The moonlight finally emerged from the grand formation. The final confrontation with Rakshasa exhausted her physically and mentally. While acting as a paperhanger, fighting against Rakshasa, she also had to arrange tasks for the mounts from time to time, resolve various conflicts, perform multitasking, and it all wore her out to the extreme.
The ultimate result of the confrontation between Buddha and demons is not known. Even if one invites the Buddha, there is no answer. As long as one does their best, they can pass the test. As for the score, it will depend on the evaluation of the Grand Array of a Thousand Buddhas.
Before this, Bixiao and the others were just advancing and retreating on the spot. But when she entered, she was going from the foot of the Mount Lu to the Great Thunderous sound Temple. The Great Hall was not only filled with numerous Buddha and Bodhisattva but also Guru who invited, and even the presumably secluded Zhongti.
Moonlight was tired, yet she still bowed and greeted the two sages.
When Guru appeared at the scene of Zhongti, he didn't say much, and this time was no exception. He had a serious face and didn't say a word. Zhongti smiled and waved his hand, indicating that Moonlight should go and rest aside.
Moonlight was extremely tired, feeling her brain stiffen. She looked around left and right.
With her current status, there is no need to pretend modesty and sit in the back. The west is barren, which is still correct. Originally, the western religion, now known as Buddhism, has no seminal figure other than the god of thunder. Even so, only Maitreya, Kshitigarbha and Guanyin are Golden Immortals. The rest like Baishe and Dazhisheng are at the same level as her. Seeing a spare seat next to Maitreya, she directly sits next to him.
"Bodhisattva Moonlight indeed possesses great wisdom and great blessings; I am greatly admiring," Maitreya folded his hands in a gesture of respect.
After leaving the Grand Array of a Thousand Buddhas, Moonlight received part of the physical and mental assistance from the Phoenix, slowly adjusting, and she wasn't as tired anymore. With twofold curiosity, she asked Maitreya: "Excuse me, Maitreya Buddha, how did you fare in your final battle?"
Her expression as if she was checking the answers outside the exam hall made Maitreya a bit uncomfortable. But this question wasn't something he couldn't talk about: "To be honest, at that time, the situation was too critical. I thought I couldn't turn things around, so I left Mount Lu with only a few disciples and went to Mount Meru instead, establishing a new grand religion."
Moonlight thought this was not the correct way to pass the test. The side of Hongjun still needs Buddhism to bear the burden of fighting Rakshasa. What's the point of running away? If you run away, isn't the huge "debt" just shifted onto the shoulders of Guru and Zhongti? Then doesn't Buddhism become meaningless?
It can't be said like that, Moonlight had an admiring expression: "Maitreya Buddha's act has profound meaning, I cannot compare."
Maitreya smiled: "The Bodhisattva and I have also known each other for many years. Don't be modest, the wisdom of the Bodhisattva must be able to lead all disciples to the other shore."
Without the large opportunity of the Jingpao Yan in front, it can be said that no one would willingly take on the role of managing daily affairs as a direct disciple of the patriarch. It is too troublesome and there are few tangible benefits. Maitreya would normally not take up such a role, but things may not always be as they seem. Many things can be listened to without taking them too seriously.
Moonlight and Maitreya were casually testing each other's limits, while Guru and Zhongti, sitting high up, were also observing the other challenger in the Grand Array.
The array laid out by Guru is naturally capable of manipulating the array. If someone is deemed suitable, they can simply adjust the score to be high, and that would count as passing smoothly.
The issue now is whether one needs to manipulate things.
Moonlight has completed her test, and Duobao has since surged ahead. Now it's his turn for the final test. It seems that he can also deliver a satisfactory answer to all parties involved.
The two saints laid a curtain in front of them to ensure they would not be overheard by the other sages.
Zhongti still dragged his sick body out for this round, his face looked very poor, but when it came to the future of Buddhism, he had to come and see for himself.
He asked: "Senior brother prefers whom?"
Guru replied with a counter-question: "What about Moonlight?"
Zhongti said: "It seems that Duobao's wisdom is superior. In the past, among the disciples of the Xuanmen sect, no one could compare with Duobao in terms of wisdom."
Guru also agreed with this. Even if Moonlight used all her means, in terms of true wisdom and understanding of Buddha, she was no match for Duobao.
In Maitreya's view, Moonlight and Duobao are almost on par, but the sages can clearly see that there is a gap between them, and it's not a small one. Considering that Duobao lost the initiative and was forced into the array by the environment Moonlight created, had he not rushed into the array and instead spent several months solidifying his foundation and understanding more of the Buddha-nature, the gap would have been even wider.
Guru is not blind to Duobao's wisdom. He also has his own reasons.
Now, the foundation of Buddhism is the result of Zhongti's establishment of Western religion, building it bit by bit in the past.
There is indeed a path dependence. From the perspective of Guru, he does not like it when the successors of Buddhism, his own junior brother, change the measures implemented by him. He may recognize that the changes would be better, and he is clear and understands this, but he simply does not like it.
Moonlight's personality, methods, and way of doing things are more like Zhongti. After taking over the grand religion, she would only make patchwork repairs on the existing foundation. In Guru's view, this was already enough.
As for Duobao, he has a strong personality, exceptional wisdom, and extraordinary methods. He would make drastic changes to Buddhism, transforming it into something that neither of the two founders would recognize. This is something that can be anticipated.
Guru's thoughts are simple. As a holy person, he doesn't need Buddhism to provide him with any resources. As long as you keep the grand religion going and don't let Rakshasa break out of the seal, giving him an explanation to Hongjun and the Heavenly Way is enough.
Zhongti feels that there's no need to care about his face. The foundation of a sage is still the grand religion. If the grand religion develops well, it's not necessarily a bad thing for the successors to cut out many of his previous measures.
Guru was persuaded: "Then, let's not interfere. Everything is left to the will of heaven, to be seen by them themselves."
"What Senior Brother said is very true."
After Moonlight emerged, golden lotus blossoms kept spraying from the sky above the Grand Array of a Thousand Buddhas, and ethereal Buddhist chants spread throughout the vast universe.
Bixiao, in the Bingyou Palace of the East Sea, forcefully massaged the ears of Yuanxiao. She looked towards the sky, thinking to herself, this is a bit unfair to treat some differently.
When she "broke through the array" and emerged, she set up a banner next to her with a score. That was considered the end of things for her. She had always thought that everyone operated in this manner, but now what was spreading throughout the vast universe is something different.
Deng Chanyu, Phoenix, Nuwa, Hao Tian, Zhenyuanzi, and many other deities who are related or unrelated to the Grand Array of a Thousand Buddhas are now all looking towards Mount Lu. They all want to know who the final winner of the Grand Array of a Thousand Buddhas is.
Maitreya, who was chatting with Moonlight, also got a bit distracted. His Buddha-nature was touched, and he had a sudden intuition. He estimated that he might have lost this time. Whether he lost to Duobao or Moonlight didn't matter much; after all, there's no difference between second and third place.
The golden lotus and the ethereal chant merged together in the sky, and the profound truth was affected. Eventually, it formed several ancient characters.
This is the earliest writing in the vast universe, a type of script known by many deities from birth, divine scripture.
Moonlight watched intently as the divine script transformed before her eyes, forming the final score.
"Fifty-three ten thousand!"
