The West, Spirit Mountain.
Beside the Eight Treasures Merit Pool.
The golden pool water moved without wind, stirring up layer upon layer of tiny ripples.
Two figures appeared out of thin air, each sitting cross-legged upon a twelfth-grade Lotus Platform.
Jieyin spread both hands flat on his knees, his fingertips pinching a string of Bodhi Prayer Beads as he rolled them down one by one.
Zhunti set the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree on the White Jade Stone Table beside him and turned to look at Jieyin.
"Senior Brother, the general direction of the Scripture Seeking has already been settled."
"But there's one matter I still want to discuss with Senior Brother."
Jieyin's fingers stopped moving the prayer beads.
"What is it?"
He looked toward Zhunti, waiting for him to continue.
Zhunti extended one finger and jabbed heavily into the void.
"The westward road will pass through hardships. What has initially been set is nine-times-nine, eighty-one tribulations."
Jieyin nodded slowly.
"Nine is the utmost number. Nine times nine returns to one. It accords with the principle by which the Heavenly Dao operates."
"This is Heaven's Will."
Zhunti gently shook his head.
"But, Senior Brother, I keep feeling that these eighty-one tribulations are a little too few."
Jieyin froze, and the prayer beads in his hand stopped.
He stared at Zhunti.
"Junior Brother, what do you mean by this?"
He did not understand why Zhunti would say such a thing.
Zhunti did not answer directly, but instead asked Jieyin a question.
"Senior Brother, do you still remember how many grand vows we made when we became Saints?"
Jieyin's expression turned somewhat bitter.
How could he forget?
"How could I not remember? We made a full eighty-one Great Vows."
In order to become Saints, in order to fight for a single thread of