Chapter 85: Execution Cliff

Guan Wen had previously studied the palm-sized turtle shell, which was carved with more than 180 seal script characters. The strokes were uniform and the handwriting clear, yet none of the characters were standard. Each character appeared to be a composite of multiple signs, ambiguous and unrecognized.

Now, white light illuminated the characters from within the turtle shell, making them float a foot in mid-air with a strong sense of three-dimensionality.

As each character rotated individually, Guan Wen understood their meaning, which translated as follows:

"Master Xuanzang's greatest achievement upon returning from his pilgrimage for Buddhist scriptures was accurately mapping the habitat of the Rakshasa female demon, laying the foundation for subduing her. The local customs, geographic descriptions, and scriptural scrolls detailed in the *Great Tang Records on the Western Regions* were merely a smokescreen to deceive the public. Having spent a decade on the journey, all accompanying demon-subduing companions perished without a trace, with only the Master surviving, which reveals the immense power of the demoness. Her origins are untraceable, though they can be traced at least as far back as Pangu parting the heavens and earth, and Nüwa smelting stones to patch the skies. Just as ancient sages such as Nüwa, Shennong, Fuxi, Flame Emperor, Yellow Emperor, King Yao, King Shun, and King Yu existed, there must have been troublemakers like Gonggong, Zhurong, and Chiyou. The female demon was likely formed during that era by gathering the spiritual essence of the mountains and rivers, posing a hazard to this day. When King Yu tamed the waters of the Nine Provinces to eliminate floods, he excavated river channels all the way from the Kunlun Mountains to the East Sea, giving rise to China's Yangtze and Yellow Rivers along with countless tributaries. Furthermore, King Yu led by example, drilling holes at the center of the Nine Provinces straight down to the Earth's interior to vent excess water. Thus, through external drainage and internal seepage, the flood that submerged the continent was finally eradicated. The holes of the Nine Provinces are the legendary earth veins. Therefore, there are a total of nine earth veins across the Earth. Due to crustal movements and human exploitation, eight of the nine veins have vanished, leaving only one, which lies within Tibetan territory. The Rakshasa female demon found by the Master is precisely hiding within this earth vein..."

The concept of "earth veins" had also been mentioned multiple times during World War II by the German geographer and biologist Deguman, who desperately tried to persuade the explorers of the Axis powers to search for that location in Tibet. Deguman claimed that the earth veins contained the energy of the entire Earth, and once harnessed for personal use, one would become invincible throughout the world.

In theory, the thought processes of the world's top intellectuals converge on the same destination with little difference. This shows that Master Xuanzang, Bianji, Deguman, and others were all elites among humanity, capable of foresight and anticipating the future.

"To destroy the female demon, one must lure her away from the earth vein, cutting off the source of her power—just as building a dam is necessary to drain the pond and catch the fish. The female demon hails from antiquity, her wisdom spanning dynasties, and she is cunning and resourceful; ordinary plans are insufficient to defeat her. Only the Mandala realm of Tibetan Buddhism can lure her away from her lair and into the Mandala. The Mandala is a world beyond this world, mesmerizing her heart, confusing her mind, and stripping away the foundation of her magical powers. Master Xuanzang bypassed Suyab in the northwest, traveled south to India, traversed the entire subcontinent, and visited eminent monks and virtuous masters in various monasteries, finally charting the subterranean range occupied by the demoness. Demon-subduing warriors must bear in mind that failure to lure her out of the earth vein will render all efforts useless, resulting only in futile casualties. The earth veins are immensely vast, branching out into thousands or tens of thousands of ends; even with all human effort exhausted, it is impossible to penetrate deep into the earth to slay the demoness..."

The light lasted for about ten minutes before suddenly vanishing, plunging the room back into darkness.

"He has been here," Gu Qingcheng whispered.

The room was filled with the fragrance of Buddhist sandalwood, entirely emanating from the turtle shell.

