At this moment, Zhang Li had also been drawn in by De Ren Laoye's words, realizing for the first time that Tibetan Buddhism had endured such a profoundly dark period. Meanwhile, Fang Xin nodded to himself. While he had heard stories about the 42nd Tibetan King's persecution of Buddhism and the tale of his reincarnation as a bull, he had never encountered the complete account that De Ren Laoye was now recounting.
De Ren Laoye continued, "It is because of Langdarma's actions that Tibetan Buddhism is divided into the Early Propagation Period and the Later Propagation Period. During the Early Propagation Period, there were no sects, only debates on Buddhist fundamentals. The persecution disrupted transmission, and the fragmented paths of Buddhism evolved into the various sects we see today."
De Ren Laoye noticed the eager looks on their faces and smiled faintly. "No need to rush. Let me first tell you about the origin of the Four Sacred Temples. The Great Dharma King Songtsen Gampo, in his quest to enlighten the populace, sent emissaries to India, Nepal, and Tang China—the three great centers of Buddhist learning at the time—to seek Buddhist teachings and foster goodwill through matrimonial alliances. As a result, Nepal's Princess Bhrikuti and Tang China's Princess Wencheng came to Tibet, bringing with them a wealth of Buddhist scriptures, relics, and sacred artifacts. Most importantly, they brought the three life-sized statues of the Buddha at ages eight, twelve, and twenty-five. Due to Princess Bhrikuti's passing during the journey, the statue of the twenty-five-year-old Buddha was returned to India. However, the statues of the Buddha at ages eight and twelve remained in Tibet, housed in what are now known as the Jokhang and Ramoche Temples."
Zhang Li, recalling a personal experience, interjected, "Oh, I remember! I visited the Jokhang Temple and saw the statue."
De Ren Laoye gently shook his head. "What you saw was a replica created by later monks to revive Buddhism. The original life-sized statues were solid gold. The eight-year-old Buddha statue alone required eighteen oxen to transport into Tibet. Unfortunately, those original statues have long been lost in the sands of time. Can you imagine? Every artifact accompanying these statues was sacred and invaluable. Apart from the Jokhang and Ramoche Temples, three additional temples were built to house the other relics. When Langdarma began his persecution, he knew these temples held unparalleled treasures. Fortunately, the monks received advance warning and managed to hide the relics in underground caches—what we call terma or rock deposits—before Langdarma arrived with his troops. Enraged by the monks' silence about the treasures' locations, Langdarma set the Four Sacred Temples ablaze."
"What!" Even Professor Fang Xin's mouth formed an "O." "They were… burned down? So now…?"
De Ren Laoye solemnly nodded. "Indeed. What you see today are reconstructions. According to the Bodhi Sutra, two groups preserved Buddhism during that dark era: the lay followers of the Nyingma tradition who safeguarded the terma and three individuals—Ma, Yao, and Zang—who fled to the Kang region and Ladakh, continuing their practice in secret. They traveled disguised as beggars, using a mule to transport sacred texts. The beginning of the Later Propagation Period owes much to their efforts. The Nyingma followers later adopted a similar method, gradually relocating the relics to safer places."
"Where… where are they now?" Professor Fang Xin couldn't suppress his excitement. Sensing a pause in De Ren Laoye's narration, he eagerly pressed on.
De Ren Laoye shook his head. "The scriptures do not specify the exact location. They only describe it as a place where the sun neither rises in the east nor sets in the west but is bathed in eternal sunlight. It is guarded by a group of eternally loyal spirits."
Professor Fang Xin's expression turned crestfallen. He had hoped De Ren Laoye would reveal that this place lay in the uninhabited areas beyond the small Gobba village, but instead, he was given a riddle. De Ren Laoye then added, "However, I strongly suspect that the Gobba tribe has been guarding these scriptures and artifacts."
This immediately reignited Professor Fang Xin's enthusiasm, and even Zhang Li found himself clenching his fists in anticipation.
As Fang Xin and Zhang Li's emotions surged with De Ren Laoye's words, Tashi Damba sat silently, unmoved. His father had made no mention of any clues about the Purple Qilin. For Tashi Damba, nothing else mattered; the sacred relics held little interest for him. He failed to grasp that his father's words could create seismic ripples in Tibetan history and the Buddhist world.
Professor Fang Xin continued probing details about Tibetan Buddhist history and possible leads on the Four Sacred Temples. De Ren Laoye answered each question with references from scripture and even recited verses for joint analysis when uncertainties arose. Throughout this exchange, Tashi Damba sat respectfully as a silent listener. His only relief was that his father seemed so engrossed in the historical discussion that he hadn't questioned the purpose of their journey.
As the evening progressed, the elderly steward Laba brought steaming butter tea and prepared a fresh dinner. Tashi Damba's mother, Meiduo, arranged rooms for their guests. After dinner, Professor Fang Xin returned to De Ren Laoye's room for further discussion, only retiring to his quarters late into the night.
Upon entering the courtyard, Fang Xin found Tashi Damba standing there, staring at the ground as if lost in thought. "Tashi, were you waiting for me?" he asked, surprised.
Tashi Damba looked up, visibly relieved. "How was it? Did my father ask about anything?"
Professor Fang Xin smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. De Ren Laoye didn't question our purpose. He merely discussed the possible locations of the long-lost scriptures. A man of his wisdom has already transcended the temptations of greed and anger. He only wanted me to tell you that if you were to rediscover those scriptures, it would be an immense contribution to the nation and the Tibetan people."
Tashi Damba muttered, "I'm not interested in money, and those scriptures have nothing to do with the Purple Qilin."
