When Red Boy heard Su Qing’s words, she subconsciously curled her lips.
If she admitted her mistake, perhaps the beating would be lighter.
But Red Boy was, after all, the daughter of the Bull Demon King.
No matter what, she had inherited a bit of that bull-headed temper.
Moreover, she was somewhat unconvinced and unhappy.
In her view, she had captured Tang Sanzang for Su Qing’s sake, yet Su Qing was now ganging up with others to bully her.
So naturally, she felt displeased.
She snorted and said,
“When did I ever cause some huge disaster? I just captured a Tang Monk. He’s been captured plenty of times by others too.”
Su Qing raised an eyebrow slightly at this, reached out and pinched Red Boy’s little face, and said helplessly,
“Do you know that if I hadn’t come this time, the one who would’ve come instead would’ve been Bodhisattva Guanyin? If I beat you, that’s one thing—but if Guanyin took you away, you’d only be able to serve as a child attendant, becoming a nun.”
“And I assume you know who Bodhisattva Guanyin is.”
“And if it were only becoming a nun, that might still be bearable.”
“But that Bodhisattva has quite a fiery temper. If she truly beat you to death, then that would be the end of it.”
Red Boy opened her mouth when she heard this. She hadn’t expected things to be this serious…
It was just capturing a person.
How did it escalate to Bodhisattva Guanyin coming personally?
“Big sister… you’re not just scaring me, are you?”
Red Boy rubbed her pinched cheek and asked suspiciously.
In her mind, Guanyin Bodhisattva wasn’t someone who would concern herself with such matters.
Su Qing rolled her eyes and said,
“When you captured him, didn’t you investigate at all? You only knew that eating him would grant immortality. Did you ever think about why he could grant immortality?”
Red Boy froze.
She stared blankly at Su Qing.
Well.
She really hadn’t thought that far.
Su Qing sighed helplessly. How was this girl still doubting her?
She hadn’t even lied to her much before, had she?
With another sigh, Su Qing grabbed Red Boy’s already reddened cheeks and pulled them gently to both sides, saying seriously,
“Fine then. Do you know that Tang Sanzang is a scripture seeker personally appointed by the Buddha and Guanyin? Along the way, he’s protected by deities from all sides. Even my own little brother was tricked by Guanyin into becoming his disciple.”
“Otherwise, why do you think Tang Sanzang managed to make it this far, braving dangers all the way? How easy do you think he is to deceive? How easy to capture? Don’t you already know that?”
“I have no reason to deceive you about something this serious.”
Seeing Su Qing’s earnest expression and tone, Red Boy finally understood—this time, Su Qing was serious and hadn’t lied to her at all.
Everything she had done was for Red Boy’s sake.
She realized she had misunderstood Su Qing.
And that her own actions had indeed caused Su Qing a great deal of trouble.
“……”
Red Boy wanted to apologize, but couldn’t bring herself to say it.
She pursed her lips and said,
“I… I understand now… Can you hit me a bit lighter? If my subordinates see me covering my butt when I go back, it’ll be so embarrassing.”
She tried to negotiate emotionally and logically.
Su Qing merely smiled faintly and said,
“Alright.”
Then she raised her hand—
Cold Fragrance obediently handed over a ruler.
Su Qing grabbed Red Boy, placed her across her lap, lifted the ruler, and began her “loving education.”
For a time, the sharp smack smack smack sounds echoed through the forest.
Honestly, once Red Boy admitted her mistake, the beating could’ve been skipped.
But this girl was stubborn, so a little discipline was still necessary.
And it also served as an explanation—after all, she had done something wrong.
Before long, Su Qing stopped, tossing aside the cracked ruler.
Though the ruler had split, making it look severe, the damage was trivial to Red Boy—barely even skin-deep. At most, it just hurt a bit.
After all, she was the child of a demon. She wasn’t that fragile.
Still…
Red Boy’s eyes were watery afterward.
It really did hurt.
“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t hit that hard?”
Her cheeks were flushed—whether from anger or embarrassment at being spanked at her age, it was hard to say.
She rubbed her sore backside miserably.
Su Qing smiled lightly.
“I really didn’t hit that hard. I only used ten percent of my strength.”
“Ten percent?”
Red Boy glanced at the ruler and pouted.
“It cracked…”
“What cracked—the ruler or your butt?”
“The ruler! The ruler!”
“Oh~”
Su Qing shook her head.
“Then do you know you were wrong now?”
Red Boy turned her head away, muttered a small “mm,” and nodded slightly.
“You know now?”
“I know, I know!”
Seeing Su Qing pretend not to hear or see, Red Boy shouted in dissatisfaction.
Su Qing chuckled and finally nodded, letting it go.
Red Boy was still unhappy. Even if Su Qing did this for her own good, Su Qing was still bad.
Su Qing ignored her dissatisfaction, stretched lazily, and said,
“Let’s go. We’ll meet Elder Tang, and then you’ll apologize to him. That’ll settle everything.”
Red Boy hesitated, then nodded, not objecting.
Su Qing knew her temperament well and didn’t say more.
Whether Red Boy actually spoke wasn’t important.
She only needed to show her face and formally close the matter.
Before long, Su Qing arrived at the cave dwelling.
Just then, Sun Wukong was leading his master and fellow disciples out.
Upon seeing Su Qing, Wukong quickly thanked her.
Elder Tang also bowed to Su Qing.
Though she didn’t look like someone from the Buddhist sect, she was clearly an immortal and worthy of respect.
Sha Wujing looked respectful.
Zhu Bajie, on the other hand, instinctively tried to hide.
