Temple Visit

Without saying anything else to Mu Huizhong, Tian Cai simply left.

Mu Huizhong stood frozen for several breaths.

Her heart wrenched in ways she never felt before. How was she going to ask the Little Hussy for a favor?

In the distance, Gray and Small Shadows both witnessed the exchange. Already happy that they got the anti-sound formations setup, now life couldn't be better. Their Little Brother was about to free them from the clean-freak nightmare that was Mu Huiqing. Soon they realized they were holding hands and dancing.

Eh!!

Tian Cai stood before Zhao Wen and Zhao Jia. Both women had troubled frowns on their faces.

"Mom, Grandmother what's wrong?"

"Cai'er, Mother just returned from negotiations with the City Lord."

"What's there to negotiate, didn't he lose like a dirty dog?" asked Tian Cai.

"With the destruction of the prison, several of the Empire's most notorious criminals escaped. The heart of the issue with your arrest was that it costs 10 billion spirit stones to repair the Emperor's statue," said Zhao Wen.

"10 billion? City Lord, he didn't want to pay, correct?"

"Normally, the convicted must bear the cost or suffer execution. Then the Empire covers the cost of repair."

"And how can there be an execution, without a prisoner?" offered Tian Cai.

"Mhm. The reason why City Lord made a move, was the deadline for your execution was in two months. If he didn't send you to the capital next month, the Zhang Clan would've been forced to pay the cost."

"If he's negotiating now, there must be other concerns."

"Son is correct. Nobody considered that the prison would be destroyed and Li Jian would escape. The prison's reconstruction cost is estimated at over 20 billion spirit stones."

Tian Cai's eyebrows raised as he smirked.

Fool!

Zhao Jia cackled, "Ha! That two-face now faces having to pay 30 billion spirit stones."

"In addition, there is the bounties to recapture Li Jian and other high profile prisoners. Because, the prisoners escaped while under the watch of City Lord, the Zhang will also have to accept financial liability."

"Mom, forgive Son for asking, but what does this have to do with us?"

"Imperial Censors will be arriving in one month to investigate the Emperor's Statue issue. Because you are not custody, they will send out an imperial warrant for your arrest. At that time, the whole Empire will be looking for you. At the same time, City Lord will be fined the 10 billion spirit stones."

"Child, Granny knows a hidden cave in 2nd Heaven. How about you go there and change your identity? How about you take Chen'er as well to keep you company. Him, looking like that does no one good. Granny believes living in the wild isn't so bad."

"Grandmother, my Cai'er will not grow up in a cave nor live without his mother."

"How about changing your name to Zhao Meiling and we dress you like a girl. We can say you're your own long, lost twin sister."

Tian Cai started sweating bullets.

Wasn't each idea his grandmother was spewing out consecutively worse?

"Humph, let's just shave his head and send him to temple to be raised as monk?"

"Grandmother!"

Zhao Jia spat a big one onto the wall. The spittle sparked and sizzled on the stone.

Tian Cai's eyes dilated.

Granny spits? And it burns holes!??

Zhao Wen continued, "City Lord offers a way out. He doesn't have the firepower to take down Li Jian by himself. Li Jian has the battle strength of a Half Grand Empyrean. He asks that your Granny and I accompany him to hunt down Li Jian. Should we succeed in capturing or killing Li Jian, he will claim our Zhao Clan performed meritorious service and as a reward, he will nullify your sentence."

"This sounds like trickery. How can he just nullify a sentence, isn't breaking the Emperor's statue a high crime?" asked Tian Cai.

"You're correct, normally he would be unable to do so. However, Li Jian is a international criminal and wanted in three other Empires."

"He's a celebrity?"

"Mhm...by holding him prisoner or having his head is a great sign of prestige."

"Then how does City Lord plan on paying for the bounties and the prison?"

"The prison? I deduce Li Jian's head will mysteriously be auctioned off. As for the other bounties, City Lord is thinking of ways to recover the monies."

Zhao Jia coughed. "Wen'er tell him about Zhang Clan's Patriarch."

Tian Cai's eyes narrowed. "There another matter?"

"Empyrean Zhang An was actually the youngest son of Zhang's Clan Patriarch Zhang Yongzhen. Most likely he will be arriving from the capital and look for Mu Huiqing. Considering her behavior as well as her killing Zhang An, it's best she returns to Yun Clan. Patriarch Zhang won't dare look for her there."

"Child, in fact, while Wen'er and Granny are hunting Li Jian, you should also not be here. As a precautionary measure, we'll have your Uncle Qiang take you somewhere safe."

