Inconvenience

Outside a small pub stood a man wearing a clean black suit over a red undershirt was holding a phone near his ear.

"This is the place?"

"Yes sir she's there."

After hearing the confirmation the man entered the pub and scanned for his target. The pub seemed a bit rundown but it had a certain charm to it, there were pool tables and a few dart boards being used, keeping the patrons occupied while they drank the night away. A neon sign with the words *Drink* can be seen glowing behind the bar keep giving the area a greenish hue.

The man sat in front of the bar and gave a nod to the bartender then gestured to him for some drinks. Two small glasses filled with a few pints of whiskey slid towards him. He handed one of the drinks to the woman next to him.

"Have one on me, for the road."

"Oh are you suppose to be my Dad now *hic*?"

"No, but I would appreciate it, if you sober up a bit."

"Dealing with you? I am going to need another bottle. Barkeep! Give me one more and double it. So what is this about?"

"Have you not heard the news?"

"Heard the news? why do you think I am here? Feng Shi Jin is a cunning old witch and my Grandfather is too overbearing. "

"Things have escalated too quickly and the federation is causing a stir in the relevant powers. They want your clan to compensate Battle God Hall."

"Is that why they sent you here did Shrek realize that sending the hot head out wasn't the best of ideas?"

"They sent me because they wanted a neutral party to mediate it the negotiations between the government and your clan. Although the media says a powerful soul beast attacked Battle God Hall. The truth is known to the higher ups and the Sun-moon federation is saying that your clan stole something from the federation."

"This is my "me" time, you are kinda defeating the purpose by coming here."

"I would not be here if I did not have to be, but the pavilion master insists that someone needs to talk to a direct member of your clan and you people are not easy to meet."

"Well there goes my plan of ignoring reality for a bit. Tang Jian Ci do you wanna know why they sent you now after Ma Xiaofeng's outburst?"

"It is because the meeting was a farce and a set up so you would fight Ma Xiaofeng. Then Feng Shi Jin could point to your fight and use it as an argument for her case. It was obvious from them suddenly rescheduling the meeting. Under the obvious lie of calling it to "reassure the sponsors". Not to mention someone from the federation's side specifically leak info about a fire attribute soul bone appearing as a prize which greatly interested Ma Xiaofeng. She would insist to come to this Continental Advance Academy Soul Dueling Tournament "

"That timid face of yours serves you well, it hides your cunning from the unsuspecting. I assume most of what you said is known already by Tang Sect and Shrek so why still bother with playing along?

"The pavilion master has something to discuss with your grandfather she feels it necessary for them to meet face to face. That is all I know. I would appreciate it if you pass the message along."

"Grandfather will attend the tournament, she can try to meet him there."

"She can not, she is too old and needs to be near Sea God Island most of the time."

"Then you need to tell my Grandfather at the tourney. I will introduce you, he might already have an impression of you after all I kicked your asses a few years back. Hahaha."

"I appreciate it, the matter is urgent and we aren't sure how much time master has remaining. And please do not mention that to the other 6 they might not take it well as me.

"Then I'll be sure to remind them then, I'll be going first, see you."

The desert sun blazed brightly in the sky beaming down scorching heat rays onto the asphalt roads. Cars mosey along the highways tightly packed together in lines trying to drive through the thick traffic. One of these vehicles is a Mercedes Maybach s600. Inside, the chauffeur is trying to pacify to two children as they bicker with each other. Normally this would be frowned upon and is technically illegal; the Lin family on the other hand could not care less. Lin Mo and Lin Ming were just happy that the kids got a better view of the city for they would rarely be able to go here. Both of were fine paying the fine if it meant the children enjoyed themselves. They leisurely sat in the backseats and were conversing.

"The drive is taking a while Grandfather, I think we underestimated the amount of people coming here for the tournament."

"I don't mind, the little ones are enjoying it. It would also do you well to relax a bit. Tell me about the progress you've made."

"Ah-er-yes we have made great strides project XI is going well the designs work perfectly on the non human test subjects. We want to begin human trials soon as we confirm that it is safe. There are already volunteers I think this will revolutionize the continent Sir, I just know it."

"HAHAHA! Great work my boy always so passionate, I bet my granddaughter loves that about you."

"Oh... no no no. she does not like me talking about work at home, ahehe. She wants us to be a family at home so we leave the work talk at our jobs so to say."

"Little Li Lin all grown up ey. I remember back in her youth, she use to say that cultivation was all she wanted out of life. Love does change a person... quite drastically, doesn't it eh Lin Mo?

"Si-Sir..?"

"Oh don't mind me. I just felt nostalgic, musings of an old fool reminding himself of a memory from a bygone era. Look we're here."

The chauffeur park the car in front of a 50 storey hotel causing the children to look up in awe at the marvel of engineering. A bellhop escorted the group into the building and to the floor Li Lin is staying. They had called in advance and informed the place of their arrival so they can surprise Li Lin who isn't expecting them to arrive till the next day.

The escort gave them keys after helping them with the luggage. They opened and the door and the children ran into the bed room finding their mother passed out on the bed before they viscously attacked her with hugs and kisses. Their family spent the day the together in the hotel and planned an outing tomorrow but before the day could end a powerful soul power fluctuation pulsed in the air alerting the soul masters in the city.

Lin Ming and his two grandchildren appeared with him above the hotel. They could see trains and the track smoking and a group of people cloaked in black hovering in the air above. The mysterious group then suddenly took out a scepter that look similar to an upside chess piece with a human skull floating on top. The skull open it's mouth and started collecting spirits like a black hole swallowing a star.