Wu Jian's mind slowly began to recover after a few million years, as the old man had foretold. Over time, her once-frozen mind began to thaw, slowly regaining its clarity and function. Gradually, she found herself capable of generating thoughts directly, no longer relying on the intermediary of her incarnation to process or articulate her ideas. This process was not swift; it took ten million years for her mind to heal fully. By the end of this period, her mental faculties were restored. Alongside the restoration of her mind, she achieved total mastery over her complete law. Finally, Wu Jian became a true immortal with full combat prowess.
With her recovery complete, Wu Jian turned her attention to fulfilling her responsibilities. The sect, while patient, would not wait indefinitely for her to repay the debt she owed. Although they would not force her to act immediately, delaying her obligations for too long could lead to complications. The Infinite Dao Sect was known for its leniency, but excessive procrastination might prompt them to impose stricter conditions. Understanding this, Wu Jian decided it was time to take action.
She visited the sect's task department and received her first mission. Before embarking on this journey, she began preparing meticulously. The mission would take her away for millions of years, and there was no guarantee she would return anytime soon—or at all. Thus, she needed to appoint a successor within the Taiqing sect to manage the affairs in her absence. Although Wu Jian's current level of power far surpassed the Taiqing sect's Ultimate Convergence Realm cultivators, she still preferred to maintain a personal connection to her legacy within the sect. Losing control over the Taiqing sect was not an option.
...
The Fire Spirit Immortal World, where her mission would take her, was relatively weak when compared to other immortal worlds. Despite its vast natural resources related to fire, such as unique minerals and herbs, it lacked diversity in resources, particularly in water and ice-related elements. This imbalance severely limited the world's development and influence.
The structure of power in the Fire Spirit World was typical for many immortal worlds, revolving around dynasties. Three powerful dynasties dominated the world, each supported by affiliates in the Golden Immortal World. While numerous smaller sects existed, they remained subordinate to these dynasties, with one notable exception: the branch of the Infinite Dao Sect established there a few million years ago.
When the Infinite Dao Sect first opened its branch, the three dominant dynasties strongly opposed it. They appealed to their powerful backers in the Golden Immortal World, urging them to intervene. However, their pleas fell on deaf ears. It became evident that the Infinite Dao Sect had already negotiated with the Golden Immortal World's higher echelons before daring to intrude on such contested territory. Despite the initial protests, the sect successfully established itself within a modest area of the Fire Spirit World.
At the time of its establishment, the sect's presence was limited to a small number of Transcendent Being cultivators. While this was enough to plant its roots, it posed no immediate threat to the three dynasties' authority or their monopoly over resources. However, the dynasties were not blind to the potential risk. They knew that the Infinite Dao Sect was among the most powerful. Even though dynasties were generally superior to sects, the Infinite Dao Sect's strength was significant enough to warrant concern.
In the Golden Immortal World, sects were often compared to being "the tallest among dwarfs." Yet even among this class, the Infinite Dao Sect was a towering figure. It had tens of thousands of true immortals within its ranks—an overwhelming number compared to the forces of the Fire Spirit World. The three dynasties understood that, without the explicit backing of their own Golden Immortal World supporters, they stood no chance of resisting the Infinite Dao Sect's influence.
This imbalance of power became painfully clear when the Infinite Dao Sect dispatched a true immortal to oversee its branch in the Fire Spirit World. The arrival of this figure drastically changed the dynamics of power. The three dynasties, unable to suppress the sect as they had before, were forced to abandon any hopes of confinement or expulsion. Instead, they had to come to the negotiation table. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but without the unequivocal support of their backers in the Golden Immortal World, they were utterly powerless against the might of the Infinite Dao Sect.
...
Wu Jian shook her head as she surveyed the world around her. Her complete law was attuned to the cold element, and in this world named Fire Spirit, she instinctively felt a deep discomfort. The pervasive heat, radiating from every corner, clashed sharply with her nature. While the mission's details indicated a low level of danger, the prospect of enduring such an oppressive aura for countless years was daunting.
She had chosen this task from a list of hundreds, and it wasn't a decision made lightly. The primary reason for her selection was its apparent safety and passive nature. More importantly, accepting the task would also grant her the position of branch leader of the Infinite Dao Sect in the Fire Spirit World. Wu Jian believed in the old adage: it's better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a dragon. Though there were many other tasks in more prominent and powerful immortal worlds, including several within the Golden Immortal World, those roles wouldn't have offered her the same level of authority. At best, she would have been appointed as a director or department manager under another's oversight. Here, however, she would reign supreme.
Another factor influenced her decision: she valued independence and detested distractions. As the branch leader of the sect in this relatively minor world, she anticipated having ample free time to pursue her own interests. Moreover, given the world's low grade and her status as its sole true immortal, there would be no one to challenge her authority. Although other immortals might occasionally be assigned to this branch, Wu Jian doubted the sect would waste resources by deploying too many immortals to such an unremarkable world.
