Herbs

On Mount Taibai.

Ao Ying lay on the stone table, quietly watching Su Qing, who was studying herbs.

She couldn't help but ask, "Sister Xiao Qing, didn't you quite like that girl? Why... send her away? Wouldn't it be good to let her stay a few more days? This place is so big, one more person wouldn't be a bother, would it?"

Su Qing heard this, and her movements paused slightly.

After a moment of thought, she replied:

"Perhaps I don't want her to mistake this place for reality? After all, for mortals who cannot cultivate immortality, the more they know, the worse it is."

"Is that so?"

Ao Ying propped up her small face and said with a hint of confusion:

"I don't quite understand! I prefer to keep things I like close to me, or to go to the people I like myself."

Su Qing glanced at her and said, "It's just... when it's time to send her away, one cannot be soft-hearted. If she treats this as a dream, perhaps that would be the best outcome."

"Well, whatever you say, Sister Xiao Qing!"

Ao Ying said with a smile:

"But I'm very curious, will that girl become your loyal worshipper in the future?"

"Who knows?" Su Qing said, "I don't care either way."

"Then, Sister, do you think she will tell others what she saw and heard here?"

"That, I don't know either."

Ao Ying chuckled, "Anyway, Sister, you won't lose out, right?"

"That's right," Su Qing nodded and said.

If mortals learned of the happenings here, it would merely add another legend.

And vice versa.

Ao Ying looked at the herbs in Su Qing's hand, and after a long while, she still couldn't help but ask:

"Speaking of which, Sister, what exactly are you studying? Didn't we plant these herbs a few days ago? What's there to study by pulling them out?"

"How should I put it? Never mind, just take a look yourself. After you've seen it, I'm sure you'll understand."

Su Qing had originally intended to tell Ao Ying some things that happened today.

But she found talking too troublesome, so she simply handed the herbs directly to her.

Ao Ying also understood pharmacology; she only needed to examine them carefully, and everything would become clear.

Ao Ying took the herbs with a puzzled expression, examined them in her hand, and couldn't help but frown.

"Strange. We didn't use magic to ripen the herbs, so how is it that they've gained hundreds of years of age after being planted for such a short time?"

After examining them closely, Ao Ying also discovered the anomaly and couldn't help but ask:

"Could it be that the soil of the Changbai Mountains has a ripening effect? How interesting!"

"Whether the soil of the Changbai Mountains has a ripening effect is yet unknown, but it's certain that the land around us has such an effect."

Su Qing took the herbs from her hand and said calmly:

"Furthermore, what's interesting is that although these herbs grew by a hundred years in just two months, the medicinal power within them did not diminish due to the rapid growth."

"They still possess the medicinal power appropriate for hundreds of years of age, completely unlike the effects of ordinary methods of forced ripening."

Saying this, Su Qing smiled and continued:

"Well, although I don't know the principle behind it, no matter what, it's certainly not a bad thing."

"And with such fast-growing herbs, my alchemy ingredients are guaranteed."

Ao Ying heard this and couldn't help but ponder, saying, "If that's the case, then... why not plant some more precious herbs? After all, planting only ordinary mortal herbs would be a bit of a waste of this miraculous place."

Ao Ying wasn't too concerned about the principle... as long as it wasn't a bad thing, she was too lazy to get to the bottom of it.

Instead, she focused on how to best utilize this miraculous property.

"Planting immortal herbs and spirit medicines? That's indeed a good idea." Su Qing also nodded slightly.

Since the Bodhi Tree had the ability to ripen herbs, using it to try and ripen special medicinal ingredients that require years of growth might indeed be a very good use.

Moreover, if those herbs that require spiritual energy to grow were planted.

Then the spiritual energy that the Bodhi Tree returned would not be wasted.

"But the problem is, where can I get some herb seeds? I can't just search all over the mountains, can I?"

Immortal herbs and spirit medicines might be easy enough to find.

But seeds...

That would be quite troublesome.

Hearing Su Qing's worry, Ao Ying thought for a moment and said:

"Sister, why don't you go find my father! His treasury should have quite a few seeds of spirit medicines and immortal herbs. If you go to him, he most likely won't refuse."

"Wouldn't that be inappropriate?" Su Qing frowned and couldn't help but say.

After all, her relationship with the Old Dragon King was only average, and going to him only when she needed something certainly made her feel a bit awkward.

