Guanyin Monastery, the Kasaya Vanishes

The journey was fraught with hardships. After several detours, master and disciples finally arrived in a densely populated place.

"Master, look! There's a monastery over there."

Xuanzang never failed to pay respects whenever he encountered a Buddha along the way. He dismounted and walked forward.

"Come, disciples."

"Master, walk slowly."

"Sand Brother, hurry up and catch up."

After winding along for several hundred meters, they heard resounding bells from within the monastery. A group of monks were performing their morning prayers, striking wooden fish and chanting Buddhist scriptures.

Before long, Xuanzang and his group reached the monastery gates. Above them hung a black plaque traced with gold, bearing the five gilded characters: Great Guanyin Monastery. The calligraphy was vigorous and forceful, like dragons and serpents in flight.

"Great Guanyin Monastery. Heh, looks like we've reached Guanyin Bodhisattva's tribute academy." Sun Wukong grinned up at the plaque.

Xuanzang nodded with a smile, straightened his clothes, and stepped inside.

A young Sand Monk came forward to greet Xuanzang and his group.

"Amitābha. Where have you come from, senior brother?" He held his hands in a Buddhist salute, his manner quite courteous.

"Amitābha. This humble monk and his companions have come from Eastern Great Tang, traveling to Western Paradise to worship Buddha and seek scriptures. Passing by this treasured temple and seeing that it is Guanyin's tribute academy, we naturally had to dismount and pay our respects." Xuanzang returned the Buddhist salute as he answered.

The young Sand Monk nodded. "Please, senior brother!"

The young Sand Monk stepped aside, and Xuanzang's group headed toward the central Guanyin Hall.

At that moment, the sound of scripture chanting lingered through Guanyin Hall. Within, an old monk dressed in a Buddhist robe sat cross-legged at the head, striking a wooden fish as he led a group