Quite Something

Su Qing nodded upon hearing his words and said, "Remember to be a bit more polite when you go. Don't be too reckless... only then will they be willing to help you undo it."

Although Su Qing knew Guanyin Bodhisattva wouldn't undo the monkey's tight-fillet spell, she still gave him the advice. After all, even if one is just putting on a show, one must perform the full act! What was the point of only doing half?

Wukong chuckled at Su Qing's words, nodded, and said, "I understand, I naturally understand! How would I dare to be disrespectful to Guanyin Bodhisattva? Big Sister, please rest assured."

Su Qing smiled and said, "It better be so! You stinky monkey have always been bold and reckless."

Hearing Su Qing's assessment, Wukong simply scratched his head and said with a grin, "No matter how lawless I am, I wouldn't dare disobey Big Sister's words, would I? Hehe, I won't chat with Big Sister any longer. I'll go find Guanyin Bodhisattva to undo this tight-fillet spell. Once I've returned and tidied up Flower-Fruit Mountain, I'll come back to catch up with Big Sister properly."

Su Qing nodded and said, "Go on, go on!"

Su Qing naturally knew the general development of the events to follow... There was no doubt that before long—perhaps even today or tomorrow—Wukong would be coming back to find her again.

After Wukong bowed to Su Qing, he mounted his Somersault Cloud and departed.

Watching the direction Wukong left, Su Qing couldn't help but let a smile spread across her face. She muttered to herself, "Very good! There will be some fun to watch soon..."

"Mother (Godmother), what fun are you going to watch?" Just as Su Qing was talking to herself, she heard the voices of Yudie and Chaoyan from behind her.

Su Qing smiled slightly and said, "Nothing... I'm just bored and looking for a bit of entertainment. By the way, what are you two doing here?"

"We saw Uncle Wukong arrive just now, so we wanted to come over and chat with him..." Yudie spread her hands and said, "But it seems we're a bit late. He had already left by the time we arrived."

Su Qing gave a helpless smile and said, "You two are indeed a bit late, but it's fine. He comes here often. If you want to see him, it won't be difficult."

Yudie nodded, not feeling it was too much of a pity. After all, for her, a few years was but the blink of an eye.

The two didn't linger around Su Qing. Even if Chaoyan wanted to stay by Su Qing's side, Yudie would pull her away to play.

After Wukong left Su Qing's Changbai Mountains, he immediately rode his Somersault Cloud to the South Sea Purple Bamboo Grove. The speed of Wukong's Somersault Cloud went without saying; in just a few moments, he arrived outside the grove.

Outside the Purple Bamboo Grove, only Muzha was on guard. When Wukong saw Muzha, he couldn't help but say, "Why is it that every time I come, you're the one on guard?"

"It was supposed to be the Black Bear Spirit's turn today, but yesterday it stole some honey and was hung up and beaten by Master. It's currently recovering from its injuries..." Muzha's lips twitched slightly as he said, "As for the other junior sisters... you know their situation. They are all by your Big Sister's side. So, these chores basically all fall on me."

Wukong scratched his head and chuckled. How should he put it? He didn't feel his Big Sister had done anything wrong. After all, being able to spirit away two disciples from Guanyin Bodhisattva was quite something! Others found it hard enough to take just one! But his Big Sister could take two! What was that called? That was strength. He even felt a bit proud of it.

Muzha glanced at Wukong, not knowing what the monkey was thinking, and simply said, "You're here for Master, right? Just follow me in... however, Master is currently grooming herself. You might have to wait a short while before you can see her."

Wukong shook his head and said, "It's fine, waiting a bit is no problem."

Although Wukong was surprised that Guanyin needed to groom herself, he remembered what his Big Sister had said and agreed with a smile. Seeing this, Muzha nodded slightly and led Wukong to a small pavilion within the Purple Bamboo Grove to wait.

