C6 The Origin of the Small Cauldron

The lightning was utterly indifferent to Zhang Xiaolong's thoughts, roaring above like a barrage of cannons, shaking the very heavens with its fury.

Anyone outside at that moment would have witnessed the lightning bolts converging upon the roof of Zhang Xiaolong's house.

To his surprise, Zhang Xiaolong discovered that he hadn't been knocked unconscious by the relentless lightning as he had been previously. Though the ordeal was somewhat painful, it was not beyond his threshold of endurance.

Once his initial panic subsided, he noticed that the majority of the lightning was being absorbed by the silhouette of the small black cauldron enveloped in a dense, earthy glow. It was likely this absorption that spared him from more severe harm.

The thunder rumbled for a full fifteen minutes before it quieted down, and with its cessation, the rain stopped as well. The dark clouds that had blanketed the sky also swiftly vanished.

A gaping hole marred the roof of Zhang Xiaolong's house, still emitting wisps of black smoke, yet he remained oblivious, engrossed in the vast and complex information flooding his mind.

After another quarter of an hour, Zhang Xiaolong managed to piece together a semblance of understanding, all the while profoundly moved by his extraordinary encounter.

As he had previously speculated, the incident when he was struck by lightning in the county town, leading to his month-long unconsciousness, was not solely due to the lightning. It was also connected to the small black cauldron that often materialized on his chest.

This cauldron had a remarkable heritage, having been a treasure of the ancient Shennong. Shennong, who taught people to observe celestial patterns for farming and tasted a myriad of herbs for medicinal purposes, was revered as both the God of Agriculture and the God of Medicine. This cauldron was the very vessel Shennong used to transform herbs into medicine.

As Shennong ascended, he worried about the mortals' ability to withstand disasters and diseases. He sealed his wisdom and a portion of his magical power within the Divine Cauldron, leaving it in the mortal realm for a predestined individual to find. Yet, due to some unforeseen error, the Divine Cauldron vanished for millennia, only to reappear abruptly, breaking through the void to find its way to Zhang Xiaolong, the one destined to inherit it.

According to Zhang Xiaolong's research, the Shennong Cauldron chose him from among many because of his pure heart and exceptional intelligence. It seems that Shennong used his supreme magical powers to set restrictions, ensuring that only those with a pure heart and considerable wisdom could possess the Divine Cauldron.

If someone with a malicious character obtained it, the Divine Cauldron could be used for evil, rather than aiding others in their suffering. Similarly, without sufficient wisdom, one would be unable to pass on Shennong's legacy, rendering the cauldron useless.

Zhang Xiaolong meticulously absorbed these memories, which were predominantly about agriculture and medicine. In addition, there was a powerful cultivation technique called the Dragon Controlling True Spell.

"Xiaolong, are you okay?"

A frantic knocking interrupted his thoughts. Zhang Xiaolong snapped out of his reverie, glanced at himself, and quickly got organized.

Outside, Zhang Daniu and his wife, Liu Mei, paced in distress, nearly at the point of breaking down the door.

They had been alarmed by the thunderous noise, which they initially dismissed as a weather anomaly, until they discovered their house's roof smoking from a lightning strike. Their primary concern was for their son, still inside.

Just as Zhang Daniu braced himself to force the door open, it creaked ajar from within.

Blinking sleepily, Zhang Xiaolong emerged and stretched with a yawn. "What's going on, Dad? I had just dozed off; why did you wake me?"

"You were asleep?" Zhang Daniu and Liu Mei exchanged bewildered looks. The thunder had been deafening, and yet he had slept through it?

"We were worried about you; the lightning caused the house to smoke. We feared you might have been injured," Liu Mei explained with urgency.

"Ah?" Zhang Xiaolong turned around, feigning surprise, "It really struck? Luckily, I was asleep, or I might have been hit by lightning again. Surely I didn't bring this on myself, right?"

"Don't spout nonsense. It's good that you're okay," Zhang Daniu chided, "And remember, our roof was already damaged; it wasn't the lightning's doing."

There had been whispers in the village that Zhang Xiaolong was possessed by a demon. Now that the gossip had quieted down, if word got out that lightning had struck the roof, there was no telling what people might start saying.

With this in mind, Zhang Daniu quickly patched up the hole in the roof and covered it with a tarp. This was to prevent further rain damage and to hide the lightning marks from prying eyes.

To his surprise, his makeshift repairs held up. Shortly after the rain ceased, it began pouring again, this time for three straight days and nights.

Now, Zhang Daniu's concerns shifted from the house to the crops in the field. He returned from the fields each day, heavy with sighs.

"Dad, what's the matter? The crops aren't going anywhere. A little rain is just rain. When it's time to plant wheat, we'll even save on watering," Zhang Xiaolong said, trying to console his father.

"What do you know?" Zhang Daniu's worries only deepened. "Our corn was already late to harvest, and now with three days of continuous rain, even if it stops, the fields will be a quagmire, impossible to walk in. By the time we can get to them, the corn might have already sprouted on the stalks."

Hearing this, Zhang Xiaolong immediately grasped the severity of the situation. His recent coma had kept the family too busy to harvest the corn in time. While the rain spared others the effort of watering, it spelled disaster for his own family's crops.

As his father had said, the corn might indeed have started to sprout, potentially ruining the entire season's yield.

"Don't worry, I'll go check on the fields," said Zhang Xiaolong, grabbing an umbrella and heading out.

"With the rain pouring like this, what's there to see? It's all flooded. What can you possibly do?" Zhang Daniu called out, concerned for his son's well-being.

"It's okay, just wait for me at home. I'll be back shortly, and there won't be any trouble," replied Xiaolong without looking back, striding out into the rain.

Over the past couple of days, Xiaolong's health had been stable, and he had come to understand the recent events. The Shennong Cauldron, a divine artifact, had chosen him as its master, but the bonding process required time and significant energy. It wasn't until a few days ago, after absorbing a substantial amount of lightning energy, that he managed a successful integration.

Following this integration, Xiaolong discovered many wondrous aspects of the cauldron. It emitted a mysterious energy that constantly soothed his body. His skin had become softer and now had a subtle, jade-like sheen.

His entire demeanor had transformed, especially after practicing the Dragon Controlling True Spell. He had always been down-to-earth, but now there was an added touch of an ethereal, celestial quality to his presence.

At this point, Xiaolong wasn't bothered by a little rain—in fact, he could be encased in ice for hours without falling ill.

Soon enough, Xiaolong reached the edge of the field. The neighboring plots were empty, awaiting the rain's end before planting could begin. His own cornfield stood alone in the downpour. Testing the soil, he found it as soft as a swamp, nearly impossible to walk on without getting stuck.

It was clear that even if the rain stopped immediately, it would take at least a couple of days before they could harvest the corn. This delay was problematic; the mature corn, trapped within its husks and soaked, was at risk of sprouting or, more likely, molding.

Crouching down, Xiaolong touched the sodden earth and wished he could somehow draw away some of the water.