Burial Site Mystery Classic

Chapter 26

VI. Open the jade box

The next morning, led by Tang Zhengyang, we found the old expert. When he saw the white jade box we had brought, his eyes widened. Although he didn't speak, I could sense that he was very interested in the box's origin. When he saw the silver lock on the box, he became even more excited. I saw his hands, holding the box, begin to tremble slightly. He then picked up a magnifying glass and carefully examined the lock and keyhole, especially the keyhole, which he stared at intently for a long time. After a while, we heard him utter a few words, "So it's real. There are actually locks like this still in existence."

Hearing his rambling words, we were even more eager to know about this silver lock. At that moment, Dunzi pressed the old expert, "Sir, what exactly did you mean? Is this the kind of lock you mentioned to Mr. Tang last time?" Even as Dunzi asked him this, his eyes never left the small silver lock. But that's not all. Do you know that the lock you brought is not only a long-lost type of traction lock, but also a top-grade example of this type—the 'Dragon-Suspension Wire Lock'. This type of lock was only mentioned sporadically in some royal records before the Han Dynasty, and then never again.

"'Dragon-Spirit Lock'? The name sounds mysterious. Could you tell us more about this lock?" Dunzi asked. The old expert handed the jade box back to me and then slowly told us, “My ancestors were all locksmiths. Perhaps influenced by my family, I’ve always been very interested in these strange and wonderful locks since I was a child. While other children played with clay figures and wooden guns, my favorite toys were those little locks of all shapes and sizes. When I was old enough to recognize a few words and read a few books, I started looking at all sorts of books about locks. The few ancient books in my house that recorded many ancient locks became some of my favorite books because they recorded many ancient locks, such as the Huaqi lock, the Guang lock, the Luban lock, the three-horse-palm lock, and so on. I remember there was a fragment of a book called ‘Jinghe Locksmithing Examination.’ Jinghe was a reign title of the Song Dynasty during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, so it was probably written during that period. Whether it was the original or a copy made by later generations is unclear. This book recorded some information and characteristics of the ‘Dragon-shaped Suspended Wire Lock,’ which had already been lost at that time.”

He picked up a Longquan celadon teacup from the desk, took a sip of tea, and continued, "The internal structure of this 'Dragon-shaped Suspended Wire Lock' differs from the spring structure of ordinary locks. It's a lock with a traction device at its core. When the key is inserted into the keyhole, the special uneven structure on the key triggers a metal wire inside the keyhole. This pulls the lock's switch mechanism, opening the lock. Because the thin metal wire inside the keyhole is extremely fragile, not only is a suitable key required, but the force applied during unlocking is also crucial. Too light a touch won't activate the switch, while too heavy a touch will break the wire and damage the lock. Therefore, even if someone steals such a lock, they won't easily open it without the owner's instructions on how to unlock it. Furthermore, this lock also incorporates a self-destruct mechanism. If the lock is forcibly opened, it will destroy all the items stored in the box. Thus, this 'Dragon-shaped Suspended Wire Lock' is a lock used to store extremely important items."

"It sounds even more exquisite than that 'Mysterious Bird Heart-Connecting Lock' from last time," Dunzi murmured after listening to the old expert. "That's right, it is indeed so," the old expert said with a smile after hearing Dunzi's words. I looked at the silver lock, then asked the old expert, "So, can this lock still be opened now?" The old expert didn't answer immediately after hearing my question. He thought for about two or three seconds, then replied, "It's not that there's absolutely no chance, but the odds aren't very high. I can try for you." "Thank you so much! It's too much trouble for you to rack your brains," I replied happily. The old expert waved his hand and said, "It's nothing, but I've always had a question in my mind, and I don't know if I should ask it?" "Please ask, we will definitely answer to the best of our knowledge," Dunzi said before I could even speak. The old expert nodded and then asked, "Based on my experience, this kind of lock is extremely rare in the world, and I've never heard of it being found in China. I wonder where you all obtained this silver lock?" "This…" Dunzi hadn't expected the old expert to ask this and was momentarily at a loss for words. Just then, Tang Zhengyang smiled and replied, "Sir, you know I own an antique shop in Xi'an. Although it's not very big, it's quite well-known locally. This silver lock was brought to my shop by a foreign friend a while ago, and they asked me to take a look at it. But you know, I'm just an antique enthusiast, not a true expert. I can usually identify ordinary items, but for something so extremely rare, I'm really unsure. So, I had to come with these friends to consult you and broaden our knowledge as well." Tang Zhengyang's explanation seemed reasonable, so the old expert believed him. As he looked at the silver lock, he said with a touch of sadness, "It's such a pity that such a fine thing has ended up in a foreign land!"

The old expert then asked us to give him three days so he could research the relevant information and figure out how to unlock the complex "Dragon Suspended Thread Lock." He told us to bring the silver lock back to him in three days. We thanked the expert again and left his house, returning to our hotel.

Three days isn't a very long time, but it felt like it dragged on forever. Finally, on the third day, we received a call from the old expert. He said he was confident he could unlock the 'Dragon-Suspension Thread Lock' and asked us to bring it over as soon as possible. Hearing this news, everyone was naturally overjoyed, and we hurried out the door with the silver lock in hand.

The old expert had been waiting for us in his study. As soon as we entered, he immediately stood up to greet us. "Hehe, I've found some valuable information these past few days. Based on scattered records in various documents, I've managed to replicate a few lock-picking tools specifically for 'dragon-shaped suspension locks'." He then held up his hand and waved it in front of everyone. I saw that he was holding three or four metal tools of various shapes. Some were shaped like hooks, and others were as thin as springs.

Without saying a word, we immediately placed the jade box wrapped in cotton cloth on the old expert's desk. Then we gathered around the desk, watching as he carefully unwrapped the cloth and began to open the silver lock. Of the group, only Tang Zhengyang had learned some lock-picking techniques from others when opening the previous "Mysterious Bird Heart-Connecting Lock." The rest of us were completely clueless about lock picking. So, when the old expert focused on unlocking, we couldn't understand what he was doing at all. Fortunately, Tang Zhengyang was there, quietly explaining his every move. This allowed us to truly appreciate the difficulty of opening this silver lock.

Fearing that excessive force might break the thin metal wire inside the keyhole, the experienced expert moved with exceptional care, almost like a surgeon performing an operation. He constantly changed the lock-picking tools in his hands, while Tang Zhengyang simply took on the role of his assistant, helping him unlock the lock. Before long, the expert's forehead was covered in sweat, and Tang Zhengyang was also drenched in sweat. The thoughtful Jenny handed them some tissues to wipe away their sweat.

During this time, all our attention was drawn to the old expert's movements as he unlocked the lock, as if everything else around us had become irrelevant, and we naturally lost track of how much time had passed. Throughout this period, both the old expert and Tang Zhengyang had their brows furrowed, never relaxing. This suggests that opening the silver lock was indeed extremely difficult, and the final outcome was not optimistic.

Just as I was secretly worrying about the final outcome of the lock-picking, I suddenly heard a very faint "click" sound coming from inside the silver lock. Everyone was holding their breath, watching the old expert's movements, so the atmosphere was exceptionally quiet, which is why this faint sound could be heard. At the same time, I noticed that the old expert's tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed a little. I thought to myself, "There might be a turning point." Just as I thought this, Tang Zhengyang said softly, "Great, one of the suspension wires has been opened." "Huh? I thought they were all opened. So how many suspension wires are there in total?" Dunzi asked with a hint of disappointment. "It seems there are nine, and each one is more complicated than the last," Tang Zhengyang said, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a tissue.

