The moment the Spirit Transformation Pill appeared, the entire venue erupted in excitement. Even the elderly man refining a Divine Transformation Pill froze for a moment. He knew the outcome was already decided—there was no way he could claim first place now. Still, the top three would receive some share of the rewards.
"Sigh, this young one's talent is truly monstrous."
The Dao Comprehension-stage alchemist could only lament inwardly. His opponent was only at the early Divine Transformation stage! By the time she reached late Divine Transformation, she might even be able to refine seventh-grade pills without needing to reach his level of cultivation.
But while he was lost in thought, the early and mid-stage Divine Transformation cultivators in the audience were staring greedily at the two pills. Of course, no one dared to make a move—robbing an alchemist capable of refining such pills would invite the wrath of countless others eager to eliminate them.
After all, advancing beyond the Divine Transformation stage was as difficult as ascending to heaven. Pills that forcibly boosted cultivation, despite their severe side effects, could save them at least five or six hundred years, if not a full millennium, of effort.
In such circumstances, the side effects were negligible. The time saved could instead be spent attempting to break through to the Dao Comprehension stage, significantly increasing their chances of success.
The Golden Core, Nascent Soul, and Divine Transformation stages were collectively known as the "Middle Three Realms." Breaking through these stages wasn't inherently difficult—any cultivator could attempt it.
The real challenge was surviving the three great trials: Heavenly Tribulation, Shattering the Golden Core, and Forging the Divine Soul. Thus, rather than rushing to break through, cultivators focused on tempering themselves.
But the Dao Comprehension stage was where true despair set in. Comprehending one's own Dao was an elusive, almost mystical endeavor. That was why pills like these were scorned at the Nascent Soul stage but became priceless treasures at the Divine Transformation stage—enough to drive men mad.
"As expected of the Grand Elder. Those Divine Transformation cultivators must be going wild."
Seeing this, Tian Yinzi chuckled. The Divine Transformation stage was still far beyond his reach, so distant that he couldn't even entertain the thought. But judging by the ravenous gazes of the early and mid-stage Divine Transformation cultivators, he knew victory was assured.
"Just announce it already."
Su Min withdrew from her Four Symbols Possession state, her fiery red pupils fading back to their usual dark black. With a sweeping glance, she assessed the remaining alchemists—only seven had participated.
Her sixth-grade mid-tier pill had secured her first place. The elderly man refining the Divine Transformation Pill would likely take second, while the rest were fifth-grade alchemists who posed no threat.
"Congratulations, Master Su, for winning this alchemy competition. You will receive the largest share of the Sealing Crystals. Does anyone object?"
The host's voice rang out. Such an overwhelming lead left no room for manipulation.
The Sect Assembly was, at its core, a compromise among major sects to avoid further war. Any blatant foul play would immediately spark open conflict—unlike the modern Olympics, where underhanded tactics could slip by.
"Done."
Su Min smirked inwardly. The portion she secured was substantial—enough to seal away a Divine Transformation expert. That was excellent news.
These Sealing Crystals weren't ancient relics but had appeared in the world as the heavens underwent great changes. The great war of the past had erupted over them, and many sects—including Xie Yingying's—had fallen into decline during that upheaval.
Now, with another wave of sealing crystals descending, the sects had immediately begun competing for them.
Su Min had already secured a significant share, ensuring her sect's survival. The Heavenly Yin Sect of the past had failed to obtain enough crystals, leading to their downfall.
After storing her share in her spatial ring, Su Min flickered away, reappearing atop the auspicious cloud where her sect was seated. Without a word, she sat cross-legged and began restoring her depleted spiritual energy.
No one dared to disturb her, though many eyes burned with desire. Yet beyond those greedy gazes, many more held solemn respect. Su Min's alchemical prowess made it clear she possessed a vast stockpile of pills. The late-stage Divine Transformation cultivators, in particular, knew they would soon face her in battle.
The Spirit Transformation Pill held no appeal for them, but the unknown quantity of other pills in her possession was another matter. While Su Min had been gathering intelligence, so had they.
And they knew Su Min had consumed multiple life-saving pills during the Golden Core Avenue trials—each capable of turning the tide. While those might be less effective for her now, she undoubtedly had even better ones prepared.
Their guesses weren't far off. After reaching the Divine Transformation stage, Su Min had refined similar enhancement pills for herself. The side effects were severe, though, so she avoided using them unless absolutely necessary.
