The days that followed unfolded exactly as Su Min had predicted. Delegations from sects across the realms arrived in a steady stream for the conference. However, with the looming threat of the Fallen, most were forced to split their strength. They typically sent one Divine Transformation expert to lead their delegation, while a second had to remain behind to guard their sect's ancestral treasures and core disciples.
Those unfortunate sects with only a single Divine Transformation expert had no choice but to leave a senior Nascent Soul cultivator in charge back home. But the moment these traveling Divine Transformation experts arrived in Great Luo Tian, their first move was the same: they came bearing gifts, hoping for an audience with Su Min. And without fail, they were intercepted by the four major sects, their expressions a mixture of frustration and strained politeness.
The four sects knew full well they were being used as shields, but what could they do? They had to endure it. The only small consolation was Su Min's promise to handle all the alchemy requests in a single, collective batch rather than dealing with each sect individually. At least the pressure and the inevitable jealousy were shared equally among the four of them.
Outside the grand gates of Great Luo Tian City, a new and somber procession arrived.
They were the Netherworld Cult, one of the two super sects in the current era. Their foundation was so profound and ancient that even the three great Buddhist sects paled in comparison. Their forces dominated an entire super-realm, a testament to their overwhelming power.
Leading the delegation was Han Chaoyan, who had once competed with Su Min for supremacy on the Golden Core Avenue. As befitted a super sect, they had sent a half-step Dao Comprehension elder, a figure on the same level as Monk Liaochen. Han Chaoyan himself, bolstered by his sect's immense resources, had reached the Divine Transformation stage, solidifying his status as a prodigy of his generation.
But...
"Sigh… She's already a sixth-grade alchemist, reached Divine Transformation, and even refined the Northern Water's Profound Origin." Han Chaoyan gazed at the sprawling city before him, a deep melancholy in his eyes. By any objective measure, he was incredibly gifted. He had refined the Nether Ghost Water, a unique and powerful divine artifact, during the Golden Core Avenue. In any other era, he would have been the undisputed champion, the star of his generation.
But this time, he had run into four freaks of nature.
Even ignoring the anomaly that was Yao Xian'er, the other three were so far beyond his reach it was laughable. To make it worse, his elimination match had pitted him directly against Su Min, denying him even a top-five finish.
Now, not only had she matched him in cultivation realm, but she had also refined the Northern Water's Profound Origin. With three of the Five Elements now integrated into her Holy Body, her power had become even more formidable and esoteric.
Their previous battle had been partly his own fault, he knew, for overcomplicating his strategy. But the outcome had been inevitable. At best, he might have lasted ten minutes before defeat. Instead, his blunder had led to an instant, humiliating loss.
And since that day, he had found himself inexplicably, persistently haunted by thoughts of her.
Yet she had never spared him a second glance.
After the Golden Core Avenue, everyone who mattered had gone into seclusion. Those who had reached this level prioritized cultivation above all else. Only those who knew they could progress no further bothered with distractions like romance or petty rivalries.
"Put those thoughts away," the half-step Dao Comprehension elder said, his voice low and firm. He had noticed his junior's troubled aura. "Cultivators of her caliber have long since cast aside trivial matters like romance. Throughout history, those who surpassed the Mahayana stage and became Emperors or Saints were all prideful beyond measure. To earn even a glance of regard from them, you must possess overwhelming strength, something no one in this current era can yet claim."
The elder glanced at his sect's youngest Divine Transformation expert. Though Han Chaoyan hadn't made the top five, his talent was genuine and still held the potential to reach Mahayana one day.
But the other four, Su Min included, were all candidates for Emperorhood.
The coming struggle for supremacy would be brutal. This world could not sustain too many Transcendence-stage experts. Once one truly ascended, the path would be closed to others for an age.
In the previous era, the Spirit Emperor and the wielder of the Lunar Sovereign Body had clashed for a full millennium. One had reached the pinnacle, the other had fallen into demonic cultivation and perished in the icy northern wastes.
This era was likely to be no different. With four such figures emerging so soon after the world's reopening, the outcome was utterly unpredictable. But one thing was certain, everyone else would simply have to step aside.
"Understood," Han Chaoyan said, his voice heavy. He could only sigh in resignation.
Soon, under the guidance of their hosts from one of the four sects, they entered the magnificent Great Luo Tian City. Before long, nearly every major and minor sect from across the connected realms had gathered.
