Hearing this, Su Min no longer pressed the matter. Throwing that particular problem to the Buddhists wasn't a bad solution. In those monks' hands, even a full-powered Demon Queen would struggle to stir up trouble, let alone the lingering karma a mere clam demon left behind.
"One last thing," she said. Her curiosity was piqued by his mysterious presence. "What exactly is this 'Child of Destiny' you called me?"
"You will know soon enough," the monk replied. He offered her a knowing look that seemed to peer through the layers of the physical world. "For now, go. Your victory banquet awaits."
Even as he spoke, waves of cheering and celebration rolled through the city's streets. Governor Jia had returned with his troops, triumphant and mud-stained. But when Su Min turned her gaze back from the window, the monk had already vanished without a trace. He left no ripple in the air and no footprint on the dusty floorboards.
"A Foundation Establishment cultivator, huh." She narrowed her eyes, studying the empty space where he had stood. "Slipping away without even a ripple."
He had come and gone so seamlessly that her spiritual sense couldn't even catch a glimpse of his method. It wasn't just his higher cultivation realm. It was also because Buddhism possessed a complete and profoundly subtle inheritance system. Even if they were of equal strength, she wasn't entirely confident she could win a direct confrontation against such refined techniques.
He had claimed he couldn't act casually in this realm, and she believed him. But she was equally certain he still had plenty of powerful cards hidden in his robes. Either way, it wasn't worth making an enemy of him now.
Soon, the governor's mansion erupted in music and laughter. The halls were brightly lit with lanterns that cast a warm, flickering glow, and wine flowed as freely as the river.
"Many thanks to the Immortal Fairy for slaying the clam demon and saving our province's people's lives!" Governor Jia proclaimed. He raised his cup in a heartfelt toast, the liquid sloshing over the rim.
At his words, everyone present in the inner chamber stood and bowed respectfully toward Su Min. This was the governor's estate's inner court. The guest list had been carefully curated. Only the most powerful local families' heads 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.
Su Min sat at a slightly removed honor table. She looked too much like a stunning, young maiden. If she were thrown into the rowdy main hall, packed with drunken soldiers and minor officials, someone might do something reckless.
Governor Jia wasn't worried about her safety. Anyone foolish enough to lay a hand on her would die instantly. He truly feared someone bringing death upon themselves by saying something offensive or indecent, ruining the celebration and creating unnecessary strife. Therefore, only the elder patriarchs 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, the countryside had been picked clean. Su Min politely lifted her own cup and finished the wine in one gulp. The gesture drew murmurs of admiration from the elders.
To her body, tempered by spiritual energy and alchemical refinement, the local brew was no stronger than mild tea. Without advanced distillation techniques, the wine lacked potency and tasted thin on her tongue. For someone like her, who is used to the divine nectar in her gourd, getting drunk on such wine was impossible.
After killing the clam spirit and extracting its Water Element Essence, she had sealed it within her Qiankun Gourd. The gourd had refined it into a spiritual wine that could slowly enhance her cultivation without any harmful side effects. She had no intention of sharing it here. Any mortal who drank even a single drop would find their body unable to handle the spiritual power. They would likely explode.
After three drinking rounds, only she remained perfectly sober. The rest of the guests were already visibly tipsy. Their faces were flushed and their voices grew louder, competing with the music.
Governor Jia leaned in closer. His voice was low and respectful. "I heard 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. Now that you have rid us of this great calamity, it's only right and proper that we build a shrine for you here as well." He paused, his expression turning 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?" she asked. She raised an eyebrow but didn't refuse outright.
She understood that in the ancient stories, immortals valued incense offerings. She needed them too. It wasn't only because of her deal with the little monk. The Great Sun Tathāgata Sutra she had just acquired required sincere faith's power 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's fine," she said with a small, approving smile.
The clam demon's reign had caused the coastal province tremendous losses. Fishermen couldn't set sail, trade had stalled, and even salt production had been severely affected. The people's psychological toll—the constant, grinding fear—was easy to imagine. Offering prayers at a shrine would at least give them a sense of security and control.
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 tangible protection to those who worshiped her. She couldn't kill sea monsters for them from a distance, but she could safeguard their souls and grant them resilience against fear.
"It seems I shouldn't be in a hurry to leave just yet," she mused. "I should take this opportunity to study the sutra carefully. As for gathering the other Four Elements, there's 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, she began making plans in her heart. Obtaining a powerful technique didn't make one instantly invincible. The Great Sun Tathāgata Sutra and the Daoist Dao De Jing were both peerless treasures. Yet merely possessing them didn't make one unbeatable. Their cultivation requirements were incredibly high, demanding immense spiritual comprehension.
When the banquet finally ended and the drunken guests were being carried away by their servants, Su Min disappeared in a silent flash of light. The next moment, she stood alone on a high rooftop, bathed in the moon's silvery, cool glow. The night air was crisp, carrying the scent of salt from the distant sea.
"Amitābha. Congratulations, Benefactor, on gaining yet another temple and a new province's faith."
The monk's calm voice drifted from the moonlit shadows. Somehow, he 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 remained on the distant horizon. "There's no need to rush the construction. I must first cultivate the Great Sun Tathāgata Sutra's foundation. 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.