"Hmm?"
Su Min's words made the three men freeze. Only now did they realize they were standing in the middle of a vast grassland, with no sign of the entrance they had just passed through.
"The last cave abode wasn't like this—it was just a single tunnel. And at the end, a single Foundation Establishment demonic beast was waiting."
Cao Yuanmu frowned as he surveyed their surroundings. This place was different.
"This mansion was likely refined by an ancient powerhouse as a unique treasure—far beyond those small, simple caves. And..."
Su Min's expression darkened. If the system had classified this as a Tianjiao Mansion, then it was anything but ordinary. Even she had to tread carefully. But as her spiritual sense swept the area, she noticed something interesting.
This estate existed independently of the outside world. Over the centuries, its spiritual energy had slowly dissipated, but it was still far denser than the outside. As a result, the herbs growing here were of much higher quality—some even reaching...
"There are three Foundation Establishment demonic beasts here. And they're coming."
"!!!"
The three men nearly jumped out of their skins.
"Awooo—"
Three massive demonic wolves emerged from different directions, each exuding a terrifying aura. All three were at the Foundation Establishment stage. Fortunately, they were only early-stage. But while Su Min remained calm, the three men were pale with shock.
Three Foundation Establishment demonic beasts?!
And the giant wolves in front of them proved Su Min wasn't lying. Back then, a single Foundation Establishment beast had nearly wiped them out. When it broke free from the cave, it wreaked havoc across the land. If not for the monk forcing a breakthrough to deal with it, the consequences would have been unthinkable.
But now?
Three at once. Their blood ran cold. At the same time, they felt a surge of relief—thank the heavens Su Min was here. It also explained why she had sternly warned them to follow her orders inside.
"Go gather the herbs. The ones here are excellent—I can even sense a few ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill. If you perform well, I'll refine another batch after this."
"Understood!"
The three men brightened immediately. Su Min clearly didn't see the three demonic wolves as a threat—so why should they fear them?
More importantly—those herbs! Foundation Establishment Pills! Enough to drive the entire world mad. With that in mind, they immediately scattered to search.
"Oh, and don't damage the roots."
"Got it!"
"Roar—"
The three wolves ignored the fleeing men. Foundation Establishment demonic beasts possessed intelligence comparable to humans, and they knew the real threat was the woman standing before them. The blazing aura radiating from her made their fur stand on end.
So, instead of chasing the others, they slowly encircled Su Min. Human flesh was a great tonic for demonic beasts. Soon, drool dripped from their jaws.
"Tch. Already thinking of eating me? Well, I need materials from you too."
"Awooo—!"
The three wolves pounced simultaneously.
"Clang—!"
A sharp metallic clang echoed as Su Min tanked their attacks head-on. Against three Foundation Establishment beasts, she didn't dare hold back. In an instant, her armor materialized, and a golden bell barrier enveloped her. The impact sent shocks through her body, making her qi churn.
~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~
After reaching Foundation Establishment, all her stats had improved—but the armor's defensive boost remained the same. Back at Qi Refining, no peer could break her defense. But now, at Foundation Establishment, it was slightly insufficient.
Still, it was enough—because in the next moment...
"Awooo—!!"
A piercing shriek tore through the air as a sword stabbed straight through one wolf's skull. Blazing flames surged into its body, instantly cooking its brain. With a final whimper, the beast collapsed lifelessly.
Sword Control Art + Yellow-grade peak treasure + Su Min's monstrous stats + Nanming Lihuo = Instant kill.
"!!!"
The remaining two wolves recoiled in horror. The skull was the hardest part of their bodies—yet it had been pierced like paper. At that moment, only one thought crossed their minds:
Run.
"Trying to escape? Not a chance. Tiger Soul Possession!"
Demonic beasts had strong bodies, but one fatal flaw—their limits were fixed. If they couldn't win, flight was their only option. But Su Min wasn't about to let them go.
Her gourd hadn't feasted on demonic beasts in a long time. Three Foundation Establishment corpses? Perfect nourishment.
"Awooo—!!!"
Two blood-curdling howls echoed across the grassland, making even the herb-gatherers shudder uncontrollably. The sheer terror and despair in those cries needed no translation. But the three men weren't surprised—they had seen Su Min's combat prowess before.
"Cut off the valuable parts. The rest is yours to eat. Don't disappoint me—three Foundation Establishment beasts aren't easy to come by."
Su Min grinned at her gourd. Its greatest strength was its growth potential—the more it ate, the stronger it became. Unfortunately, Su Min wasn't a mindless hunter, and her long seclusion had left it starving. Though she had taken some materials, the remaining flesh was more than enough for a feast.
But then—
The gourd trembled. New markings appeared on its surface.
"It evolved? Huh?"
In her vision, a new description appeared:
[[Heaven and Earth Qiankun Gourd (Innate Spiritual Treasure)]
[Essence Brews:]
① Spirit Nectar: Accelerates cultivation progress when consumed.
② Fusion Nectar: Temporarily enhances abilities. Cannot be used consecutively.
"Tch. An upgrade."
Su Min smirked in satisfaction. Her rapid cultivation progress was partly due to the Spirit Nectar. But the original version had become ineffective at the Foundation Establishment stage.
Now?
That problem was solved. And it even came with a new ability—Fusion Nectar.
~
Another Flash News,
My book "Glitched: Highway Apocalypse" officially on air. You can found it on my profile, or searching by its name. Please give it a shot and love along with "Games Invade Reality".
Thanks (〃'▽'〃)