"I wonder if Senior would consider becoming an eternal guardian of our imperial family, receiving worship for generations to come."
As Cao Yuanmu's words fell, the expressions of those around him turned peculiar. If Su Min agreed, they would forever be reduced to mere servants of the imperial family. Not only was Su Min's strength terrifying, but her alchemy skills were also one of the few methods to enhance power without significant side effects.
"Are you aware that, in the current world, the Golden Core stage is the limit?"
Noticing their expressions, Su Min didn't outright refuse but instead smiled and asked.
"Hmm?"
Everyone was momentarily stunned, lost in thought.
"Now that past grievances are settled, I have no more attachments in this world. What I seek now is the eternal path of the Great Dao."
"I see. May Senior achieve the Great Dao swiftly."
Sigh...
Hearing Su Min's words, Cao Yuanmu understood her meaning. He could only bow respectfully—this was already Su Min giving him face. If he still failed to grasp her intent, it would only make things awkward for himself.
The others also secretly sighed in relief, but soon their expressions darkened again. Su Min's words made it clear that once they parted, they would likely never meet again. Though they were all at the Foundation Establishment stage, none had the confidence to face the terrifying Triple Nine Heavenly Tribulation. In fact, many of them were even older than Su Min.
Several days later, inside a quiet pavilion overlooking the vast ceremony plaza, Su Min sat with mild interest, watching tens of thousands pay homage below. The coronation had taken a full year to prepare. The attendees came not only from the grasslands, southern borders, and deserts, but even the leaders of major sects had arrived.
On the stage stood King Yong. His cultivation was impressive, as he too had reached the Foundation Establishment stage. The aura he released alone was enough to make countless people bow in reverence. It was clear that King Yong now possessed both the power and prestige to be called the supreme ruler of the world.
"That little guy insisted on using the Lingdong Pill—his aura is so unstable now. He'll likely be stuck at this stage for life. With his talent, if he had accumulated for another decade or so, he could've taken the Foundation Establishment Pill instead."
"Senior, he'll probably never even have a chance to fight in his lifetime."
Hearing Su Min's indifferent remark, Cao Yuanmu, who was assigned to accompany her, couldn't help but force a bitter smile. As the emperor, he would be buried under endless court affairs. And with their group around, if he ever needed to fight personally, it would mean the nation was already on the verge of collapse. At that point, one more fighter wouldn't make a difference.
Besides, the lifespan difference between early and mid-Foundation Establishment wasn't significant. This was just a way to extend his life. After discussions—and the Yong King's own fervent insistence—the imperial family had specially requested Su Min to refine a Lingdong Pill for him.
[Lingdong Pill (Grade 3 Mid-Tier): Forces a Qi Refining cultivator to the peak, granting eligibility for Foundation Establishment. However, the cultivator's progress will be permanently stalled at the early Foundation Establishment stage.]
It was a pill with devastating side effects. However, when paired with a Foundation Establishment Pill, it could forcibly create a Foundation Establishment cultivator at the cost of forever remaining at the initial stage.
For any ambitious cultivator, this was unacceptable. Moreover, the ingredients were extremely rare, making the pill costly to produce. But since the Yong King didn't mind, Su Min saw no reason to argue.
Finally, the grand ceremony concluded by noon, leaving all guests satisfied. Su Min, too, prepared to leave. By now, none of the major factions in the world could offer materials of any real value to her.
Besides, she had already accumulated plenty of treasures. It was time to set out and conquer the Three Great Blessed Lands.
"The Three Great Blessed Lands are the legacy sites of three divine beast clans. Human experts can seal themselves away, but divine beasts cannot. Instead, they left their inheritances behind before turning to dust in this world."
Su Min's eyes narrowed.
The three lands were: The Eastern Mulberry Land (home of the Golden Crow clan); The Crystal Palace at the Bottom of the Sea; The Floating Sky Islands
What's more, these three were interconnected. The massive island (or landmass) above the sea was the Eastern Mulberry Land, with the Floating Sky Islands scattered above it, while the seabed housed the Crystal Palace.
In the game, players could claim all three at once, and that was precisely Su Min's goal. Not only did these lands contain vast resources, but her Path of Merit and Path of Salvation also destined her to found a sect of her own.
The Eastern Mulberry Land was the ancestral domain of the Golden Crow clan and the heart of the three sacred sites. At its center grew a towering divine tree, a counterpart to the Southern Ming Flame, known as the Fusang Divine Tree.
