"Huff, huff, huff..."
Su Min exhaled deeply, her breath misting in the cold void as she stared at the brilliant, pulsating golden pill floating before her. Without a moment's further hesitation, she plucked it from the air and tossed it directly into her mouth.
In an instant, her face twisted in a spasm of pure, unadulterated pain. A violent, rampaging energy, like a wild dragon set free, surged through her meridians and flooded her dantian. This level of pill, a Nine-Colored Golden Pill, was something even an ordinary peak Mahayana cultivator wouldn't dare consume recklessly without decades of preparation. And because Su Min had added her own "special ingredients," the massive infusion of turbid qi, the effects were even more explosive and unstable. For a moment, her vision swam, and she nearly buckled under the overwhelming force, her spiritual sea threatening to shatter. But then, through sheer force of will, her expression shifted sharply from pain to intense focus.
"Steady the mind. Suppress the energy. Begin refinement." Taking another deep, shuddering breath, she began to channel all the chaotic energy within her body, forcing it into a coherent flow. Her cultivation base surged violently, the barriers of the mid-Mahayana stage shattering as her power climbed, reaching the very peak of mid-stage Mahayana in the blink of an eye. But she immediately clamped down on it.
"More important than cultivation advancement right now is refining this turbid energy, achieving perfect balance, and pushing my Chaos Body to true perfection." Her hands moved in a rapid, fluid sequence of seals, expertly guiding the tumultuous energy flow within her. Raising her cultivation level wasn't the priority. First, she had to ensure her foundational physique reached its ultimate state of completion. Only then would she use the remaining, purified energy to see how far she could push her actual cultivation stage.
In that instant, the dense, cloying turbid energy began the final process of merging completely with her limbs, bones, and very soul. The slight, persistent imbalance between pure and turbid energy within her body rapidly corrected itself, the two opposing forces intertwining and stabilizing into a perfect, harmonious unity. While Su Min was undergoing this final, critical seclusion, the five supreme rulers of the Burial Ground Nether Realm were holding a triumphant meeting in a grand, dark hall.
"That woman is undoubtedly dead. This time, I had the Warden take advantage of the collapsing spatial passage. A side effect of the Zhexian Curse is that it leaves a permanent spiritual coordinate in that target's universe. Once the passage reforms and stabilizes, we can send a large number of immortals directly to that location." The five rulers looked immensely pleased. Ten of their precious upper immortals had sacrificed themselves to unleash the Zhexian Curse, and in doing so, they had also irrevocably exposed the cosmic coordinates of that pesky world.
The only minor regret was that the Nether Prison had completely collapsed from the strain, and the specific passage they had used was gone. But it wasn't a big problem, the larger, more stable passage used by the seven immortals they had previously sent, the ones who never returned, was almost fully restored. After all, it couldn't remain locked in that perpetual energy storm forever.
"With the Zhexian Curse as a spiritual marker, we can directly dispatch a large task force of immortals to that universe. Once we destroy its core worlds and sink the entire universe into the depths of the Burial Ground Nether Realm, our world will expand further, its laws strengthening, allowing more native powerhouses to emerge." The Burial Ground Nether Realm hadn't always been this strong. In ancient times, they had systematically destroyed and corrupted dozens of younger universes, assimilating them into their own. This was the primary method through which they produced more experts.
Originally, they were just the turbid dregs, the remnants left behind after the grand creation of the cosmos, most of the pure essence had formed countless vibrant universes, leaving little for them. But in the earliest era, they spent hundreds of thousands of years and countless lives to completely annihilate a single universe and merge it into the Burial Mound Nether Realm. Only after fully digesting a universe's essence could they produce their first true immortal. Then came the second, the third… The universes closest to the Burial Ground Nether Realm were all devoured this way, until they encountered that first Chaos Body wielder, who slaughtered their way through their strongest experts. Their expansion plans were forced to halt, but it wasn't a major long-term setback.
As long as they continued increasing the turbid energy saturation in those border universes, they would naturally drift closer to the Burial Mound Nether Realm. Eventually, even without a direct invasion, those universes would merge with theirs. But this natural process was excruciatingly slow, measured in hundreds of millions of years. So they preferred to actively consume all reachable universes. The closest one now was Su Min's. They could wait for the natural merger, but there was no need to wait idly. They could afford to put in some effort now to speed it up. Besides, they were all suppressing immense fury over their losses.
Each of the five families had sacrificed two upper immortals, a devastating blow to their core power. Even though they had suppressed all other factions, they couldn't completely eliminate them. The Burial Mound Nether Realm was simply too vast, and they needed upper immortals to control large territories and maintain order. With ten of them gone, huge power vacuums had formed, leaving room for new families or ambitious experts to rise and potentially challenge them.
