On the long street, a carriage pulled across their path. Ren Ye looked up toward the curtain and exclaimed in delighted surprise, "Oh, Senior Brother Mora, you still haven't returned to Heavenly Illumination City? I thought you'd already left."
Inside the carriage, Mora wore a black brocade robe, his expression mild. "We agreed to return to Huangling City together. How could I leave before you arrived? Come, Junior Brother Zhenyi, get in and have a chat."
"Sure."
Little Bad King readily agreed, then climbed into the carriage with Daoist Chu.
The interior was spacious and luxurious, with room for six or seven grown men. After boarding, however, Little Bad King saw none of the diehard lackeys like Fulai and Daoguang, only Mora seated at the far end.
He and Daoist Chu stood on no ceremony, taking seats on the left. One exchanged pleasantries with Mora, while the other helped himself to the fruit on the platters.
"Senior Brother Mora, how did you know I was at Divine Monk Manor?" Ren Ye asked curiously.
"I finished my assignment on my third day back at Heavenly Radiance Temple. When you still hadn't returned, I sent people to Great Snow Lake every day to ask Yuyang Arhat. His attendant told me you would be visiting Divine Monk Manor today...!" Mora explained softly, then asked with a smile, "Heh, Junior Brother Zhenyi, it's already been eight days since we parted in North Wind Town... what took you so long?"
Heh, could I tell you that I masterminded your expulsion from North Wind Town?! After such a complete victory, of course I had to attend the victory banquet there and deal with the Spirit Cat business while I was at it... After privately showing off a little, Ren Ye offered a thoroughly logical explanation. "I