smiled faintly. "Elder Ziju was a senior that I respected."

"Haha, you're not related to him by blood then? I wonder how much you've learned from him?" Another pointed question, delivered in the same surly manner.

Unfortunately, old men in the world of pill dao had a seniority that they could leverage to reasonable effect over their juniors.

Sensing Ziju Min in a tight spot, Jiang Chen interjected coolly from the side. "Elder Ziju was very clear. Elder Zimu was a respected senior of the Eternal Sacred Land, and thus only Elder Ziju's peer. There's no teacher-student relationship between the two. Are you playing the fool, or are your brains not up to the task? What a shame that you can't even put two and two together."

It was high time for him to defend the senior who'd helped him so much. Jiang Chen knew that he was destined to make enemies of a portion of people here, so he wasn't afraid of doing so in the slightest.

As expected, the forefather jumped with furor at his words. "You brat of a kid, I bet you're still wet behind the ears! Do you know what courtesy is? What right do you have to speak?"

"Courtesy is relative. You're supposed to be a guest, but you've gone and asked something that proves your senility. How are we supposed to respect you? For that matter, what right do you have to speak? Your hair is whiter and your beard longer, but what else are you good for?"

Jiang Chen struck back with twice the edge.

He had observed the old man secretly communicating with the pill dao giants from Flora Divine Nation. They'd traded several meaningful looks with each other. It was obvious that they'd already become temporary allies.

Predictably, someone from Flora Divine Nation snickered almost immediately. "These times are strange indeed. The late Elder Zimu had a quick temper, but he was overall a pretty upstanding gentleman. The standards are certainly declining with each generation."

This new speaker was a middle-aged man near Shi Xuan, perhaps his disciple or follower. His sinister comment darkened the atmosphere instantly.

The three primes remained completely calm, apparently determined not to interfere in the festival's proceedings. They knew that verbal conflicts were unavoidable, but these skirmishes were never deciders of the final victory.

Pill dao skill would be the most influential factor in the end. This was only the warm-up stage. What was a little banter to the event?

Jiang Chen glanced coldly at the middle-aged man from Flora Divine Nation.

"It looks like the Flora Sacred Land has no problem with declining standards," he chuckled suddenly.

"Of course not. In the pill dao world, we always have the highest standards. Our geniuses are perennially top-notch."

"Oh, is that so? Why do they look like they were fished out from the bargain bin? Of course there's no problem with declining standards. If every generation is trash, you can't exactly go lower than that," Jiang Chen sneered.

Ziju Min gawked. He hadn't expected Shao Yuan to be so cutting. The young man had saved him from the awkward situation. Despite the pill sovereign's eloquence, he lacked the rapier wit required to lay down the hurt in arguments.

Chapter 1729: Increasing Provocation

Everyone from the Eternal Sacred Land was heavily taken aback, to say nothing of Ziju Min. They had thought that Shao Yuan was a calm and mild-mannered genius. Who would've thought that he'd be so electrifying when doling out the insults?

To Jiang Chen, the logic was simple. He needed to do all that he could to prove himself in the festival, to show the Eternal Sacred Land that he was worthy of their full support.

The middle-aged man hadn't expected the young man to dare talk back, and even publicly jeer that the Flora Divine Nations produced nothing but trash! How foolish must he be to do so??

The man scoffed sharply and snapped back in a frigid tone, "Your foolishness sure makes you bold. If we truly are so useless, what does that make you losers from the Eternal Sacred Land?

"If I remember correctly, one of your own lost to Master Shi Xuan in a pill dao match, which resulted in an inner demon leading to death. That wasn't so long ago." He shook his head mockingly as he spoke. "I suppose that's only to be expected. You're young and inexperienced. Ignorance is bliss."

That was a personal attack.

Those of the Eternal Sacred Land fumed at his words. This was a festival that they were hosting, and those of the Flora Sacred Land had truly crossed a line.

Jiang Chen smiled lazily, unaffected by the riposte. "I heard about what happened to Elder Zimu, but I was told that a certain someone cheated and defeated the elder by a hair. Afterwards, he used the incident to gain fame he didn't deserve and lied to the world for decades."

He speculated wildly, punting the blame to Shi Xuan. He didn't know if Shi Xuan really had cheated in his match with Elder Zimu, and neither did he care. He simply wanted to provoke Shi Xuan and his compatriots.

