Chapter 346: Potala Palace, Dalai Lama (2)

The distance from Rangachen village to Lhasa was extremely far.

However, they had already been delayed long enough.

Yi-gang pressed forward without slowing his pace.

When they encountered streams that the yak pulling their cart couldn’t cross, Gal Dong-tak and the Four Great Vajra personally carried the yaks, the cart, and the Divine Monk across the water.

Even as they continued southward, the temperature did not rise easily.

Lhasa, the greatest city in Tibet and the residence of the Dalai Lama, was still at an incredibly high altitude.

The group was finally awestruck by the grandeur of the Potala Palace, which appeared before them.

White walls rose as high as the mountain itself.

And atop them, traditional copper-tiled roofs seemed to be gilded in gold.

Under the highland sun, they gleamed with a dazzling golden light.

Yi-gang spoke his honest impression, “This is even better than Shaolin Temple.”

“You little brat.”

The Divine Monk’s condition had slightly improved. He wore a bright expression, relieved to have arrived here alive.

“Do you know the title used to refer to the Dalai Lama?”

“Which one are you referring to?”

“In ancient times, he was called the Dharma King. The Central Plains may disregard Tibetan Buddhism, but the grandeur of Potala Palace alone is enough to unify all of Tibet.”

That seemed reasonable.

At least as a single architectural structure, its majesty surpassed even the imperial palace he had seen in the Forbidden City.

Uniquely, Potala Palace was blocked at the front by a lake.

Going around it would take quite some time.

However, the Divine Monk insisted that it was unnecessary.

“We can just cross directly. Around this time of year, the lake’s ice freezes so thickly that even an elephant could walk across without breaking it.”

Indeed, when they stepped onto the ice with their horses, not a single crack appeared.

Thus, the group traversed the frozen lake.

Cheongho, who had been clinging to Yi-gang, finally jumped down and began running on her own.

Her fur still had that mysterious blend of blue shades.

The lake’s surface was covered in a thick layer of snow that had fallen recently, leaving behind small footprints in Cheongho’s path.

After making a full lap around the lake, Cheongho suddenly leaped toward Yi-gang.

Yi-gang naturally extended his hand to catch Cheongho’s small body.

Cheongho climbed up Yi-gang’s arm and quickly burrowed into the folds of his collar.

“Hey, you’re getting snow on me!”

Yi-gang shuddered from the cold.

Dam Hyun silently watched the scene.

His face was deeply stained with a sense of defeat.

“That… damn traitor.”

While Yi-gang had been absent, it was Dam Hyun himself who had stayed by Cheongho’s side.

He had been the one to prepare food and patiently teach her.

When Cheongho was unwell, it was Dam Hyun who personally boiled beef and dried pollack, carefully tearing them into bite-sized pieces for her.

Cheongho had finally started to follow Dam Hyun quite well.

Yet, the moment Cheongho met Yi-gang again, she abandoned Dam Hyun and clung to Yi-gang without hesitation.

Dam Hyun recalled the moment when they had left Rangachen village.

It was when Yi-gang had tried to find a horse for him.

Back then, Dam Hyun had refused with confidence.

“Didn’t you see last time? No horse is faster than Cheongho. And her fur keeps me warm, too!”

The secret behind his astonishingly fast journey to the Tibetan Plateau was none other than Cheongho.

During the day, when there were many people around, they walked together. But at night, Cheongho had allowed him to ride on her back.

Unlike horses, which struggled to climb mountains, Cheongho dashed through even the roughest terrain like a bolt of lightning.

“I’m going to ride Cheongho. I don’t need a horse.”

“Ah… I see….”

It was a bit of an unfortunate statement for the horse, but Dam Hyun declared it confidently.

Part of him wanted to show Yi-gang.

‘While you were busy running around everywhere, Cheongho and I built this kind of bond.’

He wanted to prove that he was now Cheongho’s true owner and best friend.

However, instead of lowering himself for Dam Hyun to mount, Cheongho simply stared blankly at him.

