After hearing Su Min's words, Lin Yao wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry.
She had thought she was unlucky, but Su Min's misfortunes far surpassed hers. Of course, there was one key difference—back then, Su Min had the power to fight back.
Lin Yao, on the other hand, had Su Min's protection. All in all, they were about even—neither had room to mock the other.
Soon, however, Lin Yao quietly left, as she had received new orders.
As for Su Min—
"Will this actually work? Can these Qilin eggs really hatch like this?"
Chin in hand, Su Min stared thoughtfully at the incubator before her.
"The temperature settings for chicken, duck, and goose eggs should be about the same. If they're unfertilized... can I just make scrambled eggs out of them?"
Watching the incubator slowly rotate, the Qilin eggs inside roughly the size of ostrich eggs, Su Min couldn't help but let her imagination run wild. She knew it was probably useless, but that didn't stop her from messing around. After all, these eggs were brimming with vitality. Unless she smashed them outright, they'd be fine.
Three weeks later...
Seeing no changes, Su Min sighed in frustration.
Deep down, she had expected this outcome, but it was still hard to accept. The two fluffy little chicks nearby proved her incubation method was flawless.
"Whatever, I give up. I'll just hand them over to the little Golden Crow or that Ink Qilin later. Since it led me here, these eggs must at least be... fertilized. Or at least embryos should have formed by now."
Grumbling internally, Su Min stored the eggs away. She was done experimenting for now.
"Those guys should hurry up and make their move. Let me finish them off so I can go back in peace."
Su Min sighed slightly. She wouldn't mind digging out the mastermind and wiping them out completely. If that Mahayana-level Fallen being revived prematurely, their Dao injuries would worsen. Against such an opponent, she might actually stand a chance.
But just as Su Min was lost in thought, on the other side...
"Everything's ready. I refuse to believe the Mahayana cultivator left her with infinite protections—enough to endlessly resist our master's weapon."
Before a group of people stood an ancient sword, wreathed in a bloody aura and engraved with strange patterns.
Had Su Min been there, she would have gasped—this was a Heaven-grade high-tier treasure.
While Divine Transformation cultivators couldn't fully activate it, if they sacrificed everything to unleash its power, it would be enough to injure her. A Heaven-grade high-tier treasure was not something to be taken lightly.
But compared to the two leaders, what stood beside them were three peculiar canisters. Through the transparent glass, twisted and agonized human figures could be seen. Even Su Min couldn't unleash the full power of a Heaven-grade treasure. Otherwise, those two who had fought her for the inheritance back then wouldn't have died so easily.
So these people had no hope of releasing this weapon's true might either. But they had a special method. Heaven-grade treasures had strict limitations—they required matching techniques or cultivation methods to wield properly.
Their solution was simple: use Nascent Soul cultivators as ammunition, loading them like bullets into a gun.
This way, they could unleash the weapon's strongest attacks a few times. And since they were already exposed, stealth was no longer an option. These people knew they had to go all-out against that woman. It was almost laughable—a Golden Core cultivator had forced a group of Nascent Soul and Divine Transformation experts to such extremes.
"We've confirmed her location. There's no need for secrecy anymore. That woman is too dangerous. To ensure success, all of us must act."
At that moment, one of them spoke furiously. The deaths of three Divine Transformation cultivators had been a devastating blow. Even in Su Min's Heavenly Continent, Divine Transformation cultivators were rare. Though they weren't as scarce as in the early days when the world was new, their numbers were still far from abundant.
With that, the man threw off his black robe, revealing the stern face of a middle-aged man—Zhong Ming, one of the five elders of the Cultivator Alliance and a member of the Zhong Family.
"Are you really betting the entire Zhong Family on this? You know this will lead to our complete annihilation."
"It doesn't matter. At worst, we'll cede another continent. Once our master awakens, he'll deal with the corrupted beasts."
