I met the great Khan of Western Gokturks. As his relationship with the Tang Emporer is still friendly, he had offered a feast to me. After the feast, I travelled westwards then southwest to Tashkent. I had been pondering about something at that time. When? When will I reach India? It's going to taking years. Will I really make it safely? I marched on. After crossing the dessert to Samarkand, I came across some abondoned Bhuddist temples. I impressed the local king with my preaching and continued south. I crossed a spur of the Pamirs and passed through the famous Iron gates. I am now in Amu Darya and Termez, where I have entered a community of more than a thousand monks. I feel so safe here. But the question that I had been pondering over still remains. When will I reach India?

"I would rather die going to the west than live by staying in the east."
10:41 PM