On one of its branches rested an egg—a Three-Legged Golden Crow, the future ruler of the clan. It also contained their divine flame, the Solar True Flame.
Su Min's eyes gleamed.
That Three-Legged Golden Crow was her main target. If she could subdue it and make it the sect's guardian beast, she would never have to worry about the sect's safety, even after reaching the Golden Core stage. Taming it would be incredibly difficult, but not impossible.
The other two lands also had their own guardians: the Azure Dragon in the undersea Crystal Palace, and the Great Peacock wielding the Five-Colored Divine Light in the Floating Sky Islands.
If she could subdue all three, she would gain control over their treasures. But for them to submit willingly, she needed specific items—things that couldn't be found in Wei Wu State.
So, she had to leave.
The world of the Immortal Path was far vaster than imagined. It was divided into multiple states, each a semi-independent realm separated by the boundary barrier. Currently, these realms were isolated, unable to interact.
Su Min's destination was one of the largest among them—Great Luo Tian State.
If Wei Wu State was roughly the size of East Asia combined with parts of Southeast Asia, then Great Luo Tian State was as large as the combined continents of Europe, Asia, and Africa, perhaps even larger. If she couldn't find what she needed there, she would have little chance elsewhere. She would have to search state by state, relying on luck.
"I must avoid Lingxi State. Those monks' territory is best left untouched."
With that thought, she retrieved the Flying Shuttle, her most valuable spoil from the old demoness. Even in the game, it had been a key quest item. As she infused spiritual energy into it, the palm-sized shuttle expanded rapidly. In an instant, it transformed into a massive three-story fortress nearly forty meters long.
"So big... Guess I can only use this for inter-state travel."
Rubbing her temples at the blatant defiance of physical laws, Su Min sighed. The thing was far too conspicuous. For regular travel, she would stick to her flying sword. It was sleeker, and even if it drew attention, no one would be foolish enough to challenge a Golden Core expert over a mere Yellow Tier mid-grade spiritual tool.
~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~
At the Golden Core stage, one could melt Yellow Tier materials with their own spiritual flames. Crafting such items wasn't particularly difficult. Thus, Su Min boarded the shuttle and crossed the barrier between realms.
"This is the Huo Luo State, adjacent to Wei Wu State. It's about the same level. Best not to stir trouble—Great Luo Tian State is still far away."
Muttering softly, she summoned her flying sword and shot across the sky like a streak of light. Chaos erupted below as countless Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining cultivators trembled under the oppressive pressure of a Golden Core expert. But like Wei Wu State, Huo Luo State had no native Golden Core cultivators.
Su Min was a transmigrator, while the old demoness had self-sealed.
The boldest among them tried to pursue, but they couldn't even keep up with her shadow. No matter how hard they pushed, they were left eating her dust.
Half a year later, after traversing multiple states, Su Min finally arrived at her destination—Great Luo Tian State.
The moment she entered, dense spiritual energy washed over her and refreshed her mind. Unfortunately, her cultivation was still bound by the world's limits, and no amount of spiritual energy could change that.
"In the game, Great Luo Tian State had five ancient sects, each with profound legacies. For appearances alone, they should each have at least three Golden Core experts now."
Now that she was here, Su Min had to be cautious. These sects had countless self-sealed experts. While most of their Golden Core cultivators weren't top-tier (the truly talented ones wouldn't be released yet), they still posed a threat.
More importantly, these sects possessed high-tier magical treasures. If Su Min acted too boldly, she could end up surrounded. That said, she wasn't overly worried. As an alchemist, they wouldn't recklessly antagonize her. Self-preservation wasn't an issue. And even if they did try to kill her, she wasn't defenseless. Her target was these major sects.
While materials and herbs could be preserved for centuries, pills could not. These sects likely had vast stores of rare ingredients but not many finished pills. That meant she could name her price.
"Great Luo Tian State is vast, but the core lies in a few key locations. I'll gather intel first—I need the right moment to make my entrance."
With that, she summoned her sword again. She had a lot to prepare. Except for her bell, all her current treasures were Yellow Tier. She needed to upgrade everything, especially her armor, which had been destroyed during her tribulation. Now that she had reached the Golden Core stage, she would face true elites, not the impoverished cultivators of Wei Wu State. Equipment superiority alone wouldn't be enough anymore. She needed a vast amount of materials.