So the best course of action was to conquer that world as soon as possible. It would be a great achievement for the Burial Ground Nether Realm, ensuring their continued dominance. Not to mention, the remains of that first Chaos Body wielder should still be there somewhere. They could offer them to their mysterious master as a tribute.
"The Tiger Family will send ten lower immortals for the vanguard." one patriarch declared immediately.
"Nonsense! That passage can only stably accommodate ten lower immortals for a short time before it needs to reset. You can't hog all the benefits, the Crane Family demands at least two slots!"
"We, the Serpent Clan, want our share too!" T
he small meeting space erupted into chaotic arguments as the faction leaders glared at each each other, none willing to back down. This was a matter of real, tangible profit, none of them would yield an inch. In the end, after much posturing, it was simple, ten slots, two lower immortals per family. Once that world was conquered and assimilated, they could divide its essence and territory among themselves.
—
Meanwhile, back in the dark universe, Su Min sat cross-legged in the void, her eyes closed, silently and meticulously digesting the pill's immense effects. Within her, the pure and turbid energies had finally reached a critical, perfect balance, neither overwhelming the other.
Then, in the next moment, a miraculous change occurred.
All of her overwhelming aura vanished completely. It was as if she had ceased to exist as a cultivator. The immense, pressure-inducing energy that had once radiated from her was now completely suppressed and contained within. Right now, Su Min didn't look like a wielder of the legendary Chaos Body at all. Instead, she seemed like an utterly ordinary mortal, devoid of any spiritual fluctuations.
"Perfect return to simplicity. The true, perfected Chaos Body. Now, I possess the foundational strength to slaughter ordinary immortals, at least, those so-called 'lower immortals.'" Feeling the profound, fundamental changes in her body, Su Min allowed herself a small, genuine smile of relief. Her cultivation level had now solidified at the peak of late-stage Mahayana, just one final, momentous step away from true immortality.
"The mortal path is long, but the immortal path is invisible. Taking that final step will be unimaginably difficult." A trace of melancholy flickered across her face. Only now, standing at this ultimate threshold, did she truly realize how arduous the road ahead would be. But conversely, once she successfully took that step, it would be a metamorphosis beyond compare, a qualitative leap in existence. Unfortunately, this final hurdle was dauntingly high. Even with her current perfected physique and peak power, it seemed nearly impossible. Because now, one last, heaven defying trial stood in her way, the Immortal Tribulation.
"The Immortal Tribulation, and mine will be unprecedented since ancient times." Narrowing her eyes, Su Min sensed the subtle, ominous shifts in the heavenly laws around her. After reaching late-stage Mahayana, she had gained a sliver of enlightenment from the cosmos itself. It was a direct warning, or perhaps a hint, from the Heavenly Dao itself.
Just as the Golden Core Tribulation was divided into three levels, Three Nine, Six Nine, and the most terrifying Nine Nine Heavenly Tribulation, the Immortal Tribulation also had three tiers. The highest, most dreadful level was known as the Annihilation Tribulation. Surviving it would allow one to transcend the very concept of immortality, reaching a realm beyond, a state few had ever achieved.
But how could that be easy? Since ancient times, only a mere handful of legendary figures had ever succeeded. Even with her perfected Chaos Body, it wasn't enough to guarantee success. And there was one more complication, because of her unique Chaos Body, she couldn't enter the conventional Transcendence stage, that half step between mortal and immortal. Her next step would have to be a direct, full leap straight into true immortality.
"It seems I'll need to accumulate strength slowly and seek further opportunities. As for how… Hm?" Just as she was pondering her next move, Su Min suddenly froze, her spiritual sense twinging. The moment her Chaos Body had reached perfection, she had sensed something else, a faint but insidious mark buried deep within her soul, one she hadn't noticed before.
"Is this the lingering trace from that curse? The one embedded deep in my soul? Interesting. Very interesting." She immediately understood their plan, they intended to use her, or rather the curse's residue on her soul, as an anchor point to invade this world again.
"It seems I can't afford to delay any longer. But before they arrive, I need to discuss something important with Yao Xian'er." As for those fools from the Burial Lands? Once they came, she'd give them a big, bloody surprise. It was perfect timing to baptize her newly forged Chaos Sword in immortal blood and elevate it from an Imperial artifact to a true immortal artifact.
"First, I'll consult Yao Xian'er about that self severing technique of hers. It'll be very useful to me as a reference." Her eyes glinted with calculated thought as she vanished from the spot, her form dissolving into the void. Now that her Chaos Body was perfected, she could commune directly with the heavens and earth, manipulating space with a thought. Returning from the withered dark universe to the Heavenly Continent took her only a single, effortless thought.
