74: Seda Buddhist Academy

The two cars, one leading and one following, drove along the mountain road into Seda County.

The county town was small. Because it was the off-season and there was heavy snow, the streets were deserted. Jiang Yuan found a hotel that looked the newest and had the best reviews—the “Jinma Hotel.”

After parking the car, the couple followed suit and parked theirs.

Obviously, following Jiang Yuan the entire way had given them a sense of blind trust.

They felt that staying with the expert was definitely the right choice.

This should be the best hotel currently available in Seda.

The entire building was equipped with floor heating.

The moment they entered the lobby, the warmth rising from the floor instantly dispelled the severe cold outside.

After all, this was a plateau county town situated at an altitude of four thousand meters.

The maintenance costs here were high, and most rooms were equipped with a diffused oxygen supply system.

Therefore, the price was quite a bit higher than a regular guesthouse.

However, for Jiang Yuan, the price was not an issue.

He just wanted a good night's sleep.

He directly booked a top-floor executive suite.

Although the couple found it expensive, they booked an oxygen-equipped room next door to his for a comfortable sleep.

Back in the room.

He washed up and changed into comfortable pajamas.

Just as he was about to lie down and rest, there was a knock on the door.

"Knock, knock."

"Who is it?"

"Brother, it's me!"

The young man's voice came from outside the door.

"One moment."

Jiang Yuan walked over and opened the door.

He saw the young man and his girlfriend standing at the door, carrying large and small plastic bags, their bodies still radiating the cold from outside.

"What is this?"

"We didn't get a chance to eat earlier, and I figured you probably haven't eaten either, brother."

The young man raised a case of beer in his hand, a simple smile on his face:

"It's snowing heavily outside. How about we have a drink together?"

"Sure."

Jiang Yuan nodded and stepped aside to let them in.

A slight smile appeared on his face.

This person certainly knew how to handle things.

It turned out that when he said he was going to get luggage from the car after checking in, he had actually run out through the wind and snow to buy food.

He didn't know when the snow had started falling again, but it was a vast expanse of white outside the window.

The suite had a small living room, which was perfect for eating.

The three of them spread out the meal containers.

It was quite lavish.

There were Jue Wei duck necks and duck frames, sliced pig head meat, stewed beef, and other substantial dishes perfect for drinking, like fried peanuts.

They even packed three hot stir-fried dishes.

"Pshhh."

The pull tab was opened.

"Are you from Hebei, brother? I saw your license plate starts with Ji."

The three clinked glasses, and the young man asked.

"Yes, I also drove here for fun."

Jiang Yuan took a sip of beer and picked up a piece of pig head meat with his chopsticks.

"We've got one person from Hebei and one from Henan, drinking together here in Western Sichuan. That counts as fate."

"Haha, absolutely!"

The young man grinned.

"Oh, right, let me formally introduce myself."

"My name is Xu Duocai, the Duocai meaning 'multi-talented.'"

He then pointed to the girl beside him:

"This is my girlfriend, Xu Huiya."

"We're from the same village, so we have the same surname, but we're not related by blood; we're outside the five degrees of mourning."

Jiang Yuan chuckled.

"I understand."

He then stated his own name.

The three of them ate and drank.

The atmosphere quickly became lively.

Most of the time, it was Jiang Yuan and Xu Duocai chatting.

They talked about everything from dowry customs in the North to dietary differences in the South, and from ancient history to modern housing prices.

They spoke without reservation.

Xu Huiya didn't say much; she just listened with a smile and busily refilled their glasses.

Seeing this, Jiang Yuan couldn't help but compliment Xu Duocai on finding a virtuous wife.

Before they knew it, the case of beer was empty.

Although Jiang Yuan drank quite a bit, his constitution was special; this amount of alcohol didn't make his face flush or his heart race, only leaving him slightly dizzy.

Xu Duocai, however, due to altitude sickness combined with the effects of alcohol, started staring blankly, and his speech became slightly slurred.

"I can't take anymore... brother..."

Xu Duocai shook his head and glanced at the time.

"We have to wake up early tomorrow for photos. Can't delay the main event."

"Let's... call it a night."

They packed the leftovers into a garbage bag.

