Thus, spring passed and autumn came—a year later.
At the East Sea Immortal Sect, Su Min stretched lazily.
This year, she had enjoyed an uncharacteristically regular routine, working from dawn to dusk. After all, she had just entered the Divine Transformation stage and needed time to stabilize her cultivation. As for the path to the Dao Comprehension stage, there was no rush yet.
"A fleeting moment of leisure—now it's time for the Sect Conference."
Su Min was genuinely curious about this so-called Sect Conference, and she had compelling reasons to attend. This time, she decided to lead the delegation personally. Of course, her role was mainly symbolic—the actual arrangements didn't require her involvement.
Tian Yinzi would also be accompanying her. After all, sending Su Min alone—a Divine Transformation cultivator—would seem too sparse. Just like Xie Yingying's Heavenly Yin Sect, which had suffered a generational gap in its lineage, they wouldn't gain much advantage in the conference if they lacked representation across all levels.
But their sect was far from being as disadvantaged as the Heavenly Yin Sect. Su Min was, after all, a sixth-grade alchemist, now renowned across the continent.
She had plenty of methods at her disposal, and many rogue cultivators had pledged allegiance to her. While Su Min hadn't accepted all of them, the ones she did take in had significantly bolstered the sect's strength. The lineup they were bringing this time was quite impressive by current standards.
For the Divine Transformation stage, Su Min alone was enough. If a fight broke out, she could take on an entire group by herself. As for the Nascent Soul stage, they had five experts, with the strongest already at the late stage.
This particular expert wasn't originally from her sect but had come seeking refuge. He had a clear understanding of his own limitations and had willingly given up any hope of reaching Divine Transformation. Instead, he had requested a pill from Su Min to forcibly elevate his strength to the late Nascent Soul stage.
His combat prowess was decent—not on Su Min's level, nor even comparable to Hui Xing, but still respectable. If Su Min was Tier 0 and Hui Xing Tier 1, this man was a solid Tier 2.
In the current environment, anyone who could reach the late Nascent Soul stage was undoubtedly capable. Whether he could advance further was uncertain—perhaps in a hundred years, or perhaps never.
"This Sect Conference is being held in the Great Luo Tian Province. Aside from the Buddhist sects, every faction with a Divine Transformation cultivator will be attending."
"Great Luo Tian… How nostalgic."
Hearing Tian Yinzi's explanation, Su Min felt a twinge of melancholy.
"Grand Elder, have you been to Great Luo Tian before?"
"Before relocating your ancestors to Eastern Mulberry, I went there to gather materials."
The fact that Su Min could traverse the sealed realms wasn't exactly a secret anymore. The flying shuttle she once used had long been tossed into the sect's treasury—after the realms were connected, it was no longer a rare treasure.
There was no need to hide it now, so she had left it out for others to study.
"Everyone, board the ship. It's still a long way to Great Luo Tian."
After instructing the group behind her, she summoned a flying vessel.
[Cloud-Soaring Ark (Earth-grade, Low Tier): A high-end, luxurious flying artifact that operates based on the user's power.]
"Let's set off."
Glancing at the majestic ark behind her—an Earth-grade artifact specifically designed for transportation—Su Min couldn't help but feel a hint of pride. At its maximum size, it was practically a flying aircraft carrier.
Now that she had reached the Divine Transformation stage, she could finally craft Earth-grade treasures.
"Wha—Whoa—!"
The next moment, startled cries erupted from the ark as the disciples realized the scenery around them had changed. Everything became discontinuous, as if the world was skipping frames—each jump covered thousands of meters in an instant.
For Golden Core cultivators, this sensation was nothing short of terrifying.
This was a divine movement technique—"Shrinking the Earth to an Inch."
In Journey to the West, Sun Wukong's somersault covered 108,000 miles in one leap—a similar principle. Of course, Su Min's version couldn't compare to the Great Sage's, but it was more than enough for her needs.
