Su Min had no reason to refuse this opportunity. After all, this was her primary purpose for coming here, to find a method to advance her soul power further and break through her alchemy bottleneck. Now that the chance lay right before her, she still needed to confirm one last, critical thing: "It's truly not the actual River of Time, right? You're sure about that?"
"Rest assured, it is not. Moreover, I must warn you, never, under any circumstances, attempt to peer directly into the true River of Time. A terrifying, ancient existence stands guard upon it, and none know its true purpose. Yet we know that being would pay any price, bear any consequence, to return to the past."
"What kind of madman is that?" Su Min was taken aback, her own experiences clearly having been more eventful than most.
"Unknown. According to the final visions of the Sinful Buddha, that being seems to fear something, or rather, seeks to erase a particular, pivotal existence from the past entirely."
"A special existence?"
"From the fragments of the final battle between the Sinful Buddha and that being, we learned that what it truly fears is an existence capable of controlling chaos itself, an undying, immortal being. One who once stood completely alone and made their entire race, perhaps all races, tremble."
"Uh..."
Hearing this description, Su Min couldn't help but touch her nose self consciously. She decided it was better not to inquire further. Some knowledge was genuinely better left unknown. The description felt a little too close for comfort.
With that, she fell into a determined silence. At the same moment, the shimmering golden river before her rapidly expanded, its luminous waters rising up to engulf her completely.
In an instant, she understood why this inheritance was prepared solely for someone like her. The principle of this river was simple yet brutal, localized time acceleration. But unlike the controlled acceleration within a medicine cauldron, this one truly allowed for real, tangible cultivation advancement and comprehension.
However, there were two major caveats: First, the golden river's energy was finite and couldn't sustain infinite acceleration; it would eventually deplete. Second, one had to use their own comprehension of the time law to consciously counteract the flow, ensuring minimal lifespan loss through the controlled clash of opposing temporal forces.
For Su Min, with her deep understanding of time, this posed no major issue. Still, to avoid any accidental detection by the entity the bell mentioned, she chose to carefully reverse her own time law, creating a stable, neutral bubble around herself. Moreover, within this unique temporal domain lay the lingering insights of a Great Emperor who had mastered time, allowing her to deepen her own comprehension further.
As the two opposing temporal forces gently collided and swirled around her, she closed her eyes and sank deeply into a state of profound enlightenment. No matter how naturally talented she was, her current mastery over time laws couldn't compare to the pinnacle existence who had created this place.
The world fell into an eerie, absolute silence once more. Though the artifact's soul was ancient and endured far longer than mortal lives, even it would eventually fade without a wielder. Thus, most imperial artifacts chose long periods of dormancy to conserve their power. Now that Su Min had safely begun her inheritance, the artifact too entered a temporary, light slumber.
This allowed Su Min to focus entirely on comprehending the subtle fluctuations from the clashing time laws while simultaneously using the pressure to temper her soul power. As time passed within the bubble, her soul power grew steadily stronger and more refined.
Meanwhile, in the outside world, over a dozen years passed in the blink of an eye.
"They're all dead? Does the remnant power of Future Maitreya Mountain possess such formidable strength?" Within a dark hall adorned with unsettling, laughing Buddha statues, a group of shadowy figures exchanged bewildered glances. Those were three late stage Dao Comprehension experts, genuine powerhouses even among their organization, the Black Seals.
The Black Seals were divided into strict tiers. The strongest was the legendary, slumbering First Seat. Next were the Second to Fourth Seats, peak Mahayana cultivators from various glorious eras, many like Jiang Xi, who had once contended for the position of Great Emperor but failed, choosing instead to sever their cultivation and seal themselves away for this very moment of resurgence. How they knew of the approaching end times was a deeply taboo subject, never discussed.
Below them were the Fifth to Eighth Seats, former Mahayana peak experts who nonetheless fell short of that ultimate, emperor level step. Then came individuals like Liao Xin, Mahayana cultivators who paled in comparison to those standing at the apex of their eras. This hierarchy explained their audacity in attacking sects lacking imperial artifacts or multiple Dao Comprehension guardians. Even top tier super sects weren't safe if vulnerabilities appeared, as tragically demonstrated with the Yao Clan.
