"You're really all going…" he said, glancing from face to face.
Han Yu stepped forward, clapping a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Your time will come. For now, you focus on your training and taking care of the sect."
Fatty Kui Two nodded vigorously. "I brought some talismans I bought with my merit points. You might laugh, but… they're supposed to ward off bad luck." He handed over three flimsy charm slips, the edges singed from clumsy handling.
Fatty Kui One and Wu Shuan immediately grabbed theirs with dramatic flourishes, holding them over their heads like sacred banners.
"No one's laughing," Han Yu said, tucking his into his pouch with quiet gratitude. "Thank you."
The mood remained light, none of them willing to give in to anxious talk. Saying too much about fear or danger would only sour the moment—and maybe even bring misfortune. Better to laugh, to joke, to charge ahead like fate had already been decided.
