After the first batch of pills was successfully refined, Su Han immediately sought a candidate to test them. Since Nelliel had already reached her limit for the day, he turned his attention to someone else: Kikyo.
Although the priestess had been resurrected, her soul was technically incomplete, as a significant portion of its essence remained with Kagome. Consequently, her current strength was far from her true peak.
Summoned to the laboratory, Kikyo stood before him in her traditional miko robes, her expression inquisitive. "Is something the matter?"
"Try this. It's a pill I just refined using Soul Crystals. I'm not entirely certain of the exact potency yet..."
Kikyo didn't hesitate. She took the fragrant, shimmering pill and swallowed it. Almost instantly, a cool, clear energy radiated through her being. Sensing the sheer density of the power, she sat cross-legged to mediate and absorb it.
Ten minutes later, Kikyo opened her eyes, her gaze filled with genuine shock. "This medicine... how is this possible?"
Her body felt lighter, more "fluid," as if a persistent, subtle friction in her very existence had vanished.
"The issue was with your soul," Su Han explained. "Though I used the technology of the Oni-Hag to bring you back, the process of reincarnation left deep-seated 'scars' on your essence. This pill targets and mends those spiritual fractures."
Kikyo realized then why her cultivation of the high-tier secret arts had always felt slightly obstructed. "I see... half of my soul is still separate. It felt like a phantom limb." She looked at the porcelain bottles in Su Han's hands. "Can you give some to Kagome as well? If her soul is mended, she will surely benefit."
"Of course. Take these—one a day for thirty days. One bottle for you, one for her. If you aren't fully mended by the end of the month, come back to me."
"Thank you..." Kikyo took the bottles, a rare, genuine smile gracing her lips. Life under this Sovereign was, in a word, comfortable. But before leaving, she fixed her clear, piercing gaze on him. "I have a question I've pondered for a long time. Su Han... why were you so insistent on saving me? Look me in the eye. Don't think—just answer. It matters to me."
Su Han met her gaze and answered without a second's delay. "Long before I held this level of power, I already admired you. I decided that even if you were dead, I would bring you back. Even if I had to use 'despicable' means to keep you by my side, I would. Is that answer sufficient?"
Kikyo's smile widened slightly. "You are very blunt. I like that. As for 'despicable' means? You haven't needed them. My body is already here, and as for my heart... well, you'll have to see if you're skilled enough to win that."
She departed with a light step. Su Han's honesty had done more to win her over than any grand gesture could.
The Heart of Salt
With the efficacy of the pills proven, Su Han returned to the bedside of Havria. He checked her vitals; her physical functions were improving, but her consciousness remained a void.
"I hope these work for you," he muttered, feeding the pills to her one by one. He used his own energy to catalyze the absorption. He fed her nearly thirty pills, yet her soul remained stagnant.
"Did Zhongli hit her so hard he broke her spirit? I'll have to ask him later. It would be a waste for such a beautiful face to stay asleep forever..." He reached out and playfully pinched her cheek. "You'd make a wonderful wife, you know."
Suddenly, a distinct ripple of indignation flickered in the air.
Su Han froze. "Havria? Are you awake?"
There was no physical movement, and the emotion vanished as quickly as it had appeared. But Su Han was certain now: her consciousness was active. She was "playing dead," or perhaps she was trapped in a state of spiritual withdrawal.
He decided to take a gamble. He set up the Shennong Ding right there in the room. He took a massive amount of Soul Crystals, a leaf from the Biluo Azure Lotus, and—crucially—a drop of his own Essence Blood.
The resulting pill was pale gold, wreathed in a divine light. He placed it in her mouth, and this time, Havria's body began to absorb the medicine autonomously.
Eager to see the results, Su Han projected his consciousness into her mind.
The Gray World
Su Han found himself in a desolate, psychological space. The world was dark, covered in thick cobwebs and rows upon rows of salt-crusted statues.
"Is this... her mental world?"
He walked through the silence until a hollow, echoing voice drifted from the void.
"Why does everyone force me...?"
"Is combat the only answer?"
"I never wanted to hurt anyone..."
The world brightened slightly as Su Han spoke into the darkness. "The fault wasn't yours, Havria. It was the era you lived in."
The scene shifted. Su Han saw a memory of Morax standing before her.
"With your strength, you cannot survive the coming wars," the stone-faced Archon said. "This is the end. I will take your followers and ensure their safety."
"What about my companions? My friends?"
"Time is short... saving even you is a trial in itself."
BOOM!
A stone spear struck the earth, sealing the territory and sending Havria into the depths of the salt mines. Su Han watched as her remaining followers attempted to resist, only to be consumed by the backlash of power.
"No... my friends... it's all my fault..."
"I should never have been a God..."
The voice grew quiet, sinking into despair. Su Han finally saw her: a luminous spiritual form sitting in the center of the darkness. The golden medicine he had fed her was swirling around her like stardust, but her soul was actively repelling it.
"So that's it," Su Han whispered. "You aren't trapped. You've simply closed your eyes because you can't face what happened."
Just as Ei had retreated into her Euthymia to preserve "Eternity," the gentle Goddess of Salt had retreated into a world of gray silence to escape her own perceived failures. She wasn't just asleep; she was hiding.
100+ chapters are available now and daily updates! @patreon.com/Zefyrus