Li Yundong immediately recognized the sturdy, rugged-looking lama standing before him; it was Duoji Danzeng, a man he knew not just by sight but through prior conflict. A smile broke across his face. He, in turn, formed his hand into a palm—a Daoist salute—and returned the gesture: “So it is Master Duoji Danzeng…”
Li Yundong scrutinized Duoji Danzeng up and down. Even in this biting, extreme cold, the lama wore only a thin, yellow robe, with half of his bulging, muscular arm exposed to the elements, yet he showed no sign of feeling the chill.
What struck Li Yundong most was the sharp, brilliant light in Duoji Danzeng’s eyes, clearly indicating a significant increase in cultivation since their last meeting. He chuckled aloud, saying, “It’s been a while, old friend. You’ve grown much stronger!”
Duoji Danzeng was also observing Li Yundong intently. Unlike their previous encounter, the aggressive, sharp edge Li Yundong once possessed was gone. Now, Li Yundong’s aura was subtly drawn inward, his dominance concealed, suggesting a cultivation that had moved from the exterior inward, beginning to enter the realm of returning to simplicity.
Duoji Danzeng pressed his palms together, exclaiming with genuine awe, “True Master Li, after only a few months, your progress is truly astonishing. I believed my cultivation had advanced considerably after receiving the Five-Buddha Initiation of the Womb Realm Mandala from the Living Buddha, but compared to you, True Master Li, the gap is vast! Remarkable, truly remarkable. You deserve the title of Grandmaster!”
Li Yundong smiled softly. “Master is too polite; I am still far from the Grandmaster realm!”
Duoji Danzeng laughed. “Not far, not far at all. At your current pace of cultivation, I suspect it won’t be long before you reach the Grandmaster realm.”
Li Yundong smiled in return. “I am ashamed, but that is precisely why I have come. I wonder where Master Erdeni is? Might I have an audience with him?” Duoji Danzeng chuckled, “The Master has been expecting you for some time. He specifically instructed me to come down the mountain to fetch you just now.”
Li Yundong was momentarily surprised, then smiled. “Master Erdeni knew I was coming? The Master’s Abhijñā is indeed formidable. Impressive!”
Only then did Li Yundong turn to address Liu Xia, intending to ask her to return home, but he stopped short. Liu Xia was staring at him, mouth agape, as if she had just seen an extraterrestrial.
Li Yundong paused, but quickly understood that his conversation with Duoji Danzeng had clearly startled her. Li Yundong smiled gently and said to Liu Xia, “Please head back now. Thank you for bringing me here. Master Duoji Danzeng and I will head inside shortly.”
Liu Xia snapped out of her daze, letting out a little gasp. “Then, then you aren’t returning to the hotel?” she asked reflexively.
The moment the question left her lips, Liu Xia regretted it, her cheeks flushing slightly. What a stupid question, she thought. He doesn’t stay there, why would he go back?
As expected, Li Yundong shook his head slightly. “No. If things go smoothly, I will return directly to Tiannan City afterwards.”
A thought sparked in Liu Xia’s mind. He stays in Tiannan City? Hmph, finally, I know where this elusive fellow resides! It wasn’t easy!
Though a part of her felt reluctant to let him go, Liu Xia still smiled at Li Yundong. “Then I won’t see you inside. When you meet Master Erdeni, be sure not to be rude—don’t act towards him as you did towards Banda… ah, don’t act like you did towards Meiduo! Otherwise, I won’t be able to save you.”
Li Yundong offered a slight smile and remained silent, but Duoji Danzeng chuckled beside him, “It’s not certain who will be doing the judging.”
The two exchanged smiles, exchanged pleasantries, and then walked side-by-side up the mountain path toward the Potala Palace.
Liu Xia watched the retreating figures of Li Yundong and Duoji Danzeng, feeling a momentary sense of loss. But as her gaze swept over to the young man who had just been ridiculing her—now staring blankly at the spot where they disappeared—she instantly became triumphant. “Now you know what it means to have eyes but fail to recognize Mount Tai! Did you think he was just anyone? You can’t see Master Erdeni, but they sent someone down the mountain specifically to fetch him! Stunned, aren’t you? Haha!”
