Departure

Three days later, the plains before Yongzhou had become a hellscape.

The war was over. The hundreds of thousands of grassland soldiers had scattered after breaking through the mountain pass, making pursuit impossible for Prince Yong's forces. But the gains from the battle were nothing short of bountiful.

Not to mention the ragtag prisoners—just the livestock alone, brought for logistical support, were an immense haul. The two old fools had brought their entire household stockpiles to the frontlines. Though much was lost in the chaos, what remained was still abundant. More importantly, this battle had thrown the northern steppe into utter disarray. For the next hundred years, they likely wouldn't dare cross south again.

But such matters no longer concerned Su Min. Her objective had been achieved. What she needed now was a quiet place to enter closed cultivation. This time, it could take ten... maybe even twenty years.

Ordinarily, breaking through to the next realm wouldn't require such a long time—a few months at most. After all, the natural lifespan of a Foundation Establishment cultivator was around two hundred years. A two-decade seclusion would be excessive for most.

But Su Min was different. She had built her foundation upon the laws of Heaven itself—the Heaven Dao Foundation Establishment. To proceed, she would need to refine and fully absorb the five elemental treasures. That would be an arduous and drawn-out process... yet entirely worth it.

Upon advancement, she would be blessed with Heaven's favor—a unique and formidable fate. Moreover, this would lay an unshakable groundwork for her future Golden Core breakthrough. After all, over ninety percent of Foundation cultivators never formed their core. But for Su Min, time was not a concern. Longevity was already on her side—this minor inconvenience could be ignored.

As for the location of her retreat, she had chosen the vast, desolate sands of the western desert. All she needed was to carve out a small cave-dwelling, and no one would find her for a century. Even if they entered the desert, they'd be like grains of sand lost in the sea—utterly unable to locate her.

Before she departed, however, she intended to bid Prince Yong farewell. She held some measure of fondness for the old man—not for any personal reason, but because she'd drained his faction's entire wealth down to the marrow. The hundred-year foundation of Prince Yong Manor had been used to her great satisfaction.

And so, before she left, she gave him a parting gift.

"This is a Qi-Gathering Pill. It can raise a cultivator's Qi Refining level by one stage. It will be useful to you. But seal this news tight—should word spread and draw bloodthirsty vultures to your doorstep, don't say I didn't warn you."

"Of course, of course..."

Prince Yong accepted the pill gingerly and handed it to his son for safekeeping. It was clear the gift was meant for him. An unexpected blessing, to be sure.

"Those fools are still too drunk on victory to remember me. All busy celebrating, too busy to come knocking. So, I'll be taking my leave now."

It was clear this triumph would leave a lasting impact. In the future, all of them would benefit richly from it. Right now, they were giddy with glory, scrambling to divvy up the invisible spoils of fame and influence. No one had the time to think of her yet. But once the dust settled, they'd surely line up, one by one, at her doorstep.

~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~

Su Min found the thought deeply annoying. After all, one does not strike a smiling face—and she wasn't mad enough to do so, either. Best to vanish while she still had the chance. She had no need for empty prestige. With her current power and position, the victory was hers by right. No one dared challenge that, and none were foolish enough to try.

"Ai... then take care. I fear this farewell may be our last. These two boys of mine—I entrust them to your guidance, Miss Su."

Seeing that Su Min had made up her mind, Prince Yong knew better than to try and stop her. Supplying her had cost him dearly... but the returns had been even greater. After this battle, the Prince Yong faction would stand unmatched in prestige across the martial world.

In normal times, the scattered martial clans were little more than a nuisance—but now, with the Emperor of Wei rising as a looming threat, he needed as many allies as he could muster. In such an age, even these wandering cultivators held power.

Of course, ties like these must be maintained. Prince Yong had brought his two most important sons with him today. He knew he might never see Su Min again—but his sons would inherit this bond, this incense of gratitude. The road of cultivation was long and full of hardship. Having a master alchemist like her as a friend would always be a priceless boon.

"By the way, for the materials you provided... I've decided to honor our earlier discussion. Here are some pill recipes—formulas for unranked and Tier One pills—and also, the first layer of my cultivation method."

With that, Su Min tossed him a storage ring. It contained the recipes she'd developed herself, along with the foundational layer of her own technique. There was a reason she left this behind. Her current talent had reached its upper limit, but once she advanced into the Foundation realm, that limit would shatter. If someone could learn from what she left behind, she'd also reap benefits in return—whether karmic or practical.

"This…"

Even Prince Yong, as steady as he was, couldn't help but tremble slightly when he peered into the ring. He didn't expect others to reach Su Min's level—but even if they could train a Tier One alchemist, that alone would be of immeasurable value to his faction.

"Well then... I take my leave. We shall meet again—if fate allows."

Without hesitation, Su Min turned and walked away. In just a few breaths, her figure disappeared from sight.

"She's... gone."

The two young men beside Prince Yong opened their mouths but could find no words. They were stunned.

"She is not someone who can be kept," Prince Yong said quietly. "My body is already riddled with hidden ailments. I likely won't last much longer. Remember this, both of you—so long as you brothers remain united, our Prince Yong line will survive the chaos that's coming."

"Yes, Father."

The two sons trembled at his words. Though born of the same mother and close by nature, the pull of power could twist even blood against blood.

"There's more. For the next twenty years, I want every effort made to collect high-grade medicinal herbs and rare materials. Seal them properly and preserve them well. When Miss Su returns, they will be our bargaining chips."

"Yes."

The brothers exchanged a look—clearly, their father was already planning far ahead. Of course, Prince Yong understood well. No matter how powerful Su Min became, she would still need materials. Pills did not emerge from thin air. Who knew what heights her cultivation would reach upon her return? With such growth, she'd be able to refine even more precious and miraculous pills.

They had to be ready—to provide what she needed and request what they needed in turn. Even if she took most of it as compensation, it would still be worth every grain.