He suddenly felt something and looked at Li Guanyi, saying,
"Have our Shariputras been fused together?"
Li Guanyi felt as if he were delivering the news of someone’s death and could only say,
"The Buddha Country of the Western Regions is no more, acquired by a twist of fate."
The old monk was stunned, but soon he could only sigh and then said with a gentle smile, "So that’s how it is, it’s gone... But in the grand scheme of things, all is impermanent. The fact that nothing lasts forever is the norm. Even the Buddha entered Nirvana, let alone the Buddha Country."
"Thank you, young friend, for informing us of such news."
"The demise of the Buddha Country is indeed the truth of the Buddhist Law."
Suddenly, there was laughter, "Hahaha, finally it’s gone!"
"Good that it’s gone!"
"If the Buddha Country weren’t gone, the Buddhist Law would not be prominent!"
It was a living Buddha from a past generation who was this frenzied.
Then, another monk sighed and said gently,
"Cause and effect, my remaining strength, you may use it as you see fit, patron."
"Buddhist Law reveals itself, universally saving all beings."
Yet another monk was firm, "Cultivate Buddha, Tao, mind, and self. The Qi Mechanism of a monk will return to heaven and earth. You must cultivate on your own to follow the Righteous path. Buddhist Law universally saving all beings?"
"Those who merely wait for the Buddha to save them are not worthy of salvation."
"Only self-rescue and self-liberation are the Buddhist Law."
Several generations of living Buddhas began to argue, and Li Guanyi pressed his brow, realizing that none of the monks who managed to burn out Shariputras were simple. Yet, an incongruous voice said,
"What living Buddha? Girls are the ones worth looking at. The principle of Buddhist Law is the impermanence of all things. If I am born male, why can’t I enjoy Zen happily?"
"It’s good the Buddha Country is gone. Otherwise, I’d have to come out every day wearing a turban just to see a girl. The rules of the Buddha Country should have been placed inside a coffin long ago. It’s a pity I’m already in a coffin..."
The arguing remnants of past generations of living Buddhas from the Buddha Country came to an abrupt halt.
Then they all turned to look at one particular handsome living Buddha from a past generation.
They picked up Zen Staffs and alms bowls, gathered around that living Buddha, and started beating him up, as if it was his own master’s generation that directly took off their shoes and swung them in a whacking fury. That generation’s living Buddha screamed while holding his head, "I’ve burnt out a Shariputra! I’ve burnt out a Shariputra!"
"The Buddha probably thinks I’ve done no wrong; otherwise, how could I have a Shariputra?"
"None of you have violated precepts, but how do you know if you’re truly upholding them? Or is it just because you’ve never come into contact with this world? If you do not enter life, how can you transcend it!"
"Girls are fragrant and soft..."
A certain generation’s living Buddha wiped his blood-stained alms bowl, expressionless,
"Even the Buddha’s eyes have gone blind, huh."
These generations of living Buddhas picked up that worthless living Buddha, one on each side. They looked gentle and turned to Li Guanyi, saying, "Unexpectedly, after our deaths, we could have such an opportunity. Our Qi Mechanism must return to the heavens and the earth."
"The human world is a sea of suffering, coming is like going, going is like coming."
The beaten and bruised young living Buddha also smiled, "How could sentient beings, full of emotions, part without feeling? Buddhist Law should not be the way of heartlessness."
They brought their hands together in prayer, their expressions gentle and serene, and slowly disappeared, but many more living Buddhas opened their eyes, their eyes filled with cold majesty, saying, "What’s the harm in transgressing demons daring to offend the dignity of the Buddhist Sect!"
"The same Buddhist Law, yet there are a hundred varieties of sentient beings."
Li Guanyi sighed and shouted,
"Great Masters, it’s time for you to be reborn in the Tathagata."
After those few special living Buddhas, the many past masters of the Western Regions simply remained indifferent, saying, "I am the Buddha in this world, I am the Tathagata."
"Long dwelling among sentient beings, you are fated with our Buddha."
"Your body is our temple."
Their voices overlapped, growing powerful and majestic, like the wide open Buddha high in a hall. Despite so many figures, in the end, it seemed as if only one person was speaking, as if this place was about to turn into a great Buddhist hall.
Li Guanyi cast his gaze downward, saying, "Three."
The living Buddhas stood up, seemingly ready to act. Li Guanyi said, "Two."
The remnants of generations of living Buddhas converged into dense shadows. The young man’s right hand dropped, his fingers spread apart; a black and red aura burst forth and then converged. Li Guanyi swung his arm, wielding something that cut through the air with a sharp whoosh.
The foremost living Buddha’s spirit was severed, turning into pure Qi Mechanism that fell.
Engulfed by the bronze tripod.
A thing supported the ground in the midst of these spirits.
A fierce, tiger-roar-like Weapon suppressed the chanting sound below it.
Divine Weapon·Fierce Tiger Shouting Battle Halberd.
With an aura so fierce it seemed real, Li Guanyi lifted the Battle Halberd with a calm expression, tinged with murderous intent, as a White Tiger stepped out behind him and looked at the living Buddhas of past generations, he said:
"Not very dignified, Master."
Meanwhile, outside, the old monk and Chen Chengbi were the first to notice Li Guanyi’s anomaly.
They circled around the young man, speechless.
Chen Chengbi said, "How does this boy have the aura of the Buddhist Sect? Does he have Shariputra on him?"
The old living Buddha responded,
"It doesn’t seem like it. This feeling is more like he took Shariputra, ground it into powder, then bathed in it."
Just as they were about to wake him, the old monk’s gaze froze as he saw the young man cast his eyes downward.
On his body, a faint Buddha light circulated and brightened.
Upon his skin, there seemed to be a glassy shine.
The living Buddha’s expression became solemn: