Ball of Nothing

Zero woke up feeling completely refreshed. Instead of Hua Tuo cooking dinner, Zero was surprised to see Buddha taking over kitchen duties for the day. He didn't think that the Enlightened One was capable of cooking and it surprised him.

Buddha stirred the pot and tasted the soup before nodding. For some reason, Zero thought that Buddha was very used to cooking with that sight and rubbed his eyes. Was this an illusion? He didn't think that the Wise One would be doing chores and menial tasks himself with the number of servants he had running around in Nirvana. Buddha didn't really have to do anything he didn't want to, he was rich. Besides, from what he heard from Merlin, Zero knew that Buddha was once royalty while he was human.

Zero wasn't complaining when Hua Tuo told him to run back to the hut for an extra set of cutlery and bowl. Buddha was joining them for a meal and Zero was thrilled to try someone else's cooking, not that Hua Tuo's wasn't great. The physician didn't even have time to add on to the list of things he needed from the hut when Zero disappeared through the portal. He sighed and shook his head while checking the rice that was steaming in a wooden basket. Dinner was almost done and the physician wanted an early night.

Zero returned in a flash and the three immortals ate in silence with only the sound of occasional slurping and clinking of chopsticks as the background. The water roared outside but thanks to Zero's soundproofing magic, they were spared that unnecessary din.

"Zero, tomorrow we will resume training. Buddha will be joining us but we won't be continuing the cultivation using the three waterfalls method. Buddha will explain what we are going to do next," Hua Tuo told his startled student.

The Enlightened One found Zero's surprised expression endearing. Zero couldn't help but look like a fawn who saw a lion in the middle of playing. Buddha smiled and told Zero to read up on the Eightfold Path.

"We are going to create the eight extraordinary meridians based on the dharma wheel. Remember how you wanted to have many things in your inner dimension? We can start creating that using a different cultivation method. However, the Dharma Wheelmust be the base for all your future cultivations. While you sleep tonight, make use of the time to think about what you'd like your first creation to be. Remember, it is going to be the centre of your inner world. If the creation is weak, you cannot make much future progress."

Zero nodded and Buddha left the cave for Nirvana again. Hua Tuo let Zero have some time to think about what he wanted to do. He didn't even scold the boy when the teenager zoned out and let water drip all over the cave floor.

Out on the edge of the cliff, Zero looked up at the sky and felt the cold wind in his face. The waterfall's roaring below him wasn't as loud as it could have been from high up. Still, it covered up the sounds of insects buzzing around in the night. The stars in the sky reminded him of the sky in his inner dimension.

What did he want to create first? He wanted to make something strong in the inner dimension and while plants are the basic form of all life on Earth, Zero didn't think creating a tree for his foundation would be good even if it made sense. That would be too boring and predictable. Besides, he wanted something he could interact with while he was there.

That's right, Zero wanted to have a huge lake in there. Maybe he should start with that first and then slowly add the other plants and animals he wanted over time. He looked down into the spring below and thought about that monster koi. Maybe he could create a lake guardian too. If the dharma wheel had a physical form, Zero was certain that it would have eight limbs too.

Feeling inspired, Zero went to bed and had a pleasant dream about the beautiful inner world he would create.

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"Are you ready?" Hua Tuo asked. Zero was back to his swimming trunks even though they were not underneath the waterfall.

All three cultivators were sitting on Buddha's giant lotus pad in the centre of the spring in a small triangle. Zero started meditating first with his right hand linked to Buddha's and left to Hua Tuo. The young doctor focussed on finding his centre and waited for the Sage Gods to join him.

Buddha soon appeared under the starry sky in Zero's inner dimension but Hua Tuo was nowhere to be found.

"Where's shifu?"

Buddha smiled. "He will be guiding your mind's eye to aid you with the creation of your cultivation base. I'm going to start introducing materials in here for you to use. Remember, do not stray from the eightfold path. A ruined cultivation base is forever."

Zero nodded and Buddha vanished. The teen couldn't feel Hua Tuo's presence at all from hi inner dimension and wondered what he was meant to do. According to the study materials, the eightfold path was simply about the right practices and mindset. Zero didn't know how they could help with cultivation.

"Maybe I should head back to where the box was," Zero thought and made his way over. That box had to be the centre of his inner dimension. In a place that Zero didn't know any other landmark, it was the most logical thing to do.

Hua Tuo growled when he saw the boy making his way over slowly.