Hearing Tang Zhengyang's words, I guessed that the others would feel the same disappointment as Dunzi, so I comforted them, saying, "It's alright. Now that one suspension wire has been opened, the others will be opened sooner or later. It just takes a little more time. Everyone needs to be patient. I believe the old expert can open the silver lock." After hearing my words, everyone stopped complaining, regained their confidence, and continued to concentrate on watching the old expert and Tang Zhengyang's every move.

VII. Animal Hide Scrolls

About half an hour later, the old expert successfully opened the other two metal wires in the silver lock, which greatly encouraged and excited everyone. However, for a long time afterward, there was no progress. The repeated failures caused the old expert's hands to tremble slightly, as if his confidence was gradually being eroded. Needless to say, the morale of the rest of us also plummeted again. At this moment, the old professor, who hadn't spoken a word for a long time, suddenly said, "Mr. Tang, please hold these two tools in place to secure the keyhole. Don't move them. I'll go out and rework this hook." Hearing his instructions, Tang Zhengyang nodded and quickly took the two flat metal pieces from the old expert, holding them firmly in the keyhole.

After the old expert turned and left, Dunzi, who had been getting impatient, started complaining again. He said, "I've been working on this for so long, my back is killing me! Will it even open? I'm so anxious!" "Haste makes waste," I said. "Didn't you see the old expert go out to get the tools? Maybe the tools weren't ready enough before. I believe the old expert is capable of opening this lock, so just hang in there a little longer." Hearing me say that, Dunzi didn't say anything more, but from his bitter face, I could tell he still didn't have much hope.

Although I comforted Dunzi with these words, I myself was hesitant and uncertain about the final outcome. But life is unpredictable and ever-changing. Just when we were beginning to lose hope, the old expert used his modified hook to open several more threads. Finally, only three threads remained. We felt a glimmer of victory and were incredibly excited. Although victory was no longer out of reach, these last three threads were the most difficult to manipulate. The old expert and Tang Zhengyang tried various positions, racking their brains, before finally managing to open them one by one. With a soft "click," the silver lock opened instantly. Everyone cheered, their excitement uncontrollable. The old expert slowly wiped the sweat from his brow with a towel from the desk, a satisfied expression on his face, as if he had completed a masterpiece.

Perhaps because opening this unique "Dragon-Spirit Lock" had satisfied all his curiosity, or perhaps because he trusted us completely, the old expert didn't casually open the jade box or ask any questions about it. He simply wrapped the jade box back in the cotton cloth and handed it back to me, instructing, "This item is priceless; you must take good care of it." We nodded and thanked him again before the five of us left the old expert's study.

Back at the hotel, we drew all the curtains in the room before gently opening the jade box. Everyone stared wide-eyed; inside was a dark brown scroll. I then bent down to examine it closely. On the surface, I could vaguely see textures resembling pores, leading me to deduce that the scroll was made of animal hide. This matched the *Burial Scripture* we had previously retrieved from the Faqiu Treasure Cave. However, aside from that, the scroll's size, color, and style were completely different from the previous half of the scripture.

Seeing this, Dunzi couldn't resist reaching for the scroll to examine it more closely. Jenny stopped him. She said, "Although this scroll is something we risked our lives to retrieve from the Qin Mausoleum, it shouldn't belong to us; it belongs to the nation as a cultural relic. We're only using it temporarily to unravel the mystery of immortality. Once this is over, we must return it to the state for safekeeping. Therefore, we must handle this scroll with utmost care and try to preserve it as well as possible." With that, she took five pairs of white gloves from her bag and had us put them on before touching the ancient animal-hide scroll.

As if I were holding a newborn baby, I carefully took the animal skin scroll out of the jade box, then placed it very gently on the desk, and finally slowly unrolled it by pulling on the scroll's bone.

The scroll was indeed filled with red "Ghost Domain Inscriptions" written in a pigment similar to cinnabar, and the four characters "Burial Land Mystic Scripture" written in "Ghost Domain Inscriptions" at the opening were particularly eye-catching. "It really is the 'Burial Land Mystic Scripture'! All our hard work and effort this time has finally paid off," Dunzi said happily. I didn't say anything and continued to examine the animal hide scroll carefully. The scroll was thirty centimeters wide and nearly two meters long when fully unfolded. At each end was a bone axle that appeared to be carved from the leg bone of some kind of animal. Due to its age, the bone axles had turned yellowish-black. The thicker parts at both ends of the bone axles were carved with bold, freehand animal heads, while the middle was decorated with simple net patterns and wavy lines. Although the workmanship was rough, it displayed a rugged and primitive beauty, very simple and natural. The pages of the scroll were made by sewing together multiple pieces of animal hide. The inner pages are inscribed with the contents of the Xuanjing (Mysterious Scripture) in tiny, fingernail-sized "ghostly inscriptions." Although somewhat faded, they are still legible. The back of the pages features some patterns painted in red ink, but due to the passage of time, the ink has oxidized and faded, making the entire image quite blurry and impossible to decipher. However, our focus at this moment is on the Xuanjing itself. As long as its contents are still faintly discernible, the other, less important decorative paintings are less crucial.

Having seen all this, we no longer had any doubts and were certain that the scroll in our hands was indeed the "Burial Scripture" that Qin Shi Huang possessed. Now that our mission was complete, we decided to return to Hangzhou as soon as possible to compare it with the half of the scripture we had obtained in the Faqiu Treasure Cave. Then, referring to the "Ghost Domain Inscription" deciphering manual, we would decipher all the contents of the scripture and thus solve the mystery of immortality that had been troubling us for so long.

VIII. Secret Book of Bone Axis

Three days later, we flew directly back to Hangzhou from Beijing. Tang Zhengyang, however, had to return to Xi'an temporarily due to family matters that required his attention after a long absence. Before parting, we agreed to stay in touch with each other regarding any developments. Upon returning to Hangzhou, the first thing we did was take out the half of the Xuanjing (mysterious scripture) we had obtained from the Faqiu Baodong (treasure cave) and carefully compare it with the Xuanjing on the animal skin scroll we had retrieved from the Qin Mausoleum. This comparison revealed that the Xuanjing on the animal skin scroll not only contained nearly twice the amount of material found in the Faqiu Baodong, but also contained numerous discrepancies in the repeated content compared to the previous half.

“It seems these are versions from two different periods,” Renny said after carefully examining the two Xuanjing scrolls. “Judging from both the material and the style, the Xuanjing we retrieved from the Qin Mausoleum is clearly earlier than the half-version we obtained from the Faqiu Treasure Cave.” Hearing this, I added, “And if I’m not mistaken, the scroll found in Qin Shi Huang’s tomb should contain the complete content of the Xuanjing.” Dunzi was overjoyed and said, “That’s wonderful! Now we can sit down and carefully study the mysterious mystery of immortality in the Xuanjing without having to run around outside and face various dangers.”

