"Since I've protected you until your birth, it's only fair you give me a part of yourself first."
For the past ten years, Su Min's sole purpose had been to watch over this treasure.
After all, even the rarest heavenly materials and spiritual treasures are fragile before their full maturity. At this stage, they were no different from ordinary plants—vulnerable, helpless, and easily destroyed. Thus, it was natural for them to emit special fluctuations at certain stages of growth to attract nearby cultivators for protection.
And now, the time of reward had arrived.
Just as expected, the vine that bore the gourd floated gently toward Su Min, unfurling itself before her.
[Verdant Wood Vines (Mid-Grade Yellow Tier): A vine nurturing a wondrous treasure. After maturity, it loses its original function. Infusing it with wood-attribute spiritual power grants control over plant life within a certain radius. It may also serve as a core material for crafting spiritual artifacts.]
"Excellent. With this, it will be enough to arrange the defenses I need over the next three months," Su Min murmured, narrowing her eyes as she examined the vine in her hand.
At this stage, the treasure gourd had already reached the final phase of maturity, absorbing the light of the Great Dao—a phenomenon that marked the ultimate awakening of a heaven-born treasure.
As for the gourd itself, Su Min was highly satisfied.
Unlike ordinary cultivators, players in this world possessed a unique constitution. They were born without spiritual roots—more like primordial chaos itself—able to cultivate almost any technique. Their elemental attributes would only awaken according to the cultivation methods they practiced.
As Su Min continuously channeled wood-attribute spiritual power into the vine, the plants and trees of the surrounding mountain forest began to change dramatically. Especially under the baptism of the Great Dao's light, countless plants awakened the faintest traces of spiritual consciousness.
As the saying goes: "When one ascends to immortality, even their chickens and dogs ascend with them."
Bathed in this radiant brilliance, even the smallest blade of grass birthed a wisp of spirit. They also began to comprehend rudimentary cultivation techniques. Though their sentience remained shallow, all these plants owed their awakening to the gourd—and thus, naturally, they would heed its commands.
The vine in Su Min's hand was the key to commanding them.
"They've practically become spirits already... Good," Su Min muttered to herself, surveying the undulating bamboo groves around her. "Twenty bamboo spirits, and over thirty other wood spirits—this is not a bad lineup at all."
In truth, these bamboo spirits had long ties to Su Min. Over the past decade, she had concocted countless pills, discarding heaps of medicinal dregs into the bamboo forest. Over time, these remnants had nourished the bamboos, imbuing them with latent spiritual energy.
Now, under the radiance of the Great Dao, they had awakened in an instant. It was karma in its purest form. Even without the Greenwood Vine, these spirits would still have been obliged to obey Su Min's command—at least once.
Thus, in an instant, the entire mountain changed.
It was as if ten years had passed overnight. Dense bamboo groves, intertwined with creeping vines, enshrouded an entire mountain peak, creating a natural fortress. Hidden amidst the lush greenery were not only ordinary plants but also a multitude of fledgling monsters.
"Perfect. Now I only need to sit back and wait. This will also help temper my path of slaughter," Su Min said, finally setting her mind at ease.
In this forest, where moisture clung thick in the air and where plant spirits lurked, fire attacks would be largely ineffective.
Moreover, cultivators below the Foundation Establishment stage could not fly freely—even Su Min herself was no exception. Thus, any intruder would have no choice but to venture on foot through the dense, treacherous forest, facing countless obstacles at every turn.
Su Min had also noticed a troubling stagnation in her path of slaughter ever since she had exterminated that small squad sent after her. Neither mass slaughter nor bullying the weak seemed capable of advancing her Dao any further.
Thus, anyone capable of crossing the forest and reaching her must, without doubt, be a formidable Foundation Establishment cultivator. And at present, such individuals could only have ties to that wretched Demon Empress within the imperial palace. Su Min knew enough of their methods—disgusting, vile—and the emperor himself was no better.
"Let's see how many of you dare come. If you can't even pass through my Sea of Trees, don't bother wasting your time. But if you insist on barging in—then don't blame me for being merciless."
She smiled faintly as she gazed at the endless sea of forest before her. She had anticipated this moment for the past ten years. Against a Foundation Establishment cultivator, no matter how many Body Refinement cultivators were thrown at her, it would be useless—unless they had their own Foundation Establishment experts to match.
Thus, all Su Min had to do was break through to the Foundation Establishment stage before they arrived. Then, she could seize the treasure for herself without worry. As for the lackeys the dog emperor might send—killing them would be a fine way to vent her long-held grudge.
After all, back when she had first transmigrated to this world, she had been tormented terribly by them. She had not forgotten that debt. Of course, the emperor could no longer muster a hundred-thousand-strong army to crush her—but sending a few elite experts was still within his capabilities. His control over resources far exceeded anything Su Min could hope to match at the moment.
~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~
Still, Su Min wasn't concerned about these spirits harming innocents after she left.
Typically, plant spirits lived by absorbing the spiritual essence of heaven and earth, growing slowly. Even now, after receiving the gourd's blessing, they found blood and flesh harmful rather than nourishing.
"Right. Before I leave, I should warn the villagers. Tell them to regularly offer sacrifices to the forest spirits—perhaps sprinkle ash made from burned spiritual herbs as fertilizer. That way, the spirits will protect them in return."
After all, a great battle was imminent. Most of the villagers had already evacuated deeper into the mountains, awaiting the day they could return. If they treated the spirits well, these creatures could even become their protectors—simple guardian spirits, not tyrants. Su Min wasn't certain whether the villagers might become scapegoats after her departure. Still, it cost her nothing to leave them a means of survival. And just as she had predicted, within less than a month—
Several cultivators had already arrived. Some, after a few tests, wisely retreated. Others, stubborn to the end, perished within the boundless forest—never even catching a glimpse of the treasure, let alone stepping foot into Su Min's courtyard.