"Exactly. While Huicong's demonic heart is still dormant, we'll light 108 lamps before the Buddha in the main hall of our temple. Senior Brother will wield the needle and inscribe the Garan Secret Scripture's demon-subduing diagram on Huicong's back, while the rest of us chant sutras to bless him."
As soon as he heard this, Jiang Cheng's expression began to change. Lord Guan's ghost instantly appeared in his mind. "I-it was... Garan Bodhisattva..."
Since the Sui and Tang dynasties, emperors of every era had held up Guan Yu's loyalty and righteousness as an example of devotion to the throne and love of country. They had successively elevated him from marquis to king, king to emperor, emperor to sage, and sage to a heavenly being. His status had continued to rise in various religious sects, and he was worshipped in both Buddhist temples and Taoist shrines. In Buddhism, he was revered as Garan Bodhisattva.
Garan Bodhisattva's sacred image was solemn and dignified. His upright spirit could subdue all manner of evil, so together with Veda Bodhisattva, he served as one of Buddhism's great guardian deities. Garan Bodhisattva was the right guardian, and Veda Bodhisattva the left. His shrine was usually located in Jialan Hall, to the southeast of a temple's Mahavira Hall.
"Did you people conjure up that Lord Guan just now?"
Remembering Lord Guan's ghost, who had wielded the Green Dragon Crescent Blade and slaughtered his way through the crowd, Jiang Cheng still felt his heart clench. Lord Guan had swung his blade, and at least a dozen monks had been killed on the spot.
"Amitabha. I'm sorry for the fright, benefactor." The abbot's voice came from the darkness ahead. "But as I said, everything you saw was an illusion. It wasn't real."
"Master, you've said so much, and now