Full Moon Appointment
At dawn, the dense fog over the Holy Lake failed to dissipate as expected. Instead, it grew even thicker, shrouding the entire lakeshore in a milky white haze. Visibility was less than five steps, and even the black stone tablet was nearly obscured from view.
Qi Diao Yanfei hadn't slept all night, her eyes bloodshot. She sat at the edge of the camp, clutching the string of phoenix eye bodhi beads tightly in her hand, as if it were the only link between her and reality.
Jiacuo walked out of the tent with an unusually calm expression, as if what was about to happen was not a night that would decide life or death, but just an ordinary day.
"The fog has thickened," he commented, sitting down next to Qi Diao Yanfei. "The holy lake is protecting its secrets."
Qi Diao Yanfei turned to look at him: "You still decided to stay? Even if it might cost you your life?"
Gyatso smiled faintly. "My father always said that death is not to be feared, but living without meaning is to be feared. If my life can help break the family curse or help you reunite with your loved one, it would be my greatest honor."
These words brought a pang of sadness to Qidiao Yanfei's heart. She recalled what Tashi Phuntsok had said on his deathbed eight years ago: "Just being able to meet you is enough." Back then, he, like Gyatso now, considered love and devotion the highest meaning of life.
And is Tashi Phuntsok, who asked for sacrifice, really the one she loves?
“I’ve been wondering,” she whispered, “if that person who appeared in the fog wasn’t the real Tashi Phuntsok, then what could it be?”
Gyatso gazed at the thick fog. "According to the legend of the Holy Lake, there are beings called 'Mirror Spirits'. They have no fixed form and will transform into the person people most want to see and say the words people most want to hear in order to lure their prey."
"prey?"
"Legend has it that mirror spirits feed on human emotions and life energy." Gyatso's expression was serious. "What they love most is true love and selfless sacrifice—these two emotions generate the purest energy."
Qi Diao Yanfei's heart moved. If this was true, then the "Zaxi Phuntsok" who demanded sacrifice was most likely this mirror spirit, who had taken advantage of her eight-year longing for reunion to set this trap.
But what about the notes, letters, and maps that were clearly in Tashi Phuntsok's handwriting?
"Everything will be revealed tonight anyway," she said finally.
Throughout the day, the two men prepared for the full moon night. Qi Diao Yanfei checked all her equipment and sharpened her sky burial knife to a pinpoint edge. Gyatso carved protective inscriptions in Tibetan around the stone tablet, citing ancient Khampa family texts as a way to ward off evil spirits.
In the afternoon, a ethereal singing voice suddenly emerged from the thick fog. It was a man's voice, singing Tsangyang Gyatso's poem:
"That day, with my eyes closed in the fragrant mist of the scriptures, I suddenly heard the true words in your chanting.
That month, I shook all the prayer wheels, not for salvation, but just to touch your fingertips.
That year, I kowtowed and crawled on the mountain road, not for an audience, but just to feel your warmth.
In that life, I circumambulated mountains, rivers, and pagodas, not to cultivate my next life, but simply to meet you along the way.
Qi Diao Yanfei's heart skipped a beat. It was Tashi Phuntsok's voice; she would never mistake it. But this time, the singing carried an indescribable sadness and urgency.
"Don't respond!" Gyatso warned in a low voice, "That might be the temptation of the mirror spirit."
But Qi Diao Yanfei had already involuntarily taken a step towards the direction of the singing. Eight years of longing were like a flood that broke through her rational defenses.
"Yanfei, I'm here..." The singing stopped, replaced by the familiar call.
In the thick fog, Tashi Phuntsok reappeared, this time looking more real, almost tangible.
"Don't come over here!" Qi Diao Yanfei shouted sternly, pressing his hand on the Sky Burial Knife. "Who the hell are you?"