Wukong was indeed not good at waiting. After sitting for only a short while, he couldn't stay still. He poked around here and hopped around there. Looking at him, Muzha felt a headache coming on. If it weren't for the fact that he truly couldn't beat Wukong, he definitely would have had a few choice words.

Fortunately, before long, Guanyin Bodhisattva finished grooming and came out. She was still in her usual attire, with the same compassionate appearance. She said, "Wukong, what brings you to me this time?"

Wukong recounted the previous events to Guanyin and then said, "I originally went to find Big Sister to help undo this tight-fillet spell, but she said the one who tied the bell must be the one to untie it, and that only you, Guanyin Bodhisattva, can undo it!"

"Although I did indeed kill those people this time, and it was indeed my failing as a disciple, I have done so many good deeds along this journey that it should be considered offsetting my faults with merits. Now that Master has driven me away, I naturally no longer need to act as his guard. Therefore, I hope the Bodhisattva will grant me the loose-fillet spell to remove this golden hoop and return it to you, so I can go back to Flower-Fruit Mountain and be my own mountain king again."

Guanyin Bodhisattva uttered a name of Buddha upon hearing this. Su Qing's appearance had indeed caused many changes in the process of this tribulation for Wukong. However, in the end, he was still sent here by Su Qing.

She looked at Wukong and said, "I see... however, I have no way to remove that hoop either. This tight-fillet spell was passed to me by Ru Lai. Years ago, when he sent me to the Eastern Land to find the pilgrim, he granted me three treasures: first, the Jinlan Cassock; second, the Dharma Staff; and third, the three hoops—Golden, Tight, and Forbidden—along with their three corresponding incantations. There was no such thing as a loose-fillet spell."

Wukong was slightly stunned. He had thought that since Guanyin gave him the hoop, she would surely have a way to undo it. He hadn't expected that even Guanyin had no method.

Helpless, Wukong could only say, "In that case, I shall go to the Western Heaven and ask the Buddha."

The Bodhisattva didn't say much more, only nodding and saying, "Go then, go! However... before you go, let me calculate for you."

"Me? I don't need any calculations. Whether the future is good or bad doesn't matter much to me."

"It's not for you; it's for your Master."

"Him... fine, I'll listen then."

Wukong claimed he wasn't worried about his Master's life or death. He just wanted to see what kind of fortune that stubborn Master of his would have without his protection.

Seeing Wukong agree, Guanyin smiled slightly. She then sat upon her lotus throne, focused her mind on the Three Realms, and observed with her divine eyes. After a moment, she spoke, "Wukong, your Master will soon face a great disaster and will come looking for you before long. Wait for me to speak with Tang Sanzang and have him let you return to continue the journey for the scriptures, so that you may achieve the right fruit."

Wukong bared his teeth and scratched his head, but in the end, he complied and sat to the side without saying more. Since Guanyin wouldn't let him leave, he truly couldn't leave.

On the other side, Su Qing had grown tired of fishing. Her luck today was truly poor. Out of all the fish in Heaven Lake, she had fished for half a day and hadn't even gathered enough for dinner.

"I'm afraid I'll be laughed at by Ao Ying when I get back... well, the jester has finally become the joke," Su Qing chuckled, picked up her bamboo basket, and returned to the courtyard.

In the courtyard, Leng Xiang was practicing her swordplay in her spare time. Although a Sword Spirit practicing swordplay was somewhat subtle, Su Qing enjoyed watching a few extra rounds because the sword dance was beautiful. However, because Leng Xiang was here, the cooking had fallen to Ao Ying.

Ao Ying's skills were naturally not as good as Leng Xiang's, but after all these years, even Su Qing had developed impressive culinary skills, so how could Ao Ying be any different?

Leng Xiang felt a bit self-conscious being watched by Su Qing. She stopped her movements and asked, "Master... why did Wukong come to see you today?"

Leng Xiang didn't know how to start a conversation, so she simply chose the person who had visited today as a starting topic.

Su Qing briefly explained the situation.

"Wukong really runs to Master's side the moment he feels wronged..." Leng Xiang mused for a moment before speaking.

