Setting Out

Su Qing had just finished speaking.

Chen Chaoyan blinked in surprise, tilted her head to look at Su Yudie, and asked, "Sister Yudie is coming along too?"

Su Qing nodded.

Listening from the side, Su Yudie also nodded with a beaming smile. "If Mother is going, I'm definitely going too. After all, I have to follow her. If Yudie didn't have her mother, she would be very lonely!"

Su Qing rolled her eyes and gave the brat a light rap on the head.

The way the girl spoke, it sounded as if Su Qing would drop dead the moment she stepped out the door.

Chen Chaoyan smiled slightly upon hearing this. "It looks like... the journey ahead won't be boring at all!"

Su Qing gave a graceful smile. "Indeed! It won't be boring. Alright, the matter is settled. Go back to the nunnery and prepare well. We'll set out in a few days."

Chen Chaoyan nodded happily. "Understood, Godmother. Should I head back now?"

"There's no need to be in such a hurry. Since you're here, stay and chat with me for a while!" Su Qing shook her head and pinched the girl's cheek. "Anyway, Yudie and I have nothing better to do."

"Godmother, can you stop rubbing my head? I'm an adult now, after all. This isn't very appropriate, is it?"

"In my eyes, you're still a child. What's inappropriate about it?" Su Qing laughed, growing even bolder as she tousled the girl's hair. "Yudie loves it!"

Seeing herself mentioned, Su Yudie nodded vigorously. "Yes, yes!"

Chen Chaoyan rolled her eyes. Sister Yudie had been this innocent and naive since they were children; she had truly been protected too well by Godmother.

"Sister Yudie is an exception!"

"There are no exceptions! You're both my daughters! What's wrong with a little pat?" Su Qing pinched her cheek again, dissatisfied.

Chen Chaoyan quickly protested, "I am a monastic!"

Facing Su Qing, Chen Chaoyan was naturally no match. Su Qing's level of shamelessness was far beyond what a youngster like Chen Chaoyan could handle.

Happy times passed quickly.

In the blink of an eye, the sky had gradually darkened, and it was time for Chen Chaoyan to return to the nunnery.

Su Qing had to bid the little girl farewell and return to her own business.

After Chen Chaoyan left, Su Qing sat in her study, leafing through some Buddhist scriptures.

She cultivated the three teachings, so she delved into books from Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism alike, turning away none.

As she read, Su Qing couldn't help but marvel at how fast time flew...

It felt as if only yesterday Chaoyan was a small child, yet now she had grown into a young woman.

"Sigh, I didn't expect the time to depart to arrive so soon."

Su Qing set down the scripture and watched the flickering candlelight, whispering to herself:

"But... it really is time to go. It is already Wude Year Seven. In a few more years, Tang Sanzang will be setting out for the West. If I delay any longer, I'm afraid I'll run into them halfway."

Having stayed in the mortal world for so long, Su Qing could feel that these ten years had been anything but short.

Shaking her head, Su Qing stood up and blew out the candle.

Tonight, she needed to rest.

Time passed quickly.

More than three days went by in a flash.

In those three days, Chen Chaoyan had finished most of her preparations...

After all, there wasn't actually much to prepare. Three days was already the result of a very leisurely pace.

As for Su Qing... she could leave whenever she wanted. She had no businesses in Chang'an City, so there was essentially nothing to hand over.

As for the courtyard...

She could just leave it to the servants to look after.

Su Qing used to find having servants a bit troublesome, but after getting used to it, she found they truly helped resolve many tedious matters. Thus, she had gradually accepted it.

On this day.

In front of Su Qing's gate.

Chen Chaoyan stood waiting for Su Qing, leading a white horse.

"I thought you were actually going to walk there!" Su Qing laughed when she saw the horse.

Chen Chaoyan also chuckled. "I thought I'd be walking too, but Master gave me this white horse. It seems Master couldn't bear to see me actually walk the whole way!"

Su Qing smiled and cast her gaze toward the Baixing Nunnery in the distance. "Your Master is quite good to you."

"Master has always been like that. I'm used to it!" Chen Chaoyan smiled. "Shall we set out now?"