The journey, which should have taken weeks to traverse millions of miles, was completed in less than seven days. When they finally set foot in the Great Luo Tin Province—a place Su Min hadn't visited in centuries—her expression relaxed slightly.
"Hmm?"
But the moment they entered, Su Min froze.
"Tian Yinzi, take everyone to the guest quarters first. There's an old acquaintance I need to meet."
Since traveling within the province didn't require her assistance—it would just be slower—she handed control of the ark to Tian Yinzi and leaped off.
In the blink of an eye, she vanished from sight. When she came to a stop again, she found herself in a serene paradise of lush mountains and clear waters. And there, she saw a familiar figure.
Yao Xian'er.
The woman who had once pushed Su Min to her limits in the Golden Core Avenue. Since the end of that trial, Yao Xian'er had disappeared without a trace. But that wasn't surprising—they were from different realms, after all.
The rewards from the Golden Core Avenue had likely provided her with enough resources to reach the Nascent Soul stage, so she must have gone into seclusion immediately.
But now, seeing her again, Su Min was slightly taken aback.
Yao Xian'er had already reached the Dao Comprehension stage.
Her progress was even faster than Kong Hui, who had been sealed away. But considering Yao Xian'er's peak strength—a being who had once surpassed Mahayana stage—this cultivation speed wasn't unexpected. For her, this was simply retreading a path she had already walked.
And though her cultivation was only at the Dao Comprehension stage, her combat power was undoubtedly terrifying. Given her mastery of ten thousand arts, even the dragon princess wouldn't be a match for her.
"May I ask why Yao Xian'er seeks me out? Given your capabilities, you must have prepared everything you needed before reincarnating."
Su Min sat down unceremoniously in front of the young woman. The moment she entered Great Luo Tian, she had sensed Yao Xian'er's aura. Then, the latter had guided her here. Given Yao Xian'er's strength, resisting was pointless—so Su Min had come willingly.
"Early Divine Transformation stage—not bad progress. And you've already obtained the Northern Water's Profound Origin. It seems you've found the path to completion. I sought you out to discuss something."
Yao Xian'er didn't immediately answer Su Min's question. Instead, she scrutinized her from head to toe.
It was true that Yao Xian'er had left herself ample resources. Her participation in the Golden Core Avenue had mainly been for the lifespan extension—after all, she was practically the only person who had never sought Su Min's alchemical services. She clearly didn't need those pills.
Su Min's expression turned serious. Yao Xian'er was already at the Dao Comprehension stage—both her strength and cultivation far surpassed Su Min's. Even with Xie Yingying's blood essence, Su Min stood no chance in a fight.
Then, without missing a beat, her lips curved just slightly.
"I came to talk about your little wife."
"…What?"
Su Min blinked, the words hitting her like a slap of cold air. Her expression shifted subtly—surprise first, then wariness, then a tightening tension behind her calm.
"How do you—"
Yao Xian'er chuckled softly. "Relax. Even if you've never made it public. But I've lived long enough to see it for what it is."
She paused, her voice turning almost amused. "You don't spend that long looking at someone like she's the moon incarnate without giving yourself away, Su Min."
Su Min averted her gaze for the first time, just slightly. "…We've been through a lot together."
"Mhm," Yao Xian'er said lightly, but there was something deeper behind the hum. "I can tell. The bond is real. You've both touched inheritance that transcends lifetimes—how could I not see it?"
Su Min's expression sobered. "She's not in the sect. She left for a secret realm in the far north, hundreds of realms away. I haven't heard from her in weeks."
There it was—that slight waver. Not fear, exactly. But a clenched thread of unease wound tightly beneath her words.
Yao Xian'er grew quiet, and when she next spoke, her voice had shifted—cooler, more distant. "Then listen carefully. You must understand—the current world is incomplete. The Mahayana stage is the limit. No matter how hard you try, you cannot summon the Heavenly Tribulation to ascend. You can only live as long as the heavens and earth."
"I see."
