Changes at Flower-Fruit Mountain

Seeing Su Qing asking something she already knew the answer to, Ao Ying couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle at the door.

Since Su Qing was pretending not to understand her implication, she didn't mind playing along for a bit.

She sent a playful transmission: "Sister, how exactly do you wish to 'explore' this?"

Seeing Ao Ying turn the question back on her, Su Qing replied, "Naturally, we shall explore it deeply."

"Is Sister’s 'deep exploration' the proper kind?"

Su Qing put on an act and said, "Of course it's proper. When have I ever been improper with you, little sister?"

"Oh?"

Su Qing continued her charade: "After all, we are both highly knowledgeable in Daoist methods. If we only discuss them on a shallow level, it would be quite boring. We wouldn't learn anything useful..."

"Since Sister says so... then in a few days, I shall wait for you to come and 'discuss' the Dao. By the way, Sister should prepare herself for my punishment!" Ao Ying replied with a beaming smile before walking away with a light, cheerful step.

In truth, both Su Qing and Ao Ying knew exactly what they were talking about... and they both knew exactly what the other meant.

The reason they were pretending not to know was simply to add a bit of romantic flair to their interaction.

Ao Ying went inside, but Su Qing stayed out, continuing to sit in the courtyard and admire the night sky while enjoying the shoulder massage from her god-daughter.

This kind of life... was exceptionally peaceful.

However, Su Qing couldn't sit outside forever. When the time was right, she stretched, stood up, and headed inside.

At her current level, sleep was no longer a necessity, but old habits died hard.

That night, Su Qing slept very soundly.

Perhaps due to her previous exhaustion, she didn't wake up until the sun was high in the sky the next morning.

Even Ao Ying couldn't help but tease her for being a little lazybones.

Facing her wife's teasing, Su Qing merely laughed it off. Instead of arguing, she pulled Ao Ying close and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

They looked so affectionate that Ao Ying could only roll her eyes at her.

"Since Sister was the one who started the provocation, you'd better be careful when I pay you back in a few days," Ao Ying whispered.

"I'll be waiting!" Su Qing replied with a radiant smile. She looked at her and added, "When the time comes for our 'Daoist discussion,' I'll have to ask for your guidance, little sister."

"Sister is certainly enjoying this game."

Su Qing shrugged, neither confirming nor denying it. She simply walked off with a light step to wash up.

After freshening up, she rode a cloud down the mountain and called Wukong up to join them for breakfast. After they ate, she planned to escort Wukong and Jingyue back to Flower-Fruit Mountain.

Su Qing hadn't forgotten her promise from the day before.

When she saw Wukong, he looked relaxed, a silly grin plastered on his face.

Su Qing remarked casually, "It seems you're in a good mood, Wukong. Have you finally come to terms with the matter regarding Tang Sanzang?"

Wukong raised an eyebrow and nodded his monkey head. "Hehe, Big Sis, I figured it out long ago. Since that Tang Sanzang doesn't want my protection anymore, then I won't give it. Even if I can't fulfill my promise to the Bodhisattva or attain that status, it wasn't my choice to leave. If I kept obsessing over it, I’d just be holding myself back."

Seeing this, Su Qing nodded slightly. "It’s good that you understand. Come, follow me back up the mountain. Leng Xiang has prepared some breakfast. Once we’ve eaten, I’ll accompany you and Jingyue to Flower-Fruit Mountain for a visit."

"Great, great!" Wukong chuckled, scratching his head. "I haven't been back to Flower-Fruit Mountain in a long time. I wonder if the monkeys there still remember me? I wonder how many of them are left after five hundred years."

"You crossed their names off the Ledger of Life and Death. Those monkeys should still be alive... however, those who haven't practiced cultivation are likely very old by now."

Su Qing shook her head with a sigh.

Crossing names off the Ledger of Life and Death granted immortality, but not eternal youth.

Wukong's own agelessness wasn't because of the Ledger, but because his cultivation had already reached a high level and because of the specific techniques he practiced. After completing his studies, the Ledger of Life and Death was nothing more than a roster to him; whether his name was on it or not didn't matter.