"Yes, let's go! By the way, have you planned the route?"

Chen Chaoyan's expression immediately stiffened. These past few days, she had been so busy with trivial matters that she had completely forgotten about the route.

She scratched her head and gave a sheepish grin. "Not yet. But since we know the direction, it's fine! We can just ask as we go. We'll find the Great Thunder Monastery soon enough!"

Su Qing rolled her eyes and rapped the girl's head with her knuckles. "Going on a long journey without even planning a route? Do you want to walk all the way to the Southern Heaven?"

"I can still tell north, south, east, and west apart! How could I possibly go the wrong way?" Chen Chaoyan argued. "I'm just rarely out of the house, so I was a bit too excited and forgot. At worst, I'll plan it on the road."

Su Qing sighed helplessly. "Fine, I'll handle the planning."

Chen Chaoyan grinned and gave Su Qing a hug. "Godmother is the best!"

Seeing this, Su Yudie also hugged her. "Mother is invincible!"

Su Qing: "...Are you two bored? It's time to go. This isn't a vacation. No one knows what will happen on the road, so don't set out with a playful mindset."

Hearing Su Qing's scolding, the two quickly let go and straightened their postures.

To both of them, Su Qing was their shared elder. Her words naturally carried weight.

Especially for Chen Chaoyan.

After her parents passed away, Su Qing and her Master were her final emotional pillars.

To be honest, if it weren't for the existence of Su Qing and Guanyin Bodhisattva, no one knew what would have become of Chen Chaoyan.

Therefore, she held immense respect for Su Qing and her Master; they were her bottom line.

After a brief chat, the three finally set out.

However...

Chen Chaoyan refused to ride the horse no matter what, insisting on giving it to Su Qing.

Su Qing was speechless. Although she knew this was the girl's way of showing filial piety, it was actually unnecessary. After all, a distance of a hundred and eight thousand miles was but a single thought away for her...

Even walking wouldn't be a hindrance.

Besides... had this girl forgotten they could simply buy another horse?

However, the suggestion was ultimately rejected by the girl, solely for the sake of saving money.

Seeing this, Su Qing didn't say more, nor did she plan to reveal any of her powers.

The only thing she found amusing was that, for some reason, she had the illusion that she had become Tang Sanzang.

But an illusion was just an illusion; she wasn't a monk. She cultivated Buddhist laws only to master the three teachings and develop her strength more comprehensively.

The trio's pace was neither fast nor slow, and before long, they had left Chang'an City.

After leaving the city, Su Qing and the others headed west.

It was unclear how long they had been traveling.

As they walked, they arrived at a familiar place...

This place might be unfamiliar to Su Yudie, but to Su Qing and Chen Chaoyan, it was exceptionally familiar and deeply etched in their memories.

Especially for Chen Chaoyan.

It was here that she had become an orphan.

When they reached this spot, Chen Chaoyan instinctively stopped.

"Godmother... I want to..."

"Hmm? Ah, I know what you're thinking... Go ahead! This is where your parents met their disaster, isn't it?" Su Qing nodded.

Chen Chaoyan nodded. "I'll be right back."

Su Qing said nothing more.

Chen Chaoyan didn't waste too much time. She simply offered a brief sacrifice to her parents, spoke a few words to them, and informed them of her departure.

Su Qing watched from the side, her heart exceptionally calm. She knew the girl's parents hadn't actually died; it was just that she couldn't tell her yet.

Soon, Chen Chaoyan composed herself again.

She returned to Su Qing's side and said, "Godmother, let's go!"

Seeing this, Su Qing rubbed her head. "Yes, let's go."

"Don't worry, Godmother. I've long since come to terms with it and moved on," Chen Chaoyan smiled. "It's just that being here made me a bit sentimental!"

"I know," Su Qing nodded.

She knew better than anyone whether this girl had truly moved on.

Meanwhile, Su Yudie stood to the side, looking at the two with a dazed expression. She didn't know what to say, so she remained silent. Although she knew some things, she was completely unaware that Chen Chaoyan's parents had been attacked here.

Soon, the three set off again.