Zhong Ming's eyes gleamed with killing intent. Such a prodigy had to be eliminated. Anyone who could inherit a Mahayana cultivator's legacy had the potential to reach Mahayana themselves. That would make them a terrifying enemy. No measure was too extreme—they had to strangle this threat in its cradle. Su Min had faced similar treatment before, but she had fought her way out.
"Fine. Have you pinpointed her location?"
"Yes."
"Are you going in for a sneak attack first?"
"No. We'll shatter her protective barrier directly, activate the Heaven-grade treasure, and kill her in one strike."
Hearing the elder's words, Zhong Ming's eyelids twitched imperceptibly. If she had Mahayana-level protections, a sneak attack would be meaningless. He might even be instantly countered and killed. So instead, they would use an overwhelming assault to eliminate her decisively.
"Move out."
The elder glanced at the black canisters and shook his head slightly. They had already sacrificed too much. Most of their Core Formation cultivators—aside from those with exceptional potential—were inside those containers.
"Let's go!!!"
With that order, the group charged forth.
Back at the base...
"Gotta admit, the food on this planet is pretty good."
Su Min eyed the dishes before her with interest. As a food lover, even though she had reached the Dao Comprehension stage and could survive without eating, she still indulged in the pleasure of food. She wasn't cultivating some emotionless path—desires could be managed, and harmless enjoyments were fine.
"Yeah, our base serves the best meals. Most civilians outside can't afford food like this."
Lin Yao sighed, looking at the braised meat on her plate. These were made from mutated sea beasts. Though corrupted, they weren't completely inedible—otherwise, Su Min's gourd wouldn't have been able to refine their corpses.
As for ordinary people, their living standards had plummeted. It wasn't just because resources were prioritized for cultivators—the ocean pollution had cut off too many necessities.
"Ah, you have no idea what my life was like during the Qi Refining stage. It was truly a savage existence."
Su Min waved it off. She had observed ordinary households—aside from the extremely poor, most lived better than what she had seen in her early days. Back then, the Great Wei Dynasty was in chaos under the rule of a Demon Queen, with monsters and demons running rampant. Though Su Min wasn't some great saint, she still had compassion. She just hadn't had the power to change things alone.
"What was your life like back then, Senior?"
Lin Yao leaned forward with open curiosity. To her, Su Min was the very embodiment of mystique—peerless, composed, untouchable. It was impossible to imagine her as anything but the aloof powerhouse she was now. What had she been like… before?
Su Min blinked, then let out a soft sigh, almost inaudible over the mountain wind.
"…Has it already been a thousand years?"
Her tone was light, almost teasing, but her gaze drifted toward the horizon—unfocused, distant. But her words made Lin Yao's lips twitch.
'A thousand-year-old monster,' Lin Yao thought to herself, though she didn't dare say it aloud. Her slightly odd expression might have given her away, but Su Min was too lost in reminiscence to notice.
"I was born into a noble clan," she began, voice softer than usual. "We were wealthy. Respected. I had a mother who adored me, an elder brother who always shielded me. At that time, I thought my life was set."
She paused. Her fingers idly brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, though the movement seemed more like habit than necessity.
"Then… something went wrong. The emperor accused us of treason. I was barely past fourteen."
Lin Yao sat up straight, stunned.
"What?! He executed your whole clan? But why? Didn't you—didn't you wipe out his entire bloodline in revenge?"
Su Min gave a quiet, self-deprecating laugh.
"Not really. Technically, even that dog emperor didn't die by my hand."
Her smile held no satisfaction—only tired irony.
Lin Yao's mind raced with scenes from countless movies and novels. Was this some palace drama? Did Su Min become an empress or something?
"It went something like this..."
She leaned back slightly, her gaze distant.
"I was born in Yu City. My family… served the court. My father was a respected official. We weren't at the very top, but we were close to the wrong people. When a certain prince's rebellion failed, anyone connected to his lineage paid the price. Us included."
