NABC Chapter 53: Releasing monsters to eat people and then putting out fires—is this what you call saving
Chapter 53: Releasing monsters to eat people and then putting out fires—is this what you call saving
The courtyard was quiet.
Red Boy no longer roasts sweet potatoes.
Nezha fell silent.
Pigsy straightened up from the vegetable garden.
Sha Wujing's broom stopped in mid-air.
Princess Iron Fan stood at the kitchen doorway, flour dripping from her hands.
Sun Wukong had only chewed half of the steamed bun in his mouth, and it froze there.
Maitreya's words are not a knife.
It's cotton.
Soft, fluffy cotton.
But the cotton wrapped around a needle.
The needle wasn't piercing Lu Chen's body.
It pierced everyone's heart.
If the land subsidence and road blockage really led to the deaths of ordinary people.
Does that mean he is guilty as well?
Are all the people living in this villa accomplices?
This problem weighed heavily on everyone's mind like a stone.
Maitreya looked at Lu Chen with a smile.
Wait for his reply.
Lu Chen was holding a glass of cold tea.
I took a sip.
Put down the bowl.
Laughed.
Maitreya.
"Um?"
"Are you finished speaking?"
"That's all."
"Then it's my turn."
Lu Chen placed the bowl on the stone table.
He tapped his fingers lightly twice on the table.
"Mile, let me summarize what you just said."
"You mean that I blocked the journey to the West, causing the people along the way to suffer, fall ill, and die because they couldn't receive the Buddhist teachings of Tang Sanzang? This karmic debt should be attributed to me."
"Is that right?"
Maitreya nodded with a smile.
"That's roughly it."
"Okay." Lu Chen smiled. "Then I'll ask you a few questions."
"Go ahead and ask."
"Eighty-one tribulations".
Lu Chen held up one finger.
"The Buddhist tradition designed eighty-one tribulations for the journey to the West. Each tribulation corresponds to a demon or a calamity. Of these eighty-one tribulations, how many of the demons are truly wild demons?"
Maitreya's smile remained unchanged.
But the curve of her lips was a little smaller.
"How many of them were arranged by Buddhism and the Heavenly Court?" Lu Chen continued, "Golden Horn and Silver Horn are the attendants of Laozi. Green Lion and White Elephant are the mounts of Manjushri and Samantabhadra. Yellow-Eyebrowed King is a disciple of Maitreya. Golden-Winged Roc is a relative of Buddha. Sai Tai Sui is Guanyin's mount, Golden-Haired Roar."
"These monsters didn't come down on their own. They were thrown down by their master."
"Why throw it down? To put on an act."
"Perform a scene where the pilgrims pass through trials and level up."
"The performance is over, the owner comes to collect it. Everyone's happy."
"But Maitreya, have you ever thought about something?"
Lu Chen tapped his finger on the table again.
"What were these monsters doing while they were being thrown down?"
Maitreya did not speak.
"They are eating people."
The two words landed on the stone table like two blocks of ice.
"How many passing merchants did the Golden Horn and Silver Horn eat at Pingdingshan? The Green Lion and White Elephant devoured the entire nation at Lion Camel Ridge. The Yellow-Eyebrowed King seized the entire Little Thunder Temple. Sai Tai Sui kidnapped the king's queen in the Kingdom of Zhu Zi and imprisoned her for three years."
"Did you know about these things?"
Maitreya's smile began to freeze.
"You know," Lu Chen answered for him, "Of course you know. Because these are all part of the plan."
"A demon descends to earth, wreaking havoc on the people; the pilgrims arrive, defeat the demon, and rescue the people. What a perfect script."
"But what about the civilians who were eaten?"
"What about the people who died before the pilgrims arrived?"
"Whose fault is it that their lives are at stake?"
Lu Chen looked at Maitreya.
"You just tried to explain cause and effect to me, saying that my blocking the road caused suffering for the people."