Meanwhile, in a secluded chamber high on a city peak…
"The pills are done. The conference is about to begin. No matter what other resources are discussed, we must secure as many high-grade sealing crystals as possible. Everything else can wait."
With a thought, Su Min stored the freshly refined pills within her spatial ring. Truthfully, these hadn't taken her long at all. She had been hiding here simply for a bit of peace and quiet.
She was reminded that cultivation wasn't just about battles and breakthroughs. It was also about politics, tedious compromises, and endless social maneuvering.
The moment she emerged from her chamber, she was met with several deeply resentful gazes from the elders of the four sects. They had borne the brunt of the pressure for weeks, fending off a constant stream of petitioners from both ordinary sects and the two super sects.
But their expressions quickly brightened from stormy to sunny the moment Su Min wordlessly handed over the completed pills.
"As expected of Lady Su. These pills are flawless, perfectly rounded and brimming with spiritual potency. They are absolutely worth the cost," one elder beamed, examining his prize with reverent care. Though Su Min's fees were steep, the quality was undeniable and impossible to find anywhere else.
"I'll take my leave now. We'll meet again at the conference grounds."
A faint arc of silvery lightning flickered around her, and Su Min vanished from the spot, leaving the elders exchanging bewildered glances.
"Was that… the aura of a lightning-type heavenly treasure just now?"
"Uncertain. The aura was faint but incredibly refined, though it felt… incomplete. The mysteries of the Five Elements Holy Body are truly beyond our comprehension."
"She will undoubtedly dominate the conference proceedings. I fear even those ancient Divine Transformation monsters from the super sects won't be her match."
They shook their heads in a mixture of awe and resignation. None of them stood a chance against someone who had integrated three heavenly treasures. It was a feat only the legendary Five Elements Holy Body could achieve; anyone else would have exploded from the conflicting energies long ago.
Back at her own sect's encampment…
Su Min found Tian Yinzi. Though not the strongest in combat, he handled most of the sect's administrative matters with quiet efficiency.
"The conference begins in ten days. How are the competitive events structured?"
She had little prior knowledge of this specific conference but understood that the final resource allocations, or 'shares', depended on a sect's performance across numerous categories. Individual strength alone wouldn't suffice; this complex system had been designed by the super sects to prevent the total war and bloodbaths that had characterized sect conflicts in the distant past.
"There are around a hundred events in total, but only a handful offer significant shares," Tian Yinzi reported, a slight wry smile on his face. Despite their recent explosive growth, their sect's foundation was still shallow compared to the ancient powers who had hibernated through the ages.
"No matter. Continue," Su Min said, her tone philosophical. What they gained would be a bonus; what they missed, no great loss. They were playing with house money.
"Each primary participant can only choose two major events. We've registered Grand Elder for the alchemy competition. Based on all our intelligence, no one else on the continent can challenge you there, so first place and its shares are secure. As for the second event…"
He hesitated, uncertain how to proceed.
"Speak plainly."
"For the Divine Transformation stage, there are two combat categories," he explained. "The first is the 'New Blood' division, limited to those who reached Divine Transformation after the world's reopening. Given Grand Elder high-profile performance in the Golden Core Avenue, you qualify. The other is the 'Unrestricted' division, which includes late-stage Divine Transformation experts and even half-step Dao Comprehension powerhouses from the super sects. Which… would you prefer?"
"Which division offers more resource shares?"
"The Unrestricted, without question. But the competition is truly terrifying, Grand Elder."
Tian Yinzi studied Su Min's face carefully. If only Xie Yingying were here, they could have split the categories, with each taking one division for maximum gains.
But with Su Min as their sole Divine Transformation pillar, he had to rely entirely on her judgment. While her combat prowess was the staff of legends, she had slain Divine Transformation experts as a Nascent Soul, this was a different league altogether.
"I'll take the Unrestricted division," Su Min said, a sharp grin cutting across her features. She chose the hardest path without a moment's hesitation. "Last time, a half-step Dao Comprehension expert chased me through an abyss like a dog. It's time to return the favor."
Back in the Weak Waters secret realm, she had fled like a cornered rat from the colossal black serpent. If not for Ao Xue's timely intervention, things might have ended very badly. But now, standing firm in the Divine Transformation stage, she no longer needed to cower from such beings.
As for staying low-key? That ship had sailed. From the moment she'd topped the Golden Core Heavenly Rankings, subtlety had ceased to be an option.