As expected, Shi Xuan's closed eyes snapped open, shooting daggers at Jiang Chen. The target smiled faintly, meeting the gaze directly.

"Have I said something wrong, Master Shi Xuan?" Jiang Chen said with a half smile. "You know very well what I'm talking about, don't you?"

Shi Xuan had never been the tolerant sort. His expression darkened as he turned to Ziju Min. "Even though you aren't among the top in Myriad Abyss, Ziju Min, you do have some level of recognition. How can you let a immature brat spout nonsense in such a festival? Aren't you worried about becoming a laughingstock?"

Ziju Min smiled calmly and shook his head, perfectly composed. "No one will laugh at him, and no one is in any place to laugh at him."

"Oh?" Shi Xuan brayed with unrestrained laughter. "Since when has the Eternal Sacred Land become so untouchable that no one is allowed to call you out?"

"If you knew how to refine the Taiyi Skymender Pill, Daoist Shi Xuan, then you'd be entitled to your pride as well," Ziju Min responded coolly. "But alas, you don't."

What? Everyone turned to Jiang Chen in shock.

They'd heard that the pill was invented by a young man, but had been doubtful. They'd assumed that the Eternal Sacred Land had spread the false information to obfuscate the truth. The name Shao Yuan was on everyone's lips, but no one knew who he was and what he looked like.

So this sharp-tongued young man was the one they'd been obsessing over?

The area fell silent. Several pairs of curious eyes flicked to Jiang Chen, trying to discern what was so special about the young man. At first glance, he seemed unremarkable.

After careful consideration however, they realized that his composure alone was something that many young men didn't have. He could be viewed as bold and courageous type in facing so many pill dao figureheads and seniors with dignity and grace. He'd dared even mock Shi Xuan!

Shi Xuan considered Jiang Chen with a smirk and cackled derisively. "Since Elder Zimu's death, the Eternal Sacred Land's pill dao has really been in decline. How dare you tell such a crude lie? Do you take us all for idiots?"

There was a natural order to the pill dao world. A young man couldn't have refined a pill that required such high level of skills like the Taiyi Skymender Pill, let alone produce such a perfect end product with flawless technique.

"There are many geniuses in the pill dao world," Ziju Min retorted. "Daoist Shi Xuan once claimed to be a young genius as well. Are you in denial that a young man has surpassed you? Do you think no one can do what you can't? Are you so confident that your pill dao talent has been and always will be the best?"

Ziju Min's arguments were clearly directed at Shi Xuan personally.

Shi Xuan scoffed in the face of his anger. "Even Elder Zimu wasn't good enough to talk to me like that back then, Ziju Min. You? You're not even on his level. Do you think you can provoke me with this little trick? Not at all."

"Provoke you?" Jiang Chen laughed. "You think too much, Shi Xuan. But of one thing I'm sure of, and that you must have cheated to win over Elder Zimu. The truth will be known one day."

"How dare you!" Shi Xuan shot to his feet with a loud slam of the table. He placed his hands behind his back to proclaim haughtily, "The Eternal Sacred Land has produced no one on the same level as me over the past ten thousand years, and will not for the next ten thousand!"

Jiang Chen remarked pointedly with a laugh, "Oh? Then why don't you show us with a Taiyi Skymender Pill?"

"A pill dao master's ability isn't measured by one pill," Shi Xuan responded coolly. "Who knows if the pill really is your work? Even if it is, you may have picked up an ancient recipe by accident, which tells us only how lucky you are, but nothing about your abilities."

Shi Xuan was convinced that the young man must have found a recipe, if he'd really been the one to refine it in the first place. He couldn't have developed the pill himself.

Acquiring a recipe was simply a matter of luck; it had nothing to do with one's foundation and ability in pill dao.

Jiang Chen hid a smile at this development. He's right where I want him.

"You don't have to worry where the Taiyi Skymender Pill comes from, Shi Xuan. The truth is, you don't know how to refine it."

"Ha, so what? Of all the pills you know, the Taiyi Skymender Pill may be the only one I don't. But of all the pills I know, ten generations worth of the Eternal Sacred Land might not be able to grasp them. That's the difference between our ability and foundations in pill dao. Got it?"

Shi Xuan was derisive, and suddenly felt that it was beneath himself to argue with a young man. He normally had better control over his emotions. However, something about the damn brat made it difficult for him to manage his anger.