Professor Fang Xin gripped Tashi Damba's broad shoulders firmly, his voice impassioned. "Tashi, my dear Tashi Damba! You don't seem to realize that the madman's words involve more than just the Purple Qilin. They might rewrite Tibetan history and alter thousands of years of Buddhist heritage. If everything aligns with the scriptures, we are on the brink of uncovering a historical treasure trove—a cultural legacy that rivals, perhaps surpasses, the pyramids of Egypt, the tombs of the Pharaohs, the Mayan ruins, and the Greek temples. What lies ahead is priceless, beyond any monetary value. Thank you, Tashi."
Tashi Damba was still a bit confused when Professor Fang Xin suddenly thanked him. Surprised, he asked, "Huh? Why are you thanking me, Professor?"
Professor Fang Xin smiled and said, "If it weren't for you, I'd still be preparing my lecture for the Mathuria Forum. You've given me an excitement and thrill I've never felt before!" The professor's expression was so exhilarated that it seemed as if the treasure had already been found. At this moment, none of them could have imagined that events would take a completely different turn.
After being thrilled for a while, Professor Fang Xin gradually calmed down, his meticulous thought processes returning. He turned to Tashi Damba and asked, "By the way, Damba, are you hiding something from me?"
Tashi Damba hadn't expected the professor to confront him so directly and stammered, "Wha-what do you mean?"
The professor chuckled lightly. "You're my student, and I've observed you for years. Today, when we were looking for that madman and you heard about a girl also asking about him, your reaction was unusual. Afterward, you seemed distracted. What's going on, Damba? Is there something you can't tell me?"
Tashi Damba's face turned uncharacteristically red, though it wasn't easily visible under the moonlight. He mumbled, "Professor, there's… there's something I didn't tell you truthfully."
The professor's smile faded slightly as he asked, "What is it?"
Tashi Damba hesitated and finally confessed, "Uh, well… that Tang Ming… she's… she's a girl. Her name is Tang Min." As he spoke, he lowered his head like a guilty child, his thoughts drifting back to his time with Tang Min in Pennsylvania.
At 42, Tashi Damba had already experienced a failed marriage. His domineering personality had made it hard for his wife to feel at ease. His towering physique, stern face, and forceful manner created an invisible pressure that those around him found hard to bear. Even his employees would murmur, "Just being in the same office as Mr. Tashi can make you feel suffocated."
After his wife left with their daughter, Tashi Damba buried himself in work, believing that he would dedicate his life to it. But then Tang Min appeared—a pure and delicate young woman, standing gracefully at the entrance of Andre Hospital. At first sight, she seemed like a fragile princess in need of protection. Tashi Damba had never imagined his emotions could be stirred so deeply by someone only three years older than his daughter.
During their month in America, he couldn't suppress his feelings and began interacting with Tang Min more and more. The more he got to know her, the more he felt the need to protect this innocent young woman. Her intelligence, playfulness, and cheerful demeanor brought endless joy to his otherwise dull life. Tashi Damba couldn't clearly define his feelings for her—whether they were paternal or romantic, or perhaps both—but he knew he couldn't live without her, just as she couldn't live without him. Their connection felt like two drops of rain reuniting after an eternity apart, becoming inseparable.
Tashi Damba's affection for Tang Min grew beyond his ability to rationalize. When he first met Professor Fang, he even felt the need to hide Tang Min's gender. Suddenly, he saw the professor as a potential rival for Tang Min's affections—a ridiculous notion, yet enough to spur a small lie.
In the streets of Menghe, when a local mentioned a girl asking about the madman, Tashi Damba immediately realized that Tang Min had come to find the madman herself. How could he not panic? Before their departure, he had tried every method to dissuade her—coaxing, threatening, and even intimidating her—because he knew the path Tang Min's brother had taken wasn't just dangerous; it was life-threatening. He couldn't bear the thought of his precious girl enduring such hardship. In fact, he had already purchased a large insurance policy naming Tang Min as the sole beneficiary. Her sudden appearance threw him into complete disarray.
After listening to Tashi Damba's confession, Professor Fang Xin smiled again. "Wow, impressive! You even considered me a potential rival. Do you really think an old man like me has that much charm?"
Tashi Damba responded earnestly, "Professor, your wisdom makes you perpetually youthful."
The professor laughed and said, "Alright, whether it's that young girl or not, there's no need to get so worked up. Get some rest. Tomorrow, we'll revisit the madman. I believe he still holds more valuable information for us. Who knows? Tomorrow, you might even reunite with your princess, haha—"
As Professor Fang Xin watched Tashi Damba retreat to his room with a lighter heart, his own expression grew somber. He thought to himself, If that young girl isn't your princess, Damba, then we really have cause for concern.
The next morning, Tashi Damba rose early, performed his morning rituals with his parents, grabbed some tsampa and milk curd for the road, and urged Zhang Li to drive back to Menghe.
In the car, the three men harbored different hopes but shared a sense of urgency. As they reached Menghe, they encountered the same local who had directed them earlier. Zhang Li rolled down the window and greeted him, only to hear something that stunned them all.
"Ah, it's you again. Are you here for that madman? I thought you were the ones who picked him up this morning!"
"What! He was taken?" Tashi Damba exclaimed.
The local replied, "Yes, wasn't he picked up by someone in a car?"
Professor Fang asked, "What time was he taken? Who were they? What kind of car?"
The local said, "Around seven this morning. I didn't get a clear look. I just saw several people dragging someone into a car and leaving. It looked like the madman. Their car was similar to yours, so I thought it was you."
Zhang Li immediately said, "Let's check his place and see if there are any clues left."