Just as Su Min entered seclusion, Lin Yao stared in shock at the ring in her hand. She dared not tell a soul about it. She remembered Su Min's warning before leaving—the contents of this ring could drive even a Nascent Soul cultivator to madness. At first, she hadn't taken it seriously.
But now that she saw what was inside, she understood why.
Because there was a Divine Transformation Pill inside.
In this world, a Divine Transformation Pill was akin to a nuclear weapon combined with a hydrogen bomb in modern Earth—something far beyond monetary value. The fact that Su Min could casually hand over such a pill proved she was an alchemist of unparalleled skill, far surpassing this world's limits.
It also made Lin Yao realize the weight of Su Min's earlier words:
"If you want to be my dog, you'd need to be at least at the Divine Transformation stage—and even then, there's a whole battalion of Divine Transformation cultivators lining up for the privilege."
If Su Min could casually toss out a Divine Transformation Pill, did that mean she could also refine the legendary Dao Comprehension Pill?
The Mythical Alchemist.
In some worlds, she would undoubtedly be called that.
However, Su Min had placed heavy seals on all these pills. Lin Yao would have to break through them step by step. For example, the Qi Refinement Pill could only be accessed once she reached Qi Refining stage.
"Making a Qi Refining cultivator unlock a Qi Refining Pill… Is Senior doing this on purpose?"
Soon, she realized the truth—Su Min was forcing her to temper her spiritual power and comprehension relentlessly. Though Su Min had tasked her with gathering information, she wasn't treating her as a disposable pawn.
"I must grow stronger as fast as possible."
With that resolve, Lin Yao made up her mind. Even if Su Min hadn't accepted her as a disciple, being her "dog" was still an honor worth striving for.
The intensive training under Su Min had paid off. Upon returning to school, she shocked everyone. Not only had she reached the Body Tempering stage, but her mastery of her abilities left everyone in awe. Overnight, she transformed from an unnoticed student into the academy's second-most prominent talent—second only to the Heaven Spiritual Root prodigy.
But that wasn't entirely fair.
Because this world didn't understand special physiques.
Lin Yao's physique, for instance, would have remained dormant if not for Su Min.
"High Fire Spiritual Root?"
Su Min had scoffed at that label, bluntly telling her: "After harmonizing with your physique, you've surpassed many pure Heavenly Spiritual Roots."
As for Su Min's own spiritual roots?
"Started with five lower-grade mixed spiritual roots."
Lin Yao had been dumbfounded. "That's possible?!"
(The part about "starting with" something was promptly ignored.)
Now, after Su Min's guidance, Lin Yao's every move drew attention. Su Min needed her to infiltrate the highest echelons of power to gather information—though she hadn't specified what. But one thing was clear: staying low-profile wasn't an option. So Lin Yao embraced the spotlight. Watching a senior Body Tempering cultivator get effortlessly crushed by her, a faint smirk tugged at her lips.
"Rubbing someone's face in the dirt is so satisfying."
Just like how Su Min had done to her. She still remembered Su Min's "special training"—somehow procuring a jeep and chasing her down while yelling, "Face me, coward!"
A jeep.
As an early-stage Body Refining cultivator, she wouldn't die from getting hit, but serious injury was guaranteed. Su Min claimed it was to sharpen her reflexes, but Lin Yao suspected there was some sadistic amusement involved. Regardless, her progress was meteoric. In just over a year, she reached Qi Refining stage—something that had taken Su Min several years.
Not that Su Min was inferior. Back then, the world's spiritual energy was suppressed, and her foundations had been poor. It wasn't until she obtained the Nanming Lihuo that things improved. The current environment was entirely different.
Time flowed relentlessly. Three years passed in the blink of an eye.
By graduation, Lin Yao had reached late-stage Qi Refining, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Heaven Spiritual Root genius—and in actual combat, she could easily defeat him.
With such talent and strength, her treatment surpassed even his.
A Heavenly Spiritual Root was impressive, but combat prowess mattered more. If you couldn't win, you couldn't win. The Heavenly Spiritual Root prodigy had complaints: "What kind of fire is this? Hot and cold at the same time—I've never seen anything like it!"
At this point, Lin Yao's uniqueness drew scrutiny. Further research revealed her rare special physique. Soon, she was admitted to the prestigious Heavenly Spirit University, shining brighter than ever. Even before classes began, she broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage—a speed hailed as miraculous.
Naturally, she became a rising star, the center of public fascination.
The Five Great Families all sought to recruit her, hoping to marry her into their bloodlines. But precisely because of this competition, none dared to use underhanded means. Instead, they resorted to courtship.
None of them caught Lin Yao's eye.
To her, the pills in her ring were like level-up rewards in a game—motivation to cultivate endlessly. And most of her suitors weren't even as strong as her. Female cultivators in their prime rarely bothered with romance. With so many admirers, standards naturally rose.
Su Min, by comparison, had even more admirers. But she never spared them a second glance.
Why would she?