"Bianji was the only one capable of inheriting Master Xuanzang's mantle, but the world is fickle; the most brilliant minds often die young. Calculating based on Master Xuanzang's age, Bianji's life events, the publication date of the *Great Tang Records on the Western Regions*, and the time the king and two princesses suppressed the demons, the chronological order is inverted—this is what has always puzzled historians the most. However, with a little thought, it becomes clear that a man as astute as Master Xuanzang certainly knew that 'subduing demons' was an urgent matter of utmost priority, and he would not wait until returning to Chang'an to initiate it. He undoubtedly would have commissioned a suitable person to carry the classified intelligence directly into the hands of Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo. Historians and idle gossips who dismiss everything simply because the timelines do not match are merely acting like the man who carved a notch in his boat to find a lost sword—inflexible and oblivious to changing circumstances." Gu Qingcheng's eyes shone brightly in the dark night, brimming with wisdom and composure.

"Existence is rational; this maxim holds true across ancient and modern times," Guan Wen nodded in agreement.

No matter how historians record the past, all things already exist concretely. Wise people trust and confront reality rather than clinging rigidly to words on paper.

"I have comprehended the meaning of the key. After dawn, we can set out toward Mount Niseri. This time, we will surely open the black hole and enter the demon-subduing domain," Baoling said, equally filled with confidence.

Suddenly, a strange cracking sound emerged from the center of the turtle shell, and it instantly shattered into hundreds of pieces.

Baoling sighed softly: "The highest realm of 'terma' treasures in Tibetan Buddhism is something outsiders can never comprehend. This turtle shell is the 'sacred treasure terma' left behind by Bianji, encased within the white copper pillar of the 'sacred treasure terma' left by Princess Chhrunk. Even within layers of encasement, Princess Chhrunk remained uneasy and cast a supreme seal with her own soul; only those truly predestined can unlock it. To them, I am a 'tertön' who unearths treasures."

Gu Qingcheng smiled and replied: "Am I not also a 'tertön'? Feng He, Master Tianji, and everyone else connected to this matter are 'tertön'. It is precisely because of the existence of 'tertöns' that the fairness and justice of this world can shine as brightly as the sunlight."

Recalling the repeated teachings of Master Tianji, Master Shu, Tsetan Tashi, and Master Sangcho, Guan Wen felt an endless sense of apprehension deep within his heart, because he was the only one among them capable of drawing a flawless Mandala. If the Mandala was the ultimate weapon against the female demon, then this heavy burden undoubtedly rested squarely on his shoulders.

This turtle shell, passed down from the Tang Dynasty, was a priceless ancient artifact. If treasure hunters had witnessed its destruction, they would have felt heartbroken, but in the eyes of the three, the turtle shell had perfectly conveyed the wise words of the eminent monk Bianji, fulfilling its mission. Whether it existed physically or not made no difference.

Dawn arrived swiftly, and the three immediately sprang into action, taking Gao Xiang along to notify Little Huo.

Unexpectedly, Little Huo had fully recovered, looking spirited and entirely free of illness.

"The four protrusions of the key correspond one-to-one with the four peaks opposite Broken Cliff. The red rubies embedded in the key correspond to two hidden springs. We only need to chisel open the ground and let the springs gush forth to relieve the internal pressure of the portal mechanism inside the black hole, and the passage will open," Baoling explained concisely, instructing Little Huo's men to prepare the excavation tools.

Several vehicles rushed toward Broken Cliff. All preparations were carried out in silence, without a single shouted voice.

In ancient mechanical design, portals were frequently engineered using physical principles such as water pressure, communicating vessels, and siphons. Breaking them open by brute force was not only time-consuming and laborious, but it could also damage the central control system of the door, triggering a disastrous outcome where both jade and stone burned together.

By now, everyone trusted Little Huo rather than Gao Xiang, especially since the former had fought alongside Guan Wen and the others in Nepal, forging a bond of life and death.

Along the way, Guan Wen asked Little Huo: "Two people interrogated me under torture. I could recognize Tang Ji's voice, but I don't know who the other person was. If such a traitor is not uncovered, they will remain an endless source of trouble."