As for the Sealing Crystals, she wasn't hoarding them for herself. She would never need them—even if the Five Decays of Heaven and Man descended again, she could endure them unaided.
With the alchemy competition concluded, Su Min's overwhelming victory secured her the top spot. The elderly quasi-Dao Comprehension expert took second place with his Divine Transformation Pill, igniting fervor among late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.
But just as no one dared snatch Su Min's pills, no one would challenge this outcome.
The third-place winner emerged after fierce competition among fifth-grade high-tier alchemists. The gap between first and second was vast, and the same held true for second and third.
As the alchemy competition ended, the world seemed to hold its breath.
The earth-grade treasure below began transforming, its partitioned spaces merging rapidly. Though an earth-grade treasure, it needed to operate at full capacity to contain battles between late-stage Divine Transformation and quasi-Dao Comprehension experts, ensuring no energy leaked out.
During this process, the entire venue fell into absolute silence. Everyone knew the true main event was about to begin.
Just as the marathon was the final event in the Olympics, this battle represented the pinnacle of the current era's combat prowess. The participants were all sect ancestors—late-stage Divine Transformation experts.
In ancient times, such cultivators might not have been remarkable. But in this diminished world, they stood at the apex. Every sect member watched with solemn reverence.
This battle had one defining feature: life and death were left to fate.
Unless one surrendered, the fight would continue until death. If a participant realized they couldn't withstand their opponent, they could immediately concede and withdraw.
Yet everyone knew this wouldn't be a peaceful affair.
At this level, every combatant was a genius. True victory often required life-and-death struggles. And when two late-stage Divine Transformation experts fought to the death, no one could serve as referee—not even Dao Comprehension experts.
Unlike alchemy, this was the true feast all cultivators had been waiting for. Observing the techniques and divine abilities of late-stage Divine Transformation experts would provide invaluable insights for their own future cultivation.
Such opportunities were rare—this might be the only one.
Even Tian Yinzi could sense the overwhelming killing intent as powerful auras erupted, resonating throughout the heavens. The weakest among them were late-stage Divine Transformation experts, and there were even five quasi-Dao Comprehension powerhouses.
Victory in this final battle would grant the winner Sealing Crystals. The large batch Xie Yingying had obtained came from her sect ancestor winning two such battles.
Back then, the entry requirement had been the Unity stage. But now, with conditions diminished, most cultivators couldn't even comprehend Unity-stage battles. Divine Transformation battles, however, offered them much to learn from.
"Grand Elder, this…"
Tian Yinzi grew uneasy. Though he had full confidence in his Grand Elder, facing these overwhelming auras forced him to acknowledge their terror.
As an early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, each of these experts made his heart tremble. If it were the little Golden Crow, he wouldn't fear—but Su Min was only at the early Divine Transformation stage. These opponents were far stronger than the Blood Puppet Sect's ancestor.
"What's there to fear? This is where the fun begins."
Su Min, now fully recovered, noticed Tian Yinzi's hesitation and flashed a fearless smile.
A few dozen late-stage Divine Transformation experts and a handful of quasi-Dao Comprehension powerhouses? So what? She had once faced a true Dao Comprehension expert—the Black Serpent. Compared to that, this pressure was nothing.
Hearing her words, Tian Yinzi snapped back to reality. According to the Dragon Maiden's announcement, the Black Serpent that had clashed with Su Min was a genuine Dao Comprehension powerhouse.
Back then, Su Min had only been at the late Nascent Soul stage—yet she had emerged unscathed. There really was nothing to worry about. Even if she couldn't win, escaping unharmed wouldn't be an issue.
With that reassurance, he stroked his beard and watched with keen interest. Unlike the others, Su Min didn't release her aura—no matter how strong her combat power, she was still at the early Divine Transformation stage. No need to embarrass herself.
Just then, a massive wheel descended from the sky. The rules were simple: 1v1 battles. Participants would inscribe their names, and their opponents would be decided by fate—or rather, heavenly fortune.
Seeing the wheel, Su Min pricked her finger and flicked a drop of blood onto it.
Many faces twitched at the sight. Among the combatants, Su Min had the lowest cultivation. Everyone hoped to face her.
It wasn't about underestimating her combat prowess—every late-stage Divine Transformation expert here was a genius who had once dominated their peers and claimed the top spot on the Heavenly Rankings. If Su Min were at the late Divine Transformation stage, they might have hesitated.
But at the early stage? She was the weakest participant by far.
