Chapter 555: Two Heavyweights Fight Over Jiang Chen
One could obtain the title of a pill king just through passing a couple of tests. But the title of pill emperor was only bestowed on someone after they’d accomplished a remarkable feat or formed their own pill dao school of thought. Only then would they be publicly acclaimed as a pill emperor, and have their name resound beneath the heavens.
“A pill emperor is born only once in a millennia, and even then there are times when millennia can pass without seeing the birth of one. The pill emperor of our time has secluded himself from the world and lives in the Divine Abyss Continent. Or so we think, since we haven’t heard of any rumors about him in our Myriad Domain.” Elder Yun Nie sighed lightly, a shiver in his voice from emotion.
In the Myriad Domain, the Regal Pill Palace was undoubtedly the first amongst the sects when it came to pill dao, and Elder Yun Nie was the undisputed master in the region for pill dao. However, in the greater picture of the entire Myriad Domain, Elder Yun Nie was just an ordinary pill master. He didn’t even have the right to participate in the pill king tests.
“Jiang Chen, in our Regal Pill Palace history, only the first forefather had received the title of pill king. Even then, it was was only second level pill king. Even so, it was enough to let him amass enough resources to found a sect in the lower realms. If he had been a fourth or fifth level pill king, he would’ve been capable of establishing a sect even in the mid realms and still leave a wondrous legacy. If he had become a seventh level pill king or above, he would have been a precious guest in the Upper Eight Realms, and the honored elder of a first rank sect. In the worst of scenarios, while he may not have been capable of shouldering a first rank sect, he wouldn’t have had the slightest problem with a second rank sect!” Palace Head Dan Chi smiled. “There have been no more than ten pill kings in the entirety of Myriad Domain history. Of them, most have come from the Myriad Empire royal family.”
When the Myriad Empire had ruled the territory as an unchallenged existence, the sects had not been the strong existences they were now. They’d only become this strong after the Myriad Empire had fallen and they’d divvied up the resources.
Jiang Chen was spontaneously enlightened, and began to comprehend what kind of power a pill king and emperor held in the Divine Abyss Continent.
Elder Yun Nie, someone titled as first in pill dao in this region, still wasn’t a pill king. It only went to prove that the title of a pill king wasn’t so easily believed. However, apart from himself, Jiang Chen felt that there was another who had the potential to obtain such a title. That would be none other than Mu Gaoqi.
They chatted for a while longer before Palace Head Dan Chi smiled. “Jiang Chen, it will take a few more days for the restrictions to be lifted. You can make good use of these days. Multiple small trading fairs will start between the large sects. If you go take a look, perhaps you might even chance upon a treasure!”
When they parted ways, Jiang Chen was in no hurry to return to his residence, instead making for the main lobby of Rippling Mirage Hall. He naturally wouldn’t pass up any trading fairs. Resources could flow in either direction, and that so happened to be what he lacked the most at the moment. Resources didn’t just include spirit herbs and pills, but also various earthly treasures as well. In the world of martial dao, resources were multi-faceted.
Shen Qinghong, Mu Gaoqi and Ling Bi’er were all within the lobby as well. Shen Qinghong had a vast hoard of wealth, but wasn’t too interested in this trading fair. In addition, after the impetus provided by Wang Han and Zhu Feiyang’s mockery, he was finding courage after knowing humiliation and knew that he had to break through the sage realm sooner rather than later. Otherwise, when faced with people like them, he would never be able to fully lift his head as the top ranked of the Regal Pill Palace.
“You’re here too, Brother Chen!” Mu Gaoqi had set up a small stall, evidently very interested in this trading fair.
Ling Bi’er hadn’t set up a stall, but was looking around. It was apparent that she was looking for something. Jiang Chen had given her a list of the spirit herbs needed to cure the Miasma. She wanted to see if she could find anything she needed in these trading stalls. However, even after a few circles, she came up empty handed.
“Junior sister Ling, I see you walking to and fro. Is there something you need?” Wei Qing suddenly showed up in front of Ling Bi’er, smiling merrily. “Tell me about it, and maybe I can help!”
Ling Bi’er had no good feelings towards this kind of fawning behavior, nor even any for Wei Qing himself. She furrowed her brows slightly and turned her body, walking past Wei Qing.
Unfortunately he seemed to quite enjoy being endlessly rebuffed. As the most exemplary genius from the Walkabout Sect, how would he lack for girls? What he lacked was a challenge like this! Therefore, the more Ling Bi’er brushed him off, the more exciting he felt the challenge had become.
“Hmph, you’re acting all high and mighty in front of me now, but just you wait until I have you. As ready you are to die for your chastity now, I’ll turn you into a slut once you’ve tasted my ultimate techniques!” Wei Qing was plainly very confident about Ling Bi’er and had long since viewed her as something that belonged to him. As he watched her alluring figure leave, he swore a silent vow that he would get his hands on Ling Bi’er, no matter the cost.
When Mu Gaoqi saw from a distance that Wei Qing was bothering Ling Bi’er again, he was quite irritated inwardly. “Brother Chen, this Wei Qing is truly too cocky. He keeps chatting up senior sister Ling Bi’er like a filthy fly.”
In Mu Gaoqi’s eyes, he’d long since classified Ling Bi’er as his Brother Chen’s woman. This Wei Qing was really courting death in approaching her again and again!
Jiang Chen smiled. “Gaoqi, be careful and take it easy if you meet him in Mt. Rippling Mirage. He’s vicious and ruthless. He’s bound to take revenge for any slight.”
Mu Gaoqi nodded. “Don’t worry Brother Chen, I’ll be careful.”
Mt. Rippling Mirage was enormous, and everyone would be randomly scattered inside after going through the entrance formation. Although there was still a chance to run into each other while they were inside, it was in no way guaranteed.
