Above the skies of the Southern Borderlands, two terrifying auras stood in opposition to one another.
As the two auras clashed, the entire Wei-Wu Continent trembled. To mortals, a Divine Transformation cultivator was no different from a true god.
"Today's misfortune is my own doing!"
Upon hearing Su Min's name, the figure let out a cold snort.
"Leaving won't be so easy. The lives lost in the desert—their debt has yet to be settled. Remember, this land is under my protection. Since you've come, you'll stay here forever—Golden Crow Ancient Bell!"
In the next instant, Su Min clapped her hands together, summoning a massive golden bell into the sky. This bell had always been somewhat of an awkward tool for her—unsuitable for direct combat. But now, it served another purpose: devouring an entire stretch of space.
The Golden Crow Ancient Bell was a replica of the legendary Donghuang Bell, and now it possessed the same divine might. In the blink of an eye, everyone below witnessed a horrifying sight—as the golden bell flashed across the sky, the azure heavens were swallowed by darkness.
Su Min had used the bell to consume that very space. The shattered void was slowly repairing itself, but the all-consuming darkness still lingered.
"You—!"
Inside the Golden Crow Ancient Bell, the figure was both shocked and furious. Su Min had just severed his escape route, forcing him into a fight to the death.
His only goal was survival—avoiding battle whenever possible. This was the common trait of all Fallen Ones. None who reached this level were heroes. They were all ancient monsters who would do anything to cling to life.
The Black Serpent had been the same. Had he known that a Dragon Princess was coiled around Su Min's arm, he would never have dared show his face—he would have fled without hesitation.
In the end, it was a battle of deceit—who could out-scheme the other.
"Don't worry. The Golden Crow Ancient Bell is an Imperial Artifact of the Golden Crow Clan. Only a pure-blooded Golden Crow can unleash its true power. Right now, all I can do is trap you here."
Smiling at the hunched old man before her, Su Min's eyes gleamed with an eerie light. Finally, she was facing one of these creatures alone. This old man gave her a strange feeling—like a deflating balloon, his body constantly leaked spiritual energy.
Back then, she hadn't had the chance to study the Black Serpent closely. By the time he reached the Dao Comprehension Stage, he had already repaired most of his flaws. But this old man before her was far weaker than the serpent.
And that was perfect. If he were any stronger, she might not be able to defeat him. While survival wouldn't be an issue, letting him escape would only bring future trouble.
"Like hell I believe you!"
The old man sneered inwardly.
If she had gone so far as to use an Imperial Artifact to trap him, there was nothing left to say. Time to fight. And conveniently, this girl's vitality was terrifyingly potent—devouring her might just restore him to his peak. At that thought, a trickle of drool escaped the corner of his mouth, making him look like a senile old fool.
"So he sees me as a great supplement."
Su Min sighed internally. If she weren't strong enough, she'd be nothing more than a resource to beings like him. They didn't know her lifespan was infinite—if they did, every Fallen One would go mad with greed.
With that in mind, Su Min's hands moved swiftly, forming seals. In the next moment, a hundred-meter-long wooden dragon materialized beneath her feet.
The Vermilion Bird Saint Avatar excelled in offense but lacked defense, while the Black Tortoise was the opposite. Before, she hadn't had a choice. But now, when facing an unknown enemy, the Azure Dragon Saint Avatar was the safest bet.
It was balanced—no glaring weaknesses. Of course, that also meant no overwhelming strengths. But since these avatars couldn't be summoned consecutively in a short time, caution was key against ancient monsters like this.
She couldn't discern his true form. At this level, appearances were meaningless. Any being who reached the Dao Comprehension Stage—if they were a demonic beast—must possess extraordinary bloodline power.
Demonic beasts, spirit beasts, divine beasts—all were bound by their bloodlines. Before reaching their limits, they advanced rapidly with few bottlenecks, like the Dragon Princess and the little Golden Crow. But surpassing those limits was near impossible.
Thus, those who reached this stage either had incredible bloodlines or were ruthless enough to undergo soul-rending transformations.
"Good, good. This old man had no intention of making an enemy of you. But since you insist, your flesh and blood shall be the key to my return to the Dao Comprehension Stage."
Glancing around, the old man wasn't sure how much of Su Min's words to believe. But he could tell she wasn't lying about the Imperial Artifact's limitations. And Su Min knew it too—some things were better admitted outright to sow doubt.
"Remember the name of your killer: I am the Emperor Tianxiu, founder of the Tianxiu Dynasty. Once, I brought prosperity to this land. Now, it is time for this land to repay me."
"Oh?"
Su Min's burning pupils flickered. The Tianxiu Dynasty—a name lost to antiquity. The Great Wei Dynasty had lasted five hundred years before its collapse. But the Tianxiu Dynasty was even more ancient, its exact lifespan forgotten.
It had been overthrown by the founder of the Wei Dynasty. And its last emperor...
