"Sister Xiao Qing... what I care about is just your hometown!"
Ao Ying looked at Su Qing with a smile and said:
"Whether that county is special or not isn't important. What's important is that it's your hometown."
Su Qing was slightly stunned upon hearing this.
Then she burst into laughter and said, "I see... I suppose I was just splitting hairs."
"Doesn't Sister Xiao Qing do that often?"
Ao Ying looked at Su Qing with a smile and said:
"You often fixate on strange angles and end up splitting hairs."
Su Qing gave a helpless smile and said, "It seems I'll have to pay more attention in the future. It's not a solution to always be like this!"
But even as she said it, some things weren't that easy to correct.
After all, many times it was subconscious behavior.
Often, she only realized afterward that she had been splitting hairs.
Ao Ying nodded with a smile upon hearing this and said:
"Then I wish Sister early success!"
"I'll do my best..."
Ao Ying smiled and didn't continue on that topic, only saying:
"Alright! Sister Xiao Qing, I'll go back and pack first. When we set off tomorrow, you must remember to call me."
"Don't worry, I won't forget you!" Su Qing nodded and said.
"Got it!" Ao Ying said as she waved and left the courtyard.
Seeing Ao Ying leave, Su Qing also stretched, turned, and went back to the inner room, intending to help Leng Xiang pack.
However, she felt that she probably wouldn't have much to help with.
The next day.
Early morning.
A thick mist rose over Flower-Fruit Mountain. Looking into the mountains from afar, it felt ethereal and mystical, very beautiful.
At this time, Su Qing was standing in the corner of the courtyard, looking at the Bodhi Tree in front of her and saying softly:
"Retract your roots; it's time for us to leave. Don't worry, the place we're going next won't let you go 'hungry'."
Although the Bodhi Tree still couldn't speak, it naturally understood.
However, regarding Su Qing's request to retract its roots, the Bodhi Tree wasn't very willing to listen.
After all, this was the Ancestral Vein of the Ten Continents. Growing here was of immense benefit to it, so it naturally didn't want to leave.
But it had to comply...
It had to stay by Su Qing's side; that was its mission.
So it could only aggrievedly retract its roots...
Allowing Su Qing to take it into her Sleeve Universe.
Having done all this, Su Qing naturally felt the aggrieved emotion coming from the Bodhi Tree...
Regarding the Bodhi Tree's grievance, Su Qing could only give a helpless smile.
After all, she didn't know how to comfort a tree...
Su Qing shook her head: "Forget it, let it continue to be aggrieved! Once we reach the Changbai Mountains, it won't be so aggrieved anymore."
She remembered correctly that Taishang Laojun had once said that the Changbai Mountains also had a branch of the Ancestral Vein.
Although not as good as Flower-Fruit Mountain, it was still a branch of the Ancestral Vein after all. Presumably, its effect and value wouldn't have any major difference.
Thinking of this, Su Qing temporarily set aside her thoughts about the Bodhi Tree.
Instead, she turned back into the house and woke up the little ones.
Gongsun Zhixue and the Little Sparrows were still sleeping in because they had gone to bed quite late last night.
"Are we leaving?" Gongsun Zhixue asked with a yawn after being woken up, her eyes bleary with sleep.
Seeing her like this, Su Qing reached out and pinched her cheeks, saying:
"Of course! It's already late. Hurry up and wash! It's time to set off."
"I know, I know, stop pinching my face! I feel like my face has gotten a lot rounder lately because you pinch it so much."
"..." Su Qing couldn't help but roll her eyes at her.
This little girl's round face wasn't her fault; she was just like that.
If it really had to be said it was rounder, it must be because she had eaten herself fat.
After all... since this little thing transformed into a human, she had become a little foodie.
From being unable to eat anything before, she had changed to never having enough to eat.
"Forget it, I can't be bothered to talk to you. You, hurry up and get up; it's time to set off."
"Got it~"
Hearing this, Su Qing nodded slightly and said nothing more to Gongsun Zhixue.
She just left the courtyard to go to the pool and call Ao Ying.
A short while later.
Su Qing brought Ao Ying back to the courtyard, and Gongsun Zhixue and Leng Xiang were already prepared to depart.
Before leaving, Su Qing took one last look at the courtyard.
Finally, she gave a slight smile and said, "Let's go!"
As she spoke, she formed a hand seal.
She mounted the crimson Somersault Cloud and sped off toward Huai County.
This departure meant she probably wouldn't return to live here for several hundred years.
