CREAK.
The moment the claw touched the stone, the entire mountaintop fell deathly silent.
Deep within the massive Profound Yellow stone, the violently pulsing Wan Buddha Pattern and the mote of Black Water Black Tortoise Dao Rhyme erupted in a blinding flash of light simultaneously.
The sudden flash sent the troop of apes screeching in terror, scattering in all directions.
Sanzang's hand froze in mid-air. A flicker of astonishment crossed his eyes, but it quickly transformed into the clarity of one who perceives cause and effect.
He turned his head toward the depths of the Eastern Wilderness, where a demonic aura that blotted out the sky, thick with a boundless, savage air, soared to the heavens. A profound, Zen-like smile slowly blossomed on his face as he softly chanted a Buddha's Name: "How virtuous! The rise and fall of karmic ties are preordained. This is the will of heaven, and it is also your good fortune!"
