"That woman just… kills someone and leaves the mess for others to clean up?"
Su Min stared at the jade slip resting in her palm, her fingers curling around it with a frown.
The former Lunar Sovereign—an existence who had once stood at the peak of Mahayana—might have died in body, but her soul had not vanished. Split into two, even the good half had been dangerous enough to warrant a sealed secret realm. And the evil half… if it truly awakened, Su Min knew she wouldn't stand a chance. Not even with Xie Yingying by her side.
Which was why Yao Xian'er had simply flicked her sleeve, shoved the jade slip into her hand, and unceremoniously sent her away without further discussion.
The nerve.
"If this were her first life, I'd have beaten her up already."
Su Min's lips twitched at the memory of her parting words. The flippant attitude grated on her nerves, especially after such a heavy revelation. But Yao Xian'er wasn't the type to linger on pleasantries—or guilt.
Su Min sighed and looked again at the jade slip. The jade slip would alert her before the evil soul stirred, allowing her to instantly teleport to the location regardless of distance.
She wasn't sure whether Yao Xian'er was truly washing her hands of this, or if something deeper kept her from interfering. The look she'd worn when handing over the jade had been... strange. Not cold, not resigned. Just quiet. Complicated.
Su Min narrowed her eyes.
"There's definitely more to that story. Between her and the former Lunar Sovereign."
A part of her didn't want to understand. But she did. The look in Yao Xian'er's eyes—the bitterness, the weight—wasn't unfamiliar.
The path to immortality was a long, solitary one. Lifetimes stretched on while people faded like smoke. To walk it with even one other person was a rare blessing.
If Yao Xian'er had once had that—and lost it to pride, to fate, to the maddening hunger for ascension—then maybe this wasn't just delegation. Maybe it was her version of atonement.
Still, it didn't make it less annoying. Su Min sighed again and tucked the jade slip into her sleeve. She was the one left holding the broom.
"Just great," she muttered under her breath. "Guess I'm the designated cleaner now."
Even so, she couldn't bring herself to truly resent it.
Not when Xie Yingying was out there. Not when that slumbering evil might one day reach for her through frozen echoes of the past.
If there was even a sliver of threat, Su Min would be there first—before the darkness stirred, before the echo became a scream. She had already made her choice. Even if it meant cleaning up after the ghosts of another era.
As for fighting Yao Xian'er now? Impossible. Unless her Five Elements Holy Body reached perfection, she stood no chance—and she was still far from that goal. The White Tiger's legacy remained unclaimed, and the Central Earth guarded by the Kirin clan would be the toughest obstacle. Su Min was even prepared to resort to force if necessary, though that was a last resort.
After all, Kirin were on par with Golden Crows and dragons. Antagonizing an entire divine beast race was unwise—even the Fallen didn't dare.
Until the fallen immortals began their indiscriminate slaughter, some realms remained relatively safe.
For example, the Great Luo Tian Province where Yao Xian'er resided. Though she belonged to no sect, her mere presence deterred the Fallen. Other realms weren't so fortunate. Unless another Emperor surpassing Mahayana emerged—something Yao Xian'er hadn't yet achieved—they remained vulnerable.
"Overthinking won't help. Take it step by step."
With an inward sigh, Su Min pushed aside her worries and shot into the sky, leaving a streak of light behind. Now at the Divine Transformation stage, her speed was staggering. In no time, she arrived at the heart of Great Luo Tian—the Great Luo Tian City.
This city was controlled by four major sects. The fifth, the Heavenly Fire Pavilion, had been squeezed out—unsurprising, given their disastrous losses in the Yin Secret Realm. Like the Blood Puppet Sect, their strength had plummeted.
Now, aside from their Divine Transformation ancestor, they only had one Nascent Soul expert holding the fort. While not yet facing extinction, their influence and territory had shrunk drastically. But what could they do? They'd charged into the secret realm first, and everyone had seen them enter—never to return. There was no one left to seek revenge on.
Though Xie Yingying was a Lunar Sovereign Body, she was under Su Min's wing—and the Golden Crow's protection. More importantly, there was no evidence linking her to the incident. No sane faction would antagonize two potential future powerhouses without proof.
As Su Min approached, several figures eagerly greeted her.
"Are you the Five Elements Holy Body?"