In the next few hundred years, she would have to stay honestly in the Changbai Mountains.
After all, she needed to seriously cultivate the path of Incense Power.
So as to reach the Heavenly Immortal realm as soon as possible.
Of course, if there was any important matter at Flower-Fruit Mountain, she would still return if she had to...
The speed of the Somersault Cloud was very fast.
In just a short while, they had already reached the border of Shanbuzhou Jambudvipa.
Although it wasn't Su Qing's first time returning to Shanbuzhou Jambudvipa, it was her first time returning to Huai County in nearly a hundred years...
She couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.
Suddenly, Su Qing remembered something.
She turned her head to look at Ao Ying and then said:
"Ao Ying, we're going to a human city later. Your horns are a bit too conspicuous. So I'll have to trouble you to hide your horns first, and your scales as well."
Ao Ying's dragon horns were indeed too conspicuous.
And dragons had a special meaning in the mortal world.
So if she went to Huai County like this, it was imaginable how much impact it would have.
Ao Ying could also understand Su Qing's considerations, so she nodded and said, "Don't worry, Sister Xiao Qing, this isn't a problem."
As Ao Ying spoke, she formed a hand seal.
Immediately, her pair of dragon horns and subtle dragon scales were all hidden away.
After the dragon horns were hidden, Ao Ying's entire temperament also changed slightly.
She became a bit like the girl next door.
Pure and full of vitality, very likable.
Seeing Ao Ying hide her dragon horns, Su Qing nodded with satisfaction and said, "Hard work! Also, you actually look quite good like this."
"Thanks for the compliment~" Ao Ying laughed.
Su Qing laughed along and then formed a seal.
The speed of the Somersault Cloud increased again.
In an instant, the group arrived in the sky above Huai County.
"Below is Huai County, my hometown in a sense."
Standing on the cloud, Su Qing looked at the prosperous small county below and couldn't help but say.
After so many years, this Huai County had become a bit more prosperous, expanded quite a bit, and changed a lot.
However, although there were many changes...
Most places still hadn't changed much, still able to evoke many of her past memories.
Especially the memories of those decades living here with Su Qianxue...
Ao Ying also poked her head out and looked at the city below.
"This Huai County is actually quite big," Ao Ying said. "It looks very prosperous! Should we go in and walk around first?"
Ao Ying was somewhat expectant...
As a princess of the Dragon Palace, she rarely had the chance to leave.
Although she later left the Dragon Palace, she had to stay in the water to recover due to her injuries.
As a result, she still had no chance to go out.
So, this... perhaps counted as her first real long-distance trip?
And entering a human city was also a first.
Actually, not only Ao Ying, but Gongsun Zhixue was also very excited and expectant...
As for the reason, it probably didn't need to be said further.
After hearing Ao Ying's words, Su Qing nodded slightly and said:
"Naturally, we're going. It just so happens I have some things to buy as well."
"However... since we've come to the mortal world, everything must follow the rules of the mortal world. Let's go!"
As she spoke, Su Qing looked around and then chose to land in the nearby mountains.
Landing in the city could naturally save some travel time, but to prevent being seen by mortals, she chose to land in the mountains.
Anyway, for her, going from the mountains to that county wouldn't even take a few minutes.
And on the way, Su Qing could also take the opportunity to tell Ao Ying and Gongsun Zhixue about the rules of the mortal world and some things to watch out for.
Actually, Su Qing didn't need to worry about Ao Ying...
Su Qing was mainly speaking for Gongsun Zhixue to hear!
This fellow had the temperament of a child, after all; it was inevitable she would make some blunders sometimes.
So it was clearly necessary to consider more.
Before long, Su Qing and the others arrived at the city gate and then entered the city according to the rules for mortals entering.
"Is this... the human world? It's so lively!" Gongsun Zhixue looked at the bustling pedestrians and couldn't help but be dumbfounded.
Clearly a demon who had cultivated to the Divine Immortal realm, yet at this moment she looked like a country girl who had just arrived in the city, which was quite interesting.
On the other hand, although Ao Ying was also extremely curious about the human world, her gaze looking left and right, at least she didn't shout like Gongsun Zhixue.
"Yes, this is the human world," Su Qing nodded and said. "The mortal world has many fun things... although this is just a small city, it's enough for you to wander for quite a while."
"Truly amazing!" Gongsun Zhixue said in surprise. "That means there are even bigger cities? Can we go in the future?"
"If there's a chance, of course! But for today, let's play here first!" Su Qing said with a slight smile.
