The Army Approaches
As for directly confronting that person, he was unwilling. Moreover, the opponent's strength was likely at the mid-to-late Qi Refining stage. He had no one capable of dealing with such a foe. Even with secret techniques, a mid-to-late Qi Refining expert wasn't something that could be casually cultivated.
And even if he could nurture such a fighter, there was no guarantee they could defeat her. As for Foundation Establishment? That was even more impossible. It required the original cultivator to be at least late Qi Refining—a stage where anyone who reached it was far too valuable to be used as cannon fodder.
Thus, he could only pin his hopes on those two old men.
---
Training Grounds
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sharp sounds of clashing metal echoed incessantly. The onlookers, each a powerful figure from major sects—some only a single pill away from breaking through to Qi Refining—watched the battle with wide eyes.
At the center of the field, Su Min was fighting one against four, facing off against four Qi Refining cultivators simultaneously. Not only was she not at a disadvantage, but she was also barely using any of her trump cards. Her weapon remained sheathed. The scorching flames capable of melting everything had yet to appear. And these were only the abilities they knew about.
"No matter how good your weapons are, if your speed can't keep up, it's all useless."
Seeing the four struggling under her assault, Su Min decided not to drag it out. Seizing an opening, she kicked one of them flying. With one corner of their formation broken, the remaining three quickly fell one by one. After all, she was a late Qi Refining cultivator, and the three techniques she practiced were all high-grade. Fighting one against three wasn't even a challenge. This time, however, Su Min merely sent them flying without inflicting the same brutal injuries as before.
The reason?
She was just testing her current strength.
"Report! Prince Yong has summoned everyone for an emergency meeting! The enemy's vanguard is only thirty kilometers from Yongzhou City!"
"Hmm?"
Not just Su Min—everyone on the training grounds was momentarily stunned.
Resisting foreign invaders wasn't just about the rewards Prince Yong offered. Reputation mattered too. With the world undergoing drastic changes, heroes and ambitious figures were emerging everywhere. This war was an opportunity for them to make a name for themselves.
Though they knew most of them would only serve as supporting roles, the true core of this battle was the mysterious and overwhelmingly powerful woman at the center of the field. They still hadn't seen her full strength.
~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~
Four Qi Refining experts—figures they once viewed as untouchable—couldn't even force her to get serious. No one believed that someone capable of forging such terrifying artifacts didn't have more hidden cards. As for the higher-ups, they knew exactly how many materials Su Min had. They couldn't fathom what level of power those resources could unleash, but even with the infamous Flame and Earth Elders from the grasslands, they didn't sense much danger.
"They're coming, huh? This time, I'll likely be facing Foundation Establishment-level opponents. At the start of the battle, I must find a way to kill or at least cripple one of them."
Ignoring the gazes around her, Su Min knew the two elders' trump card—a secret technique that allowed them to merge into a single entity. If two late Qi Refining cultivators fused, their combined strength would undoubtedly reach early Foundation Establishment. Even for her, that was a daunting challenge. Thus, the best strategy was to go all-out against one of them from the very beginning. If she could kill or severely injure one, the remaining one wouldn't be a threat.
"With my armor, Golden Bell Shield, and my cultivation as a foundation, those two won't easily break through my defenses. If things go south, I can always retreat—worst case, I'll just lose some face. Besides, I already have three elemental treasures, enough to meet the requirements for Earthly Foundation Establishment."
With a plan in mind, Su Min said nothing more. If she wanted to escape, those two old men wouldn't be able to stop her. As for the rest? She'd do her best and leave the rest to fate.
---
Soon, atop the city walls, a group of people gazed at the distant desert grasslands. A massive dust cloud rose into the sky, and the very earth trembled under the approaching force. For a moment, an invisible weight pressed down on everyone's hearts.
Yongzhou City wasn't just a major settlement—it was the most critical stronghold, the gateway to the Eight Prefectures and the entire Great Wei. And Prince Yong, as a feudal lord rather than the emperor, didn't command an overwhelmingly large army. Every soldier he had was now stationed here. If Yongzhou fell, the entire northwest of the Great Wei would become a living hell.
Yet, after the initial shock, one by one, their eyes subconsciously turned toward a lone figure standing calmly atop the city gates. The sight of that tall, composed figure eased the tension in their hearts.
"This is just the vanguard—ten thousand troops. The main force of two hundred thousand is behind them. The grasslands tribes have brought out everything they have. It seems they don't plan on leaving."
Prince Yong spoke cautiously to Su Min as he observed the approaching army. This invasion was unprecedented in its scale. If counting non-combatants—the elderly, children, and livestock—the number easily surpassed a million. These people had abandoned their pastures, bringing all their possessions to support the two hundred thousand-strong army. Only the Flame and Earth Elders could mobilize the grasslands to such an extent.
And if they breached the city, the consequences would be catastrophic. Though the Eight Prefectures under Prince Yong's rule were vast, the pressure of accommodating a million people was no joke. To secure enough resources for their survival, these invaders would undoubtedly carry out systematic massacres across the prefectures, slaughtering the Wei people and seizing their homes and farmland to establish their own roots.
This kind of strategy was something even Su Min had never encountered before. In gaming terms, it could be summed up in two words: Base trade.
But games were just games. In reality, who would dare employ such tactics?
If their army was stalled at Yongzhou City for even a year, the entire invasion force would collapse. Without sufficient grazing land, their livestock would die in droves outside the gates. And the people? Starvation, cannibalism, and rampant plagues would follow.
"Those two old freaks… Are they insane, or just overconfident? Do they really think I don't know about their trump card?"