"That woman just… kills someone and then calmly leaves the mess for others to clean up?"
Su Min stared at the cool, smooth jade slip in her palm, her fingers curling around it with a deep, frustrated frown.
The former Lunar Sovereign was not just some random, powerful cultivator. She was an existence that had once stood at the very peak of the Mahayana stage, a true sovereign of her era. Her physical body might have died, but her potent soul had endured, forcibly split into two opposing halves. Even the so-called 'good' half had been dangerous and unstable enough that Yao Xian'er had no choice but to seal it away in its own isolated secret realm. The evil half, festering with Fallen energy... if that thing ever fully awakened, Su Min knew with cold certainty she would not stand a chance against it. Not even with Xie Yingying fighting by her side.
That was probably the real reason why Yao Xian'er had just flicked her sleeve, shoved the jade slip into her hand, and unceremoniously sent her on her way without another word of explanation. She knew Su Min was the only one with both a motive and the potential power to handle it.
The sheer, unmitigated nerve of it.
"If this were her first life, I would have beaten her up already," Su Min muttered under her breath, her lips twitching at the memory of the other woman's infuriatingly calm demeanor. The flippant attitude grated on her, especially after delivering such a heavy, life-altering revelation. But then, Yao Xian'er had never been the type for pleasantries or guilt. She dealt in facts and consequences.
With a long sigh, Su Min looked down at the jade slip again. It was both a locator and an alarm. It would send a sharp spiritual pulse to warn her just before the evil soul began to stir in its prison, and then, regardless of the immense distance, it would activate a one-time teleportation array to take her directly to the sealed location.
She was not sure if Yao Xian'er was truly washing her hands of the whole mess, or if something deeper and more personal was stopping her from getting involved directly. The look on her face when she had handed over the jade had been... strange. Not cold, not resigned. Just quiet. Complicated, like a faded painting full of forgotten stories.
Su Min narrowed her eyes, the pieces clicking together in her mind. "There is definitely more to that story. Between her and that former Lunar Sovereign."
A part of her did not want to understand. It was ancient history, a tragedy that was not hers to bear. But another part of her, the part that loved Xie Yingying, felt a chilling sense of resonance. The look in Yao Xian'er's eyes, that deep, old bitterness, the crushing weight of centuries and regrets, was not entirely unfamiliar to her anymore.
The path to true immortality was agonizingly long and profoundly solitary. Lifetimes could stretch on for millennia while everyone else, friends, rivals, lovers, faded away like morning mist. To find even one person to walk that endless path with was a rare, precious, and terrifyingly fragile thing.
If Yao Xian'er had once had that, and lost it to pride, to a twisted fate, to the maddening hunger for more power that defined their world... then maybe this was not just a simple delegation of duty. Maybe it was her own version of a long-overdue atonement, a chance to see a similar story end differently.
It still did not make the immediate situation any less annoying or dangerous. Su Min sighed again and tucked the jade slip securely into her innermost sleeve, close to her skin. She was the one left holding the broom for a catastrophe-level mess. "Just great," she muttered under her breath, the words tasting sour. "Guess I am the designated cleaner now."
Even so, she could not bring herself to truly resent it. Not deep down.
Not when Xie Yingying was the one out there, alone, drawn to the haunting resonance of that sealed soul. Not when that slumbering evil might one day reach for her through the frozen echoes of the past, trying to claim another Lunar Sovereign as its vessel.
If there was even a sliver of a chance, a single percent of a threat, Su Min would be there first. She would stand between Xie Yingying and that ancient darkness before it could even stir, before the mournful echo could become a consuming scream. She had already made her choice the moment she understood the bond between them. Even if it meant cleaning up a mess left by the ghosts of another era, a mess that was not hers to clean.
As for fighting Yao Xian'er over it now? That was an impossible fantasy. Unless her Five Elements Holy Body reached its perfect, legendary completion, she stood no chance against the Spirit Emperor, and she was still far from that ultimate goal. The White Tiger's legacy remained unclaimed, and the Central Earth treasure, said to be guarded by the elusive and mighty Kirin clan, would be the toughest obstacle of all. She was even prepared to resort to force if she had to, though she knew that was a desperate, last resort that could backfire spectacularly.