The young man shot Liu Xia an annoyed glare, but unable to refute her directly, he muttered resentfully, “Why is it that he gets to see him when I can’t?”
A nearby girl tried to soothe things, saying quietly, “Oh, alright, so you can’t see him. He’s just an old monk, what’s the big deal?”
Liu Xia couldn't help but scoff. “An old monk? Ha! Do you even know who this old monk is? That’s a Living Buddha! If the Tibetan people heard you say that, be careful they don’t beat you so badly you can’t go home, and just dump you on the sacred mountain **!”
The girl flinched, quickly glancing around fearfully, as if afraid local Tibetans might have overheard her remark.
The young man next to her patted her back and shot back at Liu Xia, “What’s there to be so smug about? Do you think you can see him? Just borrowing his prestige, huh? If you’re so capable, go see him yourself and show me!”
Liu Xia felt a surge of shame, but her mind quickly raced. With a glint in her eye, she snorted, “You think I can’t see him? Just watch! I’ll follow him, and you’ll see if I get in!” With that, she quickly followed, lingering far behind Li Yundong.
The young man was left momentarily speechless. After watching for a moment, he suddenly jumped up. “If she can get in, why can’t I? No way, I’m going too!” He quickly followed, and the girl next to him sighed but couldn’t stop her companion, so she reluctantly trailed after them.
Li Yundong and Duoji Danzeng walked side-by-side, ascending the slope paved with cut stones, starting from the wordless stele at the foot of the mountain. They continued until they reached the east gate adorned with massive murals, finally arriving at the entrance to the Potala Palace complex.
Li Yundong looked up and saw the murals depicted the four majestic Vajra Kings of Buddhism: Vajra of Dispelling Fear, Unafraid Vajra, Vajra of Dispelling Fear (another variation), and Vajra of Victory Over All, listed from left to right. He observed that the four Vajra Kings held their respective implements, their postures varied, yet all gazed down with solemn authority upon the laypeople approaching the Potala Palace.
Li Yundong didn't even need to circulate his energy to sense the potent power swirling around the four Vajra Kings, solemnly guarding the eastern gate of the Potala Palace. Facing this power, Li Yundong felt as if he were being surveyed by a colossal giant towering to the heavens; the sheer disparity in strength was utterly astounding to him.
In that instant, Li Yundong felt a prickle of dread. He was instantly reminded of the mountain-guarding divine power he had accidentally provoked during his first visit to ** at the Kathok Monastery—an energy that had left an extremely deep and vivid impression on him.
Li Yundong had previously believed that power represented the peak of faith energy. Yet, standing at the entrance of the Potala Palace, the pressure and shock emanating from the Four Vajra Kings far surpassed anything he had felt before!
A sudden thought struck Li Yundong sharply: when Songtsen Gampo first built the Potala Palace, how immense must the accumulated power of faith have been then? Yet, such power was so easily annihilated in a thunder tribulation!
How terrifying the thunder tribulations were! How terrifying the heavenly calamities!!
Could cultivators truly survive the thunder tribulations?
Li Yundong clearly felt his Dao heart waver in that moment, as if a crack had formed in his previously solid core.
However, Li Yundong’s willpower was as firm as steel. He immediately took a deep breath, focused his gaze, conserved his qi in the dantian, gathered his spirit in the lingtai, and tightly guarded his consciousness as he stepped forward.
Duoji Danzeng couldn't help but exclaim with admiration, “Truly worthy of the title True Master Li, truly remarkable!”
Li Yundong asked, surprised, “Why?”
Duoji Danzeng laughed. “These are the Divine Might Statues of our Potala Palace’s Four Vajra Kings; they possess the supreme power of true divine dharma. Before such power, even the most formidable cultivator feels insignificant against the vast heavens and earth, the feeling that man cannot conquer nature. Only cultivators with the firmest resolve can summon the courage to take that step and enter the Potala Palace. When I first stood at this gate, it took me three full days and nights before I finally solidified my resolve and dared to walk in. But True Master Li, you only paused for a few seconds before instantly regaining your composure. Such steadfastness of will is worthy of respect and admiration!”
