Emperor Pillzenithâs tone was unkind. As an overlord of his time, he couldnât bear the spread of news that heâd been humiliated by a young man. It would damage both his dignity and Pillfire Cityâs authority.
Emperor Peerless frowned. âWeâve given you face already, Pillzenith, not to mention you arenât welcome here in the first place. Youâre only humiliating yourself further with this nonsense.â
While Shura had hated Jiang Chen the most out of those present, Emperor Peerless topped the list for Pillzenith. When his former love rival stood up to defend Jiang Chen, Emperor Pillzenith cackled strangely.
âYou again. Do you live your life going backwards, Mo Wushuang? I still remember your pretentious tone when you turned down my offer to join Pillfire City and when you scrabbled against me for a woman. And look at you now, the more pathetic the older you get. How does it feel to be Veluriyam Capitalâs dog?â
If itâd been in the past, Emperor Peerless wouldâve flown into a rage. But now, the great emperor merely looked back placidly as he responded, âI can only say that youâre as naive as ever if you think you can provoke me with such words. Weâre both several thousand years old already, Pillzenith. I know what you want, where your ambition lies, but you may not know what I want now. We walk different paths. If youâre smart, youâll leave and busy yourself with your own things. If you refuse, well, Iâm sure the Upper Eight Regions will love to hear about your death in Veluriyam Capital.â
Mo Wushuang spoke frostily, his tone tinged threateningly. The grudge between him and Emperor Pillzenith was insurmountable, and he wouldnât mind at all if he killed his rival here and now.
But at the same time, he was aware that his cultivation was still weaker than Emperor Pillzenithâs. However, since almost all of Veluriyam Capitalâs great emperors were gathered at the moment, they might be able to eliminate Emperor Pillzenith if they attacked together. But that was a patently unrealistic daydream.
Emperor Pillzenith laughed heartily. âMy death?â
He swept his glance over every great emperor present. âItâs not that Iâm boasting, but I doubt that the likes of Veluriyam Capital are able to kill me even if Peafowl was around. What do I have to fear from rabble like you lot, even if you come at me together?â
He really wasnât afraid of them. He might not be a match if all of them attacked at once, but he was confident that he could escape their clutches with flair.
Jiang Chenâs forehead creased as he responded indifferently, âIt sounds like you actually want to give it a try, Pillzenith. Shall I fulfill your wish then?â
The young man then pointed at the arena around them. âI knew that thereâd be many complications during the Vassal Meeting, so I purposely set up a sky rank formation beforehand. Since youâre so confident, why donât you give it a try?â
What? Emperor Pillzenith lost some of his bravado. A formation? A sky rank formation?
Emperor Pillzenith had witnessed the battle between Jiang Chen and Emperor Shura. Even he had to admit that the bratâs foundation in formation dao paralleled the kidâs mastery over pill dao. If Jiang Chen really had set up a sky rank formation in this arena, then his safety was precarious to say the least.
The more Emperor Pillzenith thought about it, the less confident he grew. Veluriyam Capital and Pillfire City were practically on opposite sides of the Upper Eight Regions, and he was the one on foreign turf. As powerful as he might be, he couldnât truly unleash his full strength here. That was the reason behind âthe strong dragon cannot suppress the local snakeâ.
At this point, Emperor Pillzenith knew that it was impossible he could somehow get the Pinecrane Pill from Jiang Chen. Not today, at least. Chuckling, the great emperor abruptly vanished into a streak of black light. His voice reverberated in the air. âI wonât forget you, young lord Zhen. Iâll repay ten times over the matters of today!â
Heâd bowed out.
Jiang Chen smiled as he eyed a particular spot in the sky with the Godâs Eye and Evil Golden Eye. âWhy are you running away if youâre as bold as you claim, Pillzenith? Cut the ten times, hundred times nonsense. Itâs not like I havenât been to your Pillfire City. Itâs no dragonâs den or tigerâs lair. Cut the boasting and stop talking as if Pillfire City is invincible.â
He didnât like shooting his mouth, but this was exactly the kind of moment when it was necessary. Publicly, Emperor Pillzenith was a top rate great emperor as famous as Emperor Peafowl. Not only was he Emperor Peafowlâs match in terms of cultivation, status, reputation and authority, he even appeared to be gaining momentum. Jiang Chen had no doubt that a threat from someone like him would leave a black mark on the hearts of Veluriyam Capitalâs people. As young lord, he had to forcefully and confidently respond to the threat. Young lord Zhen wasnât afraid of Emperor Pillzenith! Therefore, Veluriyam Capital shouldnât be afraid of Pillfire City either, even with Emperor Peafowl absent.
Jiang Chenâs handling of the minutiae was very effective. The vassals felt quite vindicated. After all, if Emperor Pillzenith really was as scary as he pretended to be, why had he fled the moment he heard about a sky rank formation? He just wasnât invincible in the end!