That same day, we shared this exciting news with Tang Zhengyang, who was far away in Xi'an, so he could share in our victory. Afterwards, the four of us found a restaurant and celebrated properly. However, although we had successfully found the *Burial Site Mystery Scripture*, and its complete contents were now before us, and it seemed the mysterious legend was about to be unveiled, for some reason, I had a strange feeling that there were still things we hadn't finished, waiting for us to continue our investigation, requiring us to embark on another long journey.

Over the next few days, the research into the mystery of the enigmatic text on the animal skin scroll proceeded intensively among the four of us. We first translated the entire text into Chinese characters using the translation manual for the "Ghost Domain Inscriptions," and then carefully read its contents. After several days of careful reading and study, we discovered that, in addition to the discussions on Heaven, Earth, and Man that had appeared in the previous half of the text, the text also included several appendices at the end detailing mysterious sacrificial rituals involving Heaven, Earth, and Man, as well as some seemingly supernatural arts of self-cultivation. These rituals and arts appeared extremely complex and cumbersome, and in terms of their content, they seemed remarkably similar to some ancient witchcraft. Besides using three sacrificial animals as offerings, there were also numerous instances of burning corpses, removing bones, beheading, and even heart-ripping—all involving human sacrifices—which terrified us and sent chills down our spines.

"Could the legendary secret that allows one to escape reincarnation and enter the world of immortality be hidden in these strange and terrifying rituals?" Jenny muttered to herself, filled with great doubt. "I remember that shaman king mentioned something about a 'Nine Revolutions Reincarnation Technique' in the Xuanjing. Let's check if it's there," Dunzi reminded me. I was about to look more carefully according to Dunzi's suggestion when I heard Abao say, "I've already looked carefully. It doesn't mention any 'Reincarnation Technique,' only some cultivation techniques like 'Capturing the Spirit,' 'Insight into a Thousand Secrets,' and 'Breath-Closing Technique.' And those sacrificial rituals concerning heaven, earth, and man seem to have nothing to do with immortality."

"Could the truth be different from what the shaman said?" With this question in mind, I checked again carefully and found that it was indeed as Ah Bao had said. My excitement of the past few days suddenly turned somber. However, just as we were sinking into despair, Jenny suddenly said, "Hey, it seems like this can be opened." Hearing her say that, I realized that the observant Jenny might have made some new discovery, so I immediately turned my attention to her.

Jenny was holding the bone shaft of the animal hide scroll in her left hand, while her right hand gently unscrewed one end of the shaft. It turned out the scroll's bone shaft held a hidden secret! This discovery immediately excited everyone present. Everyone held their breath, watching as Jenny slowly unscrewed one end of the bone shaft and then tilted the hollow shaft downwards. A thin, cylindrical object slid out from within the shaft and landed in Jenny's hand, which was already catching it below.

Jenny set the animal skin scroll aside. Then, she gently unfurled the object she had taken from the bone scroll. The other three of us immediately gathered around, scrutinizing the thin, A4-sized sheet of paper in Jenny's hand. The texture and veins indicated it was made from the leaf of some kind of plant. The leaf had been cut into a rectangle the size of A4 paper, and many tiny "Ghost Domain Inscriptions" were written on it. "It must be something very important, that's why it's hidden in such a secret place," I thought to myself, quickly grabbing my "Ghost Domain Inscription" translation manual and rapidly translating the inscriptions on the leaf. For each inscription I translated, Jenny recorded the corresponding Chinese characters in her notebook.

About half an hour later, the "Ghost Realm Inscription" on the leaf had been completely translated. Jenny and I carefully read the translated content and discovered that what was recorded on the leaf was the secret of immortality that we had been searching for so long and dreaming of unlocking. The text roughly stated that beyond the space where humans live, there exists another mysterious world. This world is different from the one we live in now; there is no concept of time there. Therefore, once people find and enter that world, they can obtain the power of immortality. However, this world is generally imperceptible to ordinary people, let alone possible to enter. Only those who have undergone specialized training and can be called masters have the potential to discover this land of immortality.

The text also states that to become a master capable of entering the world of immortality, one must first learn the contents of the Xuanjing (Mysterious Scripture) concerning Heaven, Earth, and Man, as well as the various sacrificial methods and cultivation techniques recorded in the Xuanjing. After acquiring these prerequisites, one can cultivate according to the "Soul Transformation and Life Accumulation Heart Man" method recorded on this page of the book, thereby opening the Heavenly Eye and seeing the "Gate of the Holy Realm" leading to that world of immortality. Then, one can enter the land of immortality and enjoy eternal bliss.

After witnessing all this, we felt a mixture of joy and sorrow. We were joyful because, after overcoming so many hardships, we had finally glimpsed the secret of immortality hidden within the legendary *Burial Ground Mystery Scripture*. At the same time, we were saddened because, to further verify whether the secret recorded within was truly true, we would have to cultivate step by step as instructed, which was a troublesome and highly impractical matter. This situation truly left everyone both amused and exasperated. Seeing that the clues were about to run dry again, everyone couldn't help but feel anxious.

"It seems this 'Soul Transformation and Life Accumulation Technique' is the 'Nine Revolutions Soul Return Technique' that the shaman king spoke of. What should we do next? Are we really going to all start practicing these mysterious and terrifying witchcrafts like they said?" Dunzi stared at me with wide eyes. Before I could even speak, Jenny interrupted, saying, "How could that be? If we really did that, not only would we all become terrifying witches, but the murders and arson we commit for those rituals are illegal in today's society. I reckon we'd be arrested and executed before we even achieve immortality." After hearing Jenny's words, Dunzi asked blankly, "Then what do we do? Just give up?" I weighed the current situation. After thinking for a moment, I comforted everyone, saying, "I think we should first tell Tang Zhengyang about the situation here and hear his opinion. Three heads are better than one, and I believe that as long as we work together, we will eventually find a way to continue the investigation." Everyone thought that what I said made sense, so they all nodded in agreement with my decision.

That same day, I called Tang Zhengyang and explained the progress we were making. After listening, he pondered for a moment, then said, "Well, after hearing what you've said, I don't have a good solution to everyone's current problem right now. However, I'm almost done with my business here. I'll come to Hangzhou in a couple of days to meet up with everyone, and then we can think of a solution together." "Okay, we'll wait for you in Hangzhou," I replied.

After that, we spent those two long days in constant anticipation and contemplation. When Tang Zhengyang arrived in Hangzhou, we didn't even have time to let him rest or take him to see the various scenic spots in Hangzhou. Instead, we immediately pulled him to the animal skin scroll and bone scroll, and had him plan our next course of action with us.

Tang Zhengyang was overjoyed when he saw the animal skin scroll. He said that in all the years he had dug graves with his grandfather, he had never seen such an ancient and precious animal skin scripture. When he saw the leaf-shaped book hidden inside the bone scroll, he was so excited that he couldn't speak. We then showed him the translated contents of the animal skin scroll and the leaf-shaped book, hoping he could offer some constructive suggestions.

Tang Zhengyang repeatedly picked up the animal-hide scroll and the book, studying them for a long time. Then he sat on the sofa, closed his eyes, and pondered for a long time. Finally, he suddenly stood up and said loudly, "Don't pay too much attention to those mysterious and terrifying sacrificial methods and cultivation techniques. The ancients liked to create mystique; perhaps those are just tricks to fool people. Let's first look at the last and most important way to enter the world of immortality—the Soul Transference and Life Accumulation Technique. Perhaps we can find some clues from there." Decisiveness, cutting through the Gordian knot, and capturing the leader first—this was the essence of Tang Zhengyang's suggestion. I couldn't help but agree with his suggestion, so I said, "Zhengyang is indeed right. Let's try it according to his suggestion first."

