Fine Snow

Seeing Su Qing agree, a smile blossomed on Ao Ying's face.

"Since you've put it that way, we'll consider the matter settled for now. As for the finer details, we can work those out later! For today, let's leave it at that. You've been busy all day; you should rest!"

Ao Ying was exceptionally concerned for Su Qing. If she didn't care for her, she wouldn't have set aside her own leisure to help Su Qing with her work and gather Incense Power. It was precisely because she worried Su Qing would overwork herself that she insisted on helping, even if she had to force the issue.

As for the future Great Tribulation of Heaven and Earth... although she was still worried, she knew that even if they didn't have enough Incense Power, Su Qing would prioritize the safety of their family above all else. And if there truly was no way to survive it... passing on to the next life together with her didn't seem like a bad thing at all.

Su Qing looked at Ao Ying, unaware of the dragon girl's inner thoughts. She simply pursed her lips and said, "Fine, fine, we'll do as you say! But you're right, it is time to rest. After being busy all day, I am a bit tired. We can discuss the rest slowly later."

In truth, Su Qing wasn't nearly as tired as she claimed. Although she had seemingly accomplished much, most of the tasks were quite simple and required little effort. She only said she was tired because she didn't want to continue the conversation right now and wasn't sure what else to say. Since Ao Ying had suggested resting, she naturally wouldn't refuse to go and rest with her.

Ao Ying nodded with a beaming smile and followed Su Qing to retire for the night. Although they had spent the last few days playing and hadn't done much 'proper' work—aside from the time spent discussing the collection of Incense Power—Ao Ying still felt a certain kind of fatigue. It wasn't physical exhaustion, but rather a mental weariness that came from having nothing to do. Regardless of the reason, Ao Ying wanted to find something to keep herself occupied. Now that the plan to help collect Incense Power was set, her days ahead certainly wouldn't be boring.

Time flowed by. In the blink of an eye, several more days passed.

During this time, aside from her daily routine of visiting Liu Xixi to handle the various official duties of the domain, Su Qing spent her time at home with Ao Ying and the others. She also spent time organizing the plans for collecting and spreading Incense Power, turning abstract methods into a concrete schedule.

Once the plans were finalized, it was naturally time to take action.

One morning, Ao Ying found Su Qing and said, "Now that the plan is set and the arrangements are made, there's no time like the present. I'll head out with Su Ying first to test the feasibility of this approach."

Su Qing was momentarily stunned. "You're... leaving already?"

She hadn't expected Ao Ying to depart so soon. She thought Ao Ying would wait a while longer, but here she was, ready to go today. This not only surprised Su Qing but also filled her with a sense of reluctance. She hadn't spent nearly enough time with them yet, and now they were parting again.

Thinking of this, Su Qing found it somewhat ironic. Usually, it was Ao Ying and the others who felt this way when she left. Now, the roles were reversed, and she was the one feeling the sting of departure. Truly, the world was full of unexpected turns.

But while the reversal was amusing, her reluctance was genuine. If possible, she wanted them to stay by her side; she didn't want them to work too hard.

Ao Ying had no idea what Su Qing was thinking. If she did, she likely would have teased her mercilessly. Instead, she simply nodded and said, "Yes! I feel like I've rested long enough. To use a mortal saying, I feel like I'm getting rusty from all this idling. It's time to get moving. Besides, collecting Incense Power is important; we can't keep delaying it."

Ao Ying looked at Su Qing with a smile, then flipped her palm to reveal a wooden talisman. "By the way, Sister Su, take this. This talisman is for tracking. As long as you have it, you can determine mine and Su Ying's location at any time. That way, whenever you miss us, you can come and find us whenever you like!"

Ao Ying had thought of many things before departing, including how Su Qing could find her quickly and accurately. Thus, this item had come into existence.

Su Qing tilted her head and looked at her, dazed for a moment, but eventually smiled and took the talisman. Looking at the object in her hand, she found herself at a loss for words for a moment. Everything really had turned upside down.

After a moment of silence, Su Qing let out a long sigh. "Since you've made up your mind and considered everything, there's no point in me saying anything more. If you've decided to go, then go."

