When Su Min's feet touched solid ground, she felt as if she had returned from another world. Having been wrapped in that golden thunder for so long, her senses were dulled, as though she had existed in a dreamlike state. Her cheeks flushed faintly at the memory, but she quickly shook her head and muttered:
"Next step… forging the artifact to counter that old witch. But I've completely reduced this place to ruins."
Scratching her head a little awkwardly, Su Min acknowledged her warped sense of time within that strange realm. Still, she was confident she had time to spare. She had officially stepped into the Golden Core Realm (Jindan) now, and in terms of cultivation, she stood equal to Demon Queen.
More than that—she wielded Mastery of the Five Thunders. But she couldn't afford arrogance.
That wretched old hag had severed both her foundation and her cultivation, yet still retained her divine powers from Golden Core stage. Divine abilities came in many forms; Su Min's own power stemmed from righteous and balanced energy. It wasn't something that would launch her to overwhelming dominance, but it was stable—without any obvious flaws.
The Demon Queen, however, practiced something far more sinister. Her ability was steeped in foul energy—curses and hexes. Even cultivators with deeper roots than hers could fall prey to a single mistake against her. Yet the very nature of such evil arts meant they were easily countered. Because of this, practitioners like her tended to strike sparingly—afraid their weaknesses might be discovered.
Unfortunately for her, Su Min remembered exactly what the witch's divine ability was. She had faced her before, after all. And now, she finally had the cultivation level required to forge the one artifact capable of suppressing her.
Moments later, a flying sword appeared at Su Min's feet. At the Golden Core stage, cultivators could ride upon objects. For a sword immortal, it was a long-cherished dream.
"My anchor marks are still intact. Good—they haven't faded."
The sea was vast and ever-changing. Even Golden Core cultivators could perish if they traveled carelessly. Before she'd left, Su Min had marked several hidden anchors along the coastline—precautions in case she needed to retreat.
Now, they lit up in her divine sense like lighthouses on a dark sea, guiding her safely back. By the following day, her feet once more touched solid earth. She kept a low profile, avoiding contact with others, and made her way into a remote valley untouched by man.
"Now that I've reached Golden Core… it feels as if even the heavens are turning against me," she murmured. "Breaking through further—at least anytime soon—is near impossible. But even within the early Golden Core stage, there are vast differences."
Along her journey, she'd felt it: the shift in the world's spiritual pressure. Once one reached the Golden Core stage, the heavens themselves would begin to weigh down on you. Advancing further was a monumental task.
There were only two possible paths forward: one was to wait over two centuries for the Golden Core Path (Avenue) to manifest. The other was to survive long enough for the world itself to reset and the Ten Thousand States to Merge—a cosmic event predicted in over three hundred years.
Either option spelled despair for most. Foundation Establishment cultivators would likely never live to see that day. Even those in the Golden Core realm, while they might survive long enough to witness it, would already be weakened—blood and essence long since withered.
But Su Min wasn't like the others. Her chosen talent ensured that her blood and vitality would never decay.
She glanced down at the piece of First-Rank Mysticwood in her hand.
"I don't know how long this refinement will take… but without this artifact, my chances against the old hag are slim."
As fire burst to life in her palm, she recalled her inheritance. It wasn't the full power of the Nanming Lihuo which was far too overwhelming. Not even her current Golden Core self could withstand its complete form. Instead, her flame scaled with her cultivation—growing stronger as she advanced.
Now, she could finally attempt to craft a low-grade Mystic-tier artifact. The only limitation was the scarcity of materials in this decaying spiritual world.
[Eight-Wood Soul Bell (Earth Grade, Low Tier): Absorbs all curse-based attacks.]
The effect was simple. Brutal, even. But it was perfectly tailored to counter the demoness. All of her powers revolved around curses—once stripped of that advantage, she would be no more threatening than a toothless tiger. The artifact's core, however, was notoriously difficult to forge. It required a type of wood known as Threefold Mystic Netherwood, which naturally resisted fire due to its extreme yin nature.
That was the true reason Su Min had once clashed with the Crown Prince. He hadn't known what the material was for, but he instinctively sensed its power would counter his techniques. Unfortunately for him, everyone he brought along perished—and the secret died with them.
Back then, Su Min had no way of refining the wood. Not without the power of the Golden Core realm. Now, things were different. After a full week of smelting, the wood began to change. It was only the beginning—many more preparations remained.