It was as if she was saying, “So what?”

As Dam Hyun stood there, frozen like a stone statue, Cheongho promptly leaped onto Yi-gang’s shoulder instead.

In the end, Dam Hyun had no choice but to ride the horse.

“Phururung.”

At that moment, the horse he was leading licked his hair.

Dam Hyun ran his hand through his hair with an irritated expression.

“This is humiliating.”

“You look absolutely filled with spite,” the Divine Monk teased.

Dam Hyun glanced at the Divine Monk but did not respond.

There were few people in the world that Dam Hyun feared, but there were still those he dared not treat lightly.

One of them was the Forest Lord, and strangely, the Divine Monk exuded a similar air of transcendence.

“Behave yourself while we’re at Potala Palace.”

“…Tch.”

With that, they continued crossing the frozen lake.

The entrance to Potala Palace was not immediately visible, requiring them to ascend a long staircase. At the top, someone was waiting for them.

“You have guests.”

“We’ve come to welcome you.”

The greeters were two young sāmaṇera—novice monks.

They wore red robes and had the innocent expressions befitting their age.

“The Lamas sent us. Are you really travelers from the far east?”

“What is the Central Plains like?”

They chattered away like typical boys.

However, the Divine Monk, despite his weakened condition, straightened his posture and pressed his hands together in a respectful greeting.

“Aren’t you Hoje Lama and Yuje Lama? It has been a long time. I am Mu Myung.”

It was an excessively formal greeting for young samaneras.

The two novice monks exchanged accusatory glances.

“You said he wouldn’t notice!”

“How was I supposed to know his Bodhidharma power had grown this much?”

After a brief squabble, they formally pressed their hands together in greeting.

“I am Hoje.”

“I am Yuje.”

“It has been forty years. How did you recognize us?”

They appeared to be only twelve or thirteen years old. How could they speak of forty years?

The Divine Monk answered, “Even though you have been reborn, I can still sense your spirit. I recalled the time when you traveled Jianghu under the title of Twin Wise Lamas.”

Upon hearing the term Twin Wise Lamas, Yi-gang also remembered something.

These were Tibetan masters who had been active in the martial world for at least half a century.

They were high-ranking martial artists of Potala Palace, even above the Divine Monk himself.

“Oh? Have you awakened the Divine Eye?”

“Astonishing. Has a Buddha Star risen in the Central Plains as well?”

Even for those who had achieved rejuvenation, their youthful appearance was far beyond ordinary.

As Yi-gang frowned, a quiet voice whispered in his ear.

「They are called Rinpoche or Tulku.」

Even after hearing that, Yi-gang did not fully understand.

「Have you never heard the term Living Buddha? It means a reincarnated being.」

‘Isn’t “Living Buddha” a term used to refer to the Dalai Lama?’

「It is slightly different. The Dalai Lama is the most revered among the Rinpoche.」

Yi-gang finally realized who they were.

The Twin Wise Lamas had been reincarnated. They had been reborn as twin boys, just as in their previous lives.

‘Is it similar to what happened to me?’

「No, your case is fundamentally different.」

The meaning behind those words soon became clear from the conversation that followed.

“What were we like in our past lives?”

“You were extraordinary. I came to understand how profound the true martial arts of Potala Palace are.”

“Wow… We’ve only read about it in records.”

They did not remember their past lives.

Unlike Yi-gang, who lacked the Mark of Oblivion, they were fundamentally different.

「When these Rinpoche pass away, Potala Palace searches for their reincarnations and subjects them to a special process. They are educated with detailed records to regain awareness of their past lives, undergo ritual hair shaving, and inherit their former internal energy.」

‘So…’

「It may be difficult to say that they are exactly the same beings as in their previous lives.」

Yi-gang understood Bodhidharma’s explanation.

If Potala Palace had not found and taken in the reincarnations of the Twin Wise Lamas, they might have simply been born as villagers, living out their lives as farmers.

“Please come in. The Dalai Lama is expecting you.”

