My True Self Hidden in the Temple of My Heart

"Lord, what is this?"

Wisdom looked thoroughly puzzled. He had also noticed that Little Pig seemed to have glanced at him.

"My lord has tastes that differ somewhat from ordinary people's," Chen Hai explained through his embarrassment.

Chen Cuo paid it no mind. He rose and asked Huizhi with a smile what had brought him there.

Wisdom quickly handed something over. "The Temple Master asked this humble monk to bring you this. He said it should be useful to you, my lord."

Chen Cuo took it and glanced at the cover.

Heart Temple Art.

His heart stirred, and he looked up. "A specific method of visualization?"

Wisdom froze, then said, "It is. How did you know, my lord?"

"I've spent days reading Buddhist scriptures and discussed them with you, too. If I still couldn't tell, the Temple Master wouldn't have sent you with it." As Chen Cuo spoke, he opened the book and began reading with evident relish.

Huizhi was surprised. He had expected to explain a thing or two, but the lord had started reading without asking a single question. Knowing better than to disturb him, Huizhi took his leave.

Chen Cuo asked Chen Hai to see him out.

Once Huizhi was gone, Chen Cuo sat in his chair and read word by word.

There was not much to the method. It was clearly a fairly rudimentary Foundation Establishment method. Though it mentioned certain rituals and precautions, it did not require a trip to the Scripture Repository Hall to view the Dragon-Viewing Tree Image.

"This method certainly can't compare to Guishan Temple's orthodox teachings. But I haven't shaved my head or become anyone's disciple. Getting this is already more than enough, and it spares me the step of viewing the Dragon-Viewing Tree Image."

In the time it took to eat a meal, Chen Cuo finished the book. He set it on the table and turned its contents over in his mind.

"The Heart Temple Method makes a temple of the heart and invites Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to dwell within it. In truth, it means visualizing and shaping a spark of Buddha-nature in the heart from nothing. The crucial step is overcoming the heart's stray thoughts and glimpsing the true self! During visualization, the human heart is the greatest variable. Different Mind Thoughts bring different Buddhas and Bodhisattvas into the temple. Only by clearing away stray thoughts and understanding the heart's true intent can one invite a Buddha in. In other words, to see the Buddha, first see your true self!"

What was the true self?

Chen Cuo drew a deep breath. Recalling the Facial Mask in Dream Marsh, he already had some ideas. He leafed through the book again, and his thoughts gradually cleared.

"The book has several notes, probably left by those who came before. They say glimpsing the true self is the foundation of all foundations. Other visualization methods require this step too. Even the gifted need several days. Some take ten days or half a month, and the longest recorded case took a full year! Those without talent might never manage it in their entire lives."

At that thought, he frowned and turned a page.

"Once you've seen your true self, inviting a Buddha into your heart follows as naturally as water flowing into a channel. But these Buddhas and Bodhisattvas..."

The last few pages held portraits of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, many of them, but not one had distinct features.

"These blank spaces must take on different faces according to the visualizer's true self. That fits what Huizhi said about viewing the Dragon-Viewing Tree Image and tracing the features of one's own face."

Oink.

A noise came from beside the wall. Little Pig had eaten an enormous spread of fruit clean, then sprawled there, stroking its round belly with a hoof in perfect contentment. Little Turtle lay beside it.

Earlier, to settle Pig-Turtle down, Chen Cuo had first let them eat their fill, then sent someone to buy fruit and bring it over.

Seeing the pig and turtle at ease, Chen Cuo relaxed a little. His thoughts turned.

"No matter what, I need to try this Heart Temple Method first. I'll see whether its way of revealing the true self works, and lay the groundwork for what comes later."

With that thought, he slowly closed his eyes. He entered Dream Marsh and came before the Ghost-Faced Mask.

Taking a deep breath, Chen Cuo reached out a finger to touch the Facial Mask. He visualized it in his heart and, following the Heart Temple Method's instructions for revealing the true self, cleared away all stray thoughts...

This step went unexpectedly smoothly. With almost no effort, Chen Cuo's mind became clear.

Perhaps it was because he often took Clarity Pills. Though he had taken none this time, he still found his grasp on his thoughts.

The moment Chen Cuo's finger touched the Facial Mask, the scene before his eyes changed!

He snapped his eyes open.

Confusion crossed his mind, and then a rush of information came to him.

