After the eight Emperor-Grade Embryonic Pills were delivered to the eight factions, every force of any renown in the Central Plains learned of them within three days.
In the Council Hall deep within the Ancient Realm, Gu Yuan sat at the head, the Emperor-Grade Embryonic Pill resting before him. They had already confirmed that it was indeed a half-finished emperor-grade pill.
Several elders were present, but none spoke first. Whoever sought to sacrifice the living beings of the Central Plains would become the enemy of the entire Dou Qi Continent.
Refining all eight pills together would require no killing, but gathering all eight meant tearing apart relations with the other seven factions.
"Zhu Kun scattered the pills to make us descend into chaos ourselves," Gu Yuan finally said.
"He had eight of them and gave them all away, keeping none for himself," an elder added. "It's plainly an open scheme."
Gu Yuan nodded.
Eight pills had been distributed among eight factions, with the Soul Clan alone excluded. The eight would suspect and guard against one another; whoever reached out first would die first.
With the Soul Clan deliberately left out, it was bound to cause trouble. Once the Central Plains became a seething pot of chaos, whatever Zhu Kun intended to do next would be much easier.
The problem was that the Ancient Clan could not return this pill. An Emperor-Grade Embryonic Pill was the key to becoming a Dou Di. If they took it, they had to guard against others coming to seize it; if they refused it, they could not reconcile themselves to letting it go.
"Then what should we do?" an elder asked.
"Pass down the order. Strengthen the Ancient Realm's defenses. All elders at the Dou Sheng level and above will take turns standing watch.
"All