Su Qing knew that once Ao Ying made a decision, nothing she said would change it, so she stopped trying to block her. Their whole family shared that same stubborn streak; once a choice was made, it was set in stone.

Ao Ying nodded with a smile. "You really do know me best. We'll be parting for a while today, then. Don't miss me too much!"

"That won't do! I'll miss you exactly as much as I should!" Su Qing crossed her arms, composed her emotions, and spoke with a chuckle. Then, remembering something, she took out a jade talisman. "You gave me a talisman, so I'll give you one in return. Here, take this."

Ao Ying laughed and accepted the jade talisman. "What is this for?"

"It's a Sound Transmission talisman," Su Qing explained. "If you encounter anything you can't resolve on the road, or an enemy you can't handle, you can message me at any time. After all, I am your husband. If anything happens to you, I'll be heartbroken. So don't you dare feel embarrassed about calling for help! When you need me, you must call. I don't want to see you hurt or mistreated."

While there were virtually no powerful demons left in the Northern Continent—and even the strong ones had been beaten into hiding by Great Emperor Zhenwu—Su Qing still had to prepare for the worst. Even if the chance of encountering an unbeatable demon was slim, it wasn't zero. This precaution was necessary. Moreover, beyond safety, it was a gesture of her care for Ao Ying.

Ao Ying's face lit up with a smile as she nodded. "Don't worry, I won't be too embarrassed to ask for help! I'm not a fool. If I have someone powerful at home who can help me, why wouldn't I call? I'm not like you!"

Ao Ying didn't miss the chance to dig at Su Qing, mocking her for her past behavior. Su Qing could only offer a helpless smile. "Fine, fine, it was my fault. As long as you remember my words, that's enough."

Su Qing didn't care about the teasing; she only cared that Ao Ying would be safe and successful. Everything else was trivial.

Ao Ying smiled, cupped Su Qing's face, and gave her a kiss. "Then Ying'er and I will head out first. Remember not to miss me too much!"

Su Qing pursed her lips. "I know, I know. I'll remember to miss you every day!"

"Hmph, just make sure you do." Ao Ying squinted her eyes happily, then turned to Su Ying. Seeing her mother's gaze, Su Ying immediately shed her lazy posture and stood at attention. "Reporting to Mother, I've finished packing!" she said, standing straight.

Ao Ying was speechless. This brat was acting up again; she really needed a lesson. She reached out and pinched the girl's cheek, her tone dissatisfied. "Alright, stop playing the fool. It's time to go."

Su Ying didn't mind her mother's shifting moods or the difference in how she treated her versus Su Qing. She just nodded gigglingly and maintained her serious act. "Understood, Mother! I've been ready to go for ages!"

Unlike Yudie, Su Ying's constitution had prevented her from running around the world with Su Qing. In all her years, she had rarely left Ao Ying's side or Changbai Mountain. The furthest she had ever been was the small town near the mountain. Therefore, being able to travel across the Northern Continent with Ao Ying made her incredibly happy. Even though she knew this wasn't just a vacation and that they had important work to do—work that might even be quite busy—she was still thrilled. For her, as long as she could go out and explore, it was a cause for celebration. She didn't need to overthink the details. Live for the moment! Be happy first and worry later.

Ao Ying looked at Su Ying and gave a helpless smile, rubbing the girl's head. She didn't scold her, simply saying, "Since you're ready, let's go!"

Su Ying nodded, grabbed a small satchel, and followed her mother. The two walked into the courtyard, where Ao Ying performed a hand seal to summon a cloud of auspicious mist. They stepped onto the cloud and waved goodbye to Su Qing. With a thought from Ao Ying, the cloud soared into the distance, vanishing from sight in moments.

Standing in the courtyard, Su Qing watched them leave and let out a long sigh. 'So this is how Ao Ying felt when she watched me leave,' she thought. She shook her head with a smile and turned back to her own business.

She didn't need to worry too much about Ao Ying. The dragon girl was no longer a sheltered princess; she had grown quite shrewd over the years. There were very few people in the mortal world who could get the better of her. The only real concern was demons she couldn't handle, and in such a case, Ao Ying would certainly call for her without hesitation. With Su Qing's speed, arriving in time wouldn't be an issue.

Time passed, and evening soon arrived. Liu Xixi, having finished her work, came to find Su Qing. In the courtyard, the two sat across from each other. Su Qing looked at her rare guest and asked, "You're not the type to visit unless you have business. What brings you here today?"

"It's nothing... actually, my father asked me to bring something to you, Sovereign," Liu Xixi said after a moment of silence.

Su Qing was puzzled. "Your father asked you to bring me something? Oh? What is it?"

"Dinner made by my mother," Liu Xixi paused, her expression turning slightly strange.

Su Qing blinked, her mind not quite processing the statement. "Huh? Dinner made by your mother?"

"Yes... Mother recently returned from the South Sea and brought back some local specialties. She made quite a lot of food, so Father asked me to bring some over to you." Liu Xixi remained silent for a moment before answering.

Su Qing's expression became subtle. She wasn't entirely sure what the Dragon General was thinking. However, she didn't refuse. She nodded and said, "I see. Thank my parents for me. I've never actually tried specialties from the South Sea!"

Su Qing was lying, of course. Having lived so many years, what hadn't she eaten? Besides, Chen Chaoyan sent her South Sea specialties every so often, given that her master, Guanyin Bodhisattva, lived in the Purple Bamboo Grove there. Getting South Sea goods was easy. She only lied to ensure their kind gesture received a warm response. It was just basic social etiquette.

Liu Xixi offered a rare smile upon hearing this. "My mother is a very good cook. You should be satisfied, Sovereign."

Su Qing looked at her with surprise; it was the first time she had heard Liu Xixi say something like that. She smiled and nodded. "I'm sure I will be."

Liu Xixi seemed to relax. "Now that I've delivered the items, I'll take my leave..."

Su Qing made a token effort to invite her to stay for dinner, but Liu Xixi used the excuse of having already eaten to decline. She practically fled from Su Qing's quarters. Watching her leave, Su Qing still wasn't quite sure what the Dragon General was planning. "Forget it, I'll just treat it as a neighborly exchange," Su Qing murmured, deciding not to overthink it. It was just a box of food, after all. Thinking too much would be ridiculous.

Not long after Liu Xixi left, Yudie, Red Boy, and Chen Chaoyan finally returned from their gallivanting. Upon seeing the food container in front of Su Qing, Yudie's eyes lit up. She immediately huddled close to ask where it came from and what was inside. Yudie didn't care who gave it; she only cared if the contents were delicious. Su Qing didn't hide anything and briefly explained the situation.

Yudie was stunned. "Liu Xixi's parents are surprisingly nice! To think they'd send us delicious specialties!"

Su Qing glanced at the girl. "If you want to eat, just eat. Don't beat around the bush."

Yudie gave a cheeky grin, her face full of anticipation. "I won't eat it all! I'll leave some for you, Mother!"

Su Qing chuckled, not really caring. She patted the girl's head and said, "Just eat. I'm not going to fight you for it!"

Yudie giggled and opened the container, sampling the food. As she sat on Su Qing's lap eating, she spoke up. "Mother, I plan to head out in a few days with Sister Leng Xiang and Red Boy to help you collect Incense Power!"

Su Qing was slightly taken back. "Leaving in a few days?"

"Mhm! It was Sister Leng Xiang's suggestion." Yudie nodded. "Even though she really wants to stay by your side and never leave, she feels that simply staying here doesn't help you much. She can't increase your Incense Power this way, and she feels useless. So she told me to get ready to head out in a few days to help you!"

Su Qing's mouth twitched. "If she wants to stay by my side, she should just stay. I would never blame her for it... I want her here with me, too. Fine, I'll go talk to her later."

Yudie looked up at Su Qing and said with a smile, "Mother, Sister Leng Xiang has already made up her mind. Even if you go talk to her, nothing will change! She just wants to be of more help to you."

"I know she just wants to help, but I also just want her to stay here comfortably," Su Qing said with a helpless smile.

Yudie looked down at the food container and stopped talking. She was just the daughter, after all; she couldn't sway the decisions of her two mothers. It was better to focus on finishing the delicious food in front of her. She concentrated on eating, and because it was so good, she ate a bit too much. By the time she was done, not even a tenth was left for Su Qing. Fortunately, Su Qing had no intention of blaming her. She knew the girl was a glutton; leaving anything at all was already an achievement. She simply tasted the remaining bit and then went to have her actual dinner.