For the past month, he had risen early every day. As soon as he got up, he would look toward the Bronze Mirror beside his bed.

This time, too, he glanced at the mirror without thinking.

In it, his slightly youthful face bore heavy dark circles under the eyes.

"I crossed over and became a pretty young thing, but even the young suffer from staying up late. It can shave years off your life."

He knew he was a light sleeper. In the past, merely changing where he slept would leave him tossing and turning half the night. Now he had changed not just places and beds, but eras. Restful sleep was harder still...

No!

His brow furrowed. He felt beneath himself, but the Little Gourd he expected was not there.

Then he looked at the Bronze Mirror again. The face reflected in it was Chen Fangqing's.

Memories surged up.

His father had gone north as a hostage. Even after Gaozu ascended the throne and the family gained wealth and rank, he still had to endure so many injustices. Nothing could be kept for long; anything might be snatched away at any moment. Five-Stone Powder could bring a little pleasure, but once he woke, everything was as it had been.

Nothing around me truly belongs to me!

What belongs to me... to Chen Fangqing?

No!

I'm Chen Cuo!

Boom!

The face in the mirror twisted abruptly into a blue-purple mask!

Chen Cuo jolted awake. He was still in Dream Marsh, but the mask before him was shaking violently. A translucent, illusory face emerged, followed by a pair of hands, as though someone were trying to break free!

That face looked exactly like Chen Cuo's!

Then the twisted figure roared!

"How am I, Chen Fangqing, any worse than my elder brother? Why does Mother barely look at me? Why did that maid refuse to give me the time of day, even when I treated her with such courtesy? Why was I passed over even when an immortal opportunity came along? Why? Why! I want it! I want it all! It should all be mine!"

The shadowy figure clawed at the air and reached a hand toward Chen Cuo.

Chen Cuo narrowed his eyes. He did not panic. Instead, he drove his thoughts forward, setting the fragments of Chen Fangqing's memories whirling in his mind and pushing them outward.

The memory fragments were drawn toward the figure, as though they were about to merge with it!

But the next instant, the Ghost-Faced Mask in Dream Marsh shuddered, and the figure was yanked back inside!

Chen Cuo's brows knitted tight. He kept the memories flowing outward, but the longer he held on, the heavier it felt. At last, his whole body trembled and cold sweat poured off him.

"This is as far as I can go for now!"

He formed a hand seal and slashed through the air!

Crack!

With a crisp sound, the many memories condensed into form and fell.

A thought struck Chen Cuo. He raised his hand, and a blank book took shape out of thin air. The falling fragments of memory streamed into it, becoming rows of text.

"Hah... hah..."

Chen Cuo stared at the book in his hand, breathing hard.

"I've cut away part of it, but my cultivation is shallow after all. Quite a lot remains. I still can't wear this Facial Mask."

Chen Cuo looked again at the mask in Dream Marsh.

"Isn't the name Chen Fangqing, and the identity that comes with it, another Painted Skin? It's even begun eating away at who I am..."

He stared at the Facial Mask.

"Before I arrived, Chen Fangqing had been dead for twelve hours. But even after a person dies, some things can remain."

Chen Cuo's figure gradually faded from Dream Marsh.

When he opened his eyes again, Chen Cuo let out a long breath. His whole body felt lighter, as though a great stone had been lifted from his heart.

"Huh?" A questioning sound came from beside him. At some point, Little Pig had jumped onto the table and planted a hoof on the Heart Temple Art. Now it stared at Chen Cuo with wide eyes. "The scent of Incense offerings on you has grown stronger. What did you just do?"

It muttered an explanation. "You didn't seem right, so I was watching to see if that Evil Ghost had come to take your soul. Who knew you could fall asleep sitting up!"

"Thank you for your concern, Brother Pig." Chen Cuo cupped his hands with a smile.

"Oink?" Little Pig's eyes widened. "What did you call me?"

Chen Cuo smiled. "Would you rather I call you senior? To be honest, I don't think I could get used to it."

"By age, calling me senior would still be a bargain for you!" Little Pig lifted its little face. Little Turtle had already begun squeaking and muttering.

"All right, I know. Ordinary people wouldn't take kindly to the likes of us." Little Pig sounded somewhat reluctant. It looked back at Chen Cuo. "You want to ask me about the Incense Offering Method, don't you?"