In Eastern Mulberry State, as the golden ancient bell descended from the sky and its light faded, Su Min instantly returned to the familiar grounds of her sect. The remaining cleanup work, the distribution of spoils, and the political maneuvering could all be left to the others; her part was done.
"This went more smoothly than I had ever expected, and the sect seems completely unharmed. I will need to go into seclusion for a while. Unless it is a matter of utmost urgency, do not disturb me."
After a brief glance at the little Golden Crow and Ao Xue, who were already back to bickering about the details of their postponed duel, Su Min turned to the ever-calm Xie Yingying beside her. There was no point in keeping the potent Buddha Light Relic sitting in her ring; she needed to convert its power into tangible strength. She planned to refine it as soon as possible to solidify her foundation and advance into the late-stage of Divine Transformation, using its profound energy to deepen her hard-won comprehension of the elusive Time Dao.
During her previous life-and-death battle against Liao Meng, it was her nascent grasp of Time Laws that had allowed her to overcome his final, desperate trump card. She needed to build on that.
After giving a few brief instructions to her most trusted allies, Su Min retreated to her heavily warded personal cultivation chamber. This time, her goal was clear: reach the late-stage Divine Transformation realm and achieve a qualitative leap in her mastery of Time Laws.
Soon, seated cross-legged in her familiar, sparse little room, the outside world faded away.
"Buddha Light Relic, let us see what your remnant consciousness can do."
Narrowing her eyes at the dazzling, sun-warm Buddhist bead resting in her palm, Su Min's pupils reflected flickers of spiritual flame. Such sacred relics often carried the traces and lingering obsessions of the high-level monk who formed them. Mishandling them could easily lead to spiritual backlash or even possession, but this was not a significant problem for Su Min, whose soul power was extraordinarily strong, far beyond her cultivation level.
Especially after absorbing and integrating the remnant will of a true Mahayana cultivator, she could confidently say that unless a living Mahayana expert intervened directly, no other spiritual existence stood even the slightest chance of overwhelming her. More importantly, she had already confirmed through subtle probing that the original owner of this bead was a Unity-stage monk, powerful, but not beyond her capacity to handle.
Thus, she placed it between her palms and closed her eyes. As her consciousness delved deeper into the relic, her perception of the physical surroundings completely severed.
"Amitabha!!!"
Almost instantly, a deafening, ancient voice exploded in the heart of Su Min's consciousness. A withered old monk materialized before her spiritual form, his body emaciated, all worldly vitality drained, clearly already at the very final stage of his long life.
"To think the one who arrived here would be a young girl. You carry the aura of Buddhism, yet it is not strong, not a dedicated follower."
The old monk's cloudy eyes studied Su Min's spiritual form, but soon a look of profound astonishment replaced his initial assessment.
"Merely a mid-stage Divine Transformation junior, yet your soul burns so fiercely, so powerfully. It defies reason."
"This junior has only a rudimentary understanding of Buddhist teachings. May I ask what unfulfilled wishes the venerable elder holds?"
Since this was a sacred relic formed from a monk's lifelong cultivation, if the consciousness within refused to cooperate, true refinement and absorption would be impossible. Forcefully doing so would only destroy the relic's essence. Thus, Su Min chose to engage it in conversation, to seek understanding.
At the same time, she stimulated the Great Sun Tathāgata Sutra within her core. A magnificent Buddha statue slowly manifested behind her spiritual form. But it was not the common golden figure; this one was a simple, unadorned wooden effigy, the very same one Su Min had used to manifest her will and crush Liao Meng's final attack.
"The Great Sun Tathāgata Sutra... and the essence of Eastern Azure Wood? But no, that is not all. Why are there two other, equally profound auras mixed in? Never mind..."
The old monk was visibly shocked, his spiritual form flickering. This Buddha figure, this manifestation of her core Dharma, was completely different from what he had imagined or encountered in any Buddhist disciple.
"This junior possesses the Five Elements Holy Body."
"So that is how it is... No wonder, no wonder..."
The old monk sighed, a sound laden with the weight of millennia. Then he asked a question that made Su Min's spiritual heart tense involuntarily.
"How fares the Future Maitreya Mountain now?"
"I destroyed it."
"!!!"
In that instant, the serene spiritual world before Su Min twisted violently. The benevolent golden light surrounding the old monk's form contorted, his expression twisting into one of wrath and deep pain.
"Why?" The single word was heavy with grief and a demand for reason.
The old monk took a deep, stabilizing breath. The fact that Su Min had obtained the relic meant something catastrophic had happened to Future Maitreya Mountain. Yet, as the temple where he had once cultivated, where he had left his legacy, he could not help but feel a deep, paternal attachment.
