Preparing for the Foundation Establishment Stage

"Hu—"

More than a week had passed since that day. The treasure had been secured, and no one had come to disturb her since. Su Min's cultivation had also smoothly broken through to the mid-stage of Qi Refining. Yet such progress mattered little now. For practitioners, the early hurdles were trivial—what truly loomed ahead was the gateway to Foundation Establishment.

Foundation Establishment was divided into three paths: Heaven, Earth, and Mortal.

The Mortal Path was the simplest—one needed only to build the foundation directly. The Heavenly Path, however, was far more arduous, demanding the gathering of Five Element spirit items.

Su Min had already secured a rare Wood-element spirit treasure; now, she needed to seek the remaining four to ascend via the Heavenly Foundation path. And as one who always pursued perfection without compromise, she knew the time had come to set out on this grand journey.

"It's time to bid this place farewell. Among the Five Elements—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—the Wood element, the rarest, is already in my hands."

An unexpected blessing, truly. The gourd that birthed wondrous treasures was itself a natural-born spirit object, more than worthy. It was well known that whenever one of the Five Elemental Treasures emerged into the mortal world, it would inevitably stir storms of blood and chaos.

Except for Wood.

Its nature was different—its awakening would merely cause forests to flourish, vegetation to thrive—without shaking the foundations of the land. The other four elements, however, would not be so merciful. Each would spark a tempest. Su Min needed only to follow the ripples such appearances left behind. And to do so, she would rely on the Fuding Merchant Guild.

As the eyes and ears of Prince Yong, they had networks sprawling across the realm, capable of uncovering news from the most hidden corners. Matters she could not search for personally—they would. Moreover, what she sought was no state secret; they would not refuse. In the public eye, she merely appeared to be aiding the suffering.

"I've arranged for the plant spirits. Each village nearby now shelters one. As long as they offer regular worship and provide ashes from grass and wood, their safety shall be secured."

Su Min glanced at the empty bamboo grove with faint emotion. She had lived here ten years. She had even, without intending it, nurtured little bamboo spirits—though she used to gleefully pluck their leaves to brew tea when bored. Now, the bamboo spirits had been transplanted elsewhere, and this place had returned to being an ordinary, unremarkable bamboo forest. Having tied up every loose end, Su Min's figure vanished into the horizon like mist on the wind.

—Within a quiet secret chamber at the Fuding Merchant Guild—

"Thus far, the court remains silent. After I slew three of their Qi Refining cultivators, they must be choking on their own blood. Yet all remains calm."

Su Min chuckled lightly. The truth was, public order had improved considerably. Previously, the city had been plagued by foreign refugees—landless and desperate, surviving through banditry. But the misguided sacrificial ritual those rogue cultivators conducted had incinerated most of them. The few survivors had long since fled. With the rabble gone, peace returned.

The imperial court, entangled in its own turmoil, could barely extend its grasp to this corner of the realm. As for Su Min herself—among the common folk, she was quietly revered as a guardian spirit. Because of her strained relationship with the court, the worship was subdued. Yet it grew steadily nonetheless.

At the foot of the mountain, villagers had even erected a small shrine in her honor. Now, both mountain folk and city dwellers came from time to time to burn incense. The one who had provided the funds for the temple's construction now stood respectfully before her—the steward of the Merchant Guild.

~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~

Su Min had not refused his offering. Faith incense, after all, might one day prove valuable. She had only one instruction: burn incense if they must, but no forced donations, no corruption, no chaos.

"There's been no movement," the steward said. "The court likely lacks strong cultivators to dispatch."

"Good. Then let it be known across the realm: I have left this place to wander the world."

This, too, was part of Su Min's plan. She knew neither the demon queen nor the emperor would swallow their grievances so easily. Better to mislead them, draw their attention elsewhere. Leave the mountain folk in peace. Not that she feared retaliation—merely that it was unnecessary.

"Miss Su is departing?"

"Indeed. My business here was tied to an object obtained some days ago. With that resolved, I have no further reason to remain. It is time to wander the vast lands. After all, my divine arts are stifled here."

The final words were spoken softly—to herself. To awaken more innate talents, to seek new spells and techniques, she needed broader skies. Staying here would only slow her growth. And she still had treasures to seek—tasks no one else could accomplish for her.

"This..."

The steward hesitated, but seeing the firm resolve in Su Min's gaze, he dared not speak further.

"My master instructed me to ask..." he began cautiously, "does the immortal lady know how one enters the Qi Refining Stage?"

"First, you need a cultivation method. That, your Tianqi inheritance should have provided; I will not interfere. Second, you must temper your body to its peak. Lastly—consume a Qi Induction Pill."

"Qi Induction Pill?"

Su Min smiled, producing a smooth, fragrant pill and placing it gently before him. It was her last one. But to her, it was now useless—there was no reason to hoard it.

"Gulp—"

The steward swallowed audibly. He knew too well the value of what lay before him. The demon queen could mass-produce cultivators, but her creations were flawed. Su Min's pills, however, were near-perfect, with almost no side effects. Each one was a priceless treasure. It was a shame, the steward thought, that she had yet to take a disciple. Of course, he did not know: Su Min would not mind teaching disciples.

But to become an alchemist or an artificer required exceptional natural talent—so rare that fewer than one in a thousand possessed it. She had simply not yet encountered a worthy candidate.

"Miss Su... how much for this pill?"

The steward's hands trembled as he stretched them toward the gleaming treasure.

"Bring me four pieces of information," Su Min said calmly. "The pill shall be yours. Besides... even if you rushed, it would be useless. I doubt anyone in Prince Yong's household has yet tempered their body to perfection."

"This—"

Su Min already had a plan. The pill was of no use to her now. Letting the right person use it could enhance her own path of merit. And to set the Fuding Merchant Guild scurrying to scour the lands for news—she needed to offer them proper bait.

"What information do you require? Please, instruct me!"

As expected, the steward slapped his chest and vowed solemnly, as if offering his very life.