But for those monkeys, it was different.

They were just ordinary monkeys. Once their names were removed from the Ledger, they were no longer recorded in the Underworld.

At first, it seemed like a blessing. However, while they couldn't die, they still aged. They could evade the soul-reaping of the Underworld, but they couldn't escape the ravages of time.

Without cultivation, those monkeys would continue to wither and age until they became nothing more than living skeletons—unable to die even if they wanted to.

This was one of the reasons Su Qing had left behind cultivation methods for them.

However, cultivation was an arduous journey. Even on Flower-Fruit Mountain, the ancestral vein of the ten continents, it was no easy task. Not every monkey had the discipline to persevere, and cultivation also depended heavily on one's innate talent.

If their talent was lacking, their progress would be stagnant. Consequently, many monkeys from that original generation couldn't meet the standards, and some couldn't cultivate at all.

Over the past five hundred years, Su Qing had personally 'sent away' many monkeys to the Underworld.

Since she hadn't returned to the Underworld in decades, she wasn't sure how many monkeys currently needed to be 'sent away.'

Although Su Qing had an agreement with the Underworld and had left an Impermanence at Flower-Fruit Mountain, that emissary didn't dare to personally deal with the monkeys who wished for death. They still needed Su Qing to do it.

When she asked why, the Impermanence simply said they were afraid that if Wukong found out later, he would come and trash their office again.

Su Qing found the whole situation quite helpless.

Shaking her head, Su Qing brought her focus back to the present.

Hearing Su Qing's words, Wukong immediately understood her meaning. He had matured a lot in five hundred years.

He realized that besides teaching the monkeys cultivation, Su Qing had also endured the pain of ending the lives of those who couldn't cultivate.

Wukong gave a bitter laugh. "When I crossed those names off the Ledger, I did it out of kindness, never thinking it would end up hurting them. If Big Sis hadn't stepped in to fix it, I'm afraid my monkeys would all be walking skeletons by now."

Su Qing shook her head. "You did it, you made a mistake, and now you know. As long as you don't repeat it, it's fine. Besides, the fact that you can realize this shows how much you've grown. I'm sure your Master would be very proud."

Wukong shook his head and said nothing more.

Su Qing stretched and dropped the subject as well.

"Let's go! Let's head up the mountain. We've been chatting so long, Leng Xiang has probably finished cooking. Her food is delicious; it would be a shame to miss it."

Seeing Su Qing change the topic, Wukong followed her up the mountain.

They arrived just in time.

Leng Xiang was finishing up everyone's meals. She smiled at Su Qing's return and brought out the breakfast.

"Leng Xiang's cooking is truly divine. I used to think my own culinary skills were top-tier, but compared to her, I'm still lacking," Su Qing praised generously. It was the truth.

The Cold Fragrance Sword's cooking was indeed masterful. It seemed that over the years, the girl had even traveled to the mortal world to learn new recipes. Combined with the immortal herbs and spirit grasses of the Changbai Mountains, the dishes weren't just delicious; they were beneficial for cultivation.

Of course, for Su Qing, they were just very tasty meals. Once one reached a certain realm, many external aids lost their effectiveness.

Everyone enjoyed the breakfast immensely, leaving nothing to waste.

After eating, Su Qing stood in the courtyard, took a deep breath, and stretched to clear her head.

She turned to Jingyue and asked, "We're heading back to Flower-Fruit Mountain today. Are you nervous, Yuer?"

Liu Jingyue didn't mind the nickname 'Yuer' at all; she actually quite liked the affectionate term. However, she wasn't sure how to answer the question.

Her feelings were complicated.

"I wouldn't say I'm nervous... just a bit sentimental. It’s been centuries since I left," Liu Jingyue said with a wistful smile. "I wonder what Flower-Fruit Mountain looks like now. I wonder if any of the monkeys I knew are still there..."

Su Qing smiled faintly and patted her shoulder. "There will be."

Liu Jingyue nodded and fell silent.

Soon, Su Qing decided it was time to leave. She called out to Wukong, who was playing with the sparrows, "Wukong, stop playing. It's time to go."

