Hearing the girl's words, Su Qing couldn't help but feel a bit strange.
When had she ever lied to this girl?
Oh, wait. If she looked back at the past, she indeed used to trick her quite often.
But recently, there shouldn't have been anything she lied about, right?
"Oh? Why do you say that?" Su Qing didn't overthink it and asked for the reason directly.
"Sister, you clearly did so much for Flower-Fruit Mountain, so why did you say you weren't clear about the changes there?" Jingyue asked.
Jingyue had chatted with that little monkey, Su Qi, all night. Naturally, she had gained some understanding of all the changes that had come to Flower-Fruit Mountain, and she was even clearer about the things Su Qing had done.
Therefore, she felt that Su Qing had played her for a fool.
Upon hearing this, Su Qing smiled helplessly in her heart and said, "How did I lie to you? Whatever plans I have, I send people to carry them out. I don't go to Flower-Fruit Mountain often myself, so naturally, I'm not clear on the specific changes."
After hearing Su Qing's explanation, Jingyue lowered her head and pondered for a moment. Then, she pursed her lips and stopped arguing.
After all, what Su Qing said did make sense.
Besides, there was no point in dwelling on this matter too much.
She just wanted to complain a little.
Seeing that Jingyue had nothing more to say, Su Qing smiled and called her over to have breakfast together.
The two of them stopped their bickering.
However, Chaoyan, who was beside them, suddenly spoke up and asked:
"Speaking of which... is Flower-Fruit Mountain a real place? I thought... it was just a place in Jingyue's stories!"
Hearing this, Su Qing's eyebrows twitched slightly, and then she nodded, saying:
"It certainly exists... However, the journey to that place is quite long. If you want to see it, after we obtain the true scriptures, Jingyue and I will take you there for a visit."
Chaoyan nodded with a beaming smile and said, "That sounds wonderful! I wonder just how beautiful this Flower-Fruit Mountain is."
When Liu Jingyue heard this, she also couldn't help but say with a smile:
"If you're curious, I can tell you about the wonders of Flower-Fruit Mountain right now! However, I haven't returned to Flower-Fruit Mountain for hundreds of years. All I can tell you is what it was like back then, along with some things I've heard from others about its current state."
Jingyue naturally loved her hometown very much. If asked to speak of it, she was more than happy to do so.
"It's fine, it's fine! Please tell me, Sister! It just so happens we're going to spend the day exploring Baoxiang Kingdom. Since we have nothing else to do, it'll be pleasant to talk while we wander," Chaoyan said, not minding at all.
Su Qing watched from the side, gave a faint smile, and said:
"If you two want to chat, you certainly can. However... now is the time for breakfast. As the saying goes, one should not speak while eating. So, eat quickly and stop chatting. Whatever you have to say, wait until after we've finished."
Seeing Su Qing speak up, the two of them stopped talking and obediently went back to eating.
Soon after.
Once breakfast was finished.
Su Qing and the others went out to wander around Baoxiang Kingdom together...
In this way, Su Qing and her companions spent a pleasant day in Baoxiang Kingdom, resting and refreshing their spirits.
And Su Qing, although she knew what was happening in Baoxiang Kingdom, did not intend to look for extra trouble.
She didn't plan to rescue the daughter of the King of Baoxiang Kingdom.
Firstly, saving her might interfere with the tribulation involving Kui Mulang.
Secondly, because the princess was currently in the demon's cavern, she wasn't in any immediate danger for the time being...
Moreover... if the Princess of Baoxiang Kingdom wasn't there.
After Tang Sanzang banished Wukong and was captured by that monster... things might spiral out of control.
After all, with the strength of Bajie and Sha Seng, defeating that monster and rescuing Tang Sanzang would be far too difficult.
Even with the help of the protective deities and Buddhas, they could barely manage a draw against that monster.
Therefore, Su Qing didn't plan to go looking for trouble where there was none.
She would wait until Tang Sanzang's group arrived and let them handle this tribulation.
Thus, after their day of leisure, Su Qing and the others returned to the inn to rest.
In the blink of an eye, another day passed.
At dawn.
Su Qing and her group set out once again.
Even though they were enjoying themselves the previous day, Su Qing had bought plenty of dry rations and various miscellaneous supplies.
With these, even if they didn't encounter any households for a long time along the way, they wouldn't have to resort to hunting wild game just because they were hungry.
And so.
Su Qing and her group left Baoxiang Kingdom and continued their journey westward.
