Gulp.
Su Min instinctively swallowed hard as she stared at the massive head before her—a head alone that towered over a hundred meters tall. When its entire body emerged from the depths of the sea, an island of unimaginable size appeared before her.
Only when standing this close to one of the Four Symbols did Su Min truly grasp her own insignificance. It wasn't just a case of megalophobia—it was the overwhelming pressure of a supreme being. Despite now being at the late Nascent Soul stage, she still felt minuscule in the presence of these innate deities.
"To think the one inheriting this old man's legacy would resemble that Great Emperor."
A hoarse, ancient voice suddenly echoed in the air, startling Su Min slightly. Previously, she had encountered both the Vermilion Bird and the Azure Dragon, but neither had spoken to her. They had simply bestowed their gifts before vanishing without a word.
This Black Tortoise was the first of the Four Symbols to converse with her, sparking immense curiosity in her heart.
"Haha, little girl. It seems you don't realize just how terrifying your comprehension is—to resonate with my remnant soul using just a trace of my essence blood."
"This junior, Su Min, pays her respects to Senior Black Tortoise."
Su Min now understood—her Heavenly Dao Insight had once again exerted its power, allowing her to connect with the Black Tortoise's fading remnant soul. As for where its true body had gone, that was beyond her knowledge.
"Little girl, I sense within you the inheritance of two other Symbols—a fortune even the Five Elements Great Emperor never possessed. Since you've managed to encounter me here, it means you are also destined to receive my legacy. What I wish to discuss with you now is precisely this matter."
"Hmm?"
Su Min was slightly surprised. She hadn't expected the Black Tortoise to negotiate with her about this.
"Within you lies the Vermilion Bird's inheritance, renowned for its mastery of spells, and the Azure Dragon's inheritance, focused on physical reinforcement. Thus, my legacy must also be adjusted accordingly. There's no need to compete with them in those aspects. Instead, I shall pass on my unique defensive legacy to you. Use it well to protect the peace of this world."
With those words, the elder's voice faded away, leaving only streams of information surging into Su Min's mind.
Simultaneously, the Mysterious Water in the outside world began to resonate with the Black Tortoise's essence blood within her body. This was precisely why one had to bathe in the essence blood pool to obtain the Northern Water's Profound Origin—unlike the Eastern Azure Wood, it couldn't directly retain the legacy's information.
In an instant, Su Min's long-dormant Heavenly Dao Insight seemed to awaken, flashing wildly as a flood of unique knowledge poured into her mind. However, the sheer volume of information was overwhelming.
[You have comprehended Black Tortoise Possession and integrated it into Four Symbols Transformation.]
[Black Tortoise Possession: Upon activation, conjures the Black Tortoise Armor. This armor surpasses the defensive capabilities of the highest-grade equipment you can wear and synergizes with your physique to grant even greater resistance.]
[Acquired special skill: Black Tortoise Shield.]
[Black Tortoise Shield: Summons an immensely durable barrier in front of you, capable of withstanding massive amounts of damage.]
[Heavenly Dao Insight, Enlightenment in the Path of Cultivation.]
[Your four paths have resonated. You have unlocked: Azure Dragon Sacred Form, Black Tortoise Sacred Form.]
[Azure Dragon Sacred Form: Possesses immense physical prowess, excelling in close combat and grappling techniques. Can also unleash bursts of Eastern Azure Wood's unique particle waves.]
[Black Tortoise Sacred Form: Boasts unparalleled defensive capabilities, allowing you to retreat into its shell for protection. Can also expel Northern Water's Profound Origin with varying effects.]
"Whew..."
As she reviewed her status panel, Su Min couldn't help but marvel inwardly. Her combat power had skyrocketed this time. However, simultaneously controlling three Sacred Forms would be excessively demanding.
The toll on her spiritual and energy reserves would be terrifying. At the Nascent Soul stage, it was outright impossible. She'd have to wait until reaching the Divine Transformation Stage to even attempt it.
After all, both Sacred Forms were on par with her Vermilion Bird Sacred Form. Considering how much the latter had boosted her strength (as evidenced by her title, Crimson Blazing Bird), adding two more was an unimaginable leap.
At the very least, Su Min was certain of one thing—that black snake would never be able to tear through her Black Tortoise Sacred Form as easily as it had her Vermilion Bird's.
But that wasn't all. The influx of information didn't stop—it continued pouring into her mind.
