Time passed with incredible speed.
In the blink of an eye, the sky grew dim as the sun dipped behind the western mountains, and the moon began its ascent halfway up the horizon.
After a full day of play, Su Qing and Bai Suzhen were both quite exhausted.
Once they finished dinner, they retreated to their respective beds to sleep.
That night, Bai Suzhen was surprisingly well-behaved, refraining from any scandalous antics.
Early the next morning, Bai Suzhen rose with the dawn. She looked at the still-slumbering Su Qing and offered a faint smile.
"Don't worry, Sister... even after the Great Tribulation, you won't be alone," Bai Suzhen thought to herself.
"Sister, wake up. Don't be a sleepyhead," Bai Suzhen said, poking Su Qing to rouse her from her dreams.
Being forced awake, Su Qing was still a bit dazed. She rubbed her eyes and let out a long yawn.
"Is it morning already?"
"Sister, are you still half-asleep?"
"A little! But who can blame me when I slept so well?" Su Qing yawned again, her voice full of smiles.
"Hmm, maybe I shouldn't have let you sleep so well. Ah, what a pity. I really should have been more... hands-on."
"Yes, what a pity. You've missed your chance now." Su Qing knew she was only joking, so she played along.
Bai Suzhen gave a faint smile and replied, "Actually, there's always an opportunity, regardless of the time."
Su Qing was taken aback for a moment before reaching out to poke the girl’s forehead. "If I don’t give you the chance, you won't have one!"
Bai Suzhen didn't argue; she simply giggled foolishly.
After a bit more idle chatter, Su Qing dressed herself and got out of bed.
Having stayed for a day, it was time for her to depart. Bai Suzhen understood this well; it had become their established routine.
However, before Su Qing left, she intended to keep her for just a little longer...
Even if it was only for the duration of breakfast.
Su Qing sensed Bai Suzhen’s feelings, so she didn't rush to leave. After all, the Old Mother of Mount Li hadn't set a strict time for her return. If she could spend a little more time with her friend, she would.
Unfortunately, time waits for no one.
Before long, the sun had climbed directly overhead. It was truly time for Su Qing to go.
This time, Bai Suzhen didn't try to stop her, nor did she say much. She simply said, "Safe travels, Sister! Remember to come back and play next time!"
The words sounded normal enough, yet there was a strange lingering quality to them.
Su Qing didn't overthink it. She simply nodded with a smile and waved goodbye.
Bai Suzhen waved back, watching as Su Qing left the small courtyard. The bright smile on her face gradually faded into a more serious expression. She let out a soft sigh before turning back into the house.
Now that Su Qing was gone, she needed to focus on her cultivation. She had to reach a higher realm.
"I hope... I can eventually reach the level Master expects of me."
Bai Suzhen exhaled a breath of turbid air, muttering to herself as she closed the door.
After leaving, Su Qing went to bid farewell to the Old Mother as she always did. Today, the Old Mother didn't insist on a game of Gomoku, so after a brief goodbye, Su Qing stepped out of the side hall.
The little Daoist boy waiting outside handed Leng Xiang back to her.
"Did you have fun yesterday?" the boy asked with a grin.
Su Qing nodded, taking the long sword. "Yes, it was quite nice."
"Hmm? Quite nice?" The boy tilted his head and shrugged. "I don't really get it. Is that good or bad?"
"It's a middle ground."
"..." The little Daoist boy curled his lip. "How boring!"
Su Qing gave a faint smile but didn't elaborate. Instead, she said, "Alright, alright. I'm heading back now. Next time I see you, I'll bring you some more delicious treats!"
Hearing this, the boy immediately beamed. "Oh, you shouldn't have! But if you insist on bringing food, I won't mind. Just remember to bring a lot."
Su Qing rolled her eyes; the boy was far too easy to read. She nodded and said, "I know, I know! I'm off then."
"Right. Safe travels to the beyond!"
"I'm not dying."
"Then... safe journey!" the boy corrected himself with a cheeky grin, sticking out his tongue.
Su Qing gave a helpless smile. She performed a hand seal, chanted a True Word Incantation, and took off on her Somersault Cloud.
She didn't intend to return directly to the Changbai Mountains, however. She planned to stop by the Moon Palace on the way to visit Lady Chang'e for a bit. Since she was already out, she might as well make the most of the trip.
The Somersault Cloud was incredibly fast. In a short time, she arrived before the gates of the Moon Palace.
Su Qing didn't enter immediately. Following her usual custom, she stopped at the entrance. A female guard saluted her and asked, "Is the Immortal here to see the Palace Mistress?"
Su Qing nodded slightly.
Seeing this, the guard said, "I'm afraid you've come at a bad time, Immortal. The Palace Mistress has gone to the Heavenly Palace and is not currently in the Moon Palace."
"To the Heavenly Palace?" Su Qing was stunned. "Is there some major event happening there?"
"I wouldn't know. I'm just a gatekeeper," the guard replied with a shrug. "However... the Heavenly Court has been summoning the Palace Mistress quite frequently lately. I'm not sure what's going on."
Su Qing didn't press the guard further and simply nodded.
'It seems something really is happening in the Heavenly Court lately. I wonder what it is,' Su Qing thought. 'I'll ask Lady Chang'e about it next time I visit.'
"Since the Palace Mistress isn't here, I'll be on my way," Su Qing said. "Sorry for the intrusion. Farewell."
She could have looked for the Jade Rabbit, but she didn't feel it was necessary. The Jade Rabbit was usually busy, and if Su Qing disturbed her, she’d likely just get a face full of sass.
"Safe travels, Immortal," the guard said, saluting as Su Qing prepared to leave.
