"Master, won't you stay and rest a few more days?"
Watching Su Min once again conceal herself beneath her cloak, King U'er couldn't help but feel reluctant.
Su Min didn't seem very old, perhaps barely twenty. The king had even hoped to let his son spend more time with her. If they could win her heart, wouldn't that be wonderful? Unfortunately, Su Min gave him no chance at all. As soon as the celebration banquet ended, she packed up and prepared to leave, though she did help herself to a generous amount of melons and fruits before departing.
Seeing that her intention to leave was firm, King U'er could only give up. Now, he led his people here to see her off, and they even planned to build a temple in her honor. After all, Su Min had saved them. Without her, every one of them might have perished under that monster's blade.
Naturally, all the citizens, no matter their status or wealth, were deeply grateful to Su Min. She didn't object to their decision either. Incense offerings could aid her cultivation, and as for the old saying that incense might be "toxic," she didn't take it seriously.
As for Hui Ming, the monk, he had no objections. After all, Su Min was considered his fellow disciple. He knew what their master had come here for, and more importantly, the techniques he cultivated didn't rely on incense offerings. Since there was no conflict, he simply let it be.
"Until we meet again."
With that, Su Min's figure vanished into the rolling sands, leaving the desert people staring at one another in awe.
"So fast…" someone muttered.
Then, just like that, they dispersed and returned to their homes. Meanwhile, Monk Hui Ming remained in his quarters, recovering from yesterday's explosion. Though a Qi Refining cultivator, he had only just healed from severe injuries before being caught in another battle, followed by Su Min's blast. Even cultivators needed proper rest, or hidden ailments could take root.
Seemingly minor now, such flaws could prove fatal when breaking through to a higher realm.
One Month Later
Huff…
"Finally out. So that's the power of a sandstorm? Couldn't tell east from west. Where the hell am I?"
A disheveled Su Min stumbled out of the desert, practically crawling her way free. Her luck had been terrible. During her return journey, she'd been caught in a sky-darkening sandstorm. Though her specially treated robes protected her from the scouring winds, navigation became impossible. She had no idea where she'd ended up, but at least she'd escaped. As for her map, it had long been tossed into her storage ring and was useless now.
"Would've been a joke if I'd died trapped in a desert. Good thing I'm stocked on supplies."
A Golden Core cultivator could simply fly above a storm, ignoring such natural disasters altogether. But for those at Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment, a sandstorm like that remained deadly. Fortunately, her ring held plenty of food and water, enough to wait out the raging winds.
"A city up ahead. I'll head in and check things out. Maybe contact the Fuding Merchant Guild, see if they've gathered any intel for me. Yongzhou City—?"
She froze mid-sentence. Emblazoned above the city gates were two unmistakable characters:
Yongzhou.
"So I've stumbled right into the Prince Yong's stronghold. Might as well take a look."
After a short pause, Su Min strode forward without hesitation. Yongzhou City stood at the Great Wei Dynasty's northwestern border, a bulwark against the desert and steppe tribes. The Yong lineage had ruled here for a century, their roots deeply entrenched. That was why, after the last rebellion, the imperial family hadn't exterminated them. Instead, an obscure cousin was installed as the new prince, since the people here would accept no other bloodline.
Since she was already here, Su Min saw no reason to avoid the city. In fact, the Prince Yong's base would likely offer better intelligence. More importantly, she still lacked several key ingredients for her Foundation Establishment Pill. While the Five Elements materials were essential, the pill itself was indispensable. It could shave decades off one's cultivation progress, and that was no exaggeration.
A Qi Refining cultivator's lifespan was around 150 years. Foundation Establishment extended it to 200, while Golden Core experts could live up to 500. Losing decades of cultivation time was no small matter, even for a Golden Core cultivator. As for Su Min, her lifespan wasn't a problem, but there was no point in delaying. That demon queen wouldn't leave her alone forever. Reaching Golden Core sooner meant ending the threat sooner.
Then, perhaps, her karmic ties in this world could finally be severed.
Fuding Merchant Guild, Yongzhou Branch
"Get your manager. Now."
Su Min flung her token directly into the gate guard's face. Officially, the Fuding Merchant Guild was Prince Fu's enterprise, presenting treasures to the emperor regularly. Even knowing its true backer was Prince Yong, Su Min had no intention of meeting him directly.
In truth, she'd prefer never to cross paths with him. She had nothing to say to that man. The so-called "throne of heaven" held zero appeal. Becoming an empress? Not a chance.
In this world, what she sought was freedom—complete and unrestrained.
Yet some encounters were unavoidable.
"Miss Su, our master requests your presence."
While sipping premium tea and reviewing intelligence reports, Su Min sensed someone approach. The man who appeared seemed ordinary, yet he radiated formidable energy. He was already at late-stage Body Refining, just a step away from Qi Refining.
Such talent was valued by every faction, even the imperial court. After all, creating Qi Refining demonic warriors required strong Body Refining candidates first. Prince Yong would hardly waste talent like his.
"Prince Yong, huh? Fine. I knew I couldn't avoid this. Lead the way, kid."
"Yes."
The young man showed no offense at her casual tone and instead guided her respectfully into the compound's depths. Inside an inconspicuous side room, he opened a hidden passageway.
"You dug a tunnel? Is that really necessary?" Su Min scoffed as they descended.
"Caution preserves longevity," the man replied smoothly. "These are troubled times."