Family Ties

[The Fire Calamity: This fire was no heavenly fire, nor was it ordinary flame. It was called "Yin Fire." It rose from the Yongquan acupoint beneath one's feet and burned straight through to the Niwan Palace. The five viscera turned to ash, and all four limbs withered.]

[The Wind Calamity: This wind was neither the winds of east, west, north, or south, nor the gentle spring breeze or the cold north wind, nor the winds through flowers, willows, pines, or bamboo. It was called Bi Wind. It blew in through the crown of the head, swept through the six viscera, passed through the dantian, and pierced the nine apertures. Flesh and bone crumbled away until the body came apart on its own.]

Shi Tianwu told Lu Bian that by cultivating the Dharma Sutra, he had learned how to survive the "Wind Calamity" and "Fire Calamity." Those methods were the Dark Asura Path and Sha An Tian's "Dark Firmament."

The Dark Asura Path could overcome the "Fire Calamity," while the Dark Firmament could overcome the "Wind Calamity."

For people like them who cultivated Magnetic Rotation, before reaching the ultimate realm, their bodies generally had only two weaknesses: the heart and the brain. If both weaknesses were destroyed at once, death was certain.

The Dharma Sutra was the foundation for cultivating the Dark Asura Path, and only after mastering the Dark Asura Path could one cultivate Sha An Tian's "Dark Firmament." It was a progression, step by step.

Once they mastered the "Dark Firmament," the heart and brain would no longer be weaknesses for Magnetic Rotation practitioners. When the Bi Wind of the "Wind Calamity" blew, the "Dark Firmament" would scatter with the wind and gather at will, leaving them free and unbound.

Shi Tianwu organized and annotated the contents of the Dark Asura Path and the "Dark Firmament," pondering how to help Lu Bian learn the "Dark Firmament" before reaching seventy-five heavens of power.

It wouldn't be easy, because the "Dark Firmament" was a skill that could only be mastered in the final realm of Magnetic Rotation.

The so-called final realm referred to the range from Magnetic Rotation—970,000 horsepower to Magnetic Rotation—990,000 horsepower. Though the gap was only thirty thousand horsepower, for many people it was a realm they could never cross in their entire lives.

"The Three Calamities..."

"They're a test and a selection process for cultivators."

"Could I impose the same kind of restrictions on Magnetic Rotation?"

Shi Tianwu's thoughts shifted, and he began mulling over the effects of Magnetic Rotation on the world and on people.

Flying at only five hundred kilometers per hour wasn't the limit of Lu Bian's speed. He simply treated flying as a pleasure, and soaring through the sky at a pace that was neither too fast nor too slow made for a wonderful experience.

When he flew to his home at the foot of the mountain, Lu Bian sensed that Chenxiang wasn't home, and the donkey wasn't in its stall either. He figured Chenxiang must have taken the donkey out, though he didn't know whether they'd gone up the mountain or into town.

After counting the days, Lu Bian realized.

"Today must be market day. So that's it."

Chenxiang had probably taken the donkey to browse the market.

Their nearest neighbors lived three miles away, and Lu Bian rarely saw anyone around. Chenxiang's happiest days were the monthly market days. The market was lively, and snacks, acrobatic shows, and storytellers could all keep Chenxiang lingering for ages.

Lu Bian picked up his wine gourd, tied the bamboo staff to his waist, and headed for the market on the edge of town to look for Chenxiang.

Chenxiang was eight. Lu Bian had been teaching him for a year, so to him, Chenxiang was still just a first-grader. What if he ran into a child kidnapper at the market on his own?

Chenxiang had learned a little martial arts from him. If he got into trouble and hit someone, that would only cause more problems.

Lu Bian walked six miles and reached the market in a very short time. To the people around him, it looked as if a dark gust of wind had swept past.

He took out three copper coins to buy a scallion pancake and ate it as he looked around the market for Chenxiang and the donkey.

