Sky Summit City was the stronghold of the Sky Summit Sect, one of the five great sects of the Great Luo Tian State. It was an exceptionally vast and ancient city, and the moment Su Min stepped inside, she couldn't help but marvel. Such grandeur was something she had only ever seen in games or animations.
"Miss, would you be interested in visiting our Cloud Loft? We've just acquired a new batch of exquisite fabrics."
Given Su Min's striking beauty and aura, she naturally drew attention the moment she entered. Of course, no one dared to provoke her—a lone woman with a sword case on her back and such beauty was clearly not to be trifled with. Only a fool with more lust than sense would dare to approach recklessly.
"Oh? What kind of fabrics?"
Su Min's interest was piqued. She wasn't particularly interested in fancy clothes, but she needed materials for crafting armor. Collecting more resources was never a bad idea.
"Hehe, whatever kind you desire, Miss. We even have special silk from the Mulberry Workshop, produced by Waterdream Ice Silkworms—a peak Foundation Establishment-level beast!"
The shopkeeper clearly had a sharp eye. Taking one look at Su Min's luxurious (system-gifted) attire, he knew she wouldn't be interested in ordinary goods. Naturally, he skipped straight to the high-grade materials.
"Lead the way."
"Of course! Please follow me, Miss."
Soon, under the attendant's guidance, Su Min arrived at a lavish wooden store over ten meters tall. The place was bustling with elegantly dressed women, but the moment Su Min stepped in, the entire hall seemed to pause for a split second.
As a Golden Core cultivator, the faint aura she unconsciously exuded set her worlds apart from ordinary women. In Wei Wu State, no one dared to stare at her because they knew her identity. But here, she instantly became the center of attention.
Before long, a heavily made-up woman hurried over, her face full of flattery. The attendant who had brought Su Min in had already vanished without a trace.
"Skip the ordinary fabrics. Show me your best."
"Right away, Miss! Please follow me."
The woman didn't dare delay. Sky Summit City was the largest trading hub under the Sky Summit Sect, frequented mostly by cultivators. As someone who had been in this business for years, she knew how to cater to such clients. She led Su Min to an elegant private room.
"Miss, these are the latest fabrics from our Cloud Loft—all suitable for crafting magical treasures. How much would you like?"
As she spoke, several spirit-infused fabrics were brought out, immediately catching Su Min's eye. She ignored the miscellaneous ones and focused on the smallest roll.
"This fabric—"
"Ah! The young lady has an excellent eye. This is no ordinary material."
Seeing Su Min's interest, the woman took a deep breath, her face lighting up with a smile.
"This is the finest of the finest—silk produced by a Golden Core-level Ice Dream Silkworm. It cannot be bought with ordinary currency. One foot costs a hundred low-grade spirit stones."
"Top-grade material..."
Su Min exhaled slowly. The woman wasn't lying—this was indeed an extremely rare fabric. She wasn't sure how someone had managed to harvest it without angering a Golden Core-level silkworm mid-metamorphosis, but it was undoubtedly a treasure. A hundred low-grade spirit stones was a steep price, but not unreasonable for its value.
"I don't have spirit stones."
Su Min spread her hands and smiled brightly. The woman's face instantly stiffened. But given that Su Min was a cultivator, she didn't dare to throw her out—her expression was a sight to behold.
"Alright, don't look so sour."
Amused by the woman's shifting expression, Su Min waved her off. She wasn't here to tease her.
"I'll trade with Qi-inducing Pills. How about that?"
As she spoke, she turned slightly toward a certain room in the loft—where the establishment's resident cultivator, a late Foundation Establishment expert, was stationed. To Su Min, they were nothing more than a small fry. Hearing this, the woman's expression changed again. She bowed hastily and retreated. She knew this transaction was beyond her pay grade—bartering was common among cultivators.
Sure enough, a sultry figure soon entered the room—the very cultivator Su Min had addressed. The woman had an alluring figure, curvaceous in all the right places, and carried a seductive charm that Su Min could never hope to match. (If anyone expected Su Min to be coquettish, they might as well expect her to start dancing on tables.)
But the moment the woman saw Su Min, she was visibly startled. Earlier, she had sensed an overwhelming spiritual pressure directed at her—something only a Golden Core cultivator could produce. She didn't dare neglect such a guest, especially since Qi-inducing Pills were highly valuable. However, upon seeing Su Min, she was momentarily stunned—not because of Su Min's beauty, but because she seemed too young to be a Golden Core cultivator already.
Had she emerged from seclusion too early? The thought lasted less than a second before she snapped back to reality. Su Min's background was none of her business—her job was to make a deal.
"This humble one, Yun Kong, greets Senior. The Cloud Loft is an enterprise of the Cloud Sea Sword Sect, one of the five great sects. Qi Guidance Pills are in high demand for us. However, this fabric is extremely precious—one pill can only be exchanged for five feet."
"Damn, are pills really this valuable here?"
Su Min mused internally. This was, after all, the product of a Golden Core-level beast—its worth was undeniable. She had expected one pill to only buy half a foot, but it seemed the demand for pills in the Great Luo Tian State was insane, while the number of alchemists was pitifully low.
"Here you go."
Without further ado, Su Min tossed a pill to the woman, then unceremoniously took out a tool and cut five feet of the fabric, storing it in her spatial ring. Yun Kong didn't react to Su Min's actions. Instead, she was scrutinizing the pill with a serious expression.
"The pill's energy is harmonized, its luster natural… This must be the work of a master alchemist."
Assigned to oversee this place, Yun Kong had sharp eyes. She could tell at a glance that this pill was extraordinary—its quality was something even a Grade 3 Alchemist would struggle to achieve.
In truth, Su Min's initial assumption wasn't entirely wrong—one Qi-inducing Pill wasn't normally worth five feet of this fabric. The inflated price wasn't just for this transaction but for the alchemist behind it. Pills that could enhance cultivation without side effects were the foundation of major sects. They were hoarded, rarely traded openly. Unlike natural treasures, pills couldn't be stored indefinitely.
~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~
While these sects had their own alchemists, most were high-tier experts still in seclusion. The cost of sealing oneself was exorbitant—low and mid-tier alchemists didn't qualify. This created an awkward situation: the sects lacked sufficient alchemists, yet the demand was astronomical. As a result, pill prices in the Great Luo Tian State were outrageous.
Grade 1 and 2 pills were manageable, but Grade 3 alchemists were far too rare.
"I made it. What about it?"
Su Min replied casually. She was here to gather materials—hiding her skills would only complicate things.
"Senior is an alchemist?" Yun Kong asked cautiously.
"Correct."
"What grade can you refine?"
"Grade 4, lower tier."
"Hiss—"
Yun Kong sucked in a sharp breath. An alchemist of this level was exceedingly rare, even in ancient times. But realization quickly dawned on her, and her face lit up with excitement.
"Our sect is urgently seeking an alchemist to refine a Grade 4 lower-tier pill. Would Senior be willing to assist?"
"Heh."
Su Min smirked inwardly. This was exactly what she had been waiting for.
"I can, but you know the rules for hiring an alchemist."
"Of course! Name your price, Senior."
"Do you have any of the materials on this list? For every two items, I'll refine one pill for you. Of course, you'll have to provide the ingredients."
She handed over a list. Yun Kong scanned it and couldn't help but grimace.
"Golden Sun Heavenly Fruit, Flowing Water Vine, Seven-Colored Divine Grass… Senior, these are all extremely rare materials!"
She forced a smile. "As expected of a Grade 4 alchemist—her demands are outrageous."
Each item was hard to obtain, and she wanted two per commission!
"I'll contact the sect leader immediately. You'll have an answer soon."
"By the way, do you only sell fabrics here? Any ores?"
"We do! Please follow me."
Not daring to delay, Yun Kong led Su Min past the opulent front hall to a heavily guarded courtyard in the back. Inside a small building, they entered a room glowing with the radiance of spirit ores. Su Min's eyes swept over them before settling on one.
"This one. Name your price."
She picked up a fiery-red ore.
"That's… the extremely rare Flame Cloud Spirit Ore."
Yun Kong hesitated before quoting a low price.
"If Senior wants it… two Qi-inducing Pills."
"Here. Take your time discussing with your sect leader. I need to find a place to seclude myself—I have to refine a new cauldron. My old one can't handle Grade 4 pills."
"Senior need not search elsewhere. This humble one will arrange a place for you immediately."
Yun Kong wasn't stupid—she caught the implication right away. Given how casually Su Min tossed out Qi-inducing Pills, she was undoubtedly a top-tier alchemist.
"Thank you. Don't disturb me until I emerge."
"Yes!"
Soon, in a quiet little room…
Su Min nodded in satisfaction.
"Fleecing the big shots feels so good."
She grinned. Her whole interaction with the shopkeeper had been for this very purpose. Any store selling high-grade materials had to be backed by a major faction. Getting in touch with them early was beneficial.
With that, she sat down cross-legged. Her temporary cauldron had been on its last legs after months of non-stop alchemy. Upgrading was a must—after all, a craftsman must first sharpen his tools.
Meanwhile, in a heavily warded secret chamber…
Yun Kong stood respectfully before three figures, reporting the situation. As she spoke, the expressions of the three elders grew increasingly grave.
"A Grade 4 lower-tier alchemist? Why have we never heard of such a person?"
These three were the sect leader and two elders of the Cloud Sea Sword Sect—the only three Golden Core experts they currently had in the open. They weren't doubting Yun Kong, but the idea seemed too good to be true.
"Perhaps a self-sealed expert from an earlier era, emerging now to gather materials. But that's irrelevant—she bears no grudge against us. As for whether she can truly refine Grade 4 pills… we'll know once we see her in action."
Yun Kong spoke calmly.
"Very well. This old man will go personally. The tournament is about to begin as well—we'll bring the younger disciples along."
"Agreed. Where is she now?"
"In seclusion, refining a cauldron. She bought a piece of Flame Cloud Spirit Ore and mentioned needing to forge a new one quickly."
"Good. Treat her well. If she dares deceive us… hmph, even a Golden Core cultivator will regret it."
"Yes."
With that, the room fell silent.
Back in the secluded chamber…
Su Min sat amidst roaring flames, the temperature in the room soaring to unbearable levels. The Flame Cloud Spirit Ore was extremely heat-resistant, making it perfect for crafting a cauldron. Only thanks to the Nanming Lihuo could Su Ming even attempt to refine it.
She had no intention of hiding the flame—nor was there a need. Even if someone killed her, heavenly flames didn't linger after their master's death. They would simply disperse and reincarnate somewhere else, waiting for a new destined wielder.
Days passed—one, two, three… a full month.
When Su Min finally opened her eyes, a fiery-red cauldron hovered before her.
[Flame Cloud Spirit Cauldron (Mystic Tier, Low Grade)]
"Finally done. This thing was a pain to refine."
She exhaled deeply. Refining Grade 4 pills and above was incredibly demanding—sometimes requiring instantaneous temperature shifts within seconds.
An ordinary cauldron would explode under such strain. A Mystic Tier cauldron was a necessity, and with this, Su Min could refine Grade 4 pills without issue. Naturally, crafting such a cauldron was no easy feat. It had taken her over half a month just to melt the materials.
When she finally pushed open the door and stepped out…
A woman who had been waiting for a long time bowed immediately.
"Miss Su, our master has been expecting you."
"Lead the way."
Su Min didn't waste words. Soon, she was brought to a modest room. Inside, instead of Yun Kong's alluring figure, she found an elderly man with white hair and a sword case on his back—a Golden Core expert. Su Min wasn't surprised. She had sensed his presence earlier.
"May I ask who you are, Elder?"
"This old man is Mu Jiansheng, sect leader of the Cloud Sea Sword Sect. The materials you requested are all extraordinary. Our sect can only provide four. In exchange, we need you to refine two pills for us."
"Grade 4 lower tier, as I said before. Though Grade 4 mid-tier isn't impossible—if you're willing to supply enough materials for trial and error. And let me see the recipes first."
Su Min sat down without ceremony. Alchemists had the privilege of being this blunt. Mu Jiansheng didn't take offense. Instead, he placed two recipes before her.
"Cloudbreaker Pill and Unity Pill—both rather niche. It seems they're specialized pills for your sect's prodigies?"
Su Min frowned slightly as she examined them but didn't refuse. If she could refine the Golden Spirit Pill at peak Foundation Establishment, these wouldn't be impossible. However, the process would be tricky. These were unfamiliar formulas, and niche pills were always more challenging.
"I can do it. But you'll need to provide three sets of ingredients. I can't guarantee success on the first try."
Seeing Su Min's serious yet confident expression, Mu Jiansheng inwardly sighed in relief.
If she had boasted about a guaranteed success, he would've been far more wary. After all, even for their sect, gathering these ingredients was no small feat.
"Agreed."