Su Qing had said she would help the Commandery Princess, but her assistance was limited to dealing with those demons.
As for the mortal enemies, the Princess would have to put in the effort to handle them herself...
However, if she truly encountered a troublesome existence that the Princess could not handle, Su Qing naturally wouldn't be stingy with her help.
While she couldn't strike directly, she could provide assistance through indirect means.
After all, the rules didn't explicitly say she couldn't do that, did they?
And so, the matter was temporarily settled.
For the period that followed...
Peace returned to the clinic. It was as if the events of that day had never happened; Su Qing had no further special communication with the Princess.
On the other side...
In the Northern Continent.
Clone No. 2, accompanied by Yudie, Chen Mei, Bai Rou'er, and Ruan Shuxiang, continued their journey toward High Eagle City.
Along the way, the group encountered various troubles, large and small...
But they were mostly minor inconveniences common to travel.
Nothing more than bandits, robbers, and thieves...
As for ghosts and demons, they were inevitably encountered as well.
However, these ghosts and demons were far too weak for Su Qing’s group. There was no need for Su Qing to act; Bai Rou'er alone could resolve them completely.
Thus, despite the many troubles, the journey proceeded relatively smoothly.
"How much further are we from High Eagle City?" Su Qing asked Chen Mei as she leaned against a window in an inn within Qikang County.
Hearing this, Chen Mei wiped her long spear, thought for a moment, and said, "From High Eagle City, it's probably only about half a month's journey away? It's not that much longer."
Su Qing nodded slightly. Given their style of traveling while playing along the way, half a month was indeed not very far.
Still, half a month felt a bit too long.
"Another half month! That really is quite slow," Su Qing couldn't help but remark.
Chen Mei placed her spear on a chair and said, "If it were just you, me, and Yudie, we could be faster. But Ruan Shuxiang insists on asking about her master's affairs at every place we stop... so we can't pick up the pace. Unless we leave her behind... but with your personality, I assume you wouldn't abandon her?"
Ruan Shuxiang was still desperate to find the descendants of her master...
Therefore, every time they reached a new place, she would go around asking for information about them.
This naturally caused some delays.
Although they could simply ignore her,
She was, after all, a traveling companion.
To simply ignore her would be somewhat inappropriate.
At the very least, Su Qing couldn't bring herself to do such a thing.
Besides, if they lacked this simple-minded fellow on the road, things would be much more boring.
Su Qing gave a helpless smile and said, "That is true..."
"You, sometimes you're just too kind." Chen Mei curled her lip and said, "If you were a bit more cold-hearted, you could avoid a lot of trouble! Though, I suppose I'm in no position to talk... after all, I'm a soft-hearted person myself."
Chen Mei actually didn't want to abandon Ruan Shuxiang either...
Although Chen Mei had been very wary of Ruan Shuxiang at first and didn't like her much, she couldn't withstand the fact that Ruan Shuxiang was like a ball of cotton. No matter how you spoke to her, she would just stay by your side with a smile. Even if you wanted to hit her, she would just take it without hitting back.
And after being hit or scolded, she would come back a moment later to chat and laugh just as before...
After a few rounds of this, Chen Mei felt too embarrassed to say anything more to her.
Encountering such a person, she had no solution at all...
However, while she didn't want to abandon Ruan Shuxiang, when it came to Bai Rou'er, Chen Mei wished she could throw her far away as soon as possible.
She didn't like that woman much...
That one wasn't like Ruan Shuxiang... she always managed to get into arguments with her unconsciously. She just couldn't stand the sight of her.
It wasn't because she was a demon.
It was more that she simply found her annoying.
Unfortunately, Bai Rou'er was impossible to shake off.
Her Dharma power was high.
Even if she were left far behind, she could just ride a cloud back.
So, Chen Mei could only endure her presence.
Su Qing laughed and shook her head, saying, "True, you are also a soft-hearted person. Fine, if it's half a month, then half a month it is! It's neither long nor short!"
Seeing this, Chen Mei stopped discussing the matter and simply nodded... then she took out her belongings to count them.
