The next day early in the morning, Xiao Hei took the two little girls out for an adventure, and Yang Xue officially took over their work.
Despite Yang Xue's casual way of speaking, she worked very efficiently, especially at cooking, which made Tang Xiaoyu very satisfied.
"Xiaoxue, let's start by learning the morning lessons that need to be recited every day. After Xiao Hei comes back, let him teach you some basic knowledge about cultivation.
"After you become an outer disciple, I will teach you some cultivation techniques."
Yang Xue happily said, "Then I must work hard to become an outer disciple as soon as possible."
"Master, could you call me Yang Xue? Calling me Xiaoxue makes me feel like I'm still a child."
Tang Xiaoyu indifferently said, "Isn't that to make you look younger? Since you don't like it, then I'll call you Yang Xue."
Yang Xue quickly waved her hand, "No need. Xiaoxue is good. I'm still very young."
Tang Xiaoyu sternly said, "Alright, let's start learning!"
Xiao Hei took the two little girls over hills and through forests, having great fun.
"Master, where are the demonic beasts? I really want to try my skills."
"It's just ahead. I can already sense its aura."
Not long after walking, they saw an enormous bear dog, at least twice as big as a normal one.
The bear dog also sensed their auras and turned to look at where they were.
The bear dog did not attack them, it just turned and walked in another direction.
Wenwen said, "That bear dog doesn't look evil. Master, what should we do?"
Xiao Hei said, "Let me go ask it!"
"Okay."
Xiao Hei ran over, "Hey kid, what are you doing here?"
"You're the kid! Your whole family are kids! And I didn't come here, this is my home to begin with."
Xiao Hei was not annoyed, "Alright then! Why did you grow so big? And why can I sense spiritual energy fluctuations inside you?"
"I don't know. One day I ate something, and I felt very hot all over. Since then, I just kept growing until now."
Xiao Hei thought that it must have eaten some kind of spiritual medicine or the like.
"You can't stay here anymore. You have to come with us, otherwise other cultivators will kill you."
The bear dog thought for a while, "Do you guys have good food there?"
"Of course! Lots of it!"
"Then I'll go with you. Don't want anyone else trying to kill me."
"Come on, let me introduce you to my disciples."
"You mean those two humans? You're so powerful!"
Xiao Hei raised his dog head arrogantly, "You don't even know who I am. Follow me from now on and I guarantee you'll eat fragrantly and drink luxuriously."
The bear dog dumbly asked, "Does eat fragrantly and drink luxuriously taste good?"
"Uh... it means letting you eat whatever you want."
"Then I'll follow you Big Bro! You're my Big Bro from now on!"
"Very good! Let's go, I'll introduce you to my precious disciples. From now on you have to listen to them too."
"Yes Big Bro!"
With the bear dog carrying Shanshan, Wenwen appeared at the gates of the Daoist temple, scaring the villagers into shouting loudly.
Hearing the commotion, Tang Xiaoyu quickly came out to see what was going on. She saw Wenwen and Shanshan sitting on top of a bear dog!
"Villagers, don't be afraid. This is the demonic beast that I asked Wenwen and Shanshan to capture. You all must have heard about this beast as well."
Only then did the villagers quiet down, curiously looking over that oversized bear dog.
Xiao Hei came out to explain, "Dear villagers, I guarantee this bear will not harm any of you because it is now my little brother. You can call it Little Bear. If anyone has something too heavy to move, you can ask it for help!"
Little Bear obligingly nodded its head.
Having accepted Xiao Hei's existence already, the villagers' ability to accept was quite strong indeed.
"Since Abbot Xiao has said so, what else do we have to worry about? With a bear this huge, who would dare make trouble in our Qingshan Town?"
"You're right, just its size coming out would scare people away!"
Without even consulting Tang Xiaoyu, the villagers discussed happily among themselves.
"Xiao Hei, bring it to the backyard first."
"Xiaoxue, go to the government office to register it."
"Yes, Master."
Tang Xiaoyu added in a low voice, "Don't forget the money."
Yang Xue blanked for a moment then understood: "Got it."
"Go quickly! And be careful on the road."
"Don't worry!"
When Tang Xiaoyu returned to the backyard, she saw the two girls taking things out of the storeroom to feed Little Bear.
"Dear aunties, we don't have much money left. At this feeding rate, in just a few days, the only thing we'll have left to drink is the northwest wind."
"Xiao Hei and I can go without food, but you girls will starve."
Little Bear looked at Tang Xiaoyu pitifully. How could she resist that?
"Alright alright, put away those puppy dog eyes. Eat whatever you want and I'll figure something out afterward."
Tang Xiaoyu rubbed her temples not knowing what to say.
"Oh well, since this is already the situation, Xiao Hei, from now on it'll be your responsibility. Consider it one of Qingshan Temple's members."
"Try to get it to speak as soon as possible. Otherwise I won't be able to communicate with it."
Wenwen and Shanshan happily jumped up, "Master is the best!"
Tang Xiaoyu didn't oppose Little Bear joining the temple because who made it one of Tongtian Daozu's subordinates!
But its moral conduct must be strictly taught. She didn't want a repeat of past mistakes.
Seeing the sky getting darker, Tang Xiaoyu went out to fetch Yang Xue.
She hadn't gotten far when she ran into Yang Xue.
Yang Xue was quite surprised to see the Master, "Master, what are you doing out here?"
Tang Xiaoyu said, "Seeing how late it was and you still weren't back, I came looking for you. Didn't expect you'd already returned."
Yang Xue was touched, "Master, were you worried about me?"
A shiver went down Tang Xiaoyu's back, "Put away that gaze! If it were Xiao Hei out, I'd worry the same!"
"It's the first time I've been worried about by a man other than my dad. Quite touching!"
Tang Xiaoyu sympathetically said, "What's there to be touched about, let's go back so you can rest properly."
"Thank you Master! From now on I will work even harder!"
"Good, I believe in you."
Back at the temple, Wenwen and Shanshan already had dinner prepared.
"Eat first, we'll talk after."
"Alright!"
After dinner, Yang Xue took out some banknotes.
"Master, this is 10,000 silver banknotes."
Tang Xiaoyu took the banknotes curiously asking, "The government is being so generous?"
"My dad... how dare they not be generous." Yang Xue let it slip out accidentally.
Tang Xiaoyu said in realization, "So your dad is..?"
Yang Xue whispered, "The head honcho of Qingshan Town."
Tang Xiaoyu figured it out, "That explains things then. Your dad agreed to let you become a nun?"
"Of course he agreed! I'm unmarryable anyway, might as well send me here to cultivate. At least not keep embarrassing him."
Then, Yang Xue took out another stack of banknotes, "These are from my dad to you, he said... anyway it's for Qingshan Temple."
Tang Xiaoyu took a look, damn, a whole 100,000 silver taels! "Just how much dirty money does your dad take in?!"
Yang Xue unhappily said, "Don't talk rubbish! My mother's family is famously rich."
Tang Xiaoyu put away the money and cleared her throat, "In light of Xiaoxue's recent performance, I've decided to officially promote her to be a formal disciple together with Wenwen and Shanshan to cultivate."
Xiao Hei commented inwardly: Recent? How recent? One day?!
"Xiaoxue, you must work hard for your father to see the changes in you."
Xiaoxue happily jumped up, "Thank you Master!"
She turned and kneeled in front of Xiao Hei, "Greetings Master!"
At this time Xiao Hei was dumbfounded: Is she not treating me as a dog anymore!
"Good disciple, stand up now."
"Thank you Master!"