Soon, in a secluded garden within the Immortal Gate…
"Peak Mahayana cultivation… and a perfected Chaos Body? You've truly reached that state?" Yao Xian'er stared at Su Min in utter shock, her usual composure broken. If not for Su Min deliberately releasing a wisp of her aura, Yao Xian'er wouldn't have been able to sense her presence or cultivation at all.
What was even more terrifying was that Su Min now seemed utterly ordinary, like a non cultivator. That should've been impossible, even an imperfect Chaos Body or her previous dazzling Five Elements Holy Body had shone like a beacon. There was only one explanation, Su Min had achieved true perfection, returning to a state of primordial simplicity, the ultimate form of great power appearing as nothingness.
Otherwise, Yao Xian'er, a peak Mahayana expert herself, wouldn't have been completely unable to perceive her.
"I'm still in the Chaos Body stage, but now that I want to take that final step into immortality, the Chaos Body itself has temporarily become an obstacle, its perfection making the leap even harder. I need to ask you about something." Su Min's voice was calm as she studied Yao Xian'er, noting that her friend's own aura had also deepened significantly.
"What is it?" Yao Xian'er asked, her expression turning serious.
"Your self created self severing technique. Your cultivation has also returned to the peak of Mahayana. I can sense that your Spirit Dao Body has been fully restored, and is even stronger and more refined than before." Su Min's tone was matter of fact.
Many powerful cultivators had tried self severing to break through bottlenecks, but most ended up as crippled, half living wrecks, their foundations ruined. Yao Xian'er's method, however, was extraordinary. Not only did it preserve one's mind and memories completely, but it also didn't seem to drain one's lifespan, in fact, it might even grant a form of eternal youth.
"You want to learn it?" Yao Xian'er's expression turned solemn, understanding the gravity of the request.
"Yes." Su Min's reply was simple and direct.
"I can teach you the principles, but I must warn you, every step is a potential trap. One misstep, one moment of doubt, and you could die without a trace, your soul scattered." Yao Xian'er's voice was heavy.
"Just tell me the core tenets. I need to understand its mechanics." Su Min's voice remained steady. She might not necessarily follow this exact path, but it would be an important reference for her own preparations.
"Severing one's origin completely destroys the existing cultivation foundation. Recovery only begins after naturally cultivating back to the Mahayana stage. And you guessed right, after severing, all accumulated lifespan is lost. You'll be reduced to a complete mortal with only one year of natural life remaining. Within that single year, you must reach at least the Qi Refining stage to extend your lifespan. Otherwise, you'll simply age to death." Yao Xian'er's eyes narrowed as she delivered the harsh truth.
"In theory, advancing from a mortal to the Qi Refining stage in a year isn't hard with prior knowledge and a strong will. But, and this is the critical part," her method involved completely severing the original path, leaving no shortcuts.
"Take Jiang Xi, for example. Her situation was different from a true self severing. Even though she was re cultivating from scratch, it took her three years to go from mortal to Qi Refining because her foundation was still partially there."
"That timeframe isn't a problem for me," Su Min stated confidently.
"Second, if you truly perform a complete self severance, your cultivation will plummet to absolute zero. You can use specific secret techniques to recover your power relatively quickly, but the cost is severe. Even if you manage to return to the Mahayana stage, you'll only have a few thousand years of lifespan left at most. And during that recovered lifespan, you can't use this self severing method again, the soul can't handle it twice."
"Also not a problem for my purposes," Su Min replied, her infinite lifespan made this a non issue.
"Finally, this method isn't guaranteed to succeed. When I first attempted it, I calculated I only had a 30% chance of survival. I'll teach you the theory, but I strongly advise against using it immediately. Those people from the Burial Lands won't give up so easily. You need to be at your peak to face them."
"I know. I plan to give them a proper 'gift' first, buying this world at least ten thousand years of peace. That'll give me plenty of time to contemplate my next steps in safety." A cold, sharp killing intent flashed in Su Min's eyes. Those pests just wouldn't stay dead. But it didn't matter. She'd slaughter every last one who dared come through the passage. Then, using their immortal souls and blood as fuel, she'd enact a grand sealing ritual to block the passage. That should buy at least ten thousand years before the Burial Ground Nether Realm could force it open again.
Plenty of time to forge her own path to immortality without distraction. With her current strength, surviving the lowest tier Immortal Tribulation wouldn't be an issue. But she knew that was meaningless, because upstream in the river of time, she could faintly sense that something, some will or entity, was watching her, waiting. She had infinite lifespan anyway. There was no rush to ascend hastily. If she was going to do it, she'd do it right, aiming for the highest Annihilation Tribulation and surpassing all known limits.
Seeing the determined, unshakable expression on Su Min's face, Yao Xian'er said nothing more. She simply gave a slow, understanding nod. Su Min already had a clear plan. That was for the best.