Aji

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Silversmith’s Household

Aji grew up with his father, Queji, and his elder sister, Zhuoma. Zhuoma helped raise him: his memories include gathering yak dung with her, watching her churn butter, and being carried on her back to a Buddha-unveiling festival. Gonpo remembers Aji as clever and says he learned all of his father’s craft 95 108.

The family operated a silversmith’s workshop on the Linzang Kora Route. Although a steward’s favor had helped Queji establish the household there, they remained black-bone people rather than free or privileged residents 92 97 109.

Golden Stupa Disaster

Queji and Aji were ordered to cast a golden stupa at Nengsheng Liberation Temple. It was intended to house the body of Luodu, a deceased Khutuktu whose remains had been tainted by the Esoteric Treasury Domain. During its transformation, the stupa released an unusual fragrance, and nearby women began coupling with it 71 92 124.

Father and son fled on small mules, but Yundan Langjia of the Maji family ambushed them with a hired mantra master. A poisonous curse and offerings caused an accident that killed their mounts. Queji stayed behind to confront the attackers and give Aji a chance to escape 92.

While fleeing, Aji saw the sun become the golden stupa, with his father and their enemies pinned beneath it and smiling at him. He collapsed outside his family’s home. Queji was killed, while Aji’s soul remained trapped beneath Luodu’s golden stupa, unable to direct his own body 92 96 124.

Becoming a Karmic Retribution Body

The Knife Credit Ledger instructed Zhou Yang to sell Aji a knife on credit to free him from his uncertain, unconscious state. Zhou Yang accepted and entered Aji’s body, while Aji’s own consciousness remained present as confused murmuring 92 94 95.

Zhou Yang opened Aji’s eyes and pretended to have lost his memory. To Zhuoma and Gonpo, Aji appeared to have awakened without recognizing them; in reality, the original Aji still could not control his body. His consciousness nevertheless supplied Zhou Yang with memories of household objects and explanations of esoteric rituals 95 96.

After Ding Gui seized the family’s possessions and ordered the siblings out, Gonpo sheltered them near Narong Charnel Ground. Zhou Yang, acting as Aji, became Gonpo’s disciple to earn food and meet the household’s labor obligations. Gonpo later arranged for Gemei to become his second master 97 98 99 116.

Partial Recovery and Continuing Danger

During the dream sky burial of Sangsang, Aji cried out when Luodu attempted to consume her emanation right consciousness. He then recited a cultivation formula that helped Zhou Yang withstand Luodu’s attack and begin understanding the formation of an Upright Heart 121 122 123.

Afterward, Aji announced that part of his soul had returned. He explained his imprisonment, identified Luodu as the source of the stupa disaster, and revealed that he himself carried a footprint of the Esoteric Treasury Domain. Zhou Yang promised to help him and instructed him to study passages from the sages, beginning with “The Art of the Mind” 123 124.

His recovery remained incomplete. Aji still depended on Zhou Yang’s awareness to perceive the outside world. During a later three-day absence by Zhou Yang, Luodu briefly took control of the body; Jiekan interrupted him by knocking him unconscious. Zhou Yang subsequently instructed the household to restrain the body during future episodes and verify a password upon awakening 125 134 135.

Appearance

• Aji is described as a tall, thin young man 113.
• Zhuoma is nearly as tall as he is 96.

Personality

Aji is deeply attached to his elder sister. Even while confused and unable to act, he remembers her care and earnestly begs Zhou Yang to protect her. His request is accompanied by sincere wishes for Zhou Yang’s health, peace, and good fortune 95 97.

He responds to rescue with intense gratitude, addressing Zhou Yang as “Abba Rinpoche-la” and resolving to honor him as a father. His fear of Luodu and the Esoteric Treasury Domain remains pronounced: mentioning Luodu makes him fearful, and discovering the footprint on his own back reduces him to tears 124.

Abilities & Skills

Luodu Terma Mind Consciousness

Aji’s extraordinary ritual knowledge comes from Luodu Terma Mind Consciousness, the same influence responsible for his confused state and Luodu’s presence within his soul 104 122.

