Great Wei Imperial Capital
The once-glorious capital now stood desolate and crumbling. Those who passed by the resplendent palace wore expressions of tension and fear. What was once a sacred symbol of imperial authority had become an object of dread.
In the Yangxin Palace in the imperial palace, the Emperor of Great Wei sat, his breathing slow and steady. Before him, a young boy—no more than a teenager—withered at a terrifying speed. In the blink of an eye, the boy lived out the entirety of a human life, his body rapidly dehydrating, until all that remained was a shriveled skeleton. At the same time, the Emperor's aura surged noticeably.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty, on reaching the late stage of Body Refining," a sultry voice purred. A figure approached, her steps lazy and seductive. As she passed the dried corpse, she casually kicked it aside without even sparing it a glance.
"Progress is still too slow." the Emperor said with a frown.
"There's no helping it," the woman replied lightly. "Your Majesty is too old. If not for that, we wouldn't need to resort to such heaven-defying methods. It's just a pity—of all your descendants, only a dozen or so remain."
"It matters not," the Emperor said with a cruel smile. "Now that I have stepped onto the path of cultivation, my body is brimming with vitality. And thanks to the tiger's… gift from the Fu King, more than a hundred of my concubines are already pregnant. Materials will never be lacking."
"Then I must congratulate Your Majesty. Soon, we shall share in eternal life together." The woman smiled wickedly, then added, "By the way, it seems the Empress has been making some moves lately. The family backing her—"
"A short-sighted woman," the Emperor snorted. "A barren woman is useless to me. Send the Demon-Slaying Divisions. Exterminate them all. Throw their corpses into the Bone-Melting Pool—to become the foundation of my everlasting empire."
"As you command," the woman replied smoothly. "Also, about Sect Master Zhao… Reports indicated he was at death's door. How is it that he returned last year, brimming with vitality?"
"I've already dispatched a team from the Demon Execution Division to investigate. They say he likely consumed some kind of elixir," the Emperor said indifferently.
"An alchemist?" The woman's expression immediately grew solemn.
"Hm?"
"Even in ancient times, alchemists were exceedingly rare. A single pill they refine can shatter barriers that would otherwise take a lifetime to overcome. Countless powerhouses willingly lower themselves to befriend a skilled alchemist—their connections are terrifying beyond measure."
"I see. This one likely resides in the Southern Frontier."
""Judging by the effects, they are likely a Tier Two Alchemist. Only pills of that level could save someone as close to death as Sect Master Zhao. Moreover, a Tier Two Alchemist could refine something even more precious."
"Oh? What is it?"
"The Qi-Inducing Pill," the woman said solemnly. "Your Majesty, consuming one could help you break through into the Qi Refining Stage."
At her words, even the Emperor's stoic face twitched, and his breathing grew subtly rushed.
"I see. I—"
Before he could finish speaking, he abruptly stiffened, sensing a tremor rippling through the air. The woman beside him froze as well, her pupils contracting sharply.
"This fluctuation… Could it be the birth of a Heaven and Earth Treasure?" she gasped.
"Heaven and Earth Treasure?"
"Extremely rare artifacts born of nature's purest energies," the woman explained quickly. "Ordinarily, I would personally investigate. However, because I infused part of my spiritual energy into Your Majesty's body to heal your illness, I cannot stray too far from you. And you, too, cannot leave the capital easily."
She paused, then said decisively, "In that case, we'll need to sacrifice several Body Refining cultivators."
The Emperor's expression twisted slightly at her words. The Emperor's face spasmed. The woman possessed a secret technique that could temporarily elevate ordinary people to Body Refining strength—at the cost of reducing their lifespans to a mere decade.
Even so, these cultivators were invaluable. The Emperor knew his actions would plunge the empire into chaos—he needed overwhelming force to maintain his rule.
~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~
Despite decades of effort, the Emperor had only managed to gather thirty to forty true Body Refining cultivators under his command—valuable assets indeed. He needed their strength to maintain control of a realm that would soon erupt into chaos.
"Do not hesitate," the woman said coldly. "With the materials I have, I can create three Qi Refining cultivators. Their strength will be unmatched. Your Majesty must understand: a single innate spiritual treasure is worth more than an army of a million soldiers."
"...Very well. Seize it at any cost."
Naturally, the Emperor and his consort were not the only ones who sensed the phenomenon. In the nearest city, merchants and their guards also gazed into the distant sky, where a pillar of golden light had pierced the heavens, faces grim with understanding. Unlike common folk, they knew more than most.
"Is that… Miss Su's territory?"
"It must be. No—there's no doubt about it. So that's why she chose to seclude herself in the Southern Borderlands… to protect a treasure like that."
The Body Refining guard who had met Su Min nodded silently. Compared to their merchant boss, he could feel the pull of the treasure even more keenly. The mystery that had plagued their minds—the question of why a young girl would choose to live in such a desolate wilderness—was now answered. His instincts screamed that the treasure was immensely powerful. But his reason warned him: Anyone who dares compete with her will die. His frail existence was no match for her.
"Should we send her reinforcements?" the guard asked hesitantly.
"No," the merchant said after a moment's thought. "Unless she asks for aid, we must stay out of it. Too many will lose themselves to greed."
After a long pause, the merchant sighed again. "Better to send an urgent message to all our branches—no one is to interfere. Miss Su is an alchemist. The benefits of earning her goodwill far outweigh any gamble for an unknown treasure."
They quickly settled on a plan: observe and wait. Su Min had not asked for help—and even if she had, their merchant association (nominally under the Fu King's banner) could not openly oppose the imperial court without repercussions. Even if they got involved, they would only become cannon fodder.
Yet while they understood this, others did not. Across the entire expanse of Great Wei, undercurrents began to churn and swirl. Countless figures stirred into motion, their eyes blazing with greed. For in that moment, an invisible message had echoed in the minds of all who had sensed the phenomenon:
[Three months remain until the treasure is born.]
This gave everyone ample time to converge on the Southern Frontier. And once a treasure entered this phase, it would be enveloped in a protective force. Ordinary hands could not touch it. And those who could… would not dare defile it. For to destroy a treasure born of heaven's will was to invite divine retribution.