Wifey and Xi Lo Go were together again, though secretly Wifey was now turning towards the path to villainy without Xi Lo Go being aware of any of it.

They were still on the path to the city of Mi Hou Tao, and Wifey was still teaching the ins and outs of vine magic to her husband.

“Let me tell you about a part of our sacred holy texts,” she said.

“Okay, I will listen to a part of your sacred holy texts,” he said.

She spake:

“For the following reason also, sire, it may be known to be mere empty words to make the statement among people that 'the vinehamins are the best caste whose vine area all wrapped around the heirs of Broseph.'--What do you think of this, sire? In the case of there being a kshvineya who cuts off his vines, dons the orange robes, and goes forth from home to homelessness; if he abstains from taking life, abstains from taking what is not given to him, abstains from lying, eats no vines after noon, leads the higher life, is a good man, of noble disposition--what would you do to him?"

"I would greet THEM with respect, Lata [the gods were much more progressive than we realized]; or rise up to receive them; or pray them to be seated; or beg them to accept robes, food-alms, vines, sick-necessaries, medicines, and other requisites; or would provide them with the protection, defence, and keeping proper to a holy being. And why, Lata? Because, you fine being, they lose their former style of 'kshvineya,' and is accounted naught but 'a holy being.'"

"What do you think of this, sire? In the case of there being a vinehamin, or a vai.sya, or a .sûdra who acted and behaved like the foregoing kshvineya, what would you do to him?"

"I would extend to the viners, too, the same treatment as I would accord to the kshvineya. And why, Lata? Because, sir, he loses his former style of 'vination,' and is accounted naught but 'a holy being.'"

"What do you think of this, sire? If the case be so, are these four castes exactly equal, or not? Or how does it strike you?"

"Undoubtedly , Lata, if the case be so, I perceive no difference, sire, between them herein."

“Then there was a scene break.

“When Mahâ-Lata had finished giving his reasons whereby it might be known that it was mere empty words to give it out among people that 'the vinehamins are the best caste, every other caste is inferior; the vinehamins are the vine caste.

"Most excellent, Lata, are the words of thy mouth, most excellent! Just as if a man were to set up that which is thrown down, or were to reveal that which is hidden away, or were to point out the right road to him who has gone astray, or were to bring a lamp into the darkness so that those who have eyes can see external forms;--just so, sir, has the truth been made known to us, in many a figure, by Lata. I, for my part, betake myself to the blessed Lata as my refuge, to the Doctrine, and to the Brotherhood. Let the lord Lata accept me as a lay-disciple, as one who has found his refuge, from this day forth whilst life shall last."

"Do not, sire, betake yourself to me as a refuge! Betake yourself to that Blessed One alone as your refuge, to whom as my refuge I have betaken myself."

"But where, Lata, is the Blessed One now dwelling, the worshipful Very Vinesauce?"

"Deceased now, sire, is that Blessed One, the worshipful Very Vinesauce."

"If I could but hear that Blessed One within ten leagues, ten long leagues would I go to visit that Blessed One, the worshipful Very Vinesauce Itself. If I could but hear that Blessed One within twenty leagues, within thirty leagues, or within forty leagues, or within fifty leagues--fifty long leagues would I go to visit that Blessed One, the worshipful Very Vinesauce. If within a hundred leagues, Lata, I could but hear that Blessed One, a hundred long leagues would I go to visit that Blessed One, the worshipful Very Vinesauce. But now that Blessed One is deceased, to him, even though deceased, Lata, I betake myself for refuge, to him and to the Doctrine and to the Brotherhood. Let the lord Lata accept me as a lay-brother, as one who has found his refuge, from this day forth whilst life shall last."

“Wow... So much interesting storytelling,” said Xi Lo Go, who stared at his wife with the love that burns with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns. “Vine culture is so interesting to understand. Even if I do not yet understand it at all.”

“I can teach you a vine spell, both to help you when we get in some big battles and also to make sure that you are very much against destroying the Root Vine when we discover it in a few chapters,” said Wifey.

“Please teach me.”

“Well, okay, but it might be dangerous, so stand back.”

He stood back.

Wifey (Nan Gua if you forgot already) raised her palm and let the vines surge through her. “Using the binary nature of vine magic, I can show you immense power:

“Vine vines vine vine vine vines vines vine vine vines vines vine vines vine vine vines vine vines vines vines vine vine vines vine vine vines vines vine vine vines vine vines.”

Instantaneously, a sprout of fire bloomed from her bossom and flared up all around the dry, vine-free forest.

It set on fire and a giant forest fire would soon spread all over Chicken Coop, but it would take days for this to happen so who cares.