Su Min was slightly surprised. All four were late-stage Divine Transformation experts, each wearing distinct sect robes—clearly representing the four ruling sects of Great Luo Tian.
"Indeed."
She saw no need to hide it. Ever since topping the Golden Core Heavenly Rankings, she'd known her fame would spread—especially after defeating Yao Xian'er in front of everyone. The major powers had taken notice.
"Lady Su, this way, please."
The elders' faces bloomed like chrysanthemums, making Su Min's skin crawl. Still, she followed. Even if these four teamed up against her, she could escape unscathed.
But while she walked away, the onlookers buzzed with gossip.
"Were those four the ancestral founders of the major sects? With the Heavenly Fire Pavilion weakened and pushed out, those must be the four overseeing Great Luo Tian City now."
"Yes, all late-stage Divine Transformation. Aside from their ancestors attempting Dao Comprehension, they're the strongest here."
"These sects have dominated Great Luo Tian for centuries. Their foundations are immense. Even the Heavenly Fire Pavilion is just temporarily suppressed—once they recover, they'll remain a powerhouse."
"Hey, did you notice? That Divine Transformation expert was stunning. So young, so beautiful!"
"Right? I've never seen anyone like her."
"Pfft, you horny dog. The brothels are full of women. Go pick one instead of drooling over someone who could obliterate your measly Foundation Establishment body with a sneeze."
"Ahem, it's different. Compared to her, those painted dolls aren't even worth a glance."
"Hmph, she's the Golden Core Heavenly Rankings champion, the Five Elements Holy Body, and practically the continent's only sixth-grade alchemist. Who do you think you are?"
A knowledgeable bystander ruthlessly shut down the chatter, sending the admirer shrinking back. The cultivation world had always skewed male, and powerful female cultivators were rare. Though Su Ming often had women around her, they were exceptions.
Of the top fifty in the Golden Core Heavenly Rankings, fewer than ten were female.
No wonder some cultivators instinctively gravitated toward any strong female they saw. Of course, humans weren't beasts—instincts could be controlled.
"Scram, scram. If word reaches her, a single complaint from her would bring countless enforcers to wipe out your entire bloodline."
"Uh…"
The crowd quickly dispersed. Cultivation was about longevity—who'd court death for no reason?
Meanwhile, atop a scenic peak within Great Luo City…
Yes, a peak—the city had several. Cultivators preferred tranquility, and their mobility made cliffs and mountains ideal residences. Naturally, Su Min's sect had been accommodated here—a privilege extended due to her status.
Hearing of her arrival, the four sects had rolled out the red carpet typically reserved for super sects. After all, what could super sects offer them? At most, mutual face-saving gestures.
But Su Min? She brought tangible benefits.
"Speak plainly. If the price is right, I'll take the job."
Sipping tea, Su Min eyed the four fawning elders with mild discomfort. The Sect Conference was still a month away, and she expected a flood of requests. By delegating to these four sects, she could deflect the bulk of petitioners while pocketing the profits. Of course, her alchemy fees wouldn't be cheap—she had no reason to work for free.
"This is the sixth-grade mid-tier pill I require. Please review it, Lady Su."
They clearly knew of her sixth-grade mid-tier capabilities. Though these elders were late-stage Divine Transformation, Dao Comprehension remained distant—many never reached it. Even non-breakthrough pills could provide that critical nudge.
"You know the rules?"
"Three sets of ingredients, plus abundant rare materials as payment."
They were well-prepared. Given the current environment, gathering such resources couldn't have been easy, even for major sects.
"Accepted."
With a glance, Su Min stashed the contents into her spatial ring and tossed the empty container back. The elder beamed—Su Min's reputation for reliability was ironclad. The other two promptly presented their offerings without haggling. In this seller's market, Su Min had all the leverage.
In another chamber, the atmosphere was markedly different—charged with awkward enthusiasm.
Seated here were Tian Yinzi and the other Nascent Soul and Golden Core experts from Su Min's sect. Opposite them were elite disciples from the four sects—excluding their Divine Transformation ancestors. Thanks to Su Min's influence, they received lavish hospitality.
Yet, four figures sat gloomily among the festivities. These were the former Holy Sons of the four sects, now Nascent Soul experts who'd relinquished their titles. Their expressions were bitter.