"Do you know how long I've waited? Buddha has already started. Hurry up, we don't have all day!" the physician snapped and Zero found himself reacting to it with an expected burst of anger.

"How was I to know? Nobody told me anything!"

Hua Tuo's eyes grew cold and Zero paled, covering his mouth with a hand. He'd never shown such blatant disrespect to Hua Tuo before.

"No, shifu! I'm sorry, I don't mean it... I don't know what came over me earlier..."

Instead of getting berated for a second time like Zero expected, the physician smiled. Zero looked down in surprise when his left hand was covered in ice.

"What-"

"That's a test of Mindfulness. Your Yin Regulating Channel is opened. Remember, emotions are the key to cultivating here. Search yourself to understand the concepts Buddha told you. I will be here when you need me. Till we meet again," Hua Tuo wished him the best of luck and disappeared once more, leaving Zero all alone.

Zero smiled. Now he understood what he was meant to do. Zero looked at the box before him and sat opposite of him. Now all he had to do was draw on memories and lessons he learnt to prove that he understood the dharma wheel. it might take a while but it shouldn't be too difficult.

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Four hours. Zero knew he spent four hours in his inner dimension without much success. So far, he managed to complete six out of eight paths. Livelihood and Views were proving to be exceptionally difficult for the inexperienced and pampered teenager.

"This isn't working," Zero groaned and voluntarily exited the inner dimension.

Buddha and Hua Tuo were surprised by Zero's decision to end the rials earlier. He made good progress with six out of eight paths and Hua Tuo couldn't be more pleased. However, the two paths that Zero had yet to comprehend were tricky to explain.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't do it..."

Buddha smiled and left Hua Tuo to do the debriefing for their first meditation session.

"Don't apologise. You're still young and have not experienced the world. Many people don't succeed in cultivation. It took Buddha forty-nine days of meditating to understand the eight paths completely to be enlightened. It's only the first day."

Zero still looked down and Hua Tuo sighed. Sometimes he thought that Zero put too much pressure on himself.

"What do you have trouble comprehending?" Hua Tuo asked. Master and student were still on the giant lotus pad but it had a far more casual atmosphere now as if it was a grandfather speaking with their grandchild.

Zero sulked. "Right Views and Right Livelihood. How can one know they'd always have the right views and opinions in a world full of unknown? Also, I've never had to work for anything to know what a livelihood feels like."

Hua Tuo chuckled and sighed. He ruffled Zero hair with affection and smiled. "My boy, Right Views isn't the same as Correct Views. You are right. Nobody knows for sure what's the best decision to make for the best outcome. However, we can follow a set of principles to guide us towards a path we won't regret. What is the one thing you want to abide by even in times of the unknown?"

Zero thought about it. He wanted to explore the world Solo created and help people who are hurting along the way. In his eyes, anyone who doesn't have ill-intentions should be helped. However, there were people like Douglas who did bad things out of circumstances even if was a choice he made. Zero frowned. How did Carrabas, Douglas and Rhinestone differ? Ill-intentions weren't that easily identified if that were the case.

Hua Tuo left Zero alone to ponder over it. He did his job at pointing Zero in the right direction so as a teacher, all he could do now was have faith in Zero.

A dinner, Zero was still thinking about it. This time, Buddha decided to give Zero a little nudge in the direction both Sage Gods were waiting for.

"Do you know why the Dharmachakra is in the shape of a wheel?"

Zero snapped out of his thoughts and blinked. Now that Buddha mentioned it, there wasn't really a need for the eightfold paths to be a wheel. Then the realisation hit Zero. The Eightfold Path wasn't a crossroad, it was a cycle.

Buddha didn't say anything else when he saw that light in Zero's eyes. The teenager was a really fast learner if he had a teacher who could point him in the right direction to run in. Hua Tuo watched his apprentice closely as Zero ate. The boy's mind wasn't present and it didn't take long for food to be spilt all over the floor.

After finding out that the Dharma Wheel was a cycle, Zero looked closer into the relationships of all eight paths. If he had to describe it, their relationship was more complicated like a spider's web instead of a simple wheel. If he mapped the image out in his head, the Right Views were created by Right Resolve and Right Mindfulness. If he was to put that into context of what made a view correct, it was more than just intention. It was the ability to see the world from a top-down perspective as well as feel the pain of others as his own and consider all factors to make a decision was what made the right view. It can only be considered correct once Zero understood all the possibilities. Judging someone based on one perspective didn't make that view right even if the person had good intentions.

