What puzzled Guzhen most was that there was no Sanskrit script anywhere else on the Changsheng Lamp, nor were there any figures of heavenly maidens or heavenly dragons. Instead, layer upon layer of Yingluo ornaments spread across it like countless tiny clouds. Bathed in the lamp's blue light, those cloud-like ornaments also shone blue, making for a rather eerie sight.
Guzhen's eyes shifted slightly. As his gaze moved, those clouds began to drift as well, as though they covered the underside of the Changsheng Lamp.
"Who are you?" Guzhen had steadied himself by now. Not daring to move rashly, he stared at the Changsheng Lamp and called out, "Since you have come here, why not show yourself?"
"Who?" The voice burst into hearty laughter. "Little monk, shouldn't you call this old man Benefactor? You cannot even keep the precept of speech—how can you become a Buddha? Besides, unless this old man's eyes have gone dim with age, I seem to have just heard... someone here resenting Manjushri Bodhisattva?"
Guzhen's expression did not change. He answered blandly, "This poor monk is one of the Buddhist Protectors. Whether I keep the precept of speech is irrelevant. As long as I can exterminate demons and protect Buddha... it is great merit!"
"A Protector need not obey the Buddhist sect's precepts?" the voice asked strangely. "Why was this old man unaware of that?"
"Benefactor is not a Buddhist sect disciple, perhaps?" Guzhen did not answer, instead asking in return, "You do not even know something so simple?"
"Whether this old man is a Buddhist sect disciple is unimportant!" the voice said again. "What matters is that this Changsheng Hall was built by Manjushri Bodhisattva in the flesh. Why did he build Changsheng Hall at the bottom of Sage River? Why did he build it