The journey was relatively easy. Although they rarely encountered any people, the dry rations they had prepared came in handy.
Along the way, they encountered some minor demons and monsters, but they weren't even worth mentioning... With Jingyue joining them, those demons were even more pathetic.
As for the occasional bandits and mountain outlaws they ran into... they were even less significant.
Traveling in this manner, they unknowingly reached the season of late spring.
At that time:
Gentle breezes brush the willows, green as silk,
A beautiful scene most worthy of a verse.
The season hastens the birds' song, the warmth coaxes the flowers to bloom,
Fragrance and beauty cover the earth.
Swallows return in pairs to the begonia courtyard,
'Tis the perfect time for spring's delight.
Aminst the mortal dust and purple paths, silk robes and music swell,
As games are played and wine cups passed.
As Su Qing and the others walked and admired the scenery, they didn't notice that the horizon was already glowing with orange light.
Chaoyan looked at the setting sun in the distance and said, "I wonder if there are any houses nearby where we can stay for the night... Otherwise, I'm afraid we'll have to sleep outdoors again like yesterday."
Just as Chaoyan spoke, Yudie pointed to the smoke rising from a mountain not far away and said, "Sister Chaoyan... isn't that smoke rising right over there?"
"..." Chaoyan scratched her head upon hearing this and said helplessly, "I was so busy looking at the sunset that I didn't notice."
Yudie giggled and said, "It seems even Sister Chaoyan has her moments of silliness."
"Stop teasing me. Since there's a household over there, let's go ask for a place to stay. If we delay any longer, I'm afraid it will be dark before we reach them," Chaoyan said with a sigh.
Su Qing heard this and also nodded, saying, "In that case, let's go! Looking at the distance, it's not far. We should be able to make it before dark."
Yudie and Chaoyan nodded, and then followed Su Qing toward the mountains.
The mountain was steep and quite treacherous, very rugged. They hadn't felt anything was wrong before, but after walking up the mountain, they felt that having a household in such a place was truly miraculous.
Even Su Qing couldn't help but speculate whether the people in this mountain house were transformed demons.
Of course, it was also possible they were transformed immortals.
As Su Qing was thinking, before long, the group reached the earthen house where the smoke was rising just before the sun dipped below the horizon.
Seeing this, Chaoyan leaned on her Zen staff, walked to the door, and knocked on the gate of the courtyard.
After a moment, a woman came to open the gate.
The middle-aged woman had wheat-colored skin, wore indigo cloth clothes, and had graying hair at her temples, looking every bit like a mountain dweller.
The woman looked at Su Qing and the others warily. Seeing that they were all women, she relaxed a bit.
She asked, "Young ladies... is there something you need from this old woman?"
Hearing this, Chaoyan recited a Buddhist name, then announced her identity as a pilgrim from the Eastern Land of Great Tang and said she wished to stay for the night.
"So you are a nun... It's rare to see a nun practicing with her hair, I didn't recognize you at first." The woman looked at Chaoyan, and after a moment of silence, she said, "Staying the night is fine, but I only have one spare room. I'm afraid you'll have to squeeze in together."
"It's no problem, no problem. Benefactor, your willingness to lend us a place to stay is already a great kindness. How could we have the face to ask for anything more?" Chaoyan hurriedly shook her head and said.
Hearing this, the woman chuckled and said, "Since you don't mind, then please come in!"
Su Qing and the others thanked her, entered the courtyard, and tied their horses in the straw shed. Then, they followed the woman to the living room.
The woman poured a few cups of water for Su Qing and the others and said, "My family is poor and we don't have any tea leaves. I can only trouble you to drink some plain water. I'll go cook a few more dishes for you. Please wait here for a moment!"
Su Qing and the others had no objections and waited in the living room.
After Su Qing and the others had waited for a short while...
A man dressed as a woodcutter walked into the living room.
Seeing Su Qing and the others there, he also inquired about their identities.
Upon learning that Su Qing and the others were pilgrims going to obtain scriptures, he couldn't help but say, "If you intend to go west, then please turn back! If you go further west, I'm afraid the road is impassable."
Hearing these words, Su Qing felt as if she had heard them somewhere before.
However, she didn't interject.
Seeing that Su Qing didn't speak, Chaoyan took the initiative to ask, "Benefactor, why do you say that? Why is the road further west impassable?"
