The Almighty Dominance (by Sunshine) novel Chapter 603

Alex stepped out of the arena as if the outcome meant nothing to him—no triumph, no defeat, no lingering attachment. His expression was calm, almost indifferent.

But the truth ran deeper.

He wanted to lose.

Because standing at the top didn’t just bring glory—it brought attention. Pressure. Endless trouble that never stopped knocking at your door.

The tallest tree always caught the strongest wind.

And eventually… the woodcutters came.

Across the arena, Elder Yu approached Li Qingxue, his robe swaying with quiet authority. His eyes, however, were fixed—sharp, intent.

“Give me the pill,” he said, extending his hand. “I need to examine what kind of medicine he created.”

As a respected elder of the Medicine Pavilion, his words carried weight.

Li Qingxue hesitated for only a moment before reaching into her sleeve and taking out one of the pills Alex had refined. She placed it carefully into Elder Yu’s palm.

The elder lifted it slowly, studying its surface… then brought it closer to his nose.

He inhaled.

And froze.

His eyes widened—just slightly, but enough to betray the shock beneath his composure.

“Just the scent…” he murmured, voice low with disbelief. “My entire body feels refreshed… as if every cell has awakened.”

A ripple of whispers spread through the crowd.

“But…” Elder Yu continued, “I cannot determine its full effect without testing it myself.”

Before anyone could respond—before Li Qingxue could even react—he tossed the pill into his mouth.

Gasps echoed.

Without asking permission.

Without hesitation.

Elder Yu immediately sat down, crossing his legs as he entered a meditative state.

The arena fell into an uneasy silence.

All eyes locked onto him.

Minutes stretched.

Ten… twenty… thirty.

The tension thickened, pressing against every breath as the crowd waited for his verdict.

Then—

Elder Yu opened his eyes.

But instead of clarity, there was only confusion.

A deep, unsettling confusion.

“This is… strange,” he said slowly, his brows furrowing. “The effect… it’s difficult to define.”

He turned to Li Qingxue, his gaze now sharper—hungrier.

“I need another pill,” he said. “Only then can I accurately determine its true value—how much cultivation it provides.”

Li Qingxue hesitated this time.

Something felt… off.

But under the weight of countless watching eyes—and the authority of an elder—she still took out another pill and handed it over.

The moment it touched his hand, something in Elder Yu’s expression shifted.

Subtle.

But unmistakable.

Greed.

Still, no one spoke.

No one dared.

He swallowed the second pill without delay and returned to meditation.

Again, the crowd waited.

Half an hour passed.

When Elder Yu opened his eyes this time—

A surge of energy rippled outward.

Even those with weaker cultivation could feel it.

He had advanced.

A breakthrough.

The crowd erupted into murmurs, shock spreading like wildfire.

But Elder Yu’s face…

Wasn’t triumphant.

It was troubled.

Deeply troubled.

“This pill…” he muttered, his voice strained now. “Sometimes it’s potent… unbelievably so. And other times… it’s almost nothing.”

His gaze flicked toward Li Qingxue again—more urgent now, more desperate.

“I must test it again,” he insisted. “One more pill. This time, I will be absolutely certain. There will be no mistake.”

But now…

Everyone could see it.

Something was wrong with Elder Yu.

“Elder Yu,” Another elder stepped forward, his expression dark with irritation, “have you suddenly gone senile? You’re from the Medicine Pavilion—yet you can’t even judge a pill’s potency? You’ve already consumed two, and you’re telling us you still don’t understand?”

Elder Hou stepped to Li Qingxue’s side, his tone shifting instantly, smooth and persuasive.

“Miss Li Qingxue,” he said, offering a faint smile, “those pills are extremely valuable. Only five were created—two have already been used. That leaves three.”

His eyes flicked briefly toward Elder Yu, then back to her.

“Don’t waste another one on him,” he continued calmly. “Give it to me. I’ll evaluate it properly. I’ll tell you exactly how potent it is.”

Li Qingxue hesitated… then nodded.

She handed him a pill.

Elder Hou took it with careful reverence, lifting it to his nose. He inhaled slowly, eyes narrowing.

Fresh.

Pure.

Powerful.

A trace of excitement flickered across his face.

Without another word, he sat down, crossing his legs as he slipped into a meditative state. The pill disappeared into his mouth.

The crowd held its breath once again.

Time dragged.

Another half hour passed.

Finally, Elder Hou opened his eyes.

His gaze met Elder Yu’s.

For a brief moment—too brief for most to notice—something passed between them.

Understanding.

Then Elder Hou let out a long, heavy sigh.

“This pill…” he said slowly, shaking his head. “It’s… unusual. Difficult to fully comprehend.”

He turned back to Li Qingxue, his tone now measured, almost reluctant.

“I believe I’ll need another one to be certain. Only then can I determine its true value.”

Li Qingxue frowned.

Something didn’t add up.

Testing a pill… measuring its cultivation effect… it shouldn’t be this complicated. For elders of their level, this should have been effortless.

Yet here they were—uncertain, confused, asking for more.

Still…

She wasn’t from the Medicine Pavilion.

She didn’t fully understand their methods.

“Miss Li Qingxue,” Elder Hou pressed gently, “you still have two pills left. Give me one more. I promise you—I’ll tell you exactly how much cultivation it provides.”

“Enough.”

A voice thundered across the arena.

The Peak Leader stepped forward, his presence instantly silencing the crowd.

His gaze swept over Elder Yu and Elder Hou—sharp, piercing, seeing far more than they intended to show.

“Give the pill to me,” he said coldly. “These two are clearly playing games.”

Li Qingxue didn’t hesitate this time.

She handed him the pill.

The Peak Leader took it without ceremony, sat down, and entered meditation.

The arena fell silent once more.

Half an hour passed.

Then—

He opened his eyes.

And his face turned red with fury.

“Elder Yu! Elder Hou—you bastards!”

His voice exploded like thunder.

But the two elders were already gone.

Vanished.

The realization spread through the crowd like a shockwave.

“Peak Leader…” Li Qingxue stepped forward, confusion written across her face. “What happened?”

His jaw tightened.

“That pill,” he said, his voice heavy with anger, “contains the equivalent of fifty years of cultivation at the Foundation Building stage.”

Gasps erupted.

“It’s pure energy—refined, adaptable, usable across multiple elements.”

His eyes burned with fury.

“And those two… pretended they couldn’t understand it—just to consume more.”

His fists clenched.

“They weren’t testing the pill.”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify