As the flames dissipated, a fiery red pill materialized in Su Min's palm. This was the pill Tian Hao had requested—though it wasn't enough to fully cure the girl's condition.
For now, Su Min couldn't refine the pill needed for a complete recovery. But this would suffice as a stopgap measure. As long as the girl didn't attempt to comprehend Laws again, her condition would remain stable.
Of course, Su Min wasn't heartless. Once Tian Hao helped her secure the White Tiger's inheritance, she would cure his lover properly.
"There's still a month left. I can continue trying to comprehend Laws."
After handing the pill to an attendant, Su Min returned to seclusion. The pill might be effective, but it was highly specialized—useless to most people.
"To comprehend the Time Laws, one must experience vast stretches of time. Let's see what else I can find."
Summoning her Medicine King's Cauldron, Su Min stepped inside. The space within was perfect for comprehending the Time Laws, and the cauldron's spirit had long since given up complaining. As long as Su Min's vitality showed no signs of waning, it didn't care.
Though it still couldn't fathom how she managed it, that no longer mattered.
"The Time Laws are rooted in the passage of epochs. It takes ten thousand years just to reach the minor mastery stage—something no one in the cultivation world has ever truly achieved."
The pursuit of immortality was the core motivation for cultivation, so no one would willingly burn their lifespan like this.
But Su Min was different. Though she couldn't seclude herself from the world's turbulence, she could leverage her unique talent to comprehend more Heavenly Laws—pushing her strength even further.
As time flowed within the cauldron, Su Min's comprehension deepened. However, she still lacked a crucial breakthrough, and her energy reserves weren't yet sufficient to reach the Dao Comprehension stage.
But she wasn't in a hurry. She had always been the steady, methodical type.
"Hmm..."
In the outside world, less than ten days passed. But inside the cauldron, ten thousand years had gone by.
"The river of time flows endlessly... but what exactly have I comprehended?"
When Su Min opened her eyes again, her expression was a mix of amusement and exasperation.
She had gained a new ability—one that left her speechless.
[Time's Erosion: Upon activation, each attack consumes the user's lifespan while directly draining the target's. For every ten years of the user's life expended, one year is stolen from the enemy.]
"What kind of nonsense is this?"
Rubbing her forehead, Su Min didn't know whether to laugh or cry. This ability was practically useless to most people. Even the so-called Great Emperors wouldn't casually burn their lifespans like this.
Trading ten years of her life for one year of an enemy's? On paper, it was a terrible deal.
But for Su Min, it was perfect. She could burn her lifespan indefinitely.
This skill was downright cheating—but it had one critical flaw: it was useless against true immortals, since they were already ageless.
"Still, it's a trump card for now. If I can't kill you, I can at least whittle down your lifespan. But I should avoid using it in sparring matches—it'd turn friendly duels into life-or-death battles."
Realistically, the skill's utility was limited. It was only viable in mortal combat, and the enemy couldn't be too much stronger than her. If they were, the cost would outweigh the gains. And if they were weaker? There'd be no need to use it at all.
In short, it was a decent ability—but one to be used sparingly. Especially in casual fights. Beating someone up was one thing, but stealing their lifespan? That was crossing a line.
"It seems this is as far as I can go for now. To advance further, I'll need to reach the full Dao Comprehension stage. The Time Dao truly isn't easy to grasp. It's time to prepare for the journey."
With that thought, Su Min teleported back to the small room where Tian Hao and his lover were staying.
Though Tian Hao had been busy gathering materials, he hadn't left Eastern Mulberry State. The Immortal Gate Sect had grown into a superpower, and Su Min's influence had turned the region into a thriving trade hub.
Merchants, casual cultivators, and even envoys from major sects had set up shop in the coastal city below the sect. No one dared cause trouble—not after the fall of Future Maitreya Mountain.
"How are the materials coming along? Time's almost up. The White Tiger's inheritance will attract many competitors—it'll be dangerous. But the greater the risk, the greater the rewards. This might even be your chance to break through to the Dao Comprehension stage."
"I'm aware. I've secured a few ingredients. As for the breakthrough… perhaps."
Tian Hao remained calm. For him, reaching the Dao Comprehension stage was inevitable—a confidence born of sheer strength. Among the top five of the Golden Core Ranking, his journey had been the most tumultuous.
Yao Xian'er was too powerful to provoke. Even at the Golden Core stage, no one dared push her too far.
The fifth-ranked cultivator was from a major sect and thus well-protected.
As for Su Min and Xie Yingying, they had the Golden Crow's backing—and Su Min's status as an alchemist made her untouchable.
