The Water-Land Dharma Assembly was one of the most important gatherings for the three major Buddhist sects and their smaller branches. Now that the assembly had officially begun, three imposing figures emerged, each with cultivation levels surpassing the threshold of Divine Transformation—just a step away from the Dao Comprehension stage.
And this wasn't their limit. They had sealed their power to remain in this realm, but breaking through to Enlightenment was only a matter of time.
At this moment, the three stood atop the ceremonial platform like three great Buddhas, their respective sect's core techniques in full operation: the Ancient Lamp Sutra, the Great Sun Tathagata Sutra, and the Future Maitreya Scripture.
They embodied the Buddhas of the past, present, and future. The observing cultivators couldn't help but nod in silent awe. Long ago, to suppress Buddhism, nearly half the forces of the major heavens had united. Yet in the end, they could only negotiate a treaty—Buddhist sects were confined to their own territories, and missionaries sent to other regions were restricted in both number and cultivation level (never exceeding the highest-ranked cultivator of that land).
Even so, the depth of the three Buddhist sects' heritage was undeniable. The strength displayed by the three sects today surpassed that of ninety percent of other factions. And compared to the three great Buddhas, the younger generation of the Buddhist sects was even more enviable.
"They already have late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators? Tch, the Buddhist sects' foundations are truly terrifying. It hasn't been that long, yet their prodigies far outstrip ours."
The crowd's gaze shifted to the figures standing behind the three great Buddhas—young in age but already at the late Nascent Soul stage. These were the chief disciples of the three sects, all first-generation cultivators—no reincarnations. Otherwise, they wouldn't qualify for the upcoming secret realm.
Of course, it wasn't just these three. Each sect had over a dozen early and mid-stage Nascent Soul disciples. This lineup made other factions drool with envy. These were first-generation talents, not some ancient reincarnated old monsters. It was an intimidating display of power.
"The Buddhist sects have their own secret realms where disciples can break through to the Nascent Soul stage without worrying about the Five Decays of Heaven and Man. They're decades ahead of you all. But who knows what the future holds? At the very least, I can confirm that even if the top five on the Heavenly Ranking don't match those three in cultivation level, their combat power—huh?!"
The speaker suddenly choked on his words as an uproar erupted through the crowd. Because at that moment, Su Min had appeared among them. As the reigning champion of the Heavenly Ranking, her portrait had spread across the heavens within three days of the Golden Core ranking's conclusion.
"Is Miss Su a Buddhist?"
The man was utterly baffled. He had seen her many times during the Golden Core Avenue trials, and during her battle with Yao Xian'er, she hadn't used a single Buddhist technique. Holding back in a life-and-death fight of that caliber? Impossible.
For a moment, everyone was stunned, unable to make sense of the situation. Moreover, wasn't Su Min the founder of the Eastern Sea Immortal Sect? Not long ago, she had annihilated an entire faction, with the Golden Crow Clan and the Lunar Sovereign Physique backing her. Even if she wasn't the strongest now, her future potential was undeniable.
So why was she here with the Buddhists? What had happened?
The murmurs didn't last long, however, as Liao Jie's voice rang out.
"The Great Thunder Monastery is truly generous—hiring an outsider for the Water-Land Dharma Assembly."
"Amitabha." Kong Hui responded calmly. "Since Benefactor Su cultivates the Great Sun Tathāgata Sutra, she is one of ours. How can she be called an outsider? I met her during the Qi Refining stage, and she was already practicing the sutra then."
The crowd relaxed slightly at his words, though they were still intrigued. The brief exchange had revealed a few things. Most likely, Su Min was here to repay a favor. She didn't specialize in Buddhist techniques—otherwise, she wouldn't have entered the Golden Core Avenue. After all, the three sects' secret realms were far more suitable for their disciples than the brutal competition of the Golden Core trials.
"Humph."
Kong Hui's argument was flawless—at least procedurally. At that moment, the golden Buddha statue began to emit a faint glow, enveloping the center of the ceremonial ground.
This was the first trial of the Medicine King Cauldron—Alchemy.
The legacy of the Medicine Master Lapis Lazuli Radiance Tathagata focused on pill refining. To unlock his secret realm, participants had to refine pills under the cauldron's scrutiny. The speed and quality of the pills would determine the number of entrants and their starting positions within the realm. The winner would gain an absolute advantage—but only three slots were available. Each of the three sects sent forth one representative. And then, the crowd erupted once more.
"Heavens! How is this possible? Miss Su is already competing with those sealed elders? How did she manage this?"
Among the three figures, two were at the Divine Transformation stage. Su Min stood out like a sore thumb. It was unbelievable. The world wasn't lacking in high-tier alchemists, but they had all been sealed away. Who would've thought that as soon as they emerged, a newcomer could rival them?
Su Min's background was no secret—born into a fallen noble family in a remote state, her clan had been wiped out, leaving her as the sole survivor. She had personally exacted vengeance, toppling an entire dynasty. This made her even more extraordinary. Though five hundred years had passed, and she had undergone self-sealing, there was no doubt—she was the true genius of this era.
"Humph."
Ignoring the shocked gazes around her, Su Min noticed the hostile glare from Liao Neng of Future Maitreya Mountain.
The other alchemist, however, nodded at her with goodwill. The major sects understood each other well. While the process was fair, Su Min was undeniably the Great Thunder Monastery's hired expert. There was no need to antagonize her. Moreover, the fact that she dared to stand here at the Nascent Soul stage spoke volumes about her confidence.
"The alchemy trial begins now. The first round of the three participants' assessment starts. Interference will result in disqualification."
"Begin!"
Clang!
