Too Late

Millions of cultivators waited, and the entire East Jia State held its breath.

After the grand welcoming of the Ancestral Pharmacist, the scene fell into silence.

Suddenly, a faint hum resounded from Heaven Pill Gate.

Hum!

A colossal ferry soared into the air, emerging from Heaven Pill Gate. Leading the ferry was Emperor Bixuan, his neck wrapped in a rope, yet he did not appear haggard. Instead, he looked full of pride.

Though he was akin to an ox or horse, he served the Ancestral Pharmacist. As the saying goes, "When one attains the Dao, even their chickens and dogs rise to heaven," and "Even hitting a dog depends on the owner." These phrases highlight the significance of spirit pets.

Rounding it up, he had surpassed ordinary emperors. No wonder he exuded such arrogance.

One could say that under extreme circumstances, people often find ways to comfort themselves, and Emperor Bixuan did this remarkably well.

As the ferry from Heaven Pill Gate set sail, the applause reached a feverish pitch, with everyone chanting the name of the Ancestral Pharmacist.

"Shh." An extremely soft sound echoed, yet it reached the ears of everyone present.

A figure appeared, now standing atop the highest point of the ferry in the heavens. A sword energy throne materialized, adorned with the skull of a primordial dragon. Chen Xia sat down directly, his expression unexpectedly carrying a sense of dominance, as he addressed the crowd below.

"Today, the weather is perfect. Please, witness my battle, cleansing the remnants and restoring peace to East Jia State. The great trend must be driven. Those who wish to join, rise!"

The ferry rumbled, heading towards the territory of the Divine Realm Emperor, with millions of cultivators following passionately, their morale reaching an astonishing height.

If any emperor proficient in the art of divination were to glance at East Jia State, they would notice that nearly eighty percent of the state's fortune had converged upon Chen Xia. As he led the ferry at the forefront, it was as if the celestial bodies orbited around him, illuminating his magnificence.

The territories held by the Divine Realm Emperor still housed a few emperors, who had long heard that the Ancestral Pharmacist would come to cleanse them. Seeing this grand array, they were even more terrified, contemplating among themselves.

"Perhaps we should apologize and submit, pledging allegiance to the Ancestral Pharmacist. Look at Emperor Bixuan; he pledged to the Ancestral Pharmacist and is still alive and well."

"Emperor Bixuan has no backbone. Do you truly have none either? For the sake of the Divine Realm, how could we yield under the command of a mere cultivator from the Immortal Realm? This would be an enormous disgrace. I'd rather die than surrender!" retorted an emperor.

The other emperors exchanged glances, offering no support. Their intentions were clear: if you want to die, go ahead, but we're not joining you.

Even the Divine Realm had forsaken them; there was no reason to die for it. They were emperors, not cannon fodder.

"Cowards!" the emperor cursed, his figure transforming into a rainbow, shooting directly towards the ferry from Heaven Pill Gate.

The remaining emperors sighed.

"Though he may lack brains, one must admit his spirit is immense, daring to charge like that. I certainly wouldn't dare."

"But that's odd; he's not usually so spirited, is he?"

"Perhaps he underwent a transformation; who can predict changes in one's mindset?"

"Indeed. After today, we'll never see him again. Such a spirited individual is rare, especially among the levels of Saint and above. Losing another like him—was it our mistake?"

No one answered.

The rainbow, embodying the emperor, charged towards the ferry, halting just before it.

Emperor Bixuan frowned, cursing out: "Which reckless fool dares to obstruct the ferry of the Ancestral Pharmacist?

The rainbow revealed its form: the Divine Realm Emperor.

The millions of cultivators below instantly grew excited. Before even reaching the Divine Realm Emperor's territory, they could witness the execution of an emperor.

Emperor Bixuan recognized the figure and scoffed, "So it's Li Lei Old Man."

Turning to Chen Xia, he respectfully requested, "Such a petty individual doesn't deserve your personal involvement, my lord. Allow me to eliminate him for you!"

No, no, Emperor Bixuan, I'm not here to fight," Li Lei Great Emperor hurriedly replied, his earlier spirit entirely vanished. He extended his hands, assuming a welcoming gesture, and said with a flattering smile, "Please, Ancestral Pharmacist, come in!"

So, he was the first to surrender, deceiving all the other Divine Realm Emperors.

The million cultivators of East Jia State were momentarily puzzled, feeling something amiss but unsure what.

The expressions of the Divine Realm Emperors completely stiffened.

Damn it, this guy was seizing the opportunity to surrender. That's why he was so fearless earlier!

"Crap, we've been duped. No way, I need to catch up!"

Another emperor transformed into a stream of light, racing towards the ferry.

The other emperors followed suit, three streams in total reaching the front of Heaven Pill Gate's ferry.

The emperors revealed themselves, excitedly declaring,

"We have wandered for half our lives, only to regret not finding a worthy master.

If you do not disdain or despise us, we are willing to pledge our allegiance!"

In other words...

If this were during the liquidation of the Heavenly Dao, these emperors would likely be the first to align with the darkness.

But on the flip side, not killing them could be beneficial. If they were restricted by a taboo placed in their heart lake and consciousness sea, they could still be put to use.

Chen Xia immediately did just that, invoking a taboo, declaring, "You four have committed grave errors. I will impose a taboo restriction upon you, appointing you as gatekeepers of East Jia State, tasked with defending its front lines. Any slip-up will result in your immediate execution!"

This meant dispatching the Divine Realm Emperors to battle their own Divine Realm cultivators.

The four emperors turned pale, but considering it was better than immediate death, they nodded in agreement.

The million cultivators below, though disappointed not to witness the demise of Divine Realm cultivators, saw the merit in this approach. Not only had they reclaimed East Jia State's land, but they had also bolstered its defensive capabilities.

The million cultivators erupted once more, their enthusiasm reaching new heights.

"Ancestral Pharmacist! Ancestral Pharmacist! Ancestral Pharmacist!"

Without lifting a finger, four emperors had already surrendered. This signified the strongest cultivators of the entire East Jia State. Such a mighty figure was their East Jia State's Heaven Pill Ancestral Pharmacist. How could they not go mad with fervor?

Among the excited cultivators, the Elder of the Eighth Mountain wore a pensive expression. Lowering his head, he pondered deeply, and his expression suddenly changed. Casting his gaze towards the figure in the green shirt standing atop Heaven Pill Gate's ferry, he realized what the Ancestral Pharmacist truly sought. However, it seemed... it was already too late.