Tashi Phuntsok stopped walking, a hurt expression on his face. "Yan Fei, don't you recognize me? I'm the one who swore an oath with you under the moonlight, willing to give up my identity as a reincarnated spirit child rather than betray you!"
These words touched the softest part of Qidiao Yanfei's heart. It was a secret known only to her and Tashi Phuntsok, not even to the Khampa family.
"Prove you are him," she said tremblingly. "Tell me, what did you say when we last met?"
Tashi Phuntsok smiled faintly, tears welling in his eyes. "I said, 'I will not let down the Tathagata, nor will I let you down.' I said, 'Without you, what is the point of becoming a Buddha?' I said, 'From the day you returned to nature, everything in the world is you. The wind is your caress, the snowflakes are your dance.'"
Each sentence was like a key, unlocking the floodgates of Qidiao Yanfei's memory. These were indeed private conversations between her and Tashi Phuntsok, especially the last sentence—her prayer as a sky burial master, shared with him only in the most intimate moments.
"You...you are really him?" Her voice trembled with excitement.
"I have always been like this," "Zaxi Pingcuo" extended his hand to her, "but the journey through time and space has changed me. In that world, I learned the true meaning of life - there is no boundary between life and death, and love is enough to transcend everything."
His words were full of temptation, striking directly at Qi Diao Yanfei's deepest desire.
"Tonight, when the moon is full, when the node of time and space opens, we can be together forever." He continued, his voice as sweet as honey, "All it takes is a small sacrifice, a voluntary dedication..."
"Like Dorje Gyaltsen?" Gyatso suddenly interrupted, walking out of the thick fog with a Tibetan knife engraved with scriptures in his hand.
Tashi Phuntsok's expression froze for a moment, but soon returned to a gentle tone: "Dorje Gyaltsen understood the true meaning of life. His sacrifice was not the end, but another form of eternity."
"Like the sacrifice you asked me to make?" Gyatso asked coldly.
"That is glory," Tashi Phuntsok's voice remained soft. "Sacrificing for love is the highest sublimation of the soul."
Qi Diao Yanfei watched this conversation, her mind becoming increasingly clear. The real Tashi Phuntsok would never speak so lightly of the sacrifices of others. The young man who would rather bear everything himself than harm any living being was completely different from the one before her, who spoke so eloquently of the "glory of sacrifice."
"You are not him." She finally said with certainty, and the Sky Burial Knife was already unsheathed.
Tashi Phuntsok's expression changed instantly, the gentle mask peeling off, revealing his cold self underneath: "Foolish woman. After eight years of waiting, don't you want to be reunited with him?"
"I think so," Qi Diao Yanfei said firmly, "but it will never be at the cost of innocent lives."
The mirror spirit—now she was certain it was the mirror spirit—let out a shrill laugh: "Innocent? Who in this world is truly innocent? The Khampa family's blood curse is retribution for their ancestors' betrayal!"
This sentence made Jiacuo's face change drastically: "What did you say?"
The mirror spirit turned to him, a malicious glint in its eyes. "Your great-great-grandfather once swore to protect the secrets of the Holy Lake, but sold the lake's location to outsiders for wealth. As punishment, the Holy Lake has placed a blood curse on him, causing his descendants to suffer for generations."
This truth hit Jiacuo like a hammer. He staggered back, his face pale.
"But now, I can lift this curse," the mirror spirit's voice became tempting again. "Using your life energy, I can not only open the space-time channel, but also purify your family's blood. One life in exchange for the salvation of the entire family. Isn't this a good deal?"
Gyatso's eyes began to waver. If sacrificing himself could truly lift the family curse, it would indeed be a deal hard to refuse.
"Don't believe it!" Qi Diao Yanfei shouted sternly, "It's playing with your emotions, just like it played with my thoughts!"
But it was too late. Gyatso's eyes flashed with determination: "If this is true, I am willing."
The mirror spirit smiled with satisfaction, and its figure began to dissipate in the thick fog: "When the moon is full, in front of the stone tablet, I await your choice..."
After it disappeared, the camp returned to silence, leaving only the lacquer sculpture smoke and the shaken Jiacuo.
"You can't do this," Qi Diao Yanfei grabbed Jiacuo's shoulders, "It's probably just a lie!"
“But what if that’s true?” Gyatso’s eyes were painful and determined. “If my death can truly lift the family curse and save Tsering and his descendants from suffering, then my sacrifice will be worth it.”
Qi Diao Yanfei was speechless. She understood this spirit of sacrifice for her family, just as she understood her own obsession with Tashi Phuntsok. Everyone has their own obsessions, and the mirror spirit exploited them.
In the evening, the thick fog lifted slightly, revealing the gradually waxing moon in the sky. Tonight was the night of the full moon, and the moment that would determine their fate was about to arrive.
Qi Diao Yanfei came to the holy lake alone and looked at the azure water. The water was as calm as a mirror, reflecting her tired face.
“Tashi Phuntsok,” she whispered to the lake, “if you are really out there somewhere, please give me a hint. Tell me what to do.”
The lake suddenly rippled, and a scene slowly emerged: Tashi Phuntsok was standing in a space filled with light, banging hard on the invisible wall, his lips moving as if he was shouting something.
Qi Diao Yanfei carefully discerned his lip movements:
"Don't...believe...in...the...mirror...that...is...guarding...Jia...cuo...waiting...for...me..."
The scene suddenly stopped and the lake returned to calm.
A warm feeling welled up in Qidiao Yanfei's heart. That was the real Tashi Phuntsok, warning her, trying to return.
She hurried back to the camp and told Gyatso what she had seen.
The young man was silent for a long time, and finally nodded: "I believe you. We will face tonight's challenge together."
As night fell and the full moon rose, the holy lake was shrouded in a silvery light. The thick fog dissipated miraculously, revealing the clear lakeshore and the black stone tablet that shone with a strange light.
As midnight approached, Qi Diao Yanfei and Jiacuo stood in front of the stone tablet, ready to face an unknown fate.
"Thank you for bringing me here," Gyatso said suddenly. "Even if I die tonight, at least I know the truth about my family curse."
Qi Diao Yanfei held his hand and said, "We will all survive. I promise."
The moon gradually rose to the zenith, its light streaming down upon the stele. Shockingly, the stele began to become transparent, as if made of dark crystal. In its center, a vortex slowly formed, emitting a powerful suction force.
"The time and space node has been opened." Qi Diao Yanfei whispered.
At this moment, the mirror spirit appeared again. This time, it no longer disguised itself as Tashi Phuntsok, but transformed into a silver mist that constantly shifted in shape, with only its face retaining human features.
"The final moment has arrived," its voice sounded like thousands of people speaking simultaneously, "Offer your life energy, descendants of Khampa, for your family, for true love!"
Jiacuo took a step forward, but Qidiao Yanfei held him tightly.
"We will offer no sacrifices," she cried. "Your lies end here!"
The mirror spirit roared angrily, "Foolish! Without life energy, the space-time node will become unstable, and your loved ones will be forever lost in the turbulence of time and space!"
"Then let me take his place." A familiar voice came from the stone tablet.
Qi Diao Yanfei and Jiacuo turned their heads at the same time, and saw a figure slowly emerging from the transparent stone tablet - it was Tashi Phuntsok, the real Tashi Phuntsok, with the tenderness and determination she was familiar with in his eyes.
"Pingcuo!" Qi Diao Yanfei called out excitedly.
Tashi Phuntsok—the real him—smiled and said, “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting so long. I’ve been trying to find my way back.”
The mirror spirit screamed in terror: "No! How could you possibly break through the space-time barrier?"