Neither Sage Gods were expecting for Zero to achieve a breakthrough over dinner and a simple conversation. Normally, meditation and focus were required for that. Still, they rejoiced. Buddha decided to give Zero another hint for the Right Livelihood concept that he couldn't grasp.

"What's the difference between a livelihood and a career?"

Hua Tuo who was doing the cleaning up paused for a while before resuming his chores. Why didn't he think of that? No wonder Buddha was the cultivation monster and not him.

Zero tilted his head to the side. Was there a difference between career and livelihood? People worked for both of it. "I don't understand. People work for them, right? I've never had to work for anything I needed."

Hua Tuo raised a brow when Zero said that. "If you've never had to work for anything you needed, do you think I'd allow you to eat dinner?"

Zero looked at the half-finished bowl of rice. "But working means earning money right? All I did was hunt and help to cook or dinner. I don't have a job, I just help out around where I can."

Buddha didn't offer any other hints and Hua Tuo wondered how he should explain the concept of work to Zero. People did work that they didn't get paid for too and instead, they were given lodging, food and shelter.

"What use if money if nobody wanted to accept it? The only reason why many people work for money is so that they can use it to buy lodging, food and things that they want. We don't use money to exchange for dinner between the two of us because it's too troublesome. However, you still do work in the form of cleaning, hunting and tending to my garden."

Zero frowned. "What's a career then?"

Hua Tuo smiled. "That's your like your dream to become a doctor. It's not essential for surviving but it's something you want to do."

Zero nodded and rocked himself to and fro with crossed legs pulled up to his chest. The concept of careers was new to Zero but if he had to put that into a smaller scale that he could comprehend, careers were things that went beyond his immediate needs for survival. It was work that he did without actually needing repayment for. However, livelihood was something that Zero would have to do just to exist. For example, Zero didn't need a lot of food and he only needed to help out a little in exchange for that. However, the teenager would need to absorb a lot of things simply to ensure he doesn't return to the void again from over expanding his energy reserves.

What exactly makes a livelihood right in this context then?

By the time it was time for bed, Zero was still thinking about it. the teen tossed and turned a lot but was still unable to fall asleep. He decided that a walk would do him some good and snuck out of the cave.

The familiar district sight greeted him with the honoured graves in the middle of the busy developing city. The boy decided to take a walk in the abyss for a change of air. For some reason, he felt as if he might get some clues to his current predicament.

Bob and Mii watched Zero closely as he wandered around the market district. Despite how well the Garden of Roth was doing, there were still underlying tension between the demons and angels. Zero noted how many poor demons had flocked over and the children looked like they were starved badly. Zero had no money on him and could only watch them while feeling apologetic that they'd have to go hungry.

About two stalls away, there was a lone boy whom Zero identified was a lizard demon of some sort. the boy's tongue flicked in the air nervously as his eyes darted to and fro, watching the stalls and the crowd. His erratic behaviour attracted Zero's attention and the young doctor decided to watch him.

The lizard demon boy walked over and blended in the crowd. Zero wasn't expecting him to go near a kebab stall and swipe a good number of skewers before making a run for it by climbing the walls and disappearing into the maze of alleys. It happened so quickly that Zero didn't have time to react. Naturally, the kebab store owner was furious but there wasn't much he could do.

Zero stared off blankly into space as his mind worked. Suddenly he understood what livelihood meant. The child who stole the kebabs did it for survival but the kebab owner who sold them probably didn't need so many sticks. Besides, not all his kebabs would have been sold by the end of the day and he could afford to give away a few to the poor and starving children but he didn't. He sold kebabs because it was his career and not his livelihood.

However, Zero knew that stealing wasn't right. If Zero was that starving child, he would go around asking to work in exchange for food instead of stealing. He was aware that some people wouldn't give him food or work. In fact, judging from the gloomy atmosphere in the market, he didn't think anyone would. Still, Zero thought that the lizard boy shouldn't have taken so many for himself. then again, he wouldn't be surprised if the extra skewers were for other starving children who were too young or weak to steal for themselves.

Thinking so much made Zero's head hurt and he decided that it might be time to return. He now understood the difference between a livelihood and a career but what does a right livelihood mean? Working hard and making an honest income didn't really make sense in such a dire situation where everyone fought for their survival. What could Buddha possible see that Zero was missing out? Was there even a wrong livelihood ignoring the methods?

Zero fell asleep the moment he hit the straw mattress. Thinking so much tired him out.