Su Qing smiled faintly and glanced at Elder Tag.
As described in the original text, Tang Sanzang was fair and refined. Even without hair, he could still be called handsome.
After a brief look, she turned to Wukong.
“No need to thank me. Between you and me, there’s no need for such courtesy. This child misbehaved, so naturally I had to discipline her. Elder Tang suffered inconvenience.”
She maintained a proper immortal’s demeanor—polite but distant.
“Amitabha. Many thanks to the immortal maiden for saving my life,” Tang Sanzang said.
Su Qing shook her head slightly.
“That’s enough. I’ll take her away now. Wukong, escort your master well and don’t let him run into trouble again.”
Wukong grinned.
“I know, I know. Big Sister, don’t worry.”
Su Qing nodded.
Seeing Red Boy too embarrassed to apologize, Su Qing didn’t force her.
She found an excuse and left with her.
After Su Qing departed, Tang Sanzang looked at the receding auspicious clouds and asked,
“Wukong, you called that immortal ‘Big Sister.’ Is she your real sister?”
Before Wukong could answer, Bajie interjected,
“Bah! How could Biling Yuanjun be this stone monkey’s real sister? She’s just someone he acknowledged as one.”
Wukong snorted, tugged Bajie’s ear, and said,
“She may be my sworn big sister, but she treats me better than blood family! Bajie, joke about me all you want, but if you dare speak ill of my big sister, my Golden Cudgel won’t spare you!”
Bajie whimpered,
“How would I dare? Yuanjun is immensely powerful. If she heard me behind her back, she’d stew me alive!”
“Good that you know,” Wukong said.
“Second Brother, say less,” Sha Wujing advised.
“She hasn’t gone far yet. If she hears you calling her narrow-minded, you’ll get beaten.”
Bajie shivered.
Seeing Red Boy obediently covering her butt earlier was proof enough—any fool could tell she’d been disciplined without resistance.
Tang Sanzang then said,
“So that’s how it is. Your big sister truly is extraordinary.”
“Indeed. If Big Sister hadn’t come this time, even Guanyin would’ve needed effort to subdue that girl,” Wukong said, shaking his head.
“And my big sister isn’t narrow-minded.”
Tang Sanzang nodded in approval.
“So what kind of deity is Yuanjun, exactly?”
“She’s the Prefect Lord of Changbai Mountain, Prefect Lord of Flower Fruit Mountain. I’ve also heard that the Buddha recently granted her a Bodhisattva seat—something like ‘One-Leaf Bodhisattva.’ My big sister has many identities.”
“What? She’s also a Bodhisattva?”
“Master, don’t think too much. My big sister is powerful—multiple titles are nothing unusual.”
Tang Sanzang nodded again.
After leaving the Fire Cloud Cave, the group continued westward.
Meanwhile, Su Qing took Red Boy back to Changbai Mountain.
When they arrived, Red Boy blinked and asked,
“Why are we at Changbai Mountain?”
“Didn’t you always want to visit? Now’s the chance. Stay and play for a few months—let things cool down,” Su Qing said calmly.
Red Boy thought for a moment and nodded.
“That makes sense… but my subordinates aren’t settled yet. I wonder if they’ll cause trouble while I’m gone.”
“Have some faith in them,” Su Qing replied.
“As long as they don’t stir trouble, nothing will happen. If you’re worried, you can go back tomorrow.”
Red Boy shook her head.
“No need. Since I’m here, I’ll stay and enjoy myself.”
Su Qing: “……”
Who was just worried about their subordinates?
Su Qing didn’t bother commenting.
She stretched and said,
“Stay here. I have something to take care of.”
“What do you need to do, Big Sister?” Red Boy asked.
“Go to the Heavenly Court and see the Jade Emperor.”
“Ah?”
Red Boy was stunned.
She had no idea why Su Qing would look for the Jade Emperor.
But she didn’t ask. Su Qing had many secrets.
Better to clean up her room first—she’d be staying a while.
“I wonder what my dad will say when he finds out,” Red Boy muttered.
He’d told her not to run around with Su Qing.
“Well, whatever,” she gave up thinking.
As for her butt—
It didn’t hurt anymore.
She was a bull child, after all. Thick-skinned.
Su Qing left Changbai Mountain again, this time heading straight to the Southern Heavenly Gate.
The Heavenly Kings guarding the gate saluted when they saw her.
“Yuanjun rarely visits the Heavenly Palace. What brings you here today?”
Su Qing shook her head.
“I’m here to ask the Jade Emperor for an imperial decree.”
“An imperial decree?” The Heavenly King was stunned.
“A rain-command order.”
“Rain orders aren’t easy to grant. Rain can’t just be summoned at will.”
“Let’s ask the Jade Emperor first. Maybe I’ll get it,” Su Qing said cheerfully.
The Heavenly King fell silent.
He had a feeling she really might.
She entered the Heavenly Palace and headed toward the Hall of Lingxiao—
When she ran into an old acquaintance.
“Isn’t this Yuanjun Su? What brings you to the Heavenly Palace today? Looking for the Old Lord?”
The God of Matchmaking greeted her.
Su Qing shook her head.
“No, I’m here for the Jade Emperor. I didn’t expect to meet you here, Lord Yue Lao.”
“Looking for the Jade Emperor? What business might that be?”
“Just a small matter,” Su Qing smiled, then added,
“Since I’ve run into you, Lord Yue Lao, I have something I’d like to ask of you.”
Yue Lao was momentarily surprised.
But he didn’t refuse.
“Yuanjun, feel free to speak. If this old man can help, I won’t decline.”
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