Su Min's close-range strike while enhanced by pills would have been difficult for even peak-condition Liao Meng to withstand. In just the blink of an eye, their battle had been decided.
Su Min descended from the sky, her legs nearly giving way as she landed.
The effects of her earlier combo had been remarkably effective, but the cost was equally staggering. Her spiritual energy was nearly depleted, exceeding critical levels—even with Northern Water's Profound Origin's support, recovery wouldn't be easy.
Yet she knew it wasn't over. With a flick of her wrist, she popped another pill into her mouth—not a spirit-restoring elixir, but one that forcibly replenished energy at the cost of bodily strain.
Instantly, her drained reserves refilled, though the aftermath would require extended recuperation.
This expenditure was comparable to detonating three sacred forms simultaneously, though far less effective. The enemy still clung to life, but unlike Su Min, he lacked her vast medicinal reserves.
Seeing no need for conversation, she hefted her greatsword and charged. She'd witnessed enough moral blackmail before—Xie Yingying was right: these monks were trouble, best kept at a distance.
In moments, she was upon Liao Meng, her blade descending mercilessly.
Squelch!
Blood blossomed across the snow like crimson flowers. Before Liao Meng could utter a word, Su Min's strike sent him reeling. His golden primordial spirit attempted to flee, but against Su Min's perception, escape was impossible.
She snatched it mid-air and crushed it without hesitation. Thus perished Future Maitreya Mountain's mightiest cultivator.
"Phew."
Su Min exhaled in relief before turning toward the other battlefield. That clash between two genuine Dao Comprehension experts had shaken the entire tundra.
To her eyes, the entire region's energy was being mobilized. Xie Yingying, as a Lunar Sovereign Physique holder, dominated this frozen domain. The fallen one had initially held his own only because she was unfamiliar with her new power—now he was being thoroughly suppressed.
Seeing no need to intervene—victory was inevitable given time—Su Min instead positioned herself to cut off any escape routes.
"That damned bald monk!!!"
The ancient soul's expression darkened. He knew desperate measures were needed. Future Maitreya Mountain specialized in observation—they could discern most hidden cards, giving them overwhelming advantages in battle... provided they paid sufficient price.
This time, however, they'd miscalculated. A Dao Comprehension expert ambushing a mid-stage Divine Transformation cultivator and losing? Laughable. But regardless, facing this Lunar Sovereign Physique on her home terrain was terrifying.
Death approached rapidly. With a roar, he unleashed his final gambit.
"Blood Detonation!!!"
Crimson energy stained the sky as he recklessly charged toward Su Min. The Lunar Sovereign Physique before him was a genuine Dao Comprehension expert—this weakened opponent was his only escape route.
What a devastating loss! The monk had no interest in their flesh, but consuming both could have restored him to Unity stage. None of that mattered now—survival was paramount, even if this desperate move regressed him to late-stage Divine Transformation.
"Cornered beast?"
Su Min observed the blood-drenched charge with calm detachment.
"Black Tortoise Barrier!!!"
No need for direct confrontation. With a wave, massive turtle-shell projections materialized, forming mountainous defenses around her.
BOOM
The enemy collided with her shields, the impact shattering them instantly—but not before his momentum carried him straight into Su Min, who stood firm with dark golden radiance enveloping her body.
That momentary delay was all Xie Yingying needed.
"Abyssal Frost Spire!!!"
The world turned ink-black as gigantic ice pillars rained from the sky, impaling the foe and transforming plains into jagged mountain ranges.
Yet this wasn't the end. The black ice began glowing ominously.
"Detonate."
VWOOOM
A peculiar explosion erased the ancient soul completely—not even spatial traces remained. This meticulously controlled annihilation left surrounding areas untouched.
"Is it over?"
Xie Yingying's voice cut through the dissipating smoke as she approached, her figure outlined against the dim lunar glow. Su Min finally allowed her shoulders to relax. With Liao Meng dead and every route sealed, the chaos had truly come to an end.
But victory always came at a price.
Her body trembled as the aftereffects of forcefully drawing on too many pills surged through her veins. Her knees buckled—
And she didn't hit the ground.
Strong arms caught her mid-fall, lifting her easily into a firm embrace.
"..."
A beat of silence passed.
Su Min slowly registered her new position—and her eyes twitched. She was in a perfect princess carry, nestled against Xie Yingying's chest. Her expression stayed perfectly blank, but a slow pink began to creep up her cheeks.
"...Can we not do this? At least change the position? Also, we really should leave."
"Oooh~?"
Xie Yingying's eyes gleamed with mischief, clearly savoring the moment. "Since when does the mighty Su Min get embarrassed? Should I call this the hidden treasure of the Lunar Tomb?"