That night, Zero dreamt of a dream. He dreamt that he was back at Hua Tuo's hut arguing with his teacher about using cleaning magic.

"Why should we use a pail of water and a rag when I can easily wash everything away with magic? Not just cleaning but also watering the garden. It doesn't make sense to do everything manually when we have the ability to make our lives simpler!"

Hua Tuo smacked Zero on top of his head. His cheeks were puffed and he was red with anger as Zero had once again implied that he was behind the times.

"There is merit in living simply. Young ones like you have no patience or discipline! Go clean the fireplace and don't quibble with me or I'm only making plain porridge for dinner."

Zero sulked and reluctantly picked up the rag to start cleaning in that dream. However, before he could do it, Baal appeared. With a snap of his fingers, everything was cleaned. Not only was the place spick and span, Baal decided to conjure up things he thought the physician needed.

"Here's a throne, some walls. Oh, the hut is too small, let's make it a castle instead," the Demon Lord mused and Zero gaped.

Baal didn't stop at that. Instead, he started piling things that he thought Hua Tuo and Zero might need for their daily lives and started stacking things that were unnecessary like Lucifer's Bloody Willow - Veronica. Although the intentions were good, those were things Zero think was necessary for the simple life he and Hua Tuo led. The fanciest thing they had was the waterwheel outside but with Baal's opinions about what they needed for basic living, they had chandeliers instead of normal wax candles.

Zero woke up in cold sweat and realised that it was already dawn. He didn't sleep much but the brunet wasn't tired. Instead, he was fully energised. Hua Tuo was still soundly asleep and Buddha was still in Nirvana. The teenager decided to tackle the last obstacle on his own. He climbed onto the huge lily pad and started meditating.

The right livelihood meant simple living and Zero could relate to that. Hua Tuo always taught him not to take more than what he needed and Zero found himself completing that last missing connection. In his mind, the Dharma Wheel slowly came together. Light pillars interacted with one another and Zero felt something change in his inner dimension.

With eight new virtues and meridian points cultivated, Zero felt as if his inner dimension was completely transformed. The night sky turned into day with the blinding sun. Then, clouds started forming and it gathered heavily in one spot before rained down. Zero watched in amazement as the ground slowly sprung to life with grass and small plants. Also, the lake that he wanted slowly filled up.

Once the lake was filled up, Zero caught sight of something moving inside it. Could it be the lake guardian? Zero was a little nervous about meeting the guardian. Was it going to be a big monster carp as well?

Slowly but surely, the mysterious lake guardian surfaced and Zero gasped in surprise. It had a huge head and two big eyes at the side. However, the thing that made Zero so amused was the number of legs it had. Just like the spokes in the Dharma Wheel, this octopus had eight different coloured tentacles.

The lake guardian stared at Zero and moaned. Although the young doctor couldn't understand it, he knew what it wanted.

"You want a name right? I'm terrible at it, so let me know if you don't like it, alright? How does Inky sound?"

The octopus thrashed and Zero flinched when water came down on him, wetting his clothes and hair.

"I'm taking that as a no... ok, how about Octo-Octo?"

The lake guardian wasn't amused and Zero thought that it might be a male since the cute name wasn't to its liking.

"I know! Paul!"

This time, the octopus decided to climb out of the lake at scribbled something on the grass, destroying some of the landscape in the process. Zero took a look at the octagon and raised a brow. He didn't know what the guardian wanted.

"Octagon?"

Frustrated, the octopus made more scribbles of lines and dashes. It took Zero a while to know why it looked so familiar.

"I know that this is! It's the Ba Gua formation!"

The lake guardian rejoiced and Zero rolled his eyes. "You're a weird fellow. I'm going to call you Ba Guai instead. Are you going to object?"

Of course, the octopus wasn't too happy about it but it was still a better name than Inky. Zero grinned and named the guardian Ba Guai.

"Ba Guai suits you, don't look so dejected. Ba still stands for the eight legs you have and Guai just depicts your weird personality perfectly. Eight Weird is a little strange so I'm sticking with Ba Guai. Shifu would be happy to meet you later when he wakes up so treat him with respect, alright?"

Ba Guai didn't have a choice and chose to ignore Zero instead, diving down into the bottomless lake once more.

Happy that he completed the trial successfully, Zero left his inner world and ended his meditation session. He simply couldn't wait to introduce his cultivation base. What could possibly be cooler than a gigantic octopus guardian as a cultivation base? Zero loved it, Ba Guai was perfect!