Watching the enormous Stone Giants sitting in the magma one after another, properly following Fu Zhiwen and the others as they learned the Shuowen Jiezi, Xiao Hua suddenly felt a familiar sensation, as though he had returned to the days when he had struggled bitterly to study. Yet amid that warmth, worry also crept into his heart.
The Buddha statue within the Buddha niche had now nearly split into two halves. A crack ran from its crown, across its chest, and straight down to its lower body. Crimson liquid flowed like candle tears onto the Nine-Ranked Lotus Platform beneath it. If not for the Nine-Ranked Lotus Platform protecting the statue, it would already have completely fallen apart.
Dragon Vein Xiao Hua and Phoenix Body Xiao Hua had not returned, nor had Xiao Hua received any messages from them. Still, no dread arose in him. Even if the two clones had encountered danger, their lives were presumably not at risk.
That day, the entire magma lake resounded with the rhythmic rise and fall of reading voices. Xiao Hua, who sat cross-legged, suddenly raised his brows and looked outside the magma in surprise.
Boom, boom... A faint tremor shook the earth and mountains above. Though the magma had already dampened much of the vibration, it could still be heard beneath the molten lake.
The old Stone Giant, who had been laboriously pronouncing each word one by one, heard the sound and immediately rose from the ground, crying out with remarkable fluency, "Namo Maitreya Buddha..."
"Namo Maitreya Buddha!" At once, all the Stone Giants learning pronunciation stood up and shouted loudly. A surge of battle intent rose from their bodies.
"En... enemies..." Only then did the old Stone Giant remember that Buddha Bodhi was beside him. He hastily pointed upward and stammered.
"Go..."