Upon recognizing Zhong Ming, the group erupted in fury. No wonder their repeated purges against these heretics had failed to achieve substantial results—despite occasional victories, they could never fully eradicate them.
Now it was clear: this traitor had been leaking information, allowing their enemies to prepare in advance. To further deceive the alliance, he had even arranged minor "victories" during each operation. Though they accumulated impressive battle merits, true annihilation remained out of reach.
"The Zhong Family!!!"
The other four great families' eyes burned with rage. Many of their clansmen had died at these heretics' hands.
But no matter how furious they were, they could only watch helplessly. This battlefield was beyond their participation—a Dao Comprehension-level conflict was not something ordinary Divine Transformation cultivators could interfere with.
"Is this all you've got?"
Compared to the seething Divine Transformation experts, Su Min remained utterly calm. With her hands clasped behind her back, she observed the trio's desperate resistance with detached indifference.
Countless palms descended from the colossal Buddha behind her, each infused with the power of the Four Heavenly Treasures. Their destructive potential was undeniable.
While Su Min appeared relaxed, she was methodically tightening the pressure on the three, pushing them toward desperation—but not enough to break them outright. She wanted them cornered, desperate enough to lead her to their final altar.
"Run!!!"
In perfect sync, the trio exchanged glances and sacrificed their last three Nascent Soul cultivators. The great sword transformed into a streak of light, hurtling toward Su Min with lethal intent.
"Hmph."
Su Min sneered as black armor instantly enveloped her body.
"Black Tortoise Aegis!!!"
She caught the Heaven-rank high-grade sword barehanded, only to be sent flying by its immense force. The impact carved a crater hundreds of meters deep into the earth, sending dust and debris soaring. The three didn't hesitate—they turned and fled without even glancing back.
"Cough, cough..."
Su Min spat out blood, yanked the sword from her waist, and swallowed a seventh-grade pill. Taking the weapon's full-force strike head-on had been risky, but the wound was a small price to pay.
"Finally got this sword. No way I'm letting them keep it. Little Cauldron, seal it away."
Expressionless, she tossed the weapon into her Medicine King's Cauldron. She had prepared for the worst—a direct confrontation with the fallen one. Though undesirable, securing this treasure was non-negotiable.
For now, she couldn't wield it. The sword bore a powerful imprint that only a Mahayana cultivator could erase. But her cauldron's unique space could sever its connection to its original owner. While an Imperial artifact might escape containment, a mere Heaven-rank treasure stood no chance.
"Hah..."
After steadying her breathing, Su Min's wound mostly healed—though full recovery would take time. It wouldn't stop her from finishing them off.
"Let's see where you're hiding..."
Releasing her divine sense, she scanned the surroundings. Though unable to envelop the entire planet, her pre-planted soul marks quickly located the trio. In a flash, she gave chase.
Meanwhile, the battered trio tumbled onto a sacrificial altar.
"Wake our master immediately! A Dao Comprehension expert is beyond us!"
"Thank the heavens we kept spatial jump reserves—if those Divine Transformation cultivators had pursued us..."
Zhong Ming cursed bitterly. Su Min's power left them feeling only:
Despair!!!
Terror!!!
They'd encountered Dao Comprehension beings before, but the previous Filth Beast paled in comparison. That creature could be slain at cost, but Su Min rendered them utterly helpless.
Having lost their sect's heritage treasure, only one option remained—awakening their master. A Mahayana expert evading heavenly laws demanded horrific sacrifices—not just cultivation regression, but extreme confinement.
Though premature awakening would further weaken their master, desperation left no choice. If all three died here, allowing that woman to remain... even their master would face danger upon awakening. Who knew what level she'd reach in centuries?
Unity stage?
True despair. The trio shuddered at the thought.
"We must sacrifice all the blood Qilin eggs prepared for our master's recovery. Activate the grand formation to protect his awakening!"
"Agreed."