Tashi Phuntsok turned his gaze to the mirror spirit: "Because you made a mistake - you underestimated the power of true love. You took advantage of Dorje Gyaltsen's sense of responsibility to his family, Yanfei's longing for me, and Jiacuo's spirit of sacrifice, but you didn't know that the essence of these emotions is love, and love will ultimately defeat all deception."
The mirror spirit pounced madly on the stone tablet, but was bounced away by an invisible force.
Tashi Phuntsok turned to Qi Diao Yanfei, his eyes full of love: "Yanfei, the time and space node can only last for a short time. I can go back to my world, or... stay, but there will be a price to pay."
"What's the price?" Qi Diao Yanfei asked anxiously.
"A part of me must remain to maintain the stability of the node," Tashi Phuntsok said calmly. "My memories, my emotions, everything about me as 'Tashi Phuntsok'... will all remain in this node, becoming a bridge connecting the two time and space."
Qi Diao Yanfei's heart sank: "That means..."
"That means I will no longer remember you, our love, or anything." His voice remained calm. "I will become a blank existence, a walker guarding a node in time and space."
"No!" Qi Diao Yanfei burst into tears, "I can't lose you again!"
Tashi Phuntsok looked at her tenderly. "You will never lose me. As you often say, 'From the day you return to nature, everything in the world is you.' From now on, whenever the wind blows across your cheek and snowflakes fall into your palm, that is me caressing you."
He turned to Gyatso and said, "The curse on the Khampa family was actually lifted long ago. When Dorje Gyaltsen voluntarily gave his life energy, the wrath of the holy lake subsided. Your illness will gradually improve with time. No further sacrifices are needed."
A glimmer of hope flashed in Gyatso's eyes: "Really?"
Tashi Phuntsok nodded. "The mirror spirit distorts the truth. It simply wants to gain more life energy. Remember, any love that demands sacrifice is not true love."
The space-time node began to flicker unsteadily, and Tashi Phuntsok's figure began to become transparent.
"The time has come," he whispered. "My choice is to stay and become a guardian. For you, and for all those who may be deceived by the mirror spirit."
"No!" Qi Diao Yanfei rushed towards the stone tablet, but was pushed away by a gentle force.
Tashi Phuntsok smiled at her at last: "In that life, I circumambulated the mountains, rivers, and pagodas, not for the sake of cultivating my next life, but simply to meet you along the way. And I have finally done it. I have lived up to the Tathagata and I have lived up to you..."
His figure completely disappeared into the stone tablet. Then, the stone tablet emitted a dazzling light, sucking the mirror spirit into it. After a shrill scream, everything returned to calm.
Under the moonlight, the stone tablet returned to its original black color, but there were some new carvings on the surface - it was the profile of a man, vaguely the outline of Tashi Phuntsok.
Qi Diao Yanfei knelt before the stone tablet, tears dripping onto the cold ground. She finally saw the man she had waited eight years for, but she lost him forever in another way.
Gyatso gently placed his hand on her shoulder: "He hasn't left. Just like he said, he turned into everything and will always protect you."
Qi Diao Yanfei raised her head, watching the prayer flags swaying in the night wind, feeling the snowflakes gently falling on her face. Yes, he was right there, in the wind, in the snow, in all things in the universe.
She had let go of the world, but she had never let go of him. And from now on, she no longer needed to let go, because he had become one with the world and was everywhere.
"We should go back." She said softly after a long time.
Gyatso nodded: "Tsering and the other children are waiting for us to bring back hope."
Qi Diao Yanfei touched the portrait of Tashi Phuntsok on the stone tablet for the last time, then turned around and set off on the journey home with Jiacuo.
As dawn approaches, the Holy Lake gleams with a tranquil light in the morning light. A full moon gradually sinks in the west, and in the eastern sky, a new day is dawning.
Qi Diao Yanfei looked back and seemed to see Tashi Pingcuo standing on the other side of the lake, waving goodbye to her.
She smiled slightly and continued walking.
Everything in the world is you, and I will continue to live my life with your love.
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