[Three-Legged Golden Crow Egg]
The moment Su Min approached the massive, pulsating egg, the system's prompt materialized before her eyes.
[Three-Legged Golden Crow Egg: A royal descendant of the Golden Crow lineage, possessing noble blood. As long as the Three-Legged Golden Crow exists and the Fusang Divine Tree stands, new Golden Crows can be born from its branches. However, as a supreme divine beast, the Three-Legged Golden Crow is heavily suppressed by the Heavenly Dao. To preserve this egg, it remains incomplete.]
[Golden Crow's Oath: An ancient vow made by the Golden Crow Emperor. If someone aids in hatching this egg, the Golden Crow lineage shall pledge eternal loyalty to that individual.]
"Di Jun was once the ruler of the Golden Crow clan, commanding countless races," Su Min murmured, recalling the lore. "The other two divine beasts, the Azure Dragon of the Crystal Palace and the Great Peacock of the Floating Sky Islands, were merely his retainers. They will awaken alongside the Golden Crow's birth." A slow smile spread across her face. "So, to claim control of this entire island, all I really need to do is ensure this thing hatches."
These divine creatures were the darlings of heaven and earth, born with lifespans that dwarfed those of humans. Even at birth, they possessed millennia of natural life, and each breakthrough would extend it further. They could simply outlive every bottleneck. In the game, the Golden Crow had also assisted players with reincarnation and body possession, helping them cheat death in the most perilous moments. In essence, the Golden Crow lineage was the ultimate support system. There was no way Su Min would pass up such an opportunity.
The only downside was that they couldn't enter the Golden Core Avenue, nor did they need to. For humans, it contained countless legacies left by ancient races. But for pure-blooded divine beasts like the Golden Crow, their bloodline already carried their complete inheritance. They had no need for external legacies and were barred from entering anyway.
"I have already gathered all the necessary materials," she said, checking her spatial ring. "Golden Sun Heavenly Fruit, Flowing Water Vine, Seven-Colored Divine Grass. Mixing these into a special golden liquid should do the trick."
These weren't ordinary treasures. None could be found in the current world. In the game, players had to fight multiple major factions to obtain them, risking endless future retaliation. But this wasn't a game. Su Min had spent more than a year refining pills for various sects just to gather these ingredients. The upside was that she had built decent relations with those factions in the process.
Unlike human infants, the Golden Crow's egg didn't need refined pills, only the raw essence of the materials. Three days later, her Flame Cloud Spirit Cauldron was filled with a shimmering, viscous golden liquid.
"One final ingredient," she said to herself. "The essence blood of at least a Golden Core cultivator. Once the Golden Crow hatches, it will be blood-bound to me."
With that, she bit her tongue and spat a mouthful of her own vital blood into the cauldron. Instantly, the swirling liquid transformed, emitting a brilliant, warm golden radiance.
[Heavenly Golden Spirit Liquid: A special solution capable of accelerating the hatching of a Golden Crow egg.]
Carefully, she lifted the heavy cauldron and poured the luminous liquid into a small, almost invisible opening near the top of the golden egg. Inside, she could see flickering golden flames pulsing with a slow, rhythmic beat, like a heartbeat. The moment the liquid entered, the entire egg trembled violently. Thin, web-like veins of crimson spread across its golden surface, and a deep, resonant thumping echoed from within, like a war drum heralding the arrival of new life.
"It is already forming a new life. So fast!" Su Min marveled. As a divine beast with the Fusang Divine Tree's endless spiritual support, the Golden Crow's incubation was far quicker than she had expected.
Just then, she sensed two terrifying auras surge from different directions, one from the distant sea and another from the floating islands above. "The Peacock King and the Heavenly Azure Dragon, they are awakening too!" These two were the Golden Crow's loyal retainers, sealed here to protect its heir. Their release was triggered the moment the egg began its final hatching process. But it wasn't just them; the entire island was stirring.
Beasts of all kinds, sensing the bloodline pressure from their ancient ruler, began swarming toward the base of the golden tree. Birds of every color circled the canopy in reverence, while land creatures prostrated themselves on the ground, not daring to look up. Every creature here, especially those near the tree, were descendants of beings once ruled by the Golden Crow Emperor.
In moments, Su Min found herself standing high above a sea of beasts. Countless were at the Qi Refining stage, and dozens had reached Foundation Establishment. "No Golden Core beasts?" She did not plan to harm them; they would be valuable labor for her future sect. But she was surprised that none had reached the Golden Core stage.