"Really? Great! For the sake of this matter today, I'll forgive you for one day." Gongsun Zhixue said with a smile, "Then let's go quickly!"
Hearing this, Su Qing shook her head slightly and said, "You and Ao Ying go wander; I have some things to do."
As she spoke, Su Qing took out a heavy money bag from her Sleeve Universe and handed it to Ao Ying.
"Take this money... this is the human world, after all; everything requires spending money. It won't do without money."
Ao Ying took the money bag, slightly dazed, and then asked, "Where is Sister Xiao Qing going?"
"To sweep graves..." Su Qing gave a slight smile and said, "Don't worry about it. In short, I definitely won't leave you here and ignore you."
After hearing this, Ao Ying nodded and said, "Alright! Where shall we meet then?"
Ao Ying could tell that Su Qing probably didn't want them to go with her and Leng Xiang to sweep the graves, so she didn't insist.
"Let's just meet here! I'll wait for you here later."
Ao Ying nodded and said, "Here? I understand. Then Zhixue and I will head off first."
"Mhm." Su Qing said, "By the way, unless absolutely necessary, try not to reveal any magic... at the very least, you can't be discovered by people."
Su Qing emphasized this matter to Gongsun Zhixue and Ao Ying once more...
"Got it!" Gongsun Zhixue made a face at Su Qing and said, "Have a little confidence in this young lady!"
Su Qing didn't say yes or no, just waved her hand with a smile, telling her to hurry up and play and not grumble at her.
After sending off Ao Ying and Gongsun Zhixue.
Su Qing turned to look at Leng Xiang beside her.
She said, "Let's go too! Let's go to the shop first to take a look, and buy some joss paper, incense, and candles along the way..."
"Yes, Master!" Leng Xiang nodded slightly and followed Su Qing toward the direction of Wang Chuan Tang.
Actually, whether it was incense, candles, or even joss paper, Su Qing had quite a lot stored in her Sleeve Universe.
And the reason she still wanted to go to Wang Chuan Tang was simply to see if the shop was still there.
Or rather, were the people in the shop still there?
Following her past memories.
The two of them soon arrived at the location of the former shop...
However, after Su Qing arrived here.
She found that the former Wang Chuan Tang was gone, replaced by a pastry shop.
Seeing this, she couldn't help but feel a hint of pity in her heart...
She had also naively thought that the Wang Chuan Tang she opened could really become a century-old brand.
Had it disappeared so quickly?
"Master... don't worry, maybe it just relocated?" Leng Xiang said from the side, seeing Su Qing's expression of pity.
Hearing this, Su Qing was stunned for a moment and said, "That's right! If you hadn't said it, I almost forgot that possibility."
Su Qing gave a helpless smile; she was really muddled today.
Thinking this, Su Qing walked into the pastry shop.
The owner of the shop, seeing that Su Qing's clothes didn't look like ordinary fabric, concluded that this person had an extraordinary status, so he also hurriedly came forward to welcome them.
"Customer, customer, please come in! What would you like, customer?"
The owner boasted with a smile:
"Our shop's osmanthus cakes and sesame cakes are our specialties. In this Huai County, absolutely no other shop's is as good as ours!"
After listening to the owner's boasting, Su Qing said, "Then give me two boxes of each."
The owner couldn't help but beam with joy and hurriedly ordered the shop assistant to pack them, as if afraid Su Qing would regret it.
Pastries weren't cheap; ordinary people buying them would at most buy one or two liang, or even just one or two pieces.
So learning that Su Qing wanted to buy so many at once, he was naturally happy.
Seeing this, Su Qing gave a slight smile and said:
"By the way, owner, I remember this wasn't a pastry shop before, but a shop called Wang Chuan Tang! Why is it gone now? Where did the original Wang Chuan Tang go?"
The owner's brow furrowed slightly upon hearing this, as if he were thinking, "I'm sorry, Miss! I'm not too clear about this Wang Chuan Tang... Huai County doesn't seem to have one called Wang Chuan Tang anymore."
Su Qing was slightly disappointed upon hearing this; had it really disappeared?
But it made sense when she thought about it; after all, it had been so long, it wasn't strange for it to be gone.
And just as Su Qing was feeling disappointed...
The shop assistant packing the pastries nearby suddenly spoke up: "Proprietor, Wang Chuan Tang should still be around."
"Around? Where is it? Why don't I remember?" the owner asked in confusion.
"You forgot! Wang Chuan Tang is the former name of the two funeral parlors, 'Laisheng' and 'Wangshi'!"
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