"Foundations?" Jiang Chen chortled. "Shi Xuan, do you think Flora Divine Nation is the only faction in Myriad Abyss who has a basis in pill dao? Do you really think you're better than anyone from the Eternal Sacred Land? Are you sure the Taiyi Skymender Pill is your only blindspot?"

"Do you disagree?" Shi Xuan scoffed.

Jiang Chen grinned ever more radiantly. "It's a little too kind to say you've sought bliss in ignorance. You obviously don't use your brain at all." The young man snorted. "You've been building an illustrious name for decades. Since you're so confident, why don't we solve this issue once and for all?"

"Ha, are you next going to say that the Eternal Sacred Land will rewrite history? That you're going to challenge me to avenge Elder Zimu?" Shi Xuan sneered. "If so, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. I don't care enough to accept your challenge. Do you know why? Your pill dao isn't good enough to deserve my time."

Jiang Chen stared at him mockingly. "Don't mistake bravado for real courage, Shi Xuan. Others may not be able to tell, but I can see the insecurities in your heart. You talk the talk, but can you walk the walk? Why don't you show us your true talent?"

"With you as my opponent?" Shi Xuan shook his head haughtily. "I'm not interested in bullying a mewling brat."

Jiang Chen smiled faintly. "What if I bet the recipe for the Taiyi Skymender Pill?"

Shi Xuan perked up. "What do you mean?"

As Jiang Chen expected, no one could resist the Taiyi Skymender Pill, not even Shi Xuan. His appetite had obviously been whetted as soon as the recipe was mentioned.

"We'll have a match with the pill recipe as the prize. You win, you take the recipe. You lose, you admit you cheated in your match against Elder Zimu."

"Kid, are you sure you speak for the Eternal Sacred Land?" Shi Xuan pointed out coldly.

Jiang Chen shrugged. "The pill is my invention. Of course I have the right to decide how it's used. Elder Ziju and the three primes will understand my decision."

Shi Xuan laughed, his gaze shifting to Ziju Min. "Is this reckless young man authorized to make such a decision, Ziju Min?"

"Every pill dao figurehead has gathered here today to bear witness. We always keep our promises. What do you have to fear?" came the indifferent response.

Shi Xuan broke into laughter. "Good, good. I've underestimated the Eternal Sacred Land! You may be ignorant, but you are bold. That much is admirable. Since you refuse to give up until hell itself is staring you down, I'll make an exception and teach you another lesson!"

Chapter 1730: Rules of the Wager

The Taiyi Skymender Pill was the sole reason Shi Xuan had come to the festival. In his eyes, all of the Eternal Sacred Land was beneath him. It was self-degradation to even attend the event.

He was here to fish in troubled waters, and hadn't expected the Eternal Sacred Land to become so full of bluff and bluster all of a sudden. They'd sent a young man to provoke him again and again, even challenging him to a match like a mad dog!

In his opinion, no one in this sacred land was worthy enough to even be his disciple, let alone be his opponent. Only a fool would challenge him in pill dao.

The one thing all geniuses had in common was unlimited self-confidence. However, it was odd that a young man would insist on antagonizing Shi Xuan to these ends. Something wasn't as it seemed.

Though Shi Xuan felt there must be a catch, he wasn't worried. He was confident that the Eternal Sacred Land wasn't good enough to make him fall into one of their traps. In the end, the only thing that mattered was one's understanding of pill dao.

He was in enemy territory though, and wasn't about to be careless because of hubris. He smiled and raised cupped fist salutes at the guests around him.

"Most Myriad Abyss pill dao masters have gathered here today. I didn't intend to steal anyone's thunder, but the Eternal Sacred Land has been overly arrogant. I'd like all of you to bear witness to this match. I don't want people to accuse me of bullying a junior."

Before anyone could utter a word, Jiang Chen objected with a faint smile. "There's no need to justify yourself or worry that I'll cheat. The Taiyi Skymender Pill is my invention. I can do as I wish with it. If you lose though, you must admit to winning against Elder Zimu with unseemingly tricks."

In truth, Shi Xuan had intentionally provoked the elder at the time, but he really hadn't cheated. However, he was too proud to defend himself. He sneered. "I don't care enough to argue with you. How about you? Dare you make an oath that you won't deceive me with a false recipe?"

"Of course," remarked Jiang Chen coolly.