"Okay. I admit it. My blocking the road did affect those areas behind it. I'll take the blame for that."
"But Maitreya, you also need to consider the Buddhist community's own accounts."
"Eighty-one tribulations, how many people died in each one?"
"How many died at Pingdingshan? How many died in Lion Camel Kingdom? How many died at Tongtian River?"
"Those who died were killed by demons sent down to earth by the Buddhist sect."
"He wasn't killed by a wild monster."
"They are members of the Buddhist community itself."
"The Bodhisattva's mount. The Heavenly Venerable's attendant. The future Buddha's disciple."
"The Buddhist sect throws its own people down to the mortal world as monsters, letting them eat people, harm people, and destroy cities and countries."
"Then we'll arrange for the pilgrims to clean up the mess."
"What's this called?"
Lu Chen smiled.
"This is called setting a fire first and then putting it out."
"You were the ones who set the fire."
"You're the ones putting out the fire too."
"The final merit book reads 'Buddhism saves all sentient beings'."
"But who remembers those who burned to death in the fire?"
Maitreya's smile finally disappeared.
It didn't disappear, it just couldn't stay afloat any longer.
The muscles on that round face twitched, as if trying to smile again, but failed.
Everyone in the courtyard was looking at Maitreya.
Sun Wukong stopped chewing the steamed bun in his mouth.
Pigsy squatted in the vegetable garden, not daring to breathe.
Nezha hugged his knees, his mouth agape.
Red Boy gripped his Fire-Tipped Spear tightly.
The Jade Rabbit buried its face in its knees.
Princess Iron Fan stood at the kitchen doorway, the dough in her hand unconsciously crumbling.
Sha Wujing lowered his head, his staff trembling slightly in his hand.
"Maitreya," Lu Chen said as a final word.
"You want to argue with me about cause and effect? I'll play along."
"But when calculating, we should also take into account the lives that Buddhism itself owes."
"Let's see who owes whom in the end."
Maitreya sat at the stone table.
Silent for a long time.
He glanced down at the half-eaten sweet potato on the table.
Then he raised his head again.
Laughed.
The smile is back.
But it's different from when I entered.
The smile he wore when he entered was warm, confident, and as if he had everything under control.
This smile is forced.
"Fellow Daoist, you have excellent eloquence."
Maitreya stood up.
The stone bench let out another mournful cry.
"Maitreya has learned much from today's discussion."
He raised his hand in a Buddhist gesture of respect.
Then he turned and walked towards the gate of the courtyard.
After taking two steps, I stopped.
There was no turning back.
"However, fellow Daoist."
"Um?"
"The concept of cause and effect."
Maitreya's voice became very soft.
"It's not something you can just decide to deny."
"It's not up to me to decide."
"It can calculate it itself."
After saying this, Maitreya stepped out of the courtyard gate.
A flash of yellow light, and the figure vanished.
The courtyard was quiet for a while.
Sun Wukong was the first to speak.
"That bald monk is something else."
"Hmm." Lu Chen sat back down on the stone stool.
"What did he mean by his last sentence?" Pigsy scratched his head.
"The literal meaning," Lu Chen said. "You can calculate the cause and effect yourself."
"Is he admitting defeat or making a threat?"
"Neither." Lu Chen thought for a moment. "He was reminding me."
"What am I reminding you of?"
"Remind me." Lu Chen looked in the direction where Maitreya had disappeared, "In the end, this matter is not a question of who wins or loses between me and Buddhism."
"It's a matter of how Heaven judges things."
Sun Wukong finished chewing the half-eaten steamed bun in his mouth.
"The Way of Heaven? What is the Way of Heaven? Where was the Way of Heaven when Sun Wukong wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace?"
Lu Chen smiled but did not answer.
Maitreya has left.
But the words he left behind are like a thorn in my side.
It doesn't hurt.
But it's stuck there, and you can't pull it out.