"They colluded with the fallen ones who severed their cultivation, ambushing me three times with intent to kill. And during the sect's final destruction, not even their guardian Imperial Artifact appeared to defend them. It had abandoned them."
"This..."
The old monk's eyes dulled, the golden light dimming to a somber grey. He understood all too well what this meant. Future Maitreya Mountain had fallen into corruption, straying so far from the path that even its divine protector saw no worth in its preservation. Had Su Min lied, he would have detected the falsehood in her soul's resonance immediately. But precisely because she spoke the unvarnished truth, each word struck his consciousness like a spiritual blade.
"Even the Imperial Artifact has abandoned them... It seems Future Maitreya Mountain was fated for this calamity. Very well, very well. Over these past decades, every cultivator from the mountain who came here carried a foul, restless aura I could not quite describe, a hunger that disturbed me. But girl, whether you can obtain this old monk's legacy now will depend solely on your own abilities."
After a long, heavy silence, the old monk let out a bitter, resigned laugh. Then, everything before Su Min's spiritual sight began to dissipate like smoke. The old monk's consciousness, deeply shaken and disillusioned, had chosen to fade away, releasing his hold on the relic. He clearly no longer wished to intervene in the affairs of a sect that had lost its way. But this did not mean Su Min could now absorb the relic freely. As the old monk vanished, Su Min's consciousness was suddenly thrust into a raging, chaotic storm.
In an instant, dark clouds blotted out the spiritual sky, and Su Min found herself standing on a phantom battlefield, the echo of some ancient, terrible war.
"A Remnant Immortal?"
Su Min's heart tightened. This was no ordinary fallen cultivator; this was the true, insidious threat lurking behind the corruption of this world, a pale reflection of the final boss from the game's lore.
"This old monk once followed the Buddha in battles across the heavens, but due to insufficient strength, could only retreat to Future Maitreya Mountain to guard this last wisp of demonic will. Yet I never imagined our own descendants would fall to such depths, consorting with the very evil we fought. Girl, this trial was originally prepared for my worthy successors. How much you can obtain now depends on your own abilities. This old monk is tired."
With those final, weary words, the old monk's consciousness completely dissipated, yet the treacherous space he had confined remained.
"Is this the demonic energy he failed to fully purify?"
Su Min muttered inwardly. The old monk had left, passing this mess on to her to handle. Now she understood why Future Maitreya Mountain had never been able to use this relic; not only had they failed to gain the old monk's approval, but this entrenched corruption had also been an impassable barrier.
The moment the old monk's stabilizing suppression vanished, the endless darkness surged toward her like a tidal wave.
"SHATTER!!!"
Su Min roared inwardly. A blazing firebird, vivid and majestic, spread its wings behind her spiritual form, spewing scorching Nanming Lihuo flames at the encroaching darkness.
Sizzle!!!
A grotesque, piercing sound erupted, like water hitting the surface of boiling oil.
The explosive heat and spiritual force was so intense that Su Min instinctively summoned the phantom of her Black Tortoise Armor to protect her core consciousness. At the same time, a shrill, grating laughter echoed through the spiritual plane.
"Kekeke, that old fool is finally dead! His vigilance held me for so long! This lord's last remnant is free at last, and what a fine, potent vessel stands before me."
"Remnant Immortal?"
Su Min's expression darkened. This was the relic's inner space, a landscape of will and memory. Had the old monk left behind his full safeguards, even a failed inheritor might have been spared this confrontation. But now, Su Min stood alone against this ancient threat. Not that she could complain; she had, after all, just informed the relic's guardian that she had wiped out his sect. That he had not dragged her down with him in his final moments was already an act of mercy. What more could she ask for? But dealing with this thing would be troublesome. Fortunately, it was merely a wisp of remnant will, greatly weakened over countless years of imprisonment.
"Insignificant mortal, you seem familiar with this lord. Indeed, I was once a true immortal, eternal and unbound by the heavens! The only pity is that, at some point, the immortal qi of this world became tainted, poisoned at its source. All immortals were cursed, our paths severed!"
"Oh?"
Su Min's brow twitched. This revelation went beyond the established lore of the game; it was a fundamental truth about this world she had not known.
"Immortal qi no longer exists... Is this the underlying reason why no one has triggered the Immortal Tribulation in all these thousands of years?"
She mused silently while maintaining a fierce glare at the swirling dark creature, carefully assessing the state of the relic's spiritual matrix. Soon, a hint of relief crossed her face. She realized that although the old monk's conscious will had vanished, the underlying safeguards of the relic itself, now fused with his dharma, remained. If the situation became truly dire, she could forcibly eject her consciousness and destroy the relic from the outside. The cost would be losing any benefits it offered, but at least she could retreat with her soul intact.
