"Lifespan Stripping... A time-based Dao principle?"
Han Ling—the middle-aged man at the early Dao Comprehension stage—stared at Su Min with disbelief. Time-based principles were legendary; no one had ever managed to grasp even a fragment.
The cost in lifespan was simply too great. Though he didn't know how Su Min had comprehended it, that eerie temporal principle was undeniably terrifying. His gaze flickered subtly toward the young man behind him. Compared to himself, the youth was in far greater danger. Han Ling had only lost a few years, but if this continued for another ten minutes, the young master would be reduced to his twilight years.
"This is too overpowered. We must end this quickly."
Han Ling suppressed his shock. That last attack had genuinely frightened him. What he didn't know was that Su Min's ability was an unequal exchange—she had burned a thousand years of her own lifespan to strip away theirs.
But for someone with infinite longevity, this was trivial. To comprehend the time principle, she had already sacrificed tens of thousands of years, leaving even the Medicine King's Cauldron that aided her baffled—just how long was this woman's lifespan?
Of course, Han Ling had no way of knowing this. With a clap of his hands, a peculiar ripple emanated from his body.
"Ice Azure Holy Dragon!!!"
With Han Ling's roar, a blizzard erupted within a radius of dozens of kilometers. This wasn't just a simple technique—it was the full manifestation of his Dao principle. Instantly, the surrounding air near solidified. Clearly, he intended to freeze Su Min completely.
"An ice-type Dao principle? Too bad you picked the wrong opponent."
Feeling the rapidly intensifying cold, Su Min smirked inwardly. Even among cultivators who comprehended the same principle, the details could vary greatly. But that didn't matter. She could sense his intent—to freeze her solid and deliver a fatal blow. This was understandable. Dragging out the fight would force them to pay a terrible price, even if they won.
The only problem was… he clearly didn't understand the Five Elements Holy Body. This wasn't surprising. The constitution was rare to begin with, and over 99% of those who possessed it could never activate it.
Heavenly treasures were simply too scarce. Even Su Min herself wouldn't have progressed without the unique circumstances of her era. Take the Nanming Lihuo—if the Vermilion Bird still existed, she would never have obtained it.
The consequence was that almost no one truly understood this physique. Those in her world had only pieced together theories based on her battles—often after paying a heavy price, like those unfortunate cultivators in the Golden Core Avenue.
Han Ling clearly had no idea, foolishly trying to freeze her. Ice and water shared the same origin. Due to her physique, her resistance to ice was extraordinarily high. The most effective way to fight her was through pure physical attacks—just as Liao Meng had done.
"Legends say ice was born to counter fire. Yet ice melts under flame, while its water extinguishes the blaze."
As the temperature plummeted and the freezing energy encroached, Su Min mused silently. Ice wasn't one of the five elements, so its interactions were different. Water held a special resistance to it. It was weak against fire, and more importantly...
"So this is your final trump card? Then you've already lost. Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird—come forth!!!"
Seeing this, Su Min had made up her mind. Since they had revealed their ultimate move, she no longer needed to hold back. Two manifestations, similar in size to the Black Tortoise, materialized around her. Now compressed to a fraction of their original size, these manifestations far surpassed any she had summoned before. Then—
"By the name of Haotian, I command the Four Symbols—reverse annihilation!"
In the next instant, the three holy beasts erupted into existence, while the Tiger Soul within her body completed the final link. Though it paled compared to the true White Tiger, it was enough to serve as a conduit. This time, Su Min wasn't relying on pills—she was unleashing this attack with her own power. Her mastery over the Four Symbols had deepened, making this her most devastating strike yet.
On the other side, Han Ling only saw four streaks of light—azure, crimson, white, and black—streaking toward him before everything dissolved into nothingness.
A colossal shockwave rippled across the ancient battlefield, shaking the very world. Every being—whether fortune-seekers or undying experts—turned their attention toward the source. At Su Min's full power, this strike could shake Dao Comprehension experts and make worlds tremble.
Mahayana-stage battles couldn't be fought on the surface—combatants of that level would ascend into the void.
A Unity-stage expert's full-force strike could shatter continents.
Dao Comprehension, Unity, Mahayana—these were called the upper three realms of cultivation for a reason. Their destructive power grew exponentially, capable of reducing all life to ashes in moments.
Su Min's attack had reached this level.
At that instant, Tian Hao and the two fallen cultivators paused their fierce battle, their gazes drawn to the distance. A multicolored sphere of energy had engulfed a vast area, its periphery warping and fracturing space. Even time within it had become erratic.
Su Min's all-out strike had fused every ounce of her power.
"Hiss—"
The trio couldn't help but inhale sharply. They could guess who had unleashed this. Even they would be in grave danger if caught in that blast—the best strategy was simply not to get hit.
"The soul oath's binding force... is gone?"
The two fallen cultivators exchanged glances. Their former Mahayana-stage master had forced numerous soul oaths upon them, all tied to that young man. Now, they could feel those oaths dissolving—and they knew exactly what that meant.
