"Ooh-la-la—"
Accompanied by the strange, rhythmic wail of exotic instruments, several graceful women with exposed, swaying midriffs danced lightly across the carpets of the large royal tent. Yet, despite the spectacle, none of the three seated figures inside showed any real interest in the performance. The King of U'er sitting at the head, the monk Hui Ming who served as the national preceptor, and Su Min all remained largely indifferent, their attention elsewhere.
Had it been under normal, more relaxed circumstances, Su Min might have spared them an appreciative glance or two. But now, with a city slaughtering monster on her mind? Sorry, she had absolutely no mental space for such distractions.
"Hmph, they are not even as pretty as me," she grumbled inwardly, slicing a piece of roasted lamb with her knife and tossing it into her mouth. "Other than having a slightly bigger chest, they are good for nothing." She was not jealous, of course. It was a simple, objective observation.
Although the local cooking method was somewhat crude, relying on open flames and simple spices, the taste was not bad. The meat was tender and flavorful. After all, she had just survived over a month in the desert, sometimes living solely on bland fasting pills, and there were very few things she would refuse to eat now. She still had a stockpile of dried seafood in her ring, gifts from the grateful coastal governor and local fishermen before she had left.
Beside her, the monk Hui Ming, who held the title of national preceptor, was much the same. He ate the lamb and flatbread calmly without sparing the dancing girls a single glance. In this world, martial cultivation required substantial physical energy, and that meant meat consumption was a necessity. Thus, even monks of this land did not abstain from eating meat; the precept was interpreted as not killing the animal oneself. As for women, they, much like in the monastic traditions Su Min remembered from her past life, were generally avoided to prevent attachment.
"Dismiss them." Seeing his two powerful guests engrossed in their food and conversation, the King of U'er let out a soft, understanding sigh and waved his hand, signaling the dancers to leave. The grand tent quickly quieted down, the air clearing of perfume and music.
The King of U'er ruled the vast grasslands neighboring the endless desert. Due to the isolating expanse of sand and the weakening of the Great Wei's central power, the desert regions and their outskirts had long since been ruled by various independent tribes. The King of U'er had only managed to secure his throne and unite the clans thanks to his national preceptor, Hui Ming, and the small group of disciplined monks under his command.
Now, almost everyone in this fledgling kingdom had converted to Buddhism, though the harsh living conditions meant that no grand, permanent temples had yet been built. Being the direct disciple of a powerful venerable master from beyond the Barrier, Hui Ming was a man of good character. His assistance in uniting the desert tribes had not been for personal power or wealth, but out of a simple, compassionate desire to end the centuries of internecine bloodshed and suffering.
Thus, he now held an exalted status, serving as both the king's most trusted advisor and his spiritual confidant. Even the young prince, heir to the throne, practiced Buddhism and basic cultivation under Hui Ming's guidance, though no one could yet say how far his talent would take him.
Su Min, now half a Buddhist cultivator herself, knew well that organized religion was rarely entirely benevolent or selfless. What the future held for this kingdom under Buddhist influence was uncertain, but it did not matter much to her immediate goals. For now, she had her own path to follow and a monster to kill.
"Master," the King said, his tone respectful as he looked at the young woman before him, "since you come personally recommended by our national preceptor, I will not waste words with excessive pleasantries. I hear you have come to deal with the... monster?"
Su Min tossed another piece of lamb into her mouth and replied lazily, "That is right." She chewed thoughtfully for a moment before adding, "Sounds like that thing has put a lot of pressure on you."
Although she sounded casual, her body instinctively tensed, her spiritual senses stretching out to read the atmosphere in the tent. Sure enough, after her words fell, a heavy, grim silence enveloped the space. Even the guards standing at the perimeter tightened their grips on their spears, their knuckles turning white.
"We desert folk have three major oases where our cities are built," the king began, his voice low. "For countless years, tribes fought and died over their ownership. With the preceptor's help, I finally unified them, bringing a fragile peace. But last year..."
At this, the king visibly shuddered, a raw, unconcealed terror clouding his face. "It appeared. A monster, its entire body covered in flashing, sharp, blade like appendages. It moved like a sandstorm. In a single night, it slaughtered an entire city, every man, woman, and child in Al'Shariq. Not a single soul was left alive." He swallowed hard. "Not even the rats in the sewers."
"Hiss—"
Su Min inhaled sharply through her teeth. Even she, who had seen much, had never heard of something so thorough and horrifying. This was not a battle, it was a city wide extermination. Such a scale of tragedy had not even occurred in the chaotic heart of Great Wei. And if not even a rat survived, that spoke to a terrifyingly thorough and indiscriminate murderous nature. Her gaze instinctively shifted to Hui Ming. After all, he was the strongest cultivator in this land, and surely his master had warned him about this creature and told him to be cautious.
"This humble monk... my skills are lacking," Hui Ming said, his head bowed slightly in shame. "Had my master been here in his full power, he might have had a way. But he left for Great Wei long ago, and we have heard nothing since. Since the massacre, I have fought the creature several times to drive it from the remaining cities... but I am no match." With those heavy words, Hui Ming pulled aside his simple robe, revealing his scarred upper body. Several deep, jagged wounds, dark against his skin, lay perilously close to his heart and lungs. Surviving such injuries spoke both to great luck and his own formidable cultivation base.
"Eat this first," Su Min said, her tone all business. She flipped her palm, producing a perfectly round, jade green pill that glowed with soft light, and tossed it to him. Hui Ming caught it, glanced at it for only a second, then swallowed it without hesitation, trusting her completely. Instantly, his body radiated a soft, warm glow, and the terrible, old scars began healing at a speed visible to the naked eye, the flesh knitting together and smoothing over. Such was the power of a true alchemist. A single, high grade pill could reverse the brink of death and restore vitality.
Su Min had given him the pill not out of pure kindness, but because she was not entirely confident she could face the monster alone. She needed Hui Ming at full strength, a capable ally in the coming fight.
"And where is the monster now?" she asked, turning her sharp eyes back to the king.
"It roams the deep desert, between the oases," the king said, his voice heavy with the weight of the strategy. "To protect the remaining two cities, we have had to... send out small, fast parties to lure it away when it draws near. It is an act of near certain death for those riders. It is not a long term solution." The moral cost of this tactic was etched on his face.
Seeing the monk's wounds rapidly fading, the king's expression finally eased somewhat, the deep lines of worry softening, no longer looking quite so miserable.
But still, a shadow remained.
"Can you... can you contact the national preceptor's master?" the king asked, holding onto a final, fragile shred of hope.
"Impossible," Su Min said flatly, dashing that hope without ceremony. "He is from beyond this world, from Lingxi Prefecture. His presence here is bound by heavy restrictions from the Boundary Formation. Self preservation is the most he can manage, let alone projecting power to help others."
She let that sink in for a moment before continuing, her voice firm and confident. "And besides, you have two Qi Refining cultivators now. I am already at the mid stage of Qi Refining. Facing the monster together, we have a decent chance." She then glanced at Hui Ming, and after a moment's practical thought, made an offer:
"Do you have any rare ores or spiritual metals? If so, I can forge a defensive magic artifact for you. It might save your life in the fight. But in exchange," she said, her tone leaving no room for negotiation, "once we slay the monster, I want its entire corpse. All of it."
"Agreed," came a calm, immediate voice.
It was Hui Ming, still seated with his eyes closed, focusing on fully absorbing the pill's energy. He did not need to consult his king. The monster's body was a small price to pay for the survival of his people and the chance to eradicate the creature that haunted them.