Three months passed in seclusion.
At last, a pitch-black artifact, strung with several delicate bells, emerged in Su Min's palm.
She exhaled slowly, a weight lifted from her heart. This was the final piece—the last preparation needed to challenge the demoness.
"It's time to return to Prince Yong's Manor and have them mobilize the army," she said quietly. "No matter how strong I am, numbers still matter. Charging in alone and getting surrounded by her lackeys is too risky."
This wasn't a game. Bosses didn't stay in their lairs waiting patiently for you to come fight. If things escalated, the entire region could rise against her.
If the Demon Queen hadn't secretly suppressed her cultivation, Su Min could've fought without restraint. But that woman's sect techniques were treacherous—they had a hierarchy. Higher-ranked practitioners could forcibly strip the souls of those beneath them to empower themselves. And if the Demon Queen panicked and tried to consume all her underlings' souls mid-fight… Su Min didn't dare imagine what might happen.
Yongzhou City
Su Min once again stood at the foot of the great city of Yongzhou. A strange expression crossed her face.
Along the road, the lands of Great Wei had split into two worlds. The Emperor's territory was barren—villages abandoned, ghosts wandering freely. But Prince Yong's domain? Lively, prosperous. Sometimes, merely crossing a mountain pass revealed a completely different world.
In any normal kingdom, this disparity would've already led to revolt. But this wasn't a normal kingdom. Here, a single supreme cultivator could suppress all resistance—keeping the dynasty alive through sheer force. This uneasy peace revealed a truth: both sides were stalling.
The Emperor was waiting for the Demon Queen to recover her strength—once she did, her early Golden Core cultivation would allow her to crush everything in her path.
Meanwhile, Prince Yong and his allies… were waiting for Su Min. She was the only one who could stand against that monstrous woman. That was why the entire empire had fallen into this strange, quiet tension—a peaceful calm that teetered on the edge of breaking.
Now, with Su Min's return, the balance was about to shatter. She would be the hammer that broke the stillness. And since everything was ready—there was no need to delay.
Su Min said nothing more. With her Golden Core cultivation, entering the city was effortless. She sensed a familiar presence almost immediately: Cao Yuanmu.
On the rear mountain stood a stern middle-aged man, long sword gleaming in his hand. Below him, dozens of seventeen- or eighteen-year-old youths stood in rigid rows, watching him with a mix of awe and fear.
This man was the oldest generation within the Cao family, and also their strongest. He had already reached mid-to-late Foundation Establishment, placing him among the top cultivators even in the martial world. Compared to him, even Sect Leader Mo would fall slightly short. Their power was similar, but Cao Yuanmu was younger. If the duel dragged on, he'd outlast his opponent.
"Listen well, you little brats," he barked. "The annual Martial Gathering is almost here. This is our covenant with the martial world. The one who claims the first victory will be rewarded with a precious Qi-Gathering Pill."
Su Min had been gone for more than a decade. And the Prince Yong's Manor, which inherited part of her legacy, had finally cultivated an alchemist capable of crafting the pill. Once her stockpiled pills had run out, this man became their only supplier. Still, he was no Su Min.
Where she could produce three to four pills in a single batch, he considered himself lucky to craft one after two full attempts. Even so, martial sects across the land hungered for his creations. To maintain alliances with the martial world and draw in potential allies, Prince's Manor hosted this annual tournament. Only Body Refining cultivators could participate, and the winner would receive a Qi-Gathering Pill.
~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~
It was the only chance most sects had to obtain one. After all, the pill's ingredients were rare, and the refinement process was grueling. Two or three successful pills per year was considered excellent.
And as for more advanced pills like Qi Inducing Pills or Foundation Establishment Pills—Su Min remained the sole cultivator capable of crafting them.
Cao Yuanmu knew the value of this event and treated it with utmost seriousness. The pills came from his household. Naturally, he wanted the prize to remain within his family.
"Understood!"
The youths shouted in unison, eyes gleaming with determination. Those who had the qualifications to join the tournament knew: this was more than glory. This was their one chance to step onto the path of true cultivation.
But just as Cao Yuanmu finished his speech—
A playfully mocking female voice rang out. "My, my, you've grown even more impressive over the years."
"Who's there?!"
Several figures—all at least Qi Refining Stage, one even at Foundation Establishment—immediately sprang into action, scanning the area.