"Very well. I will inform the conference organizers," Tian Yinzi accepted her decision without argument. He knew that true experts needed unshakable confidence, not hesitation. Besides, Su Min's authority within the sect was absolute. No one would dare question her.
The news of Su Min's choice spread through the gathered sects like wildfire.
"Heavens, is she already powerful enough to compete with those old monsters? This isn't the Golden Core Avenue, every single late-stage Divine Transformation expert here left their mark on history before the great sealing!"
"She's only at the early stage of Divine Transformation! Is this supreme confidence or sheer arrogance?"
"Fools. You clearly didn't witness her battle with the Great Desolate Holy Body. At the Golden Core Avenue, the aftershocks of their clash could have maimed ordinary Nascent Souls. Now, with the power of the Northern Water's Profound Origin added to her repertoire, if she joined the 'New Blood' division, I'd lose all respect for her."
The crowd murmured and debated. Most cultivators present had only reached the Golden Core stage after the world's reopening, far removed from the monstrous talents of the Avenue. Their limited perspective shackled their understanding of what true genius meant.
"With no true, full Dao Comprehension experts present, even those half-step powerhouses with their fragmented Dao insights won't necessarily be her match."
"Wha—?! How can that be?!"
The listeners were stunned into silence. The Dao Comprehension stage was a distant, almost mythical dream for them. Even achieving Divine Transformation seemed like a monumental task. The absence of true Dao Comprehension experts was deliberate, they were all needed back home to guard against Fallen incursions. As compensation, those sects would receive a share of the resources after the conference.
It was also widely understood that Yao Xian'er's silent presence in Great Luo Tian was the only reason the province was so safe. Without a powerhouse of her level residing here, the place would have long since fallen into chaos.
While the masses speculated, the elders of the various major sects wore much more complicated expressions.
"Hmph. Arrogant whelp. She could easily claim first place and its shares in the 'New Blood' division, yet she dares to compete with us old folks for our scraps?" one late-stage Divine Transformation expert grumbled, his face dark.
"Ancestor, please calm yourself," a disciple who had participated in the Avenue hurried to counsel his elder. "Remember, with just two heavenly treasures, she was nearly invincible at the Golden Core stage. Now, with the Northern Water's Profound Origin integrated, her combat power is even more formidable and unpredictable."
Disciples who had witnessed Su Min's rise firsthand worked hard to temper their elders' anger. Su Min's acquisition of the Northern Water's Profound Origin was now common knowledge, thanks to Ao Xue's very public exposure of Future Maitreya Mountain's misdeeds, which had included descriptions of the colossal Black Tortoise statue.
Anyone with a brain could put together why Su Min had clashed with those two powerhouses. Her safe return and subsequent breakthrough to Divine Transformation could mean only one thing, she had succeeded.
Three heavenly treasures in one body, a feat only the enigmatic Five Elements Holy Body could achieve. And precisely because it was so mysterious, no one could accurately gauge Su Min's current limits. Regardless, many of the older Divine Transformation elders felt slighted. They were proud men and women.
Back before the world's sealing, their sects had boasted dozens of Divine Transformation experts. Only the very elite among them had been chosen for hibernation, proud, peerless geniuses of their own time. For a junior who had just broken through to dare challenge them so soon was nothing short of an insult.
But their own disciples saw things differently. From what they knew, Su Min was pragmatic and known for her prudence, she only fought when she was confident of the outcome. If she was confident enough to take this step, she must have absolute certainty in her victory.
"Don't forget, the black serpent was likely at the Dao Comprehension stage, but Monk Liao Jie of Future Maitreya Mountain was only at the half-step. And she survived pursuit from both of them."
"That was only because the Dragon Emperor intervened. A five-clawed golden dragon is a peak divine beast, with a complete and profound bloodline legacy. To kill one would require at least a peak Dao Comprehension expert, if not someone at the Body Unity stage."
"But the fact that she was even in a situation to attract such pursuit in the first place speaks volumes about her…"
A heavy silence fell upon the group.
The elders were forced to concede the point. When they were at the Nascent Soul stage, none of them would have warranted even a moment's attention from a half-step Dao Comprehension expert, let alone two. The mere fact that such beings had been sent to hunt her was an honor, and a terrifying testament to her perceived threat, in itself.
In a different part of the city, a group of familiar faces gathered for a private drink.