Yet, regret crept into her heart as she stepped foot into this world. She hadn't accounted for the overwhelming discomfort caused by the elemental incompatibility. In her mortal years, she had specialized in the Crystal Dao, a path renowned for its remarkable compatibility. During that time, she rarely experienced any dissonance with the natural laws of the worlds she visited. However, after her ascension and breakthrough into immortality, her element shifted entirely to cold dao, which was in direct opposition to the essence of the Fire Spirit World.
Although Wu Jian had briefly considered this incompatibility before accepting the mission, she had underestimated its significance. Her previous experiences as a Crystal Dao cultivator led her to dismiss the issue as trivial. Unfortunately, the unrelenting heat of this world proved her wrong.
That being said, as an immortal, elemental incompatibility wasn't a catastrophic problem. It wouldn't harm her cultivation or hinder her growth. The primary downside was the persistent and unrelated sensation of suffocation and heat, which she would either acclimate to over time or mitigate by altering her mental state. The true challenge would arise if she needed to fight using her Cold Dao complete law. In a world so dominated by fire, her cold powers would be naturally suppressed and significantly weaker.
Despite this limitation, Wu Jian wasn't overly concerned about her fighting strength. Her true power didn't stem solely from her cultivation base; it came from her formidable backing. The Infinite Dao Sect's presence in the Golden Immortal World served as a massive deterrent to any would-be adversaries. If the dominant forces of the Fire Spirit World—the three great dynasties—made the mistake of provoking her, the Infinite Dao Sect would not remain idle. It was this unshakable backing that rendered most tasks assigned by the sect relatively safe. No one dared to openly challenge one of the top sects of the Golden Immortal World.
"Good enough!" Wu Jian muttered to herself, shaking off her lingering discomfort and resolving to ignore the oppressive heat. There was no use dwelling on things she couldn't change, and her focus needed to shift to the task ahead.
As she approached the sect's local headquarters, an elderly woman stepped forward to greet her. The woman's cultivation had reached the peak of the Transcendent Being Realm, marking her as one of the most powerful individuals in this world aside from true immortals.
"Senior, welcome!" the old woman said, bowing deeply in respect.
Wu Jian nodded and smiled faintly. "Thank you. From today onward, I will take over the sect here. I look forward to working with you," she replied, her tone polite yet firm.
The old woman straightened and responded with a warm smile. "We are honored to have you here. If there is anything you need, please do not hesitate to ask."
The old woman looked extremely frail, her face etched with the deep lines of countless years. It was clear that she had little time left in her current state. Before long, she would have to attempt the treacherous path of ascension to immortality.
"She'll most likely break through to immortality within the next few million years," Wu Jian mused silently. Her gaze lingered on the old woman for a moment longer. "Fortunately, it's highly unlikely the sect will let her remain here after that. She'll have to take on a task and leave this world, just like everyone else."
Much like Wu Jian herself, the old woman was probably burdened with significant debt to the sect. As an aspiring immortal, her path was tied to the tasks assigned by the Infinite Dao Sect, her freedom bound by obligations until her debt was repaid. Wu Jian felt confident that the sect wouldn't post another task related to the Fire Spirit World anytime soon. Once the old woman ascended and accepted her first task as an immortal, her departure from this realm would be inevitable.
"She'll probably succeed," Wu Jian thought, assessing the old woman with a sharp, practiced eye. From her demeanor alone, Wu Jian could tell the woman was cautious—a type who would spend millions of years meticulously building her foundation before attempting her breakthrough. With the support of the sect's vast resources, her success was almost guaranteed.
"But she'll likely need that pale golden pill," Wu Jian speculated. Her thoughts drifted to her own breakthrough, and a shadow passed over her face. She had come perilously close to failure despite all her years of preparation. The silver water only sustained her for a limited time. Without the pale golden pill, her carefully laid plans would have crumbled, and immortality would have remained out of reach.
"That pill is... suspicious," Wu Jian thought, narrowing her eyes. Its effects were nothing short of miraculous, far surpassing what was commonly known of alchemical products. And yet, the sect had provided it to her without her even requesting it. That fact alone made her uneasy. "They must have known about its side effects," she thought. "It wasn't charity—it was a calculated move. They sank me deep into debt, ensuring I'd work for them for countless years to come. It's a win-win situation. I got my immortality, and they gained another immortal laborer bound by obligation."
Wu Jian sighed inwardly but forced herself to set those thoughts aside.
The old woman nodded and spoke, her tone reverent. "I am looking forward to serving you, Senior," she said, bowing respectfully.
Wu Jian observed her calmly. By mortal standards, the old woman was likely millions of years her senior. Yet in the cultivation world, seniority wasn't determined by age. Instead, it depended entirely on cultivation base. In that regard, Wu Jian was leagues ahead, a true immortal standing above the Transcendent Being Realm. It wasn't strange at all for the old woman to address her as "Senior."
Wu Jian didn't mind the title. She had grown accustomed to it over the years and was no longer sensitive about it. If she had her way, she would have preferred being called "young lady" instead—it had a certain charm. But she had long since stopped correcting people on such trivial matters.
She smiled faintly, a glimmer of warmth in her otherwise reserved demeanor. "Show me around," she said, her tone gentle but firm.
The old woman straightened and nodded again, stepping aside to lead the way.