Positioning

The Heaven Pill Gate in East Jia State has been in chaos recently.

It's mainly divided into two factions: one led by Xu Zhen and the other by Huang Qingyue. The members of the Blue Sky Sword Sea are caught in the middle, not taking sides, just watching the drama unfold. Emperor Capital is the most enthusiastic spectator, also the most fickle. One moment they're saying,

"I support Sister Xu! She's the sect leader of the Fuyao Immortal Sect and the first woman Brother Chen met!"

Then Huang Qingyue gives them a cold stare.

Emperor Capital quickly changes their tune.

"I support Sister Huang! She's the master of the Ninth Mountain and a renowned figure throughout the immortal realms. Plus, her name has three characters!"

"Do you not speak and you'll die? What does this have to do with you? Brother Chen hasn't even spoken, yet here you are going crazy!" Qiu Li chides from the side.

Emperor Capital rolls their eyes, feeling resentful but indeed not speaking anymore.

Next comes the verbal sparring between Xu Zhen and Huang Qingyue.

"I gifted you the Great Emperor Opportunity and you even called me sister. The way things are, I’m naturally the elder." Huang Qingyue raises her delicate brows, her bright eyes blinking, smiling brilliantly.

"Calling you sister doesn't mean you're the elder. It just means you're older." Xu Zhen replies evenly, her charming face showing no emotion.

The two engage in open and veiled rivalry, giving the members of the Blue Sky Sword Sea a good laugh.

Where is Chen Xia?

Chen Xia is inside the sect, refining pills. Holding a spatula and sitting on a small stool, he dares not join the outside arguments, just hoping they don't involve him.

The furnace is burning, the pill refinement is automatic, the spatula is useless, and the stool is essential.

Going out is out of the question.

Fortunately, the quarrel between Xu Zhen and Huang Qingyue isn't too intense—at least they're not fighting. The members of the Blue Sky Sword Sea enjoy the spectacle but also know the urgency of the situation. If they sense the tension getting too thick, they quickly step in to mediate.

Moreover, there's Wang Yangzi, whose calm temperament ensures he steps in whenever the situation threatens to escalate, promptly going to fetch Chen Xia.

So, despite all the chaos, nothing major has happened at the Heaven Pill Gate. The group may not have idyllic harmony, but at least they coexist amicably.

Wang Yangzi shares stories of Chen Xia's adventures in the realms, and the members of the Blue Sky Sword Sea listen with interest.

This is a legendary tale, spanning a long time and involving the Great Death Realm.

After hearing it, Emperor Capital can't help but exclaim,

"Indeed, Brother Chen deserves all my admiration. No matter where he goes, he's always so valiant and domineering! I'm totally in awe!"

Qiu Li and the others remain silent, realizing one of the reasons for the vast gap between themselves and Chen Xia. Compared to Chen Xia's experiences, their own trials at the Blue Sky Sword Sea pale in comparison.

The common topic among the cultivators was Chen Xia, and everyone listened with great interest. Chen Xia himself didn't expect this, so he also listened, wondering if anyone was bad-mouthing him.

Luckily, no one was.

The peaceful moments passed quickly, filled with an unreality. As the sun set and the morning light dawned, it felt like the final moments of life.

Chen Xia couldn't help but wonder,

"Am I dying soon?"

No, it shouldn't be that.

Chen Xia slapped himself, feeling the solid reality, and then couldn't help but lament, "Could it be that it's time for me to enjoy life?"

Hmm...

He felt something was off, so shortly after, he discussed with Daoist Suppressing Heaven,

"Brother, can you send us away? No need to go far, just to the realms. That's my homeland."

"No need," Daoist Suppressing Heaven shook his head. "The realms are coming soon. Just wait."

"?" This answer caught Chen Xia off guard. He frowned and asked,

"Riddles?"

"Just wait." Daoist Suppressing Heaven still refused to elaborate.

Chen Xia had no choice but to focus on refining the Imperial Elixir, aiming for one for each person, ensuring everyone had a second life.