[Commanding the Four Symbols: Simultaneously control all four Sacred Forms, entering a state of mutual generation and suppression. In harmony, all life flourishes; in opposition, annihilation reigns.]
"Holy cow, this is a nuke."
Su Min was inwardly stunned. The power of this technique dwarfed even the self-destruction of her Vermilion Bird Sacred Form. Of course, the energy cost was equally monstrous.
She now had another ultimate trump card. If she were to unleash it now at full force, she could severely injure that black snake at the Dao Comprehension Stage—but she'd also exhaust herself completely.
"Sigh. No matter how you spin it, my cultivation is still lacking. It's time to use these residual energies to break through to the Divine Transformation Stage."
Feeling that no further insights were coming, Su Min knew her enlightenment session had ended. She had gained many new abilities, but one glaring issue remained—her cultivation level was insufficient.
Insufficient. Insufficient. Insufficient.
It was almost embarrassing for a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator like her to feel this way. But it couldn't be helped. Now, she was ready to ascend to the Divine Transformation Stage.
With that thought, she retrieved two Divine Transformation Pills she had refined before coming here. If two pills weren't enough, then she might as well give up and crawl back to the Nascent Soul stage.
"The Northern Water's Profound Origin has been fully refined. Now, water begets wood, and wood begets fire—another cycle of the Five Elements' mutual generation is complete. Combined with the Northern Water's Profound's unique properties, this breakthrough will be substantial."
Before breaking through, Su Min checked her physical condition once more. Though it had felt like an instant to her, a full decade had passed during her refinement.
The benefits, however, were extraordinary.
Water, as the source of life, granted her unparalleled regenerative abilities. Paired with the Eastern Azure Wood, she was practically a perpetual motion machine. As long as she didn't overexert herself with energy-draining techniques, she could fight indefinitely.
But that wasn't even the main advantage. With the Northern Water's Profound Origin and Eastern Azure Wood—the two most life-affirming elements of the Five Elements—alongside her Medicine King's Cauldron, she could now rapidly cultivate medicinal herbs.
The benefits were endless.
Although she had taken the Northern Water's Profound Origin, the energy accumulated over countless ages remained immense. As for the Beast Water, she had relocated it to where the Northern Water's Profound Origin once resided, ensuring the land's continued stability—a small act of virtue.
With everything settled, Su Min had no further distractions. She swiftly formed hand seals as the Nascent Soul within her trembled before shattering—just like her Golden Core had in the past.
The resulting surge of energy rampaged through her body. In an instant, faint blue-green veins bulged across her skin, and her limbs swelled slightly—save for her chest.
The greatest challenge of breaking through to the Divine Transformation Stage was whether one's body could withstand the violent energy surge. For most, this was a deadly trial. But for Su Min? It was barely an inconvenience.
As the two Divine Transformation Pills dissolved within her, the swelling vanished. The rampaging energy now flowed smoothly through her meridians, and a tiny, adorable version of Su Min began taking shape in her dantian—her nascent Divine Soul.
Once fully formed, she would officially step into the Divine Transformation Stage.
But the process was excruciatingly long. Over 90% of Nascent Soul cultivators would perish here due to exhaustion. Many would never even attempt it in their lifetimes.
For 99% of Nascent Soul cultivators, this path led only to death. Back at the Great Thunder Temple, Su Min had seen over a hundred Nascent Soul elders—some on their third or fourth reincarnations—all eternally stuck at this stage.
But for Su Min, it was a smooth road. With the Eastern Azure Wood and Northern Water's Profound Origin, failure was impossible. The Divine Transformation Pills' role was irreplaceable—just look at that mid-stage Divine Transformation cultivator who had been willing to work for her just to secure one for his child.
Everything proceeded flawlessly.
One year. Two years. Three years...
A full decade passed—even with her ample preparations.
Finally, as time's flow ceased, a golden miniature Su Min fully materialized within her dantian.
This was her Divine Soul. She could control it at will and, if necessary, transfer her consciousness into it to escape—just like that black snake had done.
But that wasn't the focus.
At this moment, Su Min had finally ascended to a higher realm—the Divine Transformation Stage.
The power boost was staggering. If she were to face Luo Jie again now, she stood a solid chance of outright killing him—not just defeating or repelling him, but ending him for good, despite him being half-step into the Dao Comprehension Stage.
"This feeling is incredible. Divine Transformation Stage, here I come. Now, the only remaining treasure is the Western Metallic Gold. Heh."
With that thought, Su Min slowly opened her eyes and stretched lazily.