Chapter 375

Watching the person walk away, Pan Yun immediately turned to check the money in Seeing Miao Zhen's arms.

When she opened it, it was all hundred-ounce silver notes—over a dozen of them.

No sooner had Pan Yun opened it than a bird flew past in the darkness, and with a pata sound, something landed on her forehead.

Pan Yun: …

Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He both stepped back a pace, staring at Pan Yun in horror.

Pan Yun clenched her fingers around the silver notes, tendons bulging; she forced a smile, turned, and shoved the entire stack into Wang Cong's hands, gritting her teeth: "Cong'er, this isn't my achievement—it's the entire Three Pure Ones Monastery's. So this money belongs to the monastery. Take it!"

Wang Cong pulled out a handkerchief and gently wiped her forehead, then took the money and said softly: "Little Master, I know. I'll record it in the public ledger right away. This is money we earned together."

Pan Yun nodded, then looked up at the heavens: "That's right—we earned it together!"

Her middle finger, hidden beneath her sleeve, couldn't help but point upward—damn heavens, they hated her more than ever. Hadn't she once earned over a thousand ounces without immediate misfortune? Why did this curse strike so fast?

Pan Yun muttered under her breath, cursed the heavens, then turned to curse the bird lost in the night: "Can't sleep at night and fly around causing trouble? May you go three days without finding your nest!"

Wang Cong tucked the silver notes away, then reached for the various ornaments in Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He's hands, stuffing them all into his space: "You girls don't need these men's trinkets."

Seeing Miao Zhen: "We never planned to use them—we can sell them."

Wang Cong paused, then handed her a jade pendant: "Then take one?"

Seeing Miao Zhen immediately took it: "Thank you, Big Brother. Once I sell it, I'll split the money equally among everyone."

Pan Yun instantly said: "Count me in!"

A single jade pendant wasn't worth much, and since it was to be shared, it didn't exceed her asset limit—Pan Yun felt she wouldn't suffer misfortune again.

But unexpectedly, while splitting up to return to the inn, Pan Yun, holding Pan Xiaohei, was bumped by a careless youth, her shoulder throbbing with pain;

Then, at a corner, she was shoved again, and with a kuang sound, she and Pan Xiaohei slammed into the wall, her knee aching sharply;

Finally, just as she spotted the inn's gate, a window above suddenly opened—Pan Yun sensed danger, leapt sideways, but still got splashed with filthy water.

Seeing the mud and sewage on her pants and hem, Pan Yun erupted into furious curses.

Out on the road, nothing annoyed her more than washing and drying clothes.

Even though she had cultivation and could wash and dry them instantly, she was still furious.

Pan Xiaohei, held in her arms and splattered with a few drops of sewage, was also displeased, pointing its paw upward and meowing loudly—her curses and the cat's meows overlapped, drawing glances from nearby people.

"Hey, young master, young master—"

Pan Yun turned and glared at the caller: "What?"

"Don't curse, young master—it's useless. His family dumps water and trash down every few days. Consider yourself lucky this time it was only water; last time they threw stones and hit someone, then refused to take responsibility."

Pan Yun was stunned: "So brazen?"

"His parents are unreasonable—there's nothing to be done. Go quickly. If his parents come down and see you're young, they'll likely beat and curse you instead. That'd be worse."

Pan Yun was about to place her hands on her hips and declare she wasn't afraid when the window above opened again—she leapt backward instantly, and with a pa sound, a heavy wooden plank fell right where she'd stood.

Pan Yun looked up and saw a young man quickly pulling his head back inside.

Pan Yun recognized his face and pointed at the window in shock: "So young, so handsome—why is his heart so cruel?"

The neighbor said: "They say it's from study pressure—he recently passed the county academy, then declared he didn't want to study anymore, or even live."

"He's tried suicide several times, but he's too scared to die. His parents, terrified he'll actually kill himself, ignore everything he does—as long as he's happy, he can throw whatever he wants."

Pan Yun: "Does the magistrate do nothing?"

"He's sent men several times, but each time no one was seriously hurt—or the injuries were minor—and the family paid the fine and got released. Now his parents aren't afraid anymore. Whenever someone comes knocking, they start yelling and beating first—no one dares report them anymore. That's why they've grown even bolder."

The neighbor said: "We always watch our step when passing by. Young master, didn't you see the sign up ahead? Most people avoid this alley now—they take the other route."

Pan Yun: "... It's late at night, I was in a hurry to get back to the inn—how was I supposed to notice signs?"

Pan Yun looked up at the window again, her face grim: "If a son is untaught, it's the father's fault. If they don't teach him, heaven will teach him."

Saying this, she shook her sleeve, hugged Pan Xiaohei, and walked off.

Pan Xiaohei was stunned, jumping wildly in her arms: "Pan Yun, you're a coward!"

"You won't even go confront them? What are you afraid of? Poor eloquence? Weak martial arts?"

"If you won't, I will—let me go, I'll go myself!"

Pan Yun held him tighter: "Be still. Wait till I get back and draw a few talismans. When you go, deliver them to his house. Oh—and no magic. Just use your normal cat skills. Seeing Miao Zhen barely avoided the Zhang Zhang Tian Shi's men—don't lure them here."

Pan Xiaohei calmed slightly, meowing: "I thought you'd turn into a monk or nun to cultivate patience. What talismans are you drawing? If they're not good ones, I won't deliver them." Pan Yun said: "Don't worry—karmic retribution. If it's not a good talisman, I won't waste the effort drawing it."

