Overwhelming—that was the impression Su Min gave Kong Hui. She had been in seclusion for two years now, and the tempering she underwent beneath the Bodhi Ancient Tree was no joke.
Having endured for two full years, her Nascent Soul had undoubtedly reached an extraordinarily refined state. The barrier to the Divine Transformation stage—something countless Nascent Soul cultivators could never break through in multiple lifetimes—would no longer hinder her in the slightest.
Moreover, as an alchemist, Su Min's soul power had always been formidable, surpassing even many mid-to-late Divine Transformation cultivators. Now that she had advanced further, even Kong Hui couldn't help but shudder slightly.
"Although my cultivation has only progressed a step further, the benefits I have gained are definitely not small. The reputation of realizing reincarnation under the Bodhi tree is indeed well-deserved. Let's prepare the materials. I need to refine a large amount of pills to stabilize my realm. I can give most of the pills this time to you. Such opportunities are rare."
"Don't worry, Benefactor. Our Buddhist sect has some resources to spare."
Kong Hui smiled upon hearing Su Min's words. While fifth-grade pills were of little use to him personally, they held immense value for the entire sect.
Su Min, too, understood the situation. The opportunity to meditate beneath the Bodhi Tree came only once every hundred years. Even those who had experienced it in past lives couldn't partake again. Since she had gained such tremendous benefits, it was only right to reciprocate.
After all, cultivation wasn't just about battles and slaughter—it was also about human connections.
Now that her soul power had reached sufficient levels, what she lacked was experience. Her own sect was still young and lacked the resources to let her accumulate experience through pill refining. The Buddhist sect, however, was the perfect place for that.
By sharing a portion of the pills with them and keeping some for herself, neither side would lose out. No wonder Kong Hui was so pleased when he heard her proposal.
The Alchemy Room
Soon, Su Min sat cross-legged inside an alchemy chamber. The gains from her seclusion were immense. Beyond the improvements in cultivation and soul power, she had also absorbed energy from the divine water, allowing her Eastern Azure Wood to accumulate even more power. The azure ancient tree had now grown to over twenty meters tall, significantly enhancing her abilities.
When she had first obtained the tree, it was less than a meter tall. Even after nurturing it for a hundred years in the Golden Core Avenue, it had only reached seven or eight meters. Yet in just two years here, it had grown tremendously. Each additional meter required exponentially more energy from heaven and earth, making this progress remarkable.
She was more than satisfied. As for the fact that the Azure Dragon had once drained nearly all the energy stored in the Eastern Azure Wood, she bore no resentment. Without that, she would never have obtained it in the first place.
"The Buddhist sect is truly wealthy. A low-grade Earth-tier cauldron, handed over without so much as a blink."
Su Min eyed the cauldron, which stood even taller than her, with mild surprise. But since it was offered, she'd accept it. Her old low-grade Mystic-tier furnace was no longer sufficient. Even if they hadn't provided one, she would have needed to forge a new one.
"The materials are plentiful too. The Buddhist sect has also commissioned me to refine some of their specialized pills."
[Vajra Pill (Fifth-grade Mid-tier): When consumed by those cultivating the Vajra Sutra, it tempers the body and temporarily boosts physical attributes.]
After reviewing the recipe, Su Min closed her eyes to absorb the information. With a wave of her hand, all the required materials floated into the cauldron—over a dozen sets' worth.
"Are they worried I'll fail? They're overthinking it."
Muttering to herself, Su Min ignited crimson flames within the cauldron. The materials melted under precise temperatures, dissolving into the necessary medicinal essences.
"Merge!"
With a low shout, the essences fused together. A golden pill flew out, hovering before her.
"First attempt, success. Only one pill, though. I'll need more practice. Fortunately, there's no rush—I have plenty of materials."
She stored the pill, coveted by countless Buddhist cultivators, in a small vial and continued refining fifth-grade mid-tier pills. With half a year left until the Water-Land Dharma Assembly, she had ample time.
First, she would solidify her mastery of fifth-grade mid-tier pills before attempting high-tier ones. Her gains in soul power had brought her to the threshold of sixth-grade alchemy. But crossing that line would require a small opportunity.