Shi Xuan nodded. "Alright, go on then."

"Just me? Aren't you going to swear an oath as well?" Jiang Chen scoffed. "Do you think there's no chance of you losing?"

Shi Xuan threw his head back and roared with laughter. "You really think you'll be able to defeat me?"

"It's a bet," retorted Jiang Chen. He wasn't going to let Shi Xuan off the hook. "Of course we have to be on equal grounds. Or are you so morally corrupted that you can't do even that?"

Shi Xuan paused and responded coolly, "I won fair and square against Elder Zimu. It'll be ridiculous to use that as my stake."

"Then what are you betting on?" Jiang Chen drawled.

"Hmph, ignorant brat. If you can defeat me, you can ask for anything."

"Anything?" Jiang Chen smiled lazily. "What about you becoming my pill slave for eternity, with no chance of liberation?"

"How dare you!" Behind Shi Xuan, the others from Flora Divine Nation widened their eyes in fury.

Shi Xuan leveled Jiang Chen with a frigid stare. "That's bold of you to say, young man. Aren't you worried that you'll die prematurely thanks to your big talk? Don't you fear being smited by celestial thunder for your impertinence?"

Jiang Chen broke into laughter. "You scared?"

Shi Xuan's expression darkened. "If you want to enrage me, kid, consider yourself highly successful. However, anyone who offends me in pill dao tends to suffer miserably."

"Is that so? Are you going to take the bet or not?"

"And what if I do?" Shi Xuan scowled. "Do you think you can win?"

"Swear your oath!" Jiang Chen stated coldly.

"Wait!" The middle-aged man following Shi Xuan interjected. "You're betting only a pill recipe, and yet you want my master to bet with his whole life? What a bargain this is!"

Jiang Chen smirked. "Shi Xuan, it seems that your men aren't particularly confident in you. If your victory is a guarantee, then the bet's only going to bring you great profit."

"Stand down," Shi Xuan said calmly to the middle-aged man. "This brat's cunning, but he isn't good enough to play tricks with me."

He was highly confident. The Eternal Sacred Land wouldn't be able to defeat him by sending a random young man.

Unlike other fields, in the world of pill dao, even a young man who'd encountered a bit of opportunity wouldn't become an expert overnight. He needed time to digest the knowledge and to accumulate experience. This young man looked to be in his thirties. There couldn't be all that much to him.

Shi Xuan wasn't at all worried that he'd lose.

Jiang Chen took the initiative and swore an oath, looking at Shi Xun afterwards, pressure mounting with the gaze. At this point, Shi Xuan would be considered a coward if he showed even a trace of regret or caution. Someone of his status would never allow that.

He swore an oath in a cool tone, not going easy on himself. "If I lose the match, I'll be your pill slave for the entirety of my life without complaint. If I go back on my word, I'll take my life immediately. Otherwise, may the heavens and earth punish me with death."

Jiang Chen threw a bizarre smile at Shi Xuan and murmured, seemingly to himself, "Congratulations to me for getting a good pill slave."

Shi Xuan huffed frostily. The young man was still trying to antagonize him. He wasn't going to pay it any mind anymore. He didn't know why the young man was so confident, but that wasn't important. He would win as long as he performed at his usual level. "What are the rules, brat?"

"Let's make the rules according to what you said. How about it?"

Shi Xuan paused. "What I said?"

"Didn't you say that out of all the pills I know, the Taiyi Skymender Pill is the only one you can't refine, while everyone from the sacred land doesn't know what you know? Let's make that the framework. We'll take turns proposing a question for the other over three rounds and see who know more. Whoever knows the more answers wins the bet. What do you say?"

Everyone's attention was caught. The match was going to be very challenging.

Every pill expert had their trade secrets - recipes that only they themselves knew. If both sides knew nothing about the subject that the other posed, that round would be a tie. The overall bet might end with no winner.

Shi Xuan paused to go over the rules, surprised. He had thought that Jiang Chen would propose something unorthodox. He'd been ready to turn the boy down and amend the rules to make the match an honest one.

Jiang Chen's proposal however, allowed no room for cheating. The only thing that mattered was their foundation and skillset. Shi Xuan couldn't argue with that. If he did, it'd be as good as admitting that he was wary of the young man.

What was more, he believed that the rules were in his favor. He was confident in the basis of their competition. Jiang Chen was young and couldn't be all that knowledgeable. There was absolutely no reason for Shi Xuan to refuse.

