"On behalf of the Northern Nine Forts' people, I thank you, Lady Su."
With her agreement finally secured, Prince Yong rose from his seat and offered a deep, formal bow. His heavy, silken robes rustled softly against the floor as he clasped his hands before him. The immense weight that had bowed his shoulders for weeks seemed to lighten just a little as he straightened his posture, his eyes reflecting a glimmer of renewed hope.
"My reasons for staying are my own," Su Min said, waving a hand to dismiss his gratitude with an indifferent gesture. "But don't stop gathering those medicinal ingredients. And before I go, let me offer you a piece of advice."
"Advice?" he asked, looking curious. He tilted his head slightly, his gaze fixed on her.
"Your son has decent talent. If he devotes himself solely to cultivation, he may yet achieve something great. But if he is constantly entangled in the mundane burdens of governance like you are, it will hinder his potential. In the world we live in now, you should be mindful of such things."
Prince Yong's expression tightened at her words, the lines around his mouth deepening. He knew she was right. A family, even a royal one, was only as strong as the cultivators at its core. Without a powerful expert to anchor them, they would eventually crumble into dust under the pressure of this changing world. He had been grooming his son as his political successor, unknowingly stifling the boy's true potential for the sake of a mortal throne.
"By the way, Lady Su," he ventured, seeing an opening in the conversation as she adjusted her sleeve. "Have you ever considered taking a disciple?"
"A disciple?" Su Min paused briefly, then narrowed her eyes just a fraction as she looked at him.
The air in the room seemed to grow a degree colder. She had noticed how his covetous gaze had lingered on her alchemy furnace during their meetings. Still, the idea didn't repulse her. For now, she was the only alchemist in the region, but that wouldn't last forever. Within the wider Lingxi Prefecture, especially in the great monasteries, there were bound to be others. Even weapon forgers weren't unheard of in the larger sects. She wasn't opposed to planting a seed for the future.
"To become an alchemist, one must possess dual spiritual roots, fire and wood," she stated. Her tone was flat and left no room for debate. "The fire root must be dominant, and the gap between the two should be as wide as possible. Second, they need innately powerful soul strength. If you can find someone who meets those criteria and who cultivates a dual attribute technique to conjure their own spiritual flames, then I wouldn't mind teaching them."
She watched as his face darkened with each requirement she listed, his hope visibly withering. A small, knowing smirk touched her lips. The truth was, anyone who actually met those conditions wouldn't need her guidance; they would likely trigger a Heavenly Revelation and glimpse the art of alchemy on their own.
"These are non-negotiable," she concluded, her voice echoing in the quiet chamber. "Either you are born with it, or you aren't."
She fell silent, and the matter was effectively closed. She hadn't yet broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage, so there was no immediate rush to concoct the Foundation Pill. In the meantime, it was in her best interest to help the prince strengthen his forces. She didn't expect them to fight her battles, but they could at least hold the line against the prairie tribes when the time came for her to face the real threat.
It took Prince Yong a long moment to recover from the rejection. He mentally combed through every talented individual in his lineage, but not a single one fit her impossible criteria. Just as she had said, people like that were born, not made.
"By the way," Su Min said, her tone shifting to something more casual as she stood up. "Those three new subordinates of yours, what weapons do they specialize in? And what is their foundational strength? I can forge them spiritual artifacts suited to their abilities. I don't expect them to fight beside me, but they should at least be strong enough to keep the prairie rats from interfering when I confront those two old monsters."
Prince Yong blinked, his eyes widening as he suddenly remembered her other talents. He glanced down at his hand, where the white jade spatial ring she had refined for him gleamed softly. He had been so fixated on her pills that he had almost forgotten she was also a terrifyingly skilled weapon forger.
"Oh, and you will be providing the materials," she added nonchalantly.
Her own stockpile was running dangerously low, especially after crafting the Glazed Ice Azure Armor. This was a perfect opportunity to replenish her supplies with the prince's wealth. It wasn't quite extortion, as his faction would benefit directly from the results.
"Not a problem," he agreed without a moment's hesitation.
Though he didn't fully understand what a spiritual artifact truly was, he knew one thing for certain: after his son entered the Qi Refining stage, there had been a glaring problem. No mortal weapon could keep up with the boy's power. The finest steel shattered almost instantly when channeling spiritual energy.
If she could provide a proper weapon, his son's combat prowess would rise dramatically. He had seen the proof himself with the Grand Preceptor from the desert. Before Su Min forged a weapon for him, the monk could barely survive. Now, he could at least exchange a few blows.
"I will return to my seclusion now," she announced, rising to her full height. Her azure robes whispered against the rug. "Unless the enemy is literally at your gates, don't come bothering me. Even if they are at your gates, think twice before you do."
With that, she turned and strode out of the hall, well-fed and satisfied. She ignored the dancing girls fluttering in the corridor entirely as she made her exit, her mind already calculating the temperatures needed for the new ores.
The moment her figure vanished from sight, Prince Yong's demeanor shifted into one of urgent command. He stood tall, his voice booming through the hall. "Someone, mobilize our stocks immediately! Spirit herbs, spirit ores, spirit wood, spirit stones—gather all we have and then some!"
He suspected she would only directly use about seventy percent of what he provided, but even so, the return was more than worth the cost. Besides, he understood that Su Min wasn't just refining for them. Every item she forged honed her soul strength, preparing for the day she would attempt the near-impossible task of concocting the Foundation Pill.
Since she couldn't establish her foundation yet, she tempered her soul through sheer, repetitive practice. However many materials he provided, she would burn through them all. This was why smaller sects could never afford to nurture such practitioners. But he, Prince Yong, with a kingdom's resources at his disposal, was the perfect patron.
As he slumped back into his throne, the prince exhaled deeply. His greatest fear had finally been eased. The intelligence reports were clear: the two old monsters of Flame and Earth were no ordinary Qi Refining cultivators. There was only one person he could think of who stood a chance against them, and that was Su Min. This time, he had gambled everything on securing her aid. Without her, the city was as good as lost.
Now that she had agreed, many paths opened before him.
"The wolves of the grasslands," he muttered to the empty hall, his voice hardening with resolve. "As long as this Prince draws breath, you shall not set foot within Great Wei. And if I win this war, then I shall gain a reputation strong enough to challenge even the Imperial Court."
His fist slammed down onto the table beside him, rattling the wine goblets and causing the remaining liquid to splash against the wood. The world was teetering on the edge of chaos, waiting only for a spark. If he could seize this victory, he could rise as the man who commands the entire realm.
—
Meanwhile, far across the northern plains, a colossal army, hundreds of thousands strong, had begun to gather. The earth trembled under the march of countless feet, a storm building on the horizon.
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Check out my other novel: "Games Invade Reality". It features a female protagonist, and most of the characters are also female. It is different from the mainstream as the MC is not fighting against the "Otherworld"; instead, she fights alongside them, and in the end, she even becomes their "Ruler". I update it with 2 chapters a day.