"The cost of hunting that woman down is truly staggering."
Liao Jie's expression was grim as he gazed at the ocean below. His divine sense swept across the waters, yet he couldn't even find the bottom. To obtain these three Black Tortoise Tokens, they had sacrificed two Spirit Transformation elders—completely obliterated, their souls erased from reincarnation.
The price was unbearably high.
But even so, they had to kill Su Min.
If she had merely been a potential threat before, her success in refining a sixth-rank pill had sent chills down their spines. Just as she had once announced a bounty on the Blood Puppet Sect during the Golden Core Avenue, she could do the same to them. If that happened, the Future Maitreya Mountain would never know peace again.
While other factions might not openly declare war, ambushes and assassinations would be inevitable—even Spirit Transformation experts would join in. Their disciples would never dare step outside the mountain again. So this time, they had gone all in.
"Senior Brother said we would have mysterious allies—those demonic beasts helping us..."
Liao Jie's expression twisted slightly. Compared to other sects, the Future Maitreya Mountain was far more arrogant, looking down on demonic beasts with disdain. The idea of allying with them made him sick to his stomach. But he had no choice but to endure it. In ordinary waters, it wouldn't matter. But in the Weak Water, even his combat power would be halved.
Moreover, Su Min was now a sixth-rank alchemist—her soul power surpassed his. If she chose to hide, they would never find her. The only option was to intercept her at her destination. Only then could they ensure her death. Because if she reached the Spirit Transformation stage, it would be an absolute catastrophe for the Future Maitreya Mountain.
The more they interacted with Su Min, the clearer it became—she was a colossal mountain blocking their path to the future. If she lived, their future would never arrive.
The reason?
Only they knew.
So without hesitation, the group plunged into the ocean, diving toward the Weak Water Secret Realm hidden in the abyssal depths. This time, no matter the cost, they would kill her. Their figures soon vanished beneath the waves.
Inside the Weak Water...
Su Min sat cross-legged, her aura steadily rising. A peculiar energy radiated from her body, growing stronger by the second.
"I'm about to break through? The essence blood in this tortoise shell must have been specially treated—converted into pure energy. For demonic beasts, it's useful but not enough to break their limits. But for me? Perfect."
After a brief moment of contemplation, she reactivated her Water-Avoiding Barrier and took out a Soul Restoration Pill, swallowing it without hesitation. That black snake had chased her relentlessly—there was no peaceful resolution. While she couldn't reach the Spirit Transformation stage anytime soon, late-stage Nascent Soul was within reach.
As for the side effects of rapid advancement?
With the Nanming Lihuo and Eastern Azure Wood in her body, she could handle them easily. Even if there were minor flaws, she had to advance. Nothing was more important than survival. Once she reached late-stage Nascent Soul, she could hold her own against Spirit Transformation experts. And even if she couldn't win, escape would be guaranteed.
In an instant, her energy surged, and the information from the drop of essence blood flooded her mind. As her power grew, the true significance of that bloodline legacy revealed itself.
[Black Tortoise Mark]
Effect: A necessary imprint to unlock the Black Tortoise's legacy. Grants partial control over the surrounding Weak Water.
"Manipulate the Weak Water?"
Su Min closed her eyes, sensing the changes in her body. On a whim, she deactivated her barrier. The Weak Water rushed in—but this time, there was no corrosive effect. Even her Eastern Azure Wood could now absorb the water slowly, rather than just providing passive protection.
"This is excellent news."
A faint smile crossed her lips. This meant the Weak Water was no longer a hindrance. Before, when she fought that Nascent Soul sea demon, she had been severely restricted. And to avoid standing out, she hadn't even used the Nanming Lihuo.
Now, she could fight at full strength. If she encountered that demon again, she could defeat it effortlessly. But more importantly—the Black Tortoise Mark. She could now sense the location of the Black Tortoise's legacy.
"It will emerge in ten years... Then I'll focus on closed-door cultivation until then. No matter what, I must reach late-stage Nascent Soul."
With that, her final worry vanished. The Black Tortoise's secret realm containing the Northern Water's Profound Origin wouldn't appear for a decade. While the demons might not be able to claim the Black Tortoise's legacy, they could take the Northern Water's Profound Origin.
Just like during her struggle for the Eastern Azure Wood—the three competitors back then hadn't cared about the Azure Dragon's legacy. They only wanted the Eastern Azure Wood, leading to their deadly clash with her. If she couldn't confirm the emergence time of the Black Tortoise's realm, she'd have to risk multiple expeditions—possibly facing another pursuit.
But now?
She could cultivate in peace.
Her Treasure Gourd had already evolved, producing enough Spirit Nectar to sustain her training. This was her chance to break through to late-stage Nascent Soul in one go. And with this knowledge, there was no need to rush.
Thus, time flowed swiftly once more.
Su Meditated beneath a massive tortoise shell, a secluded spot with no bloodline fluctuations. The energy from her breakthrough was completely masked by the shell and the three-layered formation she had set up beforehand. From the outside, not a trace could be detected. The three major clans had searched for her but found nothing.
Eventually, they assumed she had used them to escape and dropped the matter. After all, they had suffered no losses. But while this was a minor episode, the atmosphere in the Weak Water Secret Realm had grown increasingly eerie over the years.
The ocean was vast, far larger than land—yet more isolated.
Humans could meet and part peacefully, unless they had deep grudges or were outright madmen.
But for demonic beasts?
Every encounter was a life-or-death struggle. They were far less sociable than humans. Thus, the opening of the Weak Water Secret Realm was only known to nearby sea demons. But as the Weak Water's fluctuations grew stronger, demons from farther away began to arrive. Instead of quieting down, the realm became even more chaotic.
Then, something sinister happened.
Certain clans noticed that their Golden Core and Nascent Soul demons were dying in droves. Losing one or two was normal—but entire groups?
That was unnatural.
And the corpses left behind were grotesque. Drained of all essence, reduced to desiccated husks. Even their valuable parts—scales, shells, bones—had been rendered useless, crumbling at the slightest touch. These materials could have been crafted into Earth-tier or even Heaven-tier treasures—but now, they were worthless.
This wasn't the work of ordinary killings. Even if Su Min had slain them, the results wouldn't be like this. Her Treasure Gourd devoured flesh and blood, but indigestible components like shells and scales were left intact. Soon, the once-bustling secret realm grew deathly quiet.
Lone demons fled in panic, while the rest huddled near their Spirit Transformation elders. Because whatever was hunting them dared not attack Spirit Transformation experts—
At first.
But that illusion of safety didn't last.
A Spirit Transformation demon—albeit a weak one, with no special bloodline or divine abilities—was found dead in the same manner. The impact was immediate. Spirit Transformation experts were the pillars of their clans. Losing even one in the current era was no small matter. The entire secret realm turned tense.
The remaining Spirit Transformation demons banded together, each using their unique methods to investigate. Finally, with the help of the tortoise clan's shell divination, they uncovered clues.
A great hunt began—
But the black snake was far too slippery, always vanishing before the net could close. And one by one, more Spirit Transformation demons fell. The Weak Water was drenched in blood. Then, the black snake encountered someone unexpected.
"I have no quarrel with your Buddhist sect. Why do you block my path?"
The snake's voice was icy as it glared at the monks before it.
Though humans were disadvantaged here, the leader of this group—a monk half a step into the Enlightenment stage—made it hesitate.
"We care not for the affairs of demons. We seek to cooperate—to kill one person."