Lonely smoke rises straight into the vast desert; The setting sun sinks round over the long river.
Across the boundless sands, a lone figure in black robes streaked forward, her silhouette swift as the desert winds. It was Su Min. After entering the desert, she had blasted out a hollow in the dunes and taken a rare, luxurious bath.
The robe she wore was not a finished artifact but one she had personally woven from rare silkworm threads. It was a humble garment with only one enchantment, meant to ward off wind and sand. With her current cultivation at the Qi Refining Stage, no ordinary environment could threaten her. The discomfort she once felt was now little more than irritation. With the sandstorms barred and the brutal shifts of temperature rendered moot, the desert posed no more danger to her than a shallow stream.
Her resources were plentiful. She carried an entire swimming pool's worth of clean water, tons of grain, meat, and vegetables, all sealed within her storage ring where time itself stood still. Though she traveled without escort or baggage, her true retinue was a mobile fortress of supplies.
Here it is, she thought, the largest city on the grasslands—Carl City. A pity.
The merchant guilds could not extend their reach here, so no help was to be found from them. She glanced down at the weathered map in her hand and sighed. Her safe arrival owed much to her cultivation and preparation. Ordinary travelers stood little chance. Behind her stretched the so-called Death Desert, a graveyard for the unwary. Even the boldest merchants dared not venture there.
So close to Lingxi Prefecture, yet still cut off by the Boundary Formations. In the first chapter of the game, even players rarely came here. The reason was simple: the land was barren. There were few alchemical ingredients, sparse monsters, and scarce rewards. Only those chasing rare opportunities, as Su Min was, had reason to brave these wastelands. Worse still, there were no clear maps showing monster locations.
"Tch. Poor mountains and fierce waters truly birthed only rogues. The old saying held true."
Upon stepping into Carl City, Su Min pressed a hand to her brow. Though swathed in flowing gauze, her slender form could not be hidden. Not an inch of flesh was exposed, yet the ethereal grace she exuded—now faintly tinged with a divine aura after mastering the Great Sun Tathāgata Sutra—could not be concealed.
The moment she passed through the humble city gate, every gaze turned toward her. Lust. Greed. Yearning. All too familiar. She had long grown numb to such looks.
"Hmph!"
Su Min's reaction was simple and violent. A cold snort, laced with the resonance of Buddhist mantras, thundered through the air. The blast struck directly at their spirits, leaving many staggering, some bleeding from their ears. She had no wish to stain this city with blood, but she would remind them clearly that she was no prey.
As expected, the prying eyes withdrew at once. Satisfied, Su Min nodded. Understanding one's limits spared everyone much suffering. Besides, who would bring her information if she frightened them all away?
"Hmm? Even this backwater has a Qi Refining cultivator?"
Her sharp senses pricked instantly. An unfamiliar aura—a cultivator's—was approaching at astonishing speed. In the blink of an eye, he appeared before her.
"Amitābha. Just now, I sensed a friend arriving from afar. Judging by your aura, you too must walk the Buddhist path?"
The newcomer appeared to be a man in his thirties. His long beard made him look older; without it, he might have seemed quite young.
"I recently parted ways with a monk after exchanging teachings for several days. I have learned a few Buddhist sutras. I bear no ill intent. I have come to slay a demon."
Before Su Min could finish, the man's face lit up.
"You have met my master?!"
"As expected," Su Min smirked inwardly. "This monk was indeed that man's disciple. Without such a connection, he would never have advanced to Qi Refining so swiftly."
"We parted ways. He was only a projection and could not grow stronger. He has gone to pursue his grand cause of saving the world. I have come to destroy a certain demon."
Su Min spoke calmly, her eyes closed, concealing her wariness. One must not harbor ill intent, yet carelessness was just as dangerous. Even if she meant no harm to others, vigilance was essential.
But then—
"You mean... that demon?"
At once, the monk's face paled. The surrounding townsfolk also turned toward the distant horizon with terror in their eyes, as if the mere memory of the thing sent chills down their spines.
"Huh?"
Su Min frowned. Clearly, this was no ordinary foe.
"Please, come with me. Let us seek an audience with His Majesty the King. With your help, Master, surely we can prevail!"
The monk's voice carried urgency but no deceit. Instead of greed, his eyes showed only hope.
"Is it truly so formidable? You are a Qi Refining cultivator, and a Buddhist disciple at that. Surely you know many powerful methods?" Su Min's expression grew solemn.
The clam spirit she had fought before had been troublesome only because it could flee into the sea. Its combat power had been mediocre. If not for its speed, she could have slain it easily. Yet now, even this monk—and the entire city—trembled at the mention of the demon.
Clearly, this was no ordinary hunt. But so be it. Whether gold or blood, merit had to be earned through steel.