But Tian Hao? He had nothing. Like Su Min, he hailed from a minor world, with no backing. And after his epic battle with Su Min in the Golden Core Avenue, many factions wanted him dead. He had spent years on the run—until now. Under Su Min's protection, he and his lover finally had some peace. Several sects had even protested, demanding Su Min expel him.
Her response?
"Get lost."
If Su Min wanted to protect someone, no sect dared oppose her.
"The ancient battlefield lies beyond the Boundary Sea. Prepare yourself—we leave tomorrow."
Su Min's gaze flickered toward the red-robed girl, whose complexion had improved. The pill had temporarily suppressed her Dao injuries, restoring her to mid-stage Divine Transformation. But advancing further would be impossible for now.
"Understood."
Tian Hao nodded firmly, catching the unspoken warning in Su Min's eyes. The pill she had given him worked as promised—the surface-level injuries were healed, but hidden damage remained. It wasn't an immediate concern, but attempting to break through to Dao Comprehension would be disastrous.
He needed Su Min's high-tier Grade 7 pill—something only she could refine at this point. Waiting centuries for another alchemist to reach her level wasn't an option. His lover hadn't been as strong as him during the Golden Core Trials, only earning a third-tier reward. She was talented—but compared to monsters like Su Min, she fell short.
After a few more instructions, Su Min left. She had no interest in the couple's personal affairs.
In the blink of an eye, she appeared in the main hall of the sect.
The atmosphere was lively. Recently, all Golden Core cultivators who had missed the Golden Core Avenue had received news—a new Avenue would soon open. This one would only last a decade, and the rewards wouldn't be as grand as last time. But it was still an irresistible opportunity.
"Not bad. The dozens of disciples we sent have all reached late-stage Golden Core. One even endured the Ninety-Nine Heavenly Tribulations, and eight others passed the Six-Nine Tribulation. This lineup would've been impressive even back then."
Su Min scanned the sect's progress with satisfaction. Last time, due to the Great Dao's suppression, all participants had been early-stage Golden Core. Now, they started at late-stage.
But that didn't mean the previous generation was weaker—the circumstances had been different.
"The three dynasties..."
Su Min's gaze paused on a few individuals, her brow furrowing slightly.
The Yao Xin State was under direct sect rule, but the other three regions still retained their imperial dynasties.
Though the rules of karma prevented Su Min from casually assassinating emperors, destroying those dynasties wouldn't be too difficult. Every major sect had a standard procedure for such things—a process that took over a decade.
The dynasties knew this, so they behaved impeccably, even sending their most talented descendants to the sect. Among the current disciples, five or six hailed from those royal families.
"No need to worry. Their families are under our control."
Tian Yinzi, the former sect master, chuckled. Though he had stepped down, he still oversaw major decisions. Seeing the sect thrive brought him immense satisfaction. While their current strength didn't match the peak sects of the previous era, they were getting there.
Back then, those sects had sent Ninety-Nine Tribulation talents backed by dozens of Six-Nine Tribulation experts. The Immortal Gate Sect wasn't at that level yet—but they were closing the gap.
"I leave the rest to you. I'll be gone for decades—possibly a century."
Tian Yinzi's lips twitched. With Su Min away, he couldn't help but feel uneasy. The sect's composition was complex, and only Su Min could fully suppress the unruly divine beasts and spirit creatures in their ranks.
But he couldn't object. Su Min's Five Elements Holy Body was unparalleled—though its advancement requirements were insanely difficult.
Five heavenly treasures? He didn't even want to think about it.
"We'll hold the fort. The Peacock King and Azure Dragon King should reach the Dao Comprehension stage within a century. Our sect's safety won't be an issue—in fact, we can expand further. Given our current strength, the population and territory we control are still too small."
Other super sects governed billions of people. The Immortal Gate Sect's domain was far smaller—Eastern Mulberry State, which Su Min had created, housed just over a hundred million. And as society developed, birth rates had plummeted to near zero. The other four states combined had only three to five hundred million inhabitants—nowhere near the major powers. To grow, they needed more territory. Though the fragmented nature of the world made expansion tricky, it wasn't impossible.
"Do as you see fit. Just ensure there's no indiscriminate slaughter."
"Of course."
Tian Yinzi smiled. With Su Min's approval, things would proceed smoothly. In fact, two smaller realms had already begged to join, terrified of the fallen ones lurking at their borders. With the final arrangements made, Su Min and Tian Hao departed Eastern Mulberry State, soaring toward the depths of the ocean.