The two young lamas eagerly led the way.

Yi-gang smirked, but Bodhidharma gave him a warning.

「Do not be deceived by their childlike appearance. They absorbed the enlightenment of their past lives too quickly, which is why they look so young. In reality, they are over thirty.」

Yet, they acted exactly like children.

With a conflicted expression, Yi-gang stepped into Potala Palace.

The Dalai Lama was the spiritual pillar of Tibet.

Beyond that, he was also the leader of a powerful sect.

Since the Yuan Dynasty, he had even served as the emperor’s mentor.

Not only that—religiously, he was revered as the Living Buddha.

A noble leader.

Above all, he was considered the incarnation of Guanyin.

The group entered the central Red Palace, specifically a grand hall with a high ceiling.

On either side, lama monks sat in relaxed postures. As Yi-gang’s group passed, they pressed their palms together in greeting.

The place where they finally stopped was at the innermost part of the hall—before an iron door.

Standing guard in front of it were shriveled lama monks, so aged that it was hard to tell whether they were people or mummies.

At a glance, their level was no less than that of the Four Great Vajra.

In raspy, metallic voices, they spoke, “Only three may enter!”

Yet, when they pointed with their ring-adorned vajra staffs, they singled out only the Divine Monk and Yi-gang.

They had said three, but only gestured toward two.

Yi-gang’s brow twitched.

‘They recognize you, Venerable.’

「These are the same people who find reincarnated souls across this vast Tibetan land. Of course, they would know of my visit.」

The elderly monks pushed open the iron door.

Kiieeeek—

Amazingly, despite appearing to weigh thousands of jin, the iron door was opened solely by the strength of two old men.

As soon as a gap large enough for a person to enter appeared, Yi-gang and the Divine Monk stepped inside.

Unexpectedly, warm and humid air rushed out.

Yi-gang soon realized why.

The interior was arranged like an indoor garden, befitting its name.

Exotic flowers and rare plants, nearly impossible to find on this barren plateau, were spread out in a breathtaking display.

The most striking feature was the artificial ankle-deep pond.

Lotus flowers were in full bloom across its surface.

Even in the Paper Flower Abyss at Shaolin Temple, Yi-gang had never seen lotus blossoms this massive.

Standing in the pond with their feet submerged were two lama monks.

One of them looked like a sage straight out of a painting.

A long white beard flowed down to his waist, accompanied by lengthy eyebrows.

The golden vajra staff in his hand suited him perfectly.

The other was a young lama, appearing to be around thirty.

His refined features and confident expression exuded self-assurance.

Normally, one would have immediately assumed that the dignified old monk was the Dalai Lama.

However, Yi-gang had just met the reincarnated Twin Wise Lamas moments ago.

The Divine Monk stepped forward and pressed his hands together in greeting.

“I pay my respects to the Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama. I am Mu Myung.”

Yi-gang’s suspicion was correct.

The solemn-faced old monk was Panchen Lama.

He was the second-highest figure in Potala Palace, entrusted with the duty of finding the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama.

Behind them, standing with an unassuming appearance, was the current Dalai Lama.

“I am Jinam Gachö.”

So, he was Jinam Gachö.

After pressing his hands together in greeting toward the Divine Monk, he turned his gaze to Yi-gang.

Yi-gang wondered if it was now his turn to greet him, so instead of a Buddhist gesture, he offered a martial salute.

“I am Baek Yi-gang, a Taoist from the Azure Forest and a fourth-flower disciple.”

“A disciple of the Guardian Sect!” the Dalai Lama responded cheerfully.

It seemed he was familiar with the Azure Forest’s old name.

At that moment, the Dalai Lama splashed through the water and approached Yi-gang.

Then, without hesitation, he grabbed Yi-gang’s hands, still held in a martial salute.

“Such backgrounds do not matter between us!”

With great enthusiasm, he gripped Yi-gang’s hands and shook them up and down.

“My soul’s companion! You have finally arrived!”

It was an utterly unexpected welcome.

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