He walked with his head lowered, pondering what Old Meng had said.
As Wang Xian mulled it over, the night passed. He wondered whether the girls had woken up yet, and whether they would really soar to new heights once they did.
He thought of asking Wuyue about it, but no matter how much he rambled, she didn't respond. It seemed she couldn't be bothered with him.
When he returned to the little courtyard, Old Zhang had already taken a turn around the temple and was now sitting under a tree, staring blankly into space.
He watched Wang Xian set out a pot of lamb offal soup and bring out a pile of lamb buns, and his face split into a grin.
He chuckled repeatedly. "Just look at your master. My white hair's gone, and even the wrinkles on my face have faded. When those girls wake up later, they'll probably call me a monster."
Wang Xian rolled her eyes. "Master, hurry up and eat. Once you're full, go pay off your debts. The sooner you clear them, the sooner you'll be free."
Old Zhang hadn't expected his disciple to be so eager—more eager than he was.
After thinking it over, he nodded. "I'll go after I finish eating... in a little while..."
Then he took out a Storage Ring and pressed it into Wang Xian's hand with a smile. "Don't say your master doesn't care about you. I've left you some Spirit Stones. Pay off the debts first, then, after a while, we can renovate the temple."
Wang Xian was taken aback.
She shook her head. "I didn't think you'd remember the old saying about planting trees for later generations to enjoy. Not bad. Looks like the founding master will protect you."
The old man ate with loud smacking