A hundred years had slipped by since Su Min and Xie Yingying had left Eastern Mulberry Land. The people they had painstakingly relocated had put down roots and flourished in the stable environment the sect provided.
Deep within the forbidden grounds of the Eastern Sea Immortal Sect's back mountain, over a dozen people had gathered in a quiet clearing. The air was thick with anticipation.
"Sect Master, Elder Long mentioned that the two Grand Elders should return within the next few days," one of the senior disciples reported.
"What a shame," the Great Elder mused, shaking his head. "Without surviving the Six-Nine Heavenly Tribulation, entering the Golden Core Avenue would have been suicide."
"Xiao Ya, if you had been born a hundred years earlier, you might have been able to accompany the two Grand Elders," the Sect Master added, turning his gaze.
As he spoke, the group couldn't help but glance with a mix of pride and regret at a young woman among them, Luo Ya. At less than fifty years old, she had already reached the Golden Core stage. Anyone who probed her aura would sense the lingering traces of Dark Demon Lightning, undeniable proof that she had at least survived the formidable Six-Nine Heavenly Tribulation.
Had she been part of the Avenue and followed in Su Min's footsteps, she might have seized great opportunities. Reaching the Golden Core stage at fifty made her advancement even faster than Su Min's had been.
"Sect Master, Great Elder, you flatter me," Luo Ya said, her expression turning wry. "I only reached this point because I inherited the Xuantian Mansion's legacy and received the Grand Elder's elixirs. Besides, the two Grand Elders survived the Nine-Nine Heavenly Tribulation. We are not even in the same realm."
Only those who had endured the Six-Nine Tribulation could truly comprehend the sheer terror of the Nine-Nine. Back then, she had barely survived the Six-Nine, sustaining severe injuries. The Demon-Slaying Thunder that followed had been so overwhelming that merely standing under it had felt impossible. She held a deep, reverent awe for those who conquered the Nine-Nine. They existed on a level she couldn't hope to match.
BOOM!
Suddenly, two dazzling golden lights erupted in the center of the clearing. An overwhelming pressure surged forth, causing everyone's expressions to shift. The very air grew heavy.
Apart from Luo Ya, no one could fully resist the force of it. But she didn't even try. Instead, she dropped to one knee in immediate deference. Even if these two had not officially reached the Nascent Soul stage yet, they were clearly on the cusp. Their combat power likely already surpassed ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators.
"Fifteen Golden Core cultivators, and one who survived the Six-Nine Tribulation," Su Min's elegant voice rang out as the oppressive atmosphere dissipated. "And she is quite young, under a hundred years old. All of you, rise. We just instinctively released some aura after being suddenly teleported."
Her explanation was half true. While they had instinctively reacted to the teleportation, they had also wanted to gauge the sect's current strength after a century away.
Fortunately, under the steady stewardship of the Azure Dragon King and the Peacock King, the sect remained orderly and strong.
"Hmm, this girl," Xie Yingying said, a smirk spreading across her face. "She inherited the Heavenly Yin Xuantian Vein's legacy. Looks like my lineage is stronger than yours."
Before Su Min could speak, Xie Yingying looked triumphantly at her. The Xuantian Mansion had been her sect's most powerful treasure, a Heaven-grade artifact too immense to bring into the Great Dao. It had been left behind for disciples to study.
Seeing her own disciple outshine the others, Xie Yingying was visibly delighted. She might not be able to defeat Su Min in a fight, but having her lineage prevail still felt like a small, personal victory.
Su Min, meanwhile, rolled her eyes. Xie Yingying had access to an entire sect's complete and systematic legacy. Su Min's knowledge, in contrast, was scattered, pieced together from various sources. It lacked that cohesive foundation and required more time to refine. It was only natural that her disciples might lag behind, but it was not something she cared much about.
"The seeds we sowed back then have finally sprouted," Su Min announced, addressing the disciples. "As the Grand Elder, I will reward each of you with a Tier 4 elixir. Think carefully about what you need and come to me in three days. The materials will be drawn from the sect's reserves, so choose wisely. We will soon be entering deep seclusion."
"Tier 4 elixirs?!"
"Are you serious? The Grand Elder was already a Tier 4 alchemist before leaving!"
"Elder Huo Yao has been struggling for ages and still cannot refine a single Tier 4 pill!"
Aside from the oldest members, most of the newer Golden Core cultivators hadn't known about Su Min's capabilities. The revelation sent them into an excited uproar. Even with complete legacies at their disposal, none of them had reached Tier 4 alchemy. Su Min was not surprised. During the entire Avenue, she had been the only Tier 4 alchemist among the gathered geniuses.
"Alright, go prepare your requests," Su Min said, chuckling at their excitement.
"You should consider yourselves fortunate," Xie Yingying declared, her chin lifting slightly as she surveyed the gathered disciples. A knowing smile played on her lips. "When the Boundary Formations fully open within the decade, you will witness Nascent Soul elders, no, even Divine Transformation ancestors, lining up with treasures in hand, begging your Grand Elder for a single pill."
