"Me?" Xiao Hua rubbed his nose with a wry smile. "I can't compare to you two Fellow Daoists in good fortune. My talisman-making skill is still treading water!"
"Hehe, it's no matter," Ming Sui said with a smile. "As long as Fellow Daoist Xiao cultivates diligently, with Senior Brother Bangdai's guidance, you will surely make a breakthrough given enough time! Isn't that right, Fellow Daoist Ye?"
Seeing the strange smile on Xiao Hua's face, Ye Xuguang chimed in, "Exactly, exactly. Fellow Daoist Xiao mustn't lose heart!"
"Mm, many thanks for your encouragement, Fellow Daoists!" Xiao Hua said with a smile. "By the way, I haven't returned for several days. I wonder..."
"Eh? We were just discussing asking the Fu family for leave in a few days. Could it be that Fellow Daoist Xiao has already gone out?" Ming Sui asked in surprise. "It seems the time for requesting leave has not yet arrived, has it?"
"Hehe, Fellow Daoist Xiao is together with Fellow Daoist He, and Fellow Daoist He has won Elder Fu Feng's favor. Getting leave early should not be difficult, should it?"
"You two Fellow Daoists... what do you mean by that? I'm completely in the dark!" Xiao Hua asked in great puzzlement. "These past few days, I was only making talismans at Senior Brother Bangdai's place. I never returned to Chaotian Pavilion. I merely wished to ask after He Senior Brother's whereabouts. Where did this talk of leave come from? And what is this leave request about?"
"Oh, so that was it!" Ye Xuguang said with a smile. "We misunderstood."
Ming Sui also apologized from the side. "I was somewhat rash! Fellow Daoist He receives Elder Fu's personal guidance, and... his senior sisters are Fu Chu and Fu Zhu, direct blood descendants of the Fu family's Inner