The northern bank of the Li River, Lotus Temple.
Five-colored, glazed radiance spilled forth amid chanting and prayers. The battered Little Lotus-Cause Pure Land opened, barely encompassing this stretch of towers and ancient temple halls.
Cihai had returned to the temple. Still wearing his five-colored, gold-woven brocade kasaya and lotus-shaped Vairochana Hat, he sat in the Great Hero Hall, his expression somewhat strained.
A warrior monk in an Ochre Monk Robe stood beside him. Silence filled the hall, while frightened voices drifted over from the monks in the distance.
"Abbot, the monsters brought by Fire Crow are still running rampant. They've surrounded the gates of the Longevity Monastery. True Person Hua Yuan and Demon King Dao Yan are battling in the Great Void, and we don't yet know how things stand."
Having received the news, Chifa reported from below, unease on his face.
"The Longevity Monastery started this, after all, and Fire Crow has ties with the Song Clan. With the contest between those two Purple Mansion cultivators still undecided, none of the Immortal Dao are willing to mediate."
"Our temple has suffered a calamity out of nowhere, but we aren't their target. We only need to hold out for a while."
Cihai spoke, his voice booming like a great bell. His cultivation had now reached perfection; he only needed to accumulate enough vow power to break through to Dharma Master.
But with the monsters sweeping in this time, many mortals had fled, delaying his breakthrough yet again.
Fire Crow had dispatched numerous monsters from Chonghua to surround the Longevity Monastery's Golden Autumn Mountain. Both sides had fought until real fury blazed, embroiling many neighboring factions.
Lotus Temple's main temple stood in the Verdant Wilds on the northern bank of the Li River. After occupying Dapan in Green Peaks, they