The five old men had arrived at the tournament grounds early to discuss how to approach the Grade 4 alchemist—perhaps even negotiate some under-the-table deals for materials. Naturally, they didn't want to be disturbed, so when they finally emerged, they were stunned. The stands were nearly empty.
Only a scattering of mortals remained, their cheers sparse and unenthusiastic. The cultivators from their sects—along with all the rogue cultivators—had vanished. For a moment, they feared their disciples had been ambushed. But soon, a messenger arrived with an explanation.
Meanwhile, Outside the Arena…
"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 through the crowd and slammed a fragrant vine onto Su Min's stall.
"What do you want?"
"A Foundation Establishment Pill—for my useless son."
"Here. And be careful."
She tossed him the pill, and the man grinned before vanishing into the crowd. Su Min was delighted. She'd already acquired a trove of treasures—rare herbs, high-grade ores, and even some unique cultivation manuals.
"As expected of the Great Luo Tian State—these people still have some oil to squeeze out."
The crowd was even happier than she was. Pills—especially Foundation Establishment Pills—were usually monopolized by the major sects. Even mid-tier disciples rarely got them, let alone outsiders. Now, with this golden opportunity, people were desperate, liquidating their life savings. They knew once the sect elders caught wind, this chance would vanish.
Sure enough, five terrifying auras suddenly descended from the sky. The bustling stall fell dead silent.
The crowd scrambled back as five old men glared at them—many of whom were their own disciples. In their eyes, such precious pills should only go to the most elite talents, not these "wasteful" outsiders.
But since most buyers had swallowed the pills on the spot, there was nothing they could do. They could only seethe silently. Then they turned to Su Min—and their expressions instantly melted into warm smiles.
"You five old geezers want something? Name your price. These materials might not be as valuable as Grade 4 pill ingredients, but they're still rare."
"Of course, of course! These herbs and ores may be uncommon, but our sect's secret realms have plenty. As long as you provide the pills, we're willing to trade."
"Gulp."
The disciples behind them gaped at their sect leaders' shameless bargaining.
"Oh? If you provide the materials, I can mass-produce. Interested?"
Su Min smirked. These sects surely had stockpiles of what she needed.
"Naturally! Since this is Sky Summit City, our Sky Summit Sect must act as proper hosts. We'll treat you as an honored guest—"
Before he could finish, the crowd scrambled back as four terrifying auras erupted. The other four elders glared at "Old Man Water."
They knew Su Min wouldn't stay forever—her pill output was limited. Whoever monopolized her now would reap unimaginable benefits. Old Man Water sweated under their murderous gazes. He knew he couldn't hog her, so he forced a dry chuckle.
"Foundation Establishment Pills can wait. What Grade 4 pills do you need? Speak up."
Su Min ignored their power struggle. The real prize was the Grade 4 pill ingredients—essential for taming the three ancient divine beasts. The current world couldn't produce them naturally—only the sects' hidden reserves had them.
~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~
"Our Sky Summit Sect needs two pills. Here are the materials and recipes."
"Our Luo Yin Sect also requires—"
"Our Water Nether Sect is missing one ingredient. We're willing to supplement with extra materials. Does the lady happen to have…?"
"Our Heavenly Fire Pavilion is in the same situation."
Su Min raised an eyebrow. "What ingredient?"
"Frozen Spirit Fruit."
The two sect leaders spoke in unison. If both major sects lacked it, only one explanation existed—this item didn't grow in the Great Luo Tian State.
"Hmm, this?"
Su Min pulled out a single ice-blue fruit.
The moment she did—
BOOM!
Two overwhelming auras clashed as the sect leaders locked onto each other. The air within a kilometer distorted under their Golden Core pressure.
"These two…"
The crowd stared in shock. While the five sects competed, they'd always maintained surface-level harmony. Two sect leaders openly brawling was unprecedented. If these two factions went to war, the entire Great Luo Tian State would bleed. Then they glanced at Su Min—still casually holding the fruit—with awe and fear.
"Old Man Mu, yield this fruit to me. Our Water Nether Sect will compensate you handsomely."
"Dream on, Old Liu. This fruit is critical to us. How about you back down?"
"Impossible!"
"Then neither will we!"
As they argued, they ascended into the sky, glaring daggers at each other.
"They're fighting! They're fighting!"
Su Min happily stored the fruit to avoid collateral damage, then settled in to watch. A Golden Core duel? She was all for it.
—
"Hey, stop spectating like this is a show."