Su Qing spread her hands and said, "That's true... but besides when he's wronged, he also runs here when he encounters trouble."

"Doesn't Master find it annoying?"

"Not really. Although he's come several times, it's actually only once every few years." Su Qing smiled and said, "Why? Do you find it annoying?"

"A little bit."

"Hahaha..." Su Qing laughed and didn't say more on that. Leng Xiang also dropped the topic and brought up something else.

"By the way, Master... today while I was helping Master fulfill some people's vows, I found a strange wish." Leng Xiang remembered the matter and spoke up.

Su Qing was taken aback and said, "Oh? A strange wish? Tell me about it."

"Mhm... someone prayed for Master to save her child, so that the child could live normally in the human world."

Su Qing's brow twitched slightly. "Interesting... I probably know who made this wish. But... has it reached such a point that they are unwilling to return to the town to live? Is my little town so much worse than the outside world?"

"Master?"

"It's nothing... I just feel that perhaps the town at the foot of the mountain is indeed a bit too secluded. After getting used to the bustling world of humans, some people are unwilling to return there." Su Qing chuckled and said.

"Then what does Master mean?"

"My meaning? I am also somewhat interested in that child of human and demon..." Su Qing stroked her chin and said, "Forget it, I'll handle this matter myself."

Leng Xiang looked at Su Qing, momentarily unable to understand what her Master's plan was. But since Su Qing said she would resolve it, she believed her. After all, she always believed in her Master.

"Since Master already has a plan, I will naturally follow Master's lead," Leng Xiang smiled and said. "But Master... in a while, let's go to Chang'an City for a visit!"

"Chang'an City? It has indeed been a while since we went back to play. Let's all go together when the time comes! I'll try to invite Chang'e as well. Oh, and Little Bai too, though I don't know if the Old Mother will let her out."

Leng Xiang tilted her head, then nodded and said, "Master can make the decision."

"It's quite a surprise that you would actually make a request!" Su Qing said with a smile.

"It's just... I just want to go out for a walk a bit."

Su Qing smiled at her words, reached out to pinch Leng Xiang's cheek, and then heard Ao Ying calling them for dinner. Seeing this, Su Qing said no more and got up to eat.

The next day, Wukong and the Six-Eared Macaque still hadn't come. Su Qing stopped waiting. Instead, she performed an incantation, transformed into a Daoist, and went down the mountain to handle another matter.

This matter was naturally the business of the cat-girl's family. Although their choices left Su Qing somewhat helpless, she had said she would look after this family, so she had to. After all, she had delivered that little girl with her own hands, so she was quite fond of her.

After arriving at the foot of the mountain, Su Qing quickly found the family's location. The family was no longer living in the city. Instead, they had moved to the outskirts and become tenant farmers for a landlord.

Although life was harder than before, the family was still healthy. Su Qing arrived outside the family's courtyard. She saw a little girl wearing a hat and thick clothes even on a hot day, sitting alone in the courtyard counting ants on the ground. She looked incredibly lonely.

Seeing this, Su Qing walked into the courtyard with a smile. Hearing someone enter, the little girl looked up at Su Qing. She was so startled that she fell back onto the ground, accidentally causing her hat to fall off, instantly revealing two small, furry ears.

Discovering her hat had fallen, the little girl hurriedly covered her ears. She muttered, "I... I'm not a monster, I'm not a monster! Don't hit me, don't catch me."

Looking at the little girl, Su Qing let out a helpless sigh. She had ultimately imagined things too simply. This mortal world was not that beautiful.

Su Qing walked up to the trembling little girl, reached out to pat her head, and said, "I'm not here to catch you! I just saw that you're very cute, so I wanted to come and chat with you."

The little girl didn't believe Su Qing's words. After being touched by Su Qing, she hurriedly ran toward the house. The woman inside heard the commotion and rushed out, pulling her daughter behind her.

The woman looked at Su Qing with a wary gaze and asked, "Miss Daoist, you... is there something you need?"