This wasn't a matter of her joining the Buddhist sect; it was more like forming a strategic, cooperative relationship. Regardless of the monk's lofty words, it was a transaction. Like any transaction, Su Min needed to think it over carefully and weigh the cost against the potential gain.
As for the monk's intentions, they were transparently clear. He sought to borrow her rising fame and influence to extend Buddhism's reach into this sealed land. Constrained by the Boundary Formation and his own damaged cultivation, he was unable to interfere freely with worldly affairs. He needed a local agent—a powerful vessel to carry their teachings. Now, he believed he had found her.
"What do I gain from this?" Su Min asked. She smiled, her tone as light as a spring breeze, but her meaning was sharp.
She was thinking of old stories, like when the Buddha helped Sun Wukong defeat a powerful demon by lending divine power, but all favors came with a price. She saw no point in wasting words on spiritual platitudes, so she asked directly for the tangible benefits.
"I can impart the Samsara Reincarnation Art to you," the monk offered. His expression was solemn as if he were bestowing a great gift.
"No need," Su Min rejected the offer without a moment's hesitation. "I trust only in the body I was born with." She possessed the talent of endless longevity and could endure any period of stagnation, no matter how long. What need had she for a risky reincarnation to extend a life that was already infinite? Besides, after reincarnation, who could say if one's core self—one's memories and will—remained truly intact? It was a gamble she wouldn't take.
"Amitābha..."
Seeing Su Min refuse so firmly, the monk showed a trace of genuine surprise. He hadn't expected her to turn down such a coveted art so directly. After all, in the current world where spiritual energy was still scarce, reaching the Golden Core stage was already a monumental feat for most. Yet the lifespan of someone at that stage was only about five hundred years. Advancing further to the Nascent Soul realm required another three centuries of accumulation: a period so precious that missing the window could mean remaining stuck at the Golden Core stage forever. Though the Art of Reincarnation came with obscure and dangerous side effects, it was still considered a convenient, if desperate, method of inheritance for many.
"Since you know so much, Benefactor," the monk said at last, a new respect appearing in his eyes, "then speak your wish plainly. This humble monk shall offer a technique in exchange."
Su Min chuckled softly. The Art of Reincarnation, though precious to mortals and short-lived cultivators, meant little to her. She had time enough to weather any storm. What she needed now was immediate, tangible power to survive the coming tempests.
There was one specific Buddhist scripture she had coveted from the very beginning of her journey in this world. It was essential, timeless, and irreplaceable in its function. Since she still had one empty slot for a mental cultivation technique at her current Qi Refining stage, the timing was perfect.
"I want the Great Sun Tathāgata Sutra," she said. She enunciated each word of the title slowly and clearly, leaving no room for misunderstanding.
The little monk inhaled sharply. His serene composure finally cracked. He hadn't expected Su Min's appetite to be so great, asking outright for their entire tradition's core foundational scripture.
As the saying went, children make choices, but adults take it all. In the path of immortality, cultivating both Buddhist and Daoist methods together was often considered the optimal, most balanced path. Although she had only encountered Buddhism for now and hadn't yet touched the organized Daoist sects, it was inevitable that she would cross their paths eventually.
Moreover, what her Heavenly Dao Insight talent granted were mostly innate divine abilities; the two possession techniques were already its limit. She needed powerful, active cultivation methods to fill the gaps.
"Benefactor..." the monk began. His voice was strained. "According to the ancient precepts of our order, this sutra is reserved for those of high standing within the sect, for Arhats and Bodhisattvas."
"And don't I qualify, Master?" Su Min's smile deepened, becoming almost challenging. "Surely your Buddhism, with its profound insight, has glimpsed a corner of the future? You lingered long in that cursed village. You must have seen something or felt something about the threads of fate converging here."
"Amitābha..." The monk closed his eyes, chanting the Buddha's name softly as if seeking guidance. The silence stretched for a long moment between them in the dusty archive.
When he opened his eyes again, they held a new resolve. "Amitābha. You are correct, Child of Destiny. In that case, this humble monk shall break precedent and pass this sutra to you."
He hadn't seen the full, intricate weave of fate, only the brilliant and unstoppable birth of a new star in the celestial chart. Guided by faint omens and the people's suffering, he had sought her out. Saving all beings remained his primary purpose, but drawing a figure of destiny closer to the Dharma—to create a karmic link that could benefit countless souls in the future—didn't go against his vows.
Moreover, when he arrived, he had sensed a unique, nascent incense aura surrounding Su Min. It was the subtle mark of one who was already being worshiped by common folk. He understood immediately that she was destined for greatness. Buddhism, with its long view, also knew when to forge ties that could last a thousand years.
As for the Great Sun Tathāgata Sutra, though it was the crown jewel of their teachings, it mattered little in the grand scheme. The scripture itself thrived on faith and incense offerings. If she cultivated it, the worship she naturally received would nourish Buddhism's roots in this land in return. In this realm where he couldn't yet act freely, her rise would pave their way. Temples would eventually rise in her name, and when the Boundary Formations finally fell, Buddhism's spread would be as natural and inevitable as spring following winter.
"One condition," the monk said. His voice returned to its grave, solemn tone. "You must swear a heart demon oath before the heavens. This sutra shall never be passed to another—not to a disciple, not to a child, to no one."
"Agreed," Su Min answered without hesitation. She had no intention of founding a sect anyway. It was a fair price for a core secret.
"Then place your hand upon mine."
The monk extended his palm, which began to glow with a soft, warm, golden light. Without a moment's pause or fear, she placed her hand upon his.
In that instant, the world seemed to spin. A vast, sun-bright ocean of knowledge, concepts, verses, and esoteric principles flooded directly into her mind, searing itself into her memory. On her internal status panel, a new entry shimmered into existence, gleaming with divine light.
[Great Sun Tathāgata Sutra]
[Mental Techniques: 3/3] — Slot Filled]
"Huff—!"
Su Min gasped. She pulled her hand back and trembled slightly as she leaned against the table for support. Her temples pounded with a sharp, transient pain from the violent information influx.
"Amitābha," the monk said gently. His own hand returned to his side. "Though the Sutra is mighty, you must cultivate it step by step. Don't rush. Within its verses lie not only the foundational methods but countless derived martial arts and hidden abilities. Those, Benefactor, you must uncover and comprehend on your own through diligent practice."
"Understood," she muttered. She massaged her forehead as the pain slowly receded. Her mind still whirled from the sheer, monumental scale of the knowledge now residing within her.
"By the way," she asked, finally looking up, "what of the villagers from the cove?"
"I have used a transportation art to ferry them to a sanctuary in Lingxi Prefecture," said the monk. "From this day onward, they shall live and die as ordinary humans, tending the earth. They are no longer bound by the evil they committed or witnessed. Their karma with this land is severed."