Seeing the expression on the Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden's face, Bodhisattva Guanyin's lips twitched slightly.
Although she said she wanted to investigate more carefully whether Master Xuanzang's words were true, Bodhisattva Guanyin didn't believe her at all.
Master Xuanzang's feelings for Princess Gaoyang were known to all three realms; if it were soone else here to pry for information, it wouldn't be surprising for Master Xuanzang to deceive them. But if Princess Gaoyang herself were to ask, would she also be deceived? Guanyin didn't believe it.
Therefore, upon hearing the Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden's reply, Bodhisattva Guanyin assud that her Tathagata had overthought the situation and never doubted that he was lying.
After all, the initial affection between Princess Gaoyang and Master Xuanzang was also orchestrated by her, and Guanyin knew it very clearly.
Now that all there was to investigate had been thoroughly investigated, and there was nothing to doubt, why then would the Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden still want to stay?
It seed the issue was not so simple.
However, despite so doubts about the Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden's words, Bodhisattva Guanyin did not intend to ask her to leave with her right now.
"Amitabha, you have completed your task up to this step. There is much to take care of in the Purple Bamboo Forest, so best to return early!" In the end, with these words left for the Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden, Bodhisattva Guanyin simply vanished.
The sensation of being half-asleep dissipated, and Gaoyang, disguised as the Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden, opened her eyes.
Everything that just happened seed like a dream, but she was well aware that what had just occurred was not rely a dream, but a communication with Bodhisattva Guanyin through the divine sense.
"So, I am to return to the Western Spirit Mountain?" Gaoyang, upon opening her eyes, sighed softly to herself.
At the outset, she indeed ca here with a mission and was solely focused on how to accomplish it.
However, after her ti with the Scripture Seeking entourage, the Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden found she quite liked being here and didn't even want to leave.
Master Xuanzang, handso and devoted by her side, partaking in delicacies, residing in the Exquisite Immortal Mansion, traveling westward through mountains and waters, and even listening to the banter within the team of Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and even Master Xuanzang seed quite fun.
"Ah, no wonder Princess Gaoyang has been constantly longing for Master Xuanzang!"
Feeling reluctant to leave the Scripture Seeking team, and understanding Princess Gaoyang's yearning, the Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden sighed to herself again.
While the Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden was privately feeling a bit lancholic, the door to the room was pushed open.
Hearing the sound of the door, the Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden reflexively closed her eyes and feigned sleep, her breathing even.
Lying on the bed with eyes closed, the Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden could hear Master Xuanzang walk to the table, pour a cup of tea and drink it, then straightaway turn and sit down on a carpet nearby, silent again.
After a mont of stillness and silence, the Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden gently opened her eyes and glanced at Jiang Liu.
Sure enough, as usual, Jiang Liu sat cross-legged, absorbed in his cultivation.
"Master Xuanzang, why do you practice so diligently every day!?" In the quiet of the night, and after a lengthy silence, the Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden finally spoke to Jiang Liu.
"Why? As stated in the Formless Gatha, 'Always diligently clean away, let not dust alight,' perhaps?" Upon hearing the Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden's question, Jiang Liu opened his eyes and responded with this line.
What else could he possibly say? Could he admit that he needed to hurry and beco stronger, then go overthrow the Great Thunder Monastery?
"But you also wrote the Bodhi Verse later on, didn't you? In terms of aning, the Bodhi Verse seems deeper and farther reaching!" The Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden inquired curiously following Jiang Liu's response.
When the Formless Gatha and the Bodhi Verse were first introduced, not only did the Buddhist disciples in the mortal world treasure them, but many monks and Bodhisattvas of the Great Thunder Monastery also discussed them among themselves.
The two Buddhist poems had very similar structures, yet their anings were completely different.
More importantly, there were different opinions on which of the two was more profound.
So said the Formless Gatha was more practical, as cultivating Buddhism was fundantally about constant cleansing to avoid accumulating dust. They thought the Bodhi Verse, though seemingly higher in its aspirations, represented a type of sudden enlightennt not accessible to all and not worth promoting.
It's like how an ordinary person can make money in two ways: through hard work and wealth accumulation, or by seizing a sudden opportunity to strike it rich.
Others opined that one should seek sudden enlightennt as described in the Bodhi Verse; the Taoist Sect might emphasize continuous hard work, but shouldn't the Buddhist Sect focus on sudden enlightennt?
But is hard work not the more fitting path for the vast majority, with opportunities less reliable? Should everyone just lie at ho waiting for the right opportunity?
"There are no argunts about anything being more profound..."