Yet what baffled them was the complete annihilation of their three operatives within the Dharma Secret Realm, a space monitored by an imperial artifact where higher level intruders were supposed to be impossible. Their dispatched team had been the strongest they could send without triggering the realm's defenses.
Their mission had been simple: eliminate all major Buddhist cultivators inside, crippling the orthodox Buddhist sects in one decisive stroke. This would allow them to later devour the weakened Buddhist factions whole. They'd targeted Buddhism precisely because these bald monks often operated more independently, with minimal ties to mainland sects, ensuring delayed intervention. Moreover, the opportunity was simply too good to pass up.
But now, right at the outset, disaster had struck. All three were dead, and worse, they couldn't assess what Buddhist losses were inside, making further actions far too risky. Buddhism's isolation worked both ways, however; attacking them wasn't trivial. Other major sects understood the principle of mutual defense, meaning retaliation could come swarming like disturbed hornets.
Yet according to their intelligence, even the Great Thunder Temple, Buddhism's current strongest, shouldn't have had the power to defeat their trio. Had they provoked the imperial artifact into direct intervention? Unlikely, as such a direct move would've triggered their operatives' emergency escape mechanisms, allowing for retreat.
Despite their greed and ruthlessness, upon joining the Black Seals, all had sworn terrifying soul oaths with immense binding force, preventing infighting and enforcing cooperation. The current situation left them genuinely perplexed and frustrated.
"It remains unconfirmed. Without Liao Xin's specific spiritual key, we cannot safely enter the realm now. The most plausible explanation is the presence of a supreme expert inside, possibly someone from the current generation's Heavenly Rankings."
The first Heavenly Rankings following the end of the end times had been the continent's grandest event, bar none, gathering the era's unparalleled talents. Even these Black Seals couldn't guarantee securing top five positions against such monsters. Thus, the list of suspects quickly narrowed.
Most of those Heavenly Ranking elites had now reached the Dao Comprehension stage, far surpassing the leftover half step Dao Comprehension experts from previous eras. These individuals could already shoulder monumental responsibilities alone.
"The Ancient Spirit Emperor has departed this world, bearing no ties to Buddhism. The Great Desolate Holy Body was recently captured by your joint efforts and should still be recuperating in confinement. That leaves only two likely candidates, the Five Elements Holy Body and the Lunar Sovereign Body."
"It must be the Five Elements Holy Body. That individual shares deep connections with Buddhism, especially regarding the fate of Future Maitreya Mountain. Though our intelligence suggests only mid stage Dao Comprehension cultivation, we must never, ever underestimate her actual combat prowess. I simply never anticipated the Great Thunder Temple would enlist her help."
The group quickly pieced together the probable truth.
"How do we confirm this hypothesis for certain?"
"Attack the Immortal Gate."
A heavy silence instantly engulfed the hall. Attack the Immortal Gate? Were they completely insane? That was the Golden Crow's official ancestral land, provoking them there would be like slapping a sleeping emperor in the face.
Though they were ruthless and largely unprincipled, they weren't suicidal idiots. Charging into a supreme divine beast clan's fortified lair for no certain gain was pure suicide.
"The Immortal Gate's influence spans multiple regions beyond just the Eastern Mulberry Province. We could strike a peripheral outpost once and then retreat immediately. See who responds. If only the Lunar Sovereign Body comes out..."
"And then what? What does that prove?" another voice countered with palpable skepticism.
Dead silence resumed. Risking such a brazen operation for mere confirmation was madness, especially with that three legged Golden Crow possibly having reached the Unity stage by now. The discussion stalled completely, none willing to commit to such a risky plan.
After an extended, uncomfortable pause, someone tentatively suggested the obvious, "Perhaps... we just abandon this thread for now. We simply lack the concentrated strength to assault the Golden Crow's core ancestral land without catastrophic losses."
"..."
No one objected. Thus, the matter dissolved. No oath, no matter how stringent, could compel them to take objectively suicidal risks. Unless Su Min, Xie Yingying, and the Golden Crow all departed the province simultaneously, they wouldn't dare touch that place.
