"The Demon Queen has thrown the entire court into chaos." The middle-aged man's voice was heavy with worry. "Lao Zhao, do you truly think that senior will be willing to leave her seclusion?"
"I don't know," Zhao Yiping replied, his own tone weary. "But that witch has already turned countless maids and eunuchs into her poison puppets. Many from the martial world have died trying to oppose her. I was just lucky to survive."
As he spoke, a trace of lingering fear flashed across his face. Up close, one could see the sickly purple-green veins bulging unnaturally beneath his skin, a stark map of the corruption running through him. Two years had passed since their last meeting, and the antidote pills Su Min had prepared for him were long gone.
The only silver lining was that the necessary herbs had finally been gathered. Without delay, Zhao Yiping had set out for the mountains, accompanied by a supplier from the Fuding Trading Guild who was also seeking an antidote. Thus, two martial artists at the mid-stage of Body Refining found themselves escorting a precious trove of rare herbs deep into the wilderness.
Soon, they stood before her.
"It's been some time," Su Min said flatly after they revealed their identities. She looked Zhao Yiping up and down, her expression unchanging. "Judging by your appearance, I see you didn't heed my warnings."
She showed little reaction to the guild merchant. However, toward Zhao Yiping, she could not help but feel a touch of inward, cynical amusement. If he had carefully conserved the pills she'd given him, they should have lasted about five years. Her initial estimate of three had been conservative. Yet, judging by the poison's visible hold on him, the past two years had been anything but peaceful. Had he not broken through to the mid-stage of Body Refining, purging some of his inner impurities in the process, he likely would not have survived to stand before her now.
"The realm is in utter turmoil," Zhao Yiping began, his voice gaining a fervent, righteous edge. "The emperor has been bewitched by that Demon Queen. The Great Wei is now drenched in blood, with countless commoners displaced and starving. The nobility hoards grain while the people starve. We martial artists have a duty to uphold justice—"
"Enough," Su Min interrupted, her voice cool and cutting. She didn't even need to examine him closely to understand the severity of his condition. "I can already tell how bad it is. I won't sugarcoat it. You're far gone. Even a second-grade antidote pill might not save you. The poison has seeped deep into your blood and marrow."
"Sigh..."
Zhao Yiping could only offer a bitter smile. He had braced himself for this possibility, so he didn't protest. Moreover, even though he had reached mid-stage Body Refining, Su Min's aura still felt as vast and unfathomable as a deep ocean to him.
"I came here for two reasons," he continued, steeling himself. "First, to cure this poison. Second... the major sects' experts are planning an assassination. We intend to storm the imperial palace and kill that witch who has corrupted the court. We came to invite you, Senior, to join us—"
"Forget it," Su Min replied without a moment's hesitation. "I have no intention of joining you in such a suicidal endeavor."
In truth, she had no choice. The memory of the game's lore surfaced in her mind, vivid and chilling. That so-called Demon Queen was not some mere court sorceress. She was a terrifying being at the Golden Core stage.
She remembered the game's storyline clearly. Because it was a sandbox game, players had total freedom. You could even charge straight to the first boss, the Demon Queen, right after starting. But her cultivation was at the Golden Core stage, so anyone who tried would be instantly annihilated. The so-called "Dog Emperor" would gradually increase in strength over time, but compared to others at his rank, his combat abilities were mediocre. The Demon Queen, however, was a completely different matter.
Su Min was unsure of the Demon Queen's exact origins, but her Golden Core cultivation was absolutely genuine. Fortunately, for the first hundred years, something had restricted her movements; she could not leave the palace. As long as one minded their own business and focused on leveling up, she would only send her twisted minions after you, manageable threats at best. However, between years one hundred twenty and one hundred thirty, she would finally break free and personally hunt the player down. That would mark the first true calamity. Once she moved against you, death was almost inevitable unless you had taken extreme precautions. Although Su Min wanted to kill her, she knew better than to seek her out prematurely. A Golden Core realm opponent wasn't something these martial artists, or even Su Min herself, could hope to overcome.
"You don't understand," Su Min said, her voice dropping. "That Demon Queen's power... Even if I got within a hundred paces of her, she could kill me with a flick of her wrist. And as for her 'bewitching' the emperor? Don't make me laugh. A mortal emperor is protected by imperial qi. Not even a measly sorceress, or all the gods and buddhas combined, could force him to do anything against his will."
"Huh?"
Zhao Yiping blinked, his righteous fervor replaced by utter confusion.
"A ruler is shielded by his nation's fortune, the purple qi of destiny," Su Min explained, as if to a child. "There are only a few ways to kill him. First, wait for the dynasty's decline; when it's on the brink of collapse, his protective qi will fade. Second, find a rising new monarch; their conflicting fortunes will cancel each other out, leaving it to a contest of skill. Third, exploit a karmic debt."
She paused meaningfully, letting her words sink in.
"As for that so-called Demon Queen?" Su Min snorted. "If she dared to cast even a single spell upon him, she would be struck dead instantly."
The two men paled at her explanation, realizing for the first time just how deep and mysterious the currents beneath the imperial court truly ran.
"This imperial qi only protects the emperor himself, not those around him. So there's no need to overthink it," she concluded, her tone final. "Leave the herbs here. You two can stay in the village below. Come back in three days for the pills. As for your poison... take another one of these for now."
Seeing their lingering confusion, she decided not to elaborate further. She tossed a temporary antidote to Zhao Yiping. As for their so-called alliance assassination plan, she had already warned them. If they still wanted to throw their lives away, that was their choice. With her current strength, she had no way to kill that monster. Moreover, the Demon Queen was likely one of those ancient powerhouses who had sealed themselves away. Even if she was only at the Golden Core stage, her foundation would be incredibly solid.
"Then... we'll take our leave for now."
Realizing Su Min was firmly dismissing them, the two men exchanged resigned glances before turning and exiting her courtyard, heading back down the mountain path.
Once they were gone, Su Min turned to the piles of herbs. "They brought so many," she murmured to herself. A quick inventory confirmed her initial impression. The Fuding Merchant Guild truly lived up to its reputation. The herbs were not only abundant but also of excellent quality. "Even if I fail two or three times, it won't matter. I can refine both the antidote pills and the Qi-Inducing Pill."
She had reached the peak of Body Refining. It was time. Whatever the Demon Queen was plotting could wait. Strength came first. The treasure gourd's emergence wasn't far off, and she still needed to prepare a set of spiritual artifacts for the inevitable free-for-all. Time was of the essence.
With that thought, Su Min plucked a stalk of spirit herb from the pile and tossed it into the furnace before her, igniting the flames with a flick of her fingers.
"Detoxification Pill first," she muttered. Compared to the Qi-Inducing Pill, that was child's play.