Su Qing nodded and departed on her Somersault Cloud. However, she didn't fly very fast this time. She was debating whether to go straight home or do something else along the way.
She soon found her answer. Since it was on the way, she might as well check on the monkey.
Su Qing decided to stop at a mortal market first to buy some gifts and food for him. The poor guy had been pinned under the Five Elements Mountain for so long; it was a miserable existence.
With her mind made up, Su Qing drifted slowly through the air, scanning the landscape for a nearby town or market.
But before she found a market, she found the chaos of war.
A group of armored soldiers was massacring defenseless civilians. They didn't seem to have any strategic objective; they appeared to be doing it purely for sport.
Seeing this, Su Qing’s brow furrowed. Normally, she flew so fast that she ignored the scenery below. But today, flying slowly, she couldn't help but notice.
She sighed softly. Humans always loved fighting; it hadn't changed since ancient times. She watched from a distance, debating whether to intervene. Logically, she had no reason to interfere in mortal wars, but the sight of civilians being slaughtered revolted her. If it were soldiers fighting soldiers, that would be one thing, but these people were completely helpless.
As she hesitated, she suddenly heard Leng Xiang speak. "Master, those soldiers are strange..."
Su Qing blinked, her eyebrows arching. "Oh? How so?"
As she asked, she focused her gaze. She stared intently at the soldiers and realized that beneath their frenzy, they didn't seem entirely human. It was an indescribable feeling—as if she were looking at mannequins that had come to life.
With a thought, Su Qing realized what was happening. She performed a hand seal, and a faint spiritual light flickered in her eyes.
In an instant, all illusions were shattered.
Among the group of soldiers, many were revealed to be grotesque, clawed demons. The sight made Su Qing freeze for a moment.
"Those... no, those demons have actually infiltrated the human ranks?" Su Qing's brow deepened. This scene reminded her of something unpleasant, specifically an episode from the Journey to the West.
However, Su Qing also knew these minor demons couldn't have joined the army on their own. There had to be a powerful demon behind them who had infiltrated the human dynasty. Minor demons lacked the ability to maintain such a perfect disguise.
Su Qing sighed and muttered to herself, "It seems that over the past hundred years... the world has changed far more than I imagined."
"Things are likely to get even more chaotic from here on out."
"But the real trouble will be those clever, powerful demons."
She shook her head. There wasn't much she could do about the big picture, and technically, these matters weren't her responsibility. This was clearly the Heavenly Court's job. However, while she couldn't handle the grand scale, she could certainly deal with this small incident.
She began to chant a True Word Incantation while forming a series of hand seals. Above, thunder began to brew. Moments later, bolt after bolt of lightning struck from the clear sky.
The strikes hit the 'human-skinned' demons directly, stripping away their disguises and revealing their true, hideous forms. Of course, those humans who were mindlessly slaughtering the innocent didn't escape either.
This wasn't just about being impartial; it was because some of the 'humans' in that army were even more terrifying than the 'demons.'
Su Qing was precise with her strikes, choosing not to wipe out the entire army. She only struck down a portion of them. That alone was enough to save the remaining villagers. The sudden deaths would spark terror, and the sight of the dead soldiers turning into demons would deepen that fear into a panic.
Fear is contagious. In just a few moments, her goal was achieved.
Naturally, there were some who were too bloodthirsty to be afraid, but what did that matter? She simply struck them down too. It was only a minor waste of her immortal essence.
Before long, the army scattered.
Su Qing had achieved her goal. Though she had likely terrified the common folk just as much as the soldiers, at least their lives were saved.
Looking down at the now-empty village, Su Qing sighed and asked, "Leng Xiang... do you think I did the right thing?"
"Since you have already done it, Master, why worry about right or wrong?" Leng Xiang replied calmly. "Besides, you are never wrong."
"I can be wrong... but you're right. It's done, so why fret over it?" Su Qing gave a helpless smile and shrugged.
Leng Xiang nodded and didn't press the matter further. Su Qing shook her head, performed a seal, and left the area.
The world was bound to get messier. All she could hope for was that the Heavenly Court would actually start doing its job.
Eventually, Su Qing’s Somersault Cloud reached a marketplace. This area was peaceful, showing no signs of war, much like Long County near the Changbai Mountains. However, as she walked through the streets to buy supplies, she still saw refugees from other regions. Whether they were fleeing natural disasters or man-made ones, Su Qing didn't know, nor did she plan to ask.
After buying some fruit, she headed to a tavern to pick up some wine.
"Shopkeeper, two jars of Pear Blossom Brew!" Su Qing didn't know which wine was best in this town, so she just ordered a familiar name.
The shopkeeper nodded eagerly. "Right away! Two jars of Pear Blossom Brew, coming up! By the way, young lady, would you like us to deliver them to your residence?"
"No need, I'll carry them myself."
"But... as you wish." The shopkeeper had intended to say that the jars were quite heavy and she might struggle, but for some reason, a strange feeling washed over him, and he changed his mind.
He didn't know why he felt that way, but he didn't dwell on it and sent his staff to fetch the wine.
Su Qing smiled, releasing the hand seal she had hidden, and waited quietly for the wine.
During the wait, she suddenly heard someone singing opera outside. The melodic cadence sounded strangely familiar. Her brow arched as she turned to look.
On a nearby stage, a performer had already begun the show. Su Qing had long since grown tired of opera, but looking at the grace and posture of the person on stage, she felt a sense of recognition.
She performed a quick divination with her fingers. A moment later, the corners of her mouth curled up, and she whispered to herself, "To think... she would actually end up on stage performing opera."
Su Qing shook her head. She had no intention of disturbing the woman's life and simply offered a silent blessing.
Soon, the wine arrived. After paying, Su Qing left with the two jars in hand.
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