After all, Kirin were on the same divine level as Golden Crows and True Dragons. Antagonizing an entire race of peak divine beasts was a profoundly unwise move, the kind of recklessness that could get a continent erased. Not even the Fallen, in all their madness, were that reckless.
For now, at least, until the fallen immortals began their indiscriminate slaughter from beyond the barrier, some parts of the world remained relatively safe.
The Great Luo Tian Province, for example, where Yao Xian'er had chosen to reside. She did not belong to any sect, but her mere presence was a deterrent, enough to make the cunning Fallen think twice about causing large-scale trouble here. Other, less fortunate realms were not so lucky. Unless another true Emperor, someone who had genuinely surpassed Mahayana, appeared, they would remain vulnerable. And Yao Xian'er had not reached that world-shaking point again. Not yet.
"Overthinking it will not help. I just have to take it all step by step."
With an inward sigh, she forcefully pushed the swirling, chaotic worries aside and shot into the sky, leaving a faint, shimmering streak of light behind her. Now at the Divine Transformation stage, her speed was staggering, defying conventional understanding. It took her no time at all to arrive at the heart of the province, the sprawling, magnificent, and impossibly vast Great Luo Tian City.
The city was jointly controlled by four major, ancient sects. The former fifth, the Heavenly Fire Pavilion, had been effectively squeezed out of the power structure. That was no surprise to anyone, given their disastrous, near-total losses in the Yin Secret Realm all those years ago. Much like the Blood Puppet Sect, their overall strength had plummeted from its former heights.
Now, aside from their one remaining, ancient Divine Transformation ancestor clinging desperately to life, they only had a single Nascent Soul expert holding the fort. They were not facing immediate extinction yet, but their influence and territory had shrunk to a pathetic shadow of what they once were. And what could they really do? They were the ones who had arrogantly charged into the secret realm first. Everyone had seen them go in, and they were the ones who never came out. There was no one left to seek revenge against, no clear enemy to blame.
Even though Xie Yingying, as a Lunar Sovereign Body, was the one who had truly inherited that realm's ultimate legacy, she was under Su Min's direct protection, and by extension, the Golden Crow's. More importantly, there was not a single shred of concrete evidence linking her to the incident. No sane faction would willingly antagonize two potential future powerhouses, two supreme physiques, over a baseless, unprovable suspicion.
As Su Min touched down gracefully at the city's grand, ornate entrance, several figures stepped forward from the crowd to eagerly greet her.
"You must be the one renowned for the Five Elements Holy Body?"
Su Min was slightly surprised by the directness. All four of them were late-stage Divine Transformation experts, their auras deep and stable, each wearing the distinct, prestigious robes of one of the four ruling sects.
"Indeed, I am," she confirmed, her voice even.
She saw no point in hiding it. Ever since she had topped the Golden Core Heavenly Rankings, she had known her fame would spread like wildfire. Defeating the legendary Yao Xian'er in front of all those witnesses had only cemented her notoriety. All the major powers on the continent had certainly taken detailed note of her.
"Lady Su, please, right this way. Your accommodations have been prepared."
The elders' faces bloomed with smiles so wide and ingratiating they looked like overwatered chrysanthemums, which frankly made Su Min's skin crawl a little. Still, she followed them without protest. Even if these four decided to team up against her in some ambush, she was confident in her ability to escape without a scratch, her spatial steps now far superior to theirs.
As she walked away, flanked by the four powerful, fawning figures, the crowd of onlookers broke into a hushed, excited buzz of gossip.
"Were those four the ancestral founders themselves?"
"No, but they are the current pillars, the sect leaders and head elders. With the Heavenly Fire Pavilion weakened, those are the four personally overseeing the city's security and administration now."
"All late-stage Divine Transformation. Incredible. Aside from their ancestors who are attempting Dao Comprehension in seclusion, they are the strongest here."
