As the standoff gradually intensified, Tian Hao's expression darkened.
Truthfully, he didn't want to fight either—making unnecessary enemies was never wise. But now that he had been dragged onto Su Min's "pirate ship," there was no room for retreat.
At this moment, the surroundings dimmed—no, it wasn't just dimming. The light itself was being devoured.
But almost immediately, the heavens and earth seemed to be split apart by an invisible blade.
"Yin and Yang Sever Dusk and Dawn."
Su Min had often boasted about many things, including some exquisite poetry from her past life. To ordinary people, she appeared as an exceptionally talented woman.
Tian Hao knew nothing of this, but he loved using Su Min's "poetry" as the name for this technique. Compressing the two heavenly treasures within his body—gifts from the Great Desolate Martial Saint—he fused them together in an instant at near-light speed.
In that moment, everything was engulfed. This might not have been his most powerful attack, but it was undoubtedly his widest-ranging one. Combining his two heavenly treasures, the numerous inherited legacies within him, and his formidable laws—
The half-step Dao Comprehension cultivators watched in horror as their bodies were bathed in alternating black and milky-white light. This wasn't the Yin-Yang duality but rather two manifestations of the same heavenly treasure.
Yet even this was enough to terrify them, for they clearly sensed Tian Hao's law.
The Great Desolate Martial Path—a unique law belonging solely to the Great Desolate Holy Body.
Created by the strongest Great Desolate Holy Body in history, the Great Desolate Martial Saint. This existence had once shattered a planet with a single punch, shaking heaven and earth. He had even fought his way to the source of the Far Shore, his reputation so fearsome that even they had heard of it.
Now, panic finally set in. They realized something was terribly wrong. Just who could command such a guardian? But it was too late to flee.
In the next instant, the two lights annihilated each other. Light and darkness, like Yin and Yang, were absolute opposites—mutually generating yet mutually destroying. Even if this attack contained only these two attributes, they had no means to resist.
Almost immediately, those who had been so arrogant and frenzied mere moments ago vanished without a trace. Only Tian Hao remained, calmly observing the aftermath.
But then—
A terrifying aura surged from the skeletal mountain range, sending a chill down his spine.
Su Min had emerged from seclusion. Outwardly, she seemed unchanged, her cultivation still at the late Divine Transformation stage. Yet Tian Hao couldn't help but shudder.
"Hah—"
Su Min took a deep breath, and the terrifying aura vanished. The reason was simple: she had fully refined the Western Metal's Sharp Gold. The five-element cycle within her body was now only one step away from completion.
Moreover, she had fully inherited the Four Symbols' legacy. If she were to detonate the Four Symbols' Possessions now, the resulting devastation could annihilate the heavens and earth—perhaps even obliterate smaller continents.
The only regret was that her late Divine Transformation cultivation was still somewhat lacking.
"Looks like you handled it. I came out a bit early."
With a quick glance, Su Min confirmed the area was now completely silent. In truth, she had only refined the Western Metal's Sharp Gold and fused the seed of the White Tiger's legacy. She hadn't yet fully absorbed its true inherited power. The reason?
She had clearly sensed the ill-intentioned cultivators lurking nearby. To prevent any hidden threats, she had no choice but to exit seclusion prematurely. Fortunately, there was no real cost—she just needed a safe place to complete the fusion later.
"It's over."
Tian Hao replied indifferently, then glanced at Su Min's cultivation level with slight disappointment. His pill still wasn't ready—Su Min hadn't reached the Dao Comprehension stage.
"Don't worry. Refining the Western Metal's Sharp Gold has caused another transformation in my soul. I should be able to craft your pill now."
Seeing his expression, Su Min spoke calmly.
The months of agony had forced her spirit to evolve prematurely. Even if her spiritual power improved upon reaching Dao Comprehension, it wouldn't undergo another qualitative leap. As for Tian Hao's pill, she was now confident she could refine it.
"Good."
Tian Hao exhaled in relief. Both of them had gained something from this expedition, making it a resounding success. Now, they just needed a place to retreat and digest their gains. He could sense that Su Min's aura had grown immensely—she was only a step away from Dao Comprehension. Moreover, her foundational laws were incredibly stable. She had completed all preparations for her breakthrough.
"Not so fast. My Kirin legacy is reacting. Especially now that I possess all four sacred treasures, if I reach Dao Comprehension, I'll lose any chance of obtaining this one."
Su Min's eyes gleamed. This place was a convergence point for multiple realms. If she wanted to find the legendary Kirin Vault, she had to act now. Otherwise, she'd have to wait until she reached Dao Comprehension or even Unity, freeing herself from the world's constraints to search the endless sea of stars—a needle in a cosmic haystack.
"What are you planning?"
Tian Hao's heart skipped a beat at her expression.
"To seek the final legacy while I'm still at Divine Transformation. At the very least, I need to enter the Kirin's realm. The rest can be handled gradually. But before that, I'll deliver your pill. This place still isn't safe—there are flies hiding in the shadows."
