Hearing the other party's words, Su Guang thought the abbot of Xiangguo Temple had come for them. His hand unconsciously moved to his waist, pressing down on the hilt of the short blade hidden beneath his robes.
Instinctively, he tensed up, his entire body like a fully drawn bow, ready to spring into action at any moment.
Sensing Su Guang's change, Chen Ye shifted sideways without a word, concealing Su Guang's small movement behind himself.
Su Guang turned to look at him.
Chen Ye's expression remained utterly calm as he lowered his voice. "Don't move."
For some reason, Su Guang's heart settled. He took a deep breath and slowly released the hand gripping his blade.
Like the other worshippers, Chen Ye raised his head toward the abbot of Xiangguo Temple, silently calculating.
From the moment he had left the meditation courtyard, even if someone had discovered his departure the instant he stepped out, there was no way the abbot could have learned of it so quickly.
The other party might not have come for him.
It was best to wait and see.
The entire dining hall was still as water. No one answered.
"Amitabha."
The abbot of Xiangguo Temple pressed his palms together and loudly proclaimed the Buddha's name.
At once, an invisible pressure burst forth from him. Streaks of golden radiance bloomed from his body, Buddhist light spilling in every direction.
Under that pressure, Chen Ye, seated in his place, felt his entire body grow heavy.
When he looked again at the abbot of Xiangguo Temple, it was as though he were witnessing a golden-bodied Buddha descend into the world.
Layer upon layer of phantom golden light rose inch by inch from the abbot's body, soaring to a height of ten feet in the blink of an eye, resplendent