In my memory, the vermilion walls were marked at intervals with black circles containing golden Buddhist characters. A tall black-lacquered door studded with golden nails stood atop a platform with two sloping ramps leading up. At the base of the platform was a statue of the Golden Howler, exuding both majesty and fury.
The three large characters for 'Universal Temple' gave me an overwhelming sense of familiarity—the scene was identical to what I remembered. I finally saw the inscription on the plaque. Swallowing hard, I walked over slowly. This temple, deep in the mountains, felt utterly devoid of presence. I stared, puzzled. It was nighttime, and the temple stood alone in the forest under the starlit sky.
I walked up to the Golden Howler statue and placed a hand on it, closing my eyes. After sensing for a while, I still felt nothing. After Eugenia brought us here, I was left alone. Neither the Blueflame Warden nor I possessed Eugenia's strength. The moment the wind blew, we could exist anywhere in this illusion. But earlier, I had given Eugenia a strand of my hair—she should be able to find me, just like before.
My mind was filled with questions. I wanted to ask them if they had ever seen this temple. When I reached the main gate, I found it locked. As soon as I arrived, I noticed this. Then, with a gentle leap, I landed inside Universal Temple.
A long, straight slope stretched ahead, with a small stream running through the middle. Steps ascended on both sides, flanked by buildings nestled into the mountainside, all neatly and evenly arranged. I stepped onto the stairs on the left, feeling a deep sense of familiarity with everything here.
I continued slowly upward. In this place, I could truly sense the power of the Buddha. A faint golden glow appeared on my skin, brought forth by the subtle force pervading the surroundings.
I stopped at a crossroads. To the left was a cluster of low monks' quarters, with a well in the center. I walked over quickly and casually pushed open the door to one room. Everything inside was clean and orderly. After wandering inside for a while, I left and continued upward.
For some reason, everything here felt so familiar. The sound of rushing water echoed in my ears as the little stream flowed tirelessly. I quietly soaked in the tranquility. When I reached halfway up the mountain, I looked to my right, then lightly leapt across the stream, landing on a stone path ringed with bamboo. At the end stood a three-story pavilion. I walked toward it, step by step.
This part of the scene was the most vivid in my memory. I pushed open the door and went straight up to the second floor—a simple little room. Two bookshelves held many Buddhist scriptures. In the center was a small square table with a few cushions. I sat cross-legged on one, gazing at a tea set and some tea leaves on the table. I picked up the tea leaves and inhaled their scent.
"Such a familiar feeling, but why can't I remember anything?"
Resting my hand on my head, I realized I was utterly alone—just this temple, with nothing else around. I quietly gazed at the tea set on the table and smiled faintly, thinking how long it had been since I last drank tea. As I looked around, I couldn't shake the feeling that something immensely important had happened here, something that had shaped my entire life.
"Are memories really that important?"
After a while, the subtle fragrance of tea filled the air. I took a sip.
There was a commotion outside. I immediately sensed something strange and transformed into a flicker of light, completely concealing myself. With a whoosh, I drifted out of the room. The mountain gate of Universal Temple was forcibly opened, and a flood of Masked Men poured in—over a hundred of them, most in black masks, with a few Red Mask Agents and three Blue-Faced Men, who seemed to be in charge. The sight of these masked intruders stirred a surge of anger in me for reasons I couldn't explain.
What shocked me most was that these Masked Men were actually human. How could people enter this illusion? After watching a while, I confirmed they were flesh-and-blood humans—real, not hallucinations.
"We finally made it. Move quickly—the elders are waiting. Turn this temple upside down if you have to, but find it."
Instantly, hundreds of Masked Men began searching every corner of the temple. I decided to keep watching for a while. They seemed to be looking for something, and their actions were extremely violent.
With loud bangs, I watched in astonishment—these were no ordinary people. They smashed through buildings with their fists, and many began digging with their bare hands.
In less than half an hour, Universal Temple was a complete mess. The intruders searched methodically from the foot of the mountain upward, leaving no patch of ground untouched.
The three Blue-Faced Men strolled along the ruins, constantly instructing the Masked Men not to overlook a single blade of grass or tree.
"Dig three feet into the ground if you have to—find it!"
One of the Blue-Faced Men shouted. Some Masked Men began pounding the ground with their fists, leaving craters before digging through the dirt. The lower half of Universal Temple was already unrecognizable.
I floated silently in the air, watching the scene below.
Just then, someone rushed in from outside the mountain gate. I had already noticed a strange formation on the ground outside—a black, red, and gold array, pulsing with crimson light. The Masked Man who entered had just emerged from the array.
"Sirs, Lord Wu said he'll be here soon."
For a moment, the three Blue-Faced Men exchanged glances, a trace of fear in their eyes.
"I didn't expect Lord Wu to come in person."
"Indeed. Still, it's lucky for us that it's Lord Wu coming—if it were any of the others, we'd be in trouble."
The three Blue-Faced Men chatted as they strolled along, looking quite pleased. Yet no matter whom they looked at, I sensed a sinister aura surrounding them—a cloud of evil so thick it was visible. None of these people were good; only those who have committed countless atrocities possess such potent wickedness.
The search continued. I had no intention of revealing myself, choosing instead to keep watching. I didn't even know what they were looking for. When I tried to probe their minds, I encountered resistance—each of them harbored something like a ghost, a mass of baleful energy. For some reason, this felt very familiar. I could forcibly read their memories, but if I did, the ghostly energy inside them might instantly self-destruct, erasing their memories as well. This was my clearest impression after observing for so long.
The Masked Men below were highly organized, with clear hierarchies and well-defined roles. They worked with remarkable diligence—clearly part of some organization. I had no memory of these Masked Men, but seeing them stirred a deep sense of disgust and anger within me.
The lower half of the temple was now nothing but rubble and craters, utterly destroyed. Yet the intruders had found nothing. They continued searching further up the mountain, destroying and digging as before.
"Hurry up—we have to find it before anyone else does."
One of the Blue-Faced Men shouted, and the Masked Men intensified their search. I glanced at the Grand Hall at the summit, realizing the entire temple might be doomed. I hesitated—if I intervened now, I'd lose the chance to find out what they were after. I decided to wait and strike the moment they found it; they clearly weren't up to anything good.
What concerned me most was the array that allowed them to enter this place. I knew almost nothing about arrays—just a few basics. I planned to try entering through it myself later; it likely led to the world of the living.
For some reason, a faint sense of hope welled up inside me.
The Masked Men searching for the object were almost at the summit. Every building had been destroyed. The three Blue-Faced Men reached the plaza in front of the Grand Hall.
I now understood these people's strength and was confident I could eliminate them all in a single blow. I floated to the shoulder of a Buddha statue near the plaza and watched silently as the three Blue-Faced Men continued their discussion.
"The intel is reliable, right?"
One Blue-Faced Man asked, and another replied.
"Of course it is. This intel was obtained at great risk by Xu Fu himself."
I stared intently at the three Blue-Faced Men. Xu Fu was a name unfamiliar to me, but I knew that in the era of Qin Shi Huang, there was a famous alchemist by that name.
"Amitabha. Gentlemen, may I ask what brings you here?"
I stared in astonishment, turning to see an elderly monk—around sixty or seventy, but with vibrant, healthy skin—emerge from the Grand Hall. Though the monk was unfamiliar, I noticed he seemed aware of my presence, glancing at me with a broad smile as he stepped out.