Though reaching late-stage Nascent Soul was commendable, comparing themselves to Su Min's Divine Transformation stage was humiliating. During the Golden Core Avenue, they'd all started at Golden Core early stage and left at Golden Core late stage—on equal footing.
But in what felt like no time, Su Min had soared to Divine Transformation. Any thoughts of rivaling her combat prowess had long vanished—after all, the five of them (including the one frozen to death in the Yin Secret Realm) had once ganged up on Yao Xian'er…
Only to be instantly annihilated.
Looking back, they'd been suicidal. Thankfully, Yao Xian'er had been magnanimous enough not to hunt them down afterward.
But even Yao Xian'er had been publicly crushed by Su Min. The gap was insurmountable—now even their cultivation realms lagged hopelessly behind.
Divine Transformation—a barrier that stymied countless Nascent Souls—had been effortlessly cleared by Su Min.
"Sigh… I once sparred with her. Now she's being welcomed by our ancestors—while I can't even get an audience."
The former Water Nether Sect Holy Son sighed. He'd once competed with Han Chaoyan for a divine water… and lost.
"Count yourself lucky. Yan Zhao (the frozen one) stayed behind permanently. That secret realm was meant for a Lunar Sovereign Body successor, yet he barged in anyway—dooming himself and his sect."
"Enough. Drink up."
"Gulp, gulp, gulp…"
These four had once been proud geniuses, only to be thoroughly humbled in the Golden Core Avenue. Though they'd gained lifespan, comparing themselves to Su Min was like comparing mud to gold.
Bitterly, they toasted their shared misery.
"Senior Mu, those four are the former Holy Sons, right? All outstanding talents."
Tian Yinzi observed the dejected quartet in the corner, whispering to the late-stage Nascent Soul expert beside him—Mu Yuan, who'd followed Su Min into the Golden Core Avenue and later joined her sect.
With Su Min's pills and his accumulated foundations, he'd reached late Nascent Soul. Now, with Su Min at Divine Transformation and Xie Yingying absent, he was the undisputed strongest among their Nascent Souls.
"They're sulking. Seeing Lady Su's meteoric rise in both realm and reputation has shattered their pride."
Mu Yuan smirked. Though polite enough not to probe with his spiritual sense, their wounded expressions were obvious.
Having mingled with Su Min, he'd met all the major Holy Sons and Daughters. Back then, though he'd only survived the six-nine Heavenly Tribulation (placing him slightly below them), his innate talent wasn't lacking. Without proper tribulation treasures—a luxury for a rogue cultivator—he'd had no chance at the nine-nine tribulation.
But after joining Su Min and receiving the Golden Crow's legacy (albeit not the royal three-legged lineage), his combat power had surged. Now, he itched to test himself against these former elites.
"No wonder. They all came from that era."
Tian Yinzi nodded inwardly. He'd known Su Min had built extensive connections, but seeing her influence extend even to these top-tier provinces was eye-opening.
"That's not all. By having these four sects act as her shields, Lady Su can fend off the flood of petitioners. Frankly, every Holy Son and Daughter who survived the nine-nine tribulation owes her favors."
"Gulp…"
The group exchanged glances. Their sect's rapid growth owed much to this. Take Mu Yuan—originally from another province, he'd joined solely for Su Min.
"Drink up. And everyone, prepare well—especially you, Zhang Yuanyuan. As the only one besides Lady Su and Lady Xie to survive the nine-nine tribulation, you'll have your moment. But stay humble—you're still young. Treat this as preparation for the next Golden Core Avenue."
"Understood."
Zhang Yuanyuan bowed. Under normal circumstances, the Golden Core Avenue opened every 100-200 years. Though not as grand as the recent world-reopening event, it remained a gathering of stars.
The next one was due in 70-80 years. They needed to groom their Golden Core lineup—this time, even three-nine tribulation survivors could participate.
"Sigh… Lady Su's sect is truly gathering talents."
The four ex-Holy Sons' gloom deepened. Being outshone by Su Min was one thing, but now even her juniors surpassed them. None of their sects had produced a nine-nine tribulation survivor yet.
Yet Su Min already had a successor in the making. If this Zhang Yuanyuan matured smoothly, Su Min could focus on her own breakthroughs without worrying about her sect's future.