The Shorter Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra allowed Zhengfa Ming to comprehend even more than the Great Compassion Mantra. The light he radiated brightened, and Buddhist chanting rang out around him. He now gave off a grand religious air.
The vast Buddhist light seemed like it would leak out of the ritual array.
Siddhārtha’s expression changed as he waved his hand.
Boom!
Siddhārtha blocked all the Buddhist aura.
“Hey?!” Siddhārtha’s expression changed again as he plucked something out of the air.
Whoosh!
A Buddhist prayer bead with an eye on it appeared in his palm, looking at the surroundings.
“This is?” Gu Hai asked in confusion.
“Haha! This place is being monitored by someone using the Buddhist Dao’s means,” Siddhārtha said with a frown.
“Monitored?” Gu Hai’s face sank as he extended his hand to pick up the Buddhist prayer bead in Siddhārtha’s hand.
“It should be someone with remarkable accomplishments in the Buddhist Dao. Furthermore, the monitoring has not been long; there are not many memories stored in it,” Siddhārtha said seriously.
“It should be here for Zhengfa Ming,” Gu Hai said.
“Oh?”
“Zhengfa Ming had reincarnated here a few times but could never gain enlightenment. Although the various major sects were interested because he had the Dao Devouring Physique, they did not pay that much attention to him, as he never lived beyond one hundred every reincarnation. However, this time is different. The Spirit Mountain Holy Land and Southern Sea’s Purple Bamboo Forest of this world are extremely interested in him this time,” Gu Hai said with a frown.
“The Southern Sea’s Purple Bamboo Forest?” Siddhārtha’s face sank.
“What’s wrong?”
“On Earth, the Southern Sea’s Purple Bamboo Forest was Bodhisattva Guanyin’s ritual grounds. Bodhisattva Guanyin was a reincarnation of a strand of Zhengfa Ming’s consciousness. Unfortunately, it is already gone. To think one appeared in this world too. Haha! They have hostile intentions,” Siddhārtha said seriously.
“Oh?”
Siddhārtha looked at Gu Hai. “I’m not clear about the situation in your world, and I do not plan on understanding it. Although Master reincarnated in your immortal firmament, this place is too dangerous. I’ll bring him back to our immortal firmament and help him restore his memories.”
“You can do that. However, since he came from the Sa’s Immortal Firmament, why did he reincarnate here? Oh, that’s right. We heard a bodhisattva say the Buddhist Dao of the Six Paths Immortal Firmament all come from an image called the Amitāyus Buddha. We suspect he is the Amitāyus Buddha’s reincarnation,” Gu Hai said.
Siddhārtha nodded. “That is right!”
“Oh?”
“Our immortal firmament’s Buddhist Dao also came from the Amitābha Buddha. He established Paradise and is the Buddhist Dao’s noblest buddha. When he died later, Paradise crumbled. Actually, only I knew he had gone missing back then. I once asked Master where he was going. He said there was a new world that needed him to spread the Buddhist Dao and save the masses,” Siddhārtha said seriously.
“A new world? The Amitābha Buddha discovered the Six Paths Immortal Firmament back then?” Gu Hai asked.
“It should be right then. Furthermore, if my guess was right, he should have entered the void and found the Six Paths Immortal Firmament in the void. Then he used a powerful technique to send the Buddhist Dao here. Unfortunately, he had reached his limit when he arrived in the Six Paths Immortal Firmament. The void had drained him. He only reincarnated here because the Buddhists of the two immortal firmaments continuously chanted his name,” Siddhārtha said.
“Aside from our method, it is indeed difficult to travel between the two immortal firmaments,” Gu Hai sighed.
“Indeed. From your place, it is impossible for the two immortal firmaments to contact each other. It is quite mysterious,” Siddhārtha lamented.
“That’s not right!”
“Huh?”
“Sa already discovered this place, and his consciousness has invaded in the past. However, our world’s Fuxi blocked him.” Gu Hai’s expression changed.
