A hundred years had passed since Su Min and Xie Yingying left Eastern Mulberry Land. The people they had painstakingly relocated back then had now flourished in this stable environment.
Deep within the forbidden grounds of the Eastern Sea Immortal Sect's back mountain, over a dozen people had gathered.
"Sect Master, Elder Long mentioned that the two Grand Elders should return within the next few days."
"What a shame. Without surviving the Six-Nine Heavenly Tribulation, entering The Golden Core Avenue would've been suicide."
"Xiao Ya, if you'd been born a hundred years earlier, you might've been able to accompany the two Grand Elders to the Golden Core Avenue."
As they spoke, the group couldn't help but glance regretfully at a young woman among them—Luo Ya. At less than fifty years old, she had already reached the Golden Core stage. And if one probed her aura, they would detect traces of Dark Demon Lightning—proof that she had at least survived the Six-Nine Heavenly Tribulation.
Had she been part of the Avenue and followed Su Min, she might've seized great opportunities. Moreover, reaching the Golden Core stage at fifty made her even younger than Su Min had been.
"Sect Master, Great Elder, you flatter me. I only reached this point thanks to inheriting the Xiantian Mansion's legacy and the Grand Elder's elixirs. Besides, the two Grand Elders survived the Nine-Nine Heavenly Tribulation—we're not even in the same realm."
Luo Ya's expression turned wry. Only those who had endured the Six-Nine Tribulation could truly comprehend the 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 felt impossible. Thus, she held deep reverence for those who conquered the Nine-Nine. They existed on a level she couldn't hope to match—especially these two elders, whose strength she could only admire from afar.
BOOM!
Suddenly, two dazzling golden lights erupted, and an overwhelming pressure surged forth, causing everyone's expressions to shift.
Apart from Luo Ya, no one could resist it.
But Luo Ya didn't resist—instead, she dropped to one knee in deference. She could tell that even if these two hadn't yet reached the Nascent Soul stage, they were close. In terms of combat power, they might even surpass ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators.
"Fifteen Golden Core cultivators, and one who survived the Six-Nine Tribulation… and she's quite young, under a hundred years old. All of you, rise. We just instinctively released some aura after being suddenly teleported."
Su Min's elegant voice rang out as the oppressive atmosphere dissipated. Her explanation was half-true. While they had instinctively reacted to the teleportation, they'd also wanted to gauge the sect's current state after a century away.
Fortunately, under the stewardship of the Azure Dragon King and the Peacock King, the sect remained orderly—just like in the game, where these two always kept things running smoothly no matter how long the player wandered.
"Hmm, this girl… She inherited the Heavenly Yin Xuantian Vein's legacy. Looks like my lineage is stronger than yours."
Before Su Min could speak, Xie Yingying suddenly smirked triumphantly. Xuantian Mansion was her sect's most powerful treasure—a Heaven-grade artifact too immense to bring into the Great Dao. Thus, it had been left behind for disciples to study.
"..."
Seeing her own disciple outshine the others, Xie Yingying was delighted. She might not be able to defeat Su Min, but having her lineage prevail still felt like a small victory.
Su Min, meanwhile, rolled her eyes. Xie Yingying had access to an entire sect's complete legacy, whereas Su Min's knowledge was scattered, pieced together from various sources. It lacked systemic cohesion and required time to refine.
So it was natural that her disciples might lag behind—but it wasn't a major concern.
"The seeds we sowed back then have finally sprouted. As the Grand Elder, I'll reward each of you with a Tier 4 elixir. Think carefully about what you need, and come to me in three days. Of course, the materials will be drawn from the sect's reserves—so choose wisely. We'll 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 can't 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 uproar. Even with complete legacies at their disposal, none had reached Tier 4 alchemy. But Su Min wasn't surprised—after all, during the Avenue, she'd been the only Tier 4 alchemist.
"Alright, go prepare your requests."
Seeing their excitement, Su Min chuckled.
"You should count yourselves lucky. With spiritual energy restored and the Boundary Formations set to fully open within a decade, in a few decades, you'll see countless Nascent Soul and even Divine Transformation cultivators bringing treasures to beg the Grand Elder for elixirs."
Xie Yingying added proudly, recalling how even supreme talents like the Great Desolate Holy Body had sought Su Min's help during the Avenue. The sheer volume of rare materials had been staggering.
Now, Su Min was extremely wealthy—so rewarding the sect with some benefits was trivial. After all, her future cultivation resources would still rely on their efforts.
"Understood!"
Snapping out of their daze, the group quickly dispersed, leaving only the two elders behind.
"Not bad—first asserting dominance, then offering rewards. You've got them wrapped around your finger. But when do you plan to enter seclusion?"
Xie Yingying asked curiously. With spiritual energy rapidly recovering and heavenly suppression lifting, cultivators now stood at the threshold of an unprecedented era.
~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~
The Great Struggle of Ages had begun. Fallen immortals, ancient demons, and even legendary divine beasts would emerge. In this turbulent tide, strength was paramount—without it, no one could guarantee survival.
"No rush. You go ahead and attempt your Nascent Soul breakthrough first. My process will be several times faster than yours. But before that, there's something more urgent."
Su Min placed a hand on her chest—her heart was pounding violently. She shared a blood bond with the little Golden Crow, who had been incubating in her egg for centuries. Now, the time for hatching was near.
Upon emerging, the Golden Crow would instantly reach the early Divine Transformation stage. Once she did, Su Min could safely enter seclusion—even if the Blood Puppet Sect attacked prematurely, they'd be repelled.
"The Vermilion Bird King and the Azure Dragon King are currently guarding the Fusang Ancient Tree, overseeing the Golden Crow's final moments. I need to prepare and join them—just in case."
"Alright. I can't assist with that—my Lunar Sovereign Body inherently conflicts with the Fusang Tree and the Sun True Flame. I'll leave this to you."
With that, Xie Yingying departed to begin her closed-door cultivation. With the Eastern Azure Wood's protection, Su Min was far more suited to this task.
(As a side note, despite its name, the Sun True Flame had no connection to the Solar Sovereign Body—so it held no attraction for Su Min.)
The next few days passed swiftly.
Unlike prodigies like Yao Xian'er, who had already reached perfection, 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 Golden Core elders walked around 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 wouldn't have minded refining more pills. But now, she stood before an enormous ancient tree, where a dragon and a peacock stood guard on either side. Any unauthorized approach would be met with lethal force.
"These two divine beasts are only slightly weaker than me—assuming we're at the same level."
"Congratulations. What rank did you achieve on the Heavenly Leaderboard?"
The Azure Dragon King studied Su Min with surprise. The aura she exuded was terrifying—proof that even among the Great Dao's gathering of geniuses, she had stood above all.
"Not bad—first place. Oh, and I also picked up something interesting. Take a look."
With a smile, Su Min raised her hand. A miniature tree materialized within a green glow.
"The Eastern Azure Wood?!"
Twin exclamations of shock erupted as the two divine beasts stared in disbelief. The Golden Crow, as a heavenly divine beast and embodiment of the sun, could harmonize with multiple divine treasures. But how had Su Min managed it?
Then, a name surfaced from the depths of their bloodline memories:
"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. Aside from the Solar Sovereign Body, all the others have emerged."
"What?!"
Their eyes widened further.
In the past, such peerless physiques were exceedingly rare—except for the cursed Lunar Sovereign and Solar Sovereign Bodies. For four to appear simultaneously, even with millennia of accumulation, was unprecedented.
Such prosperous fortune for humanity might not be a good sign. The greater the destiny, the greater the calamity to come. The heavens needed more powerhouses to resist the looming Great Terror.