Jiang Chen felt nothing but contempt for both of these great sects. Watching them tear each other apart was certainly a sight he relished.
However, at the moment, Jiang Chen had no time to enjoy the spectacle.
He had been away from the Crystal Pagoda City for a considerable stretch. The journey to the barbaric wastelands had gone smoothly enough, but detoxifying Huang'er had taken several months, and breaking through to the Heaven Saint realm had consumed another few. All told, a great deal of time had passed.
By his calculations, he had undoubtedly missed the opening ceremony of the Crystal Pagoda Assembly.
The Crystal Pagoda Assembly was held once every sixty years — one full cycle of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. It was an exceptional stage for the geniuses of the Crystal Pagoda City to rise to prominence.
The assembly officially commenced on the fifteenth of the third month.
Jiang Chen did a quick calculation — it should already be April by now. That meant the Pill Tower competition was already underway.
Fortunately, Jiang Chen's standing in alchemy within the Crystal Pagoda City was already so exalted that he had no need to participate in the Pill Tower competition to make a name for himself. Missing it was no cause for regret.
The fact that the Nine Sun Heavenly Sect and the Immortal Execution Heaven were locked in a fierce struggle actually provided considerable convenience for Jiang Chen and Huang'er's journey.
Meanwhile, in Crystal Pagoda City, the battle of the Pill Tower was already in full swing.
Perhaps spurred on by the legend of "Pill King Zhen," the Pill Tower competition at this Crystal Pagoda Tower gathering had drawn an extraordinary number of participants. Alchemy prodigies from every corner saw the battle of the Pill Tower as a rare opportunity to rise in status. In no time, countless talents emerged, making the competition spectacularly exciting.
And Pill King Zhen, whom Crystal Pagoda City revered as a godlike figure, had not entered this Pill Tower competition at all — which only inflamed the ambitions of many gifted alchemists even further. They were determined to stand out in the battle of the Pill Tower, seize the championship, and become the next great alchemy prodigy to follow in Pill King Zhen's footsteps.
The only blemish on the affair was that the very same Pill King Zhen, who had defeated Pill Fire City, had not appeared at the Crystal Pagoda Tower gathering at all. Many alchemy prodigies publicly called for the world-renowned Pill King Zhen to serve as a judge for the battle of the Pill Tower.
The outcry was enormous — it swept through the entire city like wildfire.
At first, no one took it seriously, but the mounting chorus of voices coalesced into a powerful force that ultimately reached the ears of the Seven Emperors.
In the end, the Peacock Emperor had no choice but to step forward and pacify the crowd, explaining that Pill King Zhen had gone traveling abroad for further training and had not yet returned. Since everyone was so eager, the Peacock Emperor also pledged that he would do his best to locate Pill King Zhen.
The Peacock Emperor was, as ever, patient and composed. He still firmly believed that Jiang Chen would keep his promise to return for the Crystal Pagoda Tower gathering — so long as no mishap had befallen him.
However, at this Crystal Pagoda Tower gathering, the Peacock Emperor seemed notably low-key, delegating much of the matter to several other emperors to handle and refraining from appearing in public himself.
This subtle shift in behavior set off barely perceptible ripples throughout Crystal Pagoda City. Many could not help but wonder: had His Majesty the Peacock Emperor grown old at last? Or was it that, after the tragic death of his personal disciple, Young Master Fan, the grief had run so deep that he had lost hope in Crystal Pagoda City's legacy?
Thinking further, was this the prelude to elevating the Shura Great Emperor?
Although on the surface, there had been no official announcements or statements to that effect. Yet various signs all seemed to subtly point in that direction.
This subtle shift had allowed the various clan factions under the Shura Great Emperor to regain some prominence at this Crystal Pagoda Tower gathering.
The shadow left behind by the fall of the Royal Court Great Clan seemed to have vanished as well.
In contrast, the great clans under the Peacock Emperor had taken a far more low-key approach. Although the Coiling Dragon Clan Master had appeared at the gathering, rumors now circulated throughout Crystal Pagoda City that his remaining lifespan was nearly spent — his cultivation would dissipate within a year or two, perhaps even a month or two.
The current Coiling Dragon Clan Master was already like a lamp with its oil nearly exhausted, an arrow at the end of its flight — a spent force.
The Peacock Emperor's low profile, combined with the low profile of his foremost clan, added a host of unspoken tensions to this Crystal Pagoda Tower gathering.
Within the Coiling Dragon Great Clan's estate, the Clan Master sat with a deeply furrowed brow. Beside him, Young Master Ji San stood with his own brow tightly knit, his expression tinged with worry.
"Third, have you heard any word from Pill King Zhen?" the Coiling Dragon Clan Master asked with a soft sigh.
Young Master Ji San answered dejectedly, "Not yet."
The Coiling Dragon Clan Master picked up a list, studied it over and over, and let out a sigh: "The Pill Tower Competition rankings have all been tallied — both the top one hundred among the great family scions and the top one hundred among independent cultivators."
"Out of all the scions of His Majesty the Peacock Great Emperor's lineage, only twenty-three secured a place in the top one hundred — already the lowest in history. Meanwhile, His Majesty the Shura Great Emperor's faction has claimed twenty seats, nearly catching up. The two powers are now locked in a tight race."
The Coiling Dragon Clan Master was visibly disheartened by this state of affairs.
Young Master Ji San was equally dejected: "If it weren't for the fall of the Royal Court Clan, the Shura Great Emperor's faction would likely have matched the Peacock's line outright."