"What? You want me to spit out what you made me swallow? You want it back?" Howard Zhang shot back, sarcasm thick in his voice.
Master Cloud's face cycled from blue to red with fury. He stared at Howard Zhang, looking like he might tear him apart.
"There's only one way: melt Howard Zhang down, strip away the flesh, bones, and soul—what's left is the Buddha Statue of Visions."
Yuna Ji giggled from the sidelines, stirring up trouble. I shot her an exasperated look—was now really the time for this?
"Come on, Empress Yuna, doesn’t that mean I’d be dead?" Howard Zhang protested.
"Oh, right, you’re still human. So, it’s out of reach. Little monk, go back and tell your master—after all, you’re supposed to be monks, though maybe not anymore, huh? If your master wants to fulfill that little monk’s dying wish, killing Howard Zhang would only leave him restless in the afterlife."
Yuna Ji’s words were clear and logical, even giving Howard Zhang some wiggle room. He nodded right away, and Master Cloud’s fury faded.
"Madam Ji, you’re right. I can’t argue. But my master’s wish must be fulfilled. So, the only solution is to let Howard Zhang come with us to Hidden Falls Temple to meet Master Primordius. This way, Howard Zhang stays alive, and my master’s wish is fulfilled—he can reincarnate and start anew."
In my head, I was cursing up a storm. That Brother Owen clearly wanted the Buddha Statue of Visions inside Howard Zhang, but twisted things so much there was no way to refuse—Master Cloud’s plan really was a win-win.
"But what if you take me away, kill me, and get the Buddha Statue of Visions? Who knows what you’ll do then? Why don’t we all go together?" Howard Zhang pressed.
At this moment, Master Cloud wore a gentle smile, not the slightest hint of anger on his face.
"This was our prior agreement with Master Leo Yuan: aside from the Renegade Monks, no one else is permitted to know the whereabouts of Hidden Falls Temple."
With a loud slap, Howard Zhang struck his thigh, then nodded in understanding.
"Mm, I get it. You can't tell us, right? Heh. But about this letter—is it really genuine?"
"What do you mean, Howard Zhang?"
Howard Zhang then stood up and bowed to everyone around him.
"Everyone, this is the modern age. Everything relies on facts and evidence. This fake monk brought us a letter—who knows whether it's real or not—and expects us to believe it? Hah! Why should we? With today's forgery technology, making something look old is far too easy."
With a loud smack, Master Cloud slapped his hand on the table, then looked at Howard Zhang—and started laughing.
"If that's the case, we can have someone verify it. The results will be clear soon enough."
But Howard Zhang simply waved his hand and shook his head.