Li Yundong finally understood. He smiled faintly and replied, “Just luck, nothing major. It’s just… why do I feel that the postures and hand seals of these Four Vajra Kings look a little strange?”
Saying this, Li Yundong pointed to a depiction on the brightly colored murals inside the Potala Palace—a wrathful Vajra forming a large hand seal—and said, “For example, this one, isn’t this the Jñāna Mudra (Wisdom Fist Seal)?”
Duoji Danzeng smiled. “Correct!”
Li Yundong asked, full of confusion, “Right, why did Master Erdeni say my Great Hand Seal Mantra only learned half of it? I learned it from a book. What about you? Did you learn the complete version?”
Duoji Danzeng laughed heartily. “True Master Li, you will have to ask Master Erdeni about that.”
Li Yundong smiled and said, “Speaking of which, I feel a bit ashamed for having secretly learned your Tantric techniques.”
Duoji Danzeng laughed. “True Master Li is a destined person; there is no need to dwell on it. You will understand once you meet Master Erdeni.”
With that, he led Li Yundong through the vast and imposing Potala Palace, passing the East Courtyard, the White Palace Gate Archway, the Hall of Perfect Solitude, the East and West Sun Halls, and the Maitreya Buddha Hall, until they reached the Bronze Hall. Here, Duoji Danzeng finally stopped and smiled at Li Yundong. “True Master Li, please wait here a moment. I will go fetch Master Erdeni now.”
Li Yundong bowed respectfully to Duoji Danzeng and, after watching him depart, began curiously examining his surroundings.
Li Yundong found himself in an exceedingly spacious hall filled with countless bronze statues of Buddhas. Dominating the assembly was a statue of Shakyamuni. Li Yundong observed that this Shakyamuni statue held the Shakyamuni Hand Seal, and beneath the seal were inscribed two rows of text, one in Han characters (Chinese) and one in Tibetan.
Li Yundong scanned the Han characters, which were written in archaic and awkward script: Nang mo san man duo bo tuo nan bo sa bo qie li she nie su na nang sa bo da mo bo shi duo bo luo bo duo e e nang san ma san ma suo he!
Li Yundong felt his head swim after just one glance. The script was not only obscure and difficult to decipher, but some characters were extremely rare.
Li Yundong shook his head with a wry smile and shifted his gaze to the statue next to it.
This adjacent statue was of the Unafraid Vajra from the Four Vajra Kings. This Vajra held the Dharmadhātu-pradīpa Mudrā (Mudra of the Primordial Buddha of Light) from the Vairocana Hand Seal. Below this mudra were also two rows of text in Han characters and Tibetan. The Han characters read consecutively: Nang mo san man duo mo tuo nan a wei luo hong qian!
As Li Yundong read word by word, a bitter smile spread across his face. This one is better, he thought. At least I recognize the 'Hong' (Hum) from the Nine Syllable Mantra. When I used the Vairocana Hand Seal before, I usually just uttered the true sound: 'Hong!' Why is this one so long?
As he pondered this, Li Yundong suddenly froze. A thought flashed violently through his mind, and his eyes widened in shock as he stared at the line of text. His mind buzzed as he shouted inwardly: Master Erdeni said my Great Hand Seal Mantra was only half-learned. Could it be that the other half of the technique lies in these remaining true sounds? Could these possibly be the true, complete "true sounds" of the Great Hand Seal Mantra!!
================================ Yes, that’s correct, this is the complete version of the True Sound Great Hand Seal. No cheating involved, students learning this must be very careful not to tie their tongues in knots! Haha!
Also, I have corrected a BUG at the end of the previous chapter, thanks to the reader who pointed it out. Furthermore, in the previous chapter regarding going to **, Zhou Qin mentioned ascending from the east, which is a BUG here; I recalled it incorrectly—one should not ascend from the east. Thanks to the reader for pointing that out…
Because I have no stored drafts, I must upload everything immediately after writing it, which results in frequent BUGS. Sometimes I can’t even catch them after reading it over once. I am truly helpless, and I sincerely thank the readers for helping me catch these issues! Many thanks!