Bang
With a dull thud, the furnace before Su Min exploded into fragments once again. The closest to it, she was left with a face full of soot, looking like a panda that had been digging coal.
A stream of water soon washed over her, restoring her pristine appearance.
"Failed again. I've almost blown through all my materials. Can't keep wasting them like this."
Staring at the pile of ashes in the furnace, Su Min rubbed her temples in frustration. Becoming an eighth-grade alchemist was no easy feat, and she had already exhausted most of her relatively cheaper materials.
The problem she faced now was simple: her soul power wasn't strong enough.
"Damn it all! I can't afford to waste any more. Even though these materials are considered relatively common, those suitable for refining eighth-grade pills are ultimately rare."
Grumbling under her breath, she cleaned her furnace and put it away before leaving the chamber. As for her appearance, she hadn't cared about it from the start.
At this point, there was no need to fuss over such things.
However, as soon as Su Min stepped out, a powerful aura—no weaker than her own—approached from the distance and landed in the sect's main hall.
"She's back."
The owner of that aura was Xie Yingying. Since Su Min had been in seclusion, Xie Yingying had attended the sect conference in her place. With her strength, no one dared to look down on the possessor of the Lunar Sovereign Body.
Su Min immediately transformed into a streak of light, flashing into the main hall in an instant.
"How did the conference go? These kinds of meetings, involving complex matters, tend to drag on for a long time."
After all, they were cultivators. In some ways, they could be considered long-lived beings, so their sense of time was different from ordinary people's.
Especially when it came to disputes over interests that couldn't be resolved through force, it wasn't uncommon for arguments to stretch on for decades.
"It's settled. According to reports, three more sects were wiped out during this period. That finally forced them to reach an agreement and stop squabbling over trivial matters."
"That's good."
Su Min was slightly surprised, but Xie Yingying seemed rather relaxed about it.
"What about the Immortal Sect?"
"Well, the Immortal Sect... is a bit special."
"Oh?"
"Because of you."
"Huh?"
"Almost every sect wants a direct connection with us so they can interact with you more. They almost came to blows over it. The scene was..."
At this point, Xie Yingying couldn't help but laugh wryly. Of course, not all sects were in a hurry. For example, the Immortal Sect wasn't particularly anxious—their strength was overwhelming. With Su Min's return, they could now field several Dao Comprehension-stage experts, including one at the late Dao Comprehension stage and two with incredibly rare physiques. None of the other sects dared to make moves near their territories.
Of course, if anyone dared to cause trouble in Su Min's domain, she wouldn't hesitate to lead a team to hunt them down.
"So how was it resolved in the end?"
Su Min merely shrugged. "Heh, I'm just that charming. I've long since gotten used to it."
"Three superpower-level factions will establish direct links with us. They happen to be located in other corners of this continent, so they can serve as fast transit points. I've already ordered preparations to begin. This agreement is very favorable for us. In the future, more rare treasures will pass through Eastern Mulberry Province to reach various parts of the continent, which means you'll have access to more medicinal ingredients."
"That's great."
Su Min nodded in satisfaction. When one's strength and influence reached a certain level, there were often only two choices left: a big win or a small win. It wasn't something she actively sought—it just happened naturally.
"By the way, I heard some interesting news while I was there. Would you like to check it out?"
Xie Yingying quickly changed the subject, bringing up something else.
"What is it?"
"The Damo Secret Realm is about to open. It's said that there's an unowned Emperor-tier artifact inside. The Buddhist sects want to claim it, but they've all failed so far. Would you like to take a look? After all, you have some connections with them."
"Those monks again?"
"Yep, those bald donkeys."
"Uh... any specifics?"
"Do you remember when we destroyed Future Maitreya Mountain? Their resistance was desperate, but the intensity was lacking. The damage to their Collective Vow was one thing, but they never even brought out their Emperor-tier artifact."
"Wait—wouldn't it be bad if I went? What if the artifact's spirit goes berserk when it sees me?"
Su Min shook her head vigorously. Wasn't this just asking for trouble? She was the one who had annihilated their sect. Going there would be like walking into a trap.
"Don't worry. Thanks to your actions, none of the major Buddhist branches can claim to be clean. Besides, the power of an Emperor-tier artifact far surpasses your imagination. Back then, it didn't intervene probably not because it was unaware, but because it deemed Future Maitreya Mountain no longer worth preserving. Plus, it seems like you've hit another bottleneck."
"Alright, I've got nothing to say to that."
Su Min covered her face with her hands. Indeed, if she continued cultivating normally, it would take her at least a thousand years to reach the eighth-grade realm. But her alchemy progress was stuck, and it might even delay her breakthrough to the Unity stage.
"What's inside the Damo Secret Realm?"
"No idea. The Buddhist sects are notoriously secretive. This information came from Kong Hui—they must be truly desperate to ask for your help. You might find some unexpected gains there."
"Fine, I'll go take a look."
After some thought, Su Min realized she didn't have a better alternative. If she stuck to conventional cultivation, who knew what the future held?
In the game, there were no supreme experts like Yao Xian'er or the little monk to rely on. But now that both of them were missing, it was clear this world was far more complicated than it appeared. Since this opportunity had presented itself, she might as well take it—perhaps she could learn something from the Great Thunder Temple.
"Alright, I'll set off now."
With that, Su Min nodded and transformed into a streak of light, vanishing into the horizon. Her impulsive departure left Xie Yingying shaking her head in amusement.
Su Min's path was different from hers—more arduous and challenging. So this kind of running around was actually beneficial, far better than idling in the sect.