Seeing that Chen Mei was no longer speaking, Su Qing pulled a chair to the window and sat down, watching the passersby outside to conserve her mental energy.
At the same time, she was waiting for Yudie and Bai Rou'er, who had gone out with Ruan Shuxiang, to return.
Yudie was someone who couldn't sit still...
To make her stay here quietly and daze off would be worse than killing her...
So, as soon as they arrived in this county town,
The girl used the excuse of accompanying Ruan Shuxiang to search for her master's descendants to run out with her... though she wasn't there to help, but to go window shopping.
As for Bai Rou'er,
She was actually there to keep an eye on Yudie.
To prevent the girl from doing anything she shouldn't.
Su Qing was still quite uneasy about that girl.
Time passed.
Su Qing, who had entered energy-saving mode, leaned against the chair, looking as if she had already fallen asleep.
However,
Not long after Su Qing had drifted off,
Hurried footsteps and a heavy thud of the door being pushed open startled her awake.
Su Qing opened her eyes and saw Ruan Shuxiang rushing back in a panic.
"What's wrong? Why so agitated? Did Yudie cause some huge disaster?" Su Qing looked at Ruan Shuxiang and couldn't help but ask.
Just as Su Qing finished speaking, before Ruan Shuxiang could answer,
Yudie's dissatisfied voice came from behind her.
She said, "Mother! I wouldn't cause trouble! I've always been very well-behaved."
Su Qing gave a non-committal smile, ignored Yudie, and asked again, "So, what exactly happened? To make you so flustered that you even forgot to knock."
Seeing Su Qing ignore her, Yudie curled her lip, then walked into the room, sat down, and waited obediently.
After taking a few breaths to steady herself, Ruan Shuxiang said, "Sister Su, I've found news of my master's descendants!"
Ruan Shuxiang looked very excited...
She had searched for so long, and finally, there was news.
How could she not be excited?
Su Qing was stunned upon hearing this.
If she remembered correctly...
Her master's descendants should have basically all died out.
That was the result King Yama had found.
It was virtually impossible for there to be any error.
Unless King Yama hadn't found everyone, or there had been some oversight.
But that was unlikely.
Could it be some distant relative?
Or... just a grave?
Su Qing didn't know...
But she wasn't in a hurry to say anything...
Instead, she planned to go with Ruan Shuxiang to take a look first.
Su Qing said to Ruan Shuxiang, "Oh? I didn't expect you to actually find out after asking all this way. So, what are the details?"
Ruan Shuxiang took a deep breath and said, "In Long Bridge Town, it's not far from the county town!"
Su Qing raised an eyebrow, thought for a moment, and said, "In that case, when shall we set out to take a look?"
"I'll listen to you, Sister!" Ruan Shuxiang replied.
Although she desperately wanted to find her master's descendants quickly, if Su Qing didn't go with her, she felt as if something was missing.
Therefore, she chose to follow Su Qing's lead.
Su Qing nodded and said, "It's getting late now. If we set out today, it will be too late by the time we arrive. We might as well set out first thing tomorrow morning!"
Su Qing knew Ruan Shuxiang was anxious, but she decided to delay for a day.
Firstly, to let Ruan Shuxiang calm down, and secondly, because it really was getting late.
The horizon was already beginning to turn yellow.
By the time they reached the place, it would be dark.
In such circumstances, how could they find anyone?
Ruan Shuxiang naturally had no objection to Su Qing's suggestion and quickly nodded, saying, "Yes, I understand! Then we'll go look tomorrow."
Seeing she had no objection, Su Qing smiled and nodded, saying, "Alright, rest here for a while. When the time comes, we'll go down for dinner! We'll leave tomorrow morning."
Hearing this, Ruan Shuxiang obediently found a seat and sat down...
After sitting, Ruan Shuxiang kept taking deep breaths, appearing extremely nervous.
Clearly, someone was going to be unable to sleep tonight.
Su Qing shook her head helplessly at the sight, feeling a faint worry about how things would go tomorrow.
Once Ruan Shuxiang had quieted down,
Yudie, who had been listening to the conversation, could finally speak.
So she ran over to pester Su Qing again.
