Paragon of Sin

Outside the confines of the alchemic chambers of two of the largest organizations throughout the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region, beyond their fierce competition with no tangible stacks between them, the world was trembling with seemingly inexhaustible amounts of emotions. 

The bettors wildly shouted; the assembled protesters shouted; the common people shouted. The entire cultivation world was looking towards the Everlore Domain with simply one question on their minds: "When?" 

When will the prestigious figure that was Evergod, heralded as the top authority in the Dao of Alchemy, finish concocting the Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pill?! Losses piled, families ruined, and tears flooded the streets. However, while the Golden Life Pavilion was setting up these wagers, no one saw them as being at fault for losing their money. The blame was entirely on the subject of the bets, the trust and worship being slapped upon his shoulders, yet continuously failing despite the astonishingly breathtaking opportunity the Golden Life Pavilion was offering!

Odds that were aggressively reversed, based on popularity and not likelihood, gave many bettors the dream of getting rich quick, and this single move made the entire world look towards the Everlore Association. Their hopes, their dreams, and their futures! 

Some were betting their families, their clans, and their savings for centuries, and others sold literal land belonging to their ancestors. They believed in the Everlore Association! They believed in Evergod! 

Alas…their dreams all shattered.

One year! All it took was one year and not a single announcement from the Everlore Association to send countless into total despair as the sounds of the Golden Life Pavilion shutting their doors, removing the odds, taking away the free essence stones, and returning the original betting system whereby likelihood equated to lesser odds.

At this critical moment, nearing the end of the betting stations, amidst shocking desperation to recover, organizations and cultivators alike had gotten into debt by obtaining loans to purchase for the last remaining weeks of the bet. This tactic wasn't done by most, but to those organizations that waged territory and resources, they were left with little choice after losing despite their blanket bet.

They just needed to win once! With every weekly odds of this system, just a single win would see them receiving at least double, sometimes triple profit of everything they risked prior. The Skylife Bank, the official bank of the Imperial Clan of the Aeternal Sky Starfield, and the Golden Life Bank saw too many individuals. Due to the latter's fair-in-interest loans, they got the most business.

It was ironic, really; those degenerate, desperate gamblers were at the end of their ropes that they were taking loans out from the bank that owned the betting stations. After the end of that one year, not only did the Golden Life Pavilion abscond with an inestimable amount of wealth from the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region, but they obtained legitimate territory within the vast world.

However, the drunks cursed Evergod. The originally assembled protesters moved to various Everlore Association branches, screaming and shouting while demanding answers from Evergod! A few, foolish and loud, were so bold that they demanded compensation for their losses! They hollered out the various shady practices of the Everlore Association, with the recent Ever-Domain Pill being used as the primary fuel, especially given how the Sharded God Domain Pill was close to being consumer ready. 

It flooded the market as one would expect of an eighth-grade product, purchased from the Golden Life Pavilion's branches and shops. They were frequented by many, and due to this pill, there was less resistance as the Golden Life Pavilion sought to claim the rights of certain territories throughout the Grand Cyclic Stellar Region.

By the end of the second year, various contracts were established, and quite a few of those territories became branches of Golden Life Pavilions, forcefully expanding themselves in locations that were otherwise difficult to do so. While they were minor branches, they still allowed the influence of the Golden Life Pavilion to spread. It was a little slow as there was some resistance offered.

In the third year, an announcement came!

Evergod had succeeded! 

"..." 

But the response was lukewarm. In fact, there was only fury, disdain, and hatred. 

"Inept!" They cried furiously.

"What an Alchemic Saint!" They shouted mockingly. 

"I'll never buy anything from your corrupt organization ever again!" They swore through gritted teeth!

The common people felt that the reputation of the Everlore Association wasn't worth much. The best product of the new era? Provided by the Golden Life Pavilion! The most desired pill for general cultivators, the Sharded God Domain Pill? Cost less than a fiftieth of what the Everlore Association had priced for the Ever-Domain Pill when the effect was roughly equal yet the grade was higher! 

While the price was still quite high for an eighth-grade product, it was readily supplied and useful for all cultivators, so this price felt reasonable to the general populace. But this only served to highlight the unreasonable greedy tactics of the Everlore Association. 

While the Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pill was expensive, but that was meant for Chosen or the wealthy, and normal cultivators simply wished to not fall behind while having a greater promise for their future, not rival those demon-like youths of extreme talent with deep pockets and golden spoons tucked firmly between their lips. A False Worldly Domain provided just that, and it was affordable to the point where most can save up for it! 

With the Evergod's success, the Everlore Association could now begin to sell Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pills, and due to the Golden Life Pavilion's stipulated agreement, they can now concoct the Sharded God Domain Pill and sell those as well, taking a thirty-percent cut. 

The Everlore Association's higher-ups soon learned of the twisted public opinion of the world, and they were stunned! Similarly as stipulated, those higher-ups weren't allowed to interact with the outside world until both sides completed the Neo-Dawn Eclipse Pill! They had agreed solely because they didn't feel like much would change, yet they discovered the betting stations and the resulting decline of their opinions…

They were thoroughly enraged!

Those despicable beasts! They took this opportunity to fire a missile at their legs, causing the belief of their ability to sharply drop and for countless cultivators to disdain the Everlore Association's name as the Golden Life Pavilion began to actively work against them.

The most shocking detail was the product output of the Golden Life Pavilion! The products that the Everlore Association typically offered at high prices due to their limited availability were drastically reduced in price, given discounts on bulk purchases and contractual signings, so no one felt the need to go to the Everlore Association.

Moreover, the Golden Life Pavilion's alchemical products seemingly never ran out, and they provided products at the ready, delivering them within three to five days of ordering. This was phenomenally unbelievable! Typically, for most products in alchemist organizations, especially for the Everlore Association, there was a long list for anything beyond low-quality, seventh-grade products from small and large branches. 