His pill-refining speed reached its peak, working day and night. Though the Imperial Elixir was precious, under Chen Xia's relentless efforts, it quickly produced results, enough to save an ordinary Great Emperor once or even extend their life for another era.

In total, Chen Xia refined eight of these elixirs.

Five for the Blue Sky Sword Sea members, and one each for Xu Zhen, Huang Qingyue, and Wang Yangzi. Each pill was stored in the center of their minds, capable of reversing one death but only once.

The Inner demon declined the elixir, not needing it as it wasn't a cultivator.

With that, the preparations were complete, though many years had passed.

Chen Xia's anxious heart finally eased a little. Just as he was about to relax, a shocking news spread across East Jia State.

The Heaven Emperor was coming again, this time for the second time, signaling his intention to slay Chen Xia.

"What do we do now?" Chen Xia asked Daoist Suppressing Heaven.

"Wait." Daoist Suppressing Heaven replied calmly.

"Waiting for all of us to die, huh?" Chen Xia frowned, questioning.

"No one will die." Daoist Suppressing Heaven only said this, signaling Chen Xia to relax.

"Alright, you'd better be right." Chen Xia nodded, trusting Daoist Suppressing Heaven's words, deciding to wait together. He didn't know what they were waiting for, but it seemed there was no other option.

He was trapped in the immortal realms, like a fish in an aquarium, seemingly free to move but unable to go anywhere.

Too many schemes, it's exhausting. If only I were invincible, I'd give all these bastards two slap counts and see if they keep acting crazy.

Chen Xia sat on his small stool, leaning his head, contemplating.

The usually quiet sect was now bustling, with everyone comforting him, saying they’d face the issue together and figure out solutions collectively.

Chen Xia smiled, a regretful smile.

It seemed he was still powerless.

As the sun set and the dawn broke, the Heaven Emperor arrived in East Jia State, reaching the foot of the Heaven Pill Gate mountain. Looking upward with disdain, he flicked his void crown, then proudly ascended the mountain.

His purpose this time was simple: to kill.

To carve out his own invincible path and ascend to greatness. If possible, even the Martial Emperor would have to bow to him.

As the youngest Quintuple Great Emperor, his ambition soared the highest.

When he reached the mountain gate, someone was already waiting for him.

It was Chen Xia.

The two eyed each other. The Heaven Emperor lowered his brows, sneering, "A Quadruple Quasi-Great Emperor—how boring."

"I feel the same way—why don't you go back?" Chen Xia suggested.

"After I kill you and claim all of East Jia State, I’ll leave naturally," the Heaven Emperor replied.

"Fighting and killing isn't good. Why don't we form an alliance and go fight the Quintuple Great Emperor together? Just the Treasure Ring Scale State next door will do—they're durable. And the Lord of the Divine Realm also said some nasty things about you."

Chen Xia continued to persuade.

But the Heaven Emperor was already before him, his momentum thick like a sky pressing down. He raised his fist, as if an additional sky loomed above, making Chen Xia's body stiff, unable to move.

Gray-white lights swirled around him, the ancestral dragon’s head barely emerging to defend.

Bang!

The entire top of Heaven Pill Gate collapsed.

East Jia State's map cracked.

Chen Xia lay in the fissure, bloodied and barely able to speak.

The Heaven Emperor stood at the peak, his finger raised, his killing intent clear. A faint glow condensed on his fingertip, and he uttered softly,

"Kill."

Shoo!

The faint glow transformed into a line, slicing across the entire state, about to pierce Chen Xia's head.

From the heavens above, a figure rushed out of the void, becoming faster than light, suddenly descending at this moment, shielding Chen Xia, paying the price of a pierced palm to disperse the light, then stepping forward, his figure a towering yellow, roaring,

"I am Vast Boundless! Before killing Chen Xia, kill me first!"

Vast Emperor... the Great Yellow Dog...

Position acquired!