Central Province, Leiyin Pure Land.
Inside Leiyin Buddhist Temple, a Mahayana Buddha slowly opened his eyes. His build was somewhat burly, his face somewhat aged, and his expression was as unruffled as that of the Buddha statue. Buddha Light shone behind him.
The already silent main hall now seemed utterly solemn.
"Attendants." The Buddha's tone remained majestic.
"We heed your words, Venerable Buddha Lingshang."
The Arhat on the left and the Bodhisattva on the right answered together.
Buddha Lingshang half closed his eyes, his tone unchanged:
"Give the order: deliver the entire Evil Spirit Cult to salvation. At the same time, investigate for me exactly who those Evil Spirit Cult members Within Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple on Western Ox-He Continent were."
"If they can recognize the True Dharma, bring them back. I will enlighten them myself."
The Arhat calmly raised his hands in salute. "May I ask, Venerable Lingshang, are we to deliver only the Evil Spirit Cult within Western Ox-He Continent to salvation?"
"All of them, including those in Central Province." Buddha Lingshang closed his eyes. "Brazen mosquitoes. Laughable ants."
"As you command."
The Arhat and Bodhisattva on either side answered together again, then slowly and silently withdrew to relay the order.
Inside the main hall, Buddha Lingshang raised his palm slightly, making the same gesture as the great golden Buddha in Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple. At a glance, he was almost indistinguishable from that great Buddha.
Ten Thousand Buddhas City.
Word of yesterday's clash inside Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple had not spread. Instead, the story was that Buddhist light had shone from Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple at nightfall yesterday, as though a true Buddha had descended upon the place.
Thus, apart from even more devout chanting of Buddhist Scriptures, what could be heard today were accounts of