With how interconnected the Golden Life Pavilion was established, their ability to transport reliably across starfields was unmatched. They often acted as main shipment carriers for certain businesses, and now products flowed through those channels. 

With lower prices, extremely fast delivery times, and the endless variety of products that exceeded the Everlore Association, few decided to order products from them. Those in middle-management scrambled for solutions, but they simply couldn't match the Golden Life Pavilion while all the Mortal Sovereign Alchemists were occupied! 

During the fourth year, the Royal Clan of the Great Blue Starfield(20th) decided to obstruct the Golden Life Pavilion from establishing branches and commandeered the territories they laid claim to through the gambling habits of their citizens. This led to a swift response. An abnormally swift response.

Using the basis of rightfully reclaiming their territory against a hostile threat, the Great Blue Starfield was invaded, and the Golden Life Pavilion placed Ascended beings in those territories while openly cutting off all business with the Great Blue Starfield, including all imports and exports. The Golden Life Pavilion also issued a sanction, and any organization found trading with the existing Royal Clan will suffer the consequences.

By the fifth year, a civil war erupted within the Great Blue Starfield. By rumors, it was said a member of the Royal Clan, a descendant of the Eighth Sea Grand King, had acted due to trying to pressure Ma Luling to marry, who was stationed there as a vice-manager of a small branch to oversee ongoing projects. Whether true or not, it led to the current civil war!

By the seventh year, the Eighth Sea Grand King was surrounded and captured, forced to surrender his authority in defeat, and the Great Blue Starfield obtained another Sea Monarch, the Great Sea Oceanic Queen, now known as the Ninth Sea Grand Queen! 

-----

The eighth year since the beginning of the cooperation between the Golden Life Pavilion and the Everlore Association…

Within the Imperial Clan's Imperial Capital, Aeternal Sky City, there was a gathering of elite figures with heaven-shaking authority and reputation.

At the lead of this was none other than the Number ONE Beauty of the Aeternal Sky Starfield, Empress Xiaocheng! There were also Tian Muyang, Tian Lingyu, other Imperial Monarchs, and even Sky Monarchs such as Yang Chaoyue. Demi-Mortal Lords were also present, and they all seemed relatively solemn.

Empress Xiaocheng, however, held a faint smile on her face that drained away all color from the surroundings, making her the centerpiece of anyone's attention. "What do you all think?"

"..." No one responded as their expressions grew more solemn. 

Seeing their lack of a response, Empress Xiaocheng turned to a young navy-blue-haired woman that stood silently behind Tian Muyang, her eyes bright and lively as her thoughts flared. Then, she looked at Yang Chaoyue. 

Yang Chaoyue's trimmed eyebrows furrowed. She responded, "A calculated attack, multi-pronged, and containing several layers. The Golden Life Pavilion's stores of Alchemic Products show how deep the Endless Prosperity Horse King schemes, and how long he's planned this strike." 

Her analysis caused several eyes to brighten. They similarly echoed her sentiments. 

"Oh?" Empress Xiaocheng urged her to continue with a gesture. 

Yang Chaoyue inwardly sighed in her heart, knowing that the Empress wanted her thoughts due to her visit to Wei Wuyin three years ago. It was impossible to hide her movements as a Sky Monarch, and considering that Wei Wuyin was definitely invested in this, they wanted her 'unique' perspective. 

"The supplanting of…" She delved into her thoughts, explaining how the Great Blue Starfield's civil war was deliberate, how the betting stations were targeted towards harming the Everlore Association's reputation and trust, ruining public opinion, and then the sudden primary focus on providing alchemical products targeted the Everlore Association further. 

However, in these eight years, the Golden Life Pavilion had expanded in almost every starfield, unlike before where they might have had some channels for imports and exports, now they had full-blown void territory, cultivated realms, planets, and wealth to invest in those things, all while the Everlore Association bore the brunt of the gambling losses of everyone. 

"...simply masterful." Yang Chaoyue finished with a sigh. But Empress Xiaocheng gave her a leveled look, clearly dissatisfied that she hadn't mentioned Wei Wuyin. However, she didn't dwell on it. 

"What do you think this scheme ends with?" Empress Xiaocheng asked in a casual tone as if it wasn't a serious topic. A clamor erupted as discussions between these peak figures were held. 

"They're seeking to replace the Everlore Association?" Tian Lingyu said with narrowed eyes. With Wei Wuyin present, an existence with alchemic talent that might rival the legendary King of Everlore, this was highly possible. 

Empress Xiaocheng's smile grew a little, but no one could read her gorgeous eyes. 

"No."

"..." The eyes and heads of these peak figures turned to the navy-blue-haired young woman. 

"No? Elaborate." Empress Xiaocheng urged with interest.

The navy-blue-haired young woman was none other than Tian Xiaolu! She stepped forward, her eyes calculating and thoughtful. "If the endgame was to take over the Everlore Association, then Wei Wuyin could simply wait until he became an Alchemic Saint and simply do so, in much the same way as the King of Everlore had."

The others were taken aback. They all grew thoughtful, a solemn silence permeating throughout the room. 

"Then?" 

Tian Xiaolu took a breath and said with the utmost seriousness: "If I had to guess, then I'll say…it's a setup for a larger goal."

"Larger?"

"After the Great Blue Starfield's civil war, and knowing that the United Source Starfield's Lady Clearwind is allied with Wei Wuyin, including the open alliance between the Golden Life Pavilion and the Hexaflame Starfield, expanding into every territory to establish bases, I feel like it's preparation to…" Her words halted, but everyone present could see it now.

However, Tian Xiaolu was encouraged to continue and she unhesitatingly finished her thought: "...preparation to wage war."