IX. Inferences

Following Tang Zhengyang's advice, we carefully studied the "Soul Transformation and Life Accumulation Technique" recorded in the book. The text was brief, mentioning some strange and mysterious cultivation steps and methods, such as choosing a secluded cultivation location. This was because the cultivation process absolutely could not be disturbed, otherwise, the cultivation might fail, and the soul might be scattered. Furthermore, one must take specially prepared pills daily to strengthen the cultivator's physical and mental power. It also mentioned that the cultivator must gather their essence and mental power from the water and fire meridians within the body to the crown of the head, allowing this gathered spiritual energy to burst forth from the skull, breaking free from the constraints of the physical body and thus acquiring boundless cosmic energy. Afterward, one could open their Dharma Eye and see the location where the "Ancient Celestial Crystal Stone" was buried. Once the "Ancient Celestial Crystal Stone" was obtained, one could find the "Gate to the Sacred Realm" to enter the world of immortality.

"It sounds rather mystical," Dunzi said, scratching his chin with a troubled expression. "Do we really have to cultivate diligently like this?" "Even if we wanted to cultivate, we wouldn't have the necessary conditions. Putting everything else aside, where are we going to get all those essential pills mentioned here?" Jenny pointed to the contents of the leaf book. However, just as Jenny mentioned the pills, I suddenly remembered the stone platform chamber we found in the middle of the terracotta figures when we retreated to the underground palace after obtaining the Xuanjing from the Qin Mausoleum. We had found all sorts of pills and powders in that chamber. Previously, I had simply assumed that these pills were "elixirs of immortality" concocted by various local hermits for Qin Shi Huang. Now, upon closer reflection, many doubts arose. Why would so many pills be placed in Qin Shi Huang's tomb? Logically, if they were "elixirs of immortality" for Qin Shi Huang, they should have been sent to his underground palace for him to consume. If Qin Shi Huang had already been buried in his mausoleum, then even placing these "elixirs of immortality" within it wouldn't bring him back to life. It would be meaningless. Therefore, these elixirs might not be the "elixirs of immortality" I previously thought they were. If so, could these elixirs be those taken by practitioners of the "Soul Transformation and Life Accumulation Technique" to enhance their physical and mental strength? Just as I was pondering this, perhaps noticing my unusual behavior, they quickly asked me what was wrong. After being pulled from my thoughts, I shared my doubts and ideas.

“Yes, I didn’t think of that either,” Jenny said, slapping her forehead as if suddenly realizing something. “So it seems that the secret chamber under the stone platform was very likely a secret cultivation room used to secretly practice the ‘Soul Transformation and Life Accumulation Technique.’” “Yes, if that’s the case, everything makes sense. Those terracotta ‘ghost soldiers’ were guardians to protect the cultivators in the secret chamber from being disturbed, and those pills were pills for the cultivators to take during the cultivation process,” I said. “What I mean is, Qin Shi Huang secretly hid in his tomb to cultivate the art of immortality?” Dunzi asked. I thought about it carefully and then replied, "Perhaps that's not the case. From what we currently know, cultivating this 'Soul Transformation and Life Accumulation Technique' is not an easy task; it cannot be accomplished overnight. It requires a continuous and lengthy period of time. If Qin Shi Huang had personally entered the secret chamber to cultivate, then there must have been a period in his life when he disappeared. However, according to historical records, the First Emperor was extremely busy throughout his life, and there were no instances of him suddenly disappearing. His only..." The suspicious points are his sudden death at Shaqiu and the subsequent use of rotting abalone by Prime Minister Li Si to mask the stench emanating from Qin Shi Huang's corpse. The *Records of the Grand Historian: Annals of Qin Shi Huang* records: "On the day of Bingyin in the seventh month, the First Emperor died at the Shaqiu platform. Prime Minister Li Si, fearing that the emperor's death outside the capital might cause unrest among the princes and the people, kept it a secret and did not announce the death. The coffin was placed in a palanquin, and the emperor favored eunuchs to ride alongside him, and food was served wherever they went. Officials presented their reports as usual, and eunuchs would come from the palanquin to receive them." "On their journey, they traveled from Jingxing to Jiuyuan. It was hot, and the palanquin smelled bad. Therefore, an edict was issued ordering the accompanying officials to load a stone of abalone into the palanquin to mask the stench."

I stopped here. The others still seemed a bit confused, looking at me with puzzled expressions, waiting for me to continue. I took a sip of water and continued, "Let's consider an assumption. When Qin Shi Huang obtained the *Burial Scripture* and discovered the hidden secret of immortality within it, he naturally conceived the idea of achieving immortality. So he summoned local scholars to refine various elixirs according to the methods recorded in the scripture, for use in cultivating the 'Soul Transformation and Life Accumulation Technique.' Because he was busy with state affairs and conquering the six states, he asked several of his closest confidants to set up secret chambers within his nearly completed Qin Mausoleum, where they cultivated the 'Soul Transformation and Life Accumulation Technique.' When these people, after a long period of cultivation, finally opened their 'divine eyes' and learned the whereabouts of the 'Ancient Celestial Crystal Stone,' they immediately sent someone to secretly report to Qin Shi Huang. At this time, Qin Shi Huang was touring the world. When he suddenly received this news, he was overjoyed. Perhaps it was because of his divine eyes..." The opening time was limited. In his pursuit of immortality, he disregarded the fate of the empire and failed to consult with his close advisors. He hastily left the procession that very night with only a few guards and the messenger, rushing to the secret chamber. The next day, Prime Minister Li Si and others were alarmed to discover the First Emperor's sudden disappearance. Although the six states had been unified, society was unstable under Qin Shi Huang's tyrannical rule, and various anti-government forces were eager to seize power. Li Si and his advisors feared that if the news spread, people would search for Qin Shi Huang and use him to control the other states. Therefore, for the safety of Qin Shi Huang and the stability of the empire, Li Si and others decorated the carriages in the procession with rotten, smelly abalone, making it appear as if Qin Shi Huang was dead. Li Si deliberately used the smell of abalone as a cover. At the same time, they hastily installed the Second Emperor as the new emperor to stabilize the country.

“That makes perfect sense,” Tang Zhengyang said after listening to my explanation. “Following the development of Si Nan’s reasoning, it explains why when we entered the Qin Mausoleum and opened the First Emperor’s coffin, we found an empty one.” “In that case, we really should have examined that secret chamber more thoroughly. Since it was the location for cultivating the ‘Soul Transformation and Life Accumulation Technique,’ there might have been important clues left there,” Jenny said with a hint of regret. “We’ve found the important clue,” I replied with a smile. “Found it? Where?” Jenny looked puzzled. Ah Bao and the others exchanged glances, seemingly clueless as well. I didn’t want to keep them in suspense any longer, so I told them directly, “Do you remember the very blurry mural on the wall of that secret chamber? If I’m not mistaken, that important clue is that mural.”

