The Socially Fearless Chen Mei

The fog dissipated, and the Chang Ghosts retreated.

The moon hung in the night sky once more.

The campfire blazed brightly before them.

Everything was just as it had been before the fog appeared...

Sensing that it was over, the bearded leader let out a long, heavy breath, finally letting his heart settle. His back was already soaked with sweat—not from the heat of the fire, but from the sheer terror of the Chang Ghosts.

As the leader, he managed to maintain his composure, avoiding a look of overwhelming relief. However, the others were different, especially those Su Qing had saved. Knowing exactly what had happened, their expressions were quite a sight to behold.

While Su Qing had little interest in watching them, Yudie found it quite entertaining.

"Miss, you truly are composed!" the bearded leader remarked.

Su Qing shook her head and said, "It's only because I've experienced much that I can remain so steady. I once met a Daoist who told me that ghosts don't dare to harm people directly. Because ghosts are formed from humans, they are naturally weaker than the living."

"As long as a person isn't afraid of ghosts, a ghost cannot harm them in the slightest. That's why ghosts always try to scare their victims before killing them. They can only strike once they've frightened the person's Qi."

Of course, this only applied to common ghosts. If one encountered a thousand-year-old malevolent spirit, an official of the Underworld, or a Soul-Reaper, they could kill you and take you away regardless of whether you were afraid. As the saying goes: 'If King Yama decrees your death at the third watch, none can keep you until the fifth.'

Returning to the matter at hand, Su Qing's words left the bearded leader deep in thought. He nodded and said, "I've heard something similar, but few can actually remain unafraid when facing a ghost... Women as steady as you, Miss, are even rarer. I truly admire you."

Su Qing smiled. "I used to be afraid, but after encountering them so often, the fear faded. After all, a widow and her daughter face many things on the road to finding a cure."

"It seems your journey has been quite difficult!" the leader couldn't help but comment.

He spoke to Su Qing partly out of curiosity and partly to calm himself down. Though he looked calm on the surface, his heart was still racing. Anyone who had just brushed against the edge of death would need time to recover.

Su Qing shook her head. "What is a little hardship compared to curing my daughter's strange illness? However, you were quite impressive yourself... I was almost fooled by that ghost, yet you didn't move an inch."

The leader gave a helpless smile. "I simply didn't dare to go, nor did I dare to gamble. It might sound selfish, but even if it had been real, I wouldn't have gone to help."

"In that situation, preserving oneself first is the correct choice."

These words didn't come from Su Qing, but from Chen Mei. She walked over carrying her spear, holding several pieces of dried human skin in her hand. "You remembered my words and didn't rush to your death; that's good enough."

The leader gave a helpless smile and nodded.

Su Qing glanced at Chen Mei and immediately recognized where those skins had come from. She had seen exactly what Chen Mei had been doing in the fog. Though the mist could block ordinary sight, it couldn't hide anything from her. How could the mist of a minor demon that hadn't even achieved transformation block her eyes? Besides, she didn't rely solely on her eyes to observe the world.

Su Qing had watched Chen Mei hunting the Chang Ghosts in the fog. However, despite knowing everything, she maintained her act of ignorance.

She looked at the skins and asked, "Xiao Mei, what are you holding?"

Chen Mei smiled and replied without concealment, "These are the human skins the Chang Ghosts use for disguises... It's because of these skins that they can transform into others to lure people to their deaths."

"Unfortunately, my strength is limited. I only managed to kill two Chang Ghosts in all that time."

"If that tiger demon hadn't retreated on its own..."

"We would likely have been in grave danger."

"I just don't know what happened with that tiger demon to make it leave like that."

Su Qing nodded and said, "So those are the skins they use for transformations! It's my first time seeing such a thing."

Smiling, Su Qing continued, "But I never imagined you could even deal with ghosts, Xiao Mei. You're truly amazing."

Flattered by the praise, Chen Mei scratched her head sheepishly. "I'm not actually that amazing!"