"It's fine. For my father, he'd be eager for you to come to him with things."

Ao Ying propped her face and analyzed seriously:

"Moreover, if you go to him for something, he might even frantically try to give you more things! Besides, in his eyes, you'll be part of his family sooner or later, so he wouldn't be reluctant."

Ao Ying understood her father very well...

For her father to be willing to make a deal with his daughter to make Su Qing an ally showed how much he valued Su Qing.

In fact, for her father.

If selling his daughter could gain such an ally.

He would definitely sell her without hesitation.

Perhaps her father did have some paternal love, but certainly not much.

However, although she had some complaints about this in her heart, having long been accustomed to it, she didn't care that much.

On the contrary, if it could help the person she cared about, it was nothing.

Even if her father were to sell her, it would only be to Su Qing.

Su Qing listened to Ao Ying's words, pondered for a moment, and then nodded slightly.

"If that's the case, then I might have to trouble you to come with me."

"No trouble at all. I've been missing my mother a bit, so this is a good chance to go back and see her."

Speaking of her mother, Ao Ying suddenly thought:

"Speaking of which, Sister hasn't chatted with my mother yet! How about you accompany me to see my mother after you've finished talking business with my father?"

Su Qing heard this and nodded.

She had indeed never chatted with the Dragon Queen...

Going to the Dragon Palace to see the Dragon Queen was also a good option.

"Of course, that's no problem."

"Then when shall we depart?" Ao Ying asked upon hearing this.

"There's nothing urgent these days, so let's go tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Ao Ying nodded and said, "Then I'll go back and prepare. Going home this time, I should bring some local specialties for Mother Queen."

Hearing this, Su Qing couldn't help but smile, then nodded and watched her return to Heaven Lake.

After Ao Ying left.

Su Qing put away her smile and the pile of herbs on the stone table.

She stretched, then walked to the Bodhi Tree, looked at it, and said:

"You always give me some inexplicable surprises. So, what exactly is your principle?"

The Bodhi Tree heard her, but still didn't answer anything.

It merely silently absorbed the spiritual energy from the Ancestral Vein, while also giving back a portion of the absorbed spiritual energy, releasing it around the courtyard.

"Forget it, if you don't want to say, then don't!"

Su Qing, feeling no emotion from the Bodhi Tree, shook her head slightly, then turned and went back into the house.

She still needed to tell Leng Xiang about going to the Dragon Palace tomorrow.

The next day.

The morning sun had just climbed over the mountain.

The Changbai Mountains were still bathed in hazy mist.

And Su Qing, Leng Xiang, and Ao Ying were already heading towards the East Sea.

Only Su Qing and the two others went to the East Sea today.

As for the Little Sparrows and Gongsun Zhixue, they were left behind in the Changbai Mountains to guard the house.

Su Qing's speed, naturally, needs no elaboration.

In a short while, Su Qing and the others had already arrived above the East Sea.

At this time, the sun had just peeked its head above the horizon.

Su Qing turned to look at the distant island and thought, "After getting the seeds, I'll stop by to check on Flower-Fruit Mountain."

Su Qing wasn't worried about Flower-Fruit Mountain; she was just curious about how the monkey troop on Flower-Fruit Mountain had been living after a few months without her.

Su Qing stopped her wild thoughts, then lowered her cloud, about to plunge into the seawater.

Just then, Ao Ying suddenly said, "I'll take Sister down."

"Ah?"

Su Qing was slightly stunned at the words, and before she could ask what she meant, she saw Ao Ying directly transform back into her true form, becoming a white dragon, floating in mid-air.

"Sister, hold on tight," Ao Ying turned to Su Qing and said, "I swim quite fast; if you don't hold on tight, you'll be flung off."

Hearing this, Su Qing nodded, then gripped the white dragon's body tightly.

Although she felt that for such a journey, there was no need for Ao Ying to transform back into her true form to take her down, it was a rare opportunity to ride a dragon, and she didn't want to miss it.

After all, who hasn't dreamed of being a dragon rider?

"Why does that sound a bit strange...?" Su Qing thought, her eyebrows twitching slightly.

Leng Xiang, it seemed, did not want to ride on Ao Ying's body into the sea, so she simply returned to the Cold Fragrance Sword.

Ao Ying naturally had no objection to this.