The woodcutter stroked his beard, putting on a fearful expression, and said:
"Further west, there is a band of vicious demons and monsters. They are incredibly cruel and specialize in eating people like you who travel back and forth! If you continue west, I'm afraid you won't escape their maws! So, while you haven't encountered that group of monsters yet, you should turn back quickly. Otherwise, I fear it will be more ill than good."
Su Qing looked at the woodcutter, the corners of her mouth curling slightly, yet she still remained silent.
Chen Chaoyan continued to ask, "What kind of vicious demons and monsters are they? How strong are they, and how many years have they been around? And why do they specialize in eating those of us going west?"
"Why do you ask all this?"
"To be honest with you, Benefactor, since we dare to go west, we naturally have some strength of our own." Chaoyan recited a Buddhist name, then gripped her Zen staff and said, "So if we have some understanding of those vicious demons, it will be easier to deal with them when we encounter them later."
"What are you saying? Even if you know there are monsters there, you'll still continue west?"
"Traveling west to obtain scriptures is something I must complete. Naturally, no matter how difficult or dangerous it is, I must go," Chaoyan said stubbornly.
Of course, although Chaoyan sounded very headstrong, if she truly found that she couldn't handle it...
She would still take a detour if possible...
Taking a longer path was better than losing her life.
It would be one thing if it were just herself, but she had her Godmother and two sisters with her!
"Hmph, truly stubborn. But if you want to hear it, I will tell you."
The woodcutter snorted coldly and said:
"Let me put it this way. A hundred miles from here, there is a mountain called Pingding Mountain. In that mountain, there is a cave called Lotus Flower Cave. In that cave, there are two demon lords. They are twin monsters, one gold and one silver, and they are incredibly fierce. Rumor has it they possess five magical treasures, each of which is extremely powerful. Even if the heavenly soldiers and generals came, they would fall into their traps."
"Not only that, those two demons, Gold and Silver, specialize in eating you western travelers. To be precise, they specialize in eating those pilgrim monks from the Great Tang... As long as they are associated with the word 'Tang', they are captured by those two monsters and cooked for food."
Chaoyan's eyebrows rose slightly as she said, "Aren't we exactly those who have come from the Great Tang?"
"The ones they eat are exactly you!" the woodcutter snorted and said. "So, do you still dare to go?"
"Naturally, we must go." Chaoyan nodded and said, "The Western Heaven must be reached no matter what, but these two monsters are indeed a problem."
"Hmph, truly unreasonable." Seeing that Chaoyan wouldn't listen, the woodcutter sighed helplessly and said, "You simply won't listen to reason."
Just as he spoke, the woman who had been cooking in the kitchen came over and said, "Please don't take offense. My husband has this kind of temper. Though his words are a bit harsh, it's for your own good."
Chaoyan nodded and said, "I understand that. I know the benefactor means well, but the Western Heaven must be reached regardless."
Chaoyan was also helpless...
Her master had told her she couldn't lie casually, so in the face of the woodcutter's questioning, she answered everything truthfully.
Who would have thought it would end up making the woodcutter so angry?
"By the way, the vegetarian meal is ready. Please come and eat!" Seeing this, the woman smiled and shifted the topic elsewhere.
To prevent them from starting up again.
Seeing this, Su Qing and the others naturally didn't refuse and peacefully ate their dinner.
After dinner.
It was already very late.
Chaoyan and the others went to sleep first.
Only Su Qing, claiming she wasn't sleepy, sat in the courtyard for a while to look at the stars.
At the same time, she chatted a bit with the 'woodcutter'.
The woodcutter was naturally not a real woodcutter, nor was he a real mortal.
He was an immortal in disguise.
Su Qing had only suspected it at first, but once the 'woodcutter' gave such detailed information about Gold and Silver, she was certain the other party was an immortal, and his strength was not below her own.
Just as Su Qing was still guessing his identity... the woodcutter took the initiative to approach her and revealed who he was.
As it turned out... this woodcutter's true form was none other than Taishang Laojun.
However, Su Qing wasn't surprised that he was Taishang Laojun.
After all, the monsters on Pingding Mountain, Gold and Silver, were the boys who served by Taishang Laojun's side.
So it was only natural for Taishang Laojun to come here specifically to warn Su Qing and the others.
Besides, Taishang Laojun was truly a bored person; his presence could be found everywhere...
She really wondered if Taishang Laojun had too little to do on a daily basis, which was why he was so idle.
The woodcutter sat beside Su Qing, stroking his beard, and said:
"If you insist on taking that path, I won't stop you. However... you must not kill those two monsters, Gold and Silver. They still have their uses later on!"
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