Karmic Luck Value: 41,132.3.
First Calamity: Survived - 7/7.
Second Calamity: Claimed - 1/1.
Third Calamity: Suppressed - 9 Years.
-----
Since Du Ling's victory at the center stage of the Saint Cyclic Renewal Summit, fifty-six days had passed. To some, these days were as long as an arduous activity, and for others, this was like a blink of an eye, melting away with their countless years.
On this day, the Saint Cyclic Renewal Summit was officially concluded by the 244 Mortal Sovereign Alchemists and 187 Earthly Saints in attendance, excluding the recovering Great Sea Oceanic Queen, with Evergod at the lead. The events of the summit began to spread like flames in a dry forest, rapidly with an uncontrolled intensity.
The names of the Chosen, Saintesses, and Heroes had taken a back seat to the antics of Wei Wuyin. From his arrival, he overturned the summit's proceedings with logic and belief, and it was difficult to argue, that the once lethal contest meant to test the Chosen had been supplanted by a competition of Alchemic Sovereigns.
Moreover, the wager for victory? The Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pill's Concoction Method! It was the allure of this recipe that allowed Wei Wuyin to change the predetermined rules, overturning the proceedings in his favor, and then he, as a mere mortal, proceeded to obliterate the Alchemic Sovereigns.
Not even the recently ascended Earthly Saint, Grand Secretariat San Luoyang of the Everlore Association, was capable of matching this unprecedented genius' efforts! Du Ling, unanimously considered the most untalented cultivator amongst the Chosen Knights, had his destiny changed by Wei Wuyin, becoming invincible!
The disparity began to show itself. Alongside it, excuses and reasons blared from the shadows. Luo Ning having an Alchemic Soul was said to be unfair. The fact that Wei Wuyin had used the Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pill was said to be unfair. Since Wei Wuyin proposed this type of challenge, he was the most prepared mentally!
It was unfair!
It was rigged!
The disgruntled emotions of those Alchemic Sovereigns sprouted like rotten flowers, tainting Wei Wuyin's achievements by levying any accusations. However, what turned most top-tier figures against Wei Wuyin, what the Alchemic Sovereigns had spent nearly two months debating, was how they could properly nurture Chosen by those newly established standards of his! It was ludicrous!
"The only reliable way for geniuses to be geniuses is if they obtain a Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pill! How is that fair?"
"The Ninestar Starfield is the only starfield that has priority rights to purchase from the only supplier, the Golden Life Pavilion, so we'll have to wait decades, maybe centuries!"
"Perhaps we can find an alternative? After all, we can't just let this single pill dominate the Chosen li-"
"Idiot! Alternative? What? The Ever-Domain Pill? Are you blind or mentally deficient?!"
The arguments flared as many Alchemic Sovereigns grew heated. The Ever-Domain Pill was the only existing alternative product, but the effects could be likened to dogshit compared to the Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pill, and that was displayed just now by Du Ling's victory.
Due to Du Ling's achievement, the Earthly Saints all applauded his comprehensive ability. The Alchemic Sovereigns too sucked on this excuse like it was the finest cow's udder, finding nourishment and comfort from it for their egos, but after Du Ling was brought to the forefront by the Earthly Saints and tested a little, they found out an incredibly depressing realization!
Du Ling's comprehensive talent was disgustingly low. While there were products that could elevate a person's comprehension of specific things, these products were temporary as comprehension began from the soul and then to the mind.
If the mind could be considered as the storage space containing its own battery of energy, then the soul was the processor and emulator of detail, so that was almost extremely difficult to change unless one used one of the Seven World Wonders' four pills that the King of Everlore theorized.
Du Ling's comprehensive ability was infantile. He simply wasn't skilled enough to grasp a Spiritual Art in such a short period, applying it as if he had mastered it entirely. What was even more thunderously lethal to the heart was their discovery of the product list! In the beginning, the Everlore Association had set up safety measures to prevent others from cheating by inspecting every product concocted and used by the cultivator. It was covered by several privacy oaths so that even Evergod wasn't privy to the information until after the winner had been decided, and even then, the quality wasn't revealed.
When the list of products concocted was finally revealed, there wasn't a single comprehension-enhancement product amongst them!
NOT. A. SINGLE. ONE!
To these skilled and experienced Alchemic Sovereigns, they could only find the reason for his cultivated Spiritual Art to the most reasonable conclusion: Du Ling had taken a peak-quality Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pill! It was widely known that Worldly Domains offered endless cultivation benefits, and grasping profundities due to its abilities was one of them!