She already had her hands full with one Xie Yingying.
With Xie Yingying shadowing her like a moon orbiting the sun, no one dared to approach Su Min too closely—let alone confess. Even the boldest hearts faltered under Xie Yingying's quiet, watchful gaze, as if one wrong move would summon a froststorm to erase them on the spot.
Not that Su Min minded.
Having someone so possessive and ever-present might have unsettled others, but for her—it was a kind of peace. A silent understanding. Besides, she often thought with mild exasperation, if she could barely manage one Xie Yingying, what made anyone think she had room for more?
~
Meanwhile, in the World's Deepest Trench
At the bottom of the abyss, a figure sat cross-legged, unfazed by the crushing water pressure or the drifting corruption. With Northern Water's Profound Origin and Western Metal's Sharp Gold—the bane of corruption—Su Min ignored it all.
In fact, the presence of these energies kept the frenzied corrupted creatures at bay. Any that strayed too close had their vitality swiftly drained. Around her, the flow of time twisted violently.
Time Law—the most elusive of all laws.
Those who had witnessed Su Min wield it were left speechless.
Because time came at a cost: lifespan.
The initial stages were manageable, but now, to break into the Dao Comprehension stage, Su Min was burning through years at an alarming rate. Though she wasn't inside the Medicine King's Cauldron, she had merged with the Heavenly Dao. And as time accelerated around her, her lifespan dwindled.
In just a few years, she had expended tens of thousands of years of life force. No Divine Transformation cultivator could endure this—not even Great Emperors. No wonder the Medicine King's Cauldron called her a monster. She might not be the strongest it had seen, but she was certainly the longest-lived—a true ancient tortoise.
Su Min paid no mind. She was on the cusp of Dao Comprehension, and this final step demanded perfection. Time meant nothing. Even Tian Hao, with all his advantages, had needed a decade.
But then—
Her body shuddered.
Her consciousness slipped into a trance, the world around her distorting into surreal shapes.
"A sudden enlightenment?"
As her cultivation grew, entering this state had become increasingly rare, even with the Heavenly Dao Insight.
And this was no ordinary enlightenment.
She found herself standing atop a vast, endless river. Gazing forward sent a spike of dread through her—not because the future was invisible, but because looking came at a terrible price. Looking back, shadows obscured much of the past.
"I'm on the River of Time itself? Is this trying to kill me? Don't look. Don't look."
She squeezed her eyes shut.
Observing time's flow risked attracting catastrophic karma—even drawing the attention of terrifying beings who might cross time to eliminate her.
This wasn't paranoia.
Her future self might withstand it, but the present Su Min couldn't afford the consequences.
So she played the ostrich, burying her head in the sand.
An exaggerated metaphor, but this was a fortune she dared not claim.
She could use this to locate the Central Wutu Divine Earth, but doing so would invite all the karma tied to such a treasure—past, present, and future. And since she already had some leads, there was no need to gamble her life.
Soon, she was ejected from the vision, exhaling in relief.
"So this is the ultimate expression of Time Law—navigating the River of Time. But I'm not ready for that yet."
Then—
Her body trembled.
Power surged.
In an instant, she shattered her previous limits.
Around her, the four sacred beasts—Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, Black Tortoise—manifested in resonance with the heavenly treasures within her.
The Black Tortoise's energy, in particular, triggered a colossal whirlpool on the ocean's surface.
The sheer force of her breakthrough churned the tides and darkened the skies.
Not every Dao Comprehension breakthrough caused such a spectacle. But Su Min's connection to the Four Symbols of Heaven and Earth, combined with the four divine treasures, created an unparalleled phenomenon.
Like Tian Hao's 10,000-meter golden body, each cultivator's breakthrough was unique—and the stronger they were, the grander the display. Su Min's might not have been as visually dazzling, but the impact was no less staggering.
Meanwhile, Across the World
Every Divine Transformation expert on the planet sensed the disturbance. In moments, they converged above the whirlpool, staring in disbelief. A maelstrom spanning hundreds of kilometers, its depths unfathomable.
"Isn't this the 'Abyssal Itt Trench'? The deepest point is nearly 20,000 meters."
"Yes. When the oceans were still clear, I once dove there. But now, with the corruption and mutated beasts, even the surface is deadly. No one dares venture deep anymore."
"The energy below is immense… and pure. Unlike the monsters. May I ask which esteemed cultivator is breaking through? Would you honor us with your presence?"
An elder—mid-stage Divine Transformation—spoke respectfully into the abyss.
Despite his power, he didn't dare descend. Whoever was below had already succeeded. Provoking them now would be suicidal. In fact, there was only one person in the world capable of this—
The mysterious woman who had once cleaned up their mess.
Since she hadn't shown hostility, there was no reason to antagonize her.
More importantly…
The reverence he felt, the instinctive urge to bow—
This could only mean one thing.
A Dao Comprehension expert.
A realm far beyond their meager Divine Transformation strength.