"Coming, Big Sis! I'm coming!" Hearing her call, Wukong immediately stopped and ran to her side.

He was far more obedient with her than he ever was with Tang Sanzang.

As Su Qing prepared to cast the spell, Yudie suddenly clung to her, clamoring to go to Flower-Fruit Mountain as well.

Su Qing had no choice but to agree. Taking one more person didn't make much of a difference anyway.

Fortunately, Su Ying'er stayed with Ao Ying and didn't insist on coming. Su Ying'er was truly afraid her mother might give her a good spanking.

As for Leng Xiang, she was completely hands-off with Yudie, letting the girl do as she pleased.

Su Qing shook her head, then performed a hand seal. Stepping onto an auspicious cloud, she flew toward Flower-Fruit Mountain.

Wukong knew cloud-soaring techniques as well and had his Somersault Cloud, so he didn't need to ride with Su Qing. Seeing her move, he leaped into the air, transforming into a fiery red blur as he sped toward the East Sea.

Though they used the same Daoist method, the Somersault Cloud looked different for both. Su Qing rode her cloud like a graceful immortal, while Wukong looked like a rapidly spinning pinwheel.

When Wukong's Somersault Cloud was in motion, it lacked any sense of divine elegance and looked rather comical. However, despite the difference in appearance, the effect was the same.

In an instant, they had traveled a hundred and eight thousand miles.

The journey took only a few breaths before they were over the East Sea.

This wasn't Liu Jingyue's first time on Su Qing's Somersault Cloud, but she was still stunned by the absurd speed. She knew movement techniques herself, but they were nowhere near this fast. Even with the magical treasures her master had given her, she couldn't compare to Su Qing's innate mastery.

"I wonder just how strong Sister really is... If I get the chance, I’d love to spar with her and discuss martial arts," Liu Jingyue thought. She wasn't naturally combative, but she was genuinely curious about Su Qing's power.

Floating in mid-air, Su Qing looked down at the vast, boundless sea and felt a wave of nostalgia. It had been a long time since she had any contact with the Dragon Palace. While she didn't like the Old Dragon King, she was quite fond of the Dragon Mother.

Since she was visiting Flower-Fruit Mountain, she decided she would stop by to pay her respects to the Dragon Mother. After all, Ao Ying's mother was her mother-in-law; she couldn't be negligent.

As for the Old Dragon King... that thick-skinned old fellow... she didn't like him, but there wasn't much she could do. She would see him, but if he wanted her help again, he would have to pay a much higher price.

Shaking her head, Su Qing slowed down as they approached Flower-Fruit Mountain.

From above, the mountain was shrouded in spiritual mist, with cranes soaring through the air and countless spiritual plants growing everywhere. It was truly a magnificent place.

In the middle of Flower-Fruit Mountain, there was a small city that looked slightly out of place. The city was inhabited by demons, humans, and even some half-demon beasts. It was a bit of a chaotic mix, but they seemed to coexist quite well.

Clearly, the humans and demons of Flower-Fruit Mountain had learned to live together over the years. The Earth God had done a fine job.

In the center of the city stood two statues. One was of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, and the other was of the Azure Spirit Sovereign. Below the statue of the Azure Spirit Sovereign sat a large incense burner, filled with a massive amount of accumulated incense power.

"Come to think of it, I am the Mountain God of Flower-Fruit Mountain. Even though my main sanctuary isn't here, the mortals and demons on this mountain have provided me with quite a lot of incense power."

Su Qing smiled to herself as she watched. "It's a pity I rarely visit. There aren't many humans in this city; otherwise, the incense power here might have rivaled half of what I get at the Changbai Mountains."

Su Qing didn't descend immediately. Instead, she and Wukong hovered in the sky, observing from above.

Wukong was quite surprised by the small city. His vision was exceptional, and with his Fiery Golden Eyes, he could see everything happening below clearly. He was especially stunned to see humans and demons living together in such harmony.

After a long moment, Wukong snapped out of his daze and looked at the woman beside him. It was obvious that the situation here was entirely due to her influence.

He didn't feel any resentment; he was simply too shocked for words.