Stone Forest and Four Rivers Encircle the Golden Palace, Blazing Sun and Buddha Light Subdue the True Dragon

At the same time.

In the Hall of Heavenly Kings, a young nobleman in brocade strolled along, admiring the golden Buddha statues as he spoke with a soft laugh.

"I've long heard of Guishan Temple but never had the chance to see it. Now that I'm here, my eyes have been opened. It truly is magnificent."

Two men accompanied him.

One wore black, his expression solemn. An aura surrounded him like a black hole; even the light shining into the hall seemed to bend slightly as it reached him.

The other was a gaunt old monk in a Kasaya. He pressed his palms together and said, "Your Highness has been occupied with affairs of state, so naturally you've had few chances to visit. In the future, you could make time to come more often. The temple will prepare a secluded courtyard for you."

"I should," the young nobleman said with a nod. "Ever since I entered the temple, my body has felt much lighter. Even my joints barely ache." He shook his head gently. "I picked up many ailments campaigning north and south with my uncle. They flare up from time to time, but they've clearly eased since I came here. No wonder so many officials and scholars from Chaogou like to stay here."

The old monk invoked the Buddha's name. "Your Highness suffered for the country."

The young nobleman shook his head. "What I endured was nothing. My imperial brother led armies into battle back then and won renown throughout the lands south of the Yangtze, but those campaigns left him with ailments that trouble the dynasty to this day. His symptoms have grown more frequent of late. I came here in disguise to pray for him. Guishan Temple stands north of the imperial city, and many eminent monks have preached here. I hear its wondrous Buddha Light can cure a hundred illnesses."

At once, the old monk grew solemn and pressed his palms together. "If Your Majesty is unwell, you could rest here for a while. It should do you good."

The young nobleman gave a rueful smile and shook his head. "He's busy with affairs of state, and lately he's had many more troubles besides. He can't spare the time. That's why I came in his place..." He stopped and pointed to the man in black beside him. "Master, this is Mr. Li Duoshou, an attendant of the palace. I expect you know him."

The old monk glanced at the man in black and nodded. "Benefactor Li accompanied His Majesty here earlier this year."

"That makes things easier." The young nobleman smiled. "Mr. Li comes from an Immortal Sect and possesses remarkable powers. He has a Legalism that will let my imperial brother bathe in Buddha Light and find peace without coming here himself."

The old monk's eyelid twitched, but he said nothing.

Just then, a monk outside requested an audience. He was the temple's Karma Master, charged with managing its affairs.

The old monk took the opportunity to step out. At the entrance, he learned that the Marquis of Linru County wished to stay the night.

The old monk nodded. "Since he is a marquis, we must receive him properly. However..." He glanced back into the hall. "The situation is complicated at present. Don't put him in the secluded courtyard on the Mid-Slope just yet."

The Karma Master paused in surprise, but asked no questions. He pressed his palms together and withdrew.

Inside the hall, the young nobleman watched the two monks and murmured, "Mr. Li, do you think the master will agree?"

Li Duoshou remained stern, though his raised brow held a trace of mockery. "Guishan Temple gained this auspicious site through Gaozu's favor. But to hold a jade invites trouble. Others covet the ground they occupy; not long ago, a Daoist from the Kunlun Sect came and made a scene. You are close to Your Majesty, and your words reach his ears. They know where they stand with you. If they want to remain undisturbed, they won't go against your wishes!"

"Excellent." The young nobleman nodded. The old monk had finished giving his instructions and returned, so he resumed their earlier discussion. "Mr. Li's Legalism requires a blood relative to stand in for my imperial brother. Through their shared bloodline, the Buddha Light can then be passed to him. I may be unworthy, but I am willing to take his place. I came to inform the temple so you can prepare. We intend to perform the rite within the next few days."

The old monk was about to speak when the Buddha statue in the hall suddenly trembled!

The old monk and Li Duoshou both changed expression.

The young nobleman noticed nothing.

"An omen in the golden statue must have a cause. Prince of Ancheng's wishes must have reached Before the Buddha," Li Duoshou said suddenly, looking at the old monk. "Master, you should consider this carefully."

Alarm and doubt showed on the old monk's face, but he did not argue.

Tap, tap, tap.

