——The Awakened One does not emerge, the Tathagata does not leave the pass.

Karma Tathagata falls into the disadvantage, so the breaking condition of the agreement is whether the Awakened One emerges, not whether Karma Tathagata leaves the pass.

The initiative is in the hands of the Awakened One.

At that time, Guanyin could not see the specific inner workings of the battle between the two Supremes, but after learning that the two were originally one, and hearing the words of the Heavenly Monarch, she understood why Karma Tathagata had fallen into a disadvantage.

Because Karma Tathagata lacks a physical body.

Now, if Karma Tathagata is to battle the Awakened One again, he certainly would not fail to address his weakness. And Luo Hou might be one of Karma Tathagata's solutions.

Thus, deducing this, Luo Hou has stayed at the fourth-rank for many years, perhaps not because he could not advance, but because he was unwilling to advance so as not to repel Karma Tathagata. If it were the third grade, Karma Tathagata might not easily control Luo Hou's physical body.

Yet, even without advancing, Luo Hou's strength hasn't stopped growing, and Guanyin would not underestimate this former colleague.

After all, a certain Jiang raised the upper limit of the fourth-rank several times over. Although Guanyin feels that Luo Hou is not as monstrous as Jiang Li, given that the former four Great Asura Kings ventured into the Mountain of Mind and Heart, he indeed possesses the strength to harm the third grade.

Of course, more critically, it is still about Karma Tathagata.

"Are Buddhist friends intentionally cooperating with the Fire House Buddha Hell?" Tan Wuwei had already seen Guanyin's intention and nodded, "Cooperating with them indeed offers prosperity temporarily."

"It can't be called cooperation, at most we are both taking what we need. From the beginning, our plan was to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight, right?" Guanyin said.

Openly, using Manjusri's death to denounce the Awakened One, making it difficult for him to take action, lest it disturb the minds within Buddha Country, while secretly providing convenience to Fire House Buddha Hell.

In this way, even if the Awakened One is not burdened by reputation, he absolutely will have no time to act against the two of them.

"Indeed so, but Karma Tathagata can be said to be another Awakened One, won't just let us profit while standing by." Tan Wuwei nodded and then shook his head.

There is a Heavenly Monarch behind them, Karma Tathagata might not be unaware. Today, coming to form an alliance, the main goal may still be to drag the Heavenly Monarch into the field.

Guanyin is not unaware of this, but she does not show any sign of retreating, "Who wins or loses remains unknown. Once in the field, to not fight is to die, fighting has a chance of success."

Her voice was firm, echoing in the mountains, displaying remarkable courage despite being a woman.

Upon hearing this, Tan Wuwei also seemed quite touched.

She slightly closed her eyes, concealing the exotic color in her pupils, and said in a low voice, "Yes, there's no turning back······"

······

······

The deeper one goes into Buddha Country, the more one can sense a dense atmosphere.

Last time, Jiang Li hurried toward the Mountain of Mind and Heart and did not look carefully, but upon returning, he could discover a characteristic unique to Buddha Country.

The architecture has an exotic style different from Great Zhou, showing the characteristics of Buddhist Law in various aspects. For instance, every house looks like a temple, with lotuses carved on the roofs and doors or simply rows of '卍' symbols carved out.

Buddhist Law has penetrated every corner of this country, becoming an inseparable part.

Here, gaining incense is not as laborious as in Great Zhou; simply standing there would naturally draw people to worship Buddha.

The conversion efforts of Tan Wuwei and Guanyin also rarely meet with resistance; as long as the Buddhist chanting resounds, believers would willingly accept conversion.

Thus, the two regard believers as their key to victory.

Meanwhile, Fire House Buddha Hell and heterodox paths aim at disrupting Buddhist Law.

The Awakened One may not need incense, but his obsession is with Buddha Country, disrupting the Buddhists is to hinder the Awakened One.

Additionally, this would make it difficult for the Awakened One to take action.

Surely, the Awakened One can't be expected to slaughter the believers.

He does not have the intent to save all beings, but he also cannot commit acts of massacre.

However, precisely because of this, Buddha Country has not turned into all-out warfare, at least on the surface it maintains relative peace without scenes of blood flowing like rivers, which can be seen as both good and bad.

Although continuing in this direction, fervent faith will inevitably lead to chaos in the Buddha Country, but for now, such disorder has not yet arrived.

"The Mountain of Mind and Heart is almost here; let's transform again."

Sun Wukong, riding the Somersault Cloud, suddenly reminded them from the front, then transformed into a black sparrow.