"...So what? Do we have to wait until the pills become publicly available? That could take as long as they want, like after the Chosen King Competition?" An Alchemic Sovereign pouted with vexation. This type of emotion seethed in many of these prodigious figures' hearts.
Unfortunately, this was a difficult situation to navigate. The simplest answers to this issue, such as jointly pressuring Wei Wuyin to publicize the concoction method or overwriting his Chosen standards wasn't so easy. The first wasn't remotely feasible—Wei Wuyin had two Earthly Saints as his Alchemic Knights, and an ancient, once-forgotten Fire Phoenix that made some of these Earthly Saints uneasy as it lazily laid there, and the Golden Life Pavilion supported him.
The first to leap out to suggest this might not grasp enough momentum, and they'll essentially be left to the lurch and awaiting Wei Wuyin's retaliation. No one wanted to take that risk.
The second, to overwrite his Chosen standards, would simply be too embarrassing than anything. They would be publicly admitting that they weren't just inferior to Wei Wuyin, but vastly inferior! Some would rather end themselves than accept that loss of face. Even shamelessness had its limits.
Fortunately, they were rescued from their incessant circlejerk of non-solutions and fantastical dreams, Ma Zheng had announced that the priority rights order of the Ninestar Starfield had been fulfilled.
Furthermore, they will be offering another auction for 999 Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pills after the summit! There would be 9 peak-quality, 90 high-quality, and 900 low-quality offered at this auction, allowing forces to purchase them using the bidding system with a purchase limit per organization.
"WHAT?! Nearly a thousand?!"
"Ooooh! The Golden Life Pavilion is always prepared. That old man must've seen this long ago. Hehe, as expected of the Old Pavilion Master who founded it all."
But it didn't end there.
A derived version of the Ever-Domain Pill, a peak Eighth-Grade Alchemical Product's Concoction Method, will be offered with mandatory security oaths of secrecy and creation limits!
Ma Zheng's announcement sent waves throughout the entire summit, especially the other Alchemic Sovereigns, with San Luoyang's expression outright growing increasingly unsightly as the bad feeling in his heart began to intensify.
"A derived version? What does it do?" Empress Xiaocheng was extremely curious alongside everyone else about an eighth-grade revised product. Moreover, it was marketed as a derived version of the Ever-Domain Pill, so this was alluding to something quite juicy on the horizon. And as expected, Wei Wuyin, no, Ma Zheng, didn't disappoint. To them, Ma Zheng was orchestrating this all!
Nail.
"At its low-quality version, its effects are roughly the same as the Ever-Domain Pill…"
Meets.
"...!" The uproar was intense, filled with shocked silence and breathy gasps from the spectators below.
Coffin.
"...at its peak-quality." That sentence elicited nothing but the most solemn of gazes, many eyes darting at San Luoyang who represented the Everlore Association, or stared fixedly at Ma Zheng's calm smile.
The first question on everyone's minds wasn't that Ma Zheng was lying, there was no point, but that Wei Wuyin had discovered that the Ever-Domain Pill was elevated artificially. This wasn't uncommon practice amongst shady alchemists, who falsely elevated their products to heighten prices despite the effects having no difference.
But if that was common practice, this was outright disgustingly horrid of an action! Why? Because those shady Alchemists typically falsely advertised, but if the low-quality version of an eighth-grade product matched a ninth-grade product's peak-quality AND the product was high-tier…
If upgrading falsely was a distrustful practice, then what about this?
"Bullshit," San Luoyang coldly declared without holding anything back. No one else was refuting Ma Zheng's statement, so he had to! If this pill did exist, then the Everlore Association's reputation wouldn't just be shot, it'll have been shotgunned to death. This type of scandal was irreparably damaging.
How could he let that happen?
However, Ma Zheng seemingly grabbed the hammer and brought out the pill! There were over two hundred Alchemic Sovereigns present, and they were all experienced Alchemists who've investigated the Ever-Domain Pill, so they merely needed a single look and sweep of their spiritual sense to conclude on the product's effect, quality, and grade.
It lacked the unique solar radiance that ninth-grade products possessed, and it was definitely low-quality.
It was…
It was…
"..." San Luoyang's mind shook. When he approached Ma Zheng, inspecting the pill up close, some even thought he would attack Ma Zheng despite the mythical oaths in place, but he instead looked at the pill with a spiritual glint in his eyes.
"So you perfected the King of Everlore's Concoction Method. No wonder, no wonder." The hostilities and rage that many expected didn't erupt. Instead, San Luoyang calmly admired the pill. But his words caused many to begin to think of the rumors that sprung out when the Ever-Domain Pill was brought to market—it was an incomplete product of the King of Everlore, never completed due to various unforeseen matters, and rushed to compete with the Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pill.