"For beasts, the hardest part is not cultivation, it is gaining sentience," a youthful, clear voice rang out. "Without sufficient intelligence, they cannot even trigger the Golden Core Heavenly Tribulation."
Two figures descended beside her on the wide branch, a boy and a girl, both radiating an ethereal grace that marked them as anything but human.
"You two must be the Azure Dragon and the Peacock?" Su Min studied them with open curiosity.
The Golden Core stage was the Barrier Between Immortal and Mortal, and for divine beasts, it came with a unique ability, shapeshifting. These two were both at the early Golden Core stage, clearly assigned to protect the young Golden Crow. And their natural lifespans were far beyond any human's.
"Since you awakened our king, she will acknowledge you as her master," the boy said, his tone respectful but firm. "As long as you do not threaten her, we will also follow your commands."
"Hmm, but why are there no Golden Core beasts?" Su Min nodded but pressed her question.
"Too few beasts develop full sentience naturally," the girl, who Su Min presumed was the Peacock, explained. "Most require guidance from a higher being, like the Golden Crow. Until our king matures, these creatures cannot advance further."
Just then, a soft, melodious chirp echoed from the center of the pulsating egg. In an instant, every beast below knelt, their heads bowed. The only one left standing was Su Min.
"Oh no, I almost forgot," Su Min thought, a sudden chill running down her spine. "In the game, you could customize the Golden Crow's appearance. Wait, is this thing going to base its form on my preferences?" That was a terrifying thought. What if it hatched into some bearded, middle-aged man? That would be way too awkward.
Crack!
A piece of the golden shell fell away. A tiny, golden streak shot out into the air, circled once as if getting its bearings, then dove straight for Su Min, landing on her shoulder and nuzzling her cheek affectionately with its warm, downy head. Instinctively, Su Min reached up and scratched its tiny chin.
"It feels like a baby chick," she mused aloud.
The little Golden Crow, no larger than her palm, clung to the fabric of her robes, its golden feathers shimmering with an inner light.
But then, her face darkened as the hatchling lost its footing on her shoulder and slid down her chest, its tiny beak opening toward
"You are a Golden Crow, not a damn platypus!" she exclaimed with a deadpan expression. "If you are hungry, eat your eggshell. It is packed with your bloodline inheritance!"
She gently but firmly plucked the bird up by the scruff of its neck and tossed it back onto the large, golden fragments of its former home.
"The young mistress is still immature," the Azure Dragon retainer said, a hint of amusement in his voice as they hovered nearby. "After consuming the shell, she will enter a long slumber. Upon awakening, she will reach the current world's cultivation limit."
The little Golden Crow, completely unfazed by the rough handling, chirped happily and began pecking at the shell fragments with gusto. As a divine beast, she was clearly sturdier than she looked.
"How long will she sleep?" Su Min asked.
"About a century," the Peacock retainer answered. "Until then, we shall take turns guarding you. One of us will stay with the mistress; the other will follow your orders."
"I see. No rushing it, then." Su Min nodded. This actually suited her just fine. It gave her a full century to establish her sect on this island. With the Golden Crow's birth and her bond with it, she could now command all the spirit beasts here as her workforce. The only condition was that she could not harm the Golden Crow, which she had never planned to do anyway.
"I intend to found a sect here," she announced. "These spirit beasts will serve as guardians, but I will also need to bring in human settlers."
"As you command, Master," the two retainers said in unison, voicing no objections. In fact, they seemed supportive. Human faith and worship could aid their own cultivation, and the island was vast enough to accommodate a large population. Backed by these spirit beasts, her sect's foundation might not immediately match the ancient sects that had survived the spiritual decline, but it would quickly become a force to be reckoned with. Moreover, the environment here was unparalleled.
The Fusang Divine Tree was one of heaven and earth's divine wonders, with a unique trait shared by all wood attribute treasures, it passively enhanced its surroundings. This place was already a land of spiritual abundance, but the tree had turned it into a true cultivation paradise.
Another advantage was that every few years, the Three Great Blessed Lands would naturally produce the materials needed for Heavenly Foundation Establishment. This meant her sect could nurture far more Heavenly Foundation experts than others, though achieving it would still require exceptional talent and effort.
"Wait here for now," Su Min instructed the two retainers. "In this world, few can threaten me."
As she spoke, crimson flames ignited in her palm, their aura ancient and powerful, no less imposing than the golden tree behind her.
