One month later. It wasn't really that long.
Danhuo City's formidable reputation spoke for itself. Though the battle hadn't begun yet, the news had already spread like wildfire across the world. But virtually every human territory's faction leaned overwhelmingly in favor of Danhuo City.
After all, in the field of alchemy, the landscape of the entire human domain had remained unchanged for over three thousand years. Danhuo City had been the undisputed dominator almost the entire time.
Glazed Royal City was no slouch, of course, but in the realm of medicinal pills, it had only sprouted some promise over the past millennium or so—nowhere near enough to pose a genuine threat to Danhuo City.
Setting aside the storm of speculation raging outside, even within Peacock Sacred Mountain there were numerous doubts. The Four Great Sovereigns all found His Majesty the Peacock Great Emperor's decision difficult to fathom.
Why did His Majesty the Peacock Great Emperor place such trust in this Alchemist King Zhen?
With Peacock Sacred Mountain's alchemical foundation, going up against Danhuo City was practically a hopeless endeavor.
Anyone with half a brain knew that Danhuo City was the kind of existence in the alchemy world that simply could not be challenged.
Yet His Majesty the Peacock Great Emperor insisted on pressing forward regardless, placing all his hopes on an outside Alchemist King.
True, this future Alchemist King had displayed remarkable alchemical talent, and that had genuinely stunned everyone.
But could talent alone really shake Danhuo City's thousands of years of supremacy? Even the most optimistic among them, Bright Sovereign Yunzhong, had no confidence in his heart.
On several occasions, the Four Great Sovereigns had tactfully raised their concerns with the Peacock Great Emperor, but the response they received each time was nothing more than the Emperor's enigmatic smile.
Bright Sovereign Zhensui was the most blunt of all: "Your Majesty, this Alchemist King Zhen may possess extraordinary talent, but I feel that his origins are unknown. What if this is a scheme planted by Danhuo City? If so, our Peacock Sacred Mountain will be in serious trouble."
This wasn't just Bright Sovereign Zhensui's suspicion—it puzzled the other sovereigns as well. Even Bright Sovereign Yunzhong, the most loyal and devoted of them all, felt a twinge of uncertainty this time.
After all, the wagered duel with Danhuo City amounted to making their conflict completely public.
True, a clash between Glazed Royal City and Danhuo City was inevitable sooner or later. But arriving so suddenly, in this manner, none of them had been mentally prepared.
Yet His Majesty the Peacock Great Emperor appeared absolutely resolved this time, intent on having his way regardless. No matter how they advised—whether tactfully or directly—nothing could shake his determination.
Even several other Great Emperors from Glazed Royal City had quietly visited Peacock Sacred Mountain, subtly reminding the Peacock Great Emperor that a battle with Danhuo City would have far-reaching consequences—was it truly necessary?
The Peacock Great Emperor's stance was singular and unwavering: Fight!
This attitude was absolute, and no one could change it.
Seeing the Peacock Great Emperor so resolute, everyone understood the matter was beyond alteration.
As for the person at the center of it all, Jiang Chen returned to his quarters and immediately entered closed-door cultivation, deaf to all the noise and chatter outside.
He knew that since Danhuo City was dead set on obtaining the Ten Thousand Years Pill, whoever they sent this time would certainly not be ordinary.
But in the field of alchemy, Jiang Chen had never feared anyone. He couldn't think of anyone on the Divine Abyss Continent who could make him feel the slightest apprehension in alchemical matters.
Especially when it came to the Ten Thousand Years Pill, Jiang Chen simply didn't take anyone from Danhuo City seriously.
Never mind an Alchemist King—even if an Alchemist Emperor showed up, Jiang Chen would crush them all the same.
Countless rumors continued to circulate throughout Glazed Royal City. Dozens of different versions of "Alchemist King Zhen's" backstory had appeared.
Some said that in his youth, Alchemist King Zhen had received secret teachings from a mysterious figure, and his alchemical talent had already surpassed the level of Alchemist King.
Others whispered that Alchemist King Zhen might be an infiltrator sent by an enemy force, deliberately sowing chaos in Glazed Royal City.
And of course, there were those who claimed Alchemist King Zhen was nothing more than a con artist trading on a false reputation. If Peacock Sacred Mountain trusted him this much, they were sure to suffer a devastating loss.
In short, every manner of story was making the rounds. The spy theory in particular, dressed up by certain interested parties, spread with vivid and convincing detail.
Surprisingly, the Peacock Great Emperor took no measures whatsoever to suppress the rumors.
For a time, Glazed Royal City was swept up in a whirlwind of gossip and speculation.
Lord Panlong and the Wei family, following the Peacock Great Emperor's instructions, made no public statements and took no actions.
It was as if they were entirely unconcerned about the impending battle.
They went about their business as usual, with absolutely no sense of urgency about preparing for war.
As for Jiang Chen, he simply sealed himself in deep meditation, shutting out all the storms raging beyond his doors.
His goal at this moment was singular and clear: to push with everything he had toward the sixth level of the Saint Realm.
After obtaining two Saint Smile Pills last time, Jiang Chen had glimpsed hope of breaking through to the Heavenly Saint Realm. If he reached the sixth level of the Saint Realm, a single Saint Smile Pill would allow him to charge straight into the seventh level.
Fueled by this motivation, Jiang Chen's drive burned brighter than ever.
Stacked with countless Saint Essence Pills, Jiang Chen's cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds each day. Combined with the refinement and absorption of Dragon Crystals, he was making steady, rapid progress toward the sixth level of the Saint Realm—one firm step at a time, closing in on his target.