The atmosphere in the car instantly froze. Tashi Danba could only hear Professor Fang Xin quietly saying, "Mr. Deren's conclusion was drawn from what we discovered, but this inference was confirmed by Lama Deni. The Pabara Monastery, whose full name is the Pabara-Rinpoche-Dalai Monastery. You should know what that means."
Tashi Danba sat stiffly in the car, as if he had forgotten how to think or even move. Tang Min urged him, "What does it mean? What does it mean?"
After a long pause, Tashi Danba slowly replied, "Pabara means holy, sacred, and supreme. Rinpoche means jewel, a rare and priceless treasure. These first two words are Tibetan, often used to refer to the most revered figures in Tibetan Buddhism. And Dalai, no need to explain, comes from the Mongolian word meaning ocean. Together, they mean: an ocean-like, sacred, and supreme treasure. That… that's what it means."
Tang Min was also stunned, murmuring the phrase repeatedly, "An ocean-like, sacred, and supreme treasure. My goodness!"
Tashi Danba quickly turned to Professor Fang, "Professor, tell me—what exactly did my father and his team deduce? Please tell me everything in detail."
Professor Fang Xin nodded. "Of course. This is something you should know. The story traces back to 1844 when the British explorer Thomas Tennid began his legendary journey. About this man, I have some materials here you might find interesting."
Professor Fang retrieved a document from his briefcase. As Tashi Danba carefully examined it, Fang added, "Tennid was one of the most legendary archaeological explorers of the 19th century. His expeditions were frequently covered by the press, causing a sensation in his era. Many people of his time were inspired by his adventures to become explorers themselves. German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann, who discovered Troy, and Robert Peary, the first American to reach the North Pole, were among those influenced by Tennid. Tennid had a unique principle in archaeology, one that Schliemann also adhered to throughout his life: they firmly believed that myths and legends passed down orally are rooted in historical truths, preserved through oral tradition."
Professor Fang then handed over another document. "Here's a fax I just received from a friend at the British Museum."
As Tashi Danba and Tang Min leaned in to look, they both exclaimed, "This is amazing!"
Professor Fang smiled. "Yes, this is a copy of the Weekly News from 1844. Look here." His finger pointed to the bold headline on the front page: 'The Great Explorer Embarks on a New Journey to the Mystical, Frozen Peaks of the East.' Below were some blurry photographs and descriptions.
Fang continued, "From what I've gathered, this great explorer of the 18th century stumbled upon the stories of a Tibetan bard while traveling in what is now India. This bard recited an ancient epic even older and more mysterious than the King Gesar epic—the Ali King epic, which has since been lost. No one knows what Tennid heard in that epic, but it reportedly left him so excited that he was nearly delirious. The Pabara Monastery first appeared in his accounts at that time. He made three expeditions to Tibet, seemingly always searching for clues about the monastery. His final trip yielded the most results—rumors suggest he found a map or something similar. That led to his infamous journey to the so-called frozen peaks, as mentioned in the newspaper. This was the last anyone ever saw of Tennid.
"Afterward, the story became incredibly complex and shrouded in secrecy. I've scoured every connection and friend I have to piece together the subsequent events. It seems that the map Tennid found somehow ended up in British hands. During World War I, it was lost, and during World War II, it was reportedly discovered by the Nazis. This prompted Hitler to twice send SS chief Himmler on expeditions into Tibet in 1938 and 1943."
Professor Fang gently patted Tashi Danba, who was visibly overwhelmed. "I've summarized the situation as best I can. If I were to explain every detail, it would take years. Like the myths of Atlantis or the continent of Mu, these are the kinds of legends that have haunted the Western world for centuries. After World War II, things changed again. It's said that both the U.S. and the Soviet Union obtained copies of the map, either through division or replication. However, by the early days of the People's Republic of China, Soviet experts assisting China conducted five expeditions to Tibet—only to return empty-handed each time. Meanwhile, in 1950, the British and Americans undertook a joint expedition to Mount Everest, seemingly also in pursuit of that map."
Fang sighed and concluded, "Later, the map reportedly went missing in the U.S., followed by the appearance of multiple copies—at one point, there were said to be over a dozen. These sparked a wave of expeditions into Tibet's uncharted regions. Many never returned, leaving only a growing collection of skeletons for the next wave of explorers to stumble upon."
