"Where did these four come from? Their weapons are all spirit artifacts!"
"Not sure. Be careful. Even at peak Qi Refining, we're not invincible against those."
That was the terrifying truth about spirit weapons. The power boost they granted was enormous. Without the weapons Su Min had forged for them, these four would've stood no chance against the Flame and Earth Elders. But now, even those two old monsters had to be cautious.
Still, no matter how refined the weapons were, the gap in cultivation couldn't be ignored. Just as Su Min had crushed them earlier with only a fraction of her strength, these four were still far too weak. The enemy soon found an opening and slammed them against the city wall with a single, clean strike.
"Ha ha ha ha!!!"
Cheers erupted behind the two elders as the four were sent flying. Generals arising mid-battle to rally the tide of war was the stuff of legends. Su Min hadn't expected to witness such a moment herself, but here it was, right before her eyes. Hearing the triumphant roars below, she couldn't help but smile faintly.
"You like duels? Fine. Let me give you a surprise."
As if responding to her thought, the expressions of the two elders below darkened. Unlike the cheering soldiers, they sensed something—an intense, scorching aura erupting before them, one so fierce it made their hearts tremble. That aura didn't target the army. It pressed down solely upon the two of them.
"Peak Qi Refining… So you're the one the imperial court fears?"
The Flame Elder's expression turned grim. The royal family had revealed little about Su Min, only vague hints about her identity.
"No wonder even the imperial family treads carefully. This purity of flame… You're an alchemist, aren't you?"
The Flame Elder frowned as the heat around her intensified. His cultivation was on par with hers, yet her aura alone made his spiritual energy waver. That could only mean one thing: she wielded one of the legendary Heaven and Earth Flames. Such flames were unimaginably rare. They merged with their host before dissipating and reforming elsewhere in the world.
But what truly unsettled the two elders was the presence of those four Qi Refining cultivators. Four at once was unthinkable. And none of them were artificially boosted—they had reached that stage through genuine cultivation. There was only one explanation: the woman before them was a master alchemist. For the first time, a sliver of dread crept into their hearts. They truly didn't want to make an enemy of someone like her. But with the lives of a million soldiers depending on them, retreat wasn't an option. Exchanging a glance, the Flame Elder raised a hand and shouted an order.
"All forces—CHARGE!!!"
"KILL!!!"
In the next instant, waves of soldiers lifted shields and ladders as they charged forward. No matter how fearsome the cavalry of the grasslands was, they were helpless against towering stone walls. Siege engines clashed in a deafening storm of metal and fire that lit up the battlefield. Yet not a single attacker dared approach Su Min. Instinctively, they veered away from her path.
"Now."
Seeing this, the two elders understood the truth. The real guardian of Yongzhou was this young woman. Her age meant she was a cultivator of this generation, yet she had already reached late-stage Qi Refining.
Monstrous.
If there had been any chance for negotiation, they would've done anything to avoid provoking her. Someone like her was worth bowing to. But since they were already enemies, she had to die. If she survived, she could bring endless trouble with nothing more than a word. Their thoughts mirrored the Emperor's. Even now, he hadn't dared issue a warrant for her arrest. No one wanted to push her into open war. With that in mind, the two elders summoned their treasures. The Earth Elder raised an earthen shield, and the Fire Elder gripped a blazing root.
"So those are the two rare treasures I need."
Su Min's eyes gleamed. It was clear they lacked true spirit treasures of their own. Elder Flame's fire was decent, but nowhere near hot enough to smelt spirit ore, much less forge a spirit weapon.
"Perfect."
She had no reason to hold back. This was a war of annihilation, and neither side could afford to retreat. If either one faltered, everyone behind them would be doomed. In the next heartbeat, Su Min surged forward.
At the same moment, the two elders charged as well. The strange relics in their hands glowed with radiant light. Though not formal spirit weapons, these ancient artifacts could serve as substitutes. For them, they would do.
"Earthen Rock Spear!!!"
"Blazing Ember Slash!!!"
Twin streaks of ochre and crimson light erupted as their relics transformed into massive weapons. They lunged at Su Min from both sides, aiming to crush her in a pincer strike.
"Tch. Not combining attacks? Do they look down on me that much?" Su Min sneered. "Fine, then don't expect your fusion technique to work later."
She almost laughed. She'd been wondering how to cripple one first, and they had handed her the chance on a silver platter. Just before impact, light burst around her. Her glazed armor appeared in an instant, and a faint bell-shaped shadow shimmered around her.
Then came the explosion.
BOOM!!!
The two elders were stunned.
Su Min didn't even dodge. She charged straight at them, fully intent on trading blows. The difference was that she wore priceless protective gear, while they didn't. And from the sound alone, they could tell her weapon wasn't ordinary either. Forced to adapt, they twisted their strikes mid-swing, desperately trying to redirect the blows.
Clang!
Pfft!
A sharp metallic crash rang through the air, followed by the sound of flesh tearing. The impact sent a shockwave surging outward, toppling soldiers and siege weapons alike. The entire section of the battlefield cleared in an instant.
"What happened?!"
On the wall, Prince Yong shot to his feet, his fingers digging into the stone as he tried to see. Before he could lean over, the two Body Refining guards beside him pulled him back. It wasn't just them. The four wounded cultivators resting nearby also widened their eyes, frozen in disbelief.
The dust slowly cleared. At the center of the battlefield stood a tall, graceful figure clad in shimmering glass armor. She hadn't moved an inch. On the opposite side came the sound of a violent cough. As the haze faded, everyone finally saw the truth. The Earth Elder, clutching his abdomen, had fallen to his knees and was vomiting blood.