Chapter 112: On the Road

"Scripture of Heaven, Dao Bell, Gourd." Inside Anzi Nunnery, Li Huowang was inventorying the items he had previously entrusted to the nuns. Since he was going to find the Manichaean sect, these things, along with his will, naturally couldn't stay there; he might need them on the journey.

At this moment, Li Huowang felt as if he were in a dream. There was actually a way to deal with Dan Yangzi, even if the method was likely very small. Just as he was about to leave with these things, Li Huowang noticed some changes in his belongings.

"Is this... a tooth mark?" Li Huowang ran his hand over a corner of the Scripture of Heaven, looking suspiciously at Miao Xin beside him. The chubby nun, who was devouring food, guiltily glanced up at the ceiling beams.

"Master Miao Xin, you've even gnawed out tooth marks! Have you figured out what this Scripture of Heaven is? Honestly, if you help me understand it, I'd even thank you."

"No, I didn't gnaw it. Those tooth marks were already there. Anzi Nunnery has helped you so much; don't accuse good people!"

Li Huowang shook his head helplessly at her clumsy lie. Next, he picked up the gourd and shook it. It was empty! The Yangshou bead inside was gone. Li Huowang looked at the chubby nun again. At that moment, she was burying her head in the food, eating ravenously. For some reason, despite having his things stolen, Li Huowang felt no surprise at all. He thought it was ridiculous that he had entrusted his belongings to these greedy nuns; he should have expected such an outcome.

Li Huowang slung the three items onto his back, then patted the chubby nun's flesh with a hint of resignation. "Master Miao Xin, farewell for now."

He then turned and walked towards the door. Just as he reached it, he suddenly stopped and looked back at the nun behind him. The moment he turned, he saw the nun, who had been secretly peeking at him, burying her head in the food. When Li Huowang slowly approached her, about to speak, Miao Xin spoke first, her tone remarkably frank.

"I ate it. It didn't taste very good. If you're so capable, go complain to the abbess!"

Li Huowang smiled, seeing the nun's 'dead pig not afraid of boiling water' attitude. "Don't think I'm so petty. I came back to ask you something. Do you know about the Manichaean sect?"

Miao Xin chewed on the food remnants in her mouth, her expression somewhat confused. "Didn't I tell you that all their cross temples are in the western mountains? I told you exactly where they are; you just need to go find them."

Li Huowang shook his head. "I'm not asking about the address. I want to know what kind of sect the Manichaean sect is. What's their background, and what kind of people are they?"

Miao Xin, her face round, frowned, making her features scrunch up like a steamed bun. "You have the *Great Thousand Records*, and you don't even know what they are? To put it simply, they're a group of strange people."

"Strange people? Stranger than you all? Hahahaha." Li Huowang couldn't help but laugh as he said this.

Miao Xin showed a hint of displeasure. "I'm not joking! Those guys are very strange. Since you've used the *Great Thousand Records*, you must know a thing or two about their cultivation methods. These guys don't meditate, they don't chant scriptures, and they don't cultivate like others. They like to torment themselves, saying it pleases their 'Gu God'."

"'Gu God'? Not Bahui? Or does that thing have two names?" Li Huowang was surprised by their so-called god's name.

"Whatever they call him. Anyway, those people like to wear tall hats and large robes, all to cover their injuries. Last time, I saw someone who had lost all their skin. Although the abbess gave you a personal letter, they might not show her respect. Be careful, we have a history with them."

Li Huowang had merely asked casually, but unexpectedly, he genuinely elicited some details. "What kind of history?"

"It's all because of the abbess's son. They also like to capture 'Heart Spirits' – I don't know why – but after the abbess's son was rescued, he went completely insane."

After saying this, Miao Xin looked Li Huowang up and down, shaking her head and clucking regretfully. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, I almost forgot for a moment, you're a Heart Spirit too! It's dangerous for you to go there."

"Senior Sister, do you think I want to? But I have no choice," Li Huowang said with a sigh. He then turned and walked towards the gate of Anzi Nunnery.

After Li Huowang left, Miao Xin continued to sit there, swallowing large mouthfuls of food and muttering to herself. "When he wrote his will, I clearly saw his heart filled with a desire for death. How did he change so quickly, rushing off to find the Manichaean sect? Did one of you manipulate his heartstrings?"

"I'm too lazy to manipulate a Heart Spirit's strings; don't drive yourself insane. I estimate it was Master Jing Xin's doing."

"Oh, so that's it." Various different voices echoed in Miao Xin's head.

A polished smoking pipe was forcefully swung through the air in an arc.

"Crying! Always crying! How many days have you been crying? I told you to smear soot on your face, but you wouldn't! Those soldiers stole all my silver! Did I cry? What's wrong? Isn't my silver more important than your chastity?"

"Father, please don't say anymore!" Scholar Lu's eyes were red, his face full of grievance, looking as if he had nowhere to vent his anger.

Seeing his son's appearance, Top Scholar Lu sighed deeply. "Don't worry, they didn't steal all the money. This old man may not be good at other things, but I'm good at hiding money. Those soldiers only found two places; there are still three places they didn't find."

As Top Scholar Lu spoke, he took out a copper key from his waist and reopened the large wooden chest on the carriage. After his calloused hands fumbled for a while, he pulled out several pieces of silver of varying sizes from a hidden compartment. He picked out a piece of silver slightly larger than a soybean, and with a reluctant expression, tossed it to his daughter-in-law.

"Our Lu family has wronged you. Take this. When we get to the market, buy whatever you want."

Luo Juanhua, who had just been weeping in distress, immediately brightened up when she felt the silver, carefully tucking it into her small purse. "It's not for me to spend. I want to save it for Xiuer's dowry."

Top Scholar Lu saw this but said nothing. Whenever his daughter-in-law felt wronged, she would always put on such a performance; she wouldn't be satisfied until she extorted something. He had long grown accustomed to it.