“What?” Siddhārtha’s expression suddenly changed.
Gu Hai told Siddhārtha everything he knew about what happened eight hundred thousand years ago.
Siddhārtha’s pupils constricted. “I understand now. I understand now! No wonder Sa is behaving so strangely on Earth!”
“Is this information useful to you?” Gu Hai asked.
“Haha! It is more than useful. Many thanks for your reminder. Otherwise, we might not even realize that a great disaster is approaching!” The expression in Siddhārtha’s eyes changed continuously.
“Since Zhengfa Ming is the Amitābha Buddha’s reincarnation, he should be extremely important to both you and us. Remaining in this place is indeed unsafe. If not for you, that Buddhist prayer bead would have exposed his location today. You can bring him back, but you know the rules of our passageway. It is an exchange, and the two’s physical bodies cannot differ too much. Otherwise, Zhengfa Ming cannot endure it.” Gu Hai shook his head.
“It’s not a problem. I have a Golden Light Kāṣāya. Get him to put it on later. It can withstand the pressure of the passageway. Many thanks for your generosity. I’ll send a helper later; he will help you wholeheartedly. Don’t worry,” Siddhārtha said gravely.
“Alright!” Gu Hai nodded.
Siddhārtha took out a kāṣāya and passed it to Gu Hai. Then he stepped into the passageway between the two immortal firmaments while holding his palms together.
Whoosh!
In the blink of an eye, Siddhārtha went back.
Siddhārtha returned to send another person over to serve as an exchange between the two immortal firmaments. Just like when the Severed Sect’s Sect Master Heavenly Access came over, they needed to send one person over to use the passageway. That time, Gu Hai sent Long Shenwu over, allowing the passageway to be used again.
Gu Hai waited patiently. The boundless Buddhist chanting, Buddhist light, and Buddhist aura quickly withdrew into Zhengfa Ming’s body. Zhengfa Ming seemed to have comprehended the Shorter Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra.
Just then, a beam of golden light suddenly shot out of the passageway between the two immortal firmaments.
Buzz!
A bright golden light illuminated the surroundings.
Gu Hai turned his head and saw a man radiating golden light stroll out of the passageway.
This man looked somewhat similar to Siddhārtha, but Siddhārtha was more withdrawn. This man radiated sharpness, an aloof might. Even Gu Hai felt his heart sink.
“The Major Leiyin Temple’s Vairocana?” Gu Hai said in shock, raising his eyebrows.
[TL Note: Vairocana is seen as an aspect, or incarnation, of the Gautama Buddha. Note that the Siddhārtha Buddha is another name for the Gautama Buddha. Before becoming a buddha, he was a prince called Siddhārtha Gautama. Here is the Wikipedia entry on Vairocana: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vairocana.]
Back in Earth’s immortal realm, the western Major Leiyin Temple’s Lord Gautama Buddha, the Vairocana who trapped Sun Wukong under Five Fingers Mountain, was among the peak experts.
“On orders of my true body, Siddhārtha Buddha, Vairocana is here to assist Mister Gu!” Vairocana bowed respectfully to Gu Hai.
“Oh? The Siddhārtha Buddha sent you here? You are a buddha created by Siddhārtha? Like Laozi’s breath becoming the Three Pure Ones?” Gu Hai asked curiously.
“The Siddhārtha Buddha is the master of all Buddhism, the Lord Buddha of the Sahā. I am the Siddhārtha Buddha’s dharmic incarnation, also known as the Mahāvairocana Buddha. I manage Sahā for the Siddhārtha Buddha. You can consider me a buddha that the Siddhārtha Buddha created,” Vairocana said with a deep bow.
“Greetings, Vairocana Buddha. I will have to trouble Vairocana Buddha after this.” Gu Hai felt happy.
“Mister Gu, there’s no need to be so polite. My true body has instructed me to assist you with everything I have. I also have to thank you for helping my true body find the Amitābha Buddha, the origin of Buddhism!” Vairocana said gravely.