Jiang Liu shook his head at the Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden's words, saying, "Whether the Bodhi Verse or the Formless Gatha, both are about practice. Sudden enlightennt or hard cultivation, both are forms of practice. As the saying goes, 'There are three thousand paths to the great way, all of which can lead to enlightennt.' As long as you reach the mountain's peak, whichever path you took is the correct one! There's no question of one being superior to the other."
"You have enlightened !" Taking in Jiang Liu's words as the author of both the Bodhi Verse and the Formless Gatha, the Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden listened intently and nodded deeply, feeling she had gained significant insight.
"That's right..."
After a brief idle chat about cultivation matters, Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden seed to suddenly recall sothing and said, "I have been with you for so days now, and tomorrow I must return to the Purple Bamboo Forest!"
"Really? That's truly wonderful!" Her words filled Jiang Liu's heart with joy, and he almost wished he could follow Sun Wukong's example by turning a few sorsaults to express his elation.
An overt spy had been before his very eyes, and despite his inability to send her away, she had stayed for so many days. Finally, she was going to leave.
Despite his inward joy, Jiang Liu put on a reluctant face and said with a downcast tone, "You are leaving already?"
"Yes, I cannot possibly accompany you all the way to the west, can I?" Gaoyang, transford into Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden, said with an equally sorrowful tone.
After her words, the room fell silent, and neither had the inclination to speak further.
However, after a brief silence, Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden suddenly spoke again, "Jiang Liu, this is our last night before we part ways tomorrow. Are you still planning to spend tonight in cultivation? Won't you, won't you stay with to sleep?"
Jiang Liu: "..."
Upon hearing Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden's words, Jiang Liu's heart trembled slightly, and his first instinct was to refuse.
Yet, he found himself at a loss for words to reject her.
By all logic, after a long-awaited reunion where both man and woman were inclined, nothing happening between them while alone seed quite unreasonable!
If he kept showing disinterest, would Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden realize that he had seen through her identity?
"Gaoyang, I am now, after all, a monk, and as such..." Jiang Liu swallowed hard, feeling dry-mouthed as he spoke.
"Don't use your identity as a monk as an excuse! After the Incense Offering Ceremony, didn't you elope with ? Back then, why didn't you ntion your monastic identity?" Jiang Liu hadn't finished speaking when he was brusquely interrupted.
"This..."
Jiang Liu was usually more than a match for Sun Wukong and the others in verbal sparring, but on this topic, he was instantly left without a retort by Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden's rebuke.
"Back then, I was unaware of the grave responsibility of the Journey to the West for Scriptures, so I acted on a whim. Now, my identity has changed, and even the Bodhisattvas and Buddhas from the Buddhist Sect may be watching over . Therefore, I must consider my words and deeds from the standpoint of the Buddhist Sect."
"If I were to indulge in pleasures with you tonight, how could I face the Buddhas when I reach the Western Heaven?" After a short silence, Jiang Liu continued.
"Stop talking about precepts and discipline. Along the way, you've killed, set fires, drunk wine, eaten at, gambled, and cursed. What sin haven't you committed? Why is it that you dare not break this particular precept concerning lust?" As Jiang Liu finished, Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden retorted.
At her words, Jiang Liu was once again left speechless, unsure of what to say.
Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden said nothing more, but simply, wearing only her close-fitting undergarnts, lifted the bedsheets and got up, her bare feet walking towards Jiang Liu.
Her beautiful eyes stared intently at him, seemingly suggestive, "Have you, have you noticed sothing?"
"Damn, she really suspects sothing..." Jiang Liu thought with a sense of urgency at her words.
"What do you an? Noticed what?" While internally anxious, Jiang Liu's face portrayed complete bafflent, his façade utterly convincing.
Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden continued to gaze at Jiang Liu, her eyes clearly questioning.
"It's nothing; let's stop talking and rest!" Shaking her head, whether Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden truly believed Jiang Liu or simply pretended to believe him, she took his arm, stood up, and headed towards the bed.
"What should I do?"
As Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden pulled him toward the bed, Jiang Liu's mind raced with urgency.
He wanted to refuse, but her suspicions about him had already arisen. If he were to outright refuse, she would undoubtedly realize that he had seen through her disguise, rendering all his days of pretense for naught.
But not to refuse?
Should he sacrifice his integrity for the so-called greater good?
Leaving aside whether it was fair to Gaoyang, he himself could not overco this personal barrier.
"Alright, let's sleep, don't move..."
While Jiang Liu was internally conflicted, trying to think of a plausible excuse to leave, Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden pushed him down on the bed, simply holding onto one of his arms without making any further move.
This allowed Jiang Liu to breathe a quiet sigh of relief.
After waiting a while, Pearl Holding Dragon Maiden's breathing beca steady, and she seed to have truly fallen asleep...
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