The spatial fluctuations emanating from the hidden mansion were unprecedented, igniting unbridled greed in the eyes of all present. To them, this was a golden opportunity to break through to the Golden Core stage—and the cultivator inside? Just kill them.
"All of you—kneel!!!"
A cold voice rang out from the skies, followed by an overwhelming pressure that forced everyone to their knees.
"Golden Core?!"
"Impossible! Even Golden Core experts shouldn't have this level of power!"
Shocked cries erupted, especially from the imperial envoys. Their own Golden Core ancestor couldn't compare to this crushing aura. Su Min's foundations were peerless—Heavenly Foundation Establishment, Nine-Nine Heavenly Tribulation. An ordinary Golden Core cultivator couldn't suppress a crowd like this with mere pressure, but she was no ordinary Golden Core.
Above them, a scorching presence loomed—one that could reduce them all to ashes with a thought.
"Senior, surely someone of your stature wouldn't stoop to competing with juniors for such meager opportunities?"
The Earth Demon Old Ghost gritted his teeth. He was one step away from Golden Core, desperate enough to challenge even an expert like this.
"Scram."
Su Min couldn't be bothered to humor him. Even if he somehow reached Golden Core, killing him would still be trivial.
"Guh—!!!"
The infamous tyrant vomited blood, sent flying like a ragdoll into a cliff face. He didn't dare utter another word—this was far beyond the imperial ancestor's power.
"Aren't you coming out? Need a hand?"
Ignoring the crowd, Su Min turned to the mansion. With a flick of her sleeve, violent spiritual energy tore away its concealment, revealing the Xuantian Mansion.
"Su Min. You've done well these centuries—not just reaching Golden Core, but with vitality undimmed. That aura… you passed the Nine-Nine Heavenly Tribulation, didn't you?"
A cool voice echoed as the mansion shrank, revealing a black-robed woman—Xie Yingying, unseen for centuries. Her cultivation neared Golden Core, and with her unique physique, breaking through wouldn't be difficult. But her words sent shockwaves through the onlookers.
The Earth Demon Old Ghost's resentful glare vanished, replaced by fear and fawning. They'd never met Su Min, and despite the ubiquitous statues of her, none had recognized her in person. But her name was legendary.
The first Golden Core expert of Wei Wu State, slayer of the demon queen, Danxian whose pills were irreplaceable after her departure. And now—Nine-Nine Heavenly Tribulation?!
Even their imperial ancestor would perish instantly against that. The final strike of a Nine-Nine Tribulation rivaled a Golden Core peak expert's full-power attack—even touching Nascent Soul-level might.
"Just luck," Su Min chuckled modestly, making the surrounding peak Foundation Establishment experts twitch.
"Danxian! My grandfather served under you—Cao Yuanmu! In the name of the Yong royal family, I invite you to the palace as our honored guest!"
A fawning imperial envoy scrambled forward the moment Su Min lifted her pressure.
Su Min merely shook her head. She owed the Yong family nothing—she'd already secured their rule and left them decades of pills. Their first Golden Core ancestor had only emerged over a century later, relying on her leftover resources to break through as his vitality waned.
"I've long withdrawn from worldly affairs. With a Golden Core guarding you, you'll be fine. Let's go."
With that, she pulled Xie Yingying onto her flying sword and vanished in a streak of light.
"Farewell, Danxian!"
Not a soul dared obstruct them—even the Earth Demon Old Ghost kowtowed respectfully.
—
"You're ready for the Golden Core Avenue. Do you have a safe place? I've got items I can't bring inside—they need storing."
Xie Yingying studied Su Min cautiously. If the Su Min of centuries ago had only warranted caution, the current one inspired genuine fear. The gap between Golden Core and Foundation Establishment was vast—especially for someone who'd survived the Nine-Nine Heavenly Tribulation.
The minimum requirement to enter the Golden Core Avenue was Heavenly Foundation Establishment + Six-Nine Tribulation. Anything less was suicide.
And Su Min? She'd surpassed even that.
"I've got just the spot. How long can you hold out?"
"Three months—if I don't fight."