A Week Later
When Su Min emerged from the chamber, her spatial ring was filled with bottles and jars.
"Fifteen Vajra Pills, seven Glazed Serenity Pills, and five Nascent Soul Pills."
The guarding monk couldn't help but inhale sharply. Even as a Nascent Soul cultivator, the wealth before him was enough to shake his composure. But he quickly steadied himself. Buddhist techniques were most vulnerable to inner demons—if greed took hold, his cultivation could backfire instantly.
"Amitābha. This humble monk thanks the Benefactor."
"Enough. Deliver these fifth-grade mid-tier pills. Do not disturb me for a month—I may attempt a breakthrough."
Su Min paid no mind to the monk's reaction. If he couldn't handle these pills, the Buddhist sect had bigger problems. Her own harvest was substantial. While the Vajra and Glazed Serenity Pills were useless to her, she had refined twenty Nascent Soul Pills. With her enhanced soul power, fifth-grade low-tier pills were foolproof. Each batch yielded two or three pills, and she had produced several batches.
These would be reserved for her sect. By the time she returned, many disciples would be ready to attempt the Nascent Soul stage, and demand for these pills would soar. Now that her fifth-grade mid-tier foundation was rock-solid, she aimed for higher tiers—perhaps even sixth-grade. Success would be glorious; failure, acceptable. After handing over the pills, she returned to seclusion.
This time, her target was fifth-grade high-tier pills—many of which would benefit her directly.
[Tempering Spirit Pill (Fifth-grade High-tier): Condenses and refines spiritual energy. Suitable for all cultivators who have never consumed it before.]
"A foundation-strengthening pill with no side effects."
She popped one into her mouth—and immediately grimaced.
"Ugh! This damned thing is torture! It's useful, but not much for someone at my level. This is better suited for kids just starting out, not me."
Grumbling internally, she tossed another into a vial. Fifth-grade high-tier pills were now within her grasp, but sixth-grade remained slightly out of reach.
Two Months Later
BOOM!
An explosion rocked the chamber, and Su Min stumbled out, covered in soot. Three failed batches. Even the most basic sixth-grade Healing Pill eluded her. If she couldn't master these, sixth-grade alchemy was beyond her for now.
"No choice. Time's up. I'll hand over half of these fifth-grade high-tier pills. After burning through so many materials, it's only fair."
She split the pills evenly—half for the sect, half for herself.
"Benefactor, how were your gains?" Kong Hui smiled as he watched Su Min sip tea.
The Buddhist sect had received a trove of fifth-grade pills, enough to last them a century or two. The trade had been more than worth it.
"Sixth-grade remains just out of reach. I'm still missing something. My cultivation has only just reached mid-stage Nascent Soul, so a major breakthrough before the Dharma Assembly is unlikely."
"That will suffice. Here's the information on your opponents."
Kong Hui handed her two jade slips. Infusing them with spiritual energy, two figures materialized before her.
"One Divine Transformation mid-stage, one early-stage. Both are reincarnators—and fifth-grade alchemists."
Su Min frowned. As expected, they were all veteran Divine Transformation experts. Reincarnation didn't guarantee they were the same people, but their experience carried over. That was pressure.
"Have they both received the Pharmacist's Legacy?"
Her main goal was the Pharmacist's inheritance. If these two had already obtained it, things would get complicated.
"No need to worry. The Pharmacist's Legacy is unique. They only grasped fragments after multiple reincarnations. The true inheritance is most suited for the first generation. Otherwise, they wouldn't be stuck at fifth-grade."
That made sense. Alchemy demanded both soul power and spiritual energy. Divine Transformation cultivators could theoretically refine seventh-grade pills—yet these two were limited to fifth-grade. Their soul power was the bottleneck. In that case, she still had a chance.
"Benefactor, you may explore the Great Thunder Temple today. Tomorrow at dawn, we depart for the Dharma Assembly."