Three days after Maitreya left.
Another person has arrived.
This time it's not from the Buddhist community.
It belongs to the Heavenly Court.
A beam of golden light fell from the northeast at the mouth of the valley.
A person walked out of the golden light.
He wore silver armor, a tiger-head buckle belt around his waist, and held a three-pointed double-edged sword.
Between his brows, a vertical third eye gleamed faintly with golden light.
A large, pure white dog followed behind.
The dog was as tall as a person's waist, with teeth like daggers, and golden eyes that scanned back and forth across the valley.
Erlang Shen Zhenjun Yang Jian.
Howling Celestial Dog.
Cola Novel Reading Feast: A vast collection of books and an ultimate reading experience.
Laughed.
The smile is back.
But it's different from when I entered.
The smile he wore when he entered was warm, confident, and as if he had everything under control.
This smile is forced.
"Fellow Daoist, you have excellent eloquence."
Maitreya stood up.
The stone bench let out another mournful cry.
"Maitreya has learned much from today's discussion."
He raised his hand in a Buddhist gesture of respect.
Then he turned and walked towards the gate of the courtyard.
After taking two steps, I stopped.
There was no turning back.
"However, fellow Daoist."
"Um?"
"The concept of cause and effect."
Maitreya's voice became very soft.
"It's not something you can just decide to deny."
"It's not up to me to decide."
"It can calculate it itself."
After saying this, Maitreya stepped out of the courtyard gate.
A flash of yellow light, and the figure vanished.
The courtyard was quiet for a while.
Sun Wukong was the first to speak.
"That bald monk is something else."
"Hmm." Lu Chen sat back down on the stone stool.
"What did he mean by his last sentence?" Pigsy scratched his head.
"The literal meaning," Lu Chen said. "You can calculate the cause and effect yourself."
"Is he admitting defeat or making a threat?"
"Neither." Lu Chen thought for a moment. "He was reminding me."
"What am I reminding you of?"
"Remind me." Lu Chen looked in the direction where Maitreya had disappeared, "In the end, this matter is not a question of who wins or loses between me and Buddhism."
"It's a matter of how Heaven judges things."
Sun Wukong finished chewing the half-eaten steamed bun in his mouth.
"The Way of Heaven? What is the Way of Heaven? Where was the Way of Heaven when Sun Wukong wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace?"
Lu Chen smiled but did not answer.
Maitreya has left.
But the words he left behind are like a thorn in my side.
It doesn't hurt.
But it's stuck there, and you can't pull it out.
Three days after Maitreya left.
Another person has arrived.
This time it's not from the Buddhist community.
It belongs to the Heavenly Court.
A beam of golden light fell from the northeast at the mouth of the valley.
A person walked out of the golden light.
He wore silver armor, a tiger-head buckle belt around his waist, and held a three-pointed double-edged sword.
Between his brows, a vertical third eye gleamed faintly with golden light.
A large, pure white dog followed behind.
The dog was as tall as a person's waist, with teeth like daggers, and golden eyes that scanned back and forth across the valley.
Erlang Shen Zhenjun Yang Jian.
Howling Celestial Dog.
This smile is forced.
"Fellow Daoist, you have excellent eloquence."
Maitreya stood up.
The stone bench let out another mournful cry.
"Maitreya has learned much from today's discussion."
He raised his hand in a Buddhist gesture of respect.
Then he turned and walked towards the gate of the courtyard.
After taking two steps, I stopped.
There was no turning back.
"However, fellow Daoist."
"Um?"
"The concept of cause and effect."
Maitreya's voice became very soft.
"It's not something you can just decide to deny."
"It's not up to me to decide."
"It can calculate it itself."
After saying this, Maitreya stepped out of the courtyard gate.
A flash of yellow light, and the figure vanished.
The courtyard was quiet for a while.
Sun Wukong was the first to speak.
"That bald monk is something else."
