Atop Mount Tai Jade Emperor Peak, inside the palace.
In the courtyard, Verdant Green Maiden tended the fire. The dancing flames lit up her face and Heaven's. Verdant Green Maiden glanced sideways at Heaven, whose expression remained utterly still, and couldn't help wondering to herself.
In the end, Verdant Green Maiden still asked, "Why are you telling me all this? Do you want me to stop Buddhism from spreading east?"
"It's already too late."
Heaven shook his head, rejecting Verdant Green Maiden's guess.
As she looked on in confusion, Heaven continued, "The tide of Buddhist Law spreading east cannot be stopped!"
"Then you..."
Before Verdant Green Maiden could continue, Heaven said, "Buddha has countless Ganges Sand Realms. Have you ever heard of... the Eastern Pure Glazed World?"
Verdant Green Maiden shook her head.
Heaven said, "As I told you back then, the heavens are filled with Gods and Buddhas. The Eastern Pure Glazed World is the place of practice of Medicine Master Glazed Light Tathagata. Many Bodhisattvas and Arhats sit beneath him, and it stands opposite the Western Paradise. Within that realm, Buddhist Law flourishes, suffusing everything with pure glazed light."
Verdant Green Maiden tilted her head. "So?"
"As Buddhist Law spreads east, myths and legends are bound to change greatly. Medicine Master Buddha is benevolent, so you can act under the name of the Glazed Medicine Pure Light Bodhisattva who sits beneath him."
Heaven spoke slowly to Verdant Green Maiden.
But Verdant Green Maiden furrowed her brow and raised her gaze to the heavens.
After a long while, she finally asked, "I've never heard of this Bodhisattva. Does she really exist?"
"She was prepared especially for you, Verdant Green Maiden."
Heaven looked at Verdant Green Maiden, paused, then said, "Would you rather wait until Buddhist Law has spread and