The five elders had arrived at the tournament grounds early, hoping to discuss how best to approach the Grade 4 alchemist and maybe negotiate some private deals for materials. They had secluded themselves within a heavily warded VIP chamber to avoid any disturbance, their minds preoccupied with political leverage and long-term gains. When they finally emerged to take their seats for the opening ceremony, they were completely stunned. The vast spectator stands, designed to hold hundreds of thousands, were nearly empty.
An echoing, stagnant silence hung over the stone benches. Only a handful of mortals remained in the lower tiers, their cheers sparse and unenthusiastic against the massive scale of the arena. Every last cultivator from their sects, along with all the rogue practitioners who had traveled across continents for this event, had vanished. For a heart-stopping moment, the elders feared their disciples had been ambushed by some hidden enemy. But then a flustered messenger arrived, breathless and sweating, and quickly explained the chaotic situation at the main gates.
Outside the arena, chaos reigned in a sea of colorful robes and shouting voices.
"MOVE THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY! IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD IT, DON'T BLOCK THE PATH!"
A burly man at the late Foundation Establishment stage shoved his way through the dense crowd, his shoulders acting like a battering ram. He slammed a fragrant, spirit-infused vine onto Su Min's stall, the plant still dripping with glowing sap.
"What do you want for it?" she asked, her tone businesslike as she nudged the vine with a finger to check its vitality.
"A Foundation Establishment Pill," the man grunted, his face flushed with exertion. "For my useless son. He has been stuck at the peak of Qi Refining for three years."
"Here you go. And be careful on your way out. The sharks are circling." She tossed him the porcelain vial. The man's fingers clamped around it, a mix of relief and triumph on his face before he turned and vanished back into the roiling throng.
Su Min was delighted with the turnout. Her stall had already netted her a trove of treasures, including rare herbs that smelled of mountain mist, high-grade ores that felt unnaturally heavy, and even a few unique cultivation manuals bound in strange, leathery hides.
"As expected of the Great Luo Tian State," she thought with satisfaction, her eyes scanning the next offering. "These people still have some oil to squeeze out of them. A much richer harvest than back home."
The crowd was even happier than she was. Pills, especially Foundation Establishment Pills, were usually monopolized by the major sects' inner circles. Even mid-tier disciples rarely saw them, and outsiders almost never had a chance to bid on such resources. Now, with this golden opportunity, people were desperate, liquidating family heirlooms and entire life savings on the spot. They all knew that once the sect elders caught wind of this open market, the chance would vanish forever into the sects' private vaults.
Sure enough, five terrifying auras suddenly descended from the sky like falling stars, casting a pall of heavy pressure over the entire area. The bustling stall fell dead silent as the air grew thick with Golden Core might.
The crowd scrambled backward, creating a wide circle of empty space as the five old men glared at them. The elders recognized many of their own disciples in the mob, clutching newly bought vials to their chests. In the elders' eyes, such precious pills should only go to the most elite talents under their direct supervision, not be "wasted" on these outsiders or mediocre students.
But since most buyers had wisely swallowed the pills on the spot, the spiritual energy already knitting into their bones, there was nothing the elders could do to reclaim the medicine. They could only seethe in silence, their faces twitching. Then, they all turned to Su Min, and their stern expressions instantly melted into warm, almost grandfatherly smiles that crinkled the corners of their eyes.
"You five want something?" Su Min asked, cutting straight through their forced joviality. "Name your price. The materials I got here might not be as valuable as Grade 4 pill ingredients, but they are still plenty rare for the current age."
"Of course, of course!" one of them chimed in, stepping forward with his hands clasped behind his back. "These herbs and ores may be uncommon to the commoners, but our sect's secret realms have plentiful stores hidden away. As long as you can provide the pills, we are more than willing to trade from our private collections."
A collective gulp could be heard from the disciples behind them, who were gaping at their leaders' shamelessly eager bargaining. It was a complete reversal of the dignity they usually displayed.
"Oh?" Su Min smirked, her fingers drumming on the wooden counter. "If you provide the materials, I can mass-produce. Are you interested?"
The elders' eyes practically glowed with greed. These sects undoubtedly had massive stockpiles of exactly what she needed to progress her own cultivation and prepare for her future sect.
"Naturally!" boomed Lao Shui from the Sky Summit Sect, stepping forward to claim the space closest to her. "Since this is Sky Summit City, our sect must act as proper hosts. We will treat you as an honored guest, providing the finest chambers and the most secure environment—"
Before he could finish, the crowd scrambled back again as four other terrifying auras erupted around him. The other four elders glared at Lao Shui, their expressions turning murderous.