Pan Yun returned to the inn; Wang Cong and the others had already arrived and were waiting inside.

As soon as she entered, Miao He ran over from the window: "Little Master, I just heard a voice that sounded exactly like yours cursing."

Pan Yun: "You didn't imagine it—that was me."

Wang Cong: "What happened?"

"Nothing. I met a wicked person who nearly made me explode—but I'm not angry anymore. Anger only delights them and harms my own body. So I'm not angry!"

Everyone stared at Pan Yun, slowly leaning back, watching her in silence.

Pan Yun dropped Pan Xiaohei, rolled up her sleeves, and turned to Wang Cong and Tao Yanbai: "Why are you still here? Aren't you going to sleep? Didn't we say we're leaving Changzhou tomorrow?"

Seeing Miao Zhen: "Mount Mao…"

"We have no deep ties to Mount Mao—we'll come again next time," Pan Yun asked Wang Cong: "What's the penalty for using Water Dragon Art in a crowd?"

!. Read

Wang Cong: "Copy the 'One Hundred and Eight Rules for Zhang Zhang Tian Shi Daoists' ten times, receive three bone-whip lashes, pay twenty taels in silver. If done in a busy market with many onlookers, penalties increase two to fivefold depending on impact. Conservatively, we'd be fined: copy it twenty times, six bone-whip lashes, forty taels per person…"

His gaze fell on Sister Hong Yan and Xiao Hong: "If they find out we're traveling with spirits and demons… the Zhang Zhang Tian Shi's dungeon will have a place for us."

Xiao Hong immediately said: "Even Zhang Zhang Tian Shi Daoists keep spirits. My last master was a Zhang family Daoist."

Wang Cong: "Catch the thief with the stolen goods—now it's too late to investigate. We currently lack the ability to escape unscathed if discovered."

Pan Yun looked at the three of them.

All three looked solemn and immediately said: "We leave at first light tomorrow!"

Pan Yun waved her hand at Wang Cong and Tao Yanbai. "Alright, you two can head back."

Wang Cong and Tao Yanbai rose, but paused at the doorway and glanced at Hong Yan and Xiao Hong. "Little Xiao Shishu, should we book another room?"

Pan Yun said, "Do they look like people who need a room? No need. You two go get some sleep."

Tao Yanbai's movements slowed a beat.

Pan Yun looked at him. "What's the matter with you?"

Tao Yanbai said softly, puzzled, "Little Xiao Shishu, this time the painted pleasure boat caught fire. That Young Master Chen is guilty, but clearly the one surnamed Lü is the ringleader. Why did you save him?"

Pan Yun shot him a glance and said, "Not bad — you sound like a cultivator now. Before, aside from treating illnesses and saving people, you didn't care about anything else."

She poured herself a cup of tea, then said, "I am saving him, but it's not only about saving him."

Pan Yun said, "Heaven has the Way of Heaven, the kingdom has the law of the land. Based on the scene aboard the boat just now, the painted pleasure boat fire and people falling into the water clearly can't be handled by the kingdom's law. Master Lü can't win against Young Master Chen, and the passengers on that boat — no matter how much of a fuss they kick up now, in the end they probably won't be able to shake Prefect Chen's position."

"I just pointed out a clear path for him, so he could catch them all in one net. It's best if everything can be punished according to the kingdom's law in the end. If not, then at the very least, don't let the biggest and most vicious fish slip through."

Tao Yanbai gaped. "Then... then didn't we still take his money? Taking money and not doing the job — that'll entangle us in karma."

Pan Yun: "Who says so? The plan I came up with is a good plan — it truly benefits Master Lü."

Seeing Miao Zhen said, "Third Senior Brother, when Little Xiao Shishu was giving him the plan, I opened my Heavenly Eye and looked. His physiognomy showed a fate of a tragic death and the annihilation of his family, but when he left, the black qi on his forehead had split open a gap — there's already a glimmer of life."

She said, "Even if he dies in the end, he can still protect his family."

Tao Yanbai was shocked. "The Chen father and son are that ruthless? Not only do they want to kill him, they want to kill his whole family?"

Wang Cong grabbed him by the neck and started dragging him outside. "Little Xiao Shishu said it from the very start — a county magistrate who ruins families, a prefect who annihilates clans. Things like this aren't rare in the world. Don't worry about it. Go back to sleep."

But Tao Yanbai couldn't fall asleep no matter what. His heart felt stuffy and he was very unhappy.

Wang Cong heard him tossing and turning, and let out a sigh.

Tao Yanbai's body stiffened and he didn't dare move. "Eldest Senior Brother, did I wake you?"

"I wasn't asleep either." Wang Cong sat up on the bed and said to Tao Yanbai on the wooden couch, "Sit up, let's talk?"

Tao Yanbai said glumly, "Eldest Senior Brother, I understand the reasoning. I often go down the mountain with Third Xiao Shishu to treat people's illnesses, and I've heard plenty of stories about corrupt officials. We're cultivators, standing outside the mortal world. This matter both concerns us and doesn't concern us. But this time, I don't know why, I feel a heavy weight on my chest, and darkness before my eyes."

Wang Cong: "That's because you saw the women on the painted pleasure boat, and witnessed Young Master Chen holding absolute power — you got scared."

Good night.

(End of chapter)