She hugged her tighter, the delight on her face practically glowing.
"Nope~ This is a rare treasure I picked up in the tomb. A wounded Su Min—fragile, silent, and unusually obedient. I'm keeping her."
Su Min gave her a look. It would've been sharper if her face weren't so red. Still, knowing she was in no shape to argue—and honestly, too tired to care—she sighed in resignation. "I'm going to remember this."
"Good," Xie Yingying grinned, leaping into the sky with her prize in tow. "Make sure you remember who carried you across the moonlight."
Ice Peak City - Spiritual Vein Chamber
"Haah..."
Su Min exhaled deeply within the energy-rich cultivation room. Now came the arduous process of recovery.
The explosive pills' residual effects still rampaged through her meridians. Worse, those seals proved more stubborn than anticipated—forcibly breaking them in her current state was too risky.
Fortunately...
"Seventh-grade Sealbreaker Pill—capable of nullifying Dao Comprehension-level seals."
Studying the jade slip, she pondered. Her soul strength undoubtedly qualified her for seventh-grade alchemy, and this was only a low-tier recipe.
Liao Meng's seals would be undone, but her injuries required separate attention.
"With Eastern Mulberry Region stabilized, I can focus on recovery."
Assessing her condition, Su Min knew this would be a lengthy process. Battling Dao Comprehension experts always exacted a toll—but a temporary one. With Xie Yingying guarding outside, safety wasn't a concern.
In this era, only former Mahayana experts could threaten them. Against fellow Dao Comprehension cultivators, the Lunar Sovereign Physique was virtually invincible.
"Once healed, it's time to settle accounts with Future Maitreya Mountain. Three Buddhist sects? Two will suffice."
Her eyes glinted coldly. They'd crossed the line repeatedly—she was clearly their prime target. The other sects might protest, but as a potential seventh-grade alchemist, she could easily recruit Dao Comprehension allies.
Those super-sects would gladly intervene, especially since she only sought Future Maitreya Mountain's destruction—not its territories. Auctioning their assets to other Buddhist branches would ensure compliance.
Even Great Thunder Temple wouldn't risk total war.
"That little monk from Great Thunder likely has significant backing. But with Yao Xian'er owing me a favor, she can keep him occupied."
A brief mental calculation formed her strategy. Regardless of origins, Yao Xian'er's involvement would neutralize that variable. As for Great Thunder's other forces—two Dao Comprehension experts (including Kong Hui's senior brother) and one half-step Dao Comprehension cultivator—they were formidable but not insurmountable.
"With the Dragon Princess, Little Golden Crow, Yingying, and those super-sect reinforcements... Five Dao Comprehension experts should suffice."
Murderous intent flickered. The ancient Buddhist purge had nearly eradicated them then—only their unity and the attackers' disinterest in mutual destruction saved them.
This time, Future Maitreya Mountain had exhausted their trump cards against her. Without their Dao Comprehension guardian—even with faith arrays—they were vulnerable. That observation ritual must have cost them dearly too.
"Recovery first. This seclusion won't be brief."
Swallowing another mild restorative pill—one of countless advantages as a resource-rich alchemist—she began the process. Ordinary Divine Transformation cultivators would need centuries to heal such wounds; for her, decades would suffice with proper medication.
One Year Later
"Fully recovered. Now for the seal-breaking pill. Three ingredient sets should provide enough margin for error."
Consulting the Medicine King's legacy, Su Min noted the recipe from the alchemy cauldron's dimensional storage—a treasure trove left by that ninth-grade alchemist containing innumerable formulas.
Rarely did she lack prescriptions nowadays.
The cauldron materialized once more, disgorging nearly a thousand medicinal ingredients into her storage ring.
The gap between sixth and seventh-grade pills was astronomical. Without that soul reinforcement from the malevolent spirit, she'd have needed Dao Comprehension breakthrough's comprehensive enhancement to attempt this.
"One attempt success, please. The cost of failure is too high."
A single batch's ingredients already numbered in the thousands—a quantity beyond any contemporary alchemist's capacity to refine.
Flames danced in her palms as the cauldron's interior churned with combusting reagents. Even sixth-grade alchemists would prostrate themselves witnessing this—just as over ninety percent of Divine Transformation cultivators never reach Dao Comprehension, most sixth-grade alchemists remain stuck there even after attaining Unity stage.
Soul advancement grew exponentially harder, and post-sixth-grade alchemy couldn't rely on material spamming for experience. Each high-tier pill demanded astronomical resources—even super-sects couldn't casually provide full sets.
Half Year Later
Su Min's eyes snapped open as a perfectly spherical pill emerged from the cauldron.
[Sealbreaker Pill (7th-grade)]
Dispels most seals applied by Dao Comprehension experts or below.