The Extreme Alchemist of the Mighty Cauldron
Chapter 1444 - Chapter 1444 Chapter 1542 Tiger-Head Mask

Chapter 1444: Chapter 1542: Tiger-Head Mask Chapter 1444: Chapter 1542: Tiger-Head Mask Seven years, neither particularly long nor short, had been enough for many things to transpire.

Following the great war between the two lands, the Nine Countries began to lick their own wounds. The war had severely depleted their strength, but fortunately, they had ultimately emerged victorious.

The annihilation of nations demanded rebuilding, an exceedingly tedious and complex matter. Nations striving to truly return to normalcy required many years, and it wasn’t something that could be accomplished overnight.

In retrospect, this had been the most arduous war the Nine Countries had ever faced; at its most critical moment, almost half of the Nine Countries’ territory was occupied by the three sects.

Many places were in dire need of revival. Fortunately, the Upper Three Countries retained enough strength to undertake the reconstruction of both the Lower and Middle Three Kingdoms.

The pattern of the Nine Countries had also shifted as a result of this war between the two lands.

Before the war, the Upper Three Countries and the Pill Alliance were co-dominant, their strengths fairly matched–a pillar within the Nine Countries.

However, following the war’s end, the Pill Alliance had fallen into decline; its power greatly reduced, with divided loyalties. Most significantly, the secession of the influential Long Family had led to an exodus of many Alchemy Tao families from the Pill Alliance.

The Pill Alliance was largely comprised of Alchemy Tao families led by the Long Family. With the Longs’ departure, other families inevitably followed suit.

Having lost these Alchemy Tao families, the Pill Alliance’s power was less than half of what it had been at its peak. The number of registered Pill Refiners dwindled sharply. Many seasoned Pill Refiners, disheartened, left the Pill Alliance, and the younger refiners, dispirited by the state of the alliance, also departed.

Were it not for the vast interests and enterprises, as well as a group of high-ranking officials still loyal to the Pill Alliance, it would have barely clung to existence.

With the Pill Alliance weakened and the Upper Three Countries also having expended their vital energy in the war, it was the Alchemy Tao families that had departed from the alliance which coalesced to form a third major force in the Nine Countries.

This formidable force, led by the Long Family and consisting almost entirely of Alchemy Tao families, banded together, becoming an entity capable of standing toe-to-toe with the Upper Three Countries and the Pill Alliance.

Such emergence of new powers following a war between the two lands was a recurring event; there would always be new forces aspiring to claim their share of the vast expanse of the Nine Countries.

Concerning the rise of the Alchemy Tao families, the Upper Three Countries remained calm, showing no concern or opposition; in fact, they even offered covert help and support.

On the contrary, it was the Pill Alliance that was uneasy about the unification of the Alchemy Tao families.

The Pill Alliance feared that these families, banding together, might usurp their place and become another Pill Alliance.

As both were founded on Alchemy Tao and Pill Refiners, if the Alchemy Tao families united under the Long Family–a deeply rooted and influential clan–the fading Pill Alliance was certainly vulnerable to disruption.

Fortunately, the Long Family and other Alchemy Tao families had not expressed intentions to establish a second Pill Alliance, but they completely cut off all associations with the Pill Alliance–indifference met any overture from the alliance.

The particularly distressing fact for the Pill Alliance was that most of the Pill Refiners who had left joined the Alchemy Tao families.

And these families welcomed them with open arms; as long as one hadn’t committed any unconscionable acts, they could become a Guest Elder of any Alchemy Tao family, enjoying abundant resources for cultivation.

It was well-known that each Alchemy Tao family was immensely wealthy, the longer established the family, the deeper their foundations.

The combined heritage of these Alchemy Tao families now even surpassed that of the present Pill Alliance.

Whether it was for the fame of the Alchemy Tao families or for the generous treatment, those Pill Refiners with nowhere else to turn would always choose to join an Alchemy Tao family.

Anyone with discerning eyes could see that in the future, the Alchemy Tao World of the Nine Countries would undergo many events. Presently, things might seem peaceful, but when interests are involved, the Pill Alliance and the Alchemy Tao families would ultimately come into opposition.

The Upper Three Countries were happy to see such a situation arise; no matter how you put it, the Three Emperors did not wish to see a powerful Pill Alliance. This kind of struggle between two powers would prevent the Upper Three Countries from witnessing the rise of another strong Pill Alliance, facilitating better control over the vast lands of the Nine Countries.

Even among many dominant figures in the Upper Three Countries, there were plans to swallow up both the Pill Alliance and the Alchemy Tao families.

However, such plans were currently unrealistic. All sides had been weakened by the great war between the two lands, and it was unlikely that anything too intense would happen at this time.

…

Within the territory of what was once Ling Country in the Middle Three Kingdoms, one could see vast expanses of ruins and broken walls.

Ling Country, once prosperous, had become scorched earth during the great war between the two lands. Fortunately, unlike the Lower Three Kingdoms, it had not completely perished. The royal family still existed, had survived the most difficult period, and now it was time for national restoration.

In a desolate and ruined city in the northern part of Ling Country, there were many bodies. A great battle had taken place here, and many Martial Artists had fallen.

A group of five people arrived in this ruined city, each one dressed in black robes, exuding an ominous aura.

“Haha, so many bodies, just perfect for refining a batch of Corpse-Poison Pills.” One of the black-robed young men looked at the many bodies not far away and couldn’t help but laugh.

“The war has ended, just the right time for us, Poison Pill Masters, to make our move.” Another elderly woman spoke in a somber tone.

“Hehe, the Pill Alliance is now dominated by us, Poison Pill Masters. Even if we go a bit overboard, no one will point fingers at us anymore,” said a skeletal old man.

This group of five were Poison Pill Masters. They had come to this desolate city intending to use the uncleaned bodies to refine poison pills.

“Hm?” Suddenly, the black-robed young man who had spoken first looked up, the sunshine a bit dazzling, causing him to squint his eyes and notice a figure standing on the broken city wall.

“So, there are still living people in this city,” the black-robed young man sneered.

The other four also turned to look upon hearing this, all noticing the figure standing above.

“Hey, lucky us, encountering a live one, just right to test our drugs,” the elderly woman said, her eyes gleaming with glee.

The figure on the heights leaped, appearing tall but as light as a feather during the descent, making no sound at all.

When the five Poison Pill Masters got a clear look at the person, they were all taken aback.

This individual was draped in a crimson robe, with pitch-black armor underneath for protection, a golden Tiger-Head Mask on his head, and something carried on his back, wrapped in grey cloth, its nature indiscernible.

“Playing ghost tricks,” the black-robed young man sneered, finding the person before him rather interesting.

In the next moment, a flash of a blade appeared. Before the young man’s words had faded, a head had already fallen to the ground.

ps: Here’s the third update, continuing to write

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