At the edge of the woods outside the temple, beside the Great River.
Langhao and Zhang Fang stood there, staring from afar at the Image inside the River Lord Temple. They were too shocked to speak.
"That monk must be the one who journeyed west. Rumor has it he should have stepped Beyond the Mundane long ago, but stayed in the Mortal World to save all living beings." Langhao smacked his lips, wonder filling his face. "The moment he arrived, even the heavens changed!"
Zhang Fang looked worried. "These are troubled times. That westward-bound monk is said to have close ties to Monk Tan Duan!"
"Whatever the case, now that he's here, even the Heavenly Court and the Divine Path will have to step aside..." Langhao shook his head and sighed. "Ah, Rogue Cultivators like us wouldn't dare get caught up in a struggle between such great powers!"
Zhang Fang nodded and was about to speak when his expression suddenly changed. He looked up at the sky.
"My lord has yet to see through it. You cling to the self, but the 'self' you speak of is not the true 'self.'"
The monk took no offense. He smiled. "This humble monk sees the self differently from you."
As he smiled, the sorrow faded from his face. He raised one palm before his chest and said, "The Tathagata Dharma Body is boundless and unimpeded, neither born nor extinguished. It attains the Eight Sovereignties, and this is called the self!"
At his words, ripples of boundless Golden Light came from every direction. Even the banks of dark clouds outside the temple were driven more than halfway away.
The Golden Light wheeled through the air, became a long river, and plunged down to envelop the temple.
The Divine Thoughts and wills within the