Tang Chen and the other four returned to their quarters, reflecting on and summarizing the shortcomings of this battle.
Western Heaven Spirit Mountain, Great Hero Hall.
Tathagata Buddha was expounding the Mahayana Buddhist Dharma when a golden-bodied Arhat tasked with guarding the soul lamps suddenly barged in and said in panic, "Buddha, terrible news! The soul lamps of the Eighteen Arhats have all gone out. They're all dead."
"What? All dead? Weren't they following the three Bodhisattvas to rescue Little White Dragon?"
"Exactly! Three Quasi-Saint Grand Powers couldn't even protect the Eighteen Arhats. Who would believe that?"
"Who did this? Was it someone from the Heavenly Court or the Mystic Gate?"
For a moment, all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas present erupted into discussion, speculating over who had done this.
Tathagata frowned and performed a divination, his face filling with shock. He had actually calculated that all three Bodhisattvas bore injuries to varying degrees, apparently left behind during their battle with their opponents. Bodhisattva Manjushri's injuries were the most severe: his internal organs had been shaken, and he had lost vital blood essence. One glance was enough to tell that he had used some life-saving method such as Blood Escape.
Could some old monsters from the mid to late Quasi-Saint stages have acted? But did they not know that in this Great Tribulation, Buddhism was destined by Heaven? Did they not know that attacking members of Buddhism was a provocation against Buddhism?
"Silence. We will make a decision after Venerable Guanyin, Venerable Manjushri, and Venerable Samantabhadra return to Spirit Mountain. Today's sermon ends here."
Tathagata made the final decision, directly suspending the sermon as he waited for Guanyin and the other two to arrive.
The first to fly in was Bodhisattva Manjushri. The instant he landed in the hall and his