This was Prince Yong Mansion's restricted training grounds, filled with young elites and decades' worth of martial secrets.
"Stand down."
But unlike the others, Cao Yuanmu's face lit up with joy at the voice. With a wave, he dismissed the guards and flashed to a nearby mountaintop. There, he saw a woman in white.
"Junior pays respects to Lady Su. You… have broken through?"
His voice trembled with excitement. Su Min had been gone for over a decade. Though they knew she was attempting the Golden Core breakthrough, they feared she might have fallen to the tribulation. Prince Yong Mansion had sent countless scouts to find her tribulation site, but she had vanished without a trace.
Even their strongest expert, Monk Hui Ming, had admitted he wouldn't dare attempt the Golden Core Tribulation for another fifty years. If the Demon Queen recovered first, Prince Yong faction would be the first to die. Now, their long wait was over. And to his astonishment, Su Min had succeeded.
"Yes. It's time to settle all grudges. Mobilize your forces—ensure no one interferes in my fight with the Demon Queen. And the emperor… I'll deal with him personally."
"Understood."
Cao Yuanmu didn't hesitate. Prince Yong faction's goal was the throne itself. Su Min's demands were more than reasonable. As for letting her execute the emperor?
That was fine by them. After all, she had a blood feud with him—he had wiped out her entire clan.
"Please accompany me to meet Prince Yong. Give us two weeks to prepare. We can mobilize all forces, including the martial world. Over the past decade, several fools have attacked the imperial capital—only to die beneath its walls."
"Idiots."
Su Min rubbed her temples. They had just fed the emperor's secret techniques.
"Exactly. We need every advantage."
Seeing her frustration, Cao Yuanmu knew she understood the stakes.
"Go. The longer we wait, the more dangerous it becomes."
Now that she had reached the Golden Core Stage, time was on the Demon Queen side. The sooner they struck, the better.
Prince Yong Mansion's Main Hall
"You're the new Prince Yong?"
Su Min looked at the middle-aged man bowing before her, feeling a strange sense of disorientation. This was the third Prince Yong she had met. No wonder the heavenly courts forbade immortals from romancing mortals. To an immortal, the blink of an eye could span a mortal's entire lifetime—or even a Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment cultivator's.
"There will only be more of this in the future…"
She sighed inwardly. This was beyond her control.
"My father passed away two years ago from organ failure, so I inherited the title. Of course, it was only with Uncle Mu's support that I could stabilize my rule."
Unlike in ordinary kingdoms, even as the new prince, he had to respect the clan elders. Cao Yuanmu was the true pillar of Prince Yong faction. And Su Min?
She was practically their ancestral-level benefactor. Their faction's current standing was largely thanks to her. They had waited over fifty years for this moment—for her to reach the Golden Core Stage.
"Enough formalities. As the future emperor, act like one. Mobilize your armies and gather your forces—we move soon."
Su Min didn't bother with pretenses anymore. Her earlier aloofness had been a disguise, but now that she was a Golden Core cultivator, there was no need. She had always been alone, and sometimes, masks made things easier.
"Understood."
Prince Yong's eyes gleamed at the word "emperor." Their faction had waited three generations for this. Now, the day had finally come.
"Summon three armies of 100,000 each. Issue a martial decree—cancel the tournament and gather all heroes. Once we seize the empire, I will award a Foundation Establishment Pill to the one with the greatest contributions!"
"Bold"
Su Min smirked. A Foundation Establishment Pill was incredibly valuable. She had left them a few before departing, and it seemed they had hoarded them carefully. Or perhaps the new prince had been saving one for himself—he was only at mid-stage Qi Refining, after all. Either way, giving one up was a huge sacrifice.
"In that case, I'll add a Foundation Spirit Pill—it can raise a Foundation Establishment cultivator by one minor stage. Let's not let the martial world think I'm stingy."
"Gulp."
Even Cao Yuanmu swallowed hard. He was one step away from late-stage Foundation Establishment, but that step could take decades—or even centuries. By then, his life force would decay, making the tribulation near-impossible. This pill was incredibly tempting. Su Min's offer was a clear incentive—no slacking allowed.
"Understood!"
Prince Yong's eyes widened. He knew exactly how valuable this pill was. Whoever obtained it could dominate the martial world for decades.
(Su Min, of course, was excluded—she was already considered transcendent, beyond the martial world's rankings.)