Her eyes gleamed with quiet satisfaction as she spoke. She recalled memories of the Golden Core Avenue, of how even legendary talents like the Great Desolate Holy Body had come bearing priceless materials, humbling themselves before Su Min's alchemical mastery. The mental image of those arrogant geniuses practically groveling sent a warm thrill through her chest.
Not that she would ever admit this was personal. But every rare herb those cultivators had offered, every awestruck expression they had worn when receiving Su Min's elixirs, Xie Yingying cataloged each memory like precious jewels in her private collection.
Now, watching the disciples' astonished faces, she could not help the proprietary pride swelling within her. What did it matter that Su Min's wealth could buy entire sects? That her skills would soon make her the most sought after alchemist of their era? These were simply facts Xie Yingying had long accepted as naturally as breathing.
After all, was not the sect's good fortune her own? And was not Su Min's rising prestige... well. That was practically the same thing, was it not?
"Understood!"
Snapping out of their daze, the group quickly dispersed, leaving only the two elders behind.
"Not bad," Xie Yingying said, turning to Su Min. "First asserting dominance, then offering rewards. You have got them wrapped around your finger. But when do you plan to enter seclusion?"
She asked curiously. With spiritual energy rapidly recovering and the heavenly suppression lifting, cultivators now stood at the threshold of an unprecedented era. The Great Struggle of Ages had begun. Fallen immortals, ancient demons, and even legendary divine beasts would soon emerge. In this turbulent tide, strength was everything. Without it, no one could guarantee survival.
"No rush. You go ahead and attempt your Nascent Soul breakthrough first," Su Min replied. "My process will be several times faster than yours. But before that, there is something more urgent."
She placed a hand on her chest. Her heart was pounding violently, a deep, rhythmic thrum that resonated in her bones. She shared a blood bond with the little Golden Crow, who had been incubating in its egg for centuries. Now, the time for hatching was near.
Once the Golden Crow emerged, it would instantly reach the early Divine Transformation stage. When that happened, Su Min could safely enter seclusion. Even if the Blood Puppet Sect attacked prematurely, they would be easily repelled.
"The Peacock King and the Azure Dragon King are currently guarding the Fusang Ancient Tree, overseeing the Golden Crow's final moments," Su Min continued. "I need to prepare and join them, just in case."
"Alright. I cannot assist with that," Xie Yingying conceded. "My Lunar Sovereign Body inherently conflicts with the Fusang Tree and the Sun True Flame. I will leave this to you."
With that, she departed to begin her closed door cultivation. With the Eastern Azure Wood's protection, Su Min was far more suited to this task.
The next few days passed swiftly.
Unlike prodigies like Yao Xian'er, who had already reached perfection through sheer talent, most cultivators still relied on elixirs for breakthroughs. A week later, the entire sect was buzzing with celebration. Low ranking disciples and elders stared in confusion as the usually stern and composed Golden Core elders walked around the grounds, grinning like fools.
Clearly, the Tier 4 elixirs had been a massive boon.
As for Su Min, she felt nothing in particular. If not for her duties, she would not have minded refining more pills. But now, she stood before an enormous ancient tree that seemed to scrape the sky. The air around it shimmered with heat, and the very ground was warm to the touch. A magnificent dragon and a resplendent peacock stood guard on either side, their eyes sharp. Any unauthorized approach would be met with lethal force.
"These two divine beasts are only slightly weaker than me, assuming we are at the same level," Su Min observed to herself.
"Congratulations," the Azure Dragon King rumbled, studying Su Min with surprise. The aura she exuded was dense and terrifying, proof that even among the Avenue's gathering of geniuses, she had stood above all. "What rank did you achieve on the Heavenly Leaderboard?"
"Not bad. First place," Su Min replied with a calm smile. "Oh, and I also picked up something interesting. Take a look."
With a smile, she raised her hand. A miniature tree, glowing with a vibrant, life-giving green light, materialized above her palm.
"The Eastern Azure Wood?!"
Twin exclamations of shock erupted from the two divine beasts as they stared in disbelief. The Golden Crow, as a heavenly divine beast and the very embodiment of the sun, could harmonize with multiple divine treasures. But how had a human cultivator like Su Min managed it?
Then, a name surfaced from the depths of their ancient bloodline memories, a legend they had never thought to witness.
"The Five Elements Holy Body! To think that after the Lunar Sovereign Body, this legendary physique would also appear in the same sect!"
"Not just us two," Su Min clarified calmly. "Aside from the Solar Sovereign Body, all the others have emerged."
"What?!"
Their eyes widened further, their majestic forms seeming to stiffen with the shock of the revelation.
In the distant past, such peerless physiques were exceedingly rare, appearing once in ten thousand years. For four of them to appear simultaneously, even with the accumulated fortune of millennia, was unheard of.
Such prosperous fortune for humanity might not be a purely good sign. The greater the destiny gathered, the greater the calamity it was meant to face. The heavens were gathering powerhouses, and that could only mean one thing. A Great Terror was looming on the horizon, and the world was preparing its defenders.