"No wonder we couldn't find her. She was hiding in the trench… But why such a massive disturbance? And why weren't the corrupted beasts attacking?"
"No idea."
Baffled, they peered downward, but the whirlpool's depths were now veiled in multicolored light, obscuring all.
Below the Whirlpool
Su Min slowly opened her eyes.
"Six people above. The strongest is only mid-stage Divine Transformation. The rest are early-stage. No wonder they couldn't handle that creature."
She hadn't bothered suppressing her breakthrough's aura—and thankfully, none of them were foolish enough to interfere.
"Fifteen years have passed. I wonder how Lin Yao's doing. She should be around Golden Core stage by now—barely usable."
She had no intention of meeting the people above. Every Divine Transformation expert was a cunning old fox. And if she started asking about the Qilin, it would alert the wrong people.
So instead—
With a flicker of time law, she vanished. In an instant, she was dozens of kilometers away, far beyond their perception. When the lights below faded, leaving nothing behind, the group exchanged glances.
She clearly didn't want to meet.
Disappointed but resigned, they dispersed.
All except one—a man who frowned deeply before disappearing.
~
A Dark Chamber
Several shadowy figures sat in meditation.
"No contact with the mysterious woman. And she didn't ask any questions?"
A voice echoed in the gloom.
Had Su Min been here, she would've been shocked. The weakest here was Nascent Soul stage. Three were Divine Transformation experts—one even at late-stage. Among them was the frowning man from earlier.
"Her motives are unclear. And of all times, she appears just as our Lord is about to awaken."
"Is her strength confirmed? That beast was already weakened by your secret weapon, and the corrupted creatures are weaker than their actual cultivation."
"Without a doubt, she's Dao Comprehension stage. After arriving, she hid in the trench—too deep for anyone to reach, especially with the corrupted beasts infesting the upper layers."
"Should we mobilize forces to draw her out?"
"Pointless. Even if we all attacked together, she'd slaughter us."
"A Dao Comprehension cultivator… just more nourishment for our Lord's awakening. He chose to slumber here because of the Qilin bloodline. Their flesh will restore his strength."
Excitement rippled through the room.
The Qilin were supreme divine beasts. Their flesh far surpassed that of humans.
Before the world's spiritual awakening, they had already existed. Back then, under their Lord's guidance, followers had infiltrated the Qilin's defenses and stolen their unhatched eggs.
These would become their Lord's feast. The only regret was how deeply their Lord slumbered. Awakening him wouldn't be easy. Now, at this critical juncture, a Dao Comprehension expert had appeared. But since she didn't seem to be after their Lord, they could relax. Fighting her would be suicide.
"By the way, there's news of another prodigy. A special physique, reaching Golden Core stage at a young age… and surviving the Nine-Nine Heavenly Tribulation."
The topic shifted.
"Should we eliminate her? A Nine-Nine Tribulation is unprecedented on this continent."
"Not just that. Years ago, a strange flame descended from the heavens—Netherworld Ghostfire. Only one person in the world can refine it."
"With such talent and fortune, she'll be a problem if she grows. That mysterious woman will likely leave after her breakthrough, but this girl… Should we act?"
"Netherworld Ghostfire. Special physique. Nine-Nine Tribulation. And more—her breakthroughs are unnaturally smooth. What kind of physique is this?"
"Unknown. 'Black Seal,' can you get her records? Assign her a mission outside, so we can strike."
"Consider it done."
The man codenamed Black Seal nodded. As a high-ranking official, manipulating a Golden Core cultivator's assignments was trivial. No matter how talented, an unripe genius was still just potential. Golden Core was considered first-rate in this world, but without growth, it meant nothing.
"The old men are keeping a close eye on her. Since she shows no interest in marriage, they're pushing her to cultivate harder. If that mysterious woman won't cooperate, a future Dao Comprehension expert is their next best hope."
"All the more reason to kill her."
"Understood."
Silence reclaimed the chamber.
~
Su Min hovered in the sky, surveying the land below.
"Fifteen years, and this world hasn't changed much. But then again, with the oceans blocked, continents can only connect via air transport or high-level cultivators. Without Golden Core strength, crossing those tainted waters is impossible—and even Golden Core cultivators must tread carefully."
The cities looked even more dilapidated than before. The corruption's impact had been devastating. Isolated continents, severed trade routes, and lost marine resources had stagnated development.
A crippling blow.
Not that Su Min could fix it. She wasn't a deity—the dimensional rift was beyond her.
"The only downside is that I can't return to the ancient battlefield. To go back, I'll have to traverse the stars. But first, I need to investigate the Qilin's fate. At Dao Comprehension stage, even if there's a hidden evil faction in this world, survival won't be an issue. And—"
Her eyes closed.
The ring and pills she'd given Lin Yao carried a trace of her aura. As long as Lin Yao consumed them and they remained in the same world, Su Min could sense her.
Not to spy—but to protect her if needed.
But then, her brow furrowed.
"Netherworld Ghostfire?"