"Its name?" San Luoyang asked without any anger.
Ma Zheng grinned on the surface, but he felt pure admiration for San Luoyang to follow the only line to save the Everlore Association's face in his heart. Within the Saint Ring Wei Wuyin had given him, there was a series of detailed instructions to take after the summit ended, and this event of San Luoyang suggesting that this was a 'perfection' of the concoction method, but Wei Wuyin never intended to kill the Everlore Association with this move.
"It's not a perfection, merely a derived version inspired by it." Ma Zheng reiterated, not letting San Luoyang escape without any issues that'll leave the Everlore Association with a limp for a while.
San Luoyang didn't react much to his words, only smiled as if he didn't take Ma Zheng's words seriously and knew the truth. While internally, his heart was thumping fiercely as panic began to settle in his heart. If Ma Zheng had prepared a certain move, that nail in their coffin wouldn't just be hammered in, but it'll be covered in liquid concrete.
"The Sharded God Domain Pill."
"..."
"..."
"..."
The name typically didn't matter, but that name…
That name…
San Luoyang's expression contorted slightly, unable to keep himself from reacting due to his shock.
"Phenomenal!" The Boundless Martial High King applauded, appearing as he laughed with such power that the entire realm shook. The Soul Saint King was beside him, and while he wasn't clapping or laughing, the interest in his eyes was unconcealed.
"A domain that shatters convention, taken from the gods themselves—merely fragments of its full might. A respectful tribute to the King of Everlore. A befitting name." Empress Xiaocheng smilingly lauded it as if it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Her smile that usually stole away attention however wasn't able to do so now.
To those with the keenest of minds and quickest of thinking knew that this name, this timing of this announcement, this type of derived comparison, and all of it was none other than the Golden Life Pavilion and likely Wei Wuyin was declaring to the entire world two things:
New competition was arriving!
And, Evergod…we're coming for you, one piece at a time.
It was extremely apparent that Wei Wuyin held a grudge for the Evergod's killing attempt! And the Golden Life Pavilion was fully joining Wei Wuyin's camp by essentially declaring war!
In the subspace of the realm, Evergod's eyes darkly narrowed as he floated before the oval mirror that showed Ma Zheng's grinning face, a slight smile hung on his lips. This smile contained ghastly killing intent within it.
"Come then. Next time, I won't miss." Evergod coldly muttered to himself. The icy light in his eyes could freeze over a blazing Solar Star. He refused to lose anything else.
However, just as everyone thought it was over, Ma Zheng made an offer that took everyone by surprise, especially after that brazen declaration!
"My Golden Life Pavilion invites the Everlore Association's Alchemic Emperors, Alchemic Sovereigns, and legendary Alchemic Saint and Vice-President, to perform a joint concoction effort of the Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pill and Sharded God Domain Pill to supply the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region with products as the Chosen King Competition is nearing!"
"...!"
Not only did the Evergod's smile freeze in place, but Empress Xiaocheng, Soul Saint King, and the other top-tier Earthly Saints and Alchemic Sovereigns all had drastic changes to their expressions, completely baffled by this move. What was Ma Zheng thinking?
If Evergod could personally concoct the product, he'll definitely be able to create an alternative version of the Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pill with time?! Wasn't this…
What…?
They were extremely confused!
Yet, the Evergod laughed. As the target, he instantly realized the purpose of this move. Wasn't this a challenge? Wasn't this another shot?
It was as if that silver-eyed little brat was smugly smiling in his face, saying: "I'll give you a chance, so give it a try. Haha!" But should he fail to deliver, this would fragment his face just a little more. A targeted attack.
How could he refuse after that? He'll teach this child a lesson on what it means to be a true Alchemic Saint, taking his only value to the starfield!
-----
Dragnet Desolate Stellar Region, Neo-Dawn Starfield.
Original Dawn Palace.
Wei Wuyin was surrounded by four externalized Astral Souls as they devoured Echoing Stars of the Vastness Pills without holding anything back within his cultivation chambers. Suddenly, his eyes slowly opened as he received confirmation of the Evergod's participation in the joint effort concoction session between the Everlore Association and the Golden Life Pavilion, including some volunteers of the Alchemic Sovereigns.
Wei Wuyin faintly smiled as he shook his head: "Predictable." Evergod was always too easily distracted, too prideful, too arrogant, and now he was out of the way with a single move.
Wei Wuyin looked to his right, visually piercing through the wall to see a mass of gaseous shadows growing thicker by the second in the cultivation chamber next to him.