"These sects have dominated this province for centuries. Their foundations are immense. The Heavenly Fire Pavilion is just temporarily suppressed. Once they recover their strength in a few centuries, they will still be a powerhouse."
"Hey, did you see her? That Divine Transformation expert was stunning. So young looking, and so ethereally beautiful!"
"Right? I have never seen anyone with such a presence."
"Pfft, you horny dog. The brothels in the east district are full of pretty women. Go pick one there instead of drooling over someone who could obliterate your measly Foundation Establishment body with a single, distracted sneeze."
"Ahem, it is different. Compared to her, those painted dolls are not even worth a single glance. This is a true goddess of cultivation."
"Hmph, she is the Golden Core Heavenly Rankings champion, the legendary Five Elements Holy Body, and practically the continent's only verifiable sixth-grade alchemist. Who do you think you are, a mere ant, to even look at her with those thoughts?"
A more knowledgeable and stern-faced bystander ruthlessly shut down the chatter, sending the foolish admirer shrinking back in fear and embarrassment. The cultivation world had always skewed heavily male, and truly powerful, high-level female cultivators were a rare sight. While Su Min often seemed to have formidable women around her, they were the exceptions that proved the rule. Of the top fifty in the last Golden Core Heavenly Rankings, fewer than ten were female.
It was no wonder some less-disciplined cultivators instinctively gravitated toward any strong female figure they saw, a base instinct mixed with awe. Of course, humans were not mindless beasts. Those instincts could and should be controlled.
"Scram, scram. If word of this foolishness reaches her ears, a single, offhand complaint from her would bring countless enforcers and sycophants down on your entire bloodline to win her favor."
"Uh… right, right. My mistake."
The crowd quickly dispersed, the mood sobered. Cultivation was about seeking longevity and enlightenment. Who would be stupid enough to court certain death for a fleeting, foolish moment of impropriety?
Meanwhile, atop a serene, scenic peak within the vast expanse of Great Luo City…
Yes, a genuine peak, complete with flowing streams and ancient trees, the city was so enormous it encompassed several small mountain ranges within its defensive formations. Cultivators preferred tranquility and natural energy, and their ability to fly made cliffs and high places ideal residences. Naturally, Su Min's entire delegation had been accommodated on one of these prime, spiritually rich spots, a privilege extended solely due to her formidable, unassailable status.
Hearing of her arrival, the four sects had rolled out the red carpet, the kind of lavish reception usually reserved for emissaries from the distant super sects. After all, what could those far-off super sects really offer them directly? At most, it was a relationship of distant, mutual politeness and non-aggression.
But Su Min? She brought tangible, immediate, and immense benefits. Pills, artifacts, and her powerful favor.
"Speak plainly. State your needs and your offer. If the price is right, I will take the job."
Sipping the exquisite, spirit-infused tea they had provided, Su Min eyed the four fawning elders with a mild sense of discomfort. The Sect Conference was still a month away, and she was fully expecting a veritable flood of requests for her services. By making these four major sects her official intermediaries, she could deflect the bulk of those pesky petitioners while still pocketing the vast majority of the profits. Of course, her alchemy fees would not be cheap. She had no reason to work for free, and her time was more valuable than ever.
"This is the list for a sixth-grade, mid-tier Soul Consolidation Pill I require. Please review it, Lady Su."
They clearly knew about her proven capabilities. Though these elders were at the powerful late-stage of Divine Transformation, the Dao Comprehension stage remained a distant, elusive dream for many, a barrier they would likely never reach in this lifetime. Even a pill that was not specifically tailored for a breakthrough could provide that critical, precious nudge forward, adding a few percentage points to their chances.
"You know my rules?" Su Min asked, not looking up from the list.
"Three full sets of ingredients for one successful pill, plus an abundance of agreed-upon rare materials as payment. We understand completely."
They had come well-prepared, the spatial rings on their fingers already filled. Given the current, turbulent state of the world, gathering such a quantity of high-grade resources could not have been easy, even for major sects of their stature and history.