They all knew Su Min wouldn't stay forever, and her pill output was limited by time and energy. Whoever monopolized her time now would reap unimaginable benefits for their younger generation. Lao Shui broke into a cold sweat under their combined pressure. He knew he couldn't possibly hog her without starting a war, so he forced a dry, hacking chuckle and stepped back a half-pace.
Su Min ignored their petty power struggle. "Foundation Establishment Pills can wait. What Grade 4 pills do you need? Speak up." The real prize was the Grade 4 pill ingredients, which were essential for her plan to tame the three ancient divine beasts. The current world couldn't produce them naturally; only the sects' hidden reserves still held such ancient materials.
"Our Sky Summit Sect needs two pills. Here are the materials and the ancient recipes."
"Our Luo Yin Sect also requires two commissions—"
"Our Water Nether Sect is missing one critical ingredient," another leader interjected, his voice sharp. "We are willing to supplement with extra materials if you can help. Does the lady happen to have a... Frozen Spirit Fruit?"
"Our Heavenly Fire Pavilion is in the same situation," another added quickly, his eyes narrowing.
Su Min raised an eyebrow, her interest sharpening. "What ingredient specifically?"
"Frozen Spirit Fruit," the two sect leaders said in unison. If two major sects both lacked it, there was only one explanation—the item simply didn't grow in the Great Luo Tian State anymore.
"Hmm, this?" Su Min said. She reached into her ancient black ring and pulled out a single, perfectly preserved ice-blue fruit. It radiated a visible frost that misted the air around her hand.
The moment the fruit appeared, the air cracked with tension.
BOOM!
Two overwhelming auras clashed as the leaders of the Water Nether Sect and the Heavenly Fire Pavilion locked onto each other. The air within a kilometer distorted and shimmered under the pressure of their Golden Core power, making the surrounding buildings groan.
"These two..." the crowd murmured in shock, shielding their eyes. While the five sects had always competed, they had maintained a surface-level harmony for the sake of the state's stability. Two sect leaders on the verge of an open brawl in the middle of a tournament was unprecedented. If these two factions went to war, the entire Great Luo Tian State would bleed. Then they glanced at Su Min, who was still casually holding the frost-covered fruit, and their eyes filled with a new mixture of awe and fear.
"Lao Mu, yield this fruit to me," the Water Nether leader said. His voice was tight, vibrating with spiritual power. "Our sect will compensate you handsomely with ores and manuals."
"Dream on, Lao Liu," the Heavenly Fire leader retorted, his robes beginning to smoke from his rising internal heat. "This fruit is critical to our sect's foundation. How about you back down instead?"
"Impossible!"
"Then neither will we!"
As they argued, their feet left the ground, and they ascended into the sky. They glared daggers at each other, their spiritual pressure crushing the clouds above the city.
"They are fighting! They are really fighting!"
Su Min happily stored the fruit back in her ring to avoid any collateral damage, then settled in to watch with a smirk. A full-on Golden Core duel? She was all for it.
"Alright, stop posturing," Su Min said, addressing the two hovering leaders. Her voice carried clearly through the turbulent air. "I have a compromise."
They paused mid-ascent, their auras still simmering and distorting the light around them.
"This Frozen Spirit Fruit is the only one I have, but its medicinal essence is fully intact. Theoretically, it can be used to refine two pills if the alchemist is skilled enough."
She held up her empty hand as if showing the fruit again for them to see.
"I can extract the excess energy and preserve it with my flames, then use the remainder for a second pill. But sealing that much energy is mentally exhausting work. The first pill will be fine, but the second one would have about a thirty percent failure rate."
The two leaders calmed slightly, the prospect of both getting something being better than a bloody stalemate. A full-blown war benefited no one in the long run. Then Su Min added the final, crucial condition.
"But you will have to decide who goes first."
BOOM!
Their auras exploded again, the air growing thick with the promise of violence. Neither wanted the thirty percent failure risk.
"Calm down!" Mu Jiansheng interjected, a sly glint in his eyes. He looked between the two and then at the arena. "How about this—actually, screw it. This is a tournament arena. Fight it out. Winner gets first refinement. Loser takes the risk." His tone was pure provocation.
"Fight! Fight! Fight!" Su Min mentally cheered, her eyes sparkling. She wouldn't instigate a bloodbath, but watching two Golden Core experts duke it out was absolutely on her list of desired entertainment for the day.
"LET'S GO!!"
"BRING IT!"
The two leaders vanished into the main arena in streaks of blue and red light. Su Min immediately packed up her stall with a wave of her hand and flew after them, the other sect leaders right behind her.
The stands, once empty, erupted as spectators rushed back in from the gates. A Golden Core battle was a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle that eclipsed any Qi Refining match. Within minutes, the arena was packed to the brim, the stone seats vibrating with the anticipation of the crowd. Humans loved drama, and some cultivators even risked their lives for a front-row seat near the safety barriers.
