"There is no ignorance, nor any end to ignorance, and so on through no old age and death, nor any end to old age and death; no suffering, origin, cessation, or path."
The chanting continued to drift out.
"There is no wisdom and no attainment. Because there is nothing to attain."
The platinum light in Tuolong's belly grew brighter and brighter.
The light was utterly gentle, yet Tuo Jie could not explain why it made him so uncomfortable.
It was more like an itch than pain.
An itch like the foulest, most rotten things hidden in the deepest recesses of his soul were being unearthed by a pair of hands, little by little, spread out, and washed clean.
He did not want it, yet he could not resist.
His body thrashed violently in the mud.
The Tuolong who had been waving his hand so arrogantly moments before, demanding that everyone kneel and beg him, now curled into a convulsing ball.
He looked ahead.
The monkey merely watched him coldly, showing no intention of lifting his foot and letting him go.
Tuo Jie clenched his teeth and forced a sound from his throat, speaking softly.
"Holy monk..."
"If you mean to kill me, then kill me! Why torment me like this?"
"I only gave in to an evil thought for a moment... You are a holy monk. Why have you no compassion for me?"
His other hand clawed desperately at the mud, his knuckles white.
"Why can't you give me another chance... or grant me a swift death!"
The chanting stopped.
Only Tuo Jie's ragged breathing remained.
No one spoke.
Suddenly, an exceedingly soft sigh came from within Tuo Jie. The sound carried helpless resignation.
"Ah."
"Amitabha Buddha."
"Wukong, have him let this poor monk out."
Wukong stepped back half