Time flew like a loosed arrow; the years slipped by like an endless, flowing river. The killing wind of winter howled outside, draping the southern mountain range in a stark, desolate chill. When Su Min slowly opened her eyes after what felt like an age, she felt the layered cold rushing toward her face, a sensation that was now more a memory of discomfort than a true physical feeling.
"Qi Refining Stage..."
She let out a long, steady breath, feeling a rare and profound clarity settle over her mind and body. The near freezing winds that clawed at the cave entrance could no longer disturb her inner peace. She had almost forgotten about the heavy snowfall blanketing the world outside, because at this moment, the panel hovering before her eyes had undergone a fundamental change.
[Name: Su Min]
[Cultivation: Early Qi Refining Stage]
[Talent: Immortality (having infinite lifespan and not aging)]
[Innate Divine Ability: Heavenly Dao Insight (Over time, comprehend techniques from the cosmos)]
[Acquired Divine Ability: Four Symbols Slaughter — Tiger]
[Cultivation Arts: Changchun Gong (Fragmented), Fire-Wood Transformation Method – First Layer]
[Skill: Basic Sword Control – Three Forms]
[Lifebound Spirit Treasure: Flying Sword Embryo (Yellow-Grade, Low-Quality)]
And beneath that, a new line appeared:
"Due to your unique Divine Ability, paths have been unlocked."
[Path of Longevity (To Survive Against All Odds)]
[Path of Slaughter (To End Conflict Through Bloodshed)]
[Path of Salvation (To Aid the Suffering and Helpless)]
"...Is this some kind of hidden achievement from the game?" she murmured, blinking in mild surprise. "It is just writing it all out for me now."
These hidden systems were usually invisible, only accessible to players who began with the extremely rare Heavenly Dao Insight talent. She had triggered three of these philosophical paths, though she could see others remained greyed out and locked.
"Finally, I can begin artifact forging," she said, a wave of satisfaction washing over her. "It took almost two months of seclusion just to reach this breakthrough."
Closing the panel with a thought, she retrieved an emerald-green scroll from her storage ring. This was her Alchemy and Artifact Manual, not a physical book with pages but a scroll made of an unknown, supple material. Each time she opened it, it seemed to draw the necessary information from a vast, internal database, responding directly to her thoughts.
"Automatically match the spiritual artifacts I can forge with the materials I currently possess."
With that simple mental command, the contents of the scroll flickered rapidly. Soon, an image of a small, unassuming ring floated to the surface, followed by a simple, three-legged cauldron.
"Bronze Cauldron, Tiger Bone Ring."
Su Min narrowed her eyes slightly as she studied the images and the text that accompanied them.
[Bronze Cauldron (Yellow Tier – Lower Grade): A furnace crafted from bronze spirit ore, capable of refining both pills and artifacts.]
[Tiger Bone Ring (Yellow Tier – Lower Grade): Forged using the skull of a tiger demon saturated with malevolent energy, anchored by its other bones. When activated, it releases a sinister aura capable of disturbing the minds of those nearby. Effectiveness depends on the relative cultivation of user and target; against vastly stronger foes, it may have little impact.]
"Let's start with the bronze spirit ores, then."
After committing the refinement methods for the two artifacts to memory, she pulled out a pile of rough, faintly glowing ore from her ring. She had not spent all these years in the mountains cooped up inside. Without the distractions of her past life, she had often ventured deep into the wilderness to gather medicinal herbs and spirit ore, accumulating quite a collection. The main reason she could not refine certain high-level pills was simply because some crucial ingredients did not grow within these vast mountain ranges.
"To do great work, one must first sharpen their tools. The cauldron comes first."
Without further hesitation, she conjured blazing fire in her palms. Where once she could only summon a flame the size of her fist, now her spiritual fire roared to life, a controlled bonfire of pure energy. It was not that she could not refine artifacts without a cauldron, but having one would make the entire process far more efficient and stable.
"First chemical processing, now bronze smelting," she muttered, a wry smile touching her lips. "What is this, a transmigrator's guide to heavy industry? If this were a Western fantasy world, would they call me the Heavy Industry Witch?"
She chuckled at her own joke, the sound echoing softly in the quiet cave.
Under the searing kiss of her spiritual flame, the bronze ores slowly began to soften and melt. Impurities were separated, sloughing off in layers of dull slag, while a vibrant, orange-gold liquid pooled at the core. By what felt like noon, only the purest, spirit-rich copper remained, shimmering with latent power.
Her flame did more than simply burn hot. It possessed unique properties of purification and separation, greatly speeding up the refining process. Moreover, as a basic foundational artifact, the Bronze Cauldron did not demand the extreme precision or complexity of higher-tier items.
Thus, within a single day, the crafting was complete.
"Phew... The drain was heavier than I thought," she breathed, panting softly as she admired the ancient-looking bronze cauldron resting before her. Though simple by cultivator standards, the sustained effort of an entire day had left her thoroughly drained. Her spiritual energy was one thing, she had spirit pills to replenish that, but the mental exhaustion was another matter entirely. She had not felt a headache like this in a long time.
Forging the Tiger Bone Ring would be far more arduous. It required continuously melting and compressing a tiger demon's massive skull, originally large enough to swallow a person whole, into a refined piece barely a centimeter wide. Though she had yet to begin, she already knew it would take painstaking, focused effort, and it was not something she could afford to rush.
For now, she needed to rest and properly consolidate her newly attained Qi Refining Stage cultivation.
"It has been about two months in seclusion... and now the mountains are sealed by snow."
Stepping to the cave entrance, she stretched lazily in the frigid wind before a realization dawned on her. Her increased cultivation had expanded her tolerance for extreme temperatures. Unless she suffered severe injuries that drained her vitality and spiritual energy, mere cold could no longer affect her. Even wearing just a thin outer robe, she felt no chill. But the transformed environment still surprised her. In the three or four years she had lived here, heavy snowfall was a rare event, let alone enough to truly seal off the mountain paths.
"It seems the Great Wei Dynasty's days of peace are numbered," she mused aloud, her breath misting faintly in the air. "But there is no helping it. If the root of the chaos is not cut down, no amount of effort can halt the coming storm." She sighed, a quiet, weary sound. "Yet... who among us now possesses the strength to strike down the source?"
Taking a deep breath of the crisp, cold air, Su Min descended lightly from the cliff's edge, her movements as graceful and silent as a drifting feather. Now that she had firmly entered the Qi Refining Stage, there was no longer any need to remain secluded in such a remote place.
As for crafting the Tiger Bone Ring, that would be a slow endeavor, a project to be carefully tended over the next year or two. In the meantime, she would return to her calling, healing and saving lives. The first layer of the Fire-Wood Transformation Method was sufficient for now, but if she ever wished to reach the coveted Foundation Establishment stage, much, much more would be required.