Rat in Yellow Wind Ridge, rising from plundering entries

Chapter 16 Crossing the Three Calamities and Avoiding the Three Calamities! Heavenly and Earthly Transformations, I Want Them All!!

A moment passed, Bai Huizi came out and called Huang Feng King to enter.Huang Feng King expressed his gratitude and stepped inside. Inside the hall, Patriarch Bodhi was seated.

Huang Feng King explained his situation and said, “Master, please guide me through this confusion.”

Patriarch Bodhi said, “You are naturally sharp-witted, but after refining your divine body, your true nature is alerting you—there will be a tribulation of three calamities.”

“The path to immortality is extraordinary—it seizes the creation of heaven and earth, invades the mysteries of the sun and moon. Once the elixir is completed, even ghosts and gods will not tolerate it.”

“You must guard against thunder calamity, fire calamity, and wind calamity.”

Huang Feng King was stunned. Hadn’t he not yet reached that stage? Could it be that because of his seven years of foundation, he was now ahead of schedule?

He kowtowed respectfully and said, “Master, please save me and teach me a method to cross the three calamities.”

However, Patriarch Bodhi said, “Crossing the three calamities and avoiding the three calamities—one word makes a great difference. Have you thought it through?”

“Huh?”

Huang Feng King asked, “What’s the difference?”

Patriarch Bodhi explained, “Crossing the three calamities means entering the tribulation, experiencing it, and overcoming it. Once you cross one calamity, you won’t be able to avoid the other two.”

“If you fail, at best, you’ll end up in the underworld as a ghost immortal or a transformed corpse immortal. At worst, your soul will be scattered and annihilated.”

“Avoiding the three calamities means not entering the tribulation. Using various methods to deceive heaven and hide from the calamities, such as the thirty-six Heavenly Transformations and seventy-two Earthly Transformations.”

“Avoiding the three calamities is easier than crossing them. Do you wish to cross them or avoid them?”

Huang Feng King asked, “What benefits come with crossing the three calamities?”

Patriarch Bodhi said, “If you can successfully cross the three calamities, heaven and earth will take notice. You will naturally receive an immortal register and be granted a position among the ranks of immortals, earning titles such as True Monarch or Great Immortal!”

Huang Feng King pondered. Monkey Brother (Sun Wukong) avoided the three calamities and was still very powerful—was there a need to suffer unnecessarily? He was about to speak but suddenly had a thought.

Wait a minute—Patriarch Bodhi clearly knew about both ‘crossing’ and ‘avoiding,’ yet he never mentioned it to Monkey Brother?

Something was off!

Thinking carefully—Monkey Brother actually did ‘cross’ the three calamities.

After wreaking havoc in Heaven and being captured, first, the Thunder Lords struck him with lightning—this was the thunder calamity. He didn’t die. Then, he was thrown into the alchemy furnace for refining—this was the fire calamity.

He still didn’t die. Finally, he was pressed under the Five Elements Mountain for five hundred years, eating iron pellets and drinking molten copper—not unlike the wind calamity.

All three calamities were completed—thus, he became truly divine. Even though it was arranged by others, it was still the process of crossing the three calamities. Clearly, avoiding the three calamities was just a temporary trick—the problem remained unresolved. Only by truly crossing the three calamities could one go far in cultivation.

Understanding this, Huang Feng King respectfully said, “Master, please teach me how to cross the three calamities.”

Seeing Huang Feng King choose ‘crossing,’ Patriarch Bodhi nodded and said, “I have nothing to teach you about crossing the three calamities.”

Huang Feng King was shocked.

“Huh?”

Patriarch Bodhi said, “Everyone’s fate is different. I can only tell you that there are three techniques to weaken the power of the three calamities.”

Huang Feng King asked, “What are these three techniques?”

Patriarch Bodhi replied, “For thunder calamity, there is the thunder technique. For fire calamity, the fire technique. For wind calamity, the wind technique.”

“However, these three techniques are governed by the heavenly laws, strictly controlled by the Celestial Court’s Thunder, Fire, and Wind Departments. I cannot teach you.”

Huang Feng King was taken aback.

Damn!

So that’s how it was.

No wonder the Celestial Court could nominally control the Four Great Continents, the Underworld, and the Four Seas. Even the great sect leaders had to give them respect. It turned out they held the core technology, keeping everyone under their control.

