Hearing this, the unwillingness in Madara Uchiha's chest deepened, and with it came a trace of irritation whose source even he himself could not explain.
Ordinarily, this boy before him would merely be playing with words, and under normal circumstances, Madara would not even bother to lift an eyelid.
But somehow, every single sentence from this young monk stirred in him a feeling of defiance, especially when the young monk started speaking in the tone of reciting scripture.
Even he found it somewhat strange. By all rights, after living for so many years, he had long ceased to care about anyone's judgments or evaluations. So why was he suddenly competing with a young monk today?
"Then who do you think I am?"
Madara Uchiha's tone turned even colder than before.
Genjo's smile did not change. He raised his eyes to look at him and said calmly, "The Buddha said to Indra, in your past lives, you planted many wholesome roots before the buddhas, and thus you were born into this Trāyastriṃśa Heaven and became lord of the Thirty-Three Heavens. Yet though your blessings are great and your majesty exalted, in the end, the signs of the Five Decays still appear, and you cannot escape reincarnation. To see you now is like seeing Indra seated in the hall of good Dharma, radiant and imposing, still carrying the lingering glow of stars, yet not knowing that the heavenly robes have already gathered dust, and the jeweled crown upon the head is on the verge of falling."
At these words, Madara Uchiha frowned and sank into thought, while Isshiki Otsutsuki, who had remained silent the whole time at the side, felt his heart jolt violently.
What was this kid saying?
Madara Uchiha had not understood, but Isshikim, who had pored over Buddhist scriptures for a thousand years, understood at once.
This was clearly a description of lord Indra from the Buddhist scriptures, and Indra had another name as well: Śakra Devānām Indra!
Isshiki Otsutsuki's fingertips trembled lightly within his sleeve. His expression remained still as an ancient well, but within his heart, stormy waves had already risen.
And that line, "Yet though your blessings are great and your majesty exalted, in the end the signs of the five decays still appear, and you cannot escape samsara…"
This was clearly hinting that the present-day Indra before him, though once magnificent in might and virtue, was now already running out of time.
On a deeper level, these words also subtly pointed out Madara Uchiha's true identity as the reincarnation of Indra.
If this was called a coincidence, then it was far too much of a coincidence.
After a moment, Madara Uchiha, having gained nothing from his thoughts, simply stopped thinking about it and asked directly, "What do you mean?"
"Indra."
Indra?
Madara Uchiha faltered for a moment, then his brows knitted tightly. He vaguely felt that he had seen this name somewhere before, yet could not remember where exactly.
"You could also be called Indra."
The young monk's voice remained clear and gentle.
I could also be called Indra?
When those words fell into Madara Uchiha's ears, his frown deepened further.
Meanwhile, Isshiki Otsutsuki, on the side, could almost not remain seated.
Who exactly was this person?
Kaguya's eldest son?
The reason he could recognize Madara Uchiha as Indra's reincarnation was that he himself was an Otsutsuki and was intimately familiar with that mark buried in the depths of the soul.
But this young monk before him had actually been able to see through Madara Uchiha's thick disguise as a creation of the God Tree and perceive the true form of his soul at a glance?
For a moment, Isshiki Otsutsuki still maintained a mild, indifferent expression, but inside, he was filled with shock and turmoil.
He was almost on the verge of standing up and leaving this ruined temple immediately, but the composure that had been forcibly tempered over a thousand years kept him seated where he was.
It was not only Madara Uchiha who felt that something about this was bizarre; even Isshiki Otsutsuki felt that this ruined temple was far too uncanny tonight!
After thinking for a while and getting nowhere, Madara Uchiha simply raised a hand and pointed directly at the mysterious monk beside him, who had remained silent the entire time. "Then what about him? Is he a real monk or a fake monk?"
Genjo smiled faintly, turned his gaze toward Isshiki Otsutsuki, and answered openly, "Naturally, he is also a fake monk. Though he understands Buddhist principles and has comprehended the scriptures, he avoids the world and hides his traces, concealing himself outside the mortal world and burying his brilliance in some remote corner. He has the heart to seek proof, but not the heart to enter the world. He has not yet aroused the Mahayana bodhisattva, and so he is not a true monk either. Therefore, this Senior Brother is also a fake monk."
At these words, Isshiki Otsutsuki's heart shook once more, yet his face showed not the slightest trace of change.
Instead, following Genjo's words, he gave a light salute and said in a warm, gentle tone, "Excellent indeed. For this Junior Brother to have attained such an understanding of karmic affinity at such a young age is truly rare. Hearing Junior Brother's earlier words, this humble monk found every word entering the heart, every sentence grounded in reason."
"To speak frankly, though this humble monk has worn these monk's robes for many years, and has likely read no fewer Buddhist scriptures than Junior Brother, I have still never truly brought forth the Mahayana bodhisattva."
"Junior Brother says that I seek the Dharma outside the heart and have yet to attain the true fruit; there is indeed reason in that. It is precisely because I seek the Dharma outside the heart that I feel ashamed of this body. This humble monk's falsehood is indeed false in the clearest possible way."
"Oh?"
Madara Uchiha lifted a brow and said blandly, "Now that is interesting. So tonight, this ruined temple has actually brought together three fake monks. That really is quite a karmic coincidence."
As he spoke, Madara Uchiha shifted his gaze back to Genjo, intending to use the opportunity to pry the origins of that mysterious gray-robed monk out of the young monk.
Yet unexpectedly, Genjo merely pressed his palms together and inclined slightly, as if the series of verbal sparring just now had never happened at all, and said calmly, "Speaking of which, this humble monk has been discourteous. I have spoken with the two Senior Brothers for so long, yet I have still not introduced myself. This humble monk's Dharma name is Genjo. May I ask how the two Senior Brothers should be addressed?"
Madara Uchiha gave a cold laugh and crossed his arms once more over his chest. "Since in your eyes I'm a fake monk anyway, what Dharma name would I have?"
Genjo shook his head lightly, the smile at his lips still serene. "What Senior Brother says is not quite right. Although Senior Brother does not dwell in cultivation through word and deed, though there is no Buddha in your heart and no seeking of the Dharma upon your face, you have already entered the world, taken on a form, and put on these monks' robes."
"Since you have entered the world, there must be a name. Since you have taken on a form, there must be a title. Since you have worn this skin, there must be something by which you can be called. Falsehood is the shadow of truth, and a name is the trace of substance. Since Senior Brother is standing here, you must have a name."