"That is all for now," Su Min said, her gaze sweeping over the others in the room before finally settling on the two men huddled in the corner. "You two, do you want to observe? If you cannot handle the heat, leave on your own."
She had been thinking about the future. Sooner or later, she would need to take in disciples, perhaps even form a proper sect of her own. Only by establishing a force under her command could she stop scouring the world for cultivation resources like a lone wanderer, a process that was currently draining Prince Yong's estate dry.
But that time had not yet come. For now, offering a little guidance to these two would suffice. How much they could comprehend was their own fate. She had no intention of holding their hands through every step.
"Thank you, Senior, for your guidance!"
The two alchemists immediately jumped to their feet, their eyes wide and bright with excitement. For them, this was an immense stroke of fortune. Not everyone could be like Su Min, blessed with a rare player constitution and wielding the fierce Nanming Lihuo flame. She had forged her path step by step with sheer will, without a mentor to guide her.
They, however, were different. Just entering the world of alchemy had been a monumental challenge. It had taken years of rigorous training and the generous, unwavering backing of the Prince Yong Estate to bring them this far. If they could now receive even a sliver of instruction from a true master, their entry into the deeper arts would be swift and decisive.
This was a rare opportunity, one they never dreamed they would get.
Even so, their years of effort had already earned the estate considerable returns. The chance to stand beside Su Min while she worked, to observe her process, was a priceless gift. Her every action was a lesson, her every movement a revelation.
A flicker of jealousy passed through the others in the room. Even Cao Yuanmu, who had already stepped into the Foundation Establishment realm, held the demeanor of a humble student in Su Min's presence. He knew his place.
He had once witnessed Su Min clash with that mysterious woman in black. The memory was seared into his mind. He knew that even now, if he were to face a single serious move from Su Min, he would be either crippled or dead. And that was before she had reached the mid stage of Foundation Establishment. Now, he would not stand a chance.
As for the three supreme Dao Foundations, Heaven, Earth, and Mortal, he had only heard of them from Hui Ming. Yet something deep in his bones told him that even an Earth tier Foundation was far beyond his reach. He longed for Su Min's guidance on his own path, but he knew with a heavy heart that it was not meant to be.
Sect Leader Mo had felt the same. For cultivators like them, reaching Foundation Establishment was a blessing in itself. There was no point in dreaming of heights they could never grasp.
"By the way, how is the situation over there?" Su Min asked Prince Yong before she left.
She needed to confirm the condition of the corpse demon's lair. The creature she intended to slay was no ordinary Golden Core beast, it was a Corpse Immortal. From its very birth, it had been flawed, a twisted thing that could not compare to a true Golden Core cultivator. But if it were to consume large amounts of human blood and flesh, it would become a far more terrifying and difficult foe.
"The corpse miasma in that region has started to shrink," Prince Yong reported. "At this rate, it will vanish completely within half a year."
"That will do."
Su Min gave a slight nod. Once the miasma cleared, the creature would likely emerge from its hiding place. With her goals clear, she motioned for the two alchemy students to follow her, and they departed. She had many pills to refine and weapons to forge, after all. The prince from the grasslands had brought with him an abundance of high quality materials.
Meanwhile, deep within the Great Wei Imperial Palace...
"Huff… Still no trace of that woman?" The emperor's face was dark with fury as he scanned the latest reports. That so called crown prince had always been just a disposable pawn in his eyes, but nurturing a cultivator to the Foundation Establishment stage was no small investment.
"N, no… After leaving with that alchemist, she… vanished without a trace."
BANG!
The emperor slammed his fist on the arm of his throne.
"Stop searching."
A voice, cold and raspy, spoke from the shadows behind the throne. A figure stepped forward into the dim light.
"You have emerged from seclusion?" the emperor asked, his anger momentarily replaced by caution. "How is your recovery?"
"It will take decades yet," the Demon Queen replied. "Severing my cultivation was one thing, but cutting off my foundation, that wound runs deep. As for that woman, just let her be. So long as she does not reappear, do not provoke her again."
The Wei Emperor was startled by her words. As a sovereign, he was all too familiar with the existence of beings in this world he simply could not afford to offend. First, there was that terrifying third rank alchemist, and now this mysterious woman who had smacked his son to death with a single, casual blow.
He did not even know what that idiot had done to earn her wrath, but it was clear he had enraged her beyond all reason.
"So many concubines and still he had no discipline?" the emperor cursed under his breath. "Everything came too easily for him. Just who is that woman?"
Of course, he knew what kind of trash his son had been, dabbling in dark dual cultivation techniques and recklessly absorbing yin energy to nourish his yang with no restraint. But even so, he was his son. If the emperor wanted to kill and absorb him, that was one thing, but others had no right to do so.
"If I am not mistaken, that woman is the Holy Maiden of the Heavenly Yin Sect from Mingling Province," the Demon Queen said, a hint of unease in her voice. "Her physique is the rare and peerless Taiyin Body. Its yin cold aura is terrifying."
"Taiyin Body? What is that?" the emperor asked, his eyes narrowing.
"An anomalous physique, unmatched through the ages. It is also known as the Lunar Sovereign physique. It excels in yin cold techniques. If it were ever paired with a certain yang aligned physique in dual cultivation, it is said to produce earthshaking transformations. But such cases are too rare. No one knows what exactly would happen. Rumors say it could shake the heavens, even slay immortals."
"Can we capture her?" The emperor's eyes glinted with sudden greed.
"Difficult," the Demon Queen stated flatly. "She was likely awakened prematurely by your son. As a Holy Maiden, though I do not know why she sealed herself here in this realm, you must never underestimate her trump cards."
Her gaze darkened as she spoke. She had lost to that woman before, and horribly so. Half her body had been frozen solid, a blow that had nearly crippled her cultivation foundation. And now, after severely weakening herself to escape, she had to be extremely cautious. Even if the other woman never reached the Golden Core stage, she was still a grave threat.
"A pity." The emperor could only sigh in frustration. Any thought of retaliation was pointless. Her sect was not even in this realm, so there was no way to strike back at them. And if it were, that would likely make the situation even more dangerous.
"That Danxian…" His frown deepened as his thoughts returned to the alchemist. Prince Yong's Mansion had somehow inherited knowledge from that mysterious woman. Even the two first rank alchemists now under her banner were a source of deep jealousy for him.
"Report! Your Majesty!" a voice shouted from the entrance to the hall. "Tianshui Prefecture is in revolt again! The governor has been slain!"
"Hmph. Again?" the emperor snarled, his anger returning in a wave. "Have the Demon Slayer Division behead the rebel leaders. The rest, send them into exile in the northwest. That Yong Prince, he is like a centipede, he just refuses to die."
A shadow passed over the emperor's face. All he needed now was time. If the Queen could fully recover and step into the Golden Core realm, they could sweep away all opposition in one fell swoop.
"If only… If only I had not fought over that artifact back then," the emperor muttered to himself, his fists clenching at his sides. Regret pooled in his eyes. He had gained nothing from that confrontation, and in the process, he had thoroughly offended Danxian. Had things gone differently, he might have used Prince Fu's merchant guild to form an alliance with her. Now, that door was firmly closed.
===
Dog Emperor, Yingying is only for Su Min. Stop daydreaming!!