Hearing this, Su Min no longer pressed the matter. Throwing that particular problem to the Buddhists was not a bad solution. In the hands of those monks, even a full powered Demon Queen would struggle to stir up trouble, let alone the lingering karma of a mere clam demon.
"One last thing," she said, her curiosity piqued. "What exactly is this 'Child of Destiny' you called me?"
"You will know soon enough," the monk replied cryptically, a knowing look in his eyes. "For now, go. Your victory banquet awaits."
Even as he spoke, waves of cheering and celebration rolled through the streets of the city. Governor Jia had returned with his troops, triumphant. But when Su Min turned her gaze back from the window, the monk had already vanished without a trace, as if he had never been there.
"A Foundation Establishment cultivator, huh…" she murmured. "Slipping away without even a ripple."
Narrowing her eyes, Su Min studied the empty space where he had stood. He had come and gone so seamlessly that her spiritual sense could not even catch a glimpse of his method. It was not just a matter of his higher cultivation realm, it was also because Buddhism possessed a complete and profoundly subtle inheritance system. Even if they were of equal strength, Su Min was not entirely confident she could win a direct confrontation against such refined techniques.
He had claimed he could not act casually in this realm, and she believed him, though she was equally certain he still had plenty of powerful cards hidden up his sleeve. Either way, it was not worth making an enemy of him now. Soon, the governor's mansion erupted in music and laughter, the halls brightly lit with lanterns and wine flowing freely.
"Many thanks to the Immortal Fairy for slaying the clam demon and saving the lives of our province's people!" Governor Jia proclaimed, raising his cup in a heartfelt toast.
At his words, everyone present in the inner chamber stood and bowed respectfully toward Su Min. This was the inner court of the governor's estate, and the guest list had been carefully curated, only the heads of the most powerful local families and the governor's most loyal allies were present. Over half the manpower and resources used to exterminate the monsters had come from these very families.
As for why Su Min sat at a slightly removed table of honor, the reason was simple. She looked too much like a young, stunning maiden. If she were thrown into the rowdy main hall, packed with drunken soldiers and minor officials, who could guarantee that some fool would not do something reckless?
Governor Jia was not worried about her safety, anyone foolish enough to lay a hand on her would die instantly. What he truly feared was someone bringing death upon themselves by saying something offensive or indecent, ruining the celebration and creating unnecessary strife. Therefore, only the elder patriarchs, men of age and reason, were allowed in this chamber. They knew better than to stir trouble.
Still, these families had suffered heavy losses over the past year. Their sprawling rural estates and farms had been the monsters' first and easiest targets, unlike the fortified cities packed with people. The earlier siege on the city walls had only occurred because the countryside had already been picked clean. Su Min politely lifted her own cup and finished the wine in one gulp, a gesture that drew murmurs of admiration from the elders.
The wine, to her cultivated palate and body, was no stronger than mild tea. Without advanced distillation techniques and with low yield grains, the local brews had very little potency. For someone like Su Min, who was used to modern spirits and was now a Qi Refining cultivator, getting drunk on such wine was impossible. Besides, she had her own, far superior liquor. After killing the clam spirit and extracting its Water Element Essence, she had sealed it within her Qiankun Gourd.
The gourd had since refined it into a divine nectar, a spiritual wine that could slowly enhance one's cultivation over time without any harmful side effects. Of course, Su Min had no intention of sharing it here. It was not because she was stingy, but because any mortal who drank even a single drop would find their body unable to handle the spiritual power and would likely explode on the spot.
After three rounds of drinking, only Su Min remained perfectly sober. The rest of the guests were already visibly tipsy, their faces flushed and their voices growing louder.
Governor Jia leaned in closer, his voice low and respectful. "I heard that the Immortal Fairy once healed the sick and saved many lives in the southern frontier. The grateful villagers there even built temples in your honor, and their incense offerings never faded. Now that you have rid us of this great calamity, it is only right and proper that we build a shrine for you here as well." He paused, his expression turning slightly more serious. "Yet, even with the clam demon slain, we fear there may still be other, lesser monsters in the deep waters. Thus, we seek your guidance on a related matter."
"What is it?" Su Min asked, raising an eyebrow but not refusing outright. She knew that in the old stories, immortals and powerful beings greatly valued incense offerings, and she was beginning to understand why. She needed them too. It was not only because of her deal with the little monk, but also because the Great Sun Tathāgata Sutra she had just acquired required the power of sincere faith and incense as an auxiliary aid for cultivation.
"We discussed it on the way back here," the governor explained. "We wish to build your temple by the seaside, on the very cliff overlooking the cove. That way, all fishermen setting out to sea can see it and offer prayers for safe voyages. It would give them great peace of mind."
"That is fine," Su Min said with a small, approving smile. The clam demon's reign had caused tremendous losses to the coastal province. Fishermen could not set sail, trade had stalled, and even salt production had been severely affected. The psychological toll on the people, the constant, grinding fear, was easy to imagine. Offering prayers at a shrine would at least give them a sense of security and control, and Su Min knew it was more than just superstition.
From the profound knowledge now residing in her mind, she understood that once she properly cultivated the Great Sun Tathāgata Sutra, she could actually grant a slight, tangible protection to those who worshiped her with true faith. She could not kill sea monsters for them from a distance, but she could safeguard their souls and grant them resilience against fear and misfortune.
"It seems I should not be in a hurry to leave just yet," she mused internally. "I should take this opportunity to study the sutra carefully. As for gathering the other Four Elements, there is no great rush. Right now, hardly anyone in this world has even reached the Qi Refining stage, much less someone who could compete with me for them."
Ignoring the boisterous commotion from the main hall, Su Min began making plans in her heart. As the little monk had said, cultivation methods were only tools, their true strength depended entirely on the person who wielded them. Obtaining a powerful technique did not make one instantly invincible.
The Great Sun Tathāgata Sutra and the Daoist Dao De Jing, the respective sacred texts of Buddhism and Daoism, were both peerless treasures. Yet merely possessing them did not make one unbeatable. Their cultivation requirements were incredibly high, demanding immense spiritual comprehension and a pure heart. Without the proper foundation and talent, they were useless scrolls in anyone's hands.
When the banquet finally ended and the drunken guests were being carried away by their servants, Su Min herself disappeared in a silent flash of light. The next moment, she stood alone on a high rooftop, bathed in the silvery, cool glow of the vast moon.
"Amitābha. Congratulations, Benefactor, on gaining yet another temple and the faith of a new province."
The monk's calm voice drifted from the moonlit shadows. Somehow, the little monk had appeared beside her on the roof without a sound.
"In a month's time," Su Min said after a moment's thought, her gaze still on the horizon. "There is no need to rush the construction. I must first cultivate the foundation of the Great Sun Tathāgata Sutra. When the temple is newly built and the incense is at its purest and most potent, that will be the true beginning of this path."
Her voice was calm and measured, carrying a sense of certainty beneath the boundless, watching night sky.