As evening approached, the sky gradually darkened.
Su Qing and the others indeed needed to find a place to rest and perhaps seek some alms.
Of course, if seeking alms failed...
Su Qing naturally had other ways.
After all, Su Qing wasn't a real monk. At worst, she could just spend some money and buy food!
Why be so rigid?
Su Qing wasn't stubborn, and naturally, neither was Chao Yan...
She had always been open-minded. As long as it didn't violate her principles or break her precepts, she didn't mind much.
The three of them moved quickly.
Before long, they arrived at a household's gate.
Seeing this, Chao Yan leaned her Zen staff against her side, took her copper alms bowl, and knocked on the door.
A moment later, an old man's voice came from inside, asking, "Who is knocking at the door?"
Chao Yan immediately replied, "Amitabha. I am a monk from the Eastern Land of Great Tang, seeking alms and a place to stay for the night."
The person inside paused for a moment upon hearing this, then opened the door.
"So it is a Master from the East. Please come in, please come in." The old man was initially puzzled as to why Chao Yan still had her hair, but seeing her attire, she did indeed look like a nun, so he didn't think much more of it.
After all, some nuns practiced with their hair, and occasionally, traveling monks did the same.
Chao Yan expressed her thanks.
"And these two behind you?" The old man suddenly noticed that besides Chao Yan, there were two other women outside.
Looking at their gear, they didn't look like monks or nuns but rather like ordinary travelers.
Su Qing let go of Yudie's hand and said, "I am merely a traveler, traveling together with Grandmaster Xuanqing."
Yudie nodded slightly in agreement.
Chao Yan smiled and explained Su Qing and Yudie's identities to the old man.
After listening, the old man clicked his tongue in surprise. "So that's how it is. You are truly admirable, Madam! Please come in, all of you. However, my family is poor, so I have no special way to entertain you. I can only trouble you to eat some simple fare."
Su Qing shook her head. "It matters not. The fact that you are willing to let us stay is already a great kindness."
Su Qing and the others were strangers with no connection to him. His willingness to help was an act of great righteousness; how could they demand anything more?
Even someone as thick-skinned as Su Qing couldn't be that shameless.
The old man said no more. He turned back into the house to tell his wife to prepare food for three more people today.
The old woman didn't ask questions; she simply nodded and went about her preparations.
In the courtyard, Yudie tied the horses to an old tree.
Meanwhile, Su Qing and Chao Yan chatted with the old man.
The old man asked, "You all come from the East; where are you headed on this journey?"
Chao Yan replied, "To the Great Thunder Monastery on Spirit Mountain in the Western Heaven... to obtain the scriptures."
"To the Western Heaven?" The old man froze for a moment. "That Western Heaven... I'm afraid you might not be able to go there."
"Oh?" Chao Yan was confused. "Old sir, why can we not go?"
"It's not that you can't go... it's just that I fear this road of yours is impassable."
The old man shook his head and said:
"Fifty li from here, there is a mountain called the Eight-hundred-mile Yellow Wind Ridge. That mountain is infested with demons... and there is a great demon with terrifying power who can blow a demonic wind. Legend has it he can blow away an entire mountain!"
Chao Yan's brow furrowed.
Su Qing, hearing this, also raised an eyebrow slightly.
Su Qing naturally knew of Yellow Wind Ridge... she even remembered what kind of demon lived there.
However, Su Qing had no intention of getting involved in the Yellow Wind Ridge matter...
After all, neither Chao Yan nor Yudie could handle the demon in Yellow Wind Ridge. If they went, she would inevitably have to step in.
Although Su Qing intended to train Chao Yan, she didn't want to send her to her death.
There was a big difference between seeking death and training.
Furthermore... this ordeal at Yellow Wind Ridge was considered a necessary tribulation in the Journey to the West.
If she stepped in and ruined it...
What would the future become?
Su Qing didn't know and didn't care to think about it too much. She simply felt she shouldn't break this destiny.
Even if she was special to some extent... it didn't mean she could act recklessly.
Seeing their reactions, the old man shook his head and said, "Everyone, I'm afraid you'll have to take a detour."
Su Qing nodded. "Thank you for the warning, old sir. If not for your reminder, we might have blundered straight into a nest of demons."
"No need for thanks, no need for thanks. I've only done what I should," the old man said, shaking his head. "Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda!"
Su Qing nodded and thanked him again.
Chao Yan snapped out of her thoughts and also expressed her gratitude.
Afterward, they chatted about other things.
Before long, the old man stopped chatting and went to the kitchen to help prepare the vegetarian dinner.
After he left, Chao Yan couldn't help but ask, "Godmother... are we really going to take a detour?"
Su Qing nodded calmly. "Yellow Wind Ridge is full of demons, including a great demon of extraordinary strength. If we don't detour, wouldn't we be delivering ourselves as a meal on a plate?"
"Girl, our current strength isn't that great. Even with Yudie, we would likely be no match for so many demons."
"So, our best course of action is to bypass it for now."
"Wanting to exorcise demons is a good thing, but if you lose your life in the process, the loss outweighs the gain."
Su Qing knew what the girl was thinking, so she offered a few words of guidance to keep her from dwelling on it too much.
Chao Yan sighed softly and then nodded obediently.
"I understand, Godmother... I am not a stubborn person." Chao Yan shook her head. "It's just that knowing there are demons doing evil there and being unable to do anything, having to let them run rampant... it's just a bit difficult to swallow."
Su Qing shook her head slightly and patted her shoulder, saying no more, letting her adjust her own mindset.
She would say more later.
Soon.
The vegetarian meal was ready.
Night gradually descended.
By now, Chao Yan had mostly adjusted her mindset.
She couldn't do anything now, but in the future, when her strength grew, she certainly wouldn't let such evil demons go if she encountered them again.
After the meal.
Su Qing and the others stayed in a side room.
The next morning at dawn.
Su Qing and the others bid farewell to the old man and set off again...
Preparing to bypass Yellow Wind Ridge and continue toward the Western Heaven.
Su Qing wasn't afraid of taking the wrong path...
At worst, she could perform a few divinations... or just ask for directions. No one knew the roads better than the local Earth God.
However, the only problem was... if they detoured, they would inevitably have to travel a longer distance.
But everything has a price. To avoid a danger, walking a bit further was necessary.
Their pace was fast. Within a few days, they had bypassed the eight-hundred-mile Yellow Wind Ridge... avoiding that great trouble.
After passing Yellow Wind Ridge, the path westward led through a stretch of flat plains.
Time flew...
In the blink of an eye, they had already entered the scorching days of summer.
Traveling in the summer, listening to the cicadas and braving the blazing sun, their progress was not slow.
One night, Su Qing and the others couldn't find a household to stay in.
They had to spend the night outdoors.
At night, fireflies gathered in clusters and the sky was full of stars, a truly beautiful sight.
Even the fatigue from a day's travel was largely dispelled by this scenery...
By the campfire.
Chao Yan looked at the flickering flames and said, "Speaking of which, we've been out for almost a year now, haven't we?"
"I don't know..." Su Qing shook her head slightly. "I don't like to pay attention to time. I have no impression of how long we've been walking. But it has been quite a while... Why? Do you miss your master?"
"A little... but Master's mission must be completed." Chao Yan smiled faintly. "Otherwise, if I go back, I'll definitely be scolded."
Su Qing laughed and talked with Chao Yan about other things.
After a while, Yudie joined the conversation as well.
The night passed in an instant.
The next day.
The three of them set off once more.
Heading west.
Again after a few days.
Su Qing and the others suddenly came upon a great river.
The river was surging and turbid. If one wanted to cross by boat, it would likely be wishful thinking.
"What a huge river..." Yudie looked at the long river and couldn't help but exclaim. "And it's so muddy? Is this river water or mud? I wonder what it's called."
Su Qing smiled faintly. "Isn't there a boundary stone over there?"
Hearing Su Qing's words, Yudie looked in the direction she pointed.
Sure enough, there was a boundary stone.
Chao Yan and Yudie walked over and cleared away the weeds nearby, revealing several lines of text carved on the stone.
It read: "Eight hundred miles of flowing sands, three thousand weak waters deep. A goose feather cannot float; a reed flower sinks to the bottom."
Chao Yan looked at the stone and said, "This river must be called the Flowing Sands River. According to what's written here, it's eight hundred miles wide and three thousand weak waters deep. Even a goose feather cannot float on it."
Yudie tilted her head. "Does that mean we can't take a boat across?"