He nodded. "That works. But have you considered the possibility that neither of us are able to answer any of the questions the other poses, or the opposite? Isn't it going to be a tie then?"

"Easy. We'll each propose another three questions. We'll continue the process until there's a winner."

Jiang Chen's boldness appeared incredulous to Shi Xuan. Just why was the young man so confident? Even now, did he still think that he could win?

Shi Xuan tried to calm down and not let the young man get to him. Perhaps that was exactly what the young man wanted: to put on a front to distract him. Having regained his calm, he nodded. "We'll do as you said. However, this is a match between gentlemen. I've admitted to not knowing the Taiyi Skymender Pill. You aren't going to make that one of your questions, are you?"

Jiang Chen laughed. "Don't worry, I'm not going to use that pill as my challenge when it's my forfeit. I'm going to defeat you fairly and leave no room for debate."

Shi Xuan sniffed. "Enough with your posturing."

Jiang Chen shrugged. "You'll change your perceptions soon enough."

The two of them exchanged a look without a word and fell into deep thought. The game was on.

The participants hotly anticipated the proceedings. In the beginning, they'd thought that the Eternal Sacred Land was simply running their mouth to vent their anger about what had happened to Elder Zimu.

Now though, they'd changed their mind. They'd realized that this was a trap the Eternal Sacred Land had designed with great care. Why was the sacred land so confident in the young man that they were letting him challenge Shi Xuan with the Taiyi Skymender Pill as the forfeit?

Weren't they worried that he'd lose? It'd be a farce if the recipe fell into Shi Xuan's hands as a result.

The other factions in the Eternal Divine Nations were just as confused as the guests. On top of that, they couldn't be more concerned. Why would Shao Yuan so recklessly challenge Shi Xuan?

Shi Xuan ranked among the top ten, or even top five in Myriad Abyss in pill dao. Shao Yuan might be talented, but he was only a young man who'd just begun to make a name for himself.

Chapter 1731: The Bet Unfolds

Even the other factions from the Eternal Divine Nations were baffled by the match, House Xiahou included.

Xiahou Ying watched everything play out like great entertainment. In her eyes, Shao Yuan was all bark and no bite. He was beyond foolish to provoke Master Shi Xuan. Had the sacred land forgotten how Elder Ziju died?

She pursed her lips and murmured in a low voice, "He must be crazy, brother."

Xiahou Zong smiled faintly. "The young man's talented, but he's overconfident. He might've had a chance to win if he'd played some unexpected tricks. But after hearing his proposal, the only explanation I can think of is that he's out of his mind."

Shao Yuan had to be insane to think that he could win like this.

"How ridiculous for all of the sacred land to dance to his tune." Xiahou Ying shook her head. "I don't get why Teacher Ziju is so over the moon about him."

"Enough talk, Ying'er. He's going to get what's coming to him. Let's just watch the show. It's clear that the kid tells convincing lies. Why else would the three primes and Ziju Min let him do whatever he wants to?" Xiahou Zong had identified the key issue.

"Hmph, they're all possessed." Xiahou Ying didn't think Shao Yuan had any chance in winning. Her eyes swept to Yan Qinghuang, who was not far from her.

Her brows furrowed, she tugged lightly on her brother's sleeve and murmured provocatively, "Brother, it seems that the Yan girl really is in bed with Shao Yuan. Look at the way she's watching him. Tsk, look at how adoring her eyes are!"

Xiahou Zong's gaze grew frigid as he looked over at Yan Qinghuang, whose sole focus was on the two parties involved in the match. Every minute detail about her concerned expression betrayed her true feelings. Even a fool would be able to see them.

Xiahou Zong boiled with rage, his head spinning. He felt humiliated and betrayed. He didn't have any feelings for Yan Qinghuang, but since she was his possession, both her body and mind belonged only to him. And yet, her attention was so ardently elsewhere!

It was a brutal slap to Xiahou Zong's face.

"Unacceptable. Simply unacceptable!" he fumed. "What a slut. She's forgotten her place after her time in the human domain! House Yan is indeed a family of cheap whores."

Under different circumstances, he would've taken Yan Qinghuang away on the spot and taught her a lesson.

"You should make your move soon, brother," Xiahou Ying commented, adding fuel to the fire. "I don't want your possession to be claimed by someone else."