"Accepted."
With a single glance, Su Min swept the contents of the proffered spatial ring into her own with a flick of her divine sense and tossed the now-empty container back. The elder beamed, his relief palpable. Su Min's reputation for reliability was ironclad; if she accepted the materials, the pill was as good as delivered. The other two elders promptly presented their own offerings without a moment of haggling. In this absolute seller's market, Su Min held all the leverage, and they knew it.
In another lavishly decorated chamber nearby, the atmosphere was markedly different, charged with a forced, awkward enthusiasm rather than serious business.
Seated here were Tian Yinzi and the other Nascent Soul and Golden Core experts from Su Min's sect. Opposite them were the elite disciples and junior elders from the four host sects. Thanks entirely to Su Min's overwhelming influence, they were receiving hospitality fit for visiting royalty, with the finest spirit wine and rarest fruits laid out before them.
Yet, four figures sat gloomily in a secluded corner, their collective dark moods creating a small, heavy pocket of stillness amidst the forced festivities. These were the former Holy Sons of the four sects, now Nascent Soul experts who had relinquished their titles to the next generation. Their expressions were uniformly bitter, their cups of wine left untouched.
Reaching the late-stage of Nascent Soul was a commendable, respectable achievement by any standard. But comparing themselves to Su Min's current Divine Transformation stage was a profoundly humiliating and disheartening exercise. During the Golden Core Avenue trial, they had all started on roughly the same footing, at the early Golden Core stage. They had all left the avenue at the late Golden Core stage.
But in what felt like no time at all, a mere blink in a cultivator's life, Su Min had soared straight through the entire Nascent Soul realm and into the lofty heights of Divine Transformation. Any youthful, competitive thoughts they might have once harbored about rivaling her combat prowess had long since vanished, crushed under the weight of reality. After all, the five of them, including the one who had been permanently frozen to death in the Yin Secret Realm, had once arrogantly ganged up on Yao Xian'er…
Only to be instantly, effortlessly, and utterly annihilated without her even breaking a sweat.
Looking back, they had been suicidally overconfident. They were just thankful that Yao Xian'er had been magnanimous, or perhaps indifferent, enough not to hunt them down and exterminate them afterward.
But even Yao Xian'er, that unassailable monster, had been publicly crushed by Su Min in the final ranking battle. The gap was insurmountable, a chasm they could not even comprehend. And now, even their cultivation realms lagged hopelessly behind.
Divine Transformation, a barrier that stymied countless Nascent Souls for centuries, a wall that many never scaled, had been cleared by Su Min as if it were a minor inconvenience, a stepping stone on a leisurely walk.
"Sigh… I once actually sparred with her, you know," the former Holy Son of the Water Nether Sect sighed deeply, the memory painful. He had once competed fiercely with Han Chaoyan for a single drop of nascent divine water… and lost.
"Count yourself lucky. Yan Zhao, the one who got frozen solid, stayed behind permanently. That secret realm was always meant for a Lunar Sovereign Body successor, yet he barged in anyway, thinking his fire arts made him invincible. He doomed not only himself but his entire sect's standing for generations."
"Enough. Let us just drink. There is nothing else to do."
"Gulp, gulp, gulp…"
They drank deeply, the fine, aged spirit wine tasting like bitter ash in their mouths. These four had once been the proud, undisputed geniuses of their generation in this province, only to be thoroughly humbled and outshone on the grand stage of the Golden Core Avenue. Though they had gained precious lifespan from the trial, comparing themselves to Su Min now was like comparing common, muddy clay to refined, heavenly gold.
Bitterly, they toasted their shared misery and faded glory.
"Senior Mu, those four men in the corner are the former Holy Sons, right? All of them are outstanding talents who survived the nine-nine Heavenly Tribulation," Tian Yinzi observed, whispering discreetly to the late-stage Nascent Soul expert beside him, Mu Yuan.
