Time flew like an arrow; years slipped by like flowing water. The killing wind howled, draping the southern mountain range in its desolate chill. When Su Min slowly opened her eyes, she felt layer upon layer of cold rushing toward her face.
"Qi Refining Stage..."
Letting out a long breath, Su Min felt a rare clarity settle over her mind and body. Even the near-freezing winds outside could no longer disturb her. She had almost forgotten about the heavy snowfall beyond the cave, because at this moment, the panel before her eyes had undergone another change.
---[Name: Su Min]
[Cultivation: Early Qi Refining Stage]
[Innate Talent: Immortality (having infinite lifespan and not aging)]
[Divine Ability: Heavenly Dao Insight(Over time, comprehend techniques from the cosmos)]
[Acquired Divine Ability: Four Symbols Slaughter — Tiger]
[Cultivation Methods: Changchun Gong (Fragmented), Fire-Wood Transformation Method – First Layer]
[Skill: Basic Sword Control – Three Forms]
[Lifebound Spirit Treasure: Flying Sword Embryo (Yellow-Grade, Low-Quality)]---
And beneath that, a new line appeared:
"Due to your unique Divine Ability, paths have been unlocked."
[Path of Longevity (To Survive Against All Odds)]
[Path of Slaughter (To End Conflict Through Bloodshed)]
[Path of Salvation (To Aid the Suffering and Helpless)]
"...Is this some kind of hidden achievement from the game? It's just writing it all out for me now."
Su Min blinked in slight surprise at the new entries. These hidden systems were usually invisible unless one possessed the extremely rare "Heaven's Insight Through the River of Time" talent at the start of the game. There had even been players who painstakingly compiled them into strategy guides. She had triggered three of these hidden paths — though there were others she had yet to awaken.
"Finally, I can begin artifact forging. Almost two months of seclusion for this breakthrough."
Closing the panel with a thought, Su Min retrieved an emerald-green scroll from her ring. This was her Alchemy and Artifact Manual—not an actual book, but a scroll made of unknown material. Each time she opened it, it would retrieve the information she needed from its vast database based on her thoughts.
"Automatically match the spiritual artifacts I can forge with the materials I currently possess."
With that simple command, the contents of the scroll flickered rapidly. Soon, an image of a small, unassuming ring floated to the surface.
"Bronze Cauldron, Tiger Bone Ring."
Su Min narrowed her eyes slightly at the image.
[Bronze Cauldron (Yellow Tier – Lower Grade): A furnace crafted from bronze spirit ore, capable of refining both pills and artifacts.]
[Tiger Bone Ring (Yellow Tier – Lower Grade): Forged using the skull of a tiger demon saturated with malevolent energy, anchored by its other bones. When activated, it releases a sinister aura capable of disturbing the minds of those nearby. Effectiveness depends on the relative cultivation of user and target; against vastly stronger foes, it may have little impact.]
"Let's start with the bronze spirit ores, then."
After reading the refinement methods for the two artifacts, Su Min paused briefly before pulling out a pile of ore from her ring. She hadn't spent all these years in the mountains cooped up inside. Without phones or computers, even if she wanted to be a shut-in, she had no way to indulge in it.
So she had often ventured deep into the mountains to gather medicinal herbs and spirit ore, accumulating quite a collection. The main reason she couldn't refine certain pills was simply because some ingredients didn't grow within these vast mountain ranges.
"To do great work, one must first sharpen their tools. The cauldron comes first."
Without the slightest hesitation, Su Min conjured blazing fire in her palms.
Where once she could only manage a small flame the size of a fist, now her spiritual fire burned like a roaring bonfire. It wasn't that she couldn't refine artifacts without a cauldron — simply that the presence of one would make her efforts far more efficient.
"First chemical processing, now bronze smelting. What is this, a transmigrator's heavy industrial life? If this were a Western fantasy world, would I be called the Heavy Industry Witch?"
She chuckled self-deprecatingly at her current situation.
~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~
Under the searing kiss of her spiritual flame, the bronze ores slowly began to melt. Impurities were separated, sloughing off in layers, while vibrant orange-gold liquid emerged. By noon, only the purest, spirit-rich copper remained.
Su Min's flame did more than simply burn hot — it possessed unique properties of purification and separation, speeding the refining process considerably. Moreover, as a fundamental-grade artifact, the Bronze Cauldron did not demand extreme precision or complexity.
Thus, within a single day, Su Min completed the crafting.
"Phew... The drain was heavier than I thought. I'd better hold off on forging the Tiger Bone Ring for now."
Panting softly, Su Min admired the ancient bronze cauldron now resting before her. Though easy to forge by cultivators' standards, the effort of an entire day — even for someone at the Qi Refining Stage — had left her spent. Spiritual energy was one thing; she had replenishing spirit pills for that. But mental exhaustion was another beast altogether. She hadn't felt a splitting headache like this in a long time.
Forging the Tiger Bone Ring would be far more arduous — it required continuously melting and compressing a tiger demon's skull, originally large enough to swallow a person whole, into a piece barely a centimeter wide. Though she had yet to begin, Su Min already knew: It would take painstaking effort, and it wasn't something to rush.
For now, she needed to consolidate her newly attained Qi Refining Stage cultivation.
"It's been about two months in seclusion... and now the mountains are sealed by snow."
Stepping to the cave entrance, she stretched lazily in the frigid wind before suddenly realizing something.
Her increased cultivation had expanded her tolerance for extreme temperatures. Unless she suffered severe injuries that drained her vitality and spiritual energy, mere cold could no longer affect her. Even wearing just a thin outer robe, she felt no chill. But the environment still surprised her. In the three or four years she'd lived here, heavy snowfall was rare—let alone enough to seal off the mountains.
"It seems the Great Wei Dynasty's days of peace are numbered. But there is no helping it. If the root of chaos isn't cut down, no amount of effort can halt the coming storm. Yet... who among us now possesses the strength to strike down the source?"
Taking a deep breath, Su Min descended lightly from the cliff's edge, like a drifting feather. Now that she had entered the Qi Refining Stage, there was no longer any need to remain secluded in such a remote place.
As for crafting the Tiger Bone Ring...
That would be a slow endeavor spanning a year or two. In the meantime, she would return to her calling — healing and saving lives. The first layer of the Fire-Wood Transformation Method was sufficient for Qi Refining. But if she wished to reach Foundation Establishment, much more would be required.