In the quiet of her mind, the new knowledge settled, clear and undeniable.
[Four Symbols Heavenly Sun — Vermilion Bird: ① Obtained Nanming Lihuo ② Awaiting Comprehension]
Nanming Lihuo. This was not just a flame, it was an immortal inheritance from the legendary Vermilion Bird itself, a legacy of an ancient bloodline whose power had once blazed across the heavens, commanding the very essence of fire.
Yet now, resting in Su Min's palm, it was nothing more than a single, flickering wisp of fire, small and seemingly fragile, like a candle flame that a strong breath might extinguish.
[Nanming Lihuo: The Vermilion Clan's sacred flame. Enhances pill refining, artifact forging, and combat prowess. Its might increases alongside the bearer's cultivation.]
"A little flame..." Su Min murmured, her gaze fixed on the tiny ember floating above her hand. It was small, yes, but she could feel the ferocious power sleeping within it, a latent heat far beyond any fire she could conjure with her own spiritual energy. She understood with a chilling clarity that if the full, unbridled force of the Vermilion Flame had tried to merge with her current, fragile cultivation base, it would have incinerated her to ash in an instant, leaving nothing behind. The full inheritance was a vast, intricate tapestry of knowledge, sealed behind countless layers of divine restriction. She would have to advance step by step, proving her worth, to slowly unlock its secrets.
"Alright, since everything is settled, I will take my leave now," she announced, her voice pulling the merchant from his thoughts. Her tone was flat, closing the conversation. "I will be going into deep seclusion, so do not bother looking for me."
"Understood, Miss Su," the man replied hastily, bowing low. He did not dare to say more. Their families had a sliver of shared history, and he had already received strict orders from his lord to treat Su Min with the utmost respect and maintain a friendly alliance. He knew his master had once harbored more ambitious hopes, like making her a daughter-in-law, but that idea had been wisely abandoned as pure fantasy. Now, his only task was to nurture this partnership, to be useful. As he watched her depart, he could only lower his head in silent acknowledgment, knowing he was in the presence of a force he could not control.
Deep within the secluded mountains, far from any path, Su Min hung the familiar Seclusion Plaque at the entrance to her cave, a clear and universally understood signal that she would receive no visitors. She intended to focus completely on digesting the treasures she had obtained, to make them truly her own. Anyone who came looking, whether friend or foe, would find only an empty, silent cavern.
"With Nanming Lihuo's enhancement, my forging efficiency has skyrocketed."
The painstaking work of compressing materials, which had once slowed to a frustrating crawl, now surged forward at an unbelievable pace. Among the legendary Ten Divine Flames of the immortal path, Nanming Lihuo was renowned for its perfect balance and versatility. If one were to chart its abilities, it would form a perfect, symmetrical hexagon, excelling in every area without a single weakness. Other flames might be stronger in one specific aspect, like pure destruction or intense heat, but they were always riddled with compromises elsewhere. For comprehensive strength, from the delicate art of alchemy to the brutal craft of weapon refinement, from direct combat to supportive arts, Nanming Lihuo was truly peerless, the flame of a master artisan.
Just one week later, her work was complete.
Before Su Min floated a tiny tiger's head, no larger than the tip of her pinky finger, hovering serenely within a cage of gentle, vermilion flame. This was the condensed essence of a beast that had once been large enough to swallow her whole, a creature of immense power. Now, refined and purified by the sacred fire, it had been condensed into a simple, white bone ring. At the final moment, searing vermilion red streaks burned themselves across its pale surface like divine tattoos, sealing the power within.
[Tiger Bone Ring (Fire Enchantment) (Yellow Grade, Mid-Tier): Unleashes a Tiger's Roar Shockwave. Enhanced by the Vermilion Fire, the shockwave can now burn an enemy's soul.]
"Nanming Lihuo is truly formidable," Su Min whispered, genuinely impressed. Not only had it elevated the ring's overall quality, pushing it solidly into the mid tier, but it had also added a devastating soul scorching effect to its mental attack, turning a stunning blow into a potentially lethal one.
She slipped the newly forged ring onto her finger, a faint, satisfied smile touching her lips. It felt cool and light against her skin.
Then she tested it.
ROAR!