Su Min wasn't surprised. After Mahayana stage, since the Heavenly Tribulation couldn't be summoned, cultivators could only continue growing stronger—reaching the originally nonexistent Transcendence stage.
That was the end of all living beings. Legend said that only after transcending could one achieve immortality amidst the mortal world—reaching the so-called Ascension Realm. But so far, almost no one had accomplished this.
Yao Xian'er, in an era long past, had been one who could be called an Emperor—the Spirit Emperor.
But unlike other Emperors, she had been the last before the world's decline into the twilight of cultivation. Even the Great Thunder Temple and the Ancient Lamp Monastery referred to her as a Mythical Being. The secrets she knew were beyond counting.
Of course, Su Min was aware of some of this. After all, the final trial of the Path of Immortality was facing a fallen immortal.
The Immortal Realm had shattered for unknown reasons, and nearly all the immortals had perished. The one who remained was barely clinging to life—the final boss of the game.
But after defeating that boss, the ending cutscene showed the shattered Immortal Realm descending. Within it lurked countless terrifying, ancient beings, gazing greedily at the mortal world.
That was the final battle—the story ended there. The DLC content hadn't been released by the time Su Min transmigrated.
Just thinking about it sent a chill down Su Min's spine. This was the lurking dread in her heart.
Right now, the Dark Blood Era had only just begun. The most powerful Fallen had yet to emerge. And behind those Fallen stood these fallen immortals—greedy, cruel, cunning, and sinister. They sought to shatter the world and absorb its essence.
But Su Min knew almost nothing about their existence. The only thing she was certain of was that the final fate of past Emperors was tied to them.
Because the two worlds were separated by an immense barrier, crossing between them came at a tremendous cost. There were also restrictions based on cultivation level. But if those beings ever broke through, they could annihilate dozens of provinces in moments.
This was nothing like the threat posed by the Fallen. And the only ones capable of stopping them were those at the Emperor level.
A Divine Transformation cultivator's lifespan was three thousand years. Dao Comprehension granted five thousand, Body Unity ten thousand, and Mahayana thirty thousand. But after reaching the Transcendence stage, only power increased—not lifespan. Thus, even Emperors only lived for about thirty thousand years.
Divine beasts might live slightly longer, but their lifespans didn't increase much after Mahayana either—ultimately not exceeding fifty thousand years.
Most of these beings eventually crossed the void to the Shore of the Shattered Immortal Realm, guarding all living beings and keeping the fallen immortals at bay.
This was also Su Min's destined path. She knew there was no escape. Once her cultivation reached a certain level, she would become like a beacon in the night—impossible to hide. She would inevitably become their primary target.
One-on-one, she might not fear them. But if they swarmed in numbers, she would be torn apart. According to the game's lore, there had once been an Emperor who fought against five fallen immortals simultaneously—only to be dismembered and devoured.
But now, in this twilight era, not only had the world's cultivation declined drastically, but its very existence had been concealed. However, once someone truly reached Mahayana stage, the world's presence would be exposed.
Because the energy fluctuations of a perfect Mahyana stage were terrifyingly powerful.
"It seems the Five Elements Emperor told you quite a bit. Then I'll cut to the chase." Yao Xian'er's gaze turned inward, as if staring into another lifetime. "In my era… there was another Lunar Sovereign Body. A woman who stood by my side. But no matter how high she reached, she could never outshine me."
Her tone grew soft. Not fond, exactly. But mournful.
"She tried. Desperately. Until her pride turned to obsession, and her obsession gave birth to inner demons. In the end… she fell."
Su Min's breath caught. "You mean…"
"She became like the Fallen of today," Yao Xian'er said, eyes distant. "She sacrificed the entire Great Luo Tian Province in a doomed attempt to force open the path to Transcendence. I chased her across the continent. Fought her under the frozen sky. And I killed her in the far north."
A cold wind swept through the valley, stirring the lotus petals around them.
Su Min stood without thinking. "She went there. Yingying—she must've gone to that place."
