"That's it for now. You two—do you want to observe? If you can't handle the heat, leave on your own."
Sweeping her gaze over the others present, Su Min finally looked toward the pair huddled in the corner and addressed them. In the future, she was bound to take in disciples, perhaps even form a sect of her own. Only by establishing a force under her command could she stop scouring the world for cultivation resources like she was now, draining Prince Yong's estate dry in the process.
But that time had yet to come. For now, a little guidance for these two would suffice. How much they could comprehend was their own fate—Su Min had no intention of holding their hands.
"Thank you, Senior, for your guidance!!"
The two immediately jumped to their feet, eyes bright with excitement. For them, this was an immense stroke of fortune. Not everyone could be like Su Min—blessed with a rare player constitution and wielding the fierce Nanming Lihuo. Even without a mentor, she had forged her path step by step with sheer will.
They, however, were different. Just entering the world of alchemy was a challenge beyond reckoning. Years of rigorous training and generous backing from the Prince Yong Estate had only brought them this far. If they could now receive instruction from a true master, their entry into the art would be swift and decisive.
This was a rare opportunity.
Even so, their years of effort had already earned the estate considerable returns. To train alongside Su Min, even just observing from the sidelines, was a rare stroke of luck. Her every action was an insight—her every movement, a revelation.
Jealousy flickered through the room. Even Cao Yuanmu, who had already stepped into the Foundation Establishment realm, held the demeanor of a humble student in Su Min's presence.
He had once witnessed Su Min clash with that mysterious woman. Even now, he knew—were he to face just one move from her, he'd either be crippled or dead. And that was before Su Min reached the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment. Now, he didn't stand a chance.
As for the Three Dao Foundation—Heaven, Earth, and Mortal—he'd only heard of it from Hui Ming. Yet something in his bones told him: even Earth-tier Foundation was beyond his reach. He longed for Su Min's guidance as well… but alas, he knew it wasn't meant to be.
~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~
Sect Leader Mo felt the same. For cultivators like them, reaching Foundation Establishment was already a blessing. There was no point in dreaming too high.
"By the way, how's the situation over there?" Su Min asked before leaving.
She needed to confirm the condition of that place. The creature she intended to slay was no ordinary Golden Core beast—it was a Corpse Immortal. From its very birth, it had been defective—unlike a true cultivator of the Golden Core realm. But if it were to consume large amounts of human blood and flesh, it would become far more difficult to deal with.
"The corpse miasma in that region has started to shrink. At this rate, it'll vanish completely within half a year."
"That'll do."
Su Min nodded slightly. Once the miasma cleared, that thing would likely emerge. With her goals clear, she took the two alchemy students and departed—she had many pills and weapons to forge. The prince from the grasslands had brought with him an abundance of materials, after all.
Meanwhile, in the Great Wei Imperial Palace...
"Huff… Still no trace of that woman?"
The emperor's face was dark with fury as he scanned the reports. That so-called crown prince had always been just a disposable pawn—but nurturing a Foundation Establishment cultivator was no easy feat.
"N-no… After leaving with that alchemist, she… vanished without a trace."
BANG!
"Stop searching."
Just then, a shadow stepped forward from behind the throne.
"You've emerged from seclusion? How's your recovery?"
"It'll take decades yet. Severing my cultivation was one thing, but cutting off my foundation... that wound runs deep. As for that woman, just let her be. So long as she doesn't reappear, don't provoke her again."
Even the Wei Emperor was startled by the Demon Queen's words. As sovereign, he was all too familiar with how many beings in this world he couldn't afford to offend. First, a terrifying third-rank alchemist—and now, a mysterious woman who had smacked his son to death with a single blow.
He didn't even know what that idiot had done to offend her—but clearly, he'd enraged her beyond reason.
"So many concubines and still no discipline? Everything came too easily for him. Who is that woman?"
He cursed under his breath. Of course he knew what kind of trash his son was—dabbling in dual cultivation techniques, recklessly absorbing yin to nourish yang with no restraint. But even so, he was his son. If he wanted to kill and absorb him, that was one thing—but others had no right.
"If I'm not mistaken, that woman is the Holy Maiden of the Nether Moon Sect from Mingling Province. Her physique is the rare and peerless Taiyin Body—its yin-cold aura is terrifying."
A hint of fear flickered in the Demon Queen's eyes.
"Taiyin Body? What's that?"
"An anomalous physique, unmatched through the ages also be known as Lunar Sovereign physique. It excels in yin-cold techniques. If paired with certain yang-aligned physiques in dual cultivation, it's said to produce earthshaking transformations. But such cases are too rare—no one knows what exactly would happen. Rumors say it could shake the heavens, even slay immortals."
"Can we capture her?"
The emperor's eyes glinted with greed.
"Difficult. She was likely awakened prematurely by Hua'er. As a Holy Maiden, though I don't know why she sealed herself here, never underestimate her trump cards."
The Demon Queen's gaze darkened. She had lost to that woman before—horribly. Half her body had been frozen, nearly crippling her foundation. And now, after severely weakening herself, she had to be cautious—even if the other woman never reached Golden Core.
"A pity." The emperor could only sigh. Retaliation? Pointless.
Her sect wasn't in this realm—no way to strike back. And if it were here?
Even harder.
"That Danxian…"
His frown deepened again. Prince Yong's Mansion had somehow inherited knowledge from that mysterious alchemist. Even those two first-rank alchemists under her banner made him jealous.
"Report! Your Majesty—the Tianshui Prefecture is in revolt again. The governor has been slain!"
"Hmph. Again? Have the Demon Slayer Division behead the rebel leaders. The rest—send them into exile in the northwest. That Yong Prince… like a centipede, refuses to die."
A shadow passed over the emperor's face. All he needed now was time. If the Queen could recover and step into the Golden Core realm, they could sweep away all opposition in one fell swoop.
"If only… If only I hadn't fought over that artifact back then."
The emperor clenched his fists, regret pooling in his eyes. He had gained nothing—and thoroughly offended Danxian in the process. Had things gone differently, he might have used Prince Fu's merchant guild to form an alliance with her.