“Excellent! With your assistance, my Han Imperial Dynasty will be like a tiger with wings!” Gu Hai said, joy flashing in his eyes.
Vairocana nodded. Then he turned his head to Zhengfa Ming.
Buzz!
Zhengfa Ming withdrew his aura as he opened his eyes. Buddhist light came out of his eyes, giving the feeling of immeasurable wisdom.
“Siddhārtha Buddha’s dharmic incarnation Vairocana greets Amitābha Buddha!” Vairocana bowed.
“Oh?” Zhengfa Ming felt slightly startled.
“Zhengfa Ming, I gave it some thought. The Spirit Mountain Holy Land and the Southern Sea’s Purple Bamboo Forest are looking for you. This place is extremely dangerous. I would like to leave you with Siddhārtha. He will help you regain your lost memories and recover. It will be safe there,” Gu Hai said gravely.
Zhengfa Ming looked at Gu Hai and nodded. “Mister Gu, I will listen to you.”
“That’s good. Please put on this kāṣāya and step into this passageway. You will see Siddhārtha on the other side.” Gu Hai handed over the kāṣāya.
“Alright!” Zhengfa Ming nodded as he threw the kāṣāya over himself.
Buzz!
The kāṣāya gave off a golden light that entered Zhengfa Ming’s body.
“Please!” Gu Hai invited.
Zhengfa Ming nodded and ambled to the passageway between the two immortal firmaments. Before he stepped into it, he suddenly paused.
“I have something I need to tell Mister Gu first!” Zhengfa Ming said.
“Oh?” Gu Hai looked at Zhengfa Ming, puzzled.
“Help me thank my master, Ensnaring Performance!” Zhengfa Ming said gravely.
“Don’t worry. I will tell him.” Gu Hai nodded.
“Also, perhaps everyone misunderstood Master Ensnaring Performance. His songs are not harsh to hear,” Zhengfa Ming said with a frown.
“Oh?” Gu Hai said with faint confusion.
“He should have accidentally obtained the origin of the music Dao’s laws,” Zhengfa Ming explained.
“The origin of the music Dao’s laws?” Gu Hai echoed in confusion.
“Yes. You find his singing terrible, but it is not truly terrible, just that ordinary people cannot endure it. If you can endure it, you will find that his singing is the most moving sound in the world once it passes a certain point. Those who listen to it will gain the blessings of the laws, a baptism of the souls,” Zhengfa Ming explained.
Gu Hai felt slightly startled. Is that true?
Zhengfa Ming nodded once before stepping into the passageway. After making sure Zhengfa Ming had arrived at the Sa’s Immortal Firmament, Gu Hai waved his hand and closed the passageway between the two worlds.
“The laws’ origin?” Gu Hai frowned slightly.
Although he felt very bewildered, he suppressed his doubts and looked at Vairocana.
“Vairocana Buddha, I’ll trouble you to stay in Borderless Heavenly Capital after this. My Han Imperial Dynasty will soon clash with the Spirit Mountain Holy Land and might be in great danger. I need you to act when they least expect it,” Gu Hai said gravely.
The Vairocana Buddha’s aura immediately withdrew. He turned into an ordinary, burly man in the blink of an eye.
“I will listen to all of Mister Gu’s arrangements!” Vairocana nodded.
“Many thanks,” Gu Hai said gratefully.
Vairocana pressed his palms together and smiled.
Gu Hai extended his hand and waved.
Boom!
The valley’s ritual array suddenly scattered.
The moment it scattered, Bodhisattva Lian Sheng rushed over.
“Imperial Emperor Gu, was that the Amitāyus Buddha earlier? Where is he?” Bodhisattva Lian Sheng asked anxiously.
However, Zhengfa Ming was nowhere to be seen in the surroundings, only an additional burly man wearing golden monk robes.