"It seems so." Chao Yan nodded slightly. "This is troublesome..."
"What's troublesome about it? Can't we just fly across?" Yudie laughed.
Chao Yan smiled and shook her head. "Master told me to walk, so I am not allowed to fly. Although I fly in the sky to fight when exorcising demons, I must still travel on foot afterward."
Hearing this, Yudie couldn't help but roll her eyes. "How troublesome! You can clearly fly across, so why bother yourself? If it really doesn't work... I'll just carry you and fly across."
"What about the white horse?"
"Mother can just carry it across."
"This..." Chao Yan smiled helplessly. "What you say does have... Hmm? Careful, there's demon qi!"
Chao Yan was about to say something when she suddenly felt a surge of demon qi...
Without hesitation, she raised the Zen staff in her hand and swung it toward the direction the demon qi was coming from.
Sure enough...
Chao Yan's strike collided directly with the demon.
The demon was exceptionally hideous.
He had a head of messy, fluffy red hair, and his two eyes shone like bright lamps. His face was a strange indigo color, and his voice was like thunder or drums. He wore a pale yellow cloak with a belt of white rattan. Around his neck hung a string of skulls, and he held a Crescent Moon Staff.
The demon didn't linger in combat with Chao Yan. After trading a single blow, he immediately charged toward Su Qing.
Seeing this.
How could Chao Yan let him succeed?
She and Yudie immediately stepped forward to protect Su Qing...
Su Qing also pinched a hand seal, intending to step in herself if the two of them were too late... to avoid having her horse injured.
However... just as they moved.
The demon performed a sliding kneel and prostrated himself before Su Qing's horse.
He shouted loudly, "Sha Wujing of the Flowing Sands River greets Immortal Su! I failed to recognize you just now, Immortal; I hope you can forgive me."
His voice was like thunder, incredibly loud, so much so that the horse was startled and nearly threw Su Qing off.
Su Qing: "..."
Great. Monk Sha didn't hurt her, but her own mount almost did her in.
Beside her, Chao Yan and Yudie, who were about to attack, were even more startled than the horse... they stood frozen in place, not knowing what to do.
They had expected a great battle...
Who would have thought it would end like this?
However... Chao Yan couldn't help but feel that this scene was somewhat familiar.
She felt as if she had seen something like this somewhere before.
Su Qing looked at Monk Sha and rolled her eyes helplessly...
Clearly, Sha Wujing had also mistaken her for someone else.
But Su Qing was used to it and didn't think much of it...
She only sent a telepathic message to tell him to keep certain things secret.
Then, Su Qing spoke, "It is fine. You may rise! There is no need for such a grand gesture."
Sha Wujing hurriedly nodded. "Thank you for your understanding, Immortal. By the way, why has the Immortal come to this place?"
Sha Wujing wasn't just curious about that...
He had sensed a pilgrim passing by, which was why he had emerged from the water, intending to find them.
In the end, not only did he get into a fight as soon as he came out, but he had also mistaken the pilgrim.
How was this a pilgrim?
Wasn't this Immortal Su?
However... Sha Wujing couldn't help but wonder.
Could it be that Immortal Su was the pilgrim the Bodhisattva spoke of?
Although the possibility was low, it wasn't entirely impossible!
Su Qing smiled faintly and pointed at Chao Yan. "I am merely accompanying her to the Western Heaven to obtain the scriptures."
Hearing this, Sha Wujing's mind couldn't quite process it. Su Qing was accompanying someone else?
Sha Wujing turned his head to look at Chao Yan, then back at Su Qing.
Only then did he realize... this Chao Yan indeed looked more like a monk or nun.
"So my senses weren't wrong... a pilgrim really has come. I suppose she is the one the Bodhisattva mentioned?" Sha Wujing thought to himself.
However, as soon as that thought arose.
Su Qing's telepathic message extinguished his hope. "She is not the one you are looking for. You are waiting for a monk, not a nun!"
Hearing Su Qing's words, Monk Sha was stunned for a moment, then he understood.
Su Qing knew some of the details regarding this pilgrimage.
He hurriedly asked via telepathy, "What kind of monk is he, and what should I do? I hope the Immortal can enlighten me..."
Su Qing shook her head slightly.
"I cannot say too much... In short, just wait." Su Qing replied telepathically.
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