The two of them helped each other back to the room next door.

After seeing the two off.

Silence returned to the room.

Jiang Yuan turned off the light and lay down on the warm, soft bed.

The floor heating was very warm, and the blanket was light.

Accompanied by the slight tipsiness from the alcohol.

He closed his eyes.

Instant sleep.

Jiang Yuan's luck was indeed good.

With a quick check on the official account, he managed to snag a reservation ticket for the Seda Buddhist Academy.

It must be known that during peak season, such an entry ticket is often extremely hard to come by.

He got ready in the morning and set off alone.

Xu Duocai and his partner were still struggling with their hangover, and since they also had to re-shoot their wedding photos, they did not go with him.

Heavy snow last night, bright sun today.

Typical Western Sichuan Plateau weather.

Although the sunlight was dazzling and the UV rays were intense, the temperature remained very low.

The air carried the biting chill of melting ice and snow.

He parked the brabus at the Tourist Center.

This was a place of monastic practice, and private vehicles were prohibited from entering.

Jiang Yuan transferred to the scenic area's shuttle bus.

The wheels kicked up dust as the bus climbed along the winding mountain road.

Outside the window were typical Tibetan blockhouses and yaks grazing leisurely.

Upon reaching the terminal stop, the bus door opened.

The moment he stepped off the bus.

Even though he had seen it once last night, his breath still involuntarily hitched.

It was too magnificent.

The entire valley seemed to be submerged in red.

Tens of thousands of ochre-red wooden huts, like a beehive, spread wildly from the bottom of the valley up to the mountain peak.

They were densely packed and overwhelming.

Every tiny hut, barely enough to shelter one person, was the entire world of a practitioner.

Here, there was no boundary of age, nor separation of gender.

There were elderly people with faces full of hardship and faltering steps.

And there were young novices, still naive but with clear eyes.

The only commonality was that they all wore dark red monastic robes and shared the same kind of resolve in their eyes.

As he passed a small wooden hut shop.

Jiang Yuan saw several young monks queuing up.

They were holding smartphones and scanning codes to buy milk tea.

While sipping Mixue Ice City, they were discussing the recent Buddhist debate.

This strong sense of contrast made him feel a disjointedness of time and space.

Both reclusive and worldly.

Following the main road, Jiang Yuan slowly walked uphill.

He reached the summit.

Altitude 4,200 meters.

This was the spiritual heart of the red valley—the Mandala.

The magnificent, gilded building shone brightly in the sunlight, creating an extreme visual impact against the surrounding red ocean.

A crowd of people seeking blessings surrounded the enormous prayer wheel.

The devotees chanted prayers, their expressions solemn, their eyes focused on the golden cylinder.

Jiang Yuan didn't just stand and watch.

He also stepped into the crowd.

Following the flow of people, he circled clockwise a few times.

He reached out and pushed the heavy prayer wheel.

He didn't ask for eternal life, nor for sudden wealth.

He only asked for peace and smooth travels on this journey.

It was already two in the afternoon when he descended from the Buddhist Academy.

Jiang Yuan did not linger long in the county town.

He retrieved his car, immediately got onto National Highway G317, and headed west.

Next stop, Ganzi County.

Leaving Seda territory, the view suddenly opened up.

It was no longer the oppressive canyon topography, but vast plateau grasslands.

Occasionally, he could see some plump marmots by the roadside.

They stood upright, paws clasped together, staring blankly at the passing vehicles.

The animals here were not afraid of people.

Some tourists even stopped their cars specifically to feed them biscuits.

Jiang Yuan rolled down his window and slowed his speed.

He did not get out of the car to feed them.

As an outdoor veteran, he knew that these seemingly cute little creatures were actually potential carriers of the plague.

Observe from a distance; do not interact closely.

The wheels sped along.

As the sun began to set, the continuous snow-capped mountains in the distance reappeared on the horizon.

That was in the direction of Que'er Mountain.

It was also the perilous natural barrier that must be crossed to reach Tibet.

Jiang Yuan turned on the stereo.

Xu Wei's "Free as the Wind" echoed across the empty highway.

This was the essence of driving the G317.

Solitary, free, and wild.