"Nanming Lihuo?!" the two retainers startled, then visibly relaxed. One of their hidden concerns had been that Su Min might covet the Solar True Flame. But now, seeing she possessed her own divine flame, they dismissed the worry entirely. By then, Su Min was already soaring away on her flying sword, a streak of light heading for the coast.
Her goal was simple, migrate a large population to the island. From her years of novel reading experience, she knew one thing for certain, never separate a genius from their family. What kind of top tier sect could not afford to house a disciple's parents? Bringing them along would strengthen loyalty, and the cost of supporting mortals was negligible for a major faction. Even modern nations knew to relocate entire families when recruiting top talent.
Su Min's plan was straightforward. Children with spiritual talent would be trained as core disciples. Their families, and many other mortals, would settle on the island, ensuring a stable and growing population base.
With centuries until the Great Dao fully opened, most humans would not live to see it. Natural generational turnover was inevitable. But in this incredibly rich environment, children born here would inherently possess higher cultivation aptitudes, laying the foundation for a self sustaining powerhouse.
And Su Min had all the time in the world to wait.
—
The outside world was not peaceful. While Wei Wu State had unified quickly thanks to her influence, other backwater regions were plagued by monsters. One such place was Yao Xin State. Humans there lived in constant peril, making them ideal candidates for relocation.
Soon, Su Min arrived at the shimmering barrier that marked the edge of the Blessed Lands' influence. She summoned her spatial shuttle to cross it.
Yao Xin State was even worse off than Wei Wu State had been. Due to unique local rules, monsters thrived here, their natural physiques far surpassing those of humans. Without high quality spiritual weapons, even Foundation Establishment cultivators struggled against beasts of the same level. Almost immediately after entering its airspace, Su Min heard desperate screams for help from below.
Following the sound, she spotted a small fishing village of two to three hundred people under attack by a pack of scaled, bipedal lizard monsters. The elderly, women, and children had barricaded themselves inside the village's ancestral hall, while the men, led by a boy who could not have been older than twelve, fought desperately with little more than rusty fishing spears. What caught Su Min's attention was the boy's cultivation, he was already at the Mid Body Refining Stage, and the sheer, focused killing intent radiating from him was utterly unnatural for his age.
"Good talent," she noted from her position in the clouds. "But you are nowhere near strong enough."
The lizard monsters were all Body Tempering creatures, with their alpha leader at the Qi Refining Stage. An unarmed child, no matter how determined, stood no chance. But this was exactly the kind of scenario Su Min sought.
Before leaving the Great Luo Tian State, she had stockpiled vast supplies for future settlers. And as a Grade 4 alchemist, money was never an issue.
Down in the village, the situation was dire.
Thud!
The spear wielding boy and the few villagers still standing gritted their teeth, staring down the encroaching monsters. Though older, the villagers clearly deferred to the boy. Without him, their settlement would have been wiped out long ago. But today, even their young protector looked grim.
A two meter tall, serpentine lizard, the pack's alpha, slithered forward, its sheer size and malevolent aura crushing the last vestiges of hope in the villagers' hearts. The boy's hands shook, but he charged anyway, only to be swatted aside like a fly, blood trickling from his lips. Eating humans was instinctual for most monsters. It accelerated their intelligence, a dark shortcut to greater power. But it was also a curse. The more humans a monster consumed, the deadlier its eventual Golden Core Heavenly Tribulation would be. For a Qi Refining beast, though, that was a problem for the future.
"A Qi Refining monster," the boy gasped, clutching his shattered spear, despair finally creeping in. "The one that ate Mom was Qi Refining too"
Without a proper weapon, his already inferior physique put him at a severe disadvantage. And now, the alpha lizard lunged, its maw gaping wide enough to swallow him whole.
He could not retreat. His mother was gone. His younger sister and his remaining family were huddled in the hall behind him. If he fell, the entire village died with him.
Just as he braced for the end
Boom!
A crushing, majestic aura descended from the sky, pinning the alpha lizard to the ground as if an invisible mountain had fallen upon it. The other monsters froze in terror. And then, a voice, clear and calm like celestial music, reached the boy's ears.
"Young man, you seem destined with me. Would you like to become my disciple?"
Watching the boy's utterly dumbstruck expression, Su Min, now standing gracefully before him, could not help but grin.
"Last minute rescues," she thought with immense satisfaction. "It feels damn good!"