“Daoist Jiang Chen.” A voice came from behind as they chatted. Jiang Chen turned his head to see a Dark North Sect disciple dressed in a robe. He actually had a similar bearing to Mu Gaoqi, but wasn’t quite as handsome as him. Instead, it seemed that he was a touch more melancholic. “This humble one is Ku Zhu of the Dark North Sect. I am here on our sect head’s behalf to invite you for a meeting.”
Honored Master Tian Ming?
Jiang Chen was slightly surprised, but immediately surmised why the honored master was looking for him. When he considered how close the honored master was with Palace Head Dan Chi, he naturally couldn’t turn down this request. He nodded at Mu Gaoqi, “Gaoqi, keep an eye on things here for me. I have a list here, and if these spirit herbs or their substitutes appear, grab them all for me.”
“Sure, Brother Chen! Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on everything here.” Mu Gaoqi agreed readily. His admiration of Jiang Chen was second only to that of Palace Head Dan Chi and honored master Elder Yun Nie. He probably even estimated Jiang Chen as his closest friend. He was more aware than anyone else that if it hadn’t been for Jiang Chen, he wouldn’t have placed third on the overall ranking!
Ku Zhu was delighted to see that Jiang Chen was so easy to talk to. He’d been fretting over what to do if Jiang Chen hadn’t been willing to go.
“Daoist Ku Zhu, let’s go.”
Ku Zhu nodded, a perpetually bitter expression on his face as he led the way forward. They hadn’t walked far before someone else walked out from their right. It was a Great Cathedral disciple. “Brother Jiang Chen, Xiang Qin from the Sacred Elephant family greets you. Do you have a moment? My family head would like to speak with Brother Jiang.”
Ku Zhu spread out his arms with a look of alarm, like a fighting gamecock gearing up for a match. “Senior brother Xiang Qin, I was the first to invite senior brother Jiang Chen.”
Xiang Qin frowned slightly at seeing this. “And you are…?”
Ku Zhu said stiffly, “I’m Ku Zhu of the Dark North Sect. Senior brother Xiang Qin, please step out of the way. The sect head is waiting for me to return.”
Ku Zhu was a hardheaded person alright; he didn’t know how to beat around the bush when it came to speech. Xiang Qin could also subtly detect this from his style of talking. He was one of the top geniuses in the Great Cathedral after all, and didn’t want to lower himself to Ku Zhu’s level. He paid no attention to the Dark North Sect disciple, and raised his hands in a cupped fist salute towards Jiang Chen. “Brother Jiang, my family head invites you with full sincerity. Please show me some face here.”
Jiang Chen was also caught in a difficult position. He flicked a glance at Ku Zhu. “Brother Xiang, we’re supposed to heed the call of our elders. However, Daoist Ku Zhu was here first. If I leave him here and go with you, that won’t do either.”
Xiang Qin seemed to also think that this was asking a bit too much. He looked at Ku Zhu. “Junior brother Ku Zhu, how about this? You can go back and tell Honored Master Tian Ming that I forcefully invited Brother Jiang, and that I’ll go and express my apologies in person later.”
This is the precursor to forcefully taking Jiang Chen from him! Ku Zhu’s eyes widened in a glare when he heard this. “No! Not unless you kill me! The only way you’ll be taking senior brother Jiang Chen from me is over my dead body!”
Xiang Qin’s face grew cold. He was the top genius of the Great Cathedral, and there weren’t many in the younger generation of the Myriad Domain who would dare rebut his words. Even the most exemplary Lin Hai would be respectful in front of Xiang Qin. Who does this Ku Zhu think he is?
“Don’t throw away the face I’m trying to give you. Even Lin Hai wouldn’t be acting like this in front of me.” Xiang Qin’s voice carried a note of warning. However, he’d underestimated Ku Zhu’s temper.
“Lin Hai is Lin Hai, and I am myself. I only know that the sect head has ordered me to invite senior brother Jiang Chen. What does it have to do with me who you are?”
Jiang Chen knew that things would become increasingly worse if they went much further in this direction. He could only step forth to try and smooth the ruffled feathers. “Gentlemen, how about this? Both of you can go back first and have a discussion about this. If it’s nothing too special, why don’t we sit down together and discuss this? We can save the trouble of arguing who has precedence.”
“No!” Both Ku Zhu and Xiang Qin shook their heads when Jiang Chen finished speaking. It was obvious that they were both determined to have Jiang Chen.
They stood there, locked in a stalemate when a long peal of laughter suddenly sounded. “Sage nephew Xiang Qin, I have a long standing appointment with sage nephew Jiang Chen to introduce him to the genius disciples of my Dark North Sect. What is the meaning of this willful obstruction of yourself?”
It was Honored Master Tian Ming himself! As fierce as Xiang Qin could be, he didn’t dare act wildly in front of the honored master.
“Haha, Tian Ming ah, I just so happened to want to speak with sage nephew Jiang Chen as well. You can’t just take him from me.” The Sacred Elephant family head also seemed to pop out of nowhere.
If an analogy was struck that Xiang Qin facing off against Ku Zhu was a meeting between pawns, then Honored Master Tian Ming and the Sacred Elephant family head was a meeting of generals. Jiang Chen had become the choicest slice of meat at a buffet in a flash.
The originally bustling main lobby instantly grew solemn and quiet. All sorts of surprised glances flicked over as their owners watched the situation develop. Two great sects were fighting over Jiang Chen! Just what was going on here?
As the focus of the attention, Jiang Chen didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. The current situation was absolutely something he didn’t want to see. No matter which side he went, he was destined to offend the other side. Even if this had nothing to do with him, he was suddenly faced with a decision to choose.
More and more people made their way into the main hall. Some of the other heavyweights from the other sects also walked out when they heard the commotion.