Emperor Coiling Dragon chuckled before asking Jiang Chen in hushed tones, âYoung lord, did you actually set up a sky rank formation?â
Jiang Chen broke out in laughter. âOf course not.â
The setup of a sky rank formation wasnât nearly as easy as he made it out to be. It wasnât something that could be completed in a day, and the amount of spirit stones it would cost was astronomical. He wasnât nearly so rich that he could set up a sky rank formation anytime he wanted to, not to mention that he had better ways to spend his time.
âSo, that was just a bluff?â Emperor Mountaincrush rubbed his nose with a wry smile.
âNot really. Heâs just one man and hasnât reached empyrean realm yet. Heâs also afraid that all of us will charge forward together. Ambitious folks like him are especially afraid of death, despite the invincible mask they wear.â Jiang Chen kept tearing Emperor Pillzenith down so he decrease the shadows and level of wariness in everyoneâs hearts.
No matter how powerful Emperor Pillzenith was, he was still just a great emperor. He remained vulnerable as long as he hadnât reached empyrean realm. The power gap between Pillzenith and the great emperors of Veluriyam Capital wasnât completely unbridgeable, either. Even if Pillzenith hadnât fallen for the bluff, Jiang Chen doubted that the great emperor would dare erupt in open hostility.
Veluriyam Capital might have lost Emperor Peafowl, Emperor Shura and Emperor Vastsea, there were still six great emperors present. If Jiang Chen, deploying strength close to great emperor, the Han brothers from Skysword Sect, Su Huanzhen and Sect Head Xia from Celestial Cicada Court were added to that count, then Emperor Pillzenith would be facing ten great emperors and one pseudo-great emperor. No matter how powerful Pillzenith might be, he wouldnât be able to face everyone on his own. Itâd be committing suicide.
The Eternal Celestial Capital emperor chuckled drily when Emperor Pillzenith laughed. âSince the Vassal Meeting is over, I shall be taking my leave, young lord Zhen. Goodbye.â
Then, he left without a backwards glance.
The emperor of the Eternal Celestial Capital! Jiang Chen leveled a cool, murderous glare at the departing figure. Neither of them had broken out in open hostilities just yet, but the emperor of the Eternal Celestial Capital had to be aware that young lord Zhen was Jiang Chen at this point.
Earlier, Jiang Chen had been forced to unleash the Bewitching Lotus of Fire and Ice in his duel against Emperor Shura. That was a tremendous hint about his identity. The Eternal Celestial Capital had to have picked up on that. They had an irreconcilable grudge with Jiang Chen and was sure to have made a thorough study of the young man.Even before the Vassal Meeting took place, the Eternal Celestial Capital had already suspected that young lord Zhen was none other than Jiang Chen himself. After the faction leader saw the Bewitching Lotus of Fire and Ice unleashed, he finally knew that their suspicions had been right all along. Assailed with emotions, heâd hoped that Emperor Shura would throw caution to the win and openly attack Sacred Peafowl Mountain. When both sides were sufficiently injured, he would incite Emperor Pillzenith into eliminating the hidden threat that was young lord Zhen once and for all.
But things hadnât turned out that way. After Emperor Pillzenith escaped with his tail between his legs, the Eternal Celestial Capital emperor feared for his own life. He was weaker than Emperor Pillzenith, and there was nothing he could do if Jiang Chen decided to make use of the collective strength and kill him here and now.
The Eternal Celestial Capital wouldnât even be able to complain if blame for Emperor Peafowlâs disappearance was given as the reason. The Upper Eight Regions wasnât a place of reason or sense to begin with. Who would stand up for him if he was killed? The Eternal Celestial Capital was inferior to Veluriyam Capital. The faction would fall into disarray if he died, so what use was any talk of revenge then?There was nothing he could do now but flee. The killing intent in Jiang Chenâs eyes lasted only for an instant. Veluriyam Capital was finally safe after Emperor Pillzenith and the Eternal Celestial Capitalâs departure.
âThe Vassal Meeting is concluded. Please return to your accommodations, everyone. Arrangements for the pill dao school must be discussed further before we can proceed, so please gather here tomorrow so we that may take in your suggestions. When itâs time, please donât be shy and offer as many helpful suggestions as you can.â
The Vassal Meeting was over, but the excitement in Veluriyam Capital hadnât abated. Details of the gathering quickly spread to every corner of Veluriyam Capital. Everyone was taken aback by Emperor Shuraâs departure, but young lord Zhenâs legendary exploits came as an even greater shock.
They were first sad that Emperor Shura was gone, but when the young lord Zhenâs miraculous feats were mentioned, the continued presence of the great emperor seemed negligent. Emperor Shura hadnât contributed much to Veluriyam Capital despite living there for several thousand years. On the contrary, young lord Zhen had achieved many great things just a few years after rising to prominence.