[Three-Legged Golden Crow Egg]
The moment Su Min approached, the system's prompt appeared before her eyes.
[Three-Legged Golden Crow Egg: A royal descendant of the Golden Crow lineage, possessing noble blood. As long as the Three-Legged Golden Crow exists and the Fusang Divine Tree stands, new Golden Crows can be born from its branches. However, as a supreme divine beast, the Three-Legged Golden Crow is heavily suppressed by the Heavenly Dao. To preserve this egg, it remains incomplete.]
[Golden Crow's Oath: An ancient vow made by the Golden Crow Emperor. If someone aids in hatching this egg, the Golden Crow lineage shall pledge eternal loyalty to that individual.]
"Emperor Jun was once the ruler of the Golden Crow clan, commanding countless races. The other two divine beasts—the Azure Dragon of the Crystal Palace and the Great Peacock of the Floating Sky Islands—were merely his retainers. They will awaken alongside the Golden Crow's birth. So, to claim control of this island, all I need to do is ensure its hatching."
These divine creatures were darlings of heaven and earth, born with lifespans far exceeding humans. Even at birth, they possessed millennia of natural lifespan, and each breakthrough would further extend it. They could simply outlive every bottleneck.
In the game, the Golden Crow had also assisted players with reincarnation and body possession, helping them survive the most perilous moments. In essence, the Golden Crow lineage was the player's ultimate support system. There was no way Su Min would pass up such an opportunity.
The only downside was that they couldn't enter the Golden Core Avenue—nor did they need to.
For humans, the Golden Core Avenue contained countless legacies left behind by ancient races. But for pure-blooded divine beasts like the Golden Crow, their bloodline already carried their complete inheritance. They had no need for external legacies—and indeed, could not enter.
"I've already gathered all the necessary materials—Golden Sun Heavenly Fruit, Flowing Water Vine, Seven-Colored Divine Grass... Mixing these into a special golden liquid should do the trick."
These weren't ordinary treasures—none could be found in the current world. In the game, players had to fight multiple major factions to obtain them, risking endless future retaliation if they messed up. But this wasn't a game.
Su Min had spent over a year refining pills for various sects just to gather these ingredients. The upside? She'd built decent relations with those factions.
Unlike human infants, the Golden Crow's egg didn't need refined pills—just the raw essence of these materials. Three days later, her cauldron was filled with a shimmering golden liquid.
"One final ingredient—the essence blood of at least a Golden Core cultivator. Once the Golden Crow hatches, it will be blood-bound to me."
With that, Su Min bit her tongue and spat a mouthful of blood into the cauldron. Instantly, the swirling liquid transformed into a brilliant golden radiance.
[Heavenly Golden Spirit Liquid: A special solution capable of accelerating the hatching of a Golden Crow egg.]
Carefully, Su Min lifted the cauldron and poured the liquid into a small opening in the golden egg. Inside, flickering golden flames pulsed like a heartbeat. The moment the liquid entered, the egg trembled violently, veins of crimson spreading across its surface. A deep, rhythmic thumping echoed from within—like a war drum heralding new life.
"It's already forming a new life—so fast!"
Su Min marveled. As a divine beast with the Fusang Divine Tree's endless support, the Golden Crow's incubation was far quicker than expected.
Just then, Su Min sensed two terrifying auras surging from different directions.
"The Peacock King and the Heavenly Azure Dragon—they're awakening too!"
These two were the Golden Crow's loyal retainers, sealed here to protect its heir. Their release was triggered the moment the egg began hatching. But it wasn't just them—the entire island was stirring.
Beasts of all kinds, sensing the bloodline pressure from their ancient ruler, began swarming toward the golden tree. Birds circled in reverence, while land creatures prostrated themselves at its base. Every creature here—especially those near the tree—were descendants of beings once ruled by the Golden Crow Emperor.
In moments, Su Min found herself standing above a sea of beasts—countless at the Qi Refining stage, with dozens at Foundation Establishment.
"No Golden Core beasts?"
Su Min didn't plan to harm them—they'd be valuable labor in the future. But she was surprised none had reached Golden Core.
"For beasts, the hardest part isn't cultivation—it's gaining sentience. Without sufficient intelligence, they can't even trigger the Golden Core Heavenly Tribulation."
A youthful voice rang out as two figures descended beside her—a boy and a girl, both radiating an ethereal grace.
"You two—the Azure Dragon and the Peacock?"
Su Min studied them curiously.
The Golden Core stage was the Barrier Between Immortal and Mortal—and for divine beasts, it came with a unique ability: shapeshifting. These two were both early Golden Core, clearly assigned to protect the young Golden Crow.
And their lifespans? Far beyond any human's.
"Since you awakened our king, she will acknowledge you as her master. As long as you do not threaten her, we will also follow your commands."
"Hmm, why no Golden Core beasts?"
Su Min nodded but pressed the question.
"Too few beasts develop full sentience naturally. Most require guidance from a higher being—like the Golden Crow. Until our king matures, these creatures cannot advance further."
Just then—
"Chirp!"
A soft, melodious cry echoed from the treetop. In an instant, every beast knelt—except Su Min.
"Oh no, I almost forgot—in the game, you could customize the Golden Crow's appearance. Wait, is this thing going to base its form on my preferences?"
As the golden egg began to crack, Su Min suddenly felt a chill. What if it hatched into some bearded, middle-aged man? That would be way too awkward.
Crack!
A golden streak shot into the sky, circled once, then dove straight for Su Min's shoulder, nuzzling her cheek affectionately. Instinctively, Su Min reached up and scratched its tiny chin.
"Feels like a baby chick…"
The little Golden Crow, no larger than a palm, clung to her robes, its golden feathers shimmering.