Her bargaining chips were the pills she carried and her alchemy skills. Even in ancient times, no one would reject such an offer.
Soon, in a major city...
"As expected of Great Luo Tian State—the number of strong cultivators is astounding. Foundation Establishment experts, rare in Wei Wu State, are everywhere here. Too bad there are still no Golden Core cultivators."
Sensing the countless auras around her, Su Min was genuinely surprised. Great Luo Tian State's true advantage lay not just in its spiritual richness but in its unbroken lineages. During the spiritual decline, most states could only produce Body Refining cultivators, yet this place had preserved ancient traditions. Unlike Wei Wu State, which relied solely on heavenly revelations, Great Luo Tian State had thriving legacies. The number of cultivators here was immense.
Top-tier experts, however, were still rare. The Triple Nine Heavenly Tribulation was no joke. Those with real talent preferred to self-seal rather than risk a breakthrough. Once the Golden Core era began, though, the number of Golden Core experts would skyrocket. Even so, Su Min wouldn't act arrogantly here.
Just look at her "achievements" in the last war: Zero kills.
Before reaching the Wei capital, she hadn't even fought. The old witch was killed by her own Blood Infant, and the emperor was torn apart by his concubines.
"Come see! Come see! The Great Luo Tian State Grand Tournament, held every three years, will begin in three months at Sky Summit City! The Qi Refining division's champion will receive a chance at Heavenly Foundation Establishment!"
A loud announcement snapped Su Min out of her thoughts.
"Heavenly Foundation Establishment?"
Her interest was piqued. This wasn't something easily obtained. Even in Wei Wu State, she hadn't heard of anyone else achieving it besides herself.
Prince Yong's new Foundation Establishment expert had only reached Earthly Foundation Establishment—the wood-attribute innate treasure for Heavenly Foundation was too rare. Not everyone could be like Su Min, spending ten years as a guardian beast to obtain one.
"A tournament every three years, with Heavenly Foundation as the prize... I see. A compromise, then."
Her expression turned thoughtful as she pieced it together. Given the superior environment, the Five Great elemental treasures likely regenerated every three years. While more frequent, they were fiercely contested, especially with the five sects dominating the state.
Ordinary cultivators would have no chance. The sects had therefore agreed to pool the treasures and distribute them through a public tournament. Over time, it evolved into a grand event open to both sect disciples and rogue cultivators.
Of course, without complete legacies, the rogues stood little chance against the sects. Su Min, however, had no interest in participating. As a Golden Core expert, causing trouble here would invite a joint suppression from all five sects.
"But this is great news for me. With all five sects gathered, I can negotiate freely. As long as I don't threaten their core interests, they won't act against me."
Smiling, she turned and left the announcement area. Whether she could obtain all the materials she needed hinged on this opportunity. There wouldn't be a better one.
"I still have over a dozen Foundation Establishment Pills, thirty-plus Qi Gathering Pills, and a hundred-plus Qi Inducing Pills. Heh, I've squeezed Wei Wu State dry—it'll take them at least forty or fifty years to recover. Let's see what I can extract from this continent."
Glancing into her ancient black ring, Su Min smiled. These pills were as good as currency. As for the rest, they were specialized items, useless to most but priceless to a few. The pill she'd made for Xie Yingying was one such example—she wouldn't even take it herself if offered for free.
The Yin energy within it was overwhelming. Refining it had been torturous, and although consuming it wouldn't kill anyone, it would cause unbearable discomfort. She had made two but kept neither. Even with Nanming Lihuo shielding her, she wouldn't dare take it, much less an ordinary cultivator.
"Sky Summit City lies at the continent's center, far from here. I need to hurry."
Consulting the world map she'd bought, Su Min identified the direction. With a flash, her flying sword reappeared under her feet, and she shot off like a meteor. This time, she deliberately avoided cities and suppressed her aura, ensuring she didn't alarm anyone.
Within a week, she reached Sky Summit City.
"So many powerful auras... There are at least three Golden Core experts here, probably from the five great sects. Each must have sent one. Impressive. No wonder that old witch hid in a backwater like Wei Wu State. If she'd tried the same nonsense here, she'd have been killed the moment she showed herself."
Narrowing her eyes, Su Min landed far from the city and proceeded on foot. With the surface strength of this state, if the old demoness had acted as brazenly as in Wei Wu State, she'd have been slaughtered instantly. In fact, most evil cultivators and demons probably lurked in smaller states like Wei Wu.