Chapter 14 Qi-Inducing Pill

"Tsk."

Su Min watched with amusement as the previously fierce bandit now cowered like a soaked rat. With a dismissive wave, she added, "Scram."

"Y-yes!"

Not daring to utter another word, the men hauled their trembling leader away as if fleeing a den of demons. But just as they took their first step—

"Wait."

Her voice, light as a feather, froze them in place.

"Pay for my table."

The bandits exchanged bewildered glances. The table was a simple bamboo construct—something Su Min could rebuild in minutes by chopping wood nearby. Yet her mournful sigh left no room for argument:

"This table was passed down from my elders. Years of memories... Oh, how my heart aches. So much pain. Enough pain that I might just... grab someone, stab them a few times, heal them, then stab them again. What do you think?"

"..."

The threat wasn't subtle.

And they believed her. The village chief and local shaman had learned the hard way—now even whispering her name made them shudder. Frantically, the men pooled their pockets, producing three taels of scattered silver.

"Tsk. Fine. Get lost."

Su Min pocketed the coins with a flick of her wrist.

"Mood ruined. Might as well plan for Qi Refining."

She sighed, watching the retreating figures. More "patients" like this were inevitable—a side effect of her reputation. Slaughtering them all wasn't an option. Not when she had bigger concerns.

Like the Qi-Inducing Pill—a catalyst for breaking through to Qi Refining.

It wasn't strictly necessary, but with it, the process would be faster and smoother. A single pill could save years of grinding. And time wasn't a luxury she had, not with that treasure gourd's maturation looming.

"I've got one of the required herbs. Still missing two..."

In this era, such ingredients were scarce. Her fingers drummed against the new bamboo table.

"Maybe leverage my fame to source them?"

No rush—she had two or three years. But those bandits had piqued her interest. Their aura carried violence, not bloodlust. Not mindless marauders, then.

"Potential herb hunters?"

First, she'd need to probe their background. As a wanted fugitive, laying low was paramount. The wilderness shielded her—her appearance had changed enough that even the brothel madam might not recognize her now.

But caution dictated indirect approaches. Drawing attention could mean losing the gourd—and restarting her nomadic nightmare.

Meanwhile, in the Village

Laughter erupted as the villagers watched the bandits flee, their earlier bravado reduced to piss-stained panic. Su Min's prowess was well-known. A young woman living alone in these wilds? Only someone dangerous could manage that.

And since she avoided village gossip by living apart, rumors never reached her ears.

The Village Chief's House

"Master Zhao, I warned you. That woman's no ordinary healer—she's a fox spirits in human guise."

The chief eyed the pale-faced man on the bed. He remembered Su Min's casual remarks—"Kill all enemies, and no one gets hurt"—and shuddered. Even the local shaman, whose authority she undermined, dared not cross her.

"Cough... cough..."

Before the patient could respond, the bedraggled bandits stumbled in—one still reeking of urine.

"Sect Leader, that woman—"

"I know." The man winced. "Prepare a stretcher. We'll go to her—with the bamboo token."

"The token?!"

~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~

Relief washed over the men. They knew Su Min's rules:

No house calls. Bring the patient to her.

No token, no treatment. (Unless she's in a good mood.)

They'd assumed a "helpless girl" could be dragged over by force. Instead, they'd met a typhoon in human form. Now, they'd have to haul their leader up the mountain—just like any other patient.

The Bamboo Hut

Su Min paused while arranging tools on her new table.

"A cultivator?"

The aura was weak, fluctuating—clearly the patient. But cultivators didn't usually linger in such states.

"If a cultivator's this bad, whatever ails them would kill a mortal outright."

Her lips pursed.

"So it begins. The winds of change are blowing faster than I thought."

In just a year or two, the world was stirring. And more cultivators would emerge.