Di Shitian.
Light and darkness stood opposed.
The dark side could wait for now. On the side of light, Lu Bei was drowsy. The present and the past stared at each other—one holding a flower and smiling faintly, the other without sorrow or joy.
Gu Zongchen was certain Dian Chi would let go of his obsession. Although he had rejected Great Brightness's old path, he possessed the Sarira left behind when Great Brightness passed into nirvana. With that single trump card, Dian Chi could do nothing.
Gu Zongchen did not want to use force. He respected Dian Chi's Great Compassion and was willing to wait until the past let go, even if it took a thousand or ten thousand years.
"Amitabha. This humble monk's obsession runs too deep. If the Great Master has no profound Buddhist teachings to bestow, this humble monk will remain lost in delusion until death."
Little Monk did not want to use force, so Dian Chi urged him to do so. He understood himself too well. There was no chance he would willingly let go; being forced to let go was another matter.
"The Great Master's knot in his heart is too deep. This humble monk cannot untie it. Ten thousand feet of delusion, ten thousand layers of mountains—the only person in this world who can ferry the Great Master across is the Great Master himself."
"Hard. Hard. Hard."
Dian Chi sighed three times in succession, pressing his palms together. "This humble monk cannot ferry himself across, and the Great Master is unwilling to point out the way through the maze. Since that is so, this humble monk will presume to ask Great Darkness to bear witness. Let us ask whether this humble monk or the Great Master is the true present."
Dian Chi had never