Besides, there wasn't much for her to worry about now. The fallen ones' organization remained deeply hidden, with no trace of their stronghold—if they even had one.
"First, I'll head to the Great Thunder Temple. From there, I can go elsewhere."
The journey from Eastern Mulberry Province to the Great Thunder Temple only involved crossing a strait and passing through Wei Wu Province. At her current level, it wouldn't take long. However, as she entered the Great Thunder Temple's territory, she slowed down.
A Dao Comprehension-stage expert arriving without concealment was no small matter. Almost instantly, several Arhats appeared before her.
"Amitabha. May this humble monk ask why the benefactor has come?"
The Arhats spoke cautiously to the young woman before them. Though their cultivation was decent—Nascent Soul stage—they were no match for Su Min.
"Oh, you don't recognize me? Well, it has been a few hundred years. You must be recent disciples."
"That is correct."
The Arhats exchanged glances before nodding. As long as they could communicate, it was fine. They just needed to wait for a stronger presence to arrive.
Sure enough, the next moment, golden light flashed across the sky. A massive phantom appeared, gazing down at Su Min like a celestial deity.
Collective Vow.
Unlike the shoddy version used by Future Maitreya Mountain, this was the complete and undamaged version. Su Min frowned—even she found this thing troublesome and dangerous. The power of these monks was no joke. She wondered how they had been wiped out in the game.
"Benefactor Su, it has been a long time. You may leave now."
At that moment, a familiar voice rang out. A figure descended from the sky and landed before Su Min.
"It really has been a while. My cultivation has finally caught up to yours."
Su Min smiled faintly at the monk before her—Kong Hui, the second-in-command of the Great Thunder Temple. Sensing her aura, he had rushed over immediately.
"This person is Master Su Min?"
The Arhats were stunned. They were first-generation disciples, talented individuals who had emerged in the past few centuries. None had seen Su Min in person, but her name was legendary. Their territories bordered each other, making them neighbors.
The Great Thunder Temple had strictly restrained its followers from causing trouble in the Immortal Sect's domain. They didn't even send out Golden Core-stage cultivators, exercising extreme caution.
"You may leave. I have important matters to discuss with Benefactor Su."
Kong Hui dismissed the onlookers with a wave. The Arhats didn't dare protest, bowing respectfully before departing. Matters of this level were beyond their Nascent Soul-stage capabilities.
"Please forgive their ignorance. This area is relatively safe, so we've stationed many first-generation disciples here. If anything happens, they can quickly retreat to your territory."
"Seeking refuge?"
Su Min rolled her eyes. So they were here as potential refugees? Kong Hui's bluntness was almost refreshing. Though it was a worst-case scenario, they had clearly made contingency plans. Given their past ties, Su Min would likely offer them shelter if needed.
As for them causing trouble? Impossible. What could a bunch of Nascent Soul-stage cultivators do?
"Benefactor Su, your strength and fortune are truly exceptional. This humble monk is only at the mid Dao Comprehension stage. Advancing to the Unity stage is proving extremely difficult."
Kong Hui smiled ruefully. His cultivation had also hit a bottleneck.
The Great Thunder Temple's reincarnation method was formidable, but its effects diminished at the Dao Comprehension stage. Their so-called reincarnation didn't preserve the original person, so the laws of the Great Dao would inevitably change. Even minor deviations could drastically slow cultivation.
Thus, like Su Min, Kong Hui was stuck at the mid Dao Comprehension stage.
"What was the peak cultivation of your past lives?"
Su Min couldn't help her curiosity.
"Mahayana stage. But that was only in one lifetime. Each incarnation is different—some never reached Mahayana."
"I see."
Su Min nodded thoughtfully but quickly moved on. This was their internal affair, none of her business. What she really cared about was something else.
"What's the deal with the Damo Secret Realm?"
"It's the legacy realm of Future Maitreya Mountain. Though the sect was destroyed, its roots ran deep. Many of their remnants remain."
"Uh..."
Su Min's eyelid twitched. This was clearly related to her—she was the one who had annihilated them. Would this count against her?
"Benefactor Su, there's no need for concern. I once entered with an Emperor-tier artifact. When the two Buddhist artifacts met, their spirits awakened."
"And then?"
"I told them about you."
"Seriously?"
Su Min wanted to curse. This was too much!
"It wishes to meet you."
"What? Meet me, not kill me?"
"No. Future Maitreya Mountain's artifact is called the Seed of Future Maitreya. The name alone should hint at its abilities. There's one more thing you should know."
"What is it?"
Su Min's brow furrowed. This was getting more complicated than she'd expected.
"The founder of Future Maitreya Mountain was different from our Great Thunder Temple and the Ancient Lamp Temple. That Buddha trained austerely in our temple for many years before achieving Buddhahood in ten lifetimes and establishing Future Maitreya Mountain."
"What?"
"Ten lifetimes to Buddhahood" meant using ten reincarnations to reach the Ascension stage—the so-called Great Emperor realm. But how was this possible? Normally, if one reached their limit, breaking through in the next life would be just as hard.
"That's because that Buddha spent ten lifetimes reaching the Dao Comprehension stage. The Great Dao he sought to comprehend was the Dao of Time."
"..."
Well, that was a path Su Min had never considered. And this was top-secret information she'd never heard before.
"In his final lifetime, upon reaching the Dao Comprehension stage, he incurred immense karmic consequences. Thus, he lived modestly and passed away at ten thousand years of age, unable to reincarnate again."
Kong Hui gave Su Min a meaningful look. Clearly, her mastery of the Time Dao had spread—she'd used it too many times to hide it.