After walking for a little over an hour, Sun Yan's feet felt numb, almost losing sensation.
The silhouette of a Tibetan Buddhist temple gradually erged in the distance.
Damian Dorje, who was leading the way, exclaid with delighted relief, "Vajra Temple, it's Vajra Temple! We've finally arrived."
Sun Yan's lips curled slightly, unmoved.
It wasn't his aloofness; the long trek through the snow had exhausted him to the point where he had no desire to move beyond walking.
With a destination in sight, their motivation seed to rejuvenate, and about ten minutes later, they reached Vajra Temple.
This was a temple with a distinct Tibetan style; apart from the top, the rest was pure white stone walls, adorned with prayer flags.
An inexplicable sense of safety and relaxation enveloped them.
Damian Dorje eagerly approached the temple's main gate, knocking vigorously.
Not long after, the wooden temple door creaked open, and a frail monk in a red robe peered out, his face filled with concern, asking, "Who are you?"
"We're from Zashi Deler Village. Our village encountered the Suffering Bodhisattva, and my father sent to find Master Sangji," Damian Dorje quickly explained.
The frail monk glanced at Damian Dorje, then Sun Yan, before stepping aside, creating space for them to enter.
"Co in."
The interior of Vajra Temple was dim, illuminated only by torches on the walls, giving the Buddha murals a slightly eerie feel.
This made Sun Yan doubt once more where he was, questioning the era and realm of Tibet he found himself in.
Following the frail monk deeper into the temple, they saw statues of Sakyamuni and the Fifth Dalai Lama,
along with statues from the first to the fourth Dalai Lamas and Buddhas of healing, three Buddhas, and also the sitting statue of the Dalai Lama Kezhu Jiatuo and spirit towers.
On the temple's scripture shelves, Tibetan Buddhist scriptures like "Dan Zuer" and "Kangyur" were stored.
"Master Sangji has been in retreat recently, and it seems he won't erge soon. You can stay in the monk's quarters for now."
By the ti the frail monk stopped walking, Sun Yan and Damian Dorje had arrived at the temple's side courtyard, where the monks lived.
What puzzled Sun Yan was that during their walk, aside from the frail monk, they hadn't encountered any other monks.
The entire Vajra Temple was extrely quiet, devoid of any vitality.
"Thank you, Master," Damian Dorje bowed gratefully.
But the frail monk shook his head, saying, "I'm no master, just call Bodler."
Sun Yan seized the opportunity to ask, "Master Bodler, do you have a place to eat? We're so hungry from our journey; could we have sothing to eat?"
Bodler smiled, "Rest here now, and I'll have the monks bring you food."
After those words, he left the place.
Sun Yan entered the monk's quarters; the decoration, as expected in Tibetan quarters, was not too exquisite—wooden beds, a wooden table, a washbasin, that's it.
Utterly exhausted, Sun Yan lay directly on the bed, closing his eyes to savor this rare mont of relaxation.
Once a person has suffered enough, they no longer behave pretentiously.
In dangerous places, the more pretentious, the quicker you die.
Buzz!
At that mont, the notebook in Sun Yan's pocket suddenly vibrated.
"Is there a task coming up?" Sun Yan was instantly energized, quickly pulling out the notebook to check.
...
Ga Task [Tibet's Demon Crusade]
Task Difficulty: ★★★ (Extrely Dangerous)
Task Summary: This snowy land seems to hide many secrets; demons and evil spirits wreak havoc on the world. Perhaps you can find ti to do sothing.
Task Requirent: Help Damian Dorje escape the pursuit of the Suffering Bodhisattva
Task Reward: Cetery Entry
...
"Such a high difficulty!" Sun Yan's expression was one of shock.
Having had the notebook for so long, he was well aware of the task difficulty ratings.
☆ is the easiest difficulty; every five ☆ turns into ★, and reaching ★ indicates danger.
★★ signifies peril.
Until now, the highest difficulty Sun Yan ever encountered was eliminating the hide-and-seek escapee at ★★☆.
But now, this task is a genuine ★★★, equivalent to fifteen ☆.
This was the hardest task Sun Yan had ever encountered; he might even perish in this Tibetan region.
"What on earth is the Suffering Bodhisattva that it warrants such difficulty? I wonder if hiding in Vajra Temple would be helpful."
Sun Yan furrowed his brows, murmuring to himself.
But since he was already involved, he accepted it, knowing he wouldn't leave this Spirit Realm World until he found Sosia and the others.
For now, this task was just an appetizer.
Late night.
Sun Yan awoke from sleep, clutching his stomach and heading for the door.
Following Bodler the monk's advice, other monks had indeed delivered so tsampa and butter tea for him to eat.
But whether it was unfamiliarity with Tibetan food, Sun Yan's belly felt uneasy, having visited the latrine multiple tis with no relief.
In a way, it seed another form of suffering.
Tibetan latrines are no simple matter; first, the harsh weather—everything easily freezes in snow and ice.
Secondly, the strawberry tart in the Tibetan latrines is notoriously terrifying; you must be careful when crouching, as spaceship and space station dock.
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