Mu Jiansheng shot Su Min a look. If these two sects went to war, the entire region would plunge into chaos. Their sealed experts might even be dragged out—a disastrous waste of resources. But he also knew this fruit likely concerned their future prodigies. With no local supply, neither would back down. So he turned to Su Min—the only one who could defuse this.
"Alright, stop posturing. I have a compromise."
The two sect leaders paused.
"This Frozen Spirit Fruit is the only one I have, but its medicinal essence is intact. Theoretically, it can refine two pills."
Su Min held up the fruit.
"I can extract the excess energy and preserve it with my flames, then use the remainder for a second pill. But sealing the energy is mentally exhausting—the first pill is fine, but the second has a 30% failure rate."
The two leaders calmed slightly. A full-blown war benefited no one. Then Su Min added:
"But you'll have to decide who goes first."
BOOM!
Their auras exploded again.
"Calm down! How about… actually, screw it. This is a tournament arena. Fight it out. Winner gets first refinement."
Mu Jiansheng's tone was pure provocation.
"Fight! Fight! Fight!"
Su Min mentally cheered. She wouldn't instigate a bloodbath, but watching two Golden Core experts duke it out? Absolutely.
"LET'S GO!!"
"BRING IT!"
The two leaders vanished into the arena in streaks of light. Su Min immediately packed up her stall and flew after them, along with the other sect leaders.
The stands erupted as spectators rushed in. A Golden Core battle was a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle. Within minutes, the empty arena was packed. Humans loved drama—some even risked their lives for a front-row seat. (Su Min recalled a story about a bridge collapsing under gawking onlookers.)
The remaining four Golden Core elders took their seats. As long as this didn't escalate into all-out war, two sect leaders beating each other up was fine. Each sect had at least three active Golden Core experts—replacements were easy. The only ones truly miserable were the young disciples. This was their stage—their chance to shine in the triennial tournament.
But now?
Their elders had stolen the spotlight. And they couldn't even complain. In the cultivation world, strength ruled supreme.
The battle was spectacular—far more intense than Su Min's one-sided slaughter of the Demon Queen. These sect leaders had complete heritage techniques, top-tier treasures, and centuries of combat experience. In the end, water overcame fire, and the Heavenly Fire Pavilion's leader conceded.
Su Min lost interest after that. She left with the other sect leaders to finalize deals, though occasional tremors from the back suggested the negotiations weren't entirely peaceful. No one dared trouble her, though. After all, she was the real winner. Not only had she secured all her key materials, but she'd also gathered enough ores to forge her armor. This trip to the Great Luo Tian State had been wildly profitable.
A year later, a streak of light shot across the sky. Su Min had finished all her commissions and ignored the sects' pleas to stay. Mounting her flying sword, she headed back toward Wei Wu State. Not to return—but because the Three Great Blessed Lands lay in the outer seas beyond it.
In-game, this was for player convenience. For Su Min, it meant less competition. The nearby states were backwaters—no major powers lurked there.
"Treasures invite envy."
She couldn't match the ancient sects' strength, so lying low was the smart move. Soon, she reached the coastline.
"This is the edge of the continental shelf. Beyond here, the world's barriers vanish—and the sea beasts grow dangerous."
She activated her unique flying shuttle, the only tool capable of crossing this boundary.
(The Demon Queen had originally sought this shuttle to reach the Blessed Lands—a plot revealed in-game after killing her. Su Min had the scroll with the coordinates but didn't need it.)
The moment she crossed, her Nanming Lihuo. Even without it, she could feel the difference. Orienting herself, she shot toward the horizon.
By dawn, she landed on an island so vast it could be a continent. Before her stood a golden tree so colossal it pierced the heavens.
"It's like staring at the Erdtree in Elden Ring… except this isn't gold. It's the Fusang Divine Tree—one of the world's divine wonders. And the Golden Crow's egg should be at its crown."
The sight took her breath away. The Fusang Tree and Solar True Flame were incredibly powerful but carried deep bloodline restrictions.
She couldn't refine the flame—her Nanming Lihuo was incompatible. As for the tree? Absorbing it would permanently lock her Five Elements Holy Body. Her next target lay within the Golden Core Avenue.
"The spiritual energy here is insane. The Three Great Blessed Lands form a self-sustaining cycle, creating this paradise."
As she sped across the island, she spotted rare herbs and beasts everywhere—far more than even the Great Luo Tian State's richest regions. 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 with such geography had birthed a monkey named Sun Wukong. The spiritual energy here was so dense it surpassed even the five great sects' holy grounds.
But Su Min didn't linger.
She had business at the treetop.
There, suspended in the air, was a massive golden egg—larger than her entire body.