"Shut up," snapped Xiahou Zong.

Xiahou Ying giggled. "You always vent your anger on me. Go be mean to your girl, or that guy. I didn't instigate the affair between the two of them."

"Are you done yet?" drawled Xiahou Zong.

Xiahou Ying could tell from the tone that her brother was truly angry. She didn't dare say another word. She stuck her tongue out and shut her mouth.

Jiang Chen and Shi Xuan each took a side of the stage. They had an hour to come up with their questions.

It wasn't a challenge for Jiang Chen to formulate three questions. There was no arguing that Shi Xuan was among the top pill dao figureheads in Myriad Abyss, but in the heavenly planes, he would be of mediocre talent. In Jiang Chen's past life, any of his pill dao disciples was considerably more talented than Shi Xuan.

In terms of knowledge alone, Jiang Chen had learned almost everything there was to know about pill dao from different dimensions and schools of thoughts. As a result, even though every opponent he encountered was stronger than the last, he could still defeat them easily like an adult on a child's playground.

After some deliberation, he picked three that he was almost sure Shi Xuan wouldn't be able to answer. After that, he waited patiently.

He knew that Shi Xuan must be confident in himself. He'd destroy that confidence soon enough!

Shi Xuan came up with three questions not long after. He made his choices with great care, sure that the young man wouldn't have a clue, let alone give a correct answer. His lips twisted into an odd grimace. His win was inevitable.

"I'm done, brat, but no rush," Shi Xuan spoke up when he noticed how silent Jiang Chen was, trying to rattle his younger opponent. "You may take your time. I won't be seen as bullying a junior."

Jiang Chen opened his eyes and smiled lazily. "Finally? I almost fell asleep waiting for you."

He knew Shi Xuan was trying to shake him, but he wasn't going to back down. This understated comeback was the most effective.

Shi Xuan frowned, his expression clouding over. The brat was already done? Had he come prepared? But that couldn't be. He'd come up with the rules according to their conversation. He couldn't have predicted what Shi Xun would say.

Shi Xun fell silent. The more he talked, the more mistakes he might make, which would open himself up to more mockery from the young man. Since he wouldn't win the war of insults, he'd let his pill dao do the talking. In the end, that was the only thing that'd determine the winner.

Both had decided on their questions. The bet could officially begin.

"You're the guest, Shi Xuan," Jiang Chen said with a smile. "How about I let you ask the first question?" They'd agreed to take turns asking questions.

Anger flamed in Shi Xuan's heart again. The young man was truly arrogant! He really knew how to push Shi Xuan's buttons. Again, the older man reminded himself to keep calm and stay focused.

"Seniors should make concessions to their juniors. I'm not going to take advantage of you, kid. You may ask your question first."

It didn't really matter who went first. Thus, Shi Xuan was more than willing to play up the generous senior.

Jiang Chen smiled faintly. "Are you sure?"

"A man lives by his words. What does it matter if you go first?" Shi Xuan affected a careless tone and continued derisively, "But what can someone as inexperienced as you come up with? I'm all ears."

Jiang Chen flashed a wide smile and nodded. "Then your wish is my command. My first question has to do with the Trinonary Sages' Puzzle. Twenty-seven herbs can be used to refine twenty-seven different pills. You consider yourself among the top ten pill dao figureheads in Myriad Abyss, Shi Xuan. Can you give me all the combinations?"

Ziju Min barely stopped himself from bursting out in laughter. Naturally, he knew about the Trinonary Sages' Puzzle. He'd asked Jiang Chen about it out of curiosity, and Jiang Chen had deeply impressed him by revealing all of the combinations.

He was deeply amused that Jiang Chen would use the puzzle as his first question. He was sure that Shi Xuan didn't know the answer. There was no mention of a Trinonary Sages' Puzzle in the Myriad Abyss' records. Some combinations had been preserved, but at most three to five of them.

Shi Xuan frowned. The Trinonary Sages' Puzzle? He'd never heard of it.

His frown deepened as he stared at the twenty-seven herbs he'd been presented with. He could immediately come up with three or four combinations, but twenty-seven? That couldn't be possible.

After contemplating for fifteen minutes, his expression darkened further. He couldn't help but ask, "Are you sure there are twenty-seven combinations? How can that be?"