• Identifies hidden properties of mantras, offerings, ritual implements, and Mantra Points 95 96 97.
• Recognizes Gonpo’s Gangba Aga tsa-tsa and explains its connection to the dharma protector Sanzan Dorje 98.
• Explains the lama’s plan to turn six Tsen Demons into Lung Demons for a Secret Mandala 108.
• Initially requires a relevant sight, sound, or situation to trigger an explanation; Zhou Yang cannot freely request everything contained in the Terma 107 111.
• Does not react to Little Zhuoma’s Primordial Right Consciousness, unlike his responses to esoteric phenomena 110.

Ritual Analysis and Offerings

Aji helps Zhou Yang understand and perform rituals beyond the ordinary knowledge of the local sky burial masters.

Vajra Refinement

Aji recognizes Zhou Yang’s Ghost Ten Hands as suitable material for a vajra and later teaches him how to refine the Ghost Ruler 97 110.

• Projects a detailed image of a five-pronged vajra into Zhou Yang’s mind.
• Teaches an ordered visualization of its shape, lotus and jewel designs, and makara ornaments.
• Recites the mantras needed to hammer collected Mantra Points into the material.
• States that eighteen Mantra Points are required for the vajra’s initial form; Zhou Yang initially has only five 110.

Upright Origin and Right Enlightenment

Aji transmits the formula for Upright Origin and Right Enlightenment, which Zhou Yang recognizes as fundamentally equivalent to cultivating an Upright Heart 122 123.

• Uses hostile Ghost Rhyme as pressure to temper separate strands of Mindfulness into a unified whole 123.
• Proceeds toward establishing great aspirations and vows 123.
• Is identified by Aji as the most essential part of the Terma, originating from the Esoteric Treasury Domain 124.
• Aji teaches the method, but is not shown completing it himself 123 124.

Metalworking, Riding, and Herding

• Gold, silver, and bronze work: Learned his father’s craft; remembered repairs include silver-capping a damaged agate and repairing a copper garuda 96 97 108.
• Riding and herding: Listed among his abilities in the Knife Credit Ledger 104.
• Current limitation: The ledger marks both skill groups unavailable. Aji cannot operate his body, and Zhou Yang lacks his delicate metalworking skills 99 104.

Equipment / Items

• Well-tempered iron knife — The mediocre-quality blade sold to Aji on credit. Its quality prevents him from actively severing his karmic connection with Zhou Yang and gives him an average chance of fortuitous opportunities but a somewhat above-average chance of peril 95.
• Gangba Aga tsa-tsa — Given by Gonpo to Zhou Yang, acting as Aji, upon accepting him as a disciple 99.
• Cymbals — Given by Gemei to formalize the second master–disciple relationship; Zhou Yang detects a faint red glow associated with Mantra Points 116.

Relationships

• Zhuoma / Ajia — Elder sister and childhood caregiver. Aji entrusts her safety to Zhou Yang while unable to protect her himself 95 97.
• Queji — Father and metalworking teacher. Sacrifices his chance to escape so Aji can flee the Maji ambush 92 108.
• Zhou Yang — Blade-credit merchant, rescuer, and controller of Aji’s body. Aji calls him “Abba Rinpoche-la,” honoring him as a savior who has shown the grace of a second parent 94 124.
• Gonpo — Shelters the siblings and accepts Zhou Yang, under Aji’s identity, as his sky burial disciple 98 99.
• Gemei — Becomes the second master of the publicly recognized “Aji” and teaches the Square Offering 116.
• Luodu — Dominant hostile presence within Aji’s soul; his Terma grants knowledge while depriving Aji of bodily autonomy 104 122 124.
• Maji family — Responsible for the ambush that killed Queji. Zhuoma concludes that Akang’s engagement to her was a scheme to acquire the household’s workshop and property 92 99.
• Jiekan — Fellow corpse carrier whose intervention unknowingly interrupts Luodu’s attempt to act through Aji’s body 112 135.

Notable Quotes

“Please take good care of Ajia for me. Please protect her and keep her safe.” 97

“My soul was pinned beneath Luodu’s golden stupa. To me, every turn of day and night in the world felt as long as a year.” 124