"Hmm." Lu Chen sat back down on the stone stool.
"What did he mean by his last sentence?" Pigsy scratched his head.
"The literal meaning," Lu Chen said. "You can calculate the cause and effect yourself."
"Is he admitting defeat or making a threat?"
"Neither." Lu Chen thought for a moment. "He was reminding me."
"What am I reminding you of?"
"Remind me." Lu Chen looked in the direction where Maitreya had disappeared, "In the end, this matter is not a question of who wins or loses between me and Buddhism."
"It's a matter of how Heaven judges things."
Sun Wukong finished chewing the half-eaten steamed bun in his mouth.
"The Way of Heaven? What is the Way of Heaven? Where was the Way of Heaven when Sun Wukong wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace?"
Lu Chen smiled but did not answer.
Maitreya has left.
But the words he left behind are like a thorn in my side.
It doesn't hurt.
But it's stuck there, and you can't pull it out.
Three days after Maitreya left.
Another person has arrived.
This time it's not from the Buddhist community.
It belongs to the Heavenly Court.
A beam of golden light fell from the northeast at the mouth of the valley.
A person walked out of the golden light.
He wore silver armor, a tiger-head buckle belt around his waist, and held a three-pointed double-edged sword.
Between his brows, a vertical third eye gleamed faintly with golden light.
A large, pure white dog followed behind.
The dog was as tall as a person's waist, with teeth like daggers, and golden eyes that scanned back and forth across the valley.
Erlang Shen Zhenjun Yang Jian.
Howling Celestial Dog.
Laughed.
The smile is back.
But it's different from when I entered.
The smile he wore when he entered was warm, confident, and as if he had everything under control.
This smile is forced.
"Fellow Daoist, you have excellent eloquence."
Maitreya stood up.
The stone bench let out another mournful cry.
"Maitreya has learned much from today's discussion."
He raised his hand in a Buddhist gesture of respect.
Then he turned and walked towards the gate of the courtyard.
After taking two steps, I stopped.
There was no turning back.
"However, fellow Daoist."
"Um?"
"The concept of cause and effect."
Maitreya's voice became very soft.
"It's not something you can just decide to deny."
"It's not up to me to decide."
"It can calculate it itself."
After saying this, Maitreya stepped out of the courtyard gate.
A flash of yellow light, and the figure vanished.
The courtyard was quiet for a while.
Sun Wukong was the first to speak.
"That bald monk is something else."
"Hmm." Lu Chen sat back down on the stone stool.
"What did he mean by his last sentence?" Pigsy scratched his head.
"The literal meaning," Lu Chen said. "You can calculate the cause and effect yourself."
"Is he admitting defeat or making a threat?"
"Neither." Lu Chen thought for a moment. "He was reminding me."
"What am I reminding you of?"
"Remind me." Lu Chen looked in the direction where Maitreya had disappeared, "In the end, this matter is not a question of who wins or loses between me and Buddhism."
"It's a matter of how Heaven judges things."
Sun Wukong finished chewing the half-eaten steamed bun in his mouth.
"The Way of Heaven? What is the Way of Heaven? Where was the Way of Heaven when Sun Wukong wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace?"
Lu Chen smiled but did not answer.
Maitreya has left.
But the words he left behind are like a thorn in my side.
It doesn't hurt.
But it's stuck there, and you can't pull it out.
Three days after Maitreya left.
Another person has arrived.
This time it's not from the Buddhist community.
It belongs to the Heavenly Court.
A beam of golden light fell from the northeast at the mouth of the valley.
A person walked out of the golden light.
He wore silver armor, a tiger-head buckle belt around his waist, and held a three-pointed double-edged sword.
Between his brows, a vertical third eye gleamed faintly with golden light.
A large, pure white dog followed behind.
The dog was as tall as a person's waist, with teeth like daggers, and golden eyes that scanned back and forth across the valley.