Her sharp eyes swept the area. Her soul power had broken through again, sharpening her perception. She had clearly sensed someone spying earlier, but they fled the moment she emerged. They must have realized there was no opportunity left.
Their discretion was so thorough that Su Min didn't even have time to pursue them.
"Understood."
Tian Hao's expression shifted. Someone had slipped past his detection? If Su Min hadn't exited early, the consequences could have been dire.
"Let's return to the passage between our worlds. According to the laws here, Dao Comprehension cultivators can only leave through their entry point, but Divine Transformation cultivators can traverse all passages."
Su Min immediately flew in one direction. Now that she had fused with the Western Metal's Sharp Gold—and the White Tiger's innate suppression of evil—she could easily repel the lingering souls of Unity-stage experts.
Even the residual souls of Mahayana experts instinctively avoided her aura.
"That's the Western Metal's Sharp Gold… What a razor-sharp presence."
Tian Hao's brow twitched at the milky-white energy radiating from Su Min. He sensed danger. Unlike her previous harmonious divine treasures, this one was steeped in slaughter. Combined with her accumulated strength, even he—now at Dao Comprehension—didn't dare underestimate her.
Moreover, he had no idea how many pills or trump cards she still hid. If they truly fought, the outcome was uncertain. And after witnessing how she had sealed Yao Xian'er, he knew he might not be her match.
So, soon—
On their way in, they had moved cautiously, dodging threats. But now, they had no such concerns. Though there were still Mahayana remains scattered about, they were sparse enough to avoid with simple detours.
The return path held no Mahayana corpses at all—just a few Unity-stage remnants, all of which wisely played dead upon sensing Su Min's aura. The Western Metal's Sharp Gold was lethally effective against incomplete souls without physical bodies.
"Here we are—the passage we came through. You can leave from here. There aren't any strong presences nearby, so I'll craft your pill here."
Su Min narrowed her eyes at the passage but didn't plan to leave. Her connection to the Kirin Vault and the Kirin clan was unstable—if she left this world, it might sever entirely. Moreover, the link was so faint that she suspected the Kirin realm wasn't just one world away. To be safe, staying here was best. Once the pill was done, she'd act immediately. The reason was simple: Tian Hao and she had sworn a soul oath together. He wouldn't betray her.
"Fine. Here are the remaining ingredients. I gathered them from the loot of those cultivators—enough for three and a half attempts, almost four."
"Leave it to me."
Su Min nodded, sweeping the materials into her grasp with a wave. Then, she slammed her palm into the ground, blasting open a cavern to retreat into. Tian Hao would stand guard outside.
"The Kirin clan seems to be in trouble… They're calling for help?"
Inside the cave, Su Min frowned. This was why she was in such a hurry. The Kirin clan appeared to be in crisis—though she didn't know the specifics.
Logically, the old Kirin Emperor should have left them sufficient safeguards. But something must have gone wrong. Of course, the Kirin's survival wasn't her concern. But if the Central Earth was compromised, things would get messy. If someone else refined it, killing them wouldn't help—she'd have to rely on sheer luck to find another.
Who knew how long that would take?
So, she needed to finish Tian Hao's pill first. She'd also give him a drop of her essence blood—specially treated to maintain a connection with her. For him, it would act like a lighthouse in a storm, guiding him back. She might have to traverse the starry void, and that was never fun.
"Trouble just keeps piling up. One step at a time."
Rubbing her temples, Su Min sighed. The problems were mounting. Steadying her mind, she summoned her cauldron. Panicking wouldn't help—what was meant to be hers would come in time. She wouldn't laze around, but recklessness would only make things worse. Taking a deep breath, she slammed her palm onto the cauldron. Crimson flames erupted within—the Nanming Lihuo dancing even more fiercely.
Though the five-element cycle wasn't complete, fusing all four sacred beast treasures had already granted her immense power. With just one missing, the four could form a minor cycle—linked by their original masters' bonds.
Now, pill refining became even smoother. While the Six Ding Divine Fire was best for delicate alchemy, the enhanced Nanming Lihuo—boosted by the minor cycle—was no longer inferior.
Of course, as far as she knew, only the Five Elements Holy Body could achieve this.
Even the Great Desolate Martial Saint had only refined two divine treasures—a pair of rare twin treasures aligned with his physique. A third would have been impossible. This was why Su Min dared to craft Tian Hao's pill now. Her flames were stronger, and her soul had broken through.
Though she was still far from refining eighth-grade pills, a high seventh-grade one was within reach.
As for eighth-grade pills? She had no clue. The ingredients alone were absurdly rare. And the leap from seventh to eighth grade was monumental—perhaps even harder than progressing from first to seventh grade combined.
Time passed swiftly.
A week later—
"Here. Cough, cough—"
Covered in soot, Su Min emerged from the cave. Tian Hao's lips twitched. Clearly, she had suffered a cauldron explosion—a violent one at that.
He didn't know the details, nor did he dare probe with his spiritual sense.
Annoying her was one thing, but interfering with the refinement would be unforgivable.