Time flowed onward within the secret realm. Su Min now hovered cross legged in midair as the golden river before her visibly dwindled, its remaining spiritual energy nearly exhausted. Then, in a final, soft glow, it desiccated completely, its power absorbed.
Her eyes snapped open, brilliant golden light radiating from them for a moment before fading.
"Less than twenty years passed outside, yet this session cost me the equivalent of centuries of lifespan." She massaged her temples ruefully; it seemed she kept burning through her longevity one way or another. "My soul power has advanced significantly, though my raw cultivation base remains stagnant. Still, this suffices for my goal. I can now attempt eighth tier pill refinement with some confidence."
Her soul force had grown more profound and resilient. She now held a solid thirty percent confidence in refining a low grade eighth tier pill, the most basic tier, but it was progress nonetheless.
"Yet beyond that lies a more troubling matter." Su Min rubbed her forehead, the bell's warning echoing in her mind. The conditions mentioned earlier, an immortal being who controls chaos, pointed unmistakably at her. As for chaos control, perhaps that meant the legendary Chaos Body. She knew her own physique was unique, transcending a mere Five Elements Holy Body; the traces of pure Taiyang Qi within her confirmed this. Evidently, her very existence had drawn the hostility of some future being willing to pay any price to travel back and eliminate her.
Yet time's barrier was absolute; it demanded proper anchors. Without them, any time traveler would drown in time's infinite, chaotic currents. Thus, the Sinful Buddha had likely been tragic collateral damage in a plot aimed at her.
"The future holds no fixed branches; the past isn't entirely fixed either. This world differs profoundly from my initial understanding." Her eyes narrowed in thought. To traverse and manipulate time, bearing all the karmic consequences, just to target her... "What exactly happens in the future that I do...?" Her expression darkened. This was truly an undeserved calamity; she might already be ensnared in some grand, cosmic scheme without even knowing it.
"One step at a time. Since the true river's passage is blocked, a direct manifestation here is impossible. So long as no one recklessly pushes their time laws to the absolute limits and enters the River of Time directly..." With that pragmatic thought, Su Min lay back in the empty space, deciding this matter was too vast for her to solve now and no longer her immediate concern.
"Congratulations on passing the trial and completing the inheritance. Henceforth, you are my recognized wielder. However, an imperial artifact's power is immense and would currently hinder your growth. Thus, I shall seal myself within your ring. You may summon me for aid once per month. Upon reaching the Unity stage, this will increase to twice monthly. When you stand at the Mahayana stage, you may call upon me without limit." The ancient bell shrank rapidly into a point of light, vanishing into a designated compartment in Su Min's spatial ring.
"Success. Time to return. Those monks still require their payment, then it's back to check on the others." Her expression soured momentarily at the thought of the impending pill refining labor before her figure dissipated from the chamber. Having obtained what suited her best here, the rest being mostly Buddhist specific relics of no use to her, Su Min saw no reason to linger. With the imperial artifact's acquiescence, the secret realm's barriers posed no obstacle. In a blink, she arrived at the main hall of the Future Maitreya Mountain ruins.
"They haven't emerged yet? Very well, when you require those pills, seek me at the Immortal Gate." Scanning the few attending monks with her spiritual sense, she noted the others' continued absence, which was normal. For cultivators, a seclusion lasting a few decades or even centuries was standard, sometimes yielding great breakthroughs. Though this place had granted her no major cultivation advancement, being fresh into the mid stage of Dao Comprehension, she knew further progress would be a slow, steady accumulation.
Transforming into a streak of light, she departed without further ceremony. None of the remaining monks could stop Su Min now, and her simple promise was more than sufficient guarantee for them. Thus, the Great Thunder Temple's collective sentiment toward her swift departure could be accurately summarized in two words: good riddance.
Yet upon reaching her destination, the main square of the Immortal Gate, Su Min froze in astonishment. The entire sect was in complete chaos. Dozens of puppy like kirins, in a vibrant array of colors, bounded everywhere, knocking over training dummies, chewing on spiritual herbs, and turning the normally pristine premises upside down.
"QUIET, YOU LITTLE BRATS!"
Veins bulged on Su Min's forehead as she roared. With a single, powerful thought, her spiritual force swept out, and every single rampaging kirin was lifted telekinetically into the air, their legs paddling uselessly.