When Su Min emerged from the secret passage, she found herself standing in a grand and imposing courtyard.
"This must be Prince Yong's Residence," she muttered, narrowing her eyes as she surveyed her surroundings.
She wasn't opposed to coming here. After all, she needed to refine Foundation Establishment Pills. However, the pill was considered mid-level among third-grade pills, which meant she first had to advance to a third-rank alchemist. That required an enormous amount of medicinal ingredients for practice.
If she had to gather them on her own, who knew how many years it would take? Having the backing of a powerful organization was undoubtedly better than working alone. Given that, she couldn't avoid getting involved with Prince Yong's forces. Otherwise, the only other option would've been the imperial court, and she had no intention of dealing with them. The thought alone was revolting.
"His Highness Prince Yong is waiting inside."
"Lead the way."
Su Min lifted her chin slightly, signaling for the man to guide her while she quietly observed the prince's estate. Though the place appeared luxurious, countless hidden sentries lurked in the shadows, and heavy crossbows were positioned strategically. These weapons could suppress even Body Refining experts, but to her, they were nothing more than toys.
It reminded her of the monster she'd encountered in the desert. Even when the King of Wu'er had sent a massive army to hunt it down, the outcome had been disastrous. Three assaults, three retreats, and utter exhaustion. Ordinary weapons simply couldn't harm someone at the Qi Refining stage. A Qi Refining cultivator could not be countered by mundane means.
That said, if the estate had arrays or traps, Su Min would've turned back right away.
Under the guide's lead, she soon arrived at a spacious chamber, where she finally laid eyes on her target—the true master of this sprawling estate.
Prince Yong.
The man appeared to be in his fifties, with a Body Refining master standing behind him. The servant who had escorted Su Min respectfully stepped aside to stand behind the prince as well.
Su Min sneered inwardly. "Is this supposed to intimidate me, Your Highness? Just the two of them? Hardly enough."
Unbothered, she gracefully took her seat at the spot prepared for her.
"Lady Su, this is our first meeting," Prince Yong said with a polite smile. "I heard you ventured deep into the desert. How did you end up here in Yongzhou?"
Su Min lounged casually, showing no signs of nervousness. "Got blown over here by the sand," she replied indifferently.
"…Pardon?"
Her answer clearly startled him.
"On my way back, I ran into a sandstorm. I couldn't tell east from west, stumbled around blindly, and when I finally escaped, I found myself here in Yongzhou. So I thought, why not drop by for a visit?"
Prince Yong nodded thoughtfully.
As the ruler stationed near the desert's edge, he knew all too well the terror of sandstorms. They were powerful enough to swallow entire armies whole. It was easy to imagine how someone could get lost in such chaos. Although he had long heard tales of Su Min's fearsome abilities, seeing her delicate appearance now made it hard to connect that image with someone who had survived such deadly storms.
Yet reality left no room for doubt.
Since things had come to this, there was no reason to keep beating around the bush.
"I wonder, Lady Su, how many Qi Induction Pills you have left. I'm willing to offer a price that will surely satisfy you."
Su Min smirked inwardly. So that's what he's after. She glanced meaningfully at the two men standing behind Prince Yong. The moment they heard "Qi Induction Pill," their eyes flickered with barely concealed desire.
Both were at the peak of the Body Refining realm, just one step away from Qi Refining. But that final step was never easy. Only a rare few could cross it instantly. Most needed years, decades, or even a lifetime to temper their spiritual energy. They knew how precious such a pill was. And so did Su Min.
"Well then."
She retrieved a small pill bottle and placed it on the table. With a teasing motion, she uncorked it, and a rich, intoxicating medicinal fragrance immediately filled the room.
Gulp.
The sound of two men swallowing hard echoed behind Prince Yong.
"My, my~ Seems I'm quite the enchanting little demoness," Su Min said with a coquettish smile, though her demeanor was anything but shy. Pretending to be demure had never been her strength.
"…"
Prince Yong glanced at his two subordinates, then at the lone pill resting on the table. He understood exactly how tempting it was for them.
"I recall you mentioned before," Su Min said sweetly, "two pieces of information in exchange for this pill. If you deliver them, it's yours."
"Do you have more?" Prince Yong asked, eyeing the single pill and sighing inwardly. Otherwise, how could he divide it? He couldn't very well chop it up, as that would ruin its efficacy.
"No. But," Su Min said leisurely, "I can refine more if you meet my conditions. I'll need large quantities of third-grade medicinal ingredients, and some specific ones aren't negotiable."
Prince Yong's mouth twitched. The price was high. Third-grade ingredients were rare, and he knew too well how terrifying Su Min's alchemy appetite could be.
"You make it sound like I'm the one losing out in this deal," Su Min said with a soft laugh. "Think about it. Have you ever suffered a loss trading with me?"
Indeed, Prince Yong had no words to refute her. A single Qi Induction Pill could reverse life and death, and through their previous dealings, he had already recruited many powerful cultivators. Su Min could even craft rarer pills capable of shattering bottlenecks.
He had never once lost out. Thus, their cooperation would continue, no matter how much the price made him wince.
A pill that could reverse life and death was priceless. Thanks to her, he had recruited numerous experts, and she even possessed breakthrough pills that were worth far more.
Every transaction with her had been profitable. His hesitation wasn't about losing, only about the staggering cost.