Awakening at the Buddha's Feet, the Stars Stand Still

Wisdom pressed his palms together, his eyes closed and his expression serene. a faint Golden Light spread from behind him, slowly enveloped his body, then gathered between his brows!

Chen Cuo watched intently. Was this how a White Bone Relic was formed?

Just then, a speck of Golden Light flew from Huizhi and landed between Chen Cuo's brows!

In an instant, he understood what it meant!

The power of enlightenment!

Then the Golden Light in Huizhi's eyes suddenly flared!

Chen Cuo's heart jolted, and Golden Light rose in his eyes as well.

The Image before him changed!

Golden Lotus flowers bloomed everywhere, golden halos filled his vision, and the figure of a great Buddha appeared faintly among them!

At that moment, the Gourd in Chen Cuo's robes trembled slightly.

The great Buddha shuddered and broke apart. A Black Wind swept up, tearing the Golden Lotus and jeweled halos apart with it. They dissolved into a riot of colors, and the shifting lights and shadows flashed past like scenes glimpsed from a galloping horse.

Chen Cuo felt his mind reel, as though he were a lone skiff adrift on an endless Sea of Suffering. Memories of his past brushed over his face like raindrops, none lingering for even a moment.

An indescribable loneliness settled over his heart.

Suddenly!

Thunder crashed, splitting the Black Wind to reveal a point of light.

The Image before Chen Cuo changed completely!

Auspicious Clouds spread in every direction. An endless Sea of clouds filled his vision, while above it stretched a pitch-black Firmament glittering with countless Star Lords.

What was going on?

The next instant, the Image shattered and dissolved.

He was back in the room. Across from him stood Huizhi, his face full of gratitude.

Chen Cuo looked around, overcome by a sense of loss.

"My lord, I... I..." The serenity and clarity had vanished from Huizhi's face. He bowed to Chen Cuo.

Chen Cuo gathered his Mind Thought and, with a flash of understanding, said, "This was a Creation for us both. Besides, if you cling to that feeling, I'm afraid you'll struggle to stabilize your new level."

Huizhi froze. After a long while, he calmed down and bowed with his palms pressed together. "Thank you for your guidance, my lord. I will keep your kindness from Oblivion!"

"Good." Chen Cuo smiled. "Keep Oblivion at bay, and don't let anything you have to tell me slip into it. Once you've stabilized your new level, come back."

"I won't let it slip into Oblivion, my lord!" Huizhi bowed and turned to leave.

Chen Cuo suddenly stopped him. "Did you see a sea of clouds and Star Lords?"

"What clouds and Star Lords?"

"Never mind." Chen Cuo waved a hand. When the door closed, he stood where he was, deep in thought.

The next morning, Chen Hai rose, dressed, and went about his duties. A servant from the inner city then reported what had happened at the residence the day before.

"Cui Ju still hasn't been found? Surely she hasn't run away. She knows what happens to runaway servants. Keep looking. She should still be somewhere in the residence."

After giving his orders, Chen Hai sighed. Everything had grown so complicated. His master seemed different from before, yet his refusal to leave the temple still struck Chen Hai as rather unreliable.

"Ah..."

As he was thinking this, he saw several young novice monks carrying bowls and plates out of the courtyard.

Chen Hai couldn't help muttering to himself again. Word of his master's greatly increased appetite had spread through the temple these past few days. It left him rather embarrassed; such behavior hardly befitted an aristocratic lord.

Then he heard the young novice monks talking.

"Have you heard? Senior Brother Huizhi discussed scripture with the marquis yesterday and gained enlightenment on the spot! He glimpsed the fruit of Buddhahood, reached completion then and there, and attained Transcendence!"

"And that's not all! Senior Brothers Huiming and Zhengyu went to ask the marquis for guidance too. They gained something from it, though neither reached completion in one step like Senior Brother Huizhi."