10. Guge Silver Eyes

After I mentioned it, everyone remembered that there really was such a thing. Jenny hurriedly took out the photos of the mural she had developed from her camera from her desk drawer. "Imagine if you were the trusted confidants of the First Emperor, appointed to cultivate the 'Soul Transformation and Life Accumulation Technique' in the secret chamber. The moment your Dharma Eye opened, you saw the burial site of the 'Heavenly Crystal Stone.' But at that moment, the First Emperor was thousands of miles away. What would you do? In order to preserve the scene before your eyes for the First Emperor to see, the only thing you could do was to depict it. But as you all saw, the environment and facilities in the secret chamber were unprepared. There was no brush, ink, paper, or inkstone prepared in advance. In their haste, those trusted confidants of the First Emperor had to grind red pills into powder to use as pigment and draw the burial location of the 'Heavenly Crystal Stone' on the wall." I said, pointing to the photos. "After thousands of years of oxidation and wind erosion, this mural gradually dimmed and faded, eventually becoming what we see now."

When I got to this point, everyone understood what I meant. Dunzi excitedly said, "So, does that mean we don't need to painstakingly cultivate any of that damn mental techniques anymore? We can just find clues from this picture to continue the investigation?" "Yes," I replied, "The key now is whether we can glean anything from these blurry patterns."

Jenny deftly laid the photographs flat on the desk, arranging them into a complete picture. However, because the painting was so faded and the image so blurry, it was impossible to make anything out at first glance. So no matter how closely we looked at it, from afar, from the front, or from the back, we couldn't make anything out of it.

“It seems we can’t identify it with the naked eye,” Jenny murmured, staring at the photos on the table. “If all else fails, I’ll take these photos back to Hong Kong and have some of my friends in the industry use professional equipment to restore the mural and see if we can get it back.” “That would be wonderful if it could be restored,” I said. “When do you plan to leave?” “The sooner the better, of course. I’ll book my tickets tomorrow.” Hearing Jenny say this, I replied, “Okay, we’ll wait for your good news in Hangzhou.”

Two days later, Jenny and Abao flew back to Hong Kong from Xiaoshan Airport to find professionals to help restore the mysterious mural in the photo. Dunzi, Tang Zhengyang, and I stayed in Hangzhou to await their reply. During those days of waiting, my mind was constantly racing. I kept thinking, what if the mural couldn't be restored? And if it was restored, where would this mysterious location containing the "ancient celestial crystal" be? A week passed in doubt and anxiety. On the evening of the seventh day, I finally received a call from Jenny. She told me that with the help of several friends in the industry, the restoration of the mural was progressing smoothly, and most of the image had been restored. She and Abao would return to Hangzhou as soon as possible to discuss the next steps in their analysis and investigation plan. Receiving Jenny's call was a huge relief for the three of us in Hangzhou. The anxiety that had been weighing on our minds for days finally subsided. That evening, the three of them found a nice restaurant, ordered some food and drinks, opened a few bottles of wine, and celebrated properly.

Two days later, Jenny and Ah Bao returned to Hangzhou. As soon as they arrived at Dunzi's antique shop, we couldn't wait to see what the restored mural looked like. Jenny took out the restored mural from her luggage and said, "After I returned to Hong Kong that day, I asked some friends from the Department of History and Archaeology at the University of Hong Kong to scan the images from these photos into a specialized computer. Then, using a special program on the computer, they performed precise calculations and careful analysis on the blurry traces in these images. Finally, they restored this mysterious secret chamber mural using the optimal algorithm and printed out a new copy." As she spoke, she unfolded the printed mural restoration and placed it on Dunzi's office.

Upon closer inspection, I saw that the painting depicted a landscape of towering sand dunes and hills, surrounded by barren, desolate loess sand. There wasn't a single blade of grass, let alone a single tree. A nearly dried-up riverbed in the distance added a touch of life to the scene, but the entire picture appeared lifeless. Examining the details more closely, I noticed a tall loess hill in the center. At the mid-slope, a narrow crevice, slightly wider in the middle, was faintly visible. But what truly surprised me was a huge eye painted above this crevice. The eye was open, entirely rendered in a yellowish-brown color, seemingly blending seamlessly with the sandy landscape. However, strangely, the eyeball itself wasn't painted in that yellowish-brown, but rather in a near-silver-white color, making it appear quite unique and peculiar.

Upon seeing this silver eye, I suddenly had a feeling of déjà vu, but I couldn't quite place where I had seen it before. Dunzi and Tang Zhengyang also felt that the silver eye might be hinting at something, but they couldn't quite put their finger on it either. Just then, Jenny seemed to sense my predicament and asked, "Sinan, do you think this eye is special, like you've seen it somewhere before?" "Yes, that's it. It feels like I've seen it before, but I just can't remember where," I replied, slapping my forehead. Then Jenny reminded me, "Let me remind you, this silver eye is a sacred object in Tibetan Buddhism, only found in the Ali region of Tibet..." Before Jenny could finish, I finally remembered the eye's origin and blurted out, "The Guge Silver Eye!"

"Hehe, now you remember?" Jenny said with a smile. "When I first saw this picture, I had the same feeling as you. I couldn't remember where I had seen it before. It was a friend in the industry who helped me restore the mural that reminded me, and that's when it dawned on me." "What bones and eyes? What are you talking about?" Dunzi was completely confused and quickly interrupted to ask. “Not bones, but the ‘Gu’ of ancient times, and the ‘Ge’ of square grids,” I replied. “The Guge Kingdom was an ancient dynasty that disappeared long ago in Tibet. Its predecessor can be traced back to the Zhangzhung Kingdom. The dynasty was established around the 9th century, after the collapse of the Tubo Dynasty, which unified the Tibetan Plateau, and lasted until the 17th century, with sixteen kings succeeding each other. It was a local regime established by descendants of the Tubo royal family in the Ngari region of western Tibet, and at its peak, its rule covered the entire Ngari area. It not only continued the Tubo lineage but also allowed Buddhism to regain its foothold after the collapse of Tubo, gradually achieving widespread influence. Therefore, the Guge Kingdom holds significant importance in Tibetan history. Many mysteries surround the history of Guge, but the most perplexing to historians to this day is that the mysterious Guge Kingdom suddenly vanished from history one night three hundred years ago. The whereabouts of the 100,000 Guge people on that day are unknown, as if they evaporated into thin air. All that remains are the ancient ruins that record the brilliant cultural and artistic achievements of Guge.”

After listening to me, Jenny continued, "In the past decade or so, the sculptures, statues, and murals unearthed around the Guge ruins have lifted the veil of mystery surrounding the Guge Kingdom. The murals are the most numerous and complete among the remaining artifacts. The Guge murals are grand in scale and unique in style, comprehensively reflecting all aspects of social life at the time. The figures depicted are vividly portrayed with refined brushstrokes, and the full-bodied and dynamic female figures are particularly representative. Due to its geographical location and the influence of various foreign cultures, the art style of Guge exhibits distinct characteristics of Kashmiri and Gandharan art. Guge sculptures are mostly gold and silver Buddhist statues, among which the most accomplished are the statues known as the 'Guge Silver Eyes.' In the summer of 1997, people..." The archaeological excavation of the Dukang Hall at the Piyang site unearthed an exquisite bronze statue, finally solving the mystery of the "Guge Silver Eyes." This statue, wearing a crown adorned with a Buddha image, has four arms holding various implements, seated cross-legged on a lotus pedestal with animal figures. It has three eyes, the central eye on its forehead being a vertical bulge. All three eyes are made using a silver-plating technique, shimmering and gleaming against the golden bronze background—this is the so-called "Guge Silver Eyes," and it certainly lives up to its name. This demonstrates that the metalworking industry during the Guge Kingdom period had reached a considerably high level. In short, there are many historical mysteries surrounding the Guge Dynasty, and there is a wealth of information about Guge online. If you are interested, you may wish to explore it further online.

