Xuantian Mansion

"Hahaha! Brother Cao, it's been far too long! I didn't expect even you have reached the late stage of Qi Refinement."

A hearty voice echoed through the crowd—it belonged to none other than the Wulin (Martial arts) Alliance Leader, Mo Shaosheng. For him to maintain such a prestigious position, his strength and talent were beyond ordinary. Even without the aid of Qi-Gathering Pills, he had reached the pinnacle of Qi Refinement, and was already eligible to take the Foundation Establishment Pill. But the moment his eyes fell upon Su Min, he paused, visibly taken aback.

"You… Could it be—?"

"Ahem. That's enough, Master Mo," Cao Yuanmu interrupted with a chuckle before Su Min could respond. "The mansion will descend at any moment. The gentleman should return to his seat."

Seeing Su Min dressed so plainly, Cao understood she had no intention of drawing attention.

"Is that so…? Then, I'll be sure to pay a proper visit another day."

Mo Shaosheng didn't press the issue. He gave Su Min a long, meaningful look before turning to leave. As for the identity of the black-robed figure, a thought had already taken root in his heart. For someone to make these three arrogant and powerful cultivators behave so humbly—there could only be one such person in all of Great Wei.

Danxian, hailed as the number one figure in Great Wei.

Over the past twenty years, Mo Shaosheng's sect had painstakingly gathered many treasures. Once this expedition ended, he was determined to offer up everything in exchange for a single thing—a Foundation Establishment Pill.

He had already reached the Great Perfection of Qi Refinement, just a step away from Foundation Establishment. But that single step was a chasm that countless cultivators could never cross.

"As expected of Prince Yong Manor—even someone like Sect Leader Mo has to tread carefully around them."

"Keep your voice down. Don't let them hear."

Watching the brief exchange, many cultivators whispered among themselves. Prince Yong Manor's foundation was deep, with countless experts and control over vast lands, populations, and resources. They were far beyond the reach of ordinary martial sects.

But a select few narrowed their eyes at the black-robed figure. Mo Shaosheng was a peak Qi Refining expert. Those three were strong, but not enough to warrant such politeness from him. The reason had to be the robed one. And more importantly—they couldn't sense even a trace of her cultivation.

"Listen carefully. Once we're inside, gathering herbs and treasures is secondary. Our priority is to assist Prince Yong Manor. If they take an interest in something, do not compete. Help them secure it if possible."

Mo Shaosheng ignored the murmurs around him, quietly instructing his disciples. Why was he going to such lengths?

For that single step into Foundation Establishment, of course. And more importantly—Su Min's strength ten years ago had already surpassed his current level. Even now, at peak Qi Refining, he wasn't confident he could defeat either of the Flame and Earth Elders one-on-one, let alone when they merged. As for where she had disappeared for twenty years?

He could guess with his eyes closed. She had been breaking through to Foundation Establishment. He didn't know why it took her two decades, but one thing was certain—she was now far beyond his reach. Since he couldn't win in a fight (and would likely be instantly crushed), his best option was to earn her favor and then offer a mountain of rare herbs in exchange for a pill.

A single Foundation Establishment Pill would solve all his problems. Mo Shaosheng had figured it all out in mere seconds. His two Qi Refining disciples could only nod. They were only at the early stage, having struggled bitterly to reach even this level. The pills Su Min had left for Prince Yong Manor had long been used up, and without them, progress was agonizingly slow.

Suddenly—

"Jie jie jie... what a lively gathering we have here."

A sinister aura pierced the sky, accompanied by a grotesque laugh that made the skin crawl. The pressure slammed into the gathering crowd like a hammer.

The entire plaza gasped.

A Foundation Establishment cultivator—mid-stage, no less. And he wasn't alone—he brought seven or eight late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators in his wake. Everyone except Su Min inhaled sharply.

~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~

Su Min's eyes flickered with a trace of killing intent. Even though they disguised themselves well, she could still sense that revolting aura. These people were clearly recipients of the Demon Queen's secret arts.

"Who is that guy? He wasn't in the simulation. A mid-stage Foundation cultivator at this point… I should know him."

Su Min concealed her emotions masterfully, revealing nothing on her face. As for why she didn't strike here and now—the answer came almost immediately.

BOOM!

A deafening rumble echoed through the sky as a majestic palace came crashing down before them, landing squarely in front of the crowd.

"Xuantian Mansion."

The three large characters carved into the plaque glowed with ancient power.

This was no time to fight. If they started now, the treasures inside would be swept away in the chaos. Su Min didn't care for ordinary items—but she was here for the rare and high-grade materials capable of countering the Demonic Queen's trump cards. Other things, like the Golden Spirit Pill, were troublesome but not essential.

Though the system classified this domain as a Tianjiao Realm, that was simply a category. Its real name… was Xuantian Mansion.

With that, she rushed inside, taking the lead. As for the Demon Queen's followers? She wasn't in a hurry. Once inside, there would be plenty of chances to deal with them. The dark cultivators glared, their faces sinking. None of them had expected Su Min to ignore them completely and dart into the mansion.

"That's the alchemist who even the great clans fear… This time, we must bring her back—alive. Slowly."

The mid-stage Foundation cultivator sneered coldly. He was already twenty-something and had reached such a height—enough to look down on most of the world. Unfortunately, he'd grown up sheltered in the palace, and his name remained unknown. This secret realm was his chance to make a name for himself—to let the world know who the Crown Prince truly was.

As a proud son of heaven, he believed he deserved the best of everything—including women.

~

Inside the mansion—

"The spiritual energy in here… it's so rich."

The moment Su Min stepped inside, she was taken aback by the dense concentration of spiritual qi. But she quickly regained her composure.

"This place is now connected to our world. The spiritual energy will begin to dissipate soon and match the outside. Don't even think about cultivating in here. Still… with this kind of environment, there must be some exceptional herbs hidden inside."

She shot a sideways glance at the few cultivators around her, who were all intoxicated by the thick qi, and rolled her eyes.

"And this isn't even the main entrance," she added, scanning the surroundings. "There's a complex spatial structure here."

Clearly, the one who created this mansion possessed a level of cultivation far beyond her own.