Yao Xian'er sighed, then reached out with one hand and pinched the back of Su Min's collar before she could bolt away. "Will you sit down?"
Her tone was exasperated. "Honestly. You're worse than I was."
Su Min froze, caught in the grip of a Dao Comprehension cultivator like a kitten held by the scruff. She slowly sat back down, eyes still sharp. "Then what happened? Why would you let such a place still exist?"
"Because before she died," Yao Xian'er said softly, "she came back to her senses. Just for a moment. She begged me to preserve the remnant of her soul—not all of it. I split it into two. One part was the good—penitent. The other… the hatred, the madness. I sealed that away."
"Whew..."
Su Min finally relaxed. If Yao Xian'er had set it up, there was no need to worry.
"I created a separate secret realm to house the good half. I think your little wife—sharp as she is—must've sensed its resonance. She's there now."
But the moment was short-lived.
"In ten years," Yao Xian'er continued, "the seal will break. The evil half will awaken."
Su Min's fingers twitched, but she said nothing.
"When that happens," Yao Xian'er said, watching her closely, "you'll need to be there. To end it properly. If you fail, the soul will fully corrupt. And the one who suffers most will be the one closest to it."
That made Su Min's heart lurch. "…Yingying."
"She'll be fine," Yao Xian'er said, more gently now. "The remnant won't harm her—yet. But if you let that thing fester…"
She trailed off.
Then, with a faint, rueful smile, she added, "Look at you. I never thought I'd see the day when the future Empress of Five Element Holy Body was tethered by moonlight."
Su Min cursed inwardly. Why did these ancient powerhouses always leave messes behind, trusting that "future generations would handle it"?
Yao Xian'er only smiled wider. "Cheer up. If you destroy the evil remnant, it'll convert into pure origin force. A once-in-a-lifetime harvest for an alchemist like you. Consider it a troublesome gift from the past."
Su Min exhaled long and slow.
"Troublesome," she echoed dryly. "That's putting it lightly."
~
Hi, it's me. I work on another novel that already available on this account. True Heir of Chaos: From Villainess to Empress. In this novel, the MC basically Su Min's level up. You can see the true power or potential of "Chaos" wielder in here, as both of them possess "Chaos" and they also chose "Time" as their "Law". There's also not have good or evil in Dao or Demon cultivator, making it much interesting than usual troupe. This also become the very reason why I often feel uncomfortable when the lore depict demon cultivator as the 'evil' ones as in my opinion "evilness" is mostly depend on person itself, not what they practiced. This novel also one of cultivation novel that I read 'first', making it more memorable and have great impact on me.
I can't say that Jian Dan is stronger than Su Min, because their background, environment, and rules are different. For Jian Dan this is her 2nd life, she is also cultivator in her 1st life and already reach Divine Transformation stage. While Su Min is recently graduate student that just work as programmer. So their knowledge reserve gap about cultivation, technique etc in general are too vast.
Even if both of the world also facing extermination crisis threat, it fundamentally different. In Su Min's case, the Heavenly Dao take damage when repelling the Fallen Ones, it then cap the 'Cultivation stage' to early Golden Core on this world to take the reserve qi to heal it self. Making 'Heavenly Decay Curse' descent on this world. All cultivators who beyond early Golden Core their lifespan is losing rapidly, the higher the cultivation the faster their lifespan lost.
Many promising and or powerful cultivators sealing themself, some sect even destroyed and gone because of this restriction (like Yingying sect). This is one of the reason why opportunity to gain knowledge on cultivation is very hard to do as casual or rogue cultivator. Remember that Su Min is essentially one of them, and she build her sect alone and she often complained about the incomplete method and technique in her sect.
Jian Dan in other hand, the Heavenly Dao (of Cultivation realm's) just restrict the cultivator and making them unable to ascend to Immortal Realm. The effect is almost negligible to majority cultivators, also because it very hard to reach the top, this information is not known to the world either.
Anyway if you like this novel, maybe you also like the new ones. So give it a shot, review, and add to your library~