A massive formation activated, nearly enveloping the altar—until a figure streaked in, accompanied by a crisp voice:
"Time—halt!!!"
Everything froze. Though conscious, their bodies locked in place. The expanding formation slowed to a crawl as a figure darted to the altar's center, snatched an egg, and vanished.
"!!!"
As time resumed, only an empty formation remained. Horror dawned on their faces.
"Time Law?"
"Correct. That woman controls time. Were it not for our master's formation resisting laws, and her unfamiliarity with it, we'd be dead."
Being Divine Transformation experts, they immediately understood.
"No matter. Proceed. This altar connects to all bases. Though we lost the Qilin royal egg, others can compensate."
Zhong Ming gritted his teeth—then paled further.
"All eggs were swapped! That woman!!!"
They nearly went mad—she could've taken them openly, yet chose stealth. But the ritual had begun. As chilling, furious energy enveloped the altar, all present trembled—without the prepared flesh, they'd become substitute sacrifices.
~
"Done."
Examining the last Qilin egg, Su Min exhaled in relief. Entering that Mahayana-grade formation recklessly was unwise. Snatching the eggs sufficed.
"Heh, without these eggs and forced premature awakening... let's see how you manage. But..."
She frowned at the sky, now covered by an enormous formation—she was trapped planetside.
"No escape..."
Sighing, she massaged her temples. Though her mission succeeded, she was stuck. This was undoubtedly the Fallen's handiwork from his prime. Current her couldn't break it.
"The sky barrier connects to that formation—a one-time ultra-defensive array completely isolating inside from out."
Neither could enter nor exit. Only the Fallen's emergence could break it.
"Senior, are you Miss Lin's master?"
An elder approached with Lin Yao—the alliance's strongest expert, nearing late-stage Divine Transformation. Despite his status, he showed Su Min utmost respect while grimacing at the sky barrier—their satellite links had severed.
Humanity had already lost the seas; now the skies. Another devastating blow.
"Yes."
No point hiding now. Her earlier avoidance had prevented leaks that would've compromised her mission. Having collected all Qilin eggs, she'd thoroughly sabotaged the Fallen's revival.
"Come. I'll explain everything."
Noticing Lin Yao's hesitation, Su Min remained terse—this wasn't chit-chat time. Soon, alliance leaders packed a grand hall—minimum Nascent Soul cultivation required. Though Su Min could destroy this world, she instead shared critical intelligence.
Soon...
"Ancient battlefield... Mahayana and Unity stage graveyard..."
"Fallen Ones..."
"So that's why we could never eradicate them... And now a Mahayana Fallen Ones awakens?"
"A former Mahayana..."
The revelations sparked uproar. The ancient battlefield alone—where even Su Min and Tian Hao had trod carefully—had previously devastated their exploration teams.
But a Mahayana Fallen Ones? Pure terror.
"Whether to publicize this is your decision. I'll handle the fight, that bastard blocked my exit."
Su Min couldn't care less about their politics. She'd done her part, the rest wasn't her concern. Departing, she ascended a solitary peak and produced an obsidian egg, the royal Black Qilin, the Fallen's primary energy source. Now stolen.
"Stop pretending," Su Min said coolly, her fingers brushing the faint warmth of the shell. "You're not dormant. You've been aware since the moment you led me here."
This Qilin egg was unlike the others. Not yet fully formed, no—but developed just enough to harbor thought. It was more balut than embryo, suspended between instinct and consciousness, a creature on the edge of awakening.
"One question: Where's the Central Wutu Divine Earth?"
The egg conveyed information directly to her mind. Her expression darkened instantly.
"..."
The message was brief: Central Wutu Divine Earth resided in the Qilin ancestral realm's secret plane. Only this mature Black Qilin could summon it, at which point their clan would present it as her reward.
But "wait until maturity"? Su Min's eye twitched. With their slow growth rate, this wouldn't happen anytime soon.