"No, it's very impressive... After all, if I encountered an evil spirit, I'd struggle just to stay alive, let alone fight back." Su Qing said with a look of envy. "If only I were as strong as you. Then I could protect my daughter better."

Sitting nearby and watching Su Qing's performance, Yudie felt a wave of goosebumps. Her mother was really taking this too far. How could she say those things with a straight face? Did she have no sense of her own power? She could probably crush ten thousand people like Chen Mei.

Though Yudie was complaining internally, she didn't let anything show on her face, silently continuing to eat. She knew that if she dared to expose her mother, her mother might just peel her 'skull' open.

Is Mother trying to pick up Chen Mei? Yudie stroked her chin, wondering about her mother's goal. Really, Mother, you keep trying to deny the rumors, yet you act exactly like them every time. How are you ever going to clear your name?

Yudie continued her internal critique. As they say, the spectator sees more clearly than the player. Yudie felt she was the clear-headed observer who had seen through everything.

Time passed slowly. Under Su Qing's praise, Chen Mei became quite carried away and began to talk tirelessly about her own history. Su Qing took the opportunity to learn more about her.

Chen Mei was quite an interesting person. She didn't rely on spells to kill ghosts, but rather on a specialized spear technique. Su Qing found it a bit difficult to understand how a mundane spear could strike a ghost from the Underworld. In short, she was fascinating.

However, all paths lead to the same destination. After hearing Chen Mei's descriptions and explanations, Su Qing understood the principle behind it. It was essentially a crude application of spiritual power. Of course, 'crude' was only by Su Qing's standards; for a mortal, it was a profound level of skill. Thus, Su Qing's evaluation of Chen Mei remained quite high.

That night, no one in the caravan closed their eyes, not even the bearded leader. After such an experience, only a truly hardened soul could fall asleep.

The next day, as the sun rose, the caravan members immediately packed their things and set out. They didn't dare linger there a moment longer. The terror of the previous night was still fresh in their minds.

The caravan continued its journey. Fortunately, the rest of the trip was smooth. They encountered no more trouble, demons, or ghosts.

A few days later, Su Qing and the others finally reached their destination: Tatu City. It was a county city surrounded by mountains. The scenery wasn't particularly beautiful, but it was bustling. After successfully entering Tatu City with the caravan, it was time to part ways.

"Sister Su, wait a moment! I'm going to collect my payment for this trip, then I'll come find you," Chen Mei called out as she saw Su Qing preparing to leave, indicating she wanted to continue traveling with them.

Over the past few days, Chen Mei had grown quite fond of Su Qing and Yudie. She was a wanderer with no fixed destination, so she decided to follow them. Moreover, she was worried about them—a widow and her daughter traveling alone. What if they ran into danger? It was rare to find someone who praised her so much; she felt she had to protect them!

Besides, the little girl was so cute and pitiful. She couldn't bear to leave them be.

Su Qing stroked her chin and eventually nodded with a helpless smile. Seeing that Su Qing hadn't refused, Yudie whispered via sound transmission, "Mother, are you really going to make her my concubine?"

Su Qing maintained her smile, but her hand was already firmly pinching Yudie's cheek. She replied, "You brat... does your mother look like that kind of person?"

"Then why are you letting her follow us?"

"We need a guide, don't we? Besides... do you think she'd stop following us even if we said no? Don't forget, she's socially fearless."

"What does 'socially fearless' mean?"

"It means she's thick-skinned," Su Qing explained casually.

Yudie nodded thoughtfully, then added, "I wonder if that's your real reason, Mother."

Su Qing shot her a glance. Yudie quickly scratched her head and said, "Mother is so honest, how could she ever lie!"

Seeing how quickly the girl backed down, Su Qing was both amused and speechless. She released the girl's cheek and said, "In any case, let her follow for a while. We can send her on her way later."

Yudie rubbed her face and looked at her mother with a deadpan expression. She could see absolutely nothing behind that gentle face. It only gave the impression that she would never tell a lie. Damn it, why did Mother have to make herself look so misleading?