Erlang Shen Zhenjun Yang Jian.
Howling Celestial Dog.
This smile is forced.
"Fellow Daoist, you have excellent eloquence."
Maitreya stood up.
The stone bench let out another mournful cry.
"Maitreya has learned much from today's discussion."
He raised his hand in a Buddhist gesture of respect.
Then he turned and walked towards the gate of the courtyard.
After taking two steps, I stopped.
There was no turning back.
"However, fellow Daoist."
"Um?"
"The concept of cause and effect."
Maitreya's voice became very soft.
"It's not something you can just decide to deny."
"It's not up to me to decide."
"It can calculate it itself."
After saying this, Maitreya stepped out of the courtyard gate.
A flash of yellow light, and the figure vanished.
The courtyard was quiet for a while.
Sun Wukong was the first to speak.
"That bald monk is something else."
"Hmm." Lu Chen sat back down on the stone stool.
"What did he mean by his last sentence?" Pigsy scratched his head.
"The literal meaning," Lu Chen said. "You can calculate the cause and effect yourself."
"Is he admitting defeat or making a threat?"
"Neither." Lu Chen thought for a moment. "He was reminding me."
"What am I reminding you of?"
"Remind me." Lu Chen looked in the direction where Maitreya had disappeared, "In the end, this matter is not a question of who wins or loses between me and Buddhism."
"It's a matter of how Heaven judges things."
Sun Wukong finished chewing the half-eaten steamed bun in his mouth.
"The Way of Heaven? What is the Way of Heaven? Where was the Way of Heaven when Sun Wukong wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace?"
Lu Chen smiled but did not answer.
Maitreya has left.
But the words he left behind are like a thorn in my side.
It doesn't hurt.
But it's stuck there, and you can't pull it out.
Three days after Maitreya left.
Another person has arrived.
This time it's not from the Buddhist community.
It belongs to the Heavenly Court.
A beam of golden light fell from the northeast at the mouth of the valley.
A person walked out of the golden light.
He wore silver armor, a tiger-head buckle belt around his waist, and held a three-pointed double-edged sword.
Between his brows, a vertical third eye gleamed faintly with golden light.
A large, pure white dog followed behind.
The dog was as tall as a person's waist, with teeth like daggers, and golden eyes that scanned back and forth across the valley.
Erlang Shen Zhenjun Yang Jian.
Howling Celestial Dog.
This smile is forced.
"Fellow Daoist, you have excellent eloquence."
Maitreya stood up.
The stone bench let out another mournful cry.
"Maitreya has learned much from today's discussion."
He raised his hand in a Buddhist gesture of respect.
Then he turned and walked towards the gate of the courtyard.
After taking two steps, I stopped.
There was no turning back.
"However, fellow Daoist."
"Um?"
"The concept of cause and effect."
Maitreya's voice became very soft.
"It's not something you can just decide to deny."
"It's not up to me to decide."
"It can calculate it itself."
After saying this, Maitreya stepped out of the courtyard gate.
A flash of yellow light, and the figure vanished.
The courtyard was quiet for a while.
Sun Wukong was the first to speak.
"That bald monk is something else."
"Hmm." Lu Chen sat back down on the stone stool.
"What did he mean by his last sentence?" Pigsy scratched his head.
"The literal meaning," Lu Chen said. "You can calculate the cause and effect yourself."
"Is he admitting defeat or making a threat?"
"Neither." Lu Chen thought for a moment. "He was reminding me."
"What am I reminding you of?"
"Remind me." Lu Chen looked in the direction where Maitreya had disappeared, "In the end, this matter is not a question of who wins or loses between me and Buddhism."
"It's a matter of how Heaven judges things."
Sun Wukong finished chewing the half-eaten steamed bun in his mouth.
"The Way of Heaven? What is the Way of Heaven? Where was the Way of Heaven when Sun Wukong wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace?"
Lu Chen smiled but did not answer.