A servant in blue entered the hall and approached the young nobleman. "Your Highness, Bao Zhibing quarreled with someone in the city and injured several people."

The young nobleman chuckled. "That oaf has caused trouble again." He turned to the old monk. "Master, please keep today's matter to yourself. His Majesty's health concerns all under heaven. I brought neither guards nor soldiers and have only a few attendants precisely because I did not wish to draw attention. I'm sure you understand."

With that, he cupped his hands in farewell.

The old monk escorted him out, then returned to the temple with a sigh.

"What troubled times!"

As the thought passed, his expression shifted. He looked south, as though his gaze had crossed the temple buildings and fallen upon the city.

"The Kunlun Traveler will be coming again too. These are troubled times indeed."

"That's much better."

Elsewhere, after several breaths of the Breathing Technique, Chen Cuo felt the invisible pressure ease considerably. Even his cold sweat subsided. His spirits lifted, and he was about to go through the technique once more to see if he could dispel his discomfort entirely.

But the Guest-Master Monk returned and broke his rhythm.

The monk had hurried there and back, yet he still wore a smile and observed every courtesy. Chen Cuo could hardly complain. The moment he stopped the technique, however, the oppressive sensation came rushing back.

"Sorry for the wait, my lord. The Presiding Monk was receiving a guest. I waited quite a while without being able to see him, so I sought out the Karma Master on duty and obtained permission from him instead. That caused the delay. Please wait a little longer, my lord. Once the guest room is ready, I'll take you there." The Guest-Master Monk pressed his palms together, bowed, and hurried off again.

Chen Cuo understood at once. Afraid he had kept Chen Cuo waiting too long, the monk had come back to update him before the arrangements were complete.

"Once I've settled in, I'll go through the whole technique. Those few breaths already helped—that's a good sign. Perhaps a hundred and eight cycles will work wonders."

Chen Cuo drew a deep breath and forced himself to stay alert.

Nearby, two men dressed as scholars were strolling through the temple. They had evidently heard his exchange with the Guest-Master Monk and now came over, cupping their hands in greeting.

"Greetings, my lord. We'll be staying at the temple for a few days as well, so we came to pay our respects."

Chen Cuo rallied, returned their greeting, and asked where they were from.

One was named Wang Jin, the other Tao Bo. Both had come from Moling in Danyang to study in Jiankang.

Wang Jin belonged to a distant branch of the Langya Wang Clan, while Tao Bo was his brother-in-law by marriage.

After a few more questions, Chen Cuo learned that they had noticed him earlier and made inquiries about his identity. They had waited for a chance to greet him.

Wang Jin added, "We've read your essay 'The Painted Skin,' my lord, and admired it greatly. We're fond of such writings ourselves. To meet you here—what an unexpected pleasure!"

Chen Cuo offered a modest reply, then asked about what Tao Bo had said earlier.

Tao Bo answered, "The guest quarters at Guishan Temple are quite famous. They're said to be blessed by the Buddha Lord and able to prolong one's life. Our elders told us about them. When we came to Jiankang, this was the first place we visited to seek lodging."

Tao Bo spoke casually, but Chen Cuo listened closely. Since entering the temple, he had seen a Buddha and then felt that invisible pressure. Naturally, the claim caught his attention, and he pressed for details.

"All I know is hearsay, so perhaps it will merely serve as a brick tossed out to draw forth jade," Tao Bo said modestly. At last he came to the point. "They say it has to do with the terrain and geography of Jiankang City."

"Oh?" Chen Cuo grew more curious.

"Jiankang City is said to sit like a crouching tiger and a coiled dragon. Four waterways—the Qinhuai, Yundu, Chaogou, and Qingxi—wind around the imperial city. Stone City guards it to the west, while three mountains—Jilong, Fuzhou, and Mount Jiang—anchor it to the north. Trees cover the mountains, while the palace roofs are cast in metal, with fire basins set beneath them to catch the morning sun. Thus Jiankang grows as hot as a furnace in summer. All these things correspond to the five elements."

He pointed beneath their feet.

"Guishan Temple lies northwest of the city, right between earth and wood, and close to the waters of Chaogou. It holds three elements. Bathed in Buddha Light, it fills what is lacking and mends what is broken. That is why wonders arise here!"