Fang's tone grew somber. "According to Lama Deni, the most recent attempt was in 1991, when three foreign explorers hired a monk from Rongbuk Monastery as a guide. They ventured into the Shishapangma region, never to be seen again."
Tashi Danba muttered under his breath, "What kind of place is this? How could such things happen?"
Professor Fang Xin comforted him, saying, "I understand that it's hard for you to accept right now, but the truth is this: the Pabara Monastery, guarded by the Gobba people for generations, housing the Purple Qilin, and remaining a mysterious place no one has ever reached, is indeed the destination of our journey. The world is vast and full of wonders, and this is an incredible coincidence. Even the best author in the world couldn't have written such a twist. The Purple Qilin we're searching for and the Pabara Monastery, which others have been seeking for centuries, turn out to be in the same place!
"After extensive research by Mr. Deren and Lama Deni, we still don't know if the Pabara Monastery truly exists. But we are certain of one thing: there have always been people searching for it. They've never stopped, not for a single day. That's why, when I heard you were ambushed, I wasn't surprised. In fact, if no one had noticed our expedition team all this time, that would have been truly strange. And considering their prior attempt to kidnap the mad Gobba tribesman, it's clear—they've been watching us from the start."
Professor Fang paused before continuing, "What makes this expedition different is that we are following a completely separate set of clues to this location. We don't have a map, and paradoxically, that might just be our greatest advantage."
Tashi Danba lowered his head in silent contemplation. Tang Min, puzzled, asked, "How can not having a map be considered an advantage?"
Professor Fang explained, "We don't even know if the map is real. If it is, how many versions are there? Which one is the original? Where does the map actually point to? None of these questions have clear answers. Moreover, there is also an inaccurate 'recollection map' that seems to point to Mount Everest. But clearly, that's a misdirected destination. Without a map, we won't over-rely on its marked clues, and that's where our advantage lies. However, the real problem now is the sudden appearance of the Gobba people—a tribe never before discovered—and the fact that one of them has been kidnapped by another group searching for the monastery. The question is, will they find the Pabara Monastery before we do?"
Tashi Danba shook his head. "I don't know. I'm so confused right now. I don't understand why things have unfolded like this. This is far beyond what I ever anticipated or imagined. What do you think we should do now, Professor?"
Professor Fang Xin said, "We have two options at the moment. The first is to try to make contact with the other group searching for the monastery and reach a consensus. They might hold critical clues that we don't have. By combining both teams' leads, we might be able to find the legendary monastery, each of us taking what we came for—they go after treasures, and we search for the Purple Qilin—"
Before Professor Fang could finish, Tashi Danba interrupted angrily, "Enough! Don't say another word. I will never collaborate with people who invite me to negotiate with rocket launchers in hand. Never! I'm sorry, Professor, I… I lost control of my emotions."
Professor Fang smiled understandingly and continued, "Then the second option is… conducting the expedition under the auspices of the state."
Tashi Danba frowned in confusion. "Please elaborate, Professor."
Professor Fang explained, "We could propose this as an archaeological project to protect cultural relics and rescue national heritage. Once approved by the relevant authorities, the state would organize a detailed process for the expedition, forming a team of experts to lead the exploration. Additionally, the government would provide us with the necessary equipment. However, there are two issues with this approach."
"What issues?"
"First," Professor Fang said, "in a state-sanctioned expedition, we could only be members of the team. The overall leader of the project would be appointed by the government. Any artifacts discovered would likely be nationalized and could not remain private possessions."
"That's not a problem. If such a monastery does exist, then everything within it rightfully belongs to the nation," Tashi Danba replied, thinking to himself, As for the appointed leader, once we safely reach the destination, we'll deal with specific situations as they arise.
Professor Fang nodded. "Good. Now, the second issue is a bit trickier."
Tashi Danba's heart sank. "What is it?"
"With our current level of experience and qualifications, the expert team may not permit us to join the expedition. However, without our leads and guidance, the team would likely be unable to proceed. Therefore, before we embark on another attempt to find the monastery, we must undergo rigorous specialized training. Regarding this…"
Professor Fang Xin looked at Tashi Danba, surprised by his straightforward response: "That's not a problem at all. In fact, it's exactly what I was hoping for." His words carried a hint of excitement.
