Ordinarily, Emperor Pillzenith was a competent and restrained man. But the Pinecrane Pill had become an object of obsession to him. He desperately wanted one. He knew better than anyone else what the pill meant.

“Your Majesty, how real is the Pinecrane Pill?” Baili found it difficult to believe the pill was real.

“I haven’t held it in my own hands, so I can’t say for sure,” the emperor sighed softly. “Pill King Hui, you had a chance that day, correct?”

“Your Majesty, the pill I was given was truly extraordinary. It had an aura unlike any other pill I’ve seen. I highly suspect it was the Pinecrane Pill.”

“Your Majesty, Sacred Peafowl Mountain will attract a great deal of people with that pill of theirs. Our Pill-Martial Summit will have a lot of popularity stolen away from it.” Baili Shengzhi’s voice was dark. Veluriyam Capital’s windmill counterattack put him rather suddenly onto the back foot.

Wandering cultivators were a pragmatic bunch. Threats and intimidation had little effect. Most...