"So, the 'Heavenly Crystal Stone' recorded in the Xuanjing might be related to the Guge Kingdom? Or perhaps it's hidden in the ruins of the Guge Kingdom?" Tang Zhengyang asked. I thought about it for a moment and found some more doubts, so I said, "However, there are still some doubts here. The Guge Kingdom was established in the 9th century AD, after the collapse of the Tubo Dynasty that unified the Tibetan Plateau, and lasted until the 17th century, with sixteen kings in succession, more than 300 years ago. Qin Shi Huang ascended the throne in 246 BC and died in 210 BC. That is to say, the Qin Dynasty predates the Guge Kingdom by nearly a thousand years. So how could they have seen patterns depicting the Guge silver eyes during the time of Qin Shi Huang? You must know that the Guge Kingdom did not exist at that time, let alone have the Guge silver eyes."

XI. Preparations for Entering Tibet

“Yes, Si Nan is right. There are indeed some things that don’t make sense,” Tang Zhengyang said, frowning. “However, no matter what, this clue has led us to the Ali region of Tibet, so it seems we have to go again. Let’s leave those doubts for later and think about them on the way.” “That’s the only way,” Jenny replied after hearing Tang Zhengyang’s words. “Everyone should split up and prepare for the next two days, and also be prepared to prevent altitude sickness. The living conditions there are very harsh, and I’m worried that this operation will be another arduous journey.” I continued, “Now let’s divide up the preparations. Dunzi, you’re in charge of arranging transportation and accommodation for the burial site, and of course, you also need to ensure that the first-aid medicines and medical equipment for this operation are in place; Abao and Tang Zhengyang are in charge of preparing all kinds of equipment and supplies for the exploration in the Ali region of Tibet; Jenny and I are in charge of collecting and learning some basic Tibetan language, customs, and culture so that we can communicate with the local people when we get there.” Everyone nodded at me.

The next day, everyone went early in the morning to prepare for the burial as planned. Zhenze and I went to the library and bookstore, bringing back a lot of books and materials related to Tibetan history, physics, culture, and folk customs. We read them and made notes in our notebooks.

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the world's latest-rising, largest, and highest plateau, hence its nickname "Roof of the World." Considered the "Third Pole" of the Earth after the North and South Poles, it is an ideal destination for natural scenery tours and ecotourism. Tibet is the main part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and therefore is also known as the Tibetan Plateau.

Tibetan clothing is diverse and varies by region. The Tibetan robe, with its wide body, long lapels, and broad sleeves, is the most common garment in Tibet. In agricultural areas, robes are often made of woolen fabric, or sometimes woolen cloth, silk, or cotton; in pastoral areas, fur robes are more common, though woolen fabric can also be used. Tibetan robes are often trimmed with colorful woolen fabric, silk, or otter fur along the collar, cuffs, lapels, and hem. Women in agricultural areas wear sleeveless robes in summer. Tibetan robes are exceptionally long and must be pulled up at the waist and secured with a belt. In hot weather or during work, the right arm or both arms can be left bare as needed, and then put back on. At night, the belt is loosened, the sleeves are removed, and the robe is used as a half-covering garment, making it convenient and practical. A shirt is worn under the robe. Men typically wear pure white, yellow, or ochre; women wear various bright colors and tie colorful "bangdian" (a type of traditional Tibetan garment) at the waist. The sleeves are quite long, usually tied up, but during gatherings and entertainment, the colorful sleeves flutter, dazzling the eye – truly a sight to behold! Tibetan hats come in many varieties. Generally, both men and women wear felt hats or gold-threaded hats; in pastoral areas, fox fur hats are also popular. Tibetans traditionally wear long boots, often with cowhide soles and embroidered with various colorful patterns on the boot shafts, making them beautiful and elegant. Ornaments are often made of gold and silver, turquoise, amber, agate, jade, pearls, ivory, and other precious jewels. Women's headdresses vary in style, with the most famous being "Bazhu" and "Baguo"; braids are adorned with gold, silver, and pearls, and they wear "Gau" (amulet boxes), earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings. During festivals, women wear colorful clothes and jingling ornaments, appearing beautiful, elegant, and uniquely charming. Men also carry swords and wear earrings and bracelets. In the past, secular officials wore official robes according to their rank, and monks wore robes according to monastic rules, creating a strict hierarchy. Today in Tibet, while traditional clothing is maintained, various styles of sportswear, suits, jackets, down jackets, sneakers, and athletic shoes are also widely popular, indicating a subtle shift in fashion trends.

Traditional Tibetan dwellings can be broadly categorized into tent-style, fortified house-style, stilt house-style, and upper-roof-lower-roof-house style. Tents are the traditional dwellings in Tibetan pastoral areas, and they come in many varieties based on materials, uses, shapes, and specifications. The most common and primary type is the yak-hair tent. Yak-hair tents are made by piecing together yak hair fabric; they are thick and durable, providing protection from wind and rain. Typically, a crossbeam and two support poles support the central section, while the surrounding walls are stretched to the appropriate height. The tent legs are secured with stakes or sheep horns, completing the tent's construction. Disassembly or setup can be completed in less than half an hour. Inside the tent, the stove sits longitudinally in the center, often with a simple Buddhist shrine behind it. On one side of the shrine, wheat, barley, yak butter, and milk residue are piled up to form a low wall; on the other side are bedding, trunks, and robes. Upon entering the tent, the right side is the seat of honor, where guests are welcomed and seated. With the development of the times and the improvement of the herders' lives, settlements characterized by earthen and wooden houses are gradually increasing throughout Tibetan pastoral areas. In Lhasa's old city, the ancient dwellings are mainly stone-built watchtowers. These watchtowers are mostly flat-roofed multi-story buildings with a central courtyard surrounded by rooms connected by corridors. They are trapezoidal in shape, wider at the bottom and narrower at the top, with the lower stone walls reaching up to 1 meter thick. The rooftops are platforms where people often worship, entertain themselves, stroll, and enjoy the scenery. Former aristocratic residences had main buildings three to four stories high; commoners' houses were mostly two or three stories, with three to five, or even dozens of households living in a single courtyard. In the humid and rainy areas of Medog, Bomi, and Milin, houses are built using stilt structures, with the floorboards more than one meter above the ground. The layout is square, with doors facing east, windows facing west, and a balcony outside the door. Near the forest areas, log cabins are commonly built, some with stone walls at the bottom and wooden plank roofs, often weighed down with many stones. In Pali, flat-roofed houses built of stone are popular, with black tiles and white walls, arranged in a staggered and orderly fashion. The single-story, two-story dwelling style is the most common form in western, central, northern, and northeastern Tibet, all featuring flat roofs. Many settlements built in pastoral areas of Tibet in recent years also fall into this category. Single-story houses are the most common, with fewer multi-story buildings. The walls are primarily constructed of stone or rammed earth. Due to varying local conditions, the size and complexity of these dwellings differ. Furthermore, with the improvement of living standards, a new type of residential architecture with independent courtyards and surrounding gardens has become popular in eastern and southern Tibet, particularly in Lhasa and its surrounding rural areas. Tourists often refer to this as garden villa-style architecture. These houses, ranging from single-story to multi-story, are aesthetically pleasing, brightly colored, spacious, comfortable, well-lit, and equipped with complete water supply, drainage, and power supply systems. They retain the characteristics of traditional Tibetan dwellings while incorporating innovations, making them increasingly popular.