Maitreya has left.
But the words he left behind are like a thorn in my side.
It doesn't hurt.
But it's stuck there, and you can't pull it out.
Three days after Maitreya left.
Another person has arrived.
This time it's not from the Buddhist community.
It belongs to the Heavenly Court.
A beam of golden light fell from the northeast at the mouth of the valley.
A person walked out of the golden light.
He wore silver armor, a tiger-head buckle belt around his waist, and held a three-pointed double-edged sword.
Between his brows, a vertical third eye gleamed faintly with golden light.
A large, pure white dog followed behind.
The dog was as tall as a person's waist, with teeth like daggers, and golden eyes that scanned back and forth across the valley.
Erlang Shen Zhenjun Yang Jian.
Howling Celestial Dog.
Laughed.
The smile is back.
But it's different from when I entered.
The smile he wore when he entered was warm, confident, and as if he had everything under control.
This smile is forced.
"Fellow Daoist, you have excellent eloquence."
Maitreya stood up.
The stone bench let out another mournful cry.
"Maitreya has learned much from today's discussion."
He raised his hand in a Buddhist gesture of respect.
Then he turned and walked towards the gate of the courtyard.
After taking two steps, I stopped.
There was no turning back.
"However, fellow Daoist."
"Um?"
"The concept of cause and effect."
Maitreya's voice became very soft.
"It's not something you can just decide to deny."
"It's not up to me to decide."
"It can calculate it itself."
After saying this, Maitreya stepped out of the courtyard gate.
A flash of yellow light, and the figure vanished.
The courtyard was quiet for a while.
Sun Wukong was the first to speak.
"That bald monk is something else."
"Hmm." Lu Chen sat back down on the stone stool.
"What did he mean by his last sentence?" Pigsy scratched his head.
"The literal meaning," Lu Chen said. "You can calculate the cause and effect yourself."
"Is he admitting defeat or making a threat?"
"Neither." Lu Chen thought for a moment. "He was reminding me."
"What am I reminding you of?"
"Remind me." Lu Chen looked in the direction where Maitreya had disappeared, "In the end, this matter is not a question of who wins or loses between me and Buddhism."
"It's a matter of how Heaven judges things."
Sun Wukong finished chewing the half-eaten steamed bun in his mouth.
"The Way of Heaven? What is the Way of Heaven? Where was the Way of Heaven when Sun Wukong wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace?"
Lu Chen smiled but did not answer.
Maitreya has left.
But the words he left behind are like a thorn in my side.
It doesn't hurt.
But it's stuck there, and you can't pull it out.
Three days after Maitreya left.
Another person has arrived.
This time it's not from the Buddhist community.
It belongs to the Heavenly Court.
A beam of golden light fell from the northeast at the mouth of the valley.
A person walked out of the golden light.
He wore silver armor, a tiger-head buckle belt around his waist, and held a three-pointed double-edged sword.
Between his brows, a vertical third eye gleamed faintly with golden light.
A large, pure white dog followed behind.
The dog was as tall as a person's waist, with teeth like daggers, and golden eyes that scanned back and forth across the valley.
Erlang Shen Zhenjun Yang Jian.
Howling Celestial Dog.
This smile is forced.
"Fellow Daoist, you have excellent eloquence."
Maitreya stood up.
The stone bench let out another mournful cry.
"Maitreya has learned much from today's discussion."
He raised his hand in a Buddhist gesture of respect.
Then he turned and walked towards the gate of the courtyard.
After taking two steps, I stopped.
There was no turning back.
"However, fellow Daoist."
"Um?"
"The concept of cause and effect."
Maitreya's voice became very soft.
"It's not something you can just decide to deny."
"It's not up to me to decide."
"It can calculate it itself."
After saying this, Maitreya stepped out of the courtyard gate.
A flash of yellow light, and the figure vanished.
The courtyard was quiet for a while.