Su Min nodded. The true core of the Buddhist sect lay in the Little Mount Sumeru. The grand Great Thunder Temple was more for public worship, with few secrets to hide.
At dawn, Su Min stood at the temple gates. The delegation was ready—led by Kong Hui and two other Divine Transformation experts, with nearly ten Nascent Soul cultivators and over a hundred Golden Core disciples. This lineup could rival many sects. But Su Min knew it was less than a tenth of the Great Thunder Temple's true strength.
The Buddhist sect's reincarnation techniques made their background (heritage) extraordinary. Of course, there was a drawback—reincarnators often struggled to surpass their past limits. Once they reached the Enlightenment stage (the upper three realms), reincarnation's advantages faded. But for now, their display was intimidating enough.
"All set? Our destination is the Pharmacist's Ruins in Yangguang Province."
A massive lotus platform materialized, carrying the group into the sky. To Su Min's senses, the world seemed to stutter—like a lagging game—each skip covering vast distances.
"Shrinking the Earth to an Inch"—this was her second time experiencing this mystical technique.
But as she observed, her body suddenly froze. A new comprehension flooded her mind.
[You have learned the special technique: Shrinking the Earth to an Inch]
[Shrinking the Earth to an Inch: Allows rapid traversal across the world. Only usable for travel—easily interrupted in combat.]
"Not bad. A useful skill."
She mused silently. Though she couldn't test it now, the technique's power was undeniable. In less than half a day, they arrived. Su Min's eyes widened.
Before her lay a radiant land bathed in Buddhist light. A colossal Buddha statue loomed in the distance, seated amidst the clouds as if gazing down upon all living beings. Even with her current cultivation, the sight was suffocating.
"That is the Pharmacist's Dojo—the site of the Water-Land Dharma Assembly and the entrance to the Buddhist Light Secret Realm, the prize our three sects have contested for generations."
Before she could respond, an overwhelming pressure crashed down on her—as if the heavens themselves sought to crush her.
"Future Maitreya, your reach exceeds your grasp."
Kong Hui's voice rang out, dispelling the pressure.
"A half-step Dao Comprehension expert… and he directly targeted me?"
Su Min's flames flickered before receding. Did they think mere aura could make her submit?
"Kong Hui, have you forgotten our rules? Bringing an outsider to the Dharma Assembly—do you think our Buddhist sect has no talent left?"
A rotund monk materialized, his massive frame like a small mountain. Despite his jovial appearance, his eyes gleamed with an unsettling, almost sinister light. Su Min's heart clenched.
"Demonic Buddha?"
Her body tensed. She recalled an ominous side plot from the game—one not part of the main storyline but just as expansive.
It involved the fallen Buddha. Buddhist techniques were immensely powerful but demanded impeccable mental discipline. Once practitioners broke their vows and descended into madness, they could become Demonic Buddhas.
Among the three Buddhist sects, the Great Thunder Temple and the Ancient Lamp Monastery were relatively orthodox. But the Future Maitreya Mountain was notorious for its corrupt monks.
In the game, the reason was hinted: The Ancient Lamp represented the past—fixed and unchangeable; Tathāgata represented the present; But the future?
The future was endless, unknowable. In their pursuit of an unreachable horizon, many lost themselves—falling into depravity. This monk before her was clearly one such case.
"Hmph."
Regardless of her thoughts, Su Min acted instantly. The Great Sun Tathāgata Sutra surged within her, cloaking her in golden Buddhist light—like a divine Bodhisattva.
(Though she'd never admit it—her idea of a "Bodhisattva" was more akin to certain figures from her past life's internet.)
The monk glared at her with undisguised malice before vanishing.
"Be wary of the Future Maitreya during the assembly. Their followers are prone to extremism—even outright corruption. That was Liao Jie, a strong man from the same era as me,."
"I understand."
Su Min's brow twitched. Memories resurfaced—she knew the Future Maitreya would eventually fall, becoming a den of demons. At a critical moment, they would betray the other two sects. If players didn't intervene, the Buddhist sect would be wiped from the game entirely.
