The conversation between these two monks clearly involved some vitally important secret, yet he was shut out by all those Buddhist terms, flowers, fruits, the Tathagata, Papiyas, trapped outside and unable to see what lay within.
But in the end, he did not interrupt, because he vaguely had a premonition that the secrets contained in their conversation might even involve himself.
So he endured and carefully memorized every word of their exchange, intending perhaps in the future to flip through some Buddhist scriptures that he found incomparably detestable, in an attempt to understand what exactly these two mystical, muttering monks had been talking about tonight.
At that moment, Genjo spoke. "What Senior Brother seeks, he will indeed encounter in the end. But because Senior Brother views the world with demonic eyes and seeks the way with an angry heart, even if you meet him, you will not recognize him. What Senior Brother will encounter is not the World-Honored One, but Papiyas."
At those words, Isshiki felt a surge of joy in his heart. It had been a thousand years; he had spent so long searching for Shibai's whereabouts that he was nearly driven to despair.
Although he did not fully believe the boy before him, those words had come from the mouth of a mysterious monk whom even he could not see through, and that gave them an entirely different weight.
Whether it was Papiyas or the World-Honored One did not matter; they were the same person anyway.
As long as he could find him, that was enough.
Suppressing the urgency in his heart, he followed up on Genjo's words and asked, "May I ask, Junior Brother, what is the difference between Papiyas and the World-Honored One? Could it be that Junior Brother does not agree with what this poor monk said earlier, that Buddha and Demon are one, that truth and delusion are one and the same?"
Genjo gently shook his head. He did not directly answer whether Papiyas and the World-Honored One were in fact the same person.
Instead, the Genjo, who stood at the side, spoke up: "With what kind of heart one seeks determines what kind of form one sees. Seek with an angry heart, and you see a demon! Seek with an attached heart, and you see illusion! Seek with a pure heart, and you see the Tathagata!"
"Senior Brother's obsessions have not yet faded, and the root of anger has not been severed. Though what you seek is the World-Honored One, what you will inevitably see is Papiyas! It is not that the World-Honored One is absent, but that when the Senior Brother views him with demonic eyes, even the World-Honored One will transform into a Demon King!"
"So that is how it is! It is the mind that becomes Buddha, and it is the mind that becomes a Demon. This poor monk has been enlightened by your teaching."
Isshiki fell silent for a moment, then gave a slight nod and bowed to the Genjo, who stood at the side, before turning back to the young monk and asking: "If that is so, then may I ask, Junior Brother, where does this destined connection lie?"
Genjo softly recited, "All Dharmas arise through causes and conditions; all Dharmas perish through causes and conditions. Senior Brother's destined connection lies not in this time, nor in this place, but before the flower blooms into five leaves, when the golden wheel is half concealed. In that interval, Senior Brother will surely meet the one he is meant to meet."
"Excellent! Junior Brother's words have resolved one great confusion in this poor monk's heart. This poor monk offers his thanks."
Although he spoke his thanks aloud, Isshiki inwardly felt somewhat more at ease.
Before the flower blooms into five leaves, when the golden wheel is half concealed, what Genjo meant by this was that before Momoshiki and Kinshiki arrived, he would definitely find Shibai's whereabouts.
At this moment, the thousand-year term was drawing closer and closer.
Once Momoshiki and Kinshiki arrived, if they discovered his current state, they would certainly feed him to the God Tree.
Although the existence of Kāma meant that he would not be completely dead, as a former elite upper-ranking warrior of the Otsutsuki clan and a famous genius of the main house, the Isshiki absolutely could not accept ending up in such a humiliating state.
As long as he could find Shibai, as long as he could use him to make his Kāma complete again, or even evolve, then he would still have hope of turning things around.
However, it did not take long for Isshiki to become even more uneasy, because he still could not determine the true identity of the mysterious Genjo before him, nor what exactly his purpose was.
Just as he was about to probe further, the young monk suddenly let out a soft sigh.
"But what a pity."
Genjo's gaze fell upon Isshiki, and in a regretful tone, he said, "The day Senior Brother finds the traces of the Demon King will be the day Senior Brother tears apart this kasaya with his own hands. When that time comes, Senior Brother will no longer be the Ichisun of today, but will instead completely become one of the demon spawn under Papiyas's seat."
"I do not know whether, if fate allows me to meet Senior Brother again in the future, the one I will see will be Senior Brother Ichisun, who is here today discussing Buddhism and the Dharma, or an entirely unfamiliar face. If the one I see is Senior Brother Ichisun, then I would gladly continue tonight's bond with Senior Brother, discussing Buddhism, debating scripture, and seeking together through the maze of delusion. But if what I see is one of those demon spawn…"
At this point, Genjo paused slightly. "This young monk may not understand much Buddhist doctrine, but he does know a little martial skill."
The ruined temple once again fell silent, with only the sound of wind and rain drizzling outside.
Isshiki said nothing, while Madara Uchiha looked on coldly.
Although the young monk Genjo still spoke in circles, this time he understood it completely.
This Ichisun was searching for something of vital importance to him, something that would allow him to recover his condition, and once he recovered, he would no longer continue to wear this layer of a monk's disguise.
And this young monk, Genjo, was warning him: when we meet again in the future, whatever identity you come with is how I will deal with you.
This was already a naked warning.
After a long silence, Isshiki raised his head again, pressed his palms together, and said in a gentle tone, "Excellent. This poor monk will keep Junior Brother's words firmly in mind. If, when Junior Brother sees this poor monk again in the future, this poor monk is no longer Ichisun, then I ask Junior Brother not to show mercy."
"But if this poor monk is still Ichisun, then I also ask Junior Brother not to begrudge me further instruction, and to continue the destined connection of tonight with this poor monk, discussing Buddhism, debating scripture, and seeking together through the maze of delusion."
Genjo smiled faintly and said nothing more, merely nodding. Then he turned to Madara Uchiha, who had been coldly observing the whole time, and said, "The same goes for Senior Brother Nitai as well. I hope that when this young monk meets Senior Brother again in the future, the person I see will only be the monk Nitai."