A thunderous tiger's roar, amplified and distorted by spiritual energy, erupted from the ring and shook the entire mountain range. The sound was a physical force. Nearby peaks seemed to tremble, and boulders broke loose, tumbling down slopes in small, dusty avalanches. Birds in flight fell from the sky, stunned, and forest creatures collapsed where they stood, their minds and bodies unable to withstand the concussive shockwave.
"The effect is impressive," she admitted, her lips twitching as she stared at the innocuous looking ring. A casual activation in the wilderness had caused this much damage. If she unleashed this in a crowded city or a fortified castle, the casualties would be unthinkable, the chaos absolute. "But I should probably avoid using this in populated areas." It was a weapon for the wilds, or for when she did not care about collateral damage.
"The ring is done. Now, it is time to strengthen my Lifebound Spiritual Treasure."
The spiritual sword floating before her was far easier to refine. It was designed from the start to grow with its wielder, inherently resilient and adaptable. This enhancement process was simpler in nature, as the sword's core nature allowed it to absorb and integrate materials through the sheer accumulation of resources. Even a novice could enhance it by dumping in enough spirit ore and demon parts, given enough time. Now, with the perfect, intuitive control of Nanming Lihuo aiding her, the process became as smooth as flowing water, the flame guiding the materials into the blade's matrix without resistance.
Within a month, a newly tempered sword embryo, its surface gleaming with intricate new patterns that pulsed with a faint light, rested coolly in her hand. It felt heavier, denser with power.
[Flying Sword Embryo (Yellow Grade, Mid-Tier)]
At that moment, fresh insights flooded her mind, the final piece clicking into place as her connection with the weapon deepened. It was an understanding that came not from study, but from feeling.
"So that is how it works," she breathed. "By binding my sword techniques directly with my lifebound weapon, my basic skill evolves."
Her old skill, Minor Sword Control, had only three simple techniques, rudimentary and plain: Slash, Thrust, and Fly. They were as straightforward as their names suggested. Now, after refining her weapon and achieving a deeper, more harmonious union with it, the skill had undergone a complete metamorphosis, shedding its beginner's shell.
[Sword Control Technique]
The Slash technique could now unleash waves of sharp sword aura, crescent shaped projectiles of force that vastly increased its power and range, allowing her to strike multiple foes at a distance.
The Thrust had transformed into a rapid advance maneuver, a burst of speed that allowed her to pierce through the air toward a distant target, the sword leading the way like a lightning bolt.
The final move, Fly, had unlocked true sword manipulation, enabling her to summon multiple, illusory sword shadows that could autonomously strike at enemies from afar, harrying them from all directions.
"Haaah... finally," Su Min sighed, stretching her arms over her head with a lazy, cat like grace. A rare trace of deep satisfaction warmed her face, easing the usual sternness from her features. "I have finally reached the strength a player of my stage should have." She felt whole, capable.
She felt the new power coursing through her, a comfortable and familiar weight in her spirit. But just as she began to relax into the feeling, she froze. A strange, powerful pulse rippled through the air, a vibration in the world's spiritual fabric. It was distant, more than ten kilometers away, but its unique energy signature was unmistakable, a calling card she had been waiting for. Without a second thought, she dashed out of her cave and looked toward the horizon, her eyes sharp.
There, atop a remote, jagged mountain peak, the sky was churning with dark, ominous clouds that swirled against the blue.
Then, it happened. A brilliant, golden pillar of light lanced down from the heavens, piercing straight through the cloud cover as if it were nothing. The radiance was so intense it could be seen for hundreds of miles in every direction, a beacon of pure energy. The strange, compelling energy it carried spread even farther, a silent, profound announcement that blanketed the entire Wei Empire, felt by every cultivator with a shred of sensitivity.
"It is finally happening…"
Su Min's heart hammered against her ribs as she stared at the unwavering golden light, a fierce excitement stirring her blood, burning away her momentary peace.
The Treasure Gourd was finally maturing.
According to her calculations, it would fully ripen within the next three months. This golden radiance was a divine sign, the Auspicious Light of the Great Dao that heralded the descent of a heavenly treasure. It was a phenomenon so grand that not even saints could hope to hide it, let alone a humble cultivator like her. No ward, no array, no spell could conceal this light. It was a declaration to the world.
The world was about to be thrown into chaos, a mad scramble for a prize of untold power. And Su Min, standing alone on her mountain, could not help the grim, eager smile that spread across her face. The hunt was beginning. And she intended to be the hunter.