Half a month later...
The fiery competition was finally nearing its end, but the true climax had only just begun.
"Tsk, the Great Desolate Holy Body, the Five Elements Holy Body, and the Lunar Sovereign Body are truly a cut above the other Holy Sons. And none of these three have any major sect backing them..."
"Stop being jealous. The Lunar Sovereign Body aside, the other two haven't even reached their peak forms. Even without their innate physiques, those two wouldn't be weak."
Before the envious murmurs could continue, someone immediately shut them down—ironically, it was one of the unlucky souls who had lost to Su Min. It was one thing to belittle others, but never the opponent who defeated you.
After all, the Great Desolate Holy Body and the Five Elements Holy Body only became truly heaven-defying once fully matured. If you couldn't defeat them before that, the problem lay with you. Every Holy Son here had their own unique physique—unlike the Lunar Sovereign Body, which was already terrifying even in its incomplete state.
"Enough talk. The final battle between the Great Desolate Holy Body and the Five Elements Holy Body is about to begin."
"Who do you think will win?"
"Hard to say. The Great Desolate Holy Body has inherited the legacy of the Great Desolate Martial Saint. No one even knows what that entails, while the Five Elements Holy Body only obtained the Azure Dragon's inheritance—the gap is too wide."
"There's never been a record of anyone fully mastering the Five Elements Holy Body. Without a complete legacy, facing the Great Desolate Holy Body will be extremely difficult."
"Mmm..."
While the Azure Dragon and Vermilion Bird inheritances were powerful, they still paled in comparison to a dedicated legacy. And the Great Desolate Martial Saint's reputation was legendary—his inheritance was bound to be extraordinary.
Inside the battlefield, the two stood facing each other.
Su Min's expression was grave. The wielder of the Great Desolate Holy Body was a young man who appeared to be in his early twenties. His frame was lean, devoid of the explosive musculature or oppressive presence one might expect. Instead, his power was condensed within, not a single wisp leaking out. Yet, standing before him, one instinctively knew what they were up against.
"Looks like I'll have to use everything except my essence blood. Otherwise, I won't stand a chance against that woman later".
Ignoring the clamor outside, Su Min steeled herself. She couldn't afford to lose here—if she did, obtaining the final divine treasure, the Central Earth, would become an uncertain, distant dream.
Slacking off wasn't an option. Damn it all.
Just as Su Min was lost in thought, the massive barrier between them vanished. Instantly, the very air in the arena seemed to solidify. Though called a "battlefield," the space was vast beyond measure. For Golden Core cultivators, a confined space would only hinder their movements. So despite standing "face to face," the distance between them was anything but small.
"Great Desolate Sacred Body, Tian Hao..."
Su Min silently noted the name, but before she could act, she saw the young man swiftly forming hand seals. In the blink of an eye, a dangerous aura permeated the space, sending a jolt of alarm through Su Min.
At the same time, everyone outside—including Yao Xian'er—froze.
From the void, a towering figure emerged, as if an ancient, peerless powerhouse had stepped out of time itself. His body shimmered with alternating black and white light, as though capable of devouring all existence.
"The Martial Saint's Dharma Body... A technique only cultivators at the Unity Realm can manifest. And this kid actually inherited it from the Great Desolate Martial Saint's legacy?"
Yao Xian'er's brows furrowed. She could sense the immense threat emanating from that figure. As an ancient existence herself, she had once crossed paths with the Great Desolate Martial Saint. This Dharma Body was forged after he reached the Unity Realm, using two rare divine treasures—the Infinite Radiance and the Abyssal Darkness.
And now, this Golden Core-stage youth had somehow obtained it.
To wield a Unity Realm Dharma Body at this stage, one had to endure unimaginable agony—physical and spiritual disintegration and reconstruction. Most would collapse into madness, yet Tian Hao had endured.
"No wonder this kid looked at me with such fighting spirit. To master the Great Desolate Martial Saint's Dharma Body... He's got some real skill. That girl is in trouble now."
A thrill of excitement coursed through Yao Xian'er. This era was truly terrifying—a gathering of prodigies. But at least, under the protection of the Golden Core Avenue, no permanent damage would be done.
"Su Min!!!"
Xie Yingying shot to her feet, her face pale. Even she was shaken. Her own legacy contained no such Dharma Body—after all, even with the same physique, integrating another's Dharma Body required excruciating bodily reconstruction.
~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~
It was akin to being flayed alive while remaining fully conscious, guarding one's soul throughout. Few could endure such torment, but the rewards were equally staggering. The Great Desolate Martial Saint had been a transcendent figure—his Dharma Body was undoubtedly one of the mightiest in existence. To refine it was to gain boundless benefits.
Seeing this, Xie Yingying knew Su Min was in deep trouble.