"Kekeke, it has been so long since I last spoke to a fresh soul. Your body is flawless, I can sense it... Eastern Azure Wood, Southern Vermilion Fire, Northern Water's Profound Origin... Excellent, excellent! The Five Elements Holy Body? A perfect vessel! Then I shall take it!"
"Try if you dare, you Remnant Immortal."
Su Min sneered, her spirit radiating defiance. She would never let this foul thing touch her core being. The fate of Jiang Xi, the previous Lunar Sovereign, was proof enough of the danger; tainted by a similar entity, she had to be sealed away by Yao Xian'er for centuries.
Not only had Jiang Xi lost her supreme Lunar Sovereign physique, but she now had to rebuild her cultivation from scratch under the most terrible conditions. If Su Min were corrupted, who knew if the pragmatic Yao Xian'er might just decide to eliminate the threat for convenience?
More importantly, she might simply cease to be herself.
In a flash, Su Min's spiritual form appeared atop the giant firebird's back. She also sent a swift mental message to Xie Yingying, who was guarding her physical body outside, just two words: "Be Ready." She knew the fusion of their Yin and Yang energies was most effective against such chaotic entities, but she preferred not to rely on Xie Yingying's direct intervention unless absolutely necessary.
The previous drops of essence blood had helped her overcome countless trials, but she could not depend on them forever. There would come a time when external aids would no longer suffice, so until that day, she had to rely on her own strength and wits.
With a flick of her wrist, a condensed feather of pure Southern Vermilion Fire shot forth from the firebird, streaking toward the core of the dark mist.
BOOM!
A deafening spiritual explosion erupted. The dark mist trembled violently, parts of it vaporizing into nothingness. It was clear; even without external enhancements, the supreme Yang power of the Nanming Lihuo was highly effective against such foul, Yin-heavy energy.
"GAAAH! Very well, girl, you have angered me! Once I claim your body, I will make sure your spirit suffers for an eternity! I will send what is left of you to the lowest brothel for some fun!"
"How delightfully twisted and unoriginal."
Su Min remained unfazed, her spiritual composure unbroken. She was no longer the same frightened soul she had been when she first transmigrated into this world; she had been tempered by fire and blood.
But its reaction confirmed one thing: her attacks were effective and it felt threatened.
With that in mind, she formed a plan of relentless assault.
Gripping her spiritual sword, she launched herself forward, slashing at the monstrous will. No fancy techniques, just pure, focused strikes, each one imbued with the purifying power of the Nanming Lihuo.
Sizzle...
The spiritual world twisted and screamed around them. A vile, black-red rain began to fall across the mental space, a manifestation of the creature's pain and rage. Su Min fought with everything she had, determined to annihilate this thing completely. Yet its resilience surprised her. Without the innate advantage of the Nanming Lihuo, permanently killing such a tenacious will would have been nearly impossible.
"Troublesome indeed. No wonder even someone as powerful as Yao Xian'er was ultimately helpless against the corruption in Jiang Xi and could only choose sealing."
Su Min cursed inwardly. She was already going all out, yet the remnant will still refused to be completely extinguished. Its raw strength was manageable, but its sheer tenacity was top-tier. Even with her advantages, she struggled to deliver a final, decisive blow.
"Soul battles are such a pain. There is no flesh to wound, no heart to pierce."
She gritted her teeth. Without physical bodies, this battle was not just about cultivation level; it was a fundamental contest of soul power, will, and spiritual endurance. Fortunately, Su Min's soul was exceptionally strong, refined through unique trials to a level that could rival even a peak expert like Liao Meng.
"Fine, then do not blame me for going all out."
Since she knew Xie Yingying was already on alert outside, she could afford to expend herself more recklessly here. She could already feel a trickle of Xie Yingying's calming, potent Tianyin Qi seeping into the edges of her awareness, a stabilizing presence. If she wished, she could likely channel both powers simultaneously now. But first, she needed to create a definitive opening, to end this protracted entanglement.
Clapping her hands together in a final, decisive seal, Su Min summoned not just the Vermilion Bird, but the full manifestations of the Azure Dragon and Black Tortoise alongside it.
"BURN!!!"
With a final, channeled roar that consumed a vast portion of her spiritual energy, the three sacred beast phantoms converged, their energies intertwining to form a brilliant, mystical array. They then charged as one at the core of the dark creature. This was the first time Su Min had fully unleashed this ultimate technique of the Four Symbols within a spiritual plane; previously, the cost had been prohibitively high, and against Liao Meng, it had been outright sealed by his domain. But now, at her current level of comprehension and power, she could wield it, briefly, to its full, devastating potential.
In the next instant, a cataclysmic explosion of light and primal power engulfed the entire spiritual space, tearing the fabric of the relic's inner world apart. The dark energy, caught in the heart of the storm, was shredded into countless fading fragments, its piercing scream finally cut short.