Linyao.
The daylight was bright. Temples dotted the mountains and countryside, with many monks coming and going, cultivating and chanting sutras. There were few worshippers, and none of the radiant light and vow power that rose all day in ordinary Buddhist lands. All was peaceful.
Above the clouds, the Great Void rippled. A thread of golden light sliced it open, scattering sunlight like fragments of gold. Within that sunlight, the reflection of an ancient monastery was faintly visible.
All these sights lay hidden in the daylight, concealed by a divine ability that held Mount Sumeru within a mustard seed, beyond the reach of outsiders.
Rosy clouds rose high, and purple qi came from the east. A man stepped slowly out of the Great Void, middle-aged, with a long beard and deep-set eyes. He wore dark purple array robes embroidered with the star patterns of the Nine Luminaries. This was True Person Guan Quan.
Looking at the Great Sunlight Temple concealed within the Great Void, Guan Quan's eyes shifted slightly. He activated his divine ability, and hazy purple smoke billowed forth, veiling the sights here from prying eyes.
"Is Chan Master Hong Jing here? Guan Quan of Louguan Dao requests an audience."
Scriptures transformed in his hand, giving rise to light from his words. Clearly, he had employed a Buddhist cultivator's secret art to establish a connection with this hidden domain.
As his words fell, a sigh came from a thread of daylight. The light parted, revealing an old temple gate. The ancient characters on its plaque, [Great Sunlight Temple], were utterly dim.
Guan Quan swept his sleeve and rode a purple cloud inside. Behind him, the daylight closed again, leaving not the slightest sign of anything unusual.
Within the temple, vermilion walls stood half-collapsed amid desolation. As he walked along