"Ooh-la-la—!"
Accompanied by the strange, rhythmic wail of exotic desert instruments, several graceful women with exposed, swaying midriffs danced lightly across the thick carpets of the large royal tent. Their movements were fluid, like water flowing over stone, the gold bangles on their wrists chiming with every sharp turn. Yet despite the intricate spectacle, none of the three seated figures inside showed any real interest in the performance. King U'er, seated at the head, the monk Hui Ming who served as the national preceptor, and Su Min all remained largely indifferent. Their attention was focused elsewhere, anchored to much darker matters.
Had it been under normal, more relaxed circumstances, Su Min might have spared them an appreciative glance or two for their skill. But now, with a city-slaughtering monster on her mind? She had absolutely no mental space for such trivial distractions.
"Hmph, they aren't even as pretty as me," she grumbled inwardly, her eyes narrowing as she watched the dancers. "Other than having a slightly bigger chest, they are good for nothing."
Although the local cooking method was somewhat crude, relying on open flames and simple, pungent spices like toasted cumin and crushed chili, the taste of the feast wasn't bad at all. The meat was tender and flavorful under her knife. After all, she had just survived over a month in the harsh desert, sometimes living solely on bland fasting pills and recycled air. 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 the sea behind.
Beside her, Hui Ming was much the same in his habits. 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 practical necessity for his body. Thus, even the monks of this land didn't abstain from eating meat; the precept was interpreted as not killing the animal oneself. As for women, they were generally avoided to prevent the growth of worldly attachment.
"Dismiss them." Seeing his two powerful guests engrossed in their food and private conversation, King U'er let out a soft sigh and waved his hand. He signaled the dancers to leave the pavilion. The grand tent quickly quieted down, the air clearing of heavy perfume and the echo of music.
King U'er ruled the vast, arid 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 had only managed to secure his throne and unite the warring 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 in the sands. Being the direct disciple of a powerful venerable master from beyond the Boundary, Hui Ming was a man of good character. His assistance in uniting the desert tribes hadn't been for personal power or wealth, but out of a simple desire to end the centuries of bloodshed and suffering among the people.
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 his guidance, though no one could yet say how far the boy's 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 didn't 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 have come personally recommended by our national preceptor, I won't waste words with excessive pleasantries. I hear you have come to deal with the... monster?"
Su Min tossed another piece of seasoned lamb into her mouth and replied lazily, "That's right." She chewed thoughtfully for a moment before adding, "Sounds like that thing has put a lot of pressure on you lately."
Although she sounded casual, her body instinctively tensed. Her spiritual senses stretched out to read the heavy atmosphere in the tent. Sure enough, a grim silence enveloped the space. Even the guards standing at the perimeter tightened their grips on their spears, their knuckles turning white against the wood.
"We desert folk have three major oases where our cities are built," the king began, his voice low and gravelly. "For countless years, tribes fought and died over their ownership. With the preceptor's help, I finally unified them, bringing a fragile peace to the sands. But last year..."
At this, the king visibly shuddered, terror clouding his face. "It appeared. A monster, its entire body covered in flashing, sharp, blade-like appendages. It moved like a living 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 survived its hunger."
"Hiss..."
Su Min inhaled sharply through her teeth. Even she, who had seen much in her travels, had never heard of something so thorough and horrifying. This wasn't a battle; it was a city-wide extermination. Such a scale of tragedy hadn't even occurred in the chaotic heart of Great Wei. If not even a rat survived, that spoke to a terrifyingly thorough and indiscriminate murderous nature. Her gaze instinctively shifted to the monk. 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," he said, his head bowed slightly in a gesture of 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'm no match for its ferocity."
With those heavy words, he 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," she 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. He 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 knitted together and smoothed over the bone. Such was the power of a true alchemist. A single, high-grade pill could reverse the brink of death and restore vitality.
She had given him the pill not out of pure kindness, but because she wasn't entirely confident she could face the monster alone. She needed him 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 remaining oases," the king said, his voice heavy. "To protect the cities, we have had to... send out small, fast parties to lure it away when it draws near. It's an act of near-certain death for those riders. It isn't a long-term solution for my people." The moral cost of this tactic was etched clearly on his face.
Seeing the monk's wounds rapidly fading, the king's expression finally eased somewhat. The deep lines of worry softened as he no longer looked quite so miserable.
But still, a shadow remained over them.
"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'm already at the mid-stage of Qi Refining. Facing the monster together, we have a decent chance." She then glanced at the preceptor, 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 while focusing on fully absorbing the pill's potent energy. He didn't need to consult his king for such a decision. 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.