"Damn it!!!"
They immediately tried to rush into the blast zone. Among the many restrictions placed on them was one that linked their lives to the young master's.
"That Han Ling—cough—!!!"
They cursed inwardly. In their eyes, a Dao Comprehension expert and a half-step Dao Comprehension cultivator against another half-step should have been an easy victory—or at least a stalemate. But they had overestimated Han Ling and underestimated Su Min. Now, the oath's backlash had arrived. The two elders coughed up mouthfuls of blood, their bodies ravaged by fatal wounds.
"The Great Desolate Heavenly Prison!!!"
Seizing the opportunity, Tian Hao roared. In a normal fight, he would have had to chip away at their defenses slowly.
But now? The soul oath's backlash had crippled them. This was the moment for a killing blow.
Meanwhile, the several-kilometer-wide sphere of light gradually dissipated. Su Min had compressed its power into a grinding mill of flesh and blood. When it vanished, the surrounding space remained unstable. The young man whose face Su Min had shattered was gone without a trace. Only a fading Buddha statue hovered in the sky.
To ensure the attack landed, Su Min had remained within the blast radius. But with her extreme resistances and the multi-attribute Buddha's protection, she had endured. Her face was slightly pale, however. Though unharmed, her spiritual energy was severely depleted. Without hesitation, she popped a pill into her mouth.
[Spirit Restoration Pill (7th-grade, lower tier): Rapidly restores large amounts of spiritual energy. Builds tolerance with repeated use, diminishing effects.]
As an alchemist, Su Min had enviable reserves. With the pill and the Northern Water's Profound Origin's effects, she quickly regained her breath.
"A Heaven-grade high-tier life-saving treasure? Too bad its effectiveness depends on the user. You could only protect yourself."
Su Min smirked at the middle-aged man before her. A crumbling treasure hovered in front of him—her point-blank explosion had shattered all his defenses.
"Cough—"
Han Ling spat out a mouthful of blood. His late master had left two Heaven-grade high-tier protective treasures—one for him, one for the young master.
But neither could fully unleash a Heaven-grade treasure's power. Su Min's blast had obliterated them. He had barely survived, but that was all. The explosion had ravaged him, stripping away a massive chunk of his lifespan. The young master had been reduced to ashes.
Worse, he had sworn a blood oath to protect the young master with his life. The two fallen cultivators hadn't pledged their lives, so the backlash hadn't killed them outright—only inflicted near-permanent damage. But for Han Ling, there was no escape.
"Oh? Your blood oath is activating. No need for me to finish you off—farewell."
Seeing his condition, Su Min knew the outcome. She turned and fled without hesitation. The man was already dead—he just didn't know it yet.
But what would a doomed expert with a last breath do?
Almost instantly, violent energy gathered behind her. Su Min accelerated to her maximum speed with time principles, covering thousands of kilometers in an instant—far surpassing even the fastest supersonic aircraft.
The area where she had stood was engulfed in a cataclysmic explosion. A Dao Comprehension expert's self-detonation was terrifying—Su Min had no desire to experience it firsthand.
"Good. Let's see who dares challenge me now."
Su Min sneered. The greatest obstacle had been eliminated. The remaining experts in this world posed no threat—none had reached Dao Comprehension. As for those half-dead ancient beings? If she couldn't defeat them, she could at least avoid them.
Besides, the White Tiger's legacy site was surrounded by corpses—long-dead, harmless remains.
A few minutes later, Su Min returned to the inheritance site.
Tian Hao was swallowing a Spirit Restoration Pill, facing two massive craters that reeked of a nauseating aura. His expression wasn't pleased.
"I suppose I should thank you. If you hadn't killed that pretty boy and crippled these two with the backlash, I wouldn't have finished them so quickly."
Tian Hao sounded resigned. He had reached Dao Comprehension, temporarily surpassing Su Min in cultivation. Yet he still needed her help—a bitter pill to swallow.
But it was just frustration—no real resentment.
"A happy accident. People from minor worlds lack experience."
Su Min chuckled. Clearly, these two had never witnessed true battles between elites. They hadn't participated in the Golden Core Rankings, nor seen sect wars. They had no frame of reference for Su Min's strength.
Back then, Liao Meng had studied her thoroughly before attempting an assassination—sealing her greatest trump card, gathering allies, setting an ambush.
These two had just charged in recklessly. A small world bred narrow vision.
If experts from her world wanted to ambush her now, they'd need at least two Dao Comprehension experts wielding imperial artifacts. Not that she feared such a scenario—but faced with those odds, she'd simply flee.
Though she could summon the Golden Crow Ancient Bell through Little Golden Crow, wielding an imperial artifact keyed to bloodline would strain her. Fighting on two fronts would be suicide. Unless they could guarantee such overwhelming force and isolate her, no one would dare try.
"The White Tiger's legacy seems to have sensed the battle's fluctuations and is about to emerge. I'll guard you while you inherit it."