"To think the woman I once fought over a fragment of Eastern Azure Wood with now stands toe-to-toe with our own ancestral founders. Half-step Dao Comprehension… Will I even reach that stage in a thousand years?" Han Chaoyan drank deeply with his peers.
They were all Divine Transformation experts now, and all had been top-ten finishers on the Golden Core Heavenly Rankings. These were the six strongest geniuses aside from the four freaks, each a once-in-a-generation talent blessed with supreme aptitude, powerful heritage, and great fortune.
Yet, they couldn't even glimpse Su Min's shadow anymore.
"At least she let bygones be bygones. That fool Wood Madman brought his entire sect's downfall upon himself by holding a grudge," Chang Lu sighed. Alongside Han Chaoyan and the late Wood Madman, they had been mockingly dubbed the "Free-Trio" after Su Min's infamous taunt during their three-on-one fight: "Three against one and you're still losing, can't you even play properly?"
The phrase had become legendary among their generation.
But once the final rankings were posted, most of the mockery had ceased. It wasn't that they were weak, it was that Su Min was simply operating on a different level of existence.
"Well, with her out of the picture in the New Blood division, I'm aiming for first place. Gu Yan, you lucked out last time by avoiding the four monsters, that won't happen again," Han Chaoyan stated, standing up and locking eyes with a calm-faced young man who had managed to snag a top-five spot largely by a favorable bracket.
The gap between the top four and fifth place had been a chasm, but Gu Yan's position had always been the most contentious among the top ten.
"Bring it on, then. Let's see how your Nether Ghost Water fares against my Thousand Mountains Technique now," Gu Yan retorted, his gaze steady.
The previously somber gathering soon dissolved into a web of competitive tension. With Su Min absent from their division, each of them saw a clear path and a burning chance to claim the crown for themselves.
And so, the race was on.
~
At last, the day of the conference's official commencement arrived.
For the grand occasion, Su Min donned a set of formal attire, a flowing, intricately embroidered gown in shades of blue and silver that accentuated her ethereal beauty and formidable presence.
Normally, she preferred practical, simple, and even slightly androgynous clothing that allowed for maximum movement. But today, recognizing the political nature of the event, she had made a minimal effort. Yet, that minimal effort, combined with her natural grace and the otherworldly aura granted by her cultivation, made her the undeniable center of attention from the moment she appeared.
Yet, no matter how splendid and imposing her robes were, she couldn't quite mask her inherent casual demeanor. She was currently lounging in her seat on the highest viewing platform with one leg crossed over the other, observing the opening ceremonies with a look of mild amusement.
The overall setup of the conference vaguely resembled the mortal world's Olympics, albeit on a fantastical, grander scale. Instead of stadiums, entire pocket dimensions, stabilized and projected by colossal formation arrays, served as arenas for the various events.
The highest platform, where Su Min sat, was reserved for the elite, the sect leaders and primary representatives of the most powerful factions. Her Eastern Sea Immortal Sect, despite its youth, now had a place here, its status elevated to stand alongside the two super sects purely on the strength of her reputation.
Below them, a massive, disc-like Earth-grade artifact hovered, its surface shimmering. Within it, countless miniature battlefields and specialized environments flickered into view. While they might not withstand the full-force clash of Divine Transformation experts, they were more than sufficient for the Golden Core and Nascent Soul bouts that would start the conference.
As with any such tournament, the heavyweight events would come last. Su Min's turn in the alchemy and Unrestricted combat divisions was still weeks away, the conference was designed to run nonstop for a full month.
For cultivators, who routinely meditated for years, sitting through a month of continuous events was a trivial matter.
"The first event, the Golden Core team survival challenge, is starting. Go on now, and remember, if you're truly outmatched, surrender immediately. The rules are strict, no deaths or irreversible injuries are permitted here," Su Min instructed, glancing over the dozen elite Golden Core disciples she had brought.
They were her sect's best, including one nine-nine Heavenly Tribulation survivor and three veterans of the six-nine tribulation.
In this newly reopened world, cultivators who survived the standard three-nine tribulation were becoming more common, but the standards for the six-nine and the legendary nine-nine tribulations remained unchanged, a brutal filter for true genius.
Many of the older, established sects couldn't even field a single nine-nine tribulation participant. As her small team confidently descended towards the designated arena, a wave of envious and measuring eyes followed them from every direction.