This time, they encountered no issues on the road, proceeding smoothly toward the West.

The path Su Qing chose was the same one Tang Sanzang would take in the future. There was no particular reason for this choice other than Su Qing's desire to visit the famous spots along the way.

Of course, Su Qing was well aware that there were some places she could go and some she couldn't. After all, if she solved the troubles while passing through, what would the future pilgrimage group do?

So, although Su Qing chose that route, it didn't completely overlap. There were just a few places she wanted to see no matter what.

The first stop of this journey was, naturally, the Two-Boundary Mountains.

The purpose of going there wasn't anything special—just to say hello to Sun Wukong and give him a slight reminder about his upcoming journey to the West.

The days of travel passed one by one.

In the blink of an eye, Su Qing's group arrived near the Two-Boundary Mountains.

These Two-Boundary Mountains were the Five Elements Mountain. It was just that after hundreds of years, the name had been changed.

Upon arriving near the mountains, Su Qing looked up at the peaks in the distance. She then said to Chen Chaoyan and Su Yudie, "You two wait for me here for a moment. I'm going to see an old friend and will return shortly."

Knowing who Su Qing was talking about, Su Yudie nodded. "Understood, Mother."

Chen Chaoyan, however, was a bit confused. "Godmother has an old friend here?"

"Yes, a demon. You could call him an old friend."

"Then I want to go with Godmother."

"No... just stay here obediently." Su Qing shook her head. How could she let this girl follow her to see Sun Wukong?

"Eh... alright." Seeing Su Qing so resolute, Chen Chaoyan didn't press further. To her, going or not didn't really matter; she just missed out on a bit of fun.

"Be good. I'll be right back."

"I'm not a child anymore, stop rubbing my head."

Su Qing gave a faint smile and said nothing more, turning to leave.

Su Qing's pace was swift, and she arrived at the foot of the Five Elements Mountain in an instant. But as soon as she arrived, she sensed that someone else was there besides herself, and the aura was somewhat familiar.

Intrigued, she quickened her pace and reached the spot where Sun Wukong was suppressed.

Arriving there, Su Qing smiled inwardly. It really was someone she knew.

At the foot of the mountain, in front of Sun Wukong.

Guanyin Bodhisattva was currently speaking to Sun Wukong. Su Qing's sudden arrival interrupted their conversation.

"I wondered who had come; so it is you, little friend!" Guanyin Bodhisattva smiled upon seeing Su Qing.

"Big Sister, why are you here?" Sun Wukong was also surprised to see Su Qing and couldn't help but ask.

Su Qing smiled faintly. "I was passing by and decided to stop and see you. I didn't expect Senior Guanyin to be here as well."

"Amitabha. This poor monk is also quite surprised by your arrival, little friend," Guanyin said calmly with a smile.

Su Qing didn't take the words at face value. She didn't believe for a second that Guanyin hadn't calculated that she would be near the Five Elements Mountain at this exact time. It was more likely she had timed her visit to Sun Wukong perfectly.

Su Qing asked, "Speaking of which, does Senior Guanyin have business with Wukong?"

"Naturally, I have come to persuade the Great Sage to take refuge in the Buddha and follow the pilgrim to the West to seek the scriptures in the future," Guanyin replied directly, hiding nothing.

"So that's how it is. And what do you plan to do, Wukong?" Su Qing turned and asked with a smile.

Before Su Qing arrived, the Bodhisattva had already said everything that needed to be said. Now that Su Qing asked, Sun Wukong gave a mischievous grin and said:

"I am naturally willing to go! As long as I can leave this Five Elements Mountain, seeking some scriptures is no difficult task."

Su Qing nodded upon hearing this. She turned to the Bodhisattva and asked, "Then, Bodhisattva?"

"When the pilgrim arrives, he will naturally rescue him," Guanyin said calmly.

Su Qing didn't say more, but sent a telepathic message: "Senior Guanyin, it seems there is more than one pilgrim besides Chaoyan?"

Su Qing knew there was more than one, of course. In fact, she had breathed a sigh of relief upon learning that Tang Sanzang would still be going. However, she still intended to ask, playing the part of someone feigning ignorance.