"Your dynasty's final emperor spent five hundred years turning himself into a corpse demon. Pity—I killed him. His demon core was the key to my Golden Core breakthrough."
BOOM!
The moment Su Min finished speaking, a terrifying energy erupted in the sky. Were it not for the Golden Crow Ancient Bell's containment, the Southern Borderlands would have been reduced to a wasteland in an instant.
"So be it. Victory and defeat are the way of the world. Had my descendant emerged a few centuries later, I might have aided him. But no matter—today, you will die. Heaven's Net Annihilation Claw!"
A colossal black claw materialized in the sky, slamming down toward Su Min with murderous intent. The attack he had used earlier had been a casual strike, not meant to kill.
But this was different. Though Su Min was merely an early-stage Divine Transformation cultivator in his eyes, he had been awake long enough to know of the Wei-Wu Continent's true ruler's terror. After all, all four continents had submitted to the immortal sects' overwhelming might, leaving no room for resistance. And since the sects rarely interfered, they had accepted their place.
"Interesting..."
Feeling the crushing pressure, Su Min marveled inwardly. This was nothing like her battle with Xuan Mengyin. That woman's direct attacks had been weak, and she had carefully studied Su Min's abilities beforehand, fighting with extreme caution.
But this was the first time Su Min faced such a lethal assault alone. Back then, Luo Jie's killing intent had been mostly blocked by the Dragon Princess. So without hesitation, Su Min drew her newly upgraded Earth-grade mid-tier sword and slashed at the colossal claw.
"Five Elements Annihilation Slash!"
Reversing the five elements within her body, every strike was devastating. Even against a half-step Dao Comprehension cultivator's attack, the radiant multicolored slash tore through the claw effortlessly, continuing toward the old man himself.
"Hmph."
The old man's eyebrow twitched. Though this wasn't his full power, being so easily countered by an early-stage Divine Transformation junior was shocking.
As a Fallen One, he knew little about Su Min—only that she was a once-in-an-era Five Elements Holy Body wielder with three heavenly treasures. But this was beyond his expectations. No wonder even the prideful Golden Crows submitted to her. This combat prowess was no joke. In that case...
"Hah!"
Shattering Su Min's slash with his own weapon, the old man's body suddenly erupted with black mist. A monstrous half-beast, half-human figure emerged before Su Min.
Staring at the abomination, Su Min froze for a moment before recalling a familiar sight.
"Taotie?"
It was impossible not to recognize it—she had seen something similar on Luo Changshui. But his Taotie had been a spectral entity, like her Four Symbols Possession—a construct of energy.
This thing, however, had a physical body. And it was neither human nor demon.
"Correct. This old man once encountered a dying Taotie. After a near-fatal struggle, I fused my flesh with its remains and spent a millennium erasing its consciousness. This body allowed me to reach the Dao Comprehension Stage. Now, witness my Dao—Devour Heaven and Earth!"
The monstrous beast's gaping maw stretched wide, enveloping Su Min in an inescapable vortex of suction.
"This isn't like Luo Changshui's—it has a physical body. I don't know its limits, but I can't just brute-force it!"
Su Min's eyes narrowed. She tossed out a single feather, summoning a hundred-meter-long Vermilion Bird—smaller than her Azure Dragon—that was instantly swallowed whole. But just before it entered the beast's maw, she detonated it.
BOOM!
A deafening explosion rang out, but the blast was swallowed before it could spread.
"Interesting..."
Su Min took a deep breath and threw out two more feathers.
BOOM!
BOOM!
The twin explosions barely made a dent, only causing the beast's maw to tremble slightly.
"I see..."
Su Min's brows furrowed. Like the Demon Queen, this man had sacrificed much to regress from the Dao Comprehension Stage—likely including many of his innate techniques. But this Taotie body was his trump card. And its limits were now clear.
Though her three feather-summoned Vermilion Birds had been devoured, the suction had weakened. That could only mean one thing—its capacity wasn't infinite.
Even a true Taotie's Devour Heaven and Earth had limits.
The ability didn't truly consume everything—it transported targets into a special internal space for gradual refinement. But this old man seemed to have misunderstood its true purpose.
Taotie's Devour Heaven and Earth was meant to convert vast energies into personal cultivation, accelerating growth. But due to his flawed fusion, he couldn't wield its full power.
"Since that's the case..."
A plan formed in Su Min's mind. Her black tyrannical armor materialized around her, and the wooden dragon beneath her transformed into a streak of light, shooting straight into the Taotie's maw.
"!!!"
The Emperor Tianxiu was stunned. But Su Min was too fast—before he could react, she had plunged into his body. The space fell eerily silent.
His Taotie body could reduce anything it swallowed to nothingness. Was she committing suicide? Even with her Black Tortoise armor, the corrosive environment inside would drain her spiritual energy within minutes.