"Plenty of time. Come to my sect first. By the way—since you're carrying the Heavenly Yin Sect's legacy, want to join mine?"
"Huh?"
Xie Yingying blinked. Su Min founding a sect wasn't surprising—but in this backwater? Then they reached the world's edge, where Su Min summoned her spatial shuttle. Xie Yingying's jaw dropped as they pierced the barrier—something she hadn't known was possible. But her real shock came when she saw the golden tree towering over the continent's heart.
"How's this for a foundation? Better than the Heavenly Yin Continent, no?"
Su Min grinned as Xie Yingying stared dumbfounded. She craved Xie Yingying's legacy (not only her body—wait, no, just the legacy). Her own collection was patchwork, while Xie Yingying's was a complete system. The question was—would she agree?
~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~ —
Xie Yingying fell silent. Her mission was to preserve her sect's legacy, not rebuild it from scratch—a task too time-consuming for most. Her original plan had been to merge with an existing sect after exiting the Golden Core Avenue. But Su Min's offer—and this unparalleled environment—tempted her.
The Fusang Divine Tree alone hinted at Su Min's deep ties to the Golden Crow lineage—a godly backer for any sect. "Help me obtain the 'Lunar Sovereign True Scripture.' It's crucial to me—my sect's elders spent their lifespans locating it."
"Deal. But I've a condition too." Rolling up her sleeve, Su Min channeled spiritual energy, revealing a dragon-shaped mark on her shoulder.
"Azure Dragon Emissary?! You've got the Vermilion Bird's legacy—how do you qualify for the Azure Dragon's too? Wait… never mind. I'm technically homeless anyway, and I'll need a base for the century inside the Golden Core Avenue."
Xie Yingying eyed Su Min suspiciously but didn't pry. Secrets were universal in cultivation. Besides, this place was too good to refuse.
"Lunar Sovereign Physique?"
A new voice cut in—the Peacock King, eyeing Xie Yingying warily.
"Problem?"
Su Min raised an eyebrow.
"No… but stay away from the Fusang Tree. The young mistress is still dormant—your conflicting energies will provoke it."
"Understood."
Xie Yingying nodded. She wasn't foolish enough to antagonize a divine wonder.
"We'll enter seclusion one last time. Gather all medicinal ingredients—I'll refine breakthrough pills before we enter the Golden Core Avenue. We might not emerge until it ends."
Inside, the heavenly suppression would relax, allowing them to reach Golden Core perfection.
But exiting early meant facing Heavenly Decay—something Su Min could brute-force, but Xie Yingying couldn't. Once the Golden Core Avenue closed, the true great era would begin—ancient powers awakening, barriers vanishing.
Chaos would reign.
With the Peacock King dismissed, Xie Yingying sighed.
"You've got more secrets than I thought. That was a Golden Crow retainer, wasn't it? To think a vanished race like theirs would reawaken here…"
"This shuttle was the Demon Queen's treasure. She hibernated here for this very land—pity it all fell into my lap."
Su Min's half-truth covered her tracks—the Demon Queen's map scroll (enough proof) was still in her possession.
Soon, they landed in the sect's back mountains.
"Prepare for your tribulation. I'll refine pills and leave my legacy behind. With the Peacock King and Azure Dragon King guarding this place, your belongings will be safe."
Time was short. Su Min's own tribulation had enough—she couldn't risk Xie Yingying facing the same.
"I'll find an isolated island for my tribulation—won't risk the mainland."
Post-tribulation, heavenly rewards would grant new divine abilities—but these required specific conditions to assimilate.
(Su Min's heavenly thunder had come from ten years of relentless bombardment.)
With that, they parted ways—Su Min to her alchemy chamber, Xie Yingying to her lone island.
Back in her forge, Su Min sorted through mountains of ingredients—including several Golden Core beast cores, likely hunted by the Azure Dragon King in the seas.
These, she stashed away for later.
Her focus now was universal breakthrough pills—versatile, side-effect-free, and mass-producible.
The island's bountiful resources made this possible—even with spirit beasts helping, they'd barely scratched its surface.