Return to Yongzhou City

Even after twenty years, the city had changed little.

Its towering walls still loomed just as they had in the past. But inside, Su Min could feel the shift. The buildings rose higher now, inching toward the sky like aspirations once held back. There was a grandeur to the place now, a bolder spirit carved into its streets. Yet amidst the steady pulse of the city, a faint, almost imperceptible thread tugged at him.

"Is this… incense offering? A connection, faint but present…"

Su Min paused, taken aback. She hadn't expected this. In those distant years, when she'd last been here, she hadn't asked the Prince Yong to do anything of the sort. So why the shrine? Why the offerings?

She knew this kind of incense worship had its uses—it helped cultivate the Golden Body of the Great Sun Tathāgata. But it wasn't essential, merely a convenient aid. The scripture itself, the Great Sun Tathāgata Sutra, was what mattered. Any serious practitioner would eventually obtain it.

Still, incense offered a smoother path

"Well, no point standing around. Let's take a look."

She pulled a robe from her pack, wrapping it around himself to mask her figure. After twenty years, few would recognize her, but it was best not to take chances. Trouble often found her faster when faces remembered.

As she approached the main city gate facing the northern steppe, she saw the difference plain as day. The last battle had broken the spine of the grasslands—no longer did war drums echo from beyond the horizon. It would take generations for them to rise again.

Moreover, with spiritual energy thickening worldwide, the grasslands' harsh environment lagged further behind in both manpower and resources.

"Interesting. Twenty years, and the number of Body Refining cultivators has surged—though most are only at the initial stage. With their aptitudes, reaching late-stage might take decades... but it's progress."

Su Min's gaze swept across the bustling street. Years ago, it would've been rare to find even one such cultivator. Now, he saw several—raw, but promising. With his Foundation Establishment cultivation, he could see their futures with a glance. Most wouldn't go far, but a few might surprise him.

"Should I go pay the Prince of Yong a visit?" he wondered aloud. "There should be a few ancient ruins about to surface, if I'm remembering the timeline right…"

She fell into thought. This world had changed so much in her absence—and the people she knew here were few.

"Today's the monastery's grand sermon, right? Everyone's going," someone said nearby. "Bring the kids—if they can grasp even a little of the teachings, they might awaken martial potential. Once they become warriors, their future's limitless!"

"Stay close, now! You won't get to see the master often!"

A monastery. A master. Su Min's brow lifted slightly.

"That guy… he's here?"

It wasn't hard to guess who they meant. That monk—her old acquaintance, the one she'd parted ways with back in Great Wei. They'd gone different paths: Su Min to seek rare treasures for breakthrough, and the monk… well, she hadn't known where he'd gone. And now, by some twist of fate, they'd both ended up in the same domain again.

Curious, Su Min's figure flickered—vanishing from the spot.

Moments later, he stood before an imposing temple. The vague spiritual link he'd sensed earlier now pulsed with quiet certainty—it emanated from within these very walls.

"These bald donkey really go all out."

The temple wasn't just a holy site—it was teeming with the presence of cultivators. Powerful ones, at that. But Su Min didn't hesitate. With a silent shift, she stepped inside. She reappeared within the main hall, where a few monks were welcoming pilgrims. The energy he'd been following radiated from one of the three statues enshrined there.

~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~

In the center stood Śākyamuni, the Tathāgata Buddha. On the left was Guanyin, and on the right…

…was her.

Or rather, a stylized image meant to represent her. The statue's features weren't entirely accurate—sculpted by others, it bore only a faint resemblance. Even so, Su Min felt a flicker of awkwardness.

And yet… the incense was thick. The faith, potent.

Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to draw some of it in. It was, after all, part of the deal she'd made with that monk long ago: he'd spread the faith, and she'd cultivate with its offerings.

A perfect symbiosis. And now, the timing felt right to further temper her Great Sun Tathāgata Sutra—perhaps even unlock something new.

"Amitābha. It has been a long time."

A familiar voice rang out, pulling her from her thoughts. She turned. A monk, holding a golden staff, walked toward her, step by steady step.

"Hui Ming?" Su Min blinked. "What are you doing here? And you've reached Foundation Establishment… but you chose the Human Dao path? What a waste."

She studied him—yes, it was the same monk she'd met in the desert. She wasn't surprised at his cultivation level. After all, he'd entered the Qi Refining stage without even using Spirit-Attracting Pills. But what truly intrigued her… was the aura pulsing faintly within his body.

"…A Ten Thousand Buddha Physique?" she murmured, frowning slightly.

Such a body constitution was a rare gift—almost tailor-made for Buddhist cultivation. It hadn't been obvious when he was in Qi Refining, but now that he'd stepped into Foundation Establishment, its presence was unmistakable. While not the pinnacle of all physiques, it was certainly exceptional. Among players, it would rank quite high. In this world… it was one in ten thousand.

"Come with me to the inner hall, senior," Hui Ming said respectfully. "You've been in seclusion for over twenty years. I imagine there's much confusion in your heart. Allow me to offer what guidance I can… and please, let's not obstruct the sermon."

"Alright."

Su Min followed him into a quieter room at the back. The two sat across from each other, a modest table between them.

"What brings you here?" Su Min asked, eyes narrowing slightly. "The King of U'er actually let you leave his side?"

"The King passed away ten years ago," Hui Ming replied calmly. "With the world's spiritual energy growing denser by the day, even the deserts have begun to bloom. Several oases have appeared, and trade with Great Wei has resumed. As for me… I came here at my master's summons."

"To spread the Dharma?"

"To protect the people, senior," he said with a slight bow. "After you drove out the steppe clans, their vengeful spirits lingered. No rites were performed, and now the outskirts of Yongzhou are overrun with malevolent forces."

"…Ah."

Su Min rubbed her nose, a hint of guilt creeping into her expression.