This was going far too smoothly. Then his expression twisted further—because his original plan had been to consume her flesh. If she was fully digested, he'd gain nothing. Having possessed this body for so long, he knew the Taotie's true power. But due to rejection from forced fusion, he couldn't fully utilize it.
Anything he swallowed would be digested and expelled as waste—not converted into cultivation-boosting energy.
"Is that woman insane? To avoid being devoured, she'd do this?"
The old man's withered face contorted in rage. Had all this been for nothing?
Meanwhile, inside the strange space, Su Min's eyes narrowed.
"Spiritual energy drains quickly, but with the Northern Water's Profound Origin, I can endure. He can't digest me easily. But the darkest place is under the lamp—he'll have no surveillance here."
A cold smirk played on her lips.
The Northern Water's Profound Origin's recovery rate was absurd, allowing her to resist the rapid energy drain. But this was temporary—once he focused on refining her, she'd be doomed.
She was in a death trap with no escape...
Or was she?
In her past life, she'd seen countless stories. One lesson stood out: never swallow things recklessly. Any creature that devoured indiscriminately would meet the same fate—being blown apart by exceeding their limits.
So without hesitation, Su Min popped two pills into her mouth.
[Mystic Spirit Treasure Pill (6th Tier Mid-Grade): Temporarily grants vast amounts of spiritual energy upon consumption.]
The pills took effect instantly, flooding her with violent energy. These were life-or-death burst pills, not meant for casual use—their backlash could ravage meridians. But thanks to the Divine Tree within her, Su Min could handle two at once.
With the pills in her system, Su Min summoned two more Possessions. Without wasting time, she muttered:
"Unite the Four Symbols—EXPLODE!"
[Commanding the Four Symbols: Simultaneously controls all four Possessions, harmonizing or clashing their energies. Harmony brings life, conflict brings annihilation.]
Instantly, Su Min reversed the three avatars' energies. Though lacking the White Tiger weakened the effect, it was still devastating. Without the pills, Su Min wouldn't have had enough energy to unleash this.
A dazzling, chaotic light erupted, filling the entire space.
Outside—
"Huh?"
The Emperor Tianxiu froze, then paled. A searing pain erupted from his stomach—where his inner space resided. Before he could react, the energy tore through his gut and surged through his entire body!
"Impossible! Is that woman actually an Dao Comprehension Stage expert?!"
In that moment, terror gripped him. His stomach had a limit, but it was astronomically high—an early-stage Divine Transformation cultivator shouldn't be able to breach it.
He had once devoured multiple late-stage Divine Transformation experts. None had escaped, let alone retaliated with such force. The corrosive environment inside was lethal—even at his peak, entering would be suicide.
Only those far stronger than him could resist Devour Heaven and Earth. Those weaker or on par would die instantly. He had only meant to drain Su Min's energy, not swallow her whole.
A horrifying realization struck him—Su Min had hidden her true strength. As the continent's top alchemist, her soul power far surpassed his own peak.
Had that cunning woman been masking her cultivation all along?
"NO—!"
A despairing wail escaped him as the energy swelled within. His body bloated grotesquely, like a corpse in advanced decomposition—a monstrous sphere of flesh.
BOOM!
An explosion rocked the space. The mighty Emperor Tianxiu was reduced to nothingness.
"Ah, satisfying. As expected, all who take without restraint must burst."
The explosion was so catastrophic that not even bone fragments remained. His stomach might have been indestructible, but once breached, the energy ravaged his far more vulnerable body.
This was the first Fallen One she had slain single-handedly. Su Min exhaled in relief—finally, a victory.
"Hmm?"
But as she stretched, her expression suddenly sharpened. With a cold smirk, she thrust out a hand, manifesting a hundred-meter-long giant claw that clamped down on a seemingly empty patch of space.
This was the same technique Mu Kui had used to nearly destroy the immortal sects—but Su Min's version was even stronger.
"ARGH—!"
A scream rang out as a figure was yanked into her grasp.
It was the old man's primordial spirit. His face was twisted in horror as he stared at Su Min. At the last moment before the explosion, he had abandoned his body and fled as a spirit, hiding with a secret technique.
He had planned to escape once Su Min withdrew the Golden Crow Ancient Bell. Losing his body was a heavy price, but survival was all that mattered.
"Fascinating. It seems fusing with that body altered even your primordial spirit. But did you really think you could hide from a 6th Tier alchemist? How laughable."
Mocking the wriggling monstrosity in her grip, Su Min had detected him instantly. A 6th Tier mid-grade alchemist's soul power rivaled that of a peak Dao Comprehension expert.
A mere half-step Dao Comprehension worm couldn't hope to evade her.
"Since that's the case, you'll serve one final purpose. I'll reunite you with your descendant. Hehe..."
Meeting his terrified gaze, Su Min coldly produced her treasure gourd and aimed it at him. In the next instant, he was sucked inside without even a scream.
After devouring hundreds of thousands of lives, he had met the same fate—consumed by another.
Truly, the heavens' retribution was just.