While those things happened in Ohio, Logan busied himself with closed door training underneath the I-95 overpass. Unfortunately, the results have been less than satisfactory.
BLAARGH!
Glitter soaked vomit exited his mouth like a fountain, and he went weak in the knees.
"Ugh, you weren't kidding about void energy."
"Duh, it's a polar opposite of the star dust you normally refine."
"Well, think of something! I can't be popping blood vessels in the tournament."
"Why don't you use a third technique?"
"None of my other ones can be easily disguised as a speed power. Even using vibro-blade the other day was pushing it."
"Ahem! When are you two planning on leaving? You're hurting business!"
Logan turned to see a homeless man sat in front of a ramshackle hut. He sported a beard that reached the floor, and next to him was a sign which read "will teach cultivation for food."
With a smile, Logan asked,
"How should I address this venerable elder in front of me?"
"Well, at least you're polite. I am Hu Chao, patriarch of the wet rat sect."
"Can't I take a lesson from you? I wouldn't be hurting business then, would I?"
"What can you learn? You ignore the mysteries of heaven and earth. Besides, you have a master; I'd rather waste breath on someone I can make my disciple."
Logan turned his head to face the alien floating next to him.
"What do you think, master?"
"If he can see the flow of energy well enough to detect me, he is the real deal."
"What does that matter? Didn't you use to look down on "locals" like this?"
"Nonsense; do you know how many techniques we invented based on the folk wisdom of "locals" just like this?"
"Okay, but he doesn't exactly seem amiable... Plus he can hear all of this."
"Don't worry, tell him this..."
Logan's smile grew wider upon hearing the whispers of the alien.
"My master, Zarog Moon-biter, inquires if you are familiar with the law of space exchange?"
"What did you say!?!?!"
Hu Chao's attitude did a complete 180. It was understandable, considering the last time he heard that phrase.
40 YEARS EARLIER...
A much younger Hu Chao was riding the rails with his master. He had fallen ill, so Hu Chao was escorting him to meet a TCM master in California. Halfway through the journey, however, his master's condition took a turn for the worse.
"Just hold on, master! It's only a few more days before we are past the Rockies!"
"Hu Chao, I don't think I can make it."
"Don't say that, master!"
"Listen carefully. You are my successor, and the new leader of the wet rat sect!"
His shaking hand fumbled through a coat pocket, eventually producing a small notebook. Hu Chao, with tears staining his much less developed beard, attempted to give it back.
"No, master. Please, don't leave me! We still need to bring the sect back! Spiritual qi might return, someday!"
"Enough! Those are the list of treasures I've hidden for the sect..."
COUGH! HACK! COUGH!
"Master, please! You need rest, please stop!"
"My mind is made up. I will watch over you from the other side. There's just one last thing I need to pass on."
Hu Chao, crying even harder, finally accepted his master's decision.
"What is it, master? Please, tell me."
"It's a message from my master's master. 'If you ever meet a man who asks you about the law of space exchange, tell him the following...'"
At the time, Hu Chao didn't even understand half of his master's last words. When the decades progressed, and things like "routing number" and "security pin" made sense, he only became more confused.
Now that the moment had finally come, Hu Chao did not waste it.
"I would like to make a withdrawal from the sect account!"
"My master wants me to tell you that performing a void transfer uses a lot of his energy. This is energy he would normally use to train me, see?"
"I accept. If he can transfer everything, I'll teach you something to help that upset Dantian."
"We also want a transfer fee; 5% of the total goods transferred. That's on top of the stuff that'll be consumed to power the void, mind you."
"Fine, fine. Follow me, I'll take us somewhere more private."
They entered the ramshackle hut which, inside, looked like an ancient temple.
"Is this one of those mysteries of heaven and earth," Logan asked.
"Let's just say it is above your comprehension level. Now, let's start that transfer!"
Hu Chao proceeded to speak the 70 plus characters and numeric symbols from memory. Logan, hearing this, had a sudden reaction. His eyes rolled into the back of his head, and his mouth gaped open. A bizarre sound, like a demonic fax machine emerged from his throat.
As if in response to this, a black dot appeared in the temple. The dot grew until it reached the size of a beach ball. Then, piles upon piles of treasures poured out from it.
Pills, potions, salves, swords, manuals, herbs, coins, and other objects rich in spiritual qi spewed forth from the hole. Their value was so high that the background qi levels in the temple tripled from their presence alone.
"Oh, thank you ancestors! Fate finally smiles on the wet rat sect!"
Hu Chao cried tears of joy, stunned still from the sheer amount of day dreams flooding his consciousness.
"Go ahead and take inventory, mister wet rat. I'll be back after I vomit half a stomach."
20 minutes later, the trade was complete. Hu Chao, seeing what Logan took, couldn't believe his luck.
"I love space people! He took the most useless stuff in the lot!"
Logan, similarly, couldn't believe his luck. The pile of space rocks and minerals at his feet were literally making him drool.
"How many upgrades can we do with this?"
"It's more a matter of time than materials, with all this. Since there's only a week until your little tournament, I would recommend we strengthen your star reactor so it can handle void energy passing through it easier."
"What if we used some of these to speed up recovery, post surgery?"
"I'd estimate you could get an extra two days of practice."
Satisfied, Logan turned his attention back to the wet rat sect leader.
"So, how about that lesson?"
"... I wasn't kidding when I asked what could you learn. The path you are on is almost completely backwards from how things are normally done. Its as if you expect heaven and earth just by stuffing enough of it into you."
"Is that a no?"
"I do owe you for this, and I don't intend to go back on my word."
He walked to the now fully stocked temple library, returning with a book in hand. The title, however, made Logan suspect he was being pranked.
"Ying Yang for Dummies. Master, is it too late to rob this scoundrel?"
"Hold on there, grasshopper. Let me try putting this problem in a way you'll understand. What do you think of when you hear the word 'untackleable.'"
"The Running back, of course. He is the definition of that trait."
"Okay, now how would you answer that question before the Running back existed?"
Seeing Logan fall into silent contemplation, Hu Chao knew he had gotten the message across. But, considering how big a favor this crazy kid just did for him, he decided to spell it out further.
"Comprehending the mysteries of heaven and earth is about more than just reading a dictionary definition. It is only after grasping the essence of their meaning that you can hope to manipulate them fully. I'm sure it was a similar situation with the Running back."
"I understand what you are saying now. But, isn't this just a slightly beefier dictionary?"
"In truth, your master will probably get more out of it than you. But, if he can impart some of that knowledge in whatever insane style he has you practicing, you will surely become more powerful..."