The remaining four Golden Core elders took their seats in a special viewing box. As long as this didn't escalate into an all-out war between the sects, two sect leaders beating each other up was fine, even entertaining. Each sect had at least three active Golden Core experts in their current active roster, so replacements were available if one got injured. The only ones truly miserable were the young disciples. This was supposed to be their stage, their chance to shine in the triennial tournament.
But now their elders had stolen the spotlight entirely. And they couldn't even complain. In the cultivation world, strength ruled supreme over seniority or tradition.
The battle was spectacular, far more intense and technical than Su Min's one-sided slaughter of the Demon Queen back in the capital. These sect leaders had complete heritage techniques, top-tier treasures, and centuries of combat experience. Spells clashing against sword lights filled the air with blinding flashes. In the end, the deep, inexhaustible water-based techniques of the Water Nether Sect overcame the fiery onslaught of the Heavenly Fire Pavilion, and its leader finally conceded after his shield cracked.
Su Min lost interest after the outcome was clear. She left with the other sect leaders to finalize their deals in a quieter chamber, though occasional tremors and flashes of light from a nearby pavilion suggested the negotiations for the remaining materials were not entirely peaceful. No one dared trouble her, though. After all, she was the real winner of the tournament. Not only had she secured all her key materials for the Golden Crow taming, but she had also gathered enough high-quality ores to forge her new armor. This trip to the Great Luo Tian State had been wildly profitable.
A year later, a solitary streak of light shot across the clear sky. Su Min had finished all her commissions, drained the sects' immediate reserves, and ignored their repeated pleas for her to stay as a permanent elder. Mounting her flying sword, she headed back in the direction of Wei Wu Province. She wasn't returning home, but traveling toward the Three Great Blessed Lands that lay in the outer seas beyond the continental shelf.
In the game, this convenient placement was for the player's benefit to allow for a mid-game power spike. For Su Min, it meant far less competition. The nearby states were backwaters compared to Great Luo Tian, and no major powers lurked there to contest her claim.
Treasures invite envy, she reminded herself. She couldn't match the ancient sects' combined strength if they ever united against her, so lying low while building her own foundation was the smart move. Soon, she reached the rugged, salt-sprayed coastline.
"This is the edge of the continental shelf," she murmured, looking out at the endless, choppy waters that stretched to the horizon. "Beyond here, the world's barriers vanish, and the sea beasts grow truly dangerous."
She deactivated her flying sword and summoned her unique flying shuttle, the only tool capable of safely crossing this turbulent boundary. The Demon Queen had originally sought this shuttle to reach the Blessed Lands, a plot point revealed after defeating her in the game's main quest. Su Min had the scroll with the coordinates, but she didn't even need it. The sheer concentration of spiritual energy in the air was guide enough.
The moment she crossed the invisible boundary of the shelf, the Nanming Lihuo within her dantian pulsed in recognition, a white heat sparking in her core. Even without the flame's reaction, she could feel the profound difference in the environment. The air felt older, heavier with primal power. Orienting herself toward the densest source of energy, she shot toward the distant horizon.
By dawn, she landed on an island so vast it felt like a small continent, its soil rich and dark. Before her stood a golden tree so colossal it seemed to pierce the very heavens.
"It's like staring at the Erdtree," she thought, the reference surfacing from her old life like a ghost. "Except this isn't just gold. It's the Fusang Divine Tree, one of the world's true divine wonders. And the Golden Crow's egg should be at its crown."
The sight truly took her breath away. The Fusang Tree and the Solar True Flame it harbored were incredibly powerful, but they carried deep bloodline restrictions. She couldn't refine the flame herself, as her Nanming Lihuo was its polar opposite and would reject it with violent force. As for the tree itself, absorbing its power would permanently lock her Five Elements Holy Body, limiting her future path to a single attribute. Her true target lay within the Golden Core Avenue that this journey was preparing her for.
"The spiritual energy here is insane," she whispered, her skin tingling. The Three Great Blessed Lands formed a self-sustaining cycle, creating this isolated, ancient paradise.
As she sped across the island toward the center, she spotted rare herbs and powerful beasts everywhere, far more numerous than even in the richest regions of the Great Luo Tian State. According to the game's lore, this place was the "ancestral vein of ten continents, the dragon's origin of three islands." The last place she remembered with such potent geography had, in another story, birthed a monkey named Sun Wukong. The spiritual energy here was so dense it formed a faint, shimmering mist that clung to the leaves, surpassing even the five great sects' most holy grounds.
But Su Min didn't linger to harvest anything yet.
She had more pressing business at the very top of the tree.
There, nestled where the highest branches met, suspended in the air by a cradle of golden light, was a massive golden egg, larger than her entire body.