The great sect leaders might not care about the three calamities—but what about their disciples?

Furthermore, the heavenly laws were revered by all celestial beings. Anyone who violated them would be punished by the three major sects. This wasn’t just an empty threat.

Huang Feng King clicked his tongue and, feeling helpless, said, “Master, please teach me a method to avoid the three calamities. I will think it over later.”

Patriarch Bodhi said, “To avoid the three calamities, there is the Heavenly Transformations—thirty-six variations, and the Earthly Transformations—seventy-two variations.”

“Which do you choose?”

Huang Feng King hesitated. Which was better—Heavenly or Earthly Transformations? He was uncertain. It was like seeing two stacks of money on the ground—which one to pick?

A sudden ambition arose within him. He tentatively asked in a low voice, “Master, can I learn them both?”

Patriarch Bodhi was stunned for a moment, then smiled.

“You may have a timid heart, but your ambitions are great! You can learn both, but if you study too many, you will be broad but not specialized—like an embroidered pillow stuffed with grass. It’s better to focus on mastering one.”

I can learn them all!

Then what was there to hesitate about?

Huang Feng King said, “Master, please teach me!”

Patriarch Bodhi sighed.

“Very well. Knowledge should not be passed to those with six ears. Come forward, and I shall teach you the incantation.”

Huang Feng King hurried forward and attentively listened to the teachings. He committed both the Thirty-Six Heavenly Transformations and Seventy-Two Earthly Transformations to memory.

After ensuring that Huang Feng King had remembered everything, Patriarch Bodhi said, “I see that you already have a mist-driving ability. I will also teach you the technique for cloud-somersaulting.”

What a blessing!

Huang Feng King was overjoyed and said, “Thank you, Master!”

After transmitting the incantations, Patriarch Bodhi said, “Wuzhen (Huang Feng King’s Daoist name), now that you have set your heart on facing tribulations, remaining here is of no use. You should descend the mountain and face your fate.”

Huang Feng King was shocked. Patriarch Bodhi continued, “Remember—cultivators must be mindful. ‘A loose tongue scatters divine energy, and moving the tongue stirs up trouble.’ Do not show off your skills.”

“I do not expect you to repay my kindness. From now on, your life and death are your own matters. If you cause trouble, do not mention my name.”

Huang Feng King knew he could not stay. He bowed thrice, promised to always remember his master’s kindness, and to take responsibility for his own actions. Patriarch Bodhi closed his eyes and spoke no further.

Huang Feng King bowed three more times as a final farewell. As he stepped out of the hall, he turned back for one last glance, feeling a tinge of sorrow. He composed himself and went to pack his belongings.

Upon hearing that he was leaving, his fellow disciples were surprised. Sun Wukong, impatient as always, asked if he had angered their master. He even wanted to plead with the master.

Huang Feng King stopped him, saying that he had personal matters and that it had nothing to do with their master. He urged Sun Wukong to continue his cultivation.

“If you ever get the chance, come visit me at Yellow Wind Ridge.”

That evening, his fellow disciples and Sun Wukong saw him off outside the cave. Huang Feng King had maintained good relationships. Sun Wukong handed him a bag of peaches and plums.

A senior disciple who specialized in refining tools gave him a Ruyi Iron and a bag of twelve Five-Element Arrows.

Just before he left, Bai Huizi arrived and gave him a copper coin. She also slipped him a brocade pouch and whispered that it was from their master.

“Open it only after you leave Fangcun Mountain’s territory.”

Huang Feng King bowed toward the mountain gate to thank his master, then bid farewell to his brothers and Sun Wukong before descending the stone steps.

After walking five or six miles, he crossed a bridge. Under the bridge, a man in a straw raincoat and bamboo hat was fishing. Seeing him pass by, he called out, “Young man, have you achieved the Dao and are now leaving the mountain?”

Huang Feng King paused on the bridge and recognized the man—it was the Mountain God.

Smiling, he replied, “No, I have personal matters at home and must leave.”

He bowed deeply and said, “Thank you for guiding me back then.”

The Mountain God accepted the gesture and said, “I just caught a golden fish—I’ll give it to you. Take it home and raise it well.”