Jiang Chen laughed. "Didn't you say the Taiyi Skymender Pill was the only one you didn't know out of all the pills I know? Then you should know about the Trinonary Sages' Puzzle."

Embarrassed, Shi Xuan huffed. "Are you sure there really is an answer?"

Jiang Chen smiled. "I've sworn an oath. Empyrean cultivators have an even stronger connection to the heavens. If I give you a false question and thus go against my oath, the heavenly law will punish me. You should know that."

Shi Xuan paused, speechless, before turning back to the question.

it wouldn't be difficult to solve if he'd seen the puzzle before. Since he hadn't however, it was impossible for him to figure out the answer in an hour.

After a while, he sighed dejectedly. "Fine, you got me. However, you have to announce the correct answer. Who knows if you made up the question?"

Jiang Chen threw out a scroll. "I knew you'd say that. Here's the answer. Read and learn!"

His tone was mild, but the way he acted and held himself stunned the spectators.

Most had thought he was reckless to challenge Shi Xuan in the beginning, but many now had put aside their patronization and was reevaluating Jiang Chen. The young man did seem arrogant, but his confidence was turning out not to be unfounded.

Chapter 1732: An Immense Blow

The tinge of soberness in Shi Xuan's expression complicated the mood of everyone who'd looked down on Jiang Chen earlier. They hadn't anticipated the young man from Eternal to take the lead as soon as the competition began.

Though Master Shi Xuan seemed relatively unaffected, things no longer looked as easy as they did moments prior. This meant that Shao Yuan's provocation had been premeditated rather than impulsive.

Taking the scroll of answers in hand, Shi Xuan furrowed his brow as he perused it. Truthfully, his pill dao knowledge was insufficient to fully understand the Trinonary Sages' Puzzle. Even if he'd been given the answer, he remained perplexed about a portion of the recipes.

"The scroll doesn't prove anything, kid. Who knows if you made it up? If you want to convince everyone, you need to present more evidence."

"I knew you'd say that," Jiang Chen chuckled. "Well then, what kind of proof would you like?"

"Hmph. You say that these pill recipes all exist? That means you should know how to refine any that I pick at random. I'll choose three momentarily. If you manage to refine all of them, you pass." Shi Xuan persisted in his skepticism.

Jiang Chen grinned with exaggerated confidence. "I know you're a sore loser, but your resistance is futile."

"You're the guest here. Pick as you like – if you manage to stump me, we'll count it as your win then." The young man's attitude was positively flippant. His irreverence only lent more credence to his claims.

Shi Xuan sank into thought for quite a while before carefully making his three selections.

"Refine these three on the spot. If you pull this off, then we'll take your word for it."

Jiang Chen laughed. "You really are a bad sport, Shi Xuan. Fine, I'll crush your hopes. Your ignorance doesn't mean that the Trinonary Sages' Puzzle doesn't exist."

The materials prepared, he got to work right away in front of a rapt audience.

Jiang Chen had entered this duel solely in order to make his name known. He allowed the full measure of his pill dao skill to be seen by all. During the refining process, he intentionally added unique flourishes to improve the splendor of his technique.

He won over the hearts of some for his showmanship. Though other heavyweights were opponents of unnecessary flair in the world of pill dao, they found nothing to critique about his craft's fundamentals.

The Trinonary Sages' Puzzle had been meant as amusement. Though some of the pill recipes were comparatively more esoteric, none were difficult to refine. It took Jiang Chen just short of two hours to deliver all three requested types of pills.

"Please take a look at the pills presented here." Jiang Chen snapped a finger, prompting a ready and delighted Yan Qingsang to carry a platter with them to the various representatives.

The pills themselves weren't particularly impressive, but Jiang Chen's artful approach had imparted them with an exceptional aura. All of the pills were technically flawless. They were so masterful that they might as well have been works of nature.

Many pill dao giants didn't spare their praise after viewing the young man's handiwork. "To imbue simple creations with such impressive mastery… Well done, young man. Very well done!"

"Will you make a gift of one of these pills to me, young man? As a souvenir?"

Though the world of pill dao emphasized seniority, its masters granted the utmost respect to those who exhibited surpassing skill.

Jiang Chen's superb expertise was more than enough for them to retract their two-part bias: both his youth and the Eternal Sacred Land's past inadequacy had colored their perceptions. The young man's commanding prowess was winning him widespread recognition, even reverence.