Lu Bian's donkey was easy to recognize, and he spotted it at a glance.

He walked over. Chenxiang was squatting in front of a stall, picking through its wares.

They were Chinese yams.

After sorting through them, Chenxiang filled a whole basket with yams, then stood up and had the donkey carry it.

"Hey, Chenxiang, I'm back."

Lu Bian placed a big hand on Chenxiang's shoulder. Chenxiang looked up, then joyfully jumped up and hugged him.

"I gave you a little vacation. How was living on your own?" Lu Bian lifted Chenxiang up, then set him back on his feet. He was just as happy to see him.

"A little boring," Chenxiang answered.

"There wasn't even anyone to talk to. I could only play with Stubborn Donkey."

"Ga?" The stupid donkey tilted its head and bared its teeth at Chenxiang, clearly unhappy with what he'd said.

"What made you think of buying yams?"

"I wanted to stew some. My mother used to dig up yams all the time," Chenxiang replied.

"My mom likes stewing yams too. She puts in ginger, cabbage, and tofu, then cooks a whole pot. It lasts for days," Lu Bian said. "The older generation always says yams are good for the body. Haha."

This was the first time Chenxiang had heard Lu Bian mention his family.

Chenxiang found it novel, but didn't ask anything more.

"Next time, we can set up a stall too," Lu Bian said.

"We can sell radishes, cabbages, and things like that."

Lu Bian had cleared vegetable plots in front of and behind his house. He grew scallions, ginger, chili peppers, chives, cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, and white radishes. Some of the vegetables didn't belong in this era; he'd gotten them through the Chat Group.

Potatoes, also called spuds or Chinese potatoes, were an exceptionally nutritious food. Lu Bian fed Chenxiang potatoes all day long; they were the staple food for both of them. Potatoes also yielded abundantly and didn't need the careful cultivation of other staple crops, so Lu Bian had planted an entire hillside with them.

"Why aren't we selling potatoes?" Chenxiang asked.

"I haven't decided yet," Lu Bian replied.

What was there to decide? Chenxiang didn't quite understand.

Why call them "Chinese potatoes"?

Lu Bian told Chenxiang that they were tubers that had come from across the ocean.

Lu Bian had turned Chenxiang into a potato fanatic. Potatoes were Chenxiang's favorite food, and he never got tired of eating them, even every day. They could be fried, boiled, stewed, pan-fried, roasted, steamed... Potatoes could be cooked in every way imaginable, and they needed little seasoning. Even someone who couldn't cook could make them taste great.

The man, boy, and donkey passed a monkey-show stall, and Chenxiang called for them to stop.

Chenxiang watched the little monkey perform tricks on the orders of the street performer, drawing people's attention and earning tips. He liked the little monkey, but also felt sorry for it.

Seeing this, Lu Bian gave Chenxiang ten copper coins and told him to tip the performer.

After watching for five or six minutes, Chenxiang gave the performer the money, and they continued browsing the market.

"Why?" Chenxiang asked Lu Bian from the donkey's back.

"Why give him such a big tip?"

"Mm." Chenxiang nodded.

"A ten-copper-coin tip might make the street performer care more about the little monkey and treat it better."

"What do you think the relationship between that person and the little monkey is?" Lu Bian asked Chenxiang.

Chenxiang began thinking carefully.

"Things in this world are complicated," Lu Bian told Chenxiang.

"Sometimes, you need to look on the bright side."

"Maybe that person and the little monkey are family. Maybe they can't live without each other."

"Family relationships aren't always good. Sometimes people argue or even fight and end up at odds. Other times, they care for each other and think about all sorts of things, big and small, for one another..."

"But one of them is a monkey and the other is a person. Can they still be family?" Chenxiang asked.

"Even dogs can be family, let alone monkeys," Lu Bian replied.

"Being family isn't subject to any conditions."

"Oh." Chenxiang silently glanced at Lu Bian.