Seeing this, Jiang Li followed suit, and the two of them transformed into birds and flew into the Mountain of Mind and Heart.

The remnants of the previous battle were still visible, with broken scenes scattered throughout the Mountain of Mind and Heart. The statues of the Four Heavenly Kings standing all around were shattered versions, and the chanting of the "Rebirth Scripture" echoed through the mountains.

Looking down from above, one could see lines of monks neatly lined up on the mountain path, reciting scriptures as they made their way toward the shade of the mountain.

The white bird had an imprint of the Heavenly Eye faintly showing on its head, as a temple in the shaded area entered its view.

'Last time, there was no sign of this temple on the Mountain of Mind and Heart...'

His gaze swept across, and Jiang Li remembered the name of the temple — Jiuhua Temple.

Under Sun Wukong's guidance, the two birds landed together on the rooftop of the No Buddha Temple at the top of the mountain, near the rear.

The Awakened had already exited seclusion but still hadn't left the No Buddha Temple, staying at his original place of closed practice.

Under a Bodhi Tree at the back of the temple, a layman with white clothes and white hair, his face like a Heavenly being, sat cross-legged, giving a lecture.

In the lower position, Hui Lun and Hui Neng, the two disciples, along with another monk in red monk's robes, listened attentively.

As if sensing the arrival of Jiang Li and Sun Wukong, the Awakened looked up at the sky, paused his lecture, and said, "That's it for today; do any of you have questions?"

"Yes."

All three below nodded, raising their palms in salute, and then Hui Lun took the lead to ask, "Master, are you intending to prohibit the Summoning Technique?"

Hui Lun was the Awakened's main disciple, who also practiced the Summoning Technique and was regarded as a leader among the new generation in some respects. This is because another disciple of the Awakened does not practice the Summoning Technique, and ninety-nine percent of the Buddha Country's cultivators practice the Summoning Technique.

With this difference, the younger generation and the vast majority of the older monks all regarded Hui Lun as the Awakened's successor. They also hope for Hui Lun to become the next chief of the Buddha Country.

Now that the Awakened showed a tendency to limit the Summoning Technique, Hui Lun, considering his followers and cultivation, naturally sought to inquire of the Awakened first.

Upon hearing Hui Lun's question, the Awakened smiled but did not answer; instead, he asked, "Hui Lun, do you have a different opinion?"

His expression was gentle, lacking the authority of a teacher, with a calm tone, providing a sense of assurance that allows free expression.

"Yes," Hui Lun nodded again and spoke frankly, "People have seven emotions and six desires; we Buddhist practitioners are no exception. The reason many are willing to act benevolently, apart from good intentions, is because of the needs of cultivation. If the Summoning Technique is prohibited, it may hinder the spread of the Buddhist Law and make monks less willing to do good deeds than before."

"Brother, we Buddhist practitioners should not act benevolently from a utilitarian perspective," said Hui Neng from the side.

"Nonetheless, doing good is virtuous, whether it is utilitarian or not, it should be supported."

Hui Lun countered, "There is an ancient saying in the Central Plains, 'Judge actions, not intentions'; we should observe a person's actions rather than their thoughts."

"This is a utilitarian transaction, though a good thing, it hinders the cultivation of the mind," Hui Neng argued, "It may seem beneficial for cultivation, but in reality, it harms the cultivation of the mind."

The two brothers debated, each holding firmly to their own stance.

The Awakened listened quietly with a smile before responding, "Judge actions, not intentions; benevolent acts are indeed worthy of encouragement, even if from a utilitarian standpoint. However, Incense Fire Thought Power arises from sincere devotion; if one is blindly devout, it impairs intelligence. While utilitarianism is not wrong, if it hinders the devotees, then it is wrong."

"Moreover, the Dao Fruit of Buddhist cultivation inherently requires benevolent acts, even without the support of faith, there will still be those who act benevolently."

"As for the Buddhist Law, it exists there; anyone can practice it without the need to pay a price or spread it deliberately. If one chooses not to cultivate, then let it be, as there is simply no affinity."

Clearly the chief of the Buddha Country, yet he spoke plainly and accessibly, without any intention to trap, providing answers whether the brothers were satisfied or not.

At this moment, the third person stood up, saluted, and asked, "Chief, your previous statement, are you intending to prohibit faith?"

Upon hearing this, both Hui Lun and Hui Neng's eyes widened, showing surprise.

Prohibiting the Summoning Technique would merely deprive the monks of one cultivation method, but prohibiting faith would lead to revolutionary changes in the Buddha Country.

The Buddha Country is a nation established on the bond of faith; without faith, would the Buddha Country collapse?

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