Meanwhile, on the other side...

After leaving Su Qing's place, Liu Xixi returned home. The moment she stepped inside, her father hurried over. "Well? Did the Sovereign accept it?"

Liu Xixi nodded. "Yes, she did."

"See? I told you she wouldn't refuse!" the Dragon General laughed. "By the way, did she taste your cooking? What did she say?"

In truth, the box of food Liu Xixi had given Su Qing wasn't made by her mother at all—it was made by Liu Xixi herself. As for why she sent it... it was because she wanted to thank Su Qing for her care and trust during this time. People who trusted and valued her as much as the Sovereign were far too rare. So, while cooking today, she had a sudden whim to send some to Su Qing as a gesture of gratitude. However, it was just a thought; she didn't actually dare to send it, fearing Su Qing might misunderstand. She had only been muttering to herself.

But she hadn't realized her father was listening. Once he heard, he began to constantly egg her on. In the end, she was no match for his badgering and delivered the food. However, once she got there, all the words she was supposed to say turned into something else. She hadn't even admitted she made it.

Liu Xixi remained silent, not looking at her father. "I was in too much of a hurry. I just left the items and fled. I don't know if she tasted them or what she thought."

Hearing this, the Dragon General fell silent, then gave a helpless laugh. "You brat. Sometimes your skin is incredibly thick, and other times you're so shy it's funny. Why didn't you let the Sovereign taste it first? With her personality, if you said you made it yourself, she definitely would have tried it."

"I... was too embarrassed to say it!" Liu Xixi shook her head.

Her father sighed. "I really don't know what to do with you. You wanted her to taste your cooking, but in the end, you didn't even get her opinion."

"As long as the items were delivered, it's fine," Liu Xixi argued.

The Dragon General was speechless. "Fine. Can you tell me the details of how it went?"

"No..." Liu Xixi flatly refused. If she told him, she'd truly lose face. He would surely mock her mercilessly. She absolutely could not tell him.

The Dragon General raised an eyebrow, already guessing the gist of it. "Fine, I'll just go ask her myself tomorrow," he said, using a simple provocation.

As expected, a father knows his daughter best. After that simple taunt, Liu Xixi couldn't take it anymore. With a look of grim determination, she recounted the details to him. For her, losing face in front of her father was far better than losing face in front of Su Qing again. She could not let him go to Su Qing tomorrow; if he did, she would suffer a complete social death. Even her image in Su Qing's heart would be turned upside down.

After hearing her story, the Dragon General's forehead was covered in black lines. His daughter was truly... frustrating. 'Sigh, with this girl's personality, marrying her off is going to be far too difficult... looks like in the end, I'll have to be the one to come up with a solution,' he thought helplessly. However, he didn't continue to tease her this time. What was done was done; there was no point in dwelling on it. It was better to think about the future.

Seeing that her father wasn't mocking or laughing at her, but had instead fallen into a long silence, Liu Xixi became even more nervous. It would have been better if he had laughed; at least then she could fight back. His silence made her wonder what kind of terrible plans he was hatching, making her worry even more. This atmosphere lasted for quite a while until Liu Xixi's mother finally broke the silence, returning things to normal. But Liu Xixi remained curious about what her father had been thinking during that long silence.

And so, while Liu Xixi wondered, time ticked away. In the blink of an eye, it was the next day.

Su Qing followed her plan from yesterday and went to find Leng Xiang, intending to persuade her. Unfortunately, after all her talking, Leng Xiang's resolve to go out and help collect Incense Power only became firmer, and she decided to leave the very next day.

Su Qing: "..."

Great. How did her words have the opposite effect? Where did it go wrong? Su Qing truly couldn't understand it. In the end, she had no choice but to give up. She felt that if she continued, Leng Xiang might leave today instead. So she let it be. At most, she would just pay more attention to their movements later.

"Mother, I told you that you couldn't persuade her, didn't I? You didn't believe me!" Seeing Su Qing's failure, Yudie hurried over to tease her. "See? Do you believe me now?"

Su Qing was momentarily speechless. She reached out and pinched the girl's cheek. "You brat, you came here specifically to mock me, didn't you?"

Yudie was a sword spirit; a few pinches didn't cause much pain. She just said cheekily, "Hehe, you're right, Mother! I'm here to laugh at you! That's what you get for not believing me!"

Su Qing gave her a light flick on the forehead. "I had to try, didn't I? If I could have gotten her to stay a bit longer, it would have been a good thing! She could have rested more. Who knew it would backfire?"

Yudie pursed her lips. "You and Sister Leng Xiang have been together for so many years; don't you know her personality by now?"

"Of course I know... she's usually the one who listens to me most. While she rarely changes a decision once made, she usually defers to me. Who knew she wouldn't listen this time and would actually insist on her own way? I don't know whether to be happy or frustrated." Su Qing's tone was full of helplessness.

Leng Xiang had always been the most obedient to Su Qing, often having little initiative of her own. She was the type to do whatever Su Qing said. Even if she had her own plans, she would abandon them if Su Qing spoke up. She had always been like that. So how could Su Qing have expected such a sudden change? She didn't know if she should be happy that Leng Xiang was finally developing her own will or frustrated that the girl wasn't listening to her.

Yudie sat beside Su Qing and looked up. "Mother, really... people change! Even if she's a sword spirit and not a human, she still changes! She can't always be the same as she was before."

Su Qing glanced at Yudie and gave a helpless smile. "True. Everyone changes. I just wish it hadn't happened at a time like this."

"Alright, Mother, don't be frustrated! Even if she goes to collect Incense Power, you can still see us whenever you want. With your speed, reaching us only takes a few breaths, right?" Yudie said, hands on her hips.

Su Qing rolled her eyes at her, tempted to scold her, but after thinking it over, she realized scolding her would just seem like she was acting out of spite. So she gave up. She nodded helplessly. "You're right about that. But since you're leaving tomorrow, I need to get things ready quickly. Otherwise, contacting you later really will be a hassle."

The things Su Qing needed to prepare were the same ones Ao Ying had prepared before: tracking talismans and communication jade slips. These were essential. Otherwise, the claim that she could see them whenever she wanted would be nothing but empty words. Fortunately, preparing these items wasn't difficult. Leng Xiang knew magic, after all; she wasn't a mortal like the Commandery Princess.

The next day, Leng Xiang prepared to depart as expected. Su Qing followed her plan and gave her the items she had prepared. Leng Xiang looked at the two jade talismans in her hand and didn't speak for a long time. Only after a while did she say, "Master, I will definitely do this well!"

Su Qing nodded, indicating her belief in her. But she also added, "However, if you get tired, just come back! Returning to rest for a while won't delay things much."

Leng Xiang nodded and gave Su Qing a tight hug. Feeling Su Qing's warmth, she said her goodbyes. After the farewell, Leng Xiang transformed into the Cold Fragrance Sword, while Yudie turned into the Fish Gut Short Sword, and the two flew away from the domain. As for Red Boy... she followed behind on an auspicious cloud, looking quite grumpy. Those two could just turn into their true forms and fly off, but she couldn't. She was, after all, the child of a bull.

After Leng Xiang, Yudie, and Red Boy left, the once-bustling courtyard suddenly felt a bit desolate. Su Qing, who had grown used to the noise, found herself a bit unaccustomed to the quiet. She gave a helpless smile and shook her head, turning back to the house. Her mood wasn't low; they were all still in the Northern Continent, and with their locations tracked, finding them would be easy. It was just that with fewer people, the courtyard felt empty and boring.

While Su Qing was lost in these thoughts, Bai Rou'er walked out. She picked up a teapot and poured a cup of hot tea for Su Qing. "It feels quite quiet now, doesn't it?"

Bai Rou'er seemed slightly melancholic, but in truth, she wasn't sad at all—she was actually a little happy. When Ao Ying and Leng Xiang were around, she couldn't even get close to Su Qing. Now that they were gone, she was secretly pleased because she could finally move a bit closer to her.

Su Qing, unaware of Bai Rou'er's little schemes, simply nodded at her words. "Yes, quite a few people left all at once. At first, I thought it was too noisy, but now that it's quiet, I'm not used to it. What about you? Do you plan to head out too?"

Su Qing remembered Ao Ