Everyone's hearts were exceedingly oppressed. Facing the threshold of life and death, even a Sacred realm powerhouse would find it nearly impossible to remain as immovable as a mountain.
The people of the Sacred Sword Palace were steeped in despair above all.
They knew perfectly well that they had long since made mortal enemies of the Dan Qian Palace, and just now, they had offended Jiang Chen to the point of no return.
Even if Jiang Chen were to hand the antidote over to the other sects, he would surely never sell it to their Sacred Sword Palace at any discount.
Elder Chen's eyes flashed with a hint of madness as he cried out, "Everyone, this Jiang Chen harbors ill intentions — he's dead set on grinding us down to death so he can pick up the scraps! If it comes to that, we'll go down together in mutual destruction. That's still better than letting Dan Qian Palace reap all the benefits alone! We're dead either way — are you really willing to let the people of Dan Qian Palace watch us die and then seize our belongings?"
Go down together — the only choice when there was no choice.
Elder Wuhui of the Carefree Sect fixed his gaze on Elder Yun Nie. "Brother Yun Nie, is your Dan Qian Palace truly going to force everyone to this point?"
Elder Yun Nie didn't know what Jiang Chen intended either, but at a time like this, he had no choice but to step forward and smooth things over.
"Jiang Chen, we are all fellow Daoists of the Myriad Forms Domain. Leave some room." Elder Yun Nie sighed softly.
In truth, Jiang Chen had never intended to push things to the absolute limit. If he had truly wanted to watch these people die, he wouldn't have needed to expose the matter at all — he could have simply waited for the poison to take its course and then collected the spoils.
By all rights, that would have been the best outcome.
But Jiang Chen knew that if all these people perished from the poison and only the Dan Qian Palace contingent walked out, no matter how they explained themselves, the various sects in the outside world would pin the blame squarely on Dan Qian Palace.
They might even band together to crusade against it, turning Dan Qian Palace into a target for all.
So after turning the matter over in his mind, Jiang Chen decided he couldn't push this too far.
The real reason he hadn't relented was precisely so that Elder Yun Nie could step in and play the good guy — one playing the kind face, the other playing the stern face.
Jiang Chen pretended to ponder for a moment, then nodded. "Since Elder Yun Nie has made the request, this disciple wouldn't dare disobey. But — are you certain you want to buy my antidote? It's not as though I'm forcing you, is it?"
At that moment, Elder Xiang Qian of the Great Sage Hall spoke up. "Nephew Jiang Chen, since we all failed to see the problem and only you identified the issue with this island, that alone gives you absolute authority. We old fools can only admit our loss. Half the Earth-grade spiritual medicine — my Great Sage Hall is willing to pay."
"My Three Stars Sect is also willing," Elder Tanlang chuckled with a smile.
"Then my Carefree Sect naturally is, too." Elder Wuhen, who had remained silent until now, gave Jiang Chen a deeply meaningful glance.
In Elder Wuhen's heart, Jiang Chen had undoubtedly gained another layer of mystery. He couldn't help but silently sigh — why had this monstrous young man appeared in the Dan Qian Palace, of all places, and not in his own Carefree Sect?
Looking back, it was Palace Master Dan Chi who had unearthed Jiang Chen from the Sixteen Kingdoms Alliance.
Now that he thought about it, Dan Chi had truly shown remarkable foresight. Before this, countless people across the Myriad Forms Domain had laughed at the alliance between Dan Qian Palace and the Treasure Tree Sect.
Now, even though Elder Wuhen stood on the opposing side, he had to admit — that move by Dan Chi had been nothing short of brilliant.
The people of the Sacred Sword Palace, however, were frozen in place.
Paying half in Earth-grade spiritual medicine — under these circumstances, it wasn't that they were unwilling. The problem was that no one would be willing to sell to them.
In that instant, the several members of the Sacred Sword Palace stood rooted to the spot, dumbstruck, at a complete loss.
They had originally hoped to rally the other sects and stand united against Dan Qian Palace.
But that strategy couldn't withstand the slightest test. At the threshold of life and death, how could the other sects possibly stand shoulder to shoulder with the Sacred Sword Palace, offending Jiang Chen to the grave?
Watching the great powers stare at him with eager, desperate eyes, Jiang Chen felt not the slightest ripple in his heart, nor the faintest trace of pity or softness.
These fellows were merely being forced by circumstance. The moment they got their hands on the antidote, they could turn hostile in the very next heartbeat.
Jiang Chen would certainly not hand it over so easily.
Once the antidote was given away, the initiative would no longer be in his hands.
"Everyone, I'll speak plainly. To the Northern Abyss Sect, the price is indeed half the Earth-grade spiritual medicine — that's the friend price."
"What do I mean by friend price? Because just now, apart from the Northern Abyss Sect, every other sect was rather unfriendly. So apart from the Northern Abyss Sect, no other sect can expect to enjoy the friend price."
Jiang Chen spoke in a calm, unhurried manner.
When these words came out, everyone was stunned. Their faces quickly soured — so it turned out Jiang Chen's appetite went beyond even half the Earth-grade spiritual medicine.
Elder Xiang Qian drew a deep breath. "Nephew Jiang Chen, though I was displeased just now, I did not step forward to kick you while you were down. Even if I can't get the friend price, there should at least be a fair price, no?"
Jiang Chen smiled faintly and nodded. "Since Elder Xiang Qian puts it that way, I'll give you a fair price. One Heaven-grade spiritual medicine, half the Earth-grade spiritual medicine. Oh, and Brother Xiang Qin's medicine — I'll consider that a friendship gift. He won't need to give up half his Earth-grade spiritual medicine."
"What?" Elder Xiang Qian's voice went cold as he fixed Jiang Chen with a stare. "Did you say — Heaven-grade spiritual medicine?"