National Guardian's Gone and We're Done

Guerrero stood within the magnificent and solemn hall.

The dense Buddhist aura all around him felt like an invisible yet heavy set of shackles, binding him tightly, making him feel uncomfortable and oppressed.

He had come on a mission to persuade the Buddha Country to join forces with the Bright Holy See against Chu He, and he was certain he would achieve the desired result.

After all, the Buddha Country and the Great Xia Empire were so geographically close their fates were intertwined.

Chu He’s every move in the Great Xia Empire was inextricably linked to the Buddha Country’s very survival.

Once Chu He of the Great Xia Empire emerged from his seclusion,

it would very likely mean his meticulously planned body-changing scheme had succeeded.

According to top-secret intelligence—gathered by the Bright Holy See at great cost in manpower, resources, and wealth—

this special body was of incalculable importance to Chu He.

Once he succeeded, Chu He’s already terrifying, shudder-inducing strength

would undergo a quantum leap, reaching a new and dreadful realm.

The numerous empires of the Western World had always been fractured and disunited, each harboring its own schemes and vying for personal gain.

Let alone the smaller, weaker empires; even the Lighthouse Empire, the hegemon of the Western World,

was rife with undercurrents, its various internal factions eyeing each other warily.

Aside from the Bright Holy See, which possessed the exceptional insight and profound foresight to perceive the gravity of the coming crisis, the other powers were like ignorant children.

They were utterly incapable of foreseeing the cataclysm that would follow Chu He’s rise.

Thus, once Chu He came into power, with his formidable strength and ambition,

the Buddha Country, already in conflict with the Great Xia Empire, would inevitably be the first to suffer. It would bear the brunt of the most ferocious assault and become the first victim on Chu He’s path of conquest.

With Abbot Tonghua’s wisdom and experience, he should be able to see through the complex web of risks and rewards at a glance and make a wise decision.

However, things did not unfold as Guerrero had expected.

After he stated his purpose with great anticipation, he waited for a response.

But the first to speak was not Abbot Tonghua, who remained with his back to them, immersed in the sound of the Wooden Fish and the chanting of sutras.

It was Ming Chan, the young monk who had been standing to the side, listening in silence.

”I disagree with this plan.” Ming Chan’s voice was clear and bright, each word firm and forceful. The words struck Guerrero’s heart like hammer blows, shattering the solemn silence of the hall.

The sudden opposition made Guerrero’s heart lurch. His expression instantly darkened, and a flash of unconcealed displeasure crossed his eyes.

Suppressing his inner fury, he forced a smile that didn’t reach his eyes and said sarcastically, ”I was under the impression that here in the Great Leiyin Temple, Abbot Tonghua was the one with the authority, the one whose word was final.

”I didn’t realize that after all this time, you, Ming Chan, have also risen to such a high position,

”that you now have the authority to so casually veto such a crucial alliance.”

His words dripped with sarcasm and doubt.

But Ming Chan seemed oblivious to the hostility in Guerrero’s tone. His expression was as placid as still water, his eyes holding a detached, otherworldly calm.

He lifted his head slightly, his gaze firm as he looked at Guerrero, and spoke slowly. ”Your Excellency, Archbishop, there is no need for such prejudiced words.

”In our Buddha Country, we practice the philosophy of equality for all.

”The Buddha long ago attained the understanding that all living beings contain Buddha-nature and possess wisdom.

”It is only because they are veiled by delusions, attachments, and discrimination that their original, immaculate nature is obscured, and they lose sight of the pure mind that was always present.

”If one can wipe away this dust and defilement from one’s true nature and return to the pure Perfection of one’s Buddha-nature, then all beings in the world can achieve Buddhahood. There is no distinction of high or low. This is the wisdom of equality we revere.”

His answer was clear and logically sound, leaving no room for rebuttal.

Guerrero sneered, his face a mask of derision.

The smile seemed to mock Ming Chan’s naivete and rigid adherence to doctrine.

He said disdainfully, ”If all beings possess Buddha-nature as you claim, then can dogs? Cats? Even mayflies in the water, sparrows in the sky, or maggots on the ground? Can these lesser creatures also achieve Buddhahood?”

Facing Guerrero’s taunt, Ming Chan remained expressionless and replied earnestly, ”That is correct.

”The Buddha himself said that all beings will one day be able to achieve Buddhahood.

”Even now, if they have the right karmic opportunity and a connection to the Buddha, if they can relinquish their attachments and have a change of heart in a single moment, they can be liberated from the sea of suffering that is samsara and set upon the luminous path to Buddhahood.”

His tone was decisive, without a hint of hesitation or compromise.

Hearing Ming Chan’s firm and unequivocal refusal, Guerrero let out a cold laugh. ”Are you telling me that the entire Great Leiyin Temple now runs on your whims, Ming Chan?

”You’re just a wet-behind-the-ears junior. Are you really so arrogant that you think you can simply ignore Abbot Tonghua’s words as if they carry no weight?”

Just then, Abbot Tonghua, who had kept his back to them as if lost in another world,

finally slowed the rhythmic tapping of the Wooden Fish in his hand to a halt.

Inside the hall, the crisp, melodious, almost sacred TOK-TOK sound instantly came to a halt.

Amidst the curling wisps of sandalwood smoke, Abbot Tonghua’s figure seemed all the more solemn and inscrutable,

like an ancient statue of the Buddha, exuding an awe-inspiring aura.

”Abbot Tonghua.”

Seeing the abbot finally react, Guerrero took a few steps closer. ”This alliance with the Western Bright Holy See is imperative.