Chen Mei was quick. After only a short wait, she came running back. "Sister Su, sorry to keep you waiting! I've got the money. Come on, I'll take you to get something delicious!" Chen Mei said, waving her coin pouch with a beaming smile.

Su Qing nodded. "I thought you were a regular employee of the caravan, seeing how familiar you were with the boss."

Chen Mei laughed. "I can get along with almost anyone! I'm not a regular; I just take jobs when they're on my way. After all, wandering the world requires money. Without it, 'wandering the world' just becomes 'being homeless.' I don't want to beg on the streets; that would be too embarrassing."

Su Qing nodded. "That's true. Traveling the world does require a fair amount of coin."

"Right? They say a single penny can defeat a hero," Chen Mei chuckled. "I didn't believe it before, but after going hungry for two days once because I was broke, I understood."

Chen Mei walked ahead of the two, leading the way. "Sister Su, Xiao Die, hurry up! There are several great places to eat in this city. If we're late, there won't be any seats left!"

Su Qing gave a helpless smile and asked, "You've been here before?"

"Of course! I've been wandering for nearly ten years and have visited many places. I've been here before... though the last time was seven years ago. I wonder how much has changed."

Chen Mei asked cheerfully, "What about you, Sister Su? How long have you been traveling to find a cure?"

"About five or six years now," Su Qing said casually.

"That's so hard! But don't worry, everything will get better. Oh, I remember there's an old medical immortal in High Eagle City. Why don't we go there next? Maybe he can cure the little sister's illness!"

"Oh? That sounds good; we'll follow your lead. We aren't familiar with this area, so I'll have to trouble you to be our guide." Su Qing smiled. "But I might not have much money to pay you!"

"No money needed! I was planning to go to High Eagle City to deliver something anyway, so it's on the way."

"Deliver something?"

"Yeah, this spear on my back is what I'm delivering."

"I thought it was yours!"

"No, it belongs to Ghost Spear. I'm just helping deliver it to her," Chen Mei said, rubbing her nose with a smile. "It's a good way to earn some money."

"You work quite hard yourself!"

"Hehe, wandering while delivering things isn't hard at all. Besides, this spear is quite good to use. Being able to use such a fine weapon on the road is actually quite a joy!"

Su Qing nodded, feeling that this woman was someone who took everything in stride. Chen Mei talked a lot, and the two chatted all the way to the restaurant. They arrived just in time to snag the last available table.

"By the way, how long do you plan to stay here?" Su Qing asked during the meal.

"Probably just a few days. If you want to stay longer, Sister Su, I'll stay with you," Chen Mei said cheerfully. "Anyway, Ghost Spear isn't in a huge rush for this spear. It doesn't matter when I get it there; my pay won't change by a single cent."

Su Qing nodded, curious about the story behind it, but she didn't pry into a client's business. "Alright, let's stay for a few days. I need to look for a doctor in the city as well."

"Sounds good, we'll do as you say," Chen Mei agreed without hesitation.

After dinner, Chen Mei led Su Qing to an inn to settle in. By evening, Su Qing sat by the window, watching the orange glow of the setting sun.

She couldn't help but wonder, I wonder where the person looking for me is... will I run into her?

Regarding the girl Guanyin Bodhisattva had mentioned, Su Qing's feelings were complicated. She both wanted to meet her and didn't.

How contradictory, Su Qing thought helplessly.

As she was thinking, Yudie spoke up from beside her. "Mother... why are we staying here so long?"

Su Qing turned back. "No special reason, just keeping up the persona. After all, I'm on a journey to find a cure for you. It only makes sense to seek out doctors here."

Yudie looked deadpan. "Mother, you've really gotten addicted to this game."

Su Qing laughed and shook her head. "Not really. This is just incidental... My main goal is still to find ways to spread Incense Power."

"Ah! Speaking of which, was it your doing that the people in the caravan suddenly started believing in the 'White Dragon Lady'?" Yudie asked, as if suddenly remembering.

