Fire Magic, Thunder Talisman

"'Stinking ox-nose' is an insult."

Shen Hui explained with a smile, "Daoists bind their hair into high topknots. From afar, they look like round, bulging lumps, much like the snout of an old yellow ox pushing forward, so people call them 'ox-noses.'"

"If you add the word 'stinking' in front, the contempt becomes all the stronger."

He paused, then added:

"As for monks, they are cursed as 'bald donkeys,' for much the same reason."

Having said that, he reached into his sleeve and pulled out a handful of pinecones.

They were the ones he had casually gathered in the pine forest some days ago.

He piled the pinecones on the stone table and picked one up to peel first.

Lu Huan was not shy about it either, reaching out to grab one.

The four sat around the stone table, peeling pine nuts and chatting idly. Before long, the pavilion gradually grew lively.

Shen Hui popped a pine nut kernel into his mouth and asked casually:

"Fellow Daoist Mo, once matters here are settled, where do you and your disciple plan to go?"

Mo Yunsong was lowering his head and tucking in the blanket around the swaddled infant. Hearing this, he raised his head, pondered for a moment, and said:

"This Old Daoist is thinking of heading toward Jingzhou first..."

As he spoke, he picked up a pinecone as well. While searching for the nuts inside, he explained:

"I have an old friend over there. We traveled the world together in our younger days. These days, he serves as the abbot of a temple neither large nor small."

"This Daoist plans to take Chengying to seek refuge with him and rest for a while at that Temple. Then we will return to Tongzhou, properly mend that ruined temple, and live a