"Looks like I'm everyone's target."
Su Min chuckled under the weight of countless gazes. She knew exactly what they were thinking—they saw her as an easy win.
But would things really go their way?
"According to the rules, quasi-Dao Comprehension experts will skip the first round. Participation alone grants them the rewards of a first-round victory."
The host's calm voice echoed. He, too, was a quasi-Dao Comprehension expert.
No one objected. In the world of cultivation, strength dictated the rules. None of the Divine Transformation experts—Su Min included—wanted to face such opponents in the first round.
Advancing past the first round guaranteed rewards, but facing them risked losing everything.
"Since there are no objections, let the matches begin! Wheel of Fate, spin! What comes next is destiny's decree."
As the host's voice faded, the massive wheel began spinning wildly. Every eye locked onto it—under such scrutiny, cheating was impossible.
Then, two names appeared:
Su Min vs. Han Shuangzi
"Huh?!"
The venue erupted in shock. No one had expected Su Min to be the first to fight.
"Han Shuangzi of the Frost Pavilion! That guy's no pushover!"
"If I recall correctly, he wields the ice-attribute divine object—Black Ghost Ice. It's said to reanimate corpses as puppets, exuding extreme yin cold and wickedness. Even quasi-Dao Comprehension experts struggle against him!"
"Master Su's luck is terrible. Of all people, she had to draw him."
"He's strong enough to contend with quasi-Dao Comprehension powerhouses. At the early Divine Transformation stage, she's..."
Whispers exploded across the venue. The first match was already a lopsided battle.
Even the quasi-Dao Comprehension experts on the clouds frowned at the name.
Heavenly treasures were exceedingly rare. Obtaining even one was a stroke of immense luck. Since these treasures wouldn't drop upon death—instead returning to heaven and earth—their holders weren't hunted down. But their power was immense, and none of the quasi-Dao Comprehension experts present possessed one. A late-stage Divine Transformation cultivator wielding one was a nightmare even for them.
"If I recall, during the Golden Core Avenue trials, Master Su kept running into powerhouse after powerhouse, right?"
"Absolutely. Every opponent she faced was a monster."
"Tsk tsk, she's in for bad luck this time. Though with three heavenly treasures in her body, escaping alive shouldn't be a problem."
"Hahaha..."
Laughter filled the air as many eagerly awaited the spectacle.
"I should've known..."
Su Min facepalmed. Her luck was a double-edged sword. During the Golden Core Heavenly Rankings, she had faced nothing but elite opponents—each battle a brutal struggle.
In the first round, she had clashed with Han Chaoyan, then-ranked third on the Heavenly Rankings. Now, with her absent, he had dominated the newcomer rankings, effortlessly claiming first place with his divine water.
His intrigued gaze now fixed on her, and she could only sigh.
And no, being beautiful wouldn't save her. Cultivators at this level saw through fleshly allure—to them, beauty was just a skeleton wrapped in pretty skin.
Sure enough—
"Master Su, I await your guidance."
From a distant cloud, an elderly man wreathed in icy energy rose. Though an opponent, Su Min's status as an alchemist meant no one wished to offend her unnecessarily.
With those words, Han Shuangzi stepped forward, leaping into the earth-grade treasure's arena.
"Grand Elder..."
Tian Yinzi's lips twitched. Among all participants, Han Shuangzi was one of the strongest—and Su Min had drawn him in the very first match.
"No matter. The path of cultivation demands progress, not retreat. Today, I'll test the might of his Black Ghost Ice."
With a glance at Tian Yinzi, Su Min vanished, reappearing inside the treasure. Her disadvantage wasn't as severe as it seemed. Nanming Lihuo, her divine fire, was a force of heavenly righteousness—and fire countered ice. She held an elemental advantage.
This was the perfect opportunity to test her full power. Since reaching the Divine Transformation stage, she had yet to fight all-out. Though no battle maniac, understanding her limits was essential.
With Xie Yingying absent and the little Golden Crow in seclusion, this was her only chance.
As she faced her opponent across the arena, the outside world buzzed with speculation.
"Chaoyan, who do you think will win?"
An elder beside Han Chaoyan asked. The latter hadn't taken his eyes off Su Min since she appeared. Though he knew better, emotions weren't so easily controlled by reason.
"Fifty-fifty. The Five Elements Sacred Body is terrifying."
Han Chaoyan answered without hesitation. Only those who had experienced its power understood its true horror.