Tangseng was so furious that he sent Sun Wukong to find out what had happened.
The monk dared not explain what had happened in the middle of the street, so he led Ye Chen and the five members of Tangseng's group to the Nation-Protecting Golden Light Temple they had built by imperial decree.
It turned out that a Sarira Buddha Treasure had once been placed atop the pagoda at Golden Light Temple. By day, it radiated brilliant colors, surrounded by swirling clouds. At night, it lit up the surrounding area like a Night-shining Pearl, shining as brightly as the moon.
The countries around them could all see its radiance, so they regarded this place as the Heavenly Capital. Every year, they paid tribute, and everyone came here to worship.
But three years ago, one night, fierce winds howled, dark clouds blanketed the sky, lightning flashed and thunder roared, and sand whipped through the air. Everyone shut their doors and windows and stayed inside.
Suddenly, a flash of lightning streaked across the sky amid peals of thunder, and blood rain began to fall.
That was when the Sarira changed. Washed by the blood rain, it grew dim and dull, and no amount of polishing could restore it.
Seeing this, the abbot was overcome and fainted.
When the neighboring countries discovered that the Sarira no longer shone as brilliantly as before, they stopped paying tribute to the kingdom.
The king flew into a rage and believed the slander of others. They claimed that all this had happened because the temple monks had stolen the treasure. So he had everyone in the temple arrested, from the abbot down to the monks who swept the floors. No one was spared.
Recently, they had heard that two monks had already been beaten to death.
Tangsang