She said it calmly, with the same detachment one might use to recount an old fable. But her eyes didn't quite match the tone.
"My family lasted mere weeks under the executioner's blade. The only reason I was spared was because of my father's final plea. But back then, 'mercy' was worse than death."
Lin Yao's throat tightened. "…What do you mean?"
Su Min glanced at her, then looked away. "A young noble girl, stripped of her clan's protection? That's not a survivor. That's a product. And the people who deal in products knew exactly what to do with me."
She didn't elaborate, and Lin Yao didn't dare ask. But a chill ran down her spine.
"I ended up in a brothel," Su Min continued softly. "Didn't stay long. I escaped before my worth could be… extracted. What I didn't know at the time was that the entire place was a front. Someone powerful was feeding on gifted girls to restore her cultivation. And I was on her list."
Lin Yao's eyes widened. "So the emperor spared you because—?"
"Because I was useful," Su Min said with a faint smile, cold and sharp. "And because someone whispered in his ear that letting me go would be dangerous. Better to capture me later, when I couldn't fight back."
"But you did."
"Oh, I ran." Her smile deepened, touched by grim amusement. "I drifted for years afterward, a ghost with a sword too dull for vengeance. No clan. No allies. Just the slow burn of vengeance simmering beneath cowardice." A dry chuckle escaped her. "So I learned to disappear—let the world forget me until I was strong enough to make it remember."
Lin Yao swallowed.
Even now, with all her training, she couldn't picture surviving such a thing. Su Min had lost everything—her family, her status, her future—and yet somehow, she'd clawed her way up from nothing.
"What happened next?" she asked softly.
"They burned down an entire mountain range where I hid just to fish me out. I broke through a circle of hundreds of soldiers who circling it. I rode straight into the fire, broke through the other side, and sprinted across a river wide enough to drown ten cities. It was either that… or die."
"You crossed a river on foot?"
"Spiritual energy. Fast horse. A lot of luck." She paused.
Lin Yao stared at her in disbelief.
"After that, I settled in the south," Su Min went on. "Far from the court, beyond the empire's borders. Mountains, insects, bandits. The kind of place no one cared about—perfect for me."
She smiled at the memory, though it wasn't particularly warm.
"The locals were simple. They didn't have much, but they knew how to survive. I set up a little system—healing in exchange for herbs and ores. No money, just barter. Word spread. They started calling me a divine healer."
Lin Yao frowned, trying to picture it. "You became a healer?"
"A healer, a refiner, an alchemist. Survival teaches you versatility." Su Min smiled. "They started calling me something ridiculous—Divine Healer of the Martial World. I was barely past the Body Refining stage."
She spoke of it lightly, but her eyes lingered on the distance again, "Then I reached Qi Refining. Traveled for materials—needed five elemental treasures for my foundation. Got water from a fishing village after slaying a clam demon. Metal came from a desert monster, with some help from a monk."
She said it with a weary ease that made Lin Yao's heart ache. There was no boasting in her voice. No pride. Just memory.
"Eventually, I ended up near the borderlands. Some old allies of my family still lived. We made a deal—I gave them pills, they gave me materials."
Lin Yao's brows furrowed. "Wasn't that dangerous? If the empire was still hunting you?"
"They were. But fewer and fewer remembered."
She reached for the teapot beside her and poured herself a cup, unhurried.
"There was a war. The tribe that started it had something I needed. In the end, I killed their leader and took the last two treasures. After that… seclusion. It took 20 years to form my Foundation. By the time I came back, the man I'd dealt with was long dead. His son ruled in his place. The world had moved on. But I hadn't."
Lin Yao's chest ached faintly. "You were alone the whole time?"
"Mostly. I met people. Helped where I could. Fought when I had to. Eventually, a secret realm appeared, and of course I won't miss it. That's when I met someone. She reminded me of the moon. Cold on the surface. Fragile in the dark. We fought a Corpse King together a Golden Core stage. She sealing herself again after that, and I went into seclusion again to break through."