Su Qing, feeling helpless, could only play with her for a bit...
Time passed, minute by minute.
In the blink of an eye, it was the next morning.
Ruan Shuxiang had woken up very early today because she hadn't slept at all last night. She had been waiting at the door for Su Qing and the others to wake up since early dawn...
However, no matter how anxious she was, she didn't disturb their sleep.
She just waited quietly outside, constantly calming her excited heart.
She waited like this until Su Qing finally woke up...
And so,
As soon as Su Qing stepped out of the door, she saw Ruan Shuxiang waiting there.
"It seems you really are in a hurry! But don't rush, let's deal with breakfast first," Su Qing said to her. "There's no need to rush for a single moment..."
Ruan Shuxiang took a deep breath, nodded, and said, "I... I'm not in a hurry."
"You're not in a hurry? I see you're so anxious you're about to go crazy." Su Qing laughed and shook her head, saying, "But why didn't you call me?"
"I didn't want to disturb your rest... after all, Master said that if mortals don't sleep well, it shortens their lifespan," Ruan Shuxiang said, scratching her head.
Su Qing couldn't help but find this amusing, but she also felt the girl was truly quite adorable.
She shook her head and said, "Forget it, I'll wake the others for you. We'll set out after breakfast!"
Hearing this, Ruan Shuxiang quickly nodded and said, "I'll have to trouble you then, Sister..."
Su Qing gave a helpless smile, then went to wake the others.
At the same time, she walked into the room and picked up Yudie, who was still sleeping in...
Yudie was still quite small... Su Qing could lift her with one hand, like picking up a kitten.
"Mother... I can walk myself, don't carry me like this!" Yudie said dissatisfactorily after being woken up by Su Qing.
Su Qing gave her a flick to the forehead and said, "Time to eat."
Whether it was because of the flick or because she heard it was time to eat,
Yudie, who had been groggy, immediately perked up.
She quickly asked, "What are we eating? What are we eating?"
"..." Su Qing shook her head, speechless and helpless.
How did she end up with such a gluttonous daughter? Was she really that fond of eating?
"Just a normal breakfast, we'll just have something simple before setting out," Su Qing said blankly.
Hearing this, Yudie, who had been excited, immediately wilted...
"Oh... I thought we might get something special!" Yudie said with a face full of disappointment.
Su Qing chuckled, then set her down and said, "If you don't like it, then don't eat!"
"That won't do! I still have to eat!" Yudie said with a serious face. "If you don't eat properly, you won't grow tall!"
Su Qing: "..."
This fellow...
Whether you grow tall or not, isn't that entirely up to how you want to look?
It has nothing to do with food at all!
Su Qing shook her head wordlessly, then walked downstairs to eat, too lazy to argue with the girl about such nonsense.
Breakfast was simple.
Just ordinary food.
After everyone had finished their simple meal,
They set out.
The group's pace was neither fast nor slow.
Before long, they had left the city.
"By the way, did you ask clearly how to get there?" Su Qing asked on the road.
Ruan Shuxiang quickly nodded and said, "I asked clearly! I... I'll lead the way."
"Mhm, then I'll leave it to you," Su Qing said with a nod.
Su Qing believed Ruan Shuxiang wouldn't be careless about such a matter...
So she naturally left the task of leading to her.
The group walked on.
After a short while,
They arrived before a boundary stone for a small town.
On the boundary stone were written the words: 'Qikang County - Long Bridge Town'.
Clearly, they had arrived.
After finding the right place,
Ruan Shuxiang couldn't wait and rushed into the town to begin searching for clues.
Su Qing and the others followed her into the town, accompanying her as she asked for information... even the restless Yudie followed Ruan Shuxiang quietly as she inquired.
Heaven rewards the diligent.
After asking at many places,
Ruan Shuxiang actually managed to find something out.
In an old man's courtyard...
The group sat in the centenarian's courtyard, listening to him tell what he knew.
"Ah... the person you're talking about, I do indeed know her. When I was very young, I once received her kindness! If it hadn't been for her giving me a hot pancake, I probably would have died then, and I wouldn't have lived to this age," the old man said, stroking his silver-white beard.
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