The crowd was further astonished. If the previously mentioned Spirit Imperial City, Ink Snow Sect, Yin Ruins, North Sea Langdu Sect, and the Mu Family of Luo City were included, the factions holding an affirmative stance had reached eight.

Especially since this included two major Spirit Clans.

Most people knew of Long Zhaojun of the Dragon Spirit Clan, but they were quite unfamiliar with the Pill Masters of the Flower Spirit Clan. Recently, some people had occasionally glimpsed the figures of Hua Yaolin and Hua Qiongyu, but once they learned the two were merely Sixth-Grade Pill Masters, their interest waned. Little did they expect them to hail from the Butterfly Flower Secret Realm.

While the Flower Spirit Clan’s current pill refining capability was not strong, the clan possessed quite a few secret elixirs.

The situation with the Dragon Spirit Clan was roughly similar.

When did Nie Kong acquire such great influence, capable of swaying two major Spirit Clans? Was he borrowing the might of the Wood Ancestor of the Yin Ruins as well? With so many factions supporting him, this matter seemed irreversible...

The assembled company sighed inwardly, wanting to agree yet deeply unwilling, their minds wavering back and forth.

Nie Kong chuckled, "All you esteemed seniors are already aware that with my humble strength, this entire process would not require such convolution; merely gathering all manner of spirit medicines would suffice. However, doing so would inevitably show insufficient respect toward all of you seniors, and the sects and families you represent. Therefore, I have invited all you seniors here today. Anyone who is willing to grant me this favor, upon departing the Spirit Manor, shall receive a generous reward from me."

"A generous reward?"

A Seventh-Grade Pill Master couldn't help but offer a wry smile. "What sort of generous reward?"

Nie Kong’s smile faded, his expression becoming solemn. "A Seventh-Grade Spirit Medicine with a medicinal potency fusion reaching the perfect ten-tenths!"

"What?"

The crowd erupted in shock, several individuals nearly springing up from their meditation cushions uncontrollably.

Spirit medicines with ten-tenths fusion had always existed only in legend; none of them had ever seen one. There were tales that Eighth-Grade Pill Kings possessed the ability to refine medicines with ten-tenths fusion, yet You Li and the others knew clearly that let alone ten-tenths, refining even a single spirit medicine above nine-and-a-half-tenths fusion was extraordinarily difficult.

Yet here was Nie Kong, actually offering a Seventh-Grade Spirit Medicine with ten-tenths fusion as a token of gratitude.

There were already over ten factions inside the Pure Heart Hall that had publicly accepted Nie Kong's challenge. Adding the Flower Spirit Clan and Dragon Spirit Clan brought the total to around twenty. This meant Nie Kong would need to distribute nearly twenty Seventh-Grade Spirit Medicines of perfect fusion. Did he truly possess so many rare, millennium-unseen wonders?

Although the grade of a Seventh-Grade Spirit Medicine was lower than an Eighth-Grade Spirit Medicine, for Pill Masters, especially high-grade ones, even a thousand Eighth-Grade Spirit Medicines held less value than a single Seventh-Grade Spirit Medicine with ten-tenths fusion. If one could possess a flawless elixir, observing it constantly would yield immeasurable benefits.

In that instant, it wasn't just the yet-uncommitted You Li and Hua Qi, but even Mu Zhonglou, Ling Xiao, and Tai Lanxiang whose hearts were profoundly shaken.

What a grand gesture! Nie Kong truly wielded incredible means!

"Nie Kong, are you speaking the truth?"

True Man Yue spoke up impatiently, his face suffused with a faint red glow, his bald head appearing even more radiant with excitement.

Nie Kong nodded. "Naturally, it is true."

You Li's turbulent emotions slowly calmed, and a thread of doubt surfaced. "Nie Kong, where did you acquire so many Seventh-Grade Spirit Medicines of ten-tenths fusion?"

Nie Kong smiled. "Naturally, they were refined by my own hands."

"What, refined by you?"