But then—
Su Min's face darkened as the hatchling slid down her chest, its beak opening toward—
"You're a Golden Crow, not a damn platypus! If you're hungry, eat your eggshell—it's packed with your bloodline inheritance!"
With a deadpan expression, she plucked the bird up by the scruff and tossed it back onto the remains of its egg.
"The young mistress is still immature. After consuming the shell, she'll enter a long slumber. Upon awakening, she'll reach the current world's cultivation limit."
The two retainers hovered nearby, watching as the hatchling munched happily on the golden fragments. Despite Su Min's rough handling, the little Golden Crow—being a divine beast—was sturdier than she looked.
"How long will she sleep?"
"About a century. Until then, we shall take turns guarding you. One will stay with the mistress; the other will follow your orders."
"I see. No rushing it, then."
Su Min nodded. This suited her just fine—it gave her time to establish her sect on this island. With the Golden Crow's birth and her bond with it, she could now command all the spirit beasts here as her workforce. The only condition? She couldn't harm the Golden Crow. Not that she planned to.
"I intend to found a sect here. These spirit beasts will serve as guardians, but I'll also bring in human settlers."
"As you command, Master."
The two retainers voiced no objections—in fact, they seemed supportive. Human faith and worship could aid their cultivation, and the island was vast enough to accommodate a large population. Backed by these spirit beasts, her sect's foundation might not match the ancient sects that survived the spiritual decline—but it would still be a force to reckon with. Moreover, the environment here was unparalleled.
~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~
The Fusang Divine Tree was one of heaven and earth's divine wonders, with a unique trait shared by all wood-attribute treasures: it passively enhanced its surroundings. Already a land of spiritual abundance, the tree had turned this place into a true cultivation paradise.
Another advantage?
Every few years, the Three Great Blessed Lands would naturally produce the materials needed for Heavenly Foundation Establishment. This meant her sect could nurture far more Heavenly Foundation experts than others—though achieving it would still require exceptional talent.
"Wait here for now. In this environment, few can threaten me."
As she spoke, crimson flames ignited in Su Min's palm—their aura no less imposing than the golden tree behind her.
"Nanming Lihuo?!"
The two retainers startled, then relaxed. One of their hidden concerns had been that Su Min might covet the Solar True Flame. But now, seeing her own divine flame, they dismissed the worry. By then, Su Min was already soaring away on her flying sword.
Her goal was simple: migrate a large population to the island. From her years of novel-reading experience, she knew one thing: Never separate a genius from their family. What kind of top-tier sect couldn't afford to house a disciple's parents? Bringing them along would strengthen loyalty—and the cost of supporting mortals was negligible for a major faction. Even modern nations knew to relocate entire families when recruiting top talent.
Su Min's plan was straightforward: Children with talent would be trained as disciples. Their families would settle on the island, ensuring population growth.
With centuries until the Great Dao fully opened, most humans wouldn't live to see it. Natural generational turnover was inevitable. But in this environment, children born here would inherit higher cultivation aptitudes—laying the foundation for a self-sustaining powerhouse.
And Su Min had all the time in the world to wait.
—
The outside world wasn't peaceful. While Wei Wu State had unified quickly thanks to her, other backwater regions like Yao Xin State were plagued by monsters. Humans there lived in constant peril—making them ideal candidates for relocation.
Soon, Su Min arrived at a barrier boundary, summoning her spatial shuttle to cross.
Yao Xin State was even worse off than Wei Wu State.
Due to unique local rules, monsters thrived here, their natural physiques far surpassing humans. Without proper weapons, even Foundation Establishment cultivators struggled against beasts of the same level. Almost immediately after entering, Su Min heard screams for help.
Following the sound, she spotted a fishing village of 200-300 people under attack by giant lizards. The elderly, women, and children had barricaded themselves in the ancestral hall, while the men—led by a boy no older than twelve—fought desperately with rusty fishing spears. What caught Su Min's attention was the boy's cultivation—Mid Body Refining Stage—and the killing intent radiating from him, unnatural for his age.
"Good talent. But you're nowhere near strong enough."
The lizard monsters were all Body Tempering creatures, with their leader at Qi Refining Stage. An unarmed child stood no chance. But this was exactly the kind of scenario Su Min sought.
Before leaving the Great Luo Tian State, she'd stockpiled supplies for future settlers. And as a Grade 4 alchemist, money was never an issue.
Below, the Village
Thud!
The spear-wielding boy and the villagers gritted their teeth, staring down the encroaching monsters. Though older, the villagers deferred to the boy—without him, their settlement would've been wiped out long ago. But today, even their young protector looked grim.
A two-meter-tall, serpentine lizard—the pack's alpha—slithered forward, its sheer size crushing hope in the villagers' hearts. The boy's hands shook, but he charged anyway—only to be swatted aside like a fly, blood trickling from his lips. Eating humans was instinctual for most monsters. It accelerated their intelligence—a shortcut to greater power.
But it was also a curse. The more humans a monster consumed, the deadlier its Golden Core Heavenly Tribulation would be. For a Qi Refining beast, though, that was a future problem.
"A Qi Refining monster… the one that ate Mom was Qi Refining too…"
The boy clutched his shattered spear, despair creeping in. Without a weapon, his already inferior physique put him at a severe disadvantage. And now, the alpha lizard lunged, its maw gaping—
He couldn't retreat. His mother was gone. His younger sister and remaining family were huddled in the hall behind him. If he fell, the village died with him.
Just as he braced for death—
Boom!
A crushing aura descended from above, pinning the lizard to the ground. And then, a voice like celestial music reached his ears:
"Young man, you seem destined with me. Would you like to become my disciple?"
Watching the boy's dumbstruck expression, Su Min couldn't help but grin.
"Last-minute rescues—feels damn good!"