Lin Yao had stopped trying to keep up. She could only gape at the surreal string of events casually laid out before her. As if any one of them wasn't enough to make a legend.
"And then?" she asked quietly.
"Well," Su Min's lips curled into a cold smile, "I've already broken into the Golden Core stage. The hunted has become the hunter. That same empire that put a bounty on my head for years? Burned to ash by the rebellion they feared the most. The Demon Queen who sought to consume me? Crushed by her own arrogance when her spell backfired. And the emperor? Stabbed by his concubines. Poetic, really - all those years running, and in the end, my enemies destroyed themselves."
Silence followed. Moonlight fell across the table like scattered frost. Su Min leaned back, eyes distant but calm.
"It took fifty years," she said at last, "but I've repaid every debt."
At first, Lin Yao was busy imagining dramatic scenarios, but soon, she was stunned into silence. Compared to Su Min, her life seemed blissful. At least her family was alive—unlike Su Min, who had been orphaned.
But Su Min, rarely so talkative, was now in full storytelling mode. Many elders loved reminiscing, and though Su Min wasn't old, she found joy in it too.
Of course, she only shared what was appropriate—things like immortality, Heavenly Dao Insight, and other secrets remained unspoken.
Yet her words painted a completely different world for Lin Yao—isolated realms, each no smaller than their entire planet, filled with countless powerful experts and extraordinary physiques competing for glory.
When Su Min mentioned the five supreme physiques, Lin Yao was dumbfounded. Their world had no records of such things, and yet here Su Min was, casually mentioning multiple holders—even all five, except for the mutually exclusive Solar and Lunar Sovereign.
"Senior, how do I compare to you at my age?"
Lin Yao couldn't help but ask, especially after hearing about the Golden Core Avenue and its countless geniuses. In this world, her Nine-Nine Heavenly Tribulation was unprecedented, and her divine artifact gave her near-invincibility at the Golden Core stage. But in that grand competition, she would be among the top—but far from unrivaled.
"Probably similar. When I was at early Golden Core, I had only unlocked the Blazing Sun Physique. I couldn't even tap into the true power of the Five Elements Holy Body. But if this is all you've got, you're far behind mid-Golden Core me."
Su Min gave Lin Yao a once-over. Her Blazing Sun Physique wasn't particularly strong—even with the Nanming Lihuo, it was only decent. Lin Yao's base physique was better, and she had the Netherworld Ghost Flame.
Su Min's early Golden Core self (before refining the Eastern Azure Wood) wasn't overwhelmingly powerful, but by mid-Golden Core, Lin Yao wouldn't stand a chance.
"Huh?"
Lin Yao blinked in disbelief.
"You'd probably rank in the top ten of the Golden Core Heavenly Leaderboard. Breaking into the top five would depend on luck—the top four were no ordinary geniuses."
Su Min grinned, then rubbed her temples. She had fought tooth and nail every step of the way. Aside from Xie Yingying going easy on her once, every battle had been grueling. Facing so many monsters was exhausting.
"I see..."
Lin Yao sighed dejectedly. This was a blow to her confidence.
"Don't worry. With your strength, you'd definitely make it into the top... Hm?"
Su Min suddenly stopped mid-sentence, frowning as she looked up at a certain direction.
"Senior? What's wrong?"
Seeing Su Min's expression, Lin Yao grew uneasy.
"A Heaven-grade high-tier treasure. One late-stage Divine Transformation, two mid-stage Divine Transformation, and a bunch of Nascent Soul... ammunition. They're coming for your life."
"!!!"
Lin Yao's face paled. This was beyond her ability to handle. And more importantly—Nascent Soul ammunition? What were they planning?
At that moment, the entire base's alarms blared—the highest-level alert.
The last time this had happened was when they faced a Dao Comprehension-stage beast.