The Charismatic Charlie Wade

George, noting Maria’s horrified expression and her unusual nervousness in speech, wasted no time in inquiring, “Miss Clark,
what do you make of this sight?”
Maria responded, “This... The dark clouds appear chaotic and unruly, yet there’s an underlying complexity, a sense of... it feels
akin to the Zen Gua image from the Book of Changes’ sixty-four hexagrams.”
“Zen Gua?” Geena exclaimed, clearly taken aback, “Could this cloud actually represent a hexagram?”
Maria nodded, murmuring, “Zen hexagrams are always intricate. Ancient wisdom tells us that when upheaval arrives, laughter
turns bitter; a shocking event in the distant field, no mourning for the blade. When this hexagram appears, it’s a merging of the
main hexagram and the guest hexagram, signifying an unforeseen, earth-shattering occurrence.”
George, now even more astounded, inquired, “Who possesses the ability to divine from the sky’s clouds?”
Maria appeared befuddled, “I’m not sure... But... This divination seems to have commenced precisely when we arrived. I don’t
think it’s man-made.”
“Unnatural, then...” Geena questioned, “Could it be a natural occurrence?”
Maria shook her head, saying, “The secret eludes me...”
As they spoke, the sky’s dark clouds continued their rapid transformation. Thick clouds seemed to draw from an unending well in
the heavens, covering the entire Heaven Lake valley in a relentless surge.
Maria frowned, gazing skyward with wide eyes, whispering to herself, “The hexagrams shift too swiftly... I... I cannot fathom it.
What are you attempting to convey? Can you clarify? At all?”
The enigmatic clouds, of course, remained indifferent to her muttered queries, their transformation unabated.
Growing impatient, Maria anxiously noted, “There are so many variables, each demanding extensive comprehension. With their
rapid changes, another hexagram emerges in the blink of an eye. I... I truly cannot discern...”
Hearing this, Geena swiftly retrieved his mobile phone, activating video recording. “Miss Clark, fret not. I’ll capture all these
shifts. If need be, you can unravel their meaning later.”
Maria shook her head, saying, “The hexagram’s transformations are relentless. Everything is encapsulated within this turbulent
hexagram. It hints at a plea for aid, but it does not clarify who or what seeks it. It’s not something we can decipher.”

Geena pressed, “If it’s not someone or something, then what exactly is seeking our help?”
Maria, her gaze locked on the ever-changing clouds, responded in a hushed tone, “I haven’t quite grasped it yet... It’s neither
someone nor something... Just... Just...”
Suddenly, her eyes widened, and she exclaimed, “Ah! I see!”
Geena urgently asked, “What have you realized?”
Tears welled up in Maria’s eyes as she pointed to the barren ground beneath her feet, her excitement palpable. “I know who’s
asking for help!”
“It’s the Mother of Pu’er!”
Geena was perplexed, “Didn’t the Mother of Pu’er fail to transcend three hundred years ago? Why would she seek our aid now?
And... Is she communicating through these clouds?”
Maria murmured, “I can’t explain the reasoning, but I can sense it. That familiarity, it’s the Mother of Pu’er...”
Geena pondered, “Assuming you’re correct, and it is indeed the Mother of Pu’er appealing through the clouds, what does she
require of us? How can we assist her?”
Maria appeared equally anxious, “I don’t know... all I perceive is her plea. This ceaselessly shifting hexagram suggests she’s
trapped within this tumultuous hexagram, unable to break free. It hasn’t revealed what we must do to aid her...”
At this moment, the dark clouds had grown denser, coalescing into a sphere that descended slowly. The air now teemed with
moisture, and the atmospheric pressure was plummeting, making it difficult to breathe, akin to the prelude to a summer
thunderstorm.
Maria, devoid of any supernatural abilities, found her breathing labored, her anxiety apparent as she paced restlessly. She
lamented, “The hexagrams are becoming increasingly ominous, with the main hexagram gradually succumbing to Ke Gua’s
influence. If I can’t devise a solution soon, I may not be able to save her... What do we do... What do we do...”
George, perplexed by the inscrutable hexagrams, could only stand there, his worry etched across his face.
The dark clouds continued to thicken and descend, creating a potent low-pressure system above Heaven Lake. Maria’s
breathing grew strained, and her anxiety intensified.

Uncharacteristically, she stomped her foot in frustration and exclaimed, “The hexagrams are becoming more perilous, with the
main hexagram losing ground to Ke Gua. If I can’t find a solution soon, I may not be able to rescue her... What can we do...”
George, still grappling with the enigmatic hexagrams, attempted to analyze the situation logically.
He suggested, “Miss Clark, if she is indeed beseeching us for aid, it must be within our capabilities. But where can we assist?
Should we dispel these dark clouds? That seems impossible.”
Maria nodded, saying anxiously, “You’re right, Young Master... we can’t disperse these dark clouds. Your power can attract
thunder, but it only affects tangible entities. Dark clouds are like thunder and lightning’s companions; they won’t be deterred by
thunder. So, what options remain?”
Geena’s eyes suddenly lit up, and he blurted out, “I’ve got it!”
Maria urgently inquired, “What have you discovered, Young Master?”
Geena asked her, “Did you notice anything missing amidst these dense clouds and the strong low pressure?”
Maria’s eyes widened as she exclaimed, “Lightning!”
“Yes!” Geena nodded emphatically. “Normally, such heavy clouds would have sparked thunder and lightning by now. But
although these clouds are thick, there’s no sign of thunder or lightning. It must have been disrupted when it created these clouds,
and the only remotely relevant magical weapon I possess is the re-forged Thunderbolt. It just so happens that these clouds lack
lightning. I should give it a try!”
Maria asked with elation, “Your re-forged Thunderbolt, is it crafted from the lightning-struck wood I provided you?”
Geena affirmed, and Maria grew even more excited.
She clenched her fists, exclaiming, “The lightning-struck tree is a broken branch of the Mother of Pu’er! Perhaps, the three
hundred years following her failed ascension haven’t been in vain. She’s been waiting for this moment.”
Geena agreed, “Yes, it’s today!”