Chapter 46: Ancient India and the Well of Time

　　Part 1: The Hub　　"So, does the sea really connect under that old pagoda?"　　"Let me think." Lin Molly always pursed her lips slightly when deep in thought, an unconsciously cute habit that made me stare.　　Thwack!Another sharp flick landed on my forehead. It stung!　　"It's rude to stare!"　　"Right, right, my fault!" I rubbed my head, my eyes darting as I quickly steered back. "So, uh, you mentioned transit earlier. Are you saying all these Ancient Shu relics were brought here from Sichuan?"　　"Yes," she said. "The Shu people used the Membrane World to move people and supplies."　　"You mean this place was an ancient transit hub?"　　"Exactly!" Lin Molly looked down, meeting my gaze, and enunciated clearly: "This place was originally a hub on the Ancient India Route."　　The Ancient India Route... Wasn't that the old trade road from Sichuan to India? I clearly remembered it went through Yunnan and Myanmar into South Asia. When did it swing into Tibet?　　"Not just Yunnan."　　Lin Molly explained that the southern Tibet region also had branches of the Ancient India Route. That was precisely why the Ancient Shu people established a temple and altar here.　　Part 2: Crafted by Hand, Seeming Nature's Work　　"That doesn't make sense!" I shook my head like a rattle-drum. "That route is incredibly tough. The altitude is bad enough, but it's all mountains and gorges. How could they manage?"　　"They built cliff roads!" Lin Molly said. "The Shu people were masters at that. The Golden Ox Road is their classic work."　　"The Golden Ox Road? The ancient path linking Hanzhong and the Sichuan Basin? But the scale of that is nothing compared to what would be needed here! Building from Sichuan all the way to India? The sheer scale is unimaginable!"　　Lin Molly looked at me as if I were simple. "They only needed to build from here to the Yarlung Tsangpo River