Mid-Stage Divine Transformation

Tianhan Snow Fields

Su Min narrowed her eyes as she surveyed the endless expanse of white before her. The previous incident had been merely a minor interruption—now, her true objective lay ahead.

"According to the Netherfrost Soul Crystal's guidance, the location should be around here..."

The blizzard here was unlike any ordinary snowstorm—it rivaled the spiritual calamities. Even with Su Min's heightened senses, she felt nearly blind.

Of course, this "blindness" was relative. Compared to her usual perception, the difference was stark. Not only were her spiritual senses suppressed, but the raging snowstorm severely obstructed her vision as well. (It roughly same when she was on the Great Desert before arrived at Yongzhou)

Navigating here was impossible without aids. Su Min carried two key items: a drop of blood essence that could sense Xie Yingying's location and the Netherfrost Soul Crystal.

As soon as she retrieved the Netherfrost Soul Crystal a peculiar connection emanated from it.

"Time to venture deeper. I've already left dozens of hidden markers outside—they'll serve as my guideposts so I don't get lost."

With this thought, Su Min plunged into the relentless blizzard.

As for the return path, she had meticulously marked it. She had placed reference points outside the region, ensuring she could sense them later. To guard against tampering, she had prepared multiple markers—a standard precaution for any cultivator entering the Tianhan Snow Fields. Without them, one could easily lose themselves in this endless storm.

Attempting to fly above the storm was suicidal. Beyond a certain altitude, heavenly suppression would trigger tribulation lightning. Unless one surpassed the Mahayana stage, death was certain.

Soaring freely through the void was a privilege reserved for immortals. The Heavenly Dao confined all living beings to the earth, barring them from the boundless cosmos.

After pressing forward, Su Min soon arrived at a secluded, deep valley.

"Is this where they discovered the Netherfrost Soul Crystal? It doesn't feel like it—there's no trace of that aura here."

After scanning the area, she realized the Netherfrost Soul Crystal's activation must have triggered a hidden location. The Tianhan Snow Fields were vast—even if billions of people were scattered here, they'd be but a drop in the ocean.

When Su Min shattered the thick layer of ice with a single strike, her eyes widened in astonishment.

Before her lay a glacial pool formed over tens of thousands of years, its surface shimmering with an eerie blue light.

"Such pure energy… and so cold!"

Her lips twitched as she observed the icy spring. The Netherfrost Soul Crystal truly lived up to its reputation as an artifact that could aid in comprehending the Great Dao. The location it guided her to was perfect for her current needs—but there was one major problem: the extreme cold.

This wasn't just physical low temperature. A peculiar energy permeated the area, piercing through a cultivator's spiritual defenses.

Even Su Min shivered uncontrollably. At the same time, she forcefully suppressed the Vermilion Bird's Divine Flame within her.

If she unleashed the flame, the cold would dissipate—but the glacial pool's energy would be wasted. Her expression twisted in conflict before she finally steeled herself.

"Hah—"

Taking a deep breath of frigid air, Su Min reinforced the surroundings with formation diagrams. The blizzard would bury her traces in moments, and with the formations in place, she'd detect anyone approaching immediately.

Once prepared, she formed hand seals to suppress both the Vermilion Bird's Divine Flame and the Eastern Azure Wood within her, leaving only the Northern Water's Profound Origin active.

This allowed her to seal away two of her Five Elements attributes—a technique derived from the previous Five Elements Saint Body's insights.

While usually useless, it was invaluable now. Unleashing her full elemental affinity would ruin the pool.

With everything set, Su Min inhaled sharply, stripped off her clothing, and revealed her flawless jade-like skin.

"Hah—"

Without hesitation, she plunged into the glacial pool. Instantly, a bone-deep chill seized her—a sensation she hadn't experienced in centuries. After becoming a cultivator, ordinary temperatures no longer affected her. But this cold defied all logic.

"No time to waste—absorb it quickly!"

She immediately activated the Water Chapter of the Five Elements Ancient Scripture. The Northern Water's Profound Origin surged within her, drawing the pool's energy into her body.

"Perfect!"

As the technique circulated, the unbearable cold faded. The Netherfrost Soul Crystal hovered above her head, channeling pure energy as a shadowy Black Tortoise phantom materialized around her.

Then—her long-stagnant cultivation finally began advancing.

Progress at the Divine Transformation stage was painstakingly slow. Su Min was also preparing for the Dao Comprehension stage, so she refused to rely on cultivation-boosting pills. Only rare natural treasures like this could aid her.

Alternatively, she could grind it out like ordinary cultivators—but that would take millennia. By then, the era itself wouldn't wait for her.

Within five hundred years at most, the fallen ones would awaken. Their peak strength wasn't something current cultivators could match—they were true Mahayana experts.

Even if they initially awakened at only Half-Step Dao Comprehension, their retained Mahayana-level laws could annihilate even Unity-stage cultivators. That was an insurmountable hurdle—one that would see countless sects obliterated.

And the fallen ones weren't even the greatest threat. Something lurked beyond the skies, outside this world...

All of this forced Su Min to keep advancing. Any stagnation would lead to a miserable end.

Five Years Later

Time flowed like water.

For mortals, five years was a significant portion of their lives. But for cultivators—especially Divine Transformation experts like Su Min—it was merely a short retreat. Most of their lives were spent in seclusion. Sometimes, they'd emerge to find the world utterly changed.

Now, within the glacial pool, Su Min's jade-like figure remained motionless.

The cold had vanished entirely—even the pool had turned into ordinary water, its energy fully absorbed. This retreat had been immensely fruitful.

Then—

A radiant light erupted around her as a barrier shattered. Her cultivation soared to Mid-Stage Divine Transformation in an instant.

"Hah…"

Exhaling slowly, Su Min sensed the changes within her, a glint of joy flashing in her eyes.

"I've fully refined the residual Black Tortoise and Golden Dragon blood within me. And—"

With a thought, faint golden scales shimmered across her hand. Golden Dragon's Divine Hide—an innate talent of Ao Xue, the Five-Clawed Golden Dragon.

This ability didn't conflict with armor or artifacts, instead stacking with them. It elevated Su Min's already monstrous physique to something borderline inhuman.

"Now, I might be able to rival Great Desolate Holy Bodies without pills. Well… except for Tian Hao."

Her eyes narrowed. While Great Desolate Holy Bodies were formidable, their potential varied. That youth's mastery of his physique was terrifying even among his peers. She had never heard of anyone at the Golden Core stage enduring a Unity-stage Law Body without exploding.

Though she had her own fortunes, so did others. Xie Yingying's prolonged seclusion was proof of that. Such lineages often left abundant resources for their successors—not handed freely, but attainable through effort. The path was paved; walking it depended on the individual.

"Time's almost up. Breaking through to Mid-Stage Divine Transformation didn't just elevate my cultivation—it granted me new abilities. My odds against Half-Step Dao Comprehension experts are even better now. I might even stand a chance against true Dao Comprehension cultivators."

"The fallen ones shouldn't have any Unity-stage beings yet. My combat power is sufficient."

After a thorough assessment, Su Min finalized her plan: Head to the deepest region and prepare to support Yingying from the outside.