Many no longer thought that he'd bitten off more than he could chew with his challenge to Shi Xuan. He clearly had enough talent to teach his opponent a serious lesson, even if he didn't end up winning. Plus, who knew how things were going to play out? With phenomenal performance and a little bit of luck, a miracle was always possible.

Having been presented with the three pills in turn, Shi Xuan was entirely expressionless. "Fine, you pass," he stated with a blank look. "However, I haven't given my question yet this round. Don't celebrate yet!"

There were three rounds in total. Both participants had the opportunity to present their opponent with a question. Right now, Shi Xuan had merely failed to answer Jiang Chen's. If Jiang Chen couldn't answer Shi Xuan's question in turn, this round would be a tie.

Shi Xuan had plenty of confidence in his own question. He regretted his earlier failure to answer, but he firmly believed that he would stump the young man in turn.

Producing a different scroll through a flick of the wrist, he shook his right hand to unfurl it. "This question is also related to pill recipes. This is an altered recipe with nine materials, but some of these are false. Your job is to revise the recipe with the correct materials so that it's useful again."

He tossed the scroll right in front of Jiang Chen, who casually snatched it out of the air.

Shi Xuan was composed and confident. He had found the ancient pill recipe in a fragment of text, and had repaired it through two to three decades of research. He adamantly believed that the source of it was one-of-a-kind; in fact, he was doubtful the author himself had possessed the full recipe. There was no way the young man could do what he had done on the spot.

Jiang Chen opened up the scroll leisurely. A single sweep caused him to burst into laughter.

He was all too familiar with pills of every stripe. A myriad of materials and recipes were imprinted in his mind as rigidly as unchangeable formulas. Vivid images appeared in his consciousness out of instinct.

He combined the materials together automatically, resulting in a dozen or more possibilities. The process of elimination produced three most likely candidates.

After some further consideration, Jiang Chen flashed a leisurely grin.

"Are you trying to trick me with your question, Shi Xuan?" The trip down memory lane had stimulated his powers of recollection. He now remembered what the three recipes were associated with.

What he had in front of him was a different puzzle. Less famous than the Trinonary Sages' Puzzle, but also much more deceptive in nature. The nine types of materials and their permutations meant there were multiple possibilities as to the correct answer.

Entirely different recipes were obtained depending on whether two, three, or four types of materials were swapped out. Therefore, there were no fixed 'wrong materials' to speak of.

Shi Xuan raised an eyebrow. "There's no need to posture if you can't answer, kid. How am I trying to trick you? You're the uninformed one here."

Jiang Chen sneered. "No, you're definitely trying to pull the wool over my eyes. I'm lucky I know how sinister of a puzzle this is, so I need to ask this in advance: which kind of answers are you looking for?"

Which kind of answers? So… were there multiple?

Jiang Chen's daring comeback caused an eruption of interest. Everyone was curious exactly what kind of devilish puzzle deserved the young man's condemnation."What do you mean?" Shi Xuan countered icily. "How can there be multiple answers?"

"Hmph. According to what I know, there are at least three. If I were to say just one of them, you would definitely declare it incorrect. That's why I have to know: do you want the answer that changes two, three, or four materials?"

The collective curiosity in the crowd turned to astonishment. How long had it taken the young man to come up with such an insightful response? Had Shi Xuan really been unlucky enough to ask a question that Shao Yuan knew the answer to?

If that were the case, the Flora master was in big trouble this round. Was he going to concede the first point?

Shi Xuan was in the dark himself. His years of research had yielded only a single answer: the one that swapped out two materials. He had no idea about the ones that swapped three or four. How was he supposed to answer?

He could feel his mouth dry up. Calming down his agitated heart, he harrumphed. "Answer the one that swaps out two materials. Stop pretending like you know more than you do."

"Two materials? That's the most rudimentary answer," Jiang Chen replied coolly. "Too easy."

He immediately started to draft his answer, taking special care to announce exactly which two materials he'd swapped out afterward. Furthermore, he announced the question itself to the public to garner more witnesses.

Jiang Chen didn't believe Shi Xuan had any ethics to speak of. He was worried that the older man would have some other ploy up his sleeve, hence the insurance policy. He wanted to nip any potential conspiracies in the bud.

Shi Xuan was petrified when he heard Jiang Chen's words. The fruits of decades of research into an ancient pill recipe – rudimentary?!

This was an immense blow to his ego.