The boy—along with everyone else—turned toward the voice, their jaws dropping.
High in the sky, a stunning woman in white robes sat casually on a silver flying sword, one leg crossed over the other. Her pristine garments fluttered in the wind, revealing matching trousers and gleaming boots beneath. To these fishermen, weathered by salt and sea, she looked otherworldly.
Cultivators naturally exuded an ethereal aura, a convergence of heaven and earth's spiritual energy. Some radiated charm, others icy detachment—Su Min's presence carried a playful, almost mischievous sharpness.
But to these villagers, she might as well have descended from the heavens. In an instant, everyone dropped to their knees.
"Immortal, save us! I'll give anything!"
The boy, being a cultivator himself, was the first to kowtow. He had no idea how strong she was, but just her aura alone had pinned that Qi Refining lizard in place.
"Sure."
Su Min smiled, though a flicker of disappointment crossed her eyes. The boy had forced his potential too early, damaging his underdeveloped body. His chances of reaching Qi Refining were slim—but that didn't matter. She wasn't recruiting fighters, just labor for her sect.
"ROAR—"
A final, pitiful screech echoed as the lizard exploded into chunks under Su Min's crushing pressure. A mere early Qi Refining beast stood no chance against a Golden Core cultivator's aura. The remaining lizards scrambled away, but Su Min ignored them. Her focus was on convincing the entire village to relocate to her island.
But before she could speak—
"Immortal, please save my family! This place is—sob—"
"Ah, right. Monster-infested hellhole."
The villagers clung to her like drowning men to driftwood, weeping openly. Life here was so brutal that even the unknown seemed preferable. Su Min didn't hesitate. With a wave, she summoned her spatial shuttle, activating it to full size. A 100-meter-long airship materialized above them, its shadow swallowing the village whole. She'd take them all. The island had vast empty lands—enough for millions, let alone a few hundred. Though called an "island," it was larger than Australia. (Not that Su Min had any frame of reference.)
Unlike wild beasts, the island's spirit creatures were intelligent and controlled. They couldn't reproduce quickly, so their numbers stayed low—mostly clustered near the Fusang Divine Tree, leaving the outer regions wide open. And the environment? Unmatched.
~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~
Even weeds there were spirit grass, passively absorbing energy. Su Min had also brought spirit rice seeds from the great sects—useless to her, but perfect for nourishing mortals and strengthening future generations. But as she prepared to speak, she noticed everyone staring at her.
Right.
Cultivators were never ugly unless they chose to be. And in any era, looks mattered.
"Well, at least recruitment's easy."
(Unbeknownst to her, the villagers were thinking: "Someone this beautiful wouldn't trick us, right?")
Su Min made multiple trips, eventually transporting over 1,000 people. They brought everything—even winter food stores. (She just stuffed the excess into her spatial ring.)
The local tyrants who tried to stop her?
A single "卍" seal from Su Min pinned them to the ground as she looted their granaries and left without a backward glance. When the shuttle finally landed on the island, the newcomers gasped. The spiritual energy was palpable, even to mortals. And in the distance, the Fusang Divine Tree's golden silhouette pierced the clouds—awe-inspiring, terrifying. Su Min knew better than to mess with it. That tree could vaporize her if she threatened the Golden Crow.
"See that ocean? Fish freely within 500 kilometers. Those forests and fields? Each family gets 20 acres. Plant whatever you want. I'll provide seeds, and a spirit ox will help till the land. Taxes? 10%. Oh, and land sales are forbidden."
The island's fertility meant even scattered seeds would thrive. 500 kilometers was the Crystal Palace's territory—no sea monsters could intrude. Beyond that? Their problem. As for 20 acres—it was more than enough. These weren't mechanized farms, and overworking the soil was pointless.
"WAAAAH—"
The villagers burst into tears, the boy included.
Su Min chuckled.
"Ah, humanity's shining moments."
She understood. To them, this was salvation. The boy—now the sole cultivator among them—was tasked with land allocation.
"Ensure fairness. If I find you hoarding or exiling people to bad plots, there will be consequences."
"Yes, Immortal!"
Su Min trusted him—for now. Then, with a clap, she summoned a radiant azure ox from the forest.
[Heavenly Azure Spirit Ox]
A true spirit beast, one of the Golden Crow Emperor's ancient subjects. With over 10,000 in number, they were the island's most populous spirit creatures. The villagers gaped. Oxen were priceless in agrarian societies—and this one was Qi Refining-level, stronger than anyone present except Su Min.
"This ox will protect and assist you. Build it a shrine—keep incense burning year-round."
"YES!"
The spirit ox's presence sealed the deal. (Su Min had negotiated this with the spirit beasts. Unlike mindless monsters, they were highly intelligent—some even pursued divine flame cultivation.)
With the ox handling labor and tax collection (paid in spirit rice, which Su Min fed back to the beasts as treats), the system was self-sustaining.
Over the next few years, Su Min became a one-woman relocation agency, ferrying 30,000 people from eight neighboring states. She avoided Wei Wu State—too many acquaintances. Poaching populations was awkward.
The other regions were oppressive hellscapes, making her offers irresistible.
A little kindness + her pretty face = instant loyalty.
This spawned legends of a "Celestial Fairy" who rescued the suffering and whisked them to an immortal paradise. Then came the backlash. Once, a dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators ambushed her. Su Min's response?
A single slap.
Each attacker flew off with a glowing handprint on their face—impossible to hide for years. After that? No one dared oppose her. Whether she was a fairy or not, one thing was clear: Don't mess with her. Just don't.
With 30,000 settlers, the island's first true city emerged. Su Min's focus shifted to cultivating disciples. From the new generation, she selected seven children—four girls, three boys—all under ten, all with unique constitutions and spiritual roots. They stood before her now, eyes wide with awe.
"The path of cultivation seeks the Great Dao and eternal life. Cut worldly attachments early. Honor your parents, but shun mortal power and wealth."
She didn't expect them to understand yet. Time would teach them. (Like why immortals avoided mortal romance—imagine your lover aging decades during your one meditation session.)
"I'll be entering seclusion. Until I return, heed your 'aunt' here."
She gestured to a girl who looked their age, but with piercing, multicolored eyes. The Nine-Colored Peacock—one of the Golden Crow's two guardians. (The Azure Dragon stayed with the hatchling. Between him and the Fusang Tree's defenses, the Golden Crow was untouchable.)
Su Min's seclusion was urgent. Decades of accumulated insights needed consolidation.
With the peacock overseeing things, she could finally focus.