"Will you use that move now?"
Her gaze flickered imperceptibly toward a certain direction, where a fiery-haired girl watched the towering figure with undisguised admiration.
"You're truly a monster..."
Facing the Dharma Body, Su Min took a deep breath. With a thought, the Vermilion Bird Saint Idol materialized behind her. Only she knew the sheer pressure she was under. Securing first place was no easy feat. Her Vermilion Bird Saint Idol was, at its core, a summoned entity—far inferior to a true Dharma Body.
"At least you haven't achieved Unity of Man and Dharma yet. You can only manifest a fragment of the Dharma Body. That means there's still a chance..."
What reassured Su Min was that Tian Hao couldn't fully utilize the Dharma Body's power. A true Unity Realm expert could merge with their Dharma Body, unleashing its full potential—not merely summon a hundred-meter colossus to stand motionless.
With that in mind, she leaped back, landing atop the Vermilion Bird's head.
"Are you ready?"
Tian Hao's confident voice rang out. He intended to crush Su Min decisively—only then would he be worthy of challenging her.
"Bring it on."
Su Min's expression was solemn. The next instant, the giant moved.
Martial Saint's Fist.
No fancy techniques—just a simple punch. Almost immediately, the Vermilion Bird's wings snapped open, propelling Su Min hundreds of meters upward as a terrifying shockwave barely grazed past.
"Tch! A direct hit would cripple my Saint Idol. I can't just toss it like a bomb—it'd get obliterated mid-flight. I need to close the distance..."
But when she glanced back, she found Tian Hao staring at her oddly.
"That thing can fly?"
"Huh? I always thought it was immobile except when thrown as a bomb."
"It's this agile?!"
Since Su Min had only ever used the Vermilion Bird as a stationary turret, everyone assumed it couldn't move. In truth, she'd just been too lazy to maneuver it—none of her previous opponents had warranted such effort. Besides, most treated the Saint Idol as a mere explosive. Who would waste attacks on a bomb?
But this time was different. Tian Hao could effortlessly shatter her Saint Idol without paying much cost. To destroy his Dharma Body, she had only one option: an even more violent explosion. At the very least, she could ensure he couldn't reuse it in this battle.
Without hesitation, Su Min stood firm on the Vermilion Bird's head, a sword in hand. Around her, verdant wooden constructs materialized, instantly igniting into raging flames.
"Let's go."
With a whisper, the Vermilion Bird's wings spread wide, transforming into a streak of crimson light as it shot forward. At the same moment, the colossal Dharma Body raised its fist again. The drawback of incomplete Unity was evident—it couldn't move freely. But that didn't make it any less deadly.
Martial Saint's Fist.
Martial Saint's Palm.
A barrage of invisible, colorless yet devastating shockwaves surged toward Su Min.
"Go!!!"
Unfazed, Su Min rode the Vermilion Bird like a blazing meteor, weaving through the onslaught with impossible agility.
"Don't let her near me!!!"
Tian Hao's brow furrowed. Though the Vermilion Bird couldn't destroy his Dharma Body, Su Min's approach was clearly calculated. His hand seals shifted rapidly, unleashing another wave of attacks.
"Hmph!"
Su Min's face darkened as she manipulated the Vermilion Bird to dodge. When evasion was impossible, she used the massive Mystic Firewood Sword behind her to block.
A crimson streak danced across the sky, explosions blooming in its wake like a deadly fireworks display. What should have been a duel had devolved into a bullet-hell game—yet the distance between them shrank rapidly.
Though Tian Hao's main body was but a speck in the distance, to Golden Core cultivators, closing the gap was the work of an instant. Simultaneously, two feathers appeared in Su Min's hand, which she hurled forward. The feathers exploded midair, transforming into two miniature Vermilion Bird Saint Idols that streaked toward Tian Hao.
"Damn it!!!"
Having witnessed Su Min's battles, Tian Hao knew better than to underestimate them. The Dharma Body crossed its arms defensively just as the two mini-Idols impacted.
BOOM!!!
The explosion sent the hundred-meter titan staggering back. But Su Min paid no attention to the blast's effect. Her sole purpose for deploying the stored mini-Saints was to buy a few seconds.
In that brief window, emerald light erupted from her body as she slammed a palm onto the Vermilion Bird's back. Countless green branches sprouted within the Saint Idol, only to be instantly consumed by flames. In an instant, the Vermilion Bird's size tripled, its wingspan now rivaling the Dharma Body's.
"!!!"
Tian Hao's pupils constricted as his vision was flooded with searing crimson light.
BOOOOOOM——!!!!
The two behemoths collided.
The resulting explosion engulfed the entire arena, blinding all senses. Only two tiny figures were sent flying by the shockwave, tumbling through the air like leaves in a storm.