You walked through the woods, the rustle of leaves and distant sounds of the horses at rest filling the air. The crisp night had settled around you, and you bent down to gather wood for a fire, a smile tugging at your lips as you thought about the warmth it would bring. But then, a sudden chill ran down your spine—someone was watching. Goosebumps prickled your skin, and you quickened your pace, clutching the firewood tightly.

As you reached for the pouch Brother Liu had given you, its comforting weight a reminder of his protection, a figure materialized before you. Without a word, he pressed a talisman against your back, the energy crackling between you. Before you could react, he yanked the pouch from your hand and burned it with a flick of his wrist.

"I'm the one teaching you," he muttered, a touch of disdain in his voice. "Why do you still carry something from him?"

He turned away, a rare flicker of something in his eyes before he held out a pouch—a rough, and well badly looking pouch. Its appearance couldn’t have been more different from Brother Liu’s elegant gift.

"Don’t you dare tell anyone I gave you this," he added, his tone firm, his gaze intense, almost like a warning.