"Of course! Ever since the marquis arrived, Senior Brother Huizhi has attended him personally. They're close. How could the others compare? The marquis must have given him his full attention!"

"Senior Brother Huizhi had been transferred out of the Scripture Study Hall and made a guest attendant. He was going to be stuck in the front hall, relegated to the outer ranks. Now that he's reached completion, he'll soon return to the inner hall to study in depth, won't he?"

"Certainly! Senior Brother Huizhi was so grateful to the marquis that he nearly let his state of mind waver. His cultivation almost regressed, and he could have lost all his power! The marquis set him straight again, letting him hold fast to his resolve. What a fine story!"

"We deliver meals every day. Do you think we might get some guidance too?"

"Dream on! We've never even set foot inside his room. If we want guidance, we'd need something worth asking about! Senior Brother Huizhi studied for five years before he reached completion in a single day. Still, we ought to work harder. Maybe we'll get something out of it!"

Their voices were full of envy. When they spotted Chen Hai, they all paused, then pressed their palms together and greeted him with respectful courtesy before leaving.

Chen Hai stared after them.

Anyone could tell from his clothes that he was a servant. Those young novice monks had never greeted him with such respect before. Why had they acted like that today?

Thinking back over what they had said, he realized it was because of his master. Curious to learn more, he hurried after them, but after only a few steps, they were nowhere to be seen.

"How strange. How did a few young novice monks get away so quickly?"

Chen Hai looked around. He had reached the houses at the foot of the hill, where he happened to see Wang Jin and Tao Bo, who had spoken with Chen Cuo before.

Perfect. I'll ask them. Perhaps they know something.

But when he went over and stood at the edge of the group, listening to their conversation, his expression gradually changed.

Meanwhile, in the great hall atop the hill, the Temple Master was speaking with several monks.

After hearing them out, he fell silent for a moment. "So the Marquis of Linru County understands the scriptures better than all of you?"

"Yes," one monk said, looking ashamed. "I studied the Treatise on the Establishment of Truth for three years and had only just begun to grasp the emptiness of self and phenomena. When I heard what had happened to Senior Brother Huizhi, I sought out the marquis. After only a few words, he saw that I was jealous. He said I'd come to him because I couldn't accept it. Only then did I realize he was right."

The Temple Master nodded. "Your difficulty lies in your lingering attachment to a one-sided view of Emptiness."

Several more Monks spoke in turn, each expressing admiration for the Marquis of Linru County.

The Temple Master offered each of them his thoughts. Once they had left, however, he frowned.

The old monk appeared beside him. "Your opportunity will be hard to find now."

"Who could have expected the marquis to have such an aptitude for the Dharma? A few days of casual reading have taken him further than years of hard study took others." The Temple Master smiled bitterly. "I can only keep looking and see whether a chance presents itself."

"Even if his memories were clouded in the womb, he's still a Reincarnated Immortal!" The old monk smiled. "The marquis practices breathing exercises every day. You could ask him about them when the time is right."

"I'm hardly skilled in breathing exercises," the Temple Master said. "But Huizhi has gained so much from him. We must offer something in return. Only then can we settle the debt and leave no karmic ties."

"Just so." The old monk nodded.

I still haven't figured out what happened to me, but Huizhi has already attained Transcendence and drawn a crowd of Monks here for guidance. It's wasting my time. I need to remember that I don't truly have the ability to guide others. It was nothing more than a fortunate coincidence. I mustn't let it go to my head. I'd better work harder and try Huizhi's method first...

Inside his room, Chen Cuo set down the Buddhist scripture and took a deep breath. He stilled himself and stirred a thought. A blue-purple mask flashed across his eyes.

Then he closed his eyes, and his whole body shuddered!

A wisp of blue-purple Smoke Aura rose from the top of his head and began to take shape, faintly forming a twisted outline.

But after three breaths, the Smoke Aura collapsed and vanished without a trace.

Just as I thought. It doesn't work!