Three ox-horses cleared the way ahead.
Xiang Yuan rode the White Dragon Horse. It truly deserved to be called a dragon horse—its pace was beyond reproach, especially its steadiness. It treated every kind of mountain path as level ground. Aside from being unable to defy gravity and climb a ninety-degree slope into heaven or earth, it was flawless in every other regard.
Seated on horseback, Xiang Yuan had an excellent view. Far away, several lines of geese cut through the sky; nearby, crimson maple leaves blanketed the mountains. Amid rings of green pines stood rows of grand, magnificent houses, imposing indeed.
"Cypress trees droop by the gate, green mountains lie near the residence. This is quite a wealthy household—the spectacle's really something..."
Xiang Yuan nodded to himself, curious which Four Sages had come to test them in this trial.
Though the script had been settled at the card table, with Xiang Yuan's approval, by the Jade Emperor and the Buddha together, the Dry Abyss Realm was too real. Often, plans could not keep pace with change.
The Dry Abyss Realm had quite a few shareholders. If any of them wanted to add scenes, the Jade Emperor and the Buddha would merely close one eye, then close the other as well.
In the original Four Sages Test the Zen Heart, the four sages had been Our Lady of Mount Li, Guanyin Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra, and Manjushri, the three great bodhisattvas joining hands to set the stage. The Heavenly Court could scrape together such a cast now as well.
After the laws of reincarnation in the Netherworld Realm underwent drastic changes, Spirit Mountain's staffing had nearly reached full capacity. Guanyin Bodhisattva had never been lacking, and with Kshitigarbha added now, all Four Great Bodhisattvas were present.
As for Our Lady of Mount Li,