In the next instant, three cauldrons materialized in the air, and three dazzling flames ignited across the arena. But in that very moment, two of the flames trembled in the presence of the third—a vibrant crimson fire.
Nanming Lihuo one of the heaven-and-earth divine flames. No beast flame, no matter how advanced, could compare. The two alchemists couldn't hide their envy. Not that they could steal it—divine flames couldn't be extracted even if the wielder was killed. The flame would simply return to its origin, and no one knew when or under what conditions it would reappear.
So theft was impossible. But envy? That was real.
Su Min, however, paid them no mind. She had a special obsession with the Medicine King Cauldron, and now that the trial had begun, she didn't hesitate to unleash her flame. In an instant, dozens of medicinal ingredients materialized within the blazing fire before being tossed into the cauldron.
"Good heavens—that's nearly thirty ingredients at once! Miss Su has truly reached the fifth tier, and at no low rank either."
Many couldn't help but murmur. Though rumors had spread after Su Min provided a fifth-tier pill to the Ancient Mansion Sacred City, most hadn't believed it. Now, seeing it with their own eyes, they were stunned. But the most shocked were the two alchemists facing her. Despite being Divine Transformation experts with centuries of experience, their skills paled in comparison to this young woman.
They suddenly felt like they'd wasted their lives. Forced to begin refining, their momentum was visibly weaker than Su Min's.
"Tch."
Mid-refinement, Su Min's sharp eyes swept over them. In terms of soul power, the three were evenly matched. Thanks to the tempering of the Bodhi Ancient Tree, Su Min's soul strength was on par with these old-timers.
But with Nanming Lihuo, her refining efficiency and quality far surpassed theirs. There would be no surprises in this competition.
Meanwhile—
"Benefactor Su is truly extraordinary. It seems she's just a step away from the sixth tier. She might actually obtain the Medicine Master's legacy. What a pity, though."
Kong Hui couldn't help but marvel. This was his first time observing Su Min's alchemy up close. Though she had refined countless pills at the Great Thunder Monastery, she had done so in seclusion. Out of courtesy, no one had probed with their spiritual senses—Su Min's soul power was formidable, and prying would only invite displeasure.
Now, witnessing her craft was like watching an art form. Even Hui Xing and the others were mesmerized by the fluidity of her movements. The pity, of course, was that Su Min wasn't a Buddhist. The thought of an outsider inheriting the Medicine Master's legacy was almost laughable.
But Kong Hui wasn't bothered. After all, no one had succeeded in all these years. Something unattainable from the start was easy to let go of. And Su Min wasn't ungrateful—this connection meant future pill requests wouldn't cost them much.
"To think… Master is truly Master. Despite her youth, Miss Su has already surpassed the older generation."
The spectators couldn't contain their admiration. Many alchemists had come today, and observing masters at work was a rare opportunity. For those stuck at bottlenecks, this could be the breakthrough they needed. After all, following Su Min's guidance, one of her sect's alchemists had experienced an epiphany—his soul power surged, and he could now refine fourth-tier pills.
Though still incomparable to Su Min, he had become a treasure to his sect. Now, as they watched the slender white-haired figure seated mid-air, many were entranced. The aura Su Min exuded was irresistible, even to Nascent Soul cultivators.
The world of cultivation was like this. While appearance mattered, strength was paramount—and Su Min had both. In an instant, she became the goddess in countless cultivators' hearts. Not that she would ever know. And even if she did, she'd merely laugh it off.
"Condense!"
Soon, everyone heard Su Min's cold hum. The next moment, her cauldron trembled violently—the sign of a successful refinement. The crowd instinctively held their breaths. This was a fifth-tier pill! Most present were Golden Core or Nascent Soul cultivators, with only a handful at Divine Transformation. A fifth-tier pill was lethally enticing to them.
Crack.
The cauldron lid lifted, and two fragrant pills shot out, which Su Min promptly caught.
"Two Soul Origin Pills. No need to explain their effects—I'm sure everyone here knows."
She casually stored the pills in a vial, having noticed the ravenous gazes fixated on them the moment they appeared. Many were practically drooling. If not for the three great Buddhas overseeing the event, some might've lost their minds and tried to snatch them.
Aside from their trade value, the pills' ability to break through cultivation barriers was enough to drive men mad. Overcoming bottlenecks was the most tedious and lifespan-draining process—such a pill was priceless. But as Su Min put them away, the crowd regained their senses. Though still covetous, they quickly sobered up.
Treasures invite disaster—but only for the weak.
With Su Min's current strength, only a fool would try to rob her. Her prowess during the Golden Core Avenue was well-documented. Who would dare provoke her and face her wrath? Besides, these pills held little appeal to Divine Transformation experts—they could simply commission her. No need to make an enemy out of her.
"This…"
While the crowd envied, the two alchemists were stunned. The moment Su Min retrieved the pills, the rich aroma told them everything—the quality was exceptional. And two at once? They had already lost. Though they could refine Soul Origin Pills, they couldn't produce two in one batch, nor at such speed.
"She's just a step away from the sixth tier. Sigh…"
The alchemist from the Ancient Lamp Monastery could only sigh.
But Liao Neng's eyes burned with killing intent.
[Winner of this round—Su Min]
A majestic voice echoed through the heavens. A beam of light enveloped the Great Thunder Monastery's contingent, and the monks broke into delighted smiles. This meant they could enter the secret realm first.
In the next instant, Hui Xing and the others vanished, transported into the trial grounds. Only Su Min and Kong Hui remained—as the alchemist, she had her own special assessment. After all, alchemists enjoyed privileges. They didn't need to be first-generation cultivators.