Su Qing nodded. "I just made use of the recent crisis..."

"Mother, you're truly something."

"It was just a quick harvest; nothing special and not very sustainable," Su Qing said with a shake of her head. "In the future, I still need to find a way to establish an image here like I did at the Changbai Mountains—one that can bring in a steady and continuous stream of Incense Power."

Yudie leaned on the table, watching her mother. She had nothing to say, only feeling that her mother looked a bit cooler when she had a goal.

Meanwhile, just as the second clone reached her city, the first clone finally arrived at her destination.

"After traveling for so many days, we finally see a city." Su Qing let out a sigh of relief as she looked at the name 'Jia Prefecture' written in elegant calligraphy above the city gate.

"Yay! We're finally here! We can finally rest!" Su Qingyu began to dance with joy upon hearing Su Qing's words.

Su Qing gave a helpless smile. "Yes, we can finally rest."

After the long journey, Su Qing was fine, but Su Qingyu, the elder Zhou sister, and Li Yichou were exhausted. Even the cute little Coal Ball had grown noticeably thinner lately. However, her weight loss wasn't from exhaustion, but from severe motion sickness caused by the bumpy ride.

Knowing they had reached a new city and could rest for a while made both Su Qingyu and Coal Ball incredibly happy.

"Alright, let's enter the city," Su Qing said, patting Su Qingyu's head before turning to Li Yichou.

Li Yichou nodded and drove the carriage toward the gate.

The entry process wasn't smooth. Because of the recent influx of refugees, inspections had become much stricter. Furthermore, Jia Prefecture had recently seen several assassination attempts on the Commandery Princess, making entry even more difficult.

Fortunately, Su Qing applied a bit of Banknote Power, and they eventually passed through without issue. As the saying goes, money makes the world go 'round, and it was certainly true here.

After passing the gate with ease, Li Yichou drove the carriage to find an inn. They soon found one, left the carriage, and checked in.

Inside the room, Su Qingyu flopped onto the bed, hugging the soft quilt and rolling around. She was clearly delighted to be in a real room again.

"You brat, don't mess up my bed," Su Qing said, watching the girl roll around with a touch of exasperation.

"But it's so comfortable!" Su Qingyu stopped rolling and pouted at Su Qing.

"Still, no rolling on the bed..." Su Qing said helplessly.

"Fine, I understand." Su Qingyu didn't dare challenge Su Qing's authority and obediently settled down.

Once the girl was quiet, Su Qing sat down to think about their next steps. They wouldn't stay here long. Once they were replenished, they would continue their journey. This was merely a waypoint. After all, the flames of war would eventually reach this place.

Sigh, regardless... I should buy a new horse and carriage tomorrow, Su Qing thought. I don't care about the war itself, but it's affecting my business. I hope I can smoothly accumulate Incense Power once we reach our next destination.

As she thought, she glanced at Su Qingyu and saw the girl had already fallen asleep. She gave a helpless smile and looked out the window. The sky had darkened, and moonlight spilled across the floor.

"The night is quite beautiful." Su Qing walked to the window, looking at the bright moon. I wonder how Gongsun Zhixue is doing...

After watching the moon for a while, Su Qing felt tired and prepared to rest. However, as she turned, she happened to spot a group of figures in black sprinting through an alleyway. The direction they were heading was exactly toward the Commandery Princess's manor.

Su Qing's eyebrows twitched. "Assassins? Another attempt on the Commandery Princess? No way... it couldn't be such a coincidence, could it? No, I have to go see."

Su Qing didn't know their exact goal, but if they were there to assassinate the Commandery Princess, she had to stop them. If the Commandery Princess were actually killed, leaving the city would become extremely troublesome.

Of course, it would only be 'troublesome'; it wouldn't actually stop her. She had both Banknote Power and magic. However, it was always better to avoid trouble when possible.

With that, Su Qing vaulted out the window, silently following the black-clad figures in the distance.