Shi Xuan's voice was utterly bitter, steeped in the flavor of total despair.
No matter how cunning he was, no matter how domineering he had been, no matter what fearsome reputation he had built before this — in this moment, he had no choice but to bow his head and admit defeat.
Shi Xuan was a man of endurance. Having reached this point, he understood there was no room for regret. The only way out was death — to choose suicide rather than suffer the indignity.
But Shi Xuan was not the kind of man who chose death over shame. His personal philosophy had no room for such ideals. He had always believed it was better to keep the mountain alive than to worry about firewood.
In the span of a few racing thoughts, his mind cleared.
Walking up to Jiang Chen with an expressionless face, he dropped to one knee. "My lord, from this day forward, Shi Xuan shall serve as your pill slave."
The visual impact of this scene was, without question, even more devastating than Jiang Chen's earlier display of the Ninety-Nine Return to True Fire.
Shi Xuan had lost? Shi Xuan had surrendered?
On the Eternal Sacred Land's side, many alchemists watching this scene were already in tears. After sixty-odd years, Elder Zimu's departed soul could finally depart in peace.
The humiliation of that past — the Eternal Sacred Land had finally washed it clean. Shi Xuan had not been angered to death, true, but he had become the Eternal Sacred Land's pill slave.
This humiliation surpassed even the original incident where Elder Zimu had been worked to death by rage. At least dying of fury was a stand — choosing death over dishonor. But becoming a pill slave? That was far more disgraceful than death itself.
Even the Three Great Sacred Masters were deeply moved, their emotions churning. For a moment, they could hardly accept what they were seeing. Shao Yuan had actually carried out this mission of vengeance.
Not only had he accomplished the mission, but he had taken Shi Xuan as a pill slave — could there possibly be a more satisfying outcome? Even the Three Great Sacred Masters could not think of one.
As for whether this might offend the Hundred Sacred Lands, they did not care in the slightest. The Hundred Sacred Lands had shown no fear of offending the Eternal Sacred Land in the past, so the Eternal Sacred Land would certainly not fear offending them now.
Moreover, in terms of absolute strength, the Eternal Sacred Land was actually superior to the Hundred Sacred Lands.
The only reason the Hundred Sacred Lands had been so arrogant was their alchemical heritage — their uniquely privileged position in the art of pill refinement, which made many powers unwilling to fall out with them.
Put plainly, the Hundred Sacred Lands had been spoiled. They believed that with their deep alchemical foundations, every other divine kingdom's sacred land ought to cater to them and yield to them.
The other two alchemical patriarchs of the Hundred Sacred Land, however, were livid. One of them cupped his fists toward the Great Sacred Master and said, "Great Sacred Master, we of the Hundred Sacred Land came here as guests. Is this really how you treat your visitors? Hardly friendly, I'd say."
The Great Sacred Master showed no harshness in response, merely offering a mild smile. "Fellow Daoist Zhou, the Eternal Sacred Land's hospitality is perfectly sound, I assure you. This wager was originally arranged just for amusement — to give everyone something to enjoy. Who could have predicted it would escalate to such a brutal conclusion? Furthermore, in any exchange of alchemical skills, winning and losing are simply part of the game. Surely the Hundred Sacred Land isn't the type to refuse to pay when it loses?"
The Hundred Sacred Land was, in fact, exactly the type that could not afford to lose.
More precisely, they could not afford to lose Shi Xuan. If they returned home having left Shi Xuan behind at the Eternal Sacred Land, they would have no way to account for themselves.
The Hundred Sacred Land's most accomplished alchemical titan, detained by the Eternal Sacred Land? Bringing back such news would make it impossible to face their own Sacred Master.
"Great Sacred Master, even in killing, one at least grants a swift end. Since this was a friendly wager between peers, surely you should show some restraint? Besides, the stakes between them were never on equal footing. One wagered his very life, while the other wagered merely a single pill recipe. Unequal stakes mean the wager itself should not be considered valid." The elder surnamed Zhou was attempting to overturn the outcome.
The Great Sacred Master shook his head gently. "If we had forced Shi Xuan into this wager, then we could disregard it. But this wager was one that Shi Xuan himself agreed to. Fellow Daoist Zhou, your apparent concern is, in fact, doing nothing but damaging Shi Xuan's reputation further. On this matter, the Eternal Sacred Land will absolutely not yield."
The Great Sacred Master had no patience for further discussion with this man.
When Shi Xuan had tormented Elder Zimu — suppressing him, mocking him, driving him step by step into a corner — the Hundred Sacred Land had shown no mercy whatsoever.
Now they wanted accommodation? They wanted the Eternal Sacred Land to simply tear up its own agreement? Not a chance.
Everyone's anger had not yet subsided.
"Great Sacred Master, consider it an act of mercy. Grant the Hundred Sacred Land this face. We will remember this debt of gratitude." The Zhou elder persisted in his attempts to negotiate.
The Great Sacred Master's brow furrowed slightly. "Enough. There is no need to say more. If wagers could be casually reneged upon, who would ever agree to one again? I am confident that on this matter, the Eternal Sacred Land can stand before anyone and speak with reason."
Indeed, this wager had been sworn to by Shi Xuan himself.
Shi Xuan certainly could not go back on his word. Unless Jiang Chen no longer wanted Shi Xuan as a pill slave and merely wished to humiliate him — but that was clearly not the case.
"Great Sacred Master, truly no room for accommodation?"
"Accommodation?" The Great Sacred Master let out a cold laugh. "When you were dealing with Elder Zimu, did you ever think of showing accommodation? Did you ever think that taking a step back might open up a wider path? Did you ever think about leaving a thread of goodwill for the sake of future encounters? Since you chose to go all the way and wrote off any possibility of meeting again — you started this, so don't blame the Eternal Sacred Land for finishing it."
The Great Sacred Master was, after all, the lord of a sacred land. Once he unleashed his authority, his presence was nothing short of awe-inspiring.