But intervening now was beyond her. That would happen during the Dark Blood Era, when a huge number of fallen beings awoke from their own seals. plunging the world into despair.
The Future Maitreya Mountain believed that era—their long-awaited "future"—had arrived. They would embrace it, becoming part of the darkness that devoured all life. But Su Min couldn't reveal this. No one would believe her, and it might even backfire.
For now, she could only stay silent. Without Divine Transformation strength, meddling would be suicidal.
The time wasn't right.
"The Dharma Assembly consists of three parts: scriptural debates, martial contests, and alchemy. You needn't concern yourself with the first, but the latter two will be challenging. By the rules, alchemists must participate in material gathering. You'll face two Divine Transformation cultivators."
"The Ancient Lamp Monastery's representative won't kill you, but the Future Maitreya Mountain's early-stage Divine Transformation alchemist is dangerous. That said, with your strength and methods, he shouldn't be able to do much."
Su Min's frown deepened. This would be perilous. Why did the Future Maitreya Mountain despise her so? She'd never crossed them before.
"Did those bald donkeys trigger some prophecy? They can't act openly now, but..."
Shaking off the thought, she followed the others into the assembly grounds. Though a Buddhist event, attendees came from all over. High-level gatherings like this were prime opportunities for trade and networking.
Su Min was particularly interested—freshly enriched from the Buddhist sect's resources, she had plenty of fourth and fifth-grade pills to barter. As for the Divine Transformation monk? She'd deal with him when the time came.
Their hostility likely stemmed from some prophecy. While the other two sects ignored such things, the Future Maitreya Mountain was obsessed with peering into the future. But the future wasn't fixed. This world had no "chosen ones"—everything could change. Glimpsing fragments of destiny was meaningless.
Unless...
An entire sect, over millennia, sacrificed countless lives to carve a single, unshakable path to their desired future.
Then it was a different story.
Meanwhile, in a Golden Hall
"Elder Brother, I saw that the person in the prophecy might be the one destined to prevent the future from coming"
Before Liao Jie stood a figure no less powerful than himself, surrounded by dozens of Divine Transformation cultivators.
"We've pursued the Future Maitreya for countless years. Now, it's within reach. All who stand in its way are our enemies."
"But she's tied to the Great Thunder Temple—the strongest of the three. After the incident back then, we can't hunt her outside Yangguang Province. Killing a ranked Golden Core genius would alert hidden old monsters. They might also interfere with the future's arrival."
"Then, Liao Kong, the only chance is during the Pharmacist's trial in the Buddhist Light Secret Realm. You must eliminate her there."
The monk named Liao Kong nodded fiercely, a savage aura radiating from him. Divine Transformation, early-stage.
He was a genuine Divine Transformation expert—a being far beyond the Nascent Soul realm.
"Just wait. In a hundred years, the Ancient Lamp will fade, the present will become the past, and the future shall descend—a world of absolute bliss."
"We will spare no effort to bring about that future."
As the oath echoed, the hall fell silent. Most of the powerful auras vanished, leaving only a few behind. Clearly, most were projections, their true bodies elsewhere.
"Kong Hui... you can't protect her."
Liao Jie sneered inwardly.
A mere mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator was nothing before Divine Transformation. All who dared obstruct their hard-won future—the future they'd sacrificed so much to secure—would perish.
And Su Min's shadow had appeared in their most recent divination. A fleeting silhouette, perhaps unrelated to their grand design.
But even so, she had to be erased.
~
Hi, it's me.
Another new novel is available on my profile. "Hellcoin Billionaire: My Ghost Shop Fuels My Cultivation" is on air now. The story is focus on Song Miaozu, 21 y.o that forced by her deceased great-grandmother come back to her hometown to inherited family's business. But it was a funeral supply shop, and in this time it was not profitable at all. But she didn't know this shop will become her greatest chance that she have. The impending 'spiritual energy revival', and her connection with the 'underworld' will make her a formidable and one of the strongest cultivator in this modern day.
Noted that this novel didn't adapt the usual cultivation system, and more inclined to craft, our MC background is tied deeply with paper craft, so most of them will talk about craft.