Mu Yuan had followed Su Min into the Golden Core Avenue and had later formally joined her sect. With Su Min's potent pills and his own accumulated foundations, he had successfully broken through to late Nascent Soul. Now, with Su Min at Divine Transformation and Xie Yingying absent, he was the undisputed strongest among their Nascent Soul experts.
"They are just sulking," Mu Yuan smirked, not even bothering to lower his voice much. Though he was polite enough not to openly probe them with his spiritual sense, their wounded pride and jealousy were written plainly on their faces for all to see. "Seeing Lady Su's meteoric rise in both realm and reputation has completely shattered what was left of their pride. They thought they were the main characters of this era, only to find they are barely supporting cast."
Having mingled in Su Min's circles, he had met all the major Holy Sons and Daughters. Back then, though he had only survived the six-nine Heavenly Tribulation, placing him slightly below them in pure talent assessment, his innate ability was not truly lacking. He had just been a lone loose cultivator, without access to the supreme, life-saving tribulation treasures that were a standard luxury for core sect disciples, so he had never had a real, fair chance at the legendary nine-nine tribulation.
But after joining Su Min's sect and receiving a powerful legacy from the Golden Crow's repository, his actual combat power had surged. Now, he secretly itched to test himself against these former elites, to see if the gap was really as large as it once seemed.
"No wonder they look so defeated. They all came from that same golden era, the first batch after the realms connected," Tian Yinzi nodded in understanding. He had known Su Min had built extensive connections, but seeing her influence extend so powerfully and command such respect even in these top-tier, ancient provinces was still genuinely eye-opening.
"That is not all of it," Mu Yuan added, lowering his voice a touch more conspiratorially. "By having these four major sects act as her shields and intermediaries, Lady Su can elegantly fend off the flood of petitioners that will be coming for her during the conference. Frankly, every single Holy Son and Daughter who survived the nine-nine tribulation back then owes her favors, whether they admit it or not. She provided pills, she broke formations, she saved lives. Her network is vast."
"Gulp…"
The group from the Eastern Sea Immortal Sect exchanged humbled glances, the true scale and depth of their founder's reach finally sinking in. Their sect's rapid, almost explosive growth owed so much to this very fact, to the sheer weight of Su Min's name. Take Mu Yuan himself; he was originally from a powerful family in another province and had joined solely because of Su Min's reputation and the opportunities she represented.
"Drink up, everyone," Mu Yuan said, raising his cup in a toast to his juniors. "And prepare yourselves well, especially you, Zhang Yuanyuan. As the only one in our sect besides Lady Su and Lady Xie to have survived the full nine-nine Heavenly Tribulation, you will have your moment to shine here in the junior disciples' sparring tournaments. But stay humble. You are still young. Treat this conference as crucial preparation for the next Golden Core Avenue."
"Understood, Senior Mu. This junior will not bring disgrace to our sect," Zhang Yuanyuan, a young woman with sharp, determined eyes, bowed her head respectfully.
Under normal circumstances, the Golden Core Avenue opened every hundred to two hundred years. Though it would not be as grand and momentous as the recent world-reopening event, it would still be a major gathering of the younger generation's rising stars. The next one was due in about seventy or eighty years. They needed to start grooming and investing in their next lineup of Golden Core disciples now. This time, with the realms connected, even those who had only survived the lesser three-nine tribulation would be able to participate and gain experience.
"Sigh… Lady Su's sect is truly gathering talents like a magnet," one of the former Holy Sons muttered from his corner, his gloom deepening even further as he watched the confident juniors from the Eastern Sea sect.
Being outshone by Su Min herself was one thing, a fact of life they had to accept. But now, even the juniors from her sect were visibly surpassing their own best disciples. None of their own sects had managed to produce a single new nine-nine tribulation survivor from the younger generation yet, despite their immense resources.
But Su Min already had a clear, brilliant successor in the making with Zhang Yuanyuan. If this young woman matured smoothly, it meant Su Min could focus entirely on her own path to even greater power, without a single worry for her sect's future security and legacy. The sheer, frustrating completeness of it all, the lack of any apparent weakness, was enough to make anyone sigh in utter defeat.