Professor Fang nodded in approval. It seemed that the trip to Kekexili had indeed changed Tashi Danba significantly. If he had brought up such rigorous training before their journey, Tashi Danba would have dismissed it outright without a second thought. Pleased, Professor Fang said, "In that case, Danba, tomorrow we'll head to Zhang Li's regiment. Who knows, maybe their special training team is just waiting for the two of us to join."
Seeing Tashi Danba's stunned expression, Professor Fang smiled and explained, "After Mr. Deren and Lama Deni finished their discussions, I shared my thoughts with Mr. Deren. With his approval, we quickly contacted Commander Renzi of the Special Guard Regiment. Mr. Deren personally called the leaders in Lhasa, and they promptly agreed. Even before you returned, elites from across the country were already gathering at the base. Basang has also arrived at the Special Guard Regiment, providing details of his encounters to help design the training protocols."
Tashi Danba's face was filled with astonishment and excitement. He seemed eager to rush to the Special Guard Regiment immediately. "You mean… you had everything arranged in advance, Professor? That's fantastic, truly amazing!" He rubbed his hands together in excitement.
Professor Fang warned, "Don't celebrate too soon. The special training will be extremely rigorous, and we have no idea when we'll complete it. It's entirely possible that while we're still training, our opponents will find the monastery and take everything."
Tang Min suddenly asked, "Is there a third option?"
"Yes," Professor Fang replied flatly. "Give up." Tang Min stuck out her tongue, not daring to speak further.
Tashi Danba said resolutely, "I'm confident we can complete the training before they do."
"Right! We can do it!" Tang Min chimed in.
Professor Fang turned to her sharply. "What? You still want to go? Haven't you caused enough trouble already? You nearly got three people killed in Kekexili."
Tang Min's eyes welled up with tears. Professor Fang's tone was harsh. Sandwiched between the two, Tashi Danba didn't know whether to comfort Tang Min or explain to Professor Fang. The atmosphere grew awkward for a few minutes until Tang Min burst into tears, sobbing, "I… I didn't mean to! Wah…"
Tang Min cried bitterly, but Professor Fang remained unmoved, refusing to soften his stance. Tashi Danba racked his brain and wore down his tongue, eventually convincing Professor Fang to allow Tang Min to join the training, leaving her ability to pass the program for the future to decide. Watching Tang Min sobbing into Tashi Danba's chest, Professor Fang sighed inwardly. He knew his student well: usually cold and rarely emotional, but deeply devoted once his feelings were involved. Separating Tashi Danba and Tang Min now seemed almost impossible.
After visiting his parents, Tashi Danba firmly expressed his desire to embark on this life-changing adventure. This time, his father, Mr. Deren, fully supported his decision, a departure from his usual attitude, while his mother, Meiduo, wept in sorrow. The next day, as Tashi Danba prepared to embark on his journey to the special training, Mr. Deren solemnly presented him with the family's heirloom amulet—a small bronze cross sword symbolizing good fortune and blessings.
Professor Fang had seen the sword before and believed it to be an artifact over a thousand years old, rich in historical significance. The blade, a four-sided column, bore carvings of the sacred beasts: lion, dragon, tiger, and garuda. Each was accompanied by a line of ancient Tibetan script thought to be a lost language. The hilt featured a mythical beast resembling a qilin, with three horns and a regal, fearsome stance. According to the Deren family, this creature was known as the "Three-Horned Pixiu," a genderless guardian spirit.
With his belongings packed and his mother's endless warnings ringing in his ears, Tashi Danba set off on another adventure. This time, however, was different. He would venture into the unknown, far from human civilization, relying solely on his strength and wits. Yet, his steps remained steady and determined. Challenging fate and pursuing dreams was his unchanging creed.
The Special Guard Regiment lay nestled among towering mountains. Along the way, snowy peaks embraced the blue sky, a silver ribbon-like river sparkled in the morning sun, and herds of yaks and sheep roamed the expansive grasslands. The land exuded peace, vibrancy, and boundless beauty. The cool, refreshing breeze carried the purity of white clouds and swept away all gloom and worry. Standing on this sacred land, breathing the crisp highland air, one couldn't help but feel a yearning for tranquility—a desire to bow to the holy mountains, shout into the vast valleys, and open one's heart to the serene, pristine lakes.
As Tashi Danba took in the fairytale-like scenery, he felt both anticipation and trepidation for the special training ahead. The massive iron gates of the Special Guard Regiment loomed closer—a doorway to the unknown.