Who Still Dares to Act Tough in Front of Me Like This

The weather was clear.

Huang Qingyue had also set up a rocking chair and lay beside Chen Xia outside the Heaven Pill Gate, basking in the warm sunlight of the day. Suddenly, she turned her head and suggested to Chen Xia,

"Brother Chen, are you really not going to raise the price of the pills? I feel like it’s still a losing business."

"Don’t just look at it as a business," Chen Xia shook his head and explained to Huang Qingyue. "When I sell pills, I consider other things, such as the karmic connections with cultivators and the bonds with the Immortal Realm. Money is secondary; after all, we’re not short on it."

"Alright then, I’ll listen to you, Brother Chen," Huang Qingyue chuckled lightly, embodying obedience.

Currently, the situation in East Jia State was the most stable in the Immortal Realm. However, the neighboring states were experiencing tremors, with Divine Realm Emperors frequently coming to cause trouble. They didn’t engage in full-scale battles but merely appeared to sneer and exchange a few mocking words with the Emperors guarding the states of the Immortal Realm. There were no outright killings—just deliberate mockery.

The states of the Immortal Realm had grown accustomed to this. Mockery was better than actually being attacked, as was the case with Treasure Ring Scale State, which was in a dire situation. The appearance of the Nine Mountains Sovereign’s avatar had not halted the advance of the Divine Realm Emperors, only providing some temporary relief.

Now, the Divine Realm Emperors had occupied 30% of Treasure Ring Scale State, effectively splitting the territory with the local cultivators. This had greatly demoralized the cultivators of Treasure Ring Scale State, who were filled with indignation but powerless to act.

Some cultivators began to secretly blame the Nine Mountains Sovereign, claiming that the current plight of Treasure Ring Scale State was entirely due to the Sovereign’s refusal to act, allowing the Divine Realm and Supreme Realm to jointly breach their defenses.

To be fair, they had a point.

If the Nine Mountains Sovereign had emerged, the Divine Realm would not have so easily penetrated deep into the Immortal Realm.

But it seemed the Divine Realm was aware that the Nine Mountains Sovereign would not intervene. The Divine Realm’s ruler dared to directly attack East Jia State, initiating the first wave of slaughter, and then joined forces with the Supreme Realm Emperors to assault Treasure Ring Scale State without any hesitation.

The problem was now clear: something must have happened to the Nine Mountains Sovereign during his seclusion, rendering him unable to act, or perhaps he had even fallen into a deep slumber.

This might be the most critical moment the Immortal Realm had faced in countless eons. If Treasure Ring Scale State were to fall, the other states would also be thrown into extreme peril.

Thus, the other states had rallied to support Treasure Ring Scale State, with cultivators from all walks of life gathering there, disregarding their origins, ready to fight to the death. They erected their own tombstones in advance, their resolve unwavering:

"First seek death, then seek life."

In the end, many sought death and found it, while few found life. The battlefield between Treasure Ring Scale State and the Divine Realm was littered with the bones of countless Immortal Realm cultivators.

From Emperors down to Nascent Soul cultivators, every possible realm had seen its share of deaths.

Low-level cultivators knew their deaths would have little impact on the overall battle, yet they still went forward without hesitation, one after another.

The death of one meant nothing, but the deaths of tens of thousands formed a karmic opportunity. The bones of a million Immortal Realm cultivators were buried there in a short time, creating a natural barrier between the Divine Realm and the Immortal Realm—a final act of defiance by the fallen.

For Chen Xia, the current turmoil in the Immortal Realm was an opportunity. The more chaotic it became, the easier it would be for him to seize the Immortal Realm and make it his own domain.

He had previously stated that the Immortal Realm was merely his prey, which was why he had declined the Divine Realm’s offer of alliance. Now, he was in the critical phase of his "hunt," and patience was key.

Taking over an entire realm was no easy task, especially one as vast as the Immortal Realm. It required careful and deliberate action. The Ten Thousand Mountains had already claimed nearly 10% of East Jia State, and he had used karmic opportunities to acquire another 20%. Combined, that was almost half of East Jia State. Rounding it off, it might as well be the entire state.

East Jia State was now firmly within his grasp, and his sights were set on the bigger picture. He would assist the Immortal Realm in defeating the Divine Realm, with the ultimate goal of claiming both realms for himself.

Once that was achieved, he would be able to break through the barriers of the Way of Heaven and return to the Blue Sky Sword Sea. All he needed now was patience.

To help stabilize the situation in Treasure Ring Scale State, Chen Xia had even sent batches of pills as aid. Waves of medicinal herbs and potent elixirs were delivered to Treasure Ring Scale State free of charge, accompanied by banners that read:

"Though the heavens and earth are vast, love knows no bounds. The Azure Sky Medicine Gate’s Medicine Ancestor sends aid to Treasure Ring Scale State!"

At first, the cultivators thought this was just a publicity stunt by the Heaven Pill Gate. The cultivators of Treasure Ring Scale State, in particular, despised such showy behavior. Their state was already in dire straits, and now the Heaven Pill Gate was using them as a stage to flaunt their reputation. It was unbearable.

But soon, they changed their tune.

Because the pills sent by the Heaven Pill Gate were genuinely abundant and of exceptional quality. Medicinal herbs were delivered by the crate, and potent elixirs by the pound. Every month, a new shipment arrived at the frontlines of Treasure Ring Scale State, as if they were free.

Was this really a publicity stunt?

Could they not tell the difference between good and bad?

This was undoubtedly a true friend to the cultivators of Treasure Ring Scale State. Every time the Heaven Pill Gate’s supply ships appeared, the cultivators of Treasure Ring Scale State would cheer excitedly, hailing the Azure Sky Medicine Ancestor.

However, this jubilation did not last long. On one occasion, as the Heaven Pill Gate’s supply ship was delivering pills, a Divine Realm Emperor suddenly attacked, shattering the ship mid-air and seizing the entire cargo of pills. He then issued a ruthless warning:

"If you dare send pills again, I will strike here once more and claim all the pills for the Divine Realm!"

The news spread quickly throughout Treasure Ring Scale State and reached East Jia State, eventually making its way to Chen Xia.

His first reaction was:

"Who dares act so arrogantly in front of me?"