"This talisman's almost burned out!"
While checking the fourth talisman paper, Fatty Xin seemed to have discovered something serious. He shouted and waved behind him, reminding Zheng Qing to pay attention to the Warming Talisman in front of him.
With a sour expression, Zheng Qing shuffled over to the fat wizard's side and took a look. Sure enough, the three-inch strip of Yellow Skin Paper had burned down to less than a finger's width, and the previously clear smoke had begun to turn murky.
"You're such a busybody." The young publicly funded student muttered, but he did not turn and leave. Instead, he slowly pulled out a new low-quality talisman from the Gray Cloth Bag and hung it back on the pavilion pillar.
A moment later, the finger-wide remnant talisman gave one last struggle, spat out a few sparks, and went dark. With the help of those sparks, the new Warming Talisman began to emit a faint yet steady wisp of bluish smoke.
Zheng Qing nodded in satisfaction. Just as he was about to straighten up, a powerful force slammed straight into him from behind, knocking him off balance. He nearly fell to the ground and almost smashed his head into the pavilion pillar.
The young wizard angrily turned around, intending to see who had dared to poke the tiger's backside.
Instead, he saw Su Ya baring her teeth and claws as she chased Poseidon all around the pavilion, trying to catch it. The Little Fox Girl flicked her big tail and laughed in a shrill voice as she darted about, teasing the Little Fox—children who had just woken up from a nap were always like this, bursting with energy and bold as brass, never afraid to tug a tiger's whiskers or pat its backside.
"Quiet! What are you two