The Tibetan people live on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, a region characterized by high altitude, cold temperatures, and deep valleys, which presents numerous challenges to transportation. They typically travel by mule or horse, though some ride yaks. Yaks are the primary means of transporting goods. They are adept at carrying loads, traversing flat terrain with ease, and climbing mountains with remarkable agility, even at altitudes of four to five thousand meters, undeterred by the cold and thin air, earning them the nickname "ships of the plateau." In agricultural areas, transport relies heavily on mule and donkey caravans, while crossing rivers is achieved using bridges or yak-hide boats. Bridges include suspension bridges, cantilever bridges, rattan bridges, and ropeways.

12. Flights

After reviewing some materials, Jenny and I gained a lot, and the others didn't return to my lodgings until evening. After a busy day, Dunzi had figured out the train and flight times and routes to the buried location, and returned to discuss and plan the specific itinerary and route. Since we had lost many of our exploration tools and equipment during previous expeditions, Abao and Tang Zhengyang flew back some equipment from the store to replenish our supplies. Abao also contacted friends in Hong Kong to purchase some equipment not available in Hangzhou and have it shipped over. After a busy day, everyone had gained a lot, and various preparations were quickly and efficiently underway.

A week later, all preparations were nearly complete. Tang Zhengyang and Abao had purchased a large amount of advanced and practical burial equipment, including general outdoor clothing, shoes, hats, ropes, knives, lighting, and cooking utensils, as well as advanced wireless communication equipment, satellite positioning systems, and night vision devices from abroad. After a week of intensive study, Jenny and I had also gained a basic understanding of Tibetan history, geography, culture, and customs, and learned a few simple and practical Tibetan phrases. Although our pronunciation wasn't perfect, it was at least understandable. Furthermore, Dunzi had finalized the itinerary and route. We planned to fly from Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport to Chengdu, Sichuan, and then from Chengdu to Lhasa, reaching Gonggar Airport, the world's highest international civilian airport at an altitude of 3,570 meters. Afterward, we would drive upstream along the Yarlung Tsangpo River, the world's highest river, for an hour and a half, finally arriving in Lhasa, the "City of Sunshine." The journey would be about 100 kilometers, traversing the Yarlung Tsangpo River Valley, one of Tibet's three major granaries. We would then spend a day in Lhasa acclimatizing and replenishing our supplies. On the third day, we set off from Lhasa for the Zanda Earth Forest near Xiangquan River in Zanda County, which is our final destination—the ruins of the Guge Kingdom. The plans were finalized, the plane tickets and hotels in Lhasa were booked, and everyone was starting to get excited.

However, things didn't go as smoothly as we had imagined. Just two days before our departure, Tang Zhengyang suddenly received a long-distance call from his hometown. It was his wife calling, saying that their six-year-old daughter had suddenly fallen ill and needed hospitalization, urging him to return home as soon as possible. This unexpected event disrupted our original plans. Although no one wanted to withdraw from the operation at this point, Tang Zhengyang, as a father, couldn't ignore his child's serious illness. Reluctantly, he had to apologize and say goodbye. Tang Zhengyang was an upright man, energetic, courageous, and resourceful. His expertise in feng shui, particularly in identifying auspicious energy points and identifying potential threats, could have greatly helped our operation. However, with this family emergency, we couldn't force him to stay and could only bid him a regretful farewell. That same day, Tang Zhengyang boarded the plane ticket Dunzi had bought for him and rushed back to Xi'an. Before leaving, he handed me a handwritten ancient book describing feng shui layouts, saying I might need it later. Although we lost a capable assistant, our pre-arranged plan could not be changed. As a result, this operation once again became a four-person operation involving me, Jenny, Fenzi, and Abao.

Two days later, we finally boarded the plane to Chengdu. While the others chatted and laughed, seemingly relaxed, I couldn't feel happy. For the past few nights, I'd had the same terrifying nightmare. In the dream, the enormous silver eye of Guge suddenly transformed into a gaping maw filled with sharp teeth, swallowing us, the group heading to the Guge ruins, whole. I was afraid the others would laugh at me for being too superstitious, so I didn't tell them about this strange event. I just had a vague premonition that something even more terrifying would happen after we arrived in Tibet. However, in our search for and verification of the mystery of immortality in the scriptures, we had already risked our lives. Therefore, I was mentally prepared to face another life-or-death test.

"Sir, would you like something to drink?" A sweet voice snapped me out of my reverie. It was a flight attendant pushing a fruit juice drink. "Oh, coffee, thank you," I replied. Hearing my answer, she quickly poured me a cup of hot coffee, handed it to me, and said, "Gentlemen, please enjoy your drink. Have a pleasant journey." Hearing her blessing, I couldn't help but wonder, would this journey be pleasant? I turned my head to the round window of the plane, looking at the fluffy white clouds outside, and continued to ponder.

"What are you thinking about? You've seemed down ever since you boarded the plane, like something's on your mind," Jenny asked gently, noticing my unusual behavior. "Oh, no, nothing. I'm probably just too tired these past few days," I replied. Because I didn't want to burden others, I hadn't planned to tell them about the strange dream and premonition I'd had that day. "Then you should get some rest and stop drinking coffee," Jenny said, handing me her glass of milk. "Let's switch glasses. Finish this milk and get some rest. Get your energy and spirits back; the next task is quite challenging." Touched by Jenny's concern, I took the milk, drank it all in one gulp, closed my eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

When Jenny woke me up, the plane had already landed at Chengdu Airport. I waited with everyone in the airport waiting hall for about half an hour before boarding the flight from Chengdu to Lhasa.

The plane flew through the clouds for a while. The weather was quite good that day; the cloud cover was thin, and through the sparse fog outside the window, we could vaguely see the rolling mountains. The closer we got to Tibet, the more numerous the white snow-capped plateau mountains became beneath the clouds. First, we saw individual snow-capped peaks, scattered among the mountains like cups of iced coffee; then, these snow-covered peaks gradually connected, forming a vast, continuous plateau snowfield. For a moment, it felt as if we had entered a world of ice and snow. These white peaks were hidden beneath the pristine white clouds, making it impossible to distinguish where the clouds ended and the snow began. I had only ever seen such scenes on television and in movies before. Now, witnessing the magnificence of this snow-covered plateau with my own eyes, I was naturally very excited. In an instant, the gloom that had been hanging over my heart for days was dispelled, and my mood gradually improved.