Sun Wukong was the first to speak.
"That bald monk is something else."
"Hmm." Lu Chen sat back down on the stone stool.
"What did he mean by his last sentence?" Pigsy scratched his head.
"The literal meaning," Lu Chen said. "You can calculate the cause and effect yourself."
"Is he admitting defeat or making a threat?"
"Neither." Lu Chen thought for a moment. "He was reminding me."
"What am I reminding you of?"
"Remind me." Lu Chen looked in the direction where Maitreya had disappeared, "In the end, this matter is not a question of who wins or loses between me and Buddhism."
"It's a matter of how Heaven judges things."
Sun Wukong finished chewing the half-eaten steamed bun in his mouth.
"The Way of Heaven? What is the Way of Heaven? Where was the Way of Heaven when Sun Wukong wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace?"
Lu Chen smiled but did not answer.
Maitreya has left.
But the words he left behind are like a thorn in my side.
It doesn't hurt.
But it's stuck there, and you can't pull it out.
Three days after Maitreya left.
Another person has arrived.
This time it's not from the Buddhist community.
It belongs to the Heavenly Court.
A beam of golden light fell from the northeast at the mouth of the valley.
A person walked out of the golden light.
He wore silver armor, a tiger-head buckle belt around his waist, and held a three-pointed double-edged sword.
Between his brows, a vertical third eye gleamed faintly with golden light.
A large, pure white dog followed behind.
The dog was as tall as a person's waist, with teeth like daggers, and golden eyes that scanned back and forth across the valley.
Erlang Shen Zhenjun Yang Jian.
Howling Celestial Dog.
This smile is forced.
"Fellow Daoist, you have excellent eloquence."
Maitreya stood up.
The stone bench let out another mournful cry.
"Maitreya has learned much from today's discussion."
He raised his hand in a Buddhist gesture of respect.
Then he turned and walked towards the gate of the courtyard.
After taking two steps, I stopped.
There was no turning back.
"However, fellow Daoist."
"Um?"
"The concept of cause and effect."
Maitreya's voice became very soft.
"It's not something you can just decide to deny."
"It's not up to me to decide."
"It can calculate it itself."
After saying this, Maitreya stepped out of the courtyard gate.
A flash of yellow light, and the figure vanished.
The courtyard was quiet for a while.
Sun Wukong was the first to speak.
"That bald monk is something else."
"Hmm." Lu Chen sat back down on the stone stool.
"What did he mean by his last sentence?" Pigsy scratched his head.
"The literal meaning," Lu Chen said. "You can calculate the cause and effect yourself."
"Is he admitting defeat or making a threat?"
"Neither." Lu Chen thought for a moment. "He was reminding me."
"What am I reminding you of?"
"Remind me." Lu Chen looked in the direction where Maitreya had disappeared, "In the end, this matter is not a question of who wins or loses between me and Buddhism."
"It's a matter of how Heaven judges things."
Sun Wukong finished chewing the half-eaten steamed bun in his mouth.
"The Way of Heaven? What is the Way of Heaven? Where was the Way of Heaven when Sun Wukong wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace?"
Lu Chen smiled but did not answer.
Maitreya has left.
But the words he left behind are like a thorn in my side.
It doesn't hurt.
But it's stuck there, and you can't pull it out.
Three days after Maitreya left.
Another person has arrived.
This time it's not from the Buddhist community.
It belongs to the Heavenly Court.
A beam of golden light fell from the northeast at the mouth of the valley.
A person walked out of the golden light.
He wore silver armor, a tiger-head buckle belt around his waist, and held a three-pointed double-edged sword.
Between his brows, a vertical third eye gleamed faintly with golden light.
A large, pure white dog followed behind.
The dog was as tall as a person's waist, with teeth like daggers, and golden eyes that scanned back and forth across the valley.
Erlang Shen Zhenjun Yang Jian.
Howling Celestial Dog.