After eating, Gao Hao Guang and Ma Chao hurried off toward the mountain village in their little donkey cart.
Chu Ke cleared the dishes and went to the canal to wash them. Unable to sit still, Miao Qingqing bounced over and wandered about nearby.
"Aren't you going to practice drawing talismans?" Chu Ke asked without looking up.
"Come on, I was waiting for Junior Brother Erguo to come back so we could do it together." Miao Qingqing stretched, scrunching her cheeks into an adorable expression.
Ever since coming up the mountain, their daily lessons had either been listening to Master expound the teachings or practicing talisman drawing—just as boring as copying texts at school. And Miao Qingqing was not particularly talented in talismans, which made it even more torturous.
Chu Ke took a copper pocket watch from his robes and checked the time. "Junior Brother Huang should be back soon too. No slacking off when he gets here. Practice your talismans properly."
Miao Qingqing still remembered that Chu Ke had said he was going down the mountain to buy things. She trotted over with a back basket, then hurriedly nodded at his words. "Got it. Don't worry, Senior Brother Chu!"
Chu Ke casually accepted it, refusing the purse Miao Qingqing handed him. He rubbed her head. "If someone dangerous comes to the dojo, make sure you go along with them first. Don't provoke them for the moment. Wait until either Master or I get back."
"I know, I know." Miao Qingqing lightly shook off Chu Ke's hand. As the senior sister of the Three Truths Sect, she needed to maintain at least a little prestige. As for those "dangerous people," she merely assumed Chu Ke meant bandits.
After leaving the courtyard, Chu Ke still felt somewhat uneasy. He took several