Once Su Qing had a firm grip, she plunged headfirst into the seawater.

Ao Ying swiftly traveled through the water; all the fish in her path moved aside, and even the Yaksas patrolling the waters dared not obstruct her in the slightest.

This journey through the water was utterly unimpeded.

And because Ao Ying's transformed true form was simply too massive and too conspicuous...

Even before she reached the Crystal Palace, the news of her returning with Su Qing on her back had already reached the Old Dragon King's ears.

The Old Dragon King, who was drinking tea, was stunned upon hearing this news, nearly choking on his tea.

"Cough, cough, cough, what is that girl up to now?! ...Never mind, the romantic interests of the young, I, an old man, truly don't understand."

The Old Dragon King couldn't help but shake his head and sigh, thinking:

"But why has that girl suddenly brought Su Qing back? Is it to propose marriage? No, that can't be right? It's only been so long? It shouldn't be that fast."

"No, the person has already followed that girl, so whether there's a proposal or not seems to make no difference to her."

"Then what exactly are these two here for?"

The Old Dragon King stroked his dragon beard, filled with many doubts.

But after thinking for a while, the Old Dragon King shook his head and stopped pondering.

After all, they would arrive soon, and he could just ask them in person then.

The Old Dragon King thought, put down his tea set, tidied his robes, and then went to the Crystal Palace's main hall.

Before long, a white dragon pushed through the water, swimming straight into the Crystal Palace.

After landing, the white dragon transformed into human form and, along with the person on her back, walked into the Crystal Palace's main hall.

When the Old Dragon King saw this scene, he still couldn't help but raise an eyebrow slightly, secretly thinking that he truly didn't understand young people.

Ao Ying, seeing her father, still greeted him politely.

No matter what, he was still her father, her birth father, so she naturally couldn't be too impolite.

"Ying greets Father King," Ao Ying bowed.

Su Qing, seeing this, also performed a bow, saying, "Greetings, Senior Dragon King."

The Old Dragon King nodded slightly and said, "My dear daughter, my dear son-in-law, please sit."

One of the most comfortable things about Su Qing's demeanor was that she never acted arrogant or disrespectful towards him.

Even though her strength already far surpassed his, she still treated him with courtesy, calling him 'Senior'.

Thinking of this, the Old Dragon King couldn't help but feel a slight resentment towards that Sun Wukong.

After all, he was truly annoyed by that monkey.

"My dear daughter has returned with her son-in-law? Is there something you need from me?" the Old Dragon King asked with a chuckle.

He was too lazy to pretend and directly called Su Qing his son-in-law.

In his view, it was only a matter of time anyway.

Now, all that was missing was a wedding.

The way he addressed them didn't matter.

Calling him son-in-law directly also made it feel more intimate.

Su Qing heard this, and the corner of her mouth twitched slightly, secretly thinking that this Old Dragon King was truly shameless.

However, she was too lazy to argue with the Old Dragon King; arguing about such a matter here was clearly not worth it.

Moreover, it might inadvertently hurt Ao Ying's feelings.

So she endured the Old Dragon King's shamelessness.

She exhaled a clear breath, then informed the Old Dragon King of the purpose of her visit.

After listening, the Old Dragon King raised an eyebrow slightly.

It wasn't that he didn't have seeds of spirit medicines and immortal herbs, but he didn't know what Su Qing intended to do with them.

"Well, I'll give them to her. Anyway, those herb seeds are of no great use to me, and gaining her favor is worth it."

The Old Dragon King pondered for a moment, then came to a conclusion.

So he said, "I naturally have many seeds here. Just go to the treasury and take whatever you need."

Su Qing said, "Thank you, Senior Dragon King."

The Old Dragon King nodded slightly, then summoned a Jellyfish Yaksa, instructing the Jellyfish Yaksa to escort Su Qing to the Dragon Palace treasury.

After Su Qing went to the treasury, Ao Ying said to the Old Dragon King:

"Then, Father King, your child will go to see Mother Queen."

The Old Dragon King heard this, waved his hand, and said, "Go, go! Your Mother Queen is in the back garden; she has probably already heard of your return by now."

"Thank you, Father King," Ao Ying bowed politely.

Then she turned and left, not lingering for a moment.

The Old Dragon King saw this, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly, and he thought, "Polite, yes, but still the same old way."