Long ago, Huiyao was just a young monk.
In those days, shaving one's head to become a monk was a mundane thing—simply a way to get fed, nothing to do with faith.
He mumbled half-remembered sutras, ringing the bell and going through the motions at Mercyheart Monastery day after day.
All that changed when Miaoshan arrived and became his teacher.
For the first time, Huiyao believed there might truly be a Buddha in this world.
How could someone like this exist? Profound in Buddhist teachings, endowed with divine light and supernatural powers, and dedicated to saving the suffering.
His master taught him to recite sutras, told him stories of the Buddha sacrificing himself to feed a tiger and delivering all sentient beings from suffering. It seemed the master's light of the Buddha had truly entered his heart.
He began to truly believe in Buddhism, to believe he was loved, that all beings were loved. He became the most devout disciple, never missing a morning or evening ritual, burning incense and chanting sutras without fail. As he wished, he became Miaoshan's principal disciple, always by the master's side.
Then he discovered his master's secret. It turned out that in this entire deceptive scheme, he and all living beings had been manipulated.
His fragile faith collapsed entirely, and he accepted those strange purple flowers.
Huiyao smiled faintly.
Good or evil, everything I am, you have taught me...
Master, we are indeed fated to be master and disciple.
