Having played the game before, Su Min knew one thing for certain—if the player didn't intervene, the grasslands army would succeed. The Eight Prefectures of Yong would fall, blood would dye the Xun River for three months without end. But the strategy for dealing with those two old monsters was simple: Focus all attacks on one first.
That way, even if they merged later, they wouldn't be at full strength. Su Min wasn't afraid of them, but if there was an easy mode, why make things harder?
"These people are yours to deal with. If those two old monsters don't make a move, I won't either. This vanguard of ten thousand doesn't have a single Qi Refining cultivator—if you can't even handle this, there's no point in continuing the war." She glanced at the four men beside her. "At the very least, you four need to buy me an opening. If those two get the chance to pull out their trump cards, even if I win, Yongzhou City will be reduced to rubble."
A quick scan of the battlefield killed any urge she had to intervene. Battles between Foundation Establishment cultivators were messy. If those two elders went all out to destroy the city, she might not be able to stop them in time. Even if the city survived, it'd be crippled beyond recognition.
Hiss—
Even Prince Yong sucked in a sharp breath at her words. They all knew Su Min had a sharp tongue and a temper, but she never joked about things like this. Meaning: Their mission was to lure one of the elders out and create an opening for her to strike first.
As for the ten thousand troops below?
Su Min didn't even spare them a glance. A Qi Refining cultivator couldn't slaughter an entire army of that size—ten thousand men weren't ten thousand pigs. She could carve through them three times over, but what was the point?
More forces were approaching in the distance. If they couldn't even hold this line, then even if she killed the two elders, she couldn't save Yongzhou alone. Against hundreds of thousands of soldiers, how many could she kill before exhausting her spiritual energy? Ten thousand? Twenty thousand? The rest would overrun everything.
"No need for Senior to intervene. Not just this vanguard of ten thousand—even if their full army comes, as long as those two elders stay back, we'll bury them all beneath Yongzhou's walls!"
Sect Leader Mo grinned. He was glad Su Min wasn't stepping in. In these chaotic times, with the world's powers on the rise, this was a rare chance to make a name for himself. If Su Min did everything, what use were they? Besides, there was another reason—Prince Yong's Qi-Inducing Pill.
After being here so long, he'd learned the ingredients required. Just gathering them was a headache. Su Min might refine them effortlessly, but acquiring the materials was a different story. No matter how strong she was, she was just one person. Prince Yong's resources were what made it possible. And let's be honest—to a Qi Refining cultivator, a Qi-Inducing Pill was less useful than a basic healing pill. Su Min, with no disciples or sect, had no use for them herself. So if he wanted more, Yong Wang was the only source. One more Qi Refining expert in his sect would change everything.
"Then I'll take the lead! Gentlemen, it's time to show our strength!"
Crackle—
With a flash of lightning, Sect Leader Mo charged forward. Prince Yong's army, largely composed of infantry, had no hope of winning against cavalry on the open plains. But neither would the cavalry get off lightly. Soon enough, it wouldn't matter who rode what. Everyone would be thrown from their mounts and forced to fight on foot. Until then, the cultivators would have their moment to shine. With four Qi Refining experts at the lead, they surged forth—like divine beings descending. In the blink of an eye, over a hundred cultivators leapt from the city walls, streaking through the sky like falling stars.
"Tsk. Not bad."
"Seems your influence is stronger than I thought." Su Min's eyebrows rose. She knew Prince Yong had gathered forces, but the scale still surprised her.
"Danxian, do you know how many of them came for you?" Prince Yong chuckled. "The world knows a single pill from you can topple cities. How many here are fighting just for that chance? With a word, you could command most of them."
Su Min snorted. Their relationship wasn't master and subordinate—they were partners. She needed materials for cultivation; he needed her pills to build his faction. Plus, he knew her true identity. She'd never side with the imperial court.
"By the way, Fairy, what are your plans after this?"
"Seclusion. Probably fifteen to twenty years."
"What?!" Yong Wang's hands trembled. First, envy—cultivators lived long. Then, dread—he knew his body wouldn't last two more decades. Su Min was their most critical ally. If he couldn't hold on, his heir would have to take over. With a wave, he summoned a scholarly middle-aged man, who bowed to them both.
~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~
"My heir. When I'm gone, he'll be the one serving you."
"Mn."
Su Min nodded. The partnership had been smooth. There was no need to sour it now. Besides, their goals still aligned.
As for Prince Yong himself? She could already tell—he wouldn't live much longer. His body was in decline, his fate nearly spent. Even her pills couldn't save that.
In fact, it was better that he didn't take one. The potency of her medicine would destroy such a fragile vessel.
"Oh, right. One last gift." She flicked a pill toward him, the motion casual. "A small token I crafted by accident. Keep it."
"What is it?"
Prince Yong caught the pill, his brows lifting.
"A Soulburn Pill. Grade-1. It can forcibly extend life for seven days. But once that time is up, the body will rapidly collapse. I made it unintentionally, but for people like you—princes, generals, rulers—it's a very precious thing."
"...Thank you, Danxian."
The prince did not refuse. He only let out a long sigh, then turned his gaze to the battlefield below.
The ten-thousand-strong vanguard had already collapsed into chaos, scattering in all directions under the assault of the cultivators.