After inspecting all the crops and recording the data, Seo and the other women began harvesting together. Though she had studied engineering in her past life, the old lady at the orphanage had taught her enough about farming to be more than capable in the fields.
She retrieved three space rings from her inventory and handed them to Choi to distribute among the group, making transportation of the yields much easier.
[Ding! Companion Choi has received Space Ring x3. Host has gained Space Ring x300.]
The four women were delighted. From their refined attire to the rings adorning their fingers, they looked like wealthy nobles. When they had fled into the Dark Forest, they never imagined they would live in such comfort—eating well every day and cultivating without fear. Following Seo had truly been the best decision of their lives.
After the harvest, Seo constructed a new building to serve as a warehouse; the kitchen simply couldn't accommodate such abundance. She stacked the wheat neatly in rows, crafted wooden crates, and inscribed refrigeration arrays upon them. The warehouse was clean, spacious, and well-organized.
The entire process took nearly an hour.
Satisfied, Seo decided to explore beyond her domain in search of rare treasures, leaving the four women to continue cultivating. The moment she stepped outside, the air shifted. No place was as safe as home.
Activating her appraisal skill, she began scanning the surroundings. After some time, her skill identified a flower called the Drifting Lotus. It floated in the center of a stagnant pond that reflected thin rays of sunlight filtering through the towering trees. The scenery was beautiful—yet ominous.
An unusual flower growing in the middle of a murky pond? Obviously a trap.
Reading its description, she learned it thrived where demonic energy was most concentrated. That confirmed it—something lurked beneath the water.
The flower possessed a rare characteristic: it could store and imprint knowledge. The first thing that came to Seo's mind was enlightenment tea, something she had often read about in cultivation novels from her previous life. The Drifting Lotus wasn't especially rare, but few understood its true utility—and fewer still knew how to use it properly.
Channeling spiritual energy into her feet, she stepped onto the water's surface and walked forward. Ripples spread outward.
Suddenly, a giant crocodile erupted from the pond and lunged at her.
Seo lightly tapped the surface with her foot. The ripples transformed into a glowing array. Chains burst forth, wrapping around the beast and immobilizing it mid-air. She calmly plucked the lotus, then stepped back onto solid ground.
With a flick of her hand, she increased the array's force.
The crocodile exploded into a rain of flesh and blood, staining the pond crimson.
Ignoring the gruesome aftermath, she retrieved its demonic core and turned to leave—only to feel a familiar tingle along her arm.
Her contracted guardian serpent had emerged, its eyes gleaming at the sight of the core.
"You want it?" she murmured.
After she fed it the core, the serpent expanded rapidly—growing to the size of a small truck. It now towered over Seo. Instinctively, she raised her hand and patted its temple.
Satisfied, she ventured deeper into the forest and returned with impressive spoils: an iron mine, rune stones, and spirit crystals. Iron was straightforward in its applications, but the rune stones and crystals intrigued her. They could hold arrays and formations—meaning she could craft artifacts.
As the sun began to set, she decided it was enough for one day. Using a technique she had developed—bouncing off hardened spiritual energy—she returned home swiftly.
She expected to find Choi, Su, Ling, and Bai cultivating. Instead, they stood waiting at the gate, their expressions tense and unfamiliar.
The moment she came within range, they rushed to her, speaking all at once.
"Alright. One at a time," Seo said calmly.
Ling cleared her throat and explained that a group of strangers had attempted to enter the domain. The defensive array had blocked them, and unable to break it, they were now waiting just outside the perimeter.
Seo's expression hardened.
Opening the domain map, she inspected the intruders. Five people—three women and two men.
She composed herself and went to meet them.
Upon arrival, she studied them carefully. The leading woman wore exquisite silk robes; the two women behind her wore slightly less extravagant garments—likely attendants. The two men wore light yet highly defensive armor.
A noble and her retinue.
The leading woman scrutinized Seo as well, trying to determine who could have set up such a complex formation—one she, hailed as a genius, could not even recognize.
When her gaze settled on Seo's dantian, she frowned.
No spiritual energy.
Not a cultivator?
And yet… something felt off. The woman before her radiated a subtle danger that defied logic. Her clothing was clearly extraordinary, and the women behind her wore the same.
The noblewoman's data collection was complete.
She decided on courtesy—for now.
"My name is Meihua," she said.
The name struck Seo like a bolt of memory.
Meihua—the general's daughter who served directly under the king. In the original host's memories, she had always appeared distant and untouchable, surrounded by admirers and officials. Seo had seen her many times but never interacted with her.
Meanwhile, Meihua had recognized Seo almost instantly.
The empire's scapegoat.
She did not know the full details of Seo's alleged crimes, only that she had been framed and exiled. And yet here she stood—alive—having created a sanctuary within one of the most dangerous regions of the realm.
Interesting. Very interesting, Meihua thought.
The forest grew quiet between them, heavy with unspoken calculation.