"Nie Kong, I know your pill refining skills are formidable, but spirit medicines with ten-tenths fusion..."

"Could these be the elixirs from the Illusionary Spirit Continent ten thousand years ago?"

"..."

One stone sent a thousand ripples through the hall; as soon as Nie Kong’s words fell, a clamor broke out inside the Pure Heart Hall.

No matter how much they admired his skill in pill refining, they found it hard to believe Nie Kong could forge Seventh-Grade Spirit Medicines with ten-tenths fusion. Only at their level did they truly understand how difficult such medicines were to create! If Nie Kong had claimed those marvelous medicines were unearthed within the Spirit Manor, they would not have been surprised.

When even Ninth-Grade and Tenth-Grade Pills could appear, a few ten-tenths fusion elixirs wouldn't be out of the question. However, seeing Nie Kong maintaining his gentle smile, unruffled and composed, and making no attempt to refute their doubts, the volume of the crowd unconsciously lowered after the brief uproar.

"All esteemed seniors, please observe."

Just then, Nie Kong suddenly withdrew a small phial from his robes.

The assembled company instinctively focused their gazes. The moment Nie Kong pulled out the stopper, a dazzling golden light burst forth from the mouth of the bottle. Accompanying the golden light was an intensely agile aura—sharp and piercing—which even the lowest-cultivated Ling Yanluo could sense.

"This is..."

As everyone stared in bewildered uncertainty, Nie Kong abruptly inverted the bottle, and a golden pill immediately tumbled out, rolling into his palm.

The crowd inhaled sharply. They stared fixedly at Nie Kong’s palm; the Pure Heart Hall fell instantly silent, save for the sound of catching one's breath.

"The 'Void Penetrating Golden Pill'? Am I mistaken?"

After a long moment, Hua Yi rubbed her eyes and murmured the name. Nie Kong smiled faintly, the ball of golden light suspended by spiritual energy, drifting toward the Supreme Elder of the Heaven and Earth Sect.

Hua Shi involuntarily reached out and caught the spirit medicine.

After examining it closely and inhaling the medicinal fragrance, she closed her eyes. In less than ten seconds, Hua Yi’s eyes snapped open, her face flushed with excitement, her withered palms trembling. "By the Void Penetrating Golden Pill! It truly is the 'Void Penetrating Golden Pill'! The medicinal potency fusion... ten-tenths!"

"Brother Hua, quickly let me see it."

True Man Yue snatched the spirit medicine. Once he made such a move, the surrounding crowd could no longer remain seated, and they pressed forward, even You Li and Ling Xiao struggling to maintain their composed postures as they squeezed toward the center.

Tan Zhong, who moments ago had harbored intense hatred for Nie Kong, now felt embarrassed to display his curiosity. Sitting isolated, Tan Zhong felt as if sitting on pins and needles, his gaze frequently darting toward the crowd. After ten seconds, seeing that Nie Kong seemed not to notice him, he could bear it no longer and jumped up.

"It is indeed the 'Void Penetrating Golden Pill'!"

"Such strong spiritual intent; it seems capable of automatically absorbing surrounding spiritual energy elements. If left for a thousand years, it might truly attain sentience and take human form!"

"It is rumored that the Lord of Spirit Imperial City also possesses the ability to refine the 'Void Penetrating Golden Pill'; could this be his masterpiece?"

"Him? He might be able to refine a 'Void Penetrating Golden Pill,' but absolutely not one with ten-tenths fusion. Moreover, he currently suffers from a strange malady; whether he can refine anything is questionable!"

"Correct. If my judgment is not mistaken, this 'Void Penetrating Golden Pill' was completed within the last two days, likely refined just yesterday."

"This Nie Kong is truly remarkable; the title of First Pill King is surely his!"

"..."

Nearly fifteen minutes later, the 'Void Penetrating Golden Pill' was returned to Nie Kong’s hand. After the crowd returned to their respective cushions and resumed sitting, their inner turmoil remained far from settled.