"Wow, what magnificent snow-capped mountains!" Dunzi exclaimed sincerely, admiring the view outside the window. "It is this mysterious and magnificent plateau that has nurtured an ancient and mysterious religious people—the Tibetans," Jenny said. "The Tibetans are a very religious people. Because the living conditions on this land are extremely harsh, people must rely on certain religious beliefs and have a certain spiritual pillar to survive. Therefore, some indigenous primitive religions, Buddhism, Islam, and even Christianity have all influenced this ancient people. These religious sects have influenced each other on the vast land of Tibet, gradually taking root and giving birth to the ancient and mysterious Tibetan culture." "In my impression, I always felt that Tibetan Buddhism was very mysterious, especially Tantric Buddhism, which is simply unbelievable," Abao replied. "In China, Tantric Buddhism is divided into two categories. During the Tang Dynasty, the three great masters of Indian Tantric Buddhism—Subhakarasimha, Vajrabodhi, and Amoghavajra—known as the Three Great Masters of the Kaiyuan Era, introduced Tantric Buddhism to China. During the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty, they were exiled to Japan, and the practice was later collectively known as Eastern Tantric Buddhism. During the Zhenguan era of the early Tang Dynasty, King Songtsen Gampo of Tibet sent eminent monks to study in India. Thus, Shantarakshita and his disciple, along with Guru Padmasambhava, entered Tibet, and Tantric Buddhism began to spread throughout various regions of Tibet. Later, it was transmitted to the mainland, collectively known as Tibetan Tantric Buddhism. Regardless of whether it is Eastern or Tibetan Tantric Buddhism, both originate from Nagarjuna," I said.

After hearing my words, Dunzi clearly didn't care. He casually remarked, "Heh, what's with all this secrecy? It's all just stuff the feudal ruling class uses to fool the people, just creating a mystery." But right after Dunzi said that, a head suddenly popped out from the seat in front of us and shouted, "You're all worldly people, so your ignorance of Buddhism isn't a big deal, but you shouldn't so casually slander Shakyamuni Buddha's esoteric practices. Aren't you afraid of falling into the deepest hell in your next life for all eternity?"

We were startled by this sudden remark. Looking up, we saw that the speaker was about fifty-two years old, with a dark, ruddy complexion, prominent wrinkles on his face and forehead, a bald head, and thick, upward-sloping eyebrows. He was glaring at us with an angry expression. Looking at his clothing, we realized he was a lama.

“Master, please don’t take offense. Our friend truly meant no harm; he doesn’t understand the vastness of Buddhism or the profundity of Tantric Buddhism. His words unintentionally offended the holy Buddha, and we beg your forgiveness for his rash behavior.” I quickly apologized. Dunzi probably also realized his slip of the tongue, and upon hearing my words, he quickly added with a hint of apology, “Yes, I was just talking nonsense, uttering blasphemous words. I really shouldn’t have said such disrespectful things about Buddhism. I’m so sorry, so sorry.” Perhaps seeing that we apologized promptly and sincerely, and also because we were guests from out of town visiting Tibet, the old lama calmed down, turned his face away, and sat back down in his seat.

Seeing that the old lama was no longer bothered, we breathed a sigh of relief. Jenny glanced at the old lama's row of seats and then said softly, "Once we get to Lhasa, everyone must be careful what they say. The Tibetan and Han Chinese lifestyles and customs are very different. Tibetans have many taboos and customs, and it wouldn't be good if we accidentally offended them. So, before we understand their habits and local customs, please don't speak recklessly. Otherwise, it will cause unnecessary trouble for our trip." "Yes, Jenny is right. In the coming days, Jenny and I will gradually tell you about the Tibet region and the Tibetan people so that everyone can quickly understand this land and facilitate our actions. Do you all understand?" I added, following Jenny's words. "Understood," Dunzi replied. Abao also nodded. As we talked, our flight quickly arrived at our destination—Lhasa Gonggar Airport.

13. City of Sunlight

As the plane gently glided down at Gonggar Airport in Tibet, it was a bright and sunny afternoon. The moment I stepped off the gangway, the intense sunlight dazzled my eyes. Looking up at the almost transparent blue sky, I finally believed that I had truly set foot on this mysterious, sacred plateau land that I had dreamt of countless times. The moment I set foot on this sacred land, I felt the air was exceptionally fresh. Free from industrial waste and vehicle exhaust pollution, it felt incredibly comfortable. Looking up again at the blue sky, it was a pure, vibrant blue, without a single impurity, appearing profound and beautiful. In the distance, several continuous white snow-capped peaks, like a winding jade dragon, stretched between heaven and earth, making this vast land even more pristine and mysterious.

However, this place also has its drawbacks. The oxygen content in the atmosphere seems somewhat insufficient, which made it a little more difficult for me to breathe than usual, as I had never been to a high-altitude area before. However, since the altitude here is not too high, around three or four thousand meters, this feeling is not too obvious. The most unbearable thing is the climate. Although it was September or October, and the temperature in Hangzhou should still be like the scorching heat of summer, the temperature in Lhasa was already around ten degrees Celsius. So, after getting off the plane, wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt, I could clearly feel a chill hitting my face, experiencing the coolness of the air blowing from the snow-capped peaks. Everyone else seemed to feel the same way, so we didn't linger at the airport. Seeing that Dunzi had already found the driver we had arranged, we hurriedly picked up our luggage and climbed into the somewhat old SUV.

Gonggar Airport is about 100 kilometers from Lhasa, requiring a one-and-a-half-hour drive upstream along the Yarlung Tsangpo River, the world's highest river, until reaching Lhasa, the "City of Sunshine." Emerging from the deep mountain valleys, the Yarlung Tsangpo River seems to have calmed down, losing its legendary roaring force and flowing quietly under the sunlight. The barren, knife-carved mountains run parallel to the river, displaying a unique, desolate beauty of the plateau under the blue sky and white clouds. Along the way, we also traversed the Yarlung Tsangpo Valley, one of Tibet's three major granaries. We enjoyed the lush pastoral scenery, scattered Tibetan villages, and unique plateau landscapes outside the car window. All of this immediately captivated us with this enchanting snow-covered landscape. We also stopped to rest and admire the 11th-century Nitang Buddha, and I felt a grand Buddhist kingdom slowly unfolding before us.

We arrived in the holy city of Lhasa around four or five in the afternoon. Before even entering the city, we could see the magnificent and sacred red palace—the Potala Palace—built atop the high Red Mountain.

As the driver drove, he explained to us in somewhat broken Mandarin: "The Potala Palace was built in the 7th century AD by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo for Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty, who was to marry into Tibet. It's a palace with 999 rooms built on Red Mountain at an altitude of over 3,700 meters in Lhasa. The palace complex, built against the mountain, now covers an area of 410,000 square meters, with a building area of 130,000 square meters. The main building has thirteen stories and is 115 meters high, entirely constructed of stone and wood. Its five roofs are covered with gilded copper tiles, gleaming brilliantly and exuding a majestic aura. It is the essence of ancient Tibetan architectural art." "It's hailed as the sacred temple of the plateau." Seeing how engrossed we were, he became even more animated and continued, "The Potala Palace was the winter palace of the Dalai Lamas and the center of the theocratic rule of Tibet in the past. From the Fifth Dalai Lama onwards, major religious and political ceremonies were held here, and it also houses the stupas of the Dalai Lamas. The palace also houses unique Tibetan thangkas painted on cotton and silk, as well as artifacts from various dynasties. The Potala Palace was listed as a national key cultural relics protection unit in 1961 and underwent comprehensive renovations in 1989."