"About Sister-in-law, Son needs to confirm something with Young Miss Ling. After this, he will make a decision about Mu Huiqing. Son is willing to travel with Uncle Qiang as this will also help him fulfill a promise. In addition, for this trip...only males are allowed to go."

"Only males?" bristled Zhao Jia. "Humph, you better not be planning on holing up in those places that men like to visit."

Tian Cai stiffened. With an action that was faster than a blur, Zhao Jia pulled out the Heavenly Punishing Paddle. Conveniently she rapped it against the wall.

Boom!

The wall imploded into powder.

"Granny catches you in one of those places...You'll see what happens then."

Zhao Wen eyes twitched. "Cai'er tell Mother you're not going to one of those places?"

Tian Cai groaned.

How could their be such a misunderstanding?

"It's a boar, Young Miss Ling asked Son to take her pet boar to a forest so that...," he said, as he was forced to explain about Junjie's trial of puberty.

After he was done, his Mother and Granny both visibly showed disgust.

"Such a perverse animal exists?" asked Zhao Wen.

"You say, her pet pig favors the boar as her partner, otherwise Young Miss Ling wouldn't spare the effort," said Zhao Jia, putting away the Heavenly Punishing Paddle.

Zhao Wen shook her head in disbelief. "That little girl sure likes pigs. Very well, Mother will help son fulfill his strange obligations."

Tian Cai sighed with relief. "Mom, Son will start planning the trip with Uncle Qiang."

"Good...Good...now let's visit the Temple. Hopefully Temple Grandmaster will have a way to heal Fei Hung."

About an hour later, Zhao Wen and Tian Cai entered Savant City's Great Temple. Temple Vice Master Jun hurried out. Bowing, he said, "Matriarch Zhao, you grace our temple with your presence. How may this one help you?"

Zhao Wen cupped her hands while Tian Cai bowed.

"Vice Master Jun, it's good to see you. This seat brought her son over to meet the Temple Grandmaster and also ask for his guidance."

"Young Master Zhao, how are you? We at the temple have been quite busy because of you."

"Vice Master Jun, this Young Master wonders how? If I recall correctly, this is our first time meeting?"

"Vice Master Jun smiled, these days alms and donations have been raining down like a torrential storm."

In the distance, a person knelt before a statue and prayed out loud. "Oh Mighty Ones, please strike down the calamity known as Small Disaster King!"

Another one lit up some incense sticks. "I beg the Divinities to open their eyes and cripple Small Disaster King!"

Vice Master Jun smiled awkwardly. "Please don't mind them...they are the family members of the recently injured or deceased city guards."

Zhao Wen glared about. "Why blame us? It was the City Lord's corrupt practices that caused this."

A wail pierced the distance. "Divinities, heed this one's prayers....help me kill that foul murderer Demon Mask!"

"Demon Mask? At least they're not cursing this Young Master," said a relieved Tian Cai.

Zhao Wen's eye twitched.

Father, just what did you do??

Clearing her throat, Zhao Wen asked, "Can we see the Grandmaster?"

"Ah that, earlier this one meant to also say the Grandmaster has been called to the Capital. In fact, all the various Temple Grandmasters have been called for a Grand Convention. He most likely won't return for several months."

Tian Cai sighed in disappointment.

"Matriarch Zhao, perhaps this one can offer guidance?"

Nodding Zhao Wen said, "We have a distant relative who recently suffered a backlash by overdrawing their Spiritual Power. We're hoping his holiness would have means to heal such an injury."

"Unfortunately Grandmaster doesn't specialize in such injuries. Even at the Great Temple, in the Capital, you may not fine a healer with such a specialty. However, there is a recluse order of monks who do."

"Monks?" asked Tian Cai.

"Yes, Order of the Soul Divinity...Their monastery is located just outside of Shadow Hell Forest."

Zhao Wen hissed, "Isn't that near the Demon Beast Forbidden Zone?"

"Indeed, the monastery is built into a fortified canyon that's well protected by innumerable formations. Many monks retire there in their last days to walk the Path of Soul."

Path of Soul?

Tian Cai's eyes were beginning to dull. If the old monk kept on droning, naturally he would've initiated his other great skill, which was sleeping while standing up. Tian Cai, in his former life developed this skill standing outside in the hall while unjustly serving detention.

At that moment a voice rang out.

"Oh Mighty Divinities! You humble servants begs that unleash your Divine Wrath on Little Hussy...Please let her burn well in the deepest of Nether Hells."

Tian Cai jolted.

"Sister-in-law!"