In a hidden, deep valley, a small pavilion stood quietly.
Its simple yet slightly eerie décor let in not a single ray of light, while dense vegetation surrounded it, and even thick miasma lingered in the air.
It was a place so silent it felt like true death itself; the only light came from the drifting ghost fires floating in midair.
Earth-Store King led Saint Raymond, the Right-Dharma Radiance Tathāgata, slowly to the pavilion. From start to finish, they did not see a single ghost soldier standing guard.
Glancing around, Saint Raymond asked softly, "What is this place?"
"Just a side courtyard," Earth-Store King replied, still walking forward step by step.
Soon, the two arrived before the main hall's grand doors.
Earth-Store King gently reached out and pushed. With a piercing, grating sound, the two massive door panels—each over thirteen feet tall—slowly swung open.
The light from the ghost fires outside spilled in through the gap, revealing inside a darkness that seemed able to swallow everything.
Saint Raymond took a deep breath and glanced at Earth-Store King, asking no further questions. Earth-Store King did not answer, either.
Once the doors were fully open and the ghost fire illuminated the interior, Saint Raymond saw a low table on the empty floor, atop which rested a small rectangular wooden box, about the size of two palms.
Lifting his robe to step over the threshold, Earth-Store King walked to the low table, bent over, and picked up the wooden box.
Not coming in?
Only then did Saint Raymond step into the hall, his brows still tightly furrowed.
Opening the wooden box, Earth-Store King took out several bamboo slips inscribed with characters and laid them out across the table.
Birth, aging, sickness, death, being with those you hate, parting from those you love, not getting what you seek, the burning burden of the five aggregates, greed, anger, delusion, arrogance, doubt... These are the Eight Sufferings and Five Poisons?
Earth-Store King nodded slightly.
Doesn't the Venerable One think that Tripitaka's journey has been too easy?
"Easy?" Saint Raymond smiled faintly, gazing thoughtfully at Earth-Store King.
Earth-Store King nodded slightly, smoothed his monk's robe, and slowly knelt down, reaching out to arrange the countless bamboo slips on the table.