Little Huo took out his phone and showed Guan Wen the miserable states of more than twenty corpses: "These are the ones who mutinied alongside Tang Ji. I have wiped them all out, and I believe the person you mentioned is among them. In Tibet, I am not as capable as you, but in Nepal, I have a large group of sworn brothers who have been through fire and water, and every one of them is willing to shed blood for me. This time, I will not let a single enemy escape."

Guan Wen felt a slight melancholy, deeply believing that this outcome cast a shadow over the expedition to Nepal.

The group ascended Broken Cliff. Baoling held up the white copper key, displayed it to everyone, and pointed to the opposite side of the cliff. The peaks over there matched the shape of the four protruding key tips remarkably well, appearing much like a horizontally laid key magnified infinitely.

Baoling said: "Those peaks are called 'Princess of Nepal Peak' by the locals. When I came to Mount Niseri for the third time, I already noticed that the shape of the peaks matched the key. Now I finally understand: the key tips are the peaks, and the agate stones mark the locations of the sealing springs."

Little Huo produced a military map of Mount Niseri and pointed to the right. "Descending from over there and crossing two dry ravines will lead us up to the opposite ridge. That area consists entirely of barren mountains without a blade of grass. Finding and chiseling through the hidden springs will take at least two to three hours."

He opened a car door, retrieved binoculars, and handed them out to everyone.

Guan Wen looked through the lens and saw only grayish-brown mountain rocks. There was not a trace of human habitation, not even the small stone-slab huts left behind by herbalists—just a vast, desolate, and barren expanse.

"Let's move out." Little Huo took the key and led everyone down Broken Cliff, following a broken trail straight toward the opposite ridge.

Guan Wen fell into a prolonged silence, recalling in his mind his first entry into the black hole.

He had once drawn inspiration from the cave walls of the black hole, feeling as though he were inside a vast Mandala where the mountains, rivers, flora, and soil were all fabrications of the Mandala's creator. The Mandala was the world, and the world was the Mandala. What he needed to do now was to paint the grandest and most flawless Mandala of his life, turning it into the burial ground for the Rakshasa female demon.

"I can do it." He took a dozen deep breaths to keep his mind calm and serene. Previously, while painting, he had always used this method to force himself to shut out external distractions and enter a state akin to "Zen meditation."

"It's fine, I believe you can do it," Gu Qingcheng said, holding his right hand with gentle firmness.

"That's right," Baoling took his left hand.

"This is the final strike. We've prepared for so long, we must succeed," he replied.

"Then what are you still worried about?" Gu Qingcheng asked.

Baoling extended her left hand to grasp Gu Qingcheng's right hand, and the three of them formed a circle.

In fact, Little Huo's men had prepared a sufficient quantity of high explosives. Once the black hole opened, they would plant charges all the way along, waiting only for the right moment to detonate them in a chain reaction, blowing everything underground into fragments—even if it meant utterly destroying Mount Niseri in the process, they would not hesitate.

Little Huo was a clever man who could infer other things from Gu Qingcheng's explanations and make thorough preparations. With such an ally, Guan Wen and the two women truly had reason to feel fortunate.

"No matter what happens, I hope both of you can make it out safely and live good lives," Guan Wen said, shaking both girls' hands with profound melancholy.

Gu Qingcheng and Baoling were as beautiful as flowers and in the prime of their youth; as long as they survived this ordeal, they would undoubtedly have a bright future. He was willing to let his own body be smashed to pieces in exchange for their peace and safety.

The two girls sighed together: "What we hold in our hearts—is it not precisely the same?"

On the eve of battle, everyone bared their hearts completely. If they didn't speak now, perhaps after the battle there would be no chance left to express it.

Unspoken love is a terrible waste. He loved them, and they loved him—this was an immutable fact. As for Little Huo, Gao Xiang, and the others, they were merely passing travelers in their lives, like ripples stirred aimlessly on a dark river at night, to be ignored, forgotten, and left behind.