In the somber halls of a secluded government office...
"Hahaha! I can't believe it. Truly, I can't believe it—this is the best news I've received since my ascension!" A middle-aged man was laughing uproariously, his entire body trembling with mirth.
This man was none other than the current Prince Yong. After that incident, nearly 90% of the original Yong royal lineage had been slaughtered, leaving only him—an obscure collateral descendant—to inherit the position. In truth, his father had prepared for this very scenario. He had been groomed since childhood as the true successor.
The goal of their faction had always been simple: to reclaim the royal seat that once belonged to them. As for why the Yong line hadn't been entirely eradicated, the reason was equally straightforward. In the five hundred years of Great Wei's history, it had always been the custom, even during previous Prince Yong rebellions, to leave a sliver of the lineage intact.
Even the current emperor didn't dare to act too ruthlessly. Following tradition, he had selected the most lowborn heir to inherit the Yong title. For if he annihilated the entire Yong bloodline, the empire might face another Nine Princes' Rebellion.
Perhaps a century ago, such chaos could still be quelled. But now? The Great Wei no longer had the strength for such a conflict—it would surely spiral into endless civil war. Still, with new powers awakening in the world, perhaps things would no longer follow the old script. However, with newfound power, everything had become uncertain. Thus, even as Prince Yong bided his time under Prince Fu's shadow, he did so with hidden ambition.
And today, his unrestrained joy came from a single reason:The Su family, once intended to be a secret pawn for his faction within Great Wei, had once again been thrown into chaos. It was a pity that Su Bosheng had ultimately slipped free from their grasp and pledged loyalty to the Emperor instead. Yet who could have foreseen it?
The Emperor himself had foolishly annihilated the Su clan! Such a move was utterly senseless. Even in the worst scenarios, it should not have come to this. Now, numerous noble families were growing disillusioned and beginning to drift into his orbit.
What was even more astonishing: The Su family's daughter, that young woman, had outwitted an army of hundreds of thousands—and now, she had risen as a terrifying force on her own, slaying an elite Heaven-ranked squad single-handedly. There were rumors of mysterious, potent pills she possessed, and of even greater secrets hidden behind her—secrets that stirred endless curiosity.
He realized one thing: the scales of victory had already begun to tip. The Wei Emperor had personally pushed the winning筹码 (chips) toward his side. The only pity was that he himself might not live to see that day.
"If I remember correctly..." Prince Yong mused, narrowing his eyes, "That girl should be around twenty years old now. If I could bring her under my banner—no, even better, if she were to marry my heir and become his formal consort..."
But he quickly shook his head. "No... If she knew of my existence and trusted me, she would have sought me out immediately after fleeing."
His gaze grew thoughtful, calculating. Recruiting her as a vassal or an ally—that would be the most he could hope for. To force a marriage bond would only drive her away.
"Besides," he chuckled dryly, "from her behavior so far, she clearly follows her own rules, unlike any noble daughter."
He gritted his teeth slightly. "No, she likely wouldn't care. Based on current intelligence, her behavior is completely unconventional. Su Bosheng, just how did you raise your daughter? Shouldn't you have taught her to be a dutiful wife and virtuous mother? How did you end up raising this little demon instead? Fine, a partnership will have to do. Whatever the future holds, this is our only hope. I accept your terms. Summon these people at once—"
As he spoke, Prince Yong wrote down several names with deliberate strokes. With the emergence of these cultivators, he had naturally taken notice and had been diligently training his descendants. Half of these individuals were his own kin, while the other half were the children of his most loyal subordinates.
Without exception, they were all exceptionally talented. As the saying goes, the poor study literature, the rich practice martial arts. Children from commoner families had almost no chance of reaching this level, as they lacked the nutritional foundation to support their growth from an early age. (Though ironically, in modern times, the problem was the opposite—over-nutrition.)
Just as Su Min had predicted, none of those selected were mediocre. Moreover, Prince Yong had kept this information tightly controlled, secretly dispatching ten youths aged seventeen or eighteen to her location.
Even without Body Tempering Pills, these ten would reach the Body Refining Stage within a decade. But for a stage where lifespan remained ordinary—only immunity to illness was granted—those ten years were precious indeed.
Along with them came a large quantity of demon beast materials—exactly what Su Min needed for the time being. She required them to temper her flying sword, a unique feature of her Lifebound Spiritual Treasure.
First, its advancement didn't require specific materials or blueprints—it simply devoured resources endlessly. The final effects would manifest upon upgrading, with the wielder able to adjust them freely.
~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~
In the game, this mechanic allowed players to adapt to different bosses. But in this world, it was downright terrifying. Of course, not just any materials could be used. For now, only valuable parts from demon beasts would suffice.
"They're all decent children. Distribute these ten pills to them."
She nodded slightly, but made no move to personally appear.
Instead, she handed a pouch of ten pills to the president of the merchant guild stationed here, instructing him to distribute them. Then, she closed her eyes, waiting calmly to enter a special state.
Just a few days earlier, her cultivation method had advanced:
[Flame-Wood Transmutation Art — Second Layer]
Clearly, someone had consumed her elixir—and that someone was no ordinary figure. This had propelled her further along the path. Now, she needed these children—whom she had guided into the Body Tempering Stage—to help her ascend to new heights.
Sure enough—
As the pills entered their stomachs, faint vortexes of spiritual energy began to swirl around the ten youths. The impurities in their organs and flesh were drawn out through their skin, forming black streaks. This was the unmistakable sign of entering the Body Refining Realm.
At the same moment, a change occurred deep within Su Min's soul.
A new notification appeared on her cultivation panel:
[You have entered the Path of Merit]
Suddenly, waves of information flooded into her mind. She was pulled once more into that strange, ethereal space. Yet this time, it was not mysterious words or fragments of enlightenment waiting for her—but a creature. A giant crimson bird, radiating blazing heat, hovered before her.
"…A Heaven-bestowed Divine Beast?"
Su Min's eyes widened in disbelief. At that moment, a small, flickering flame drifted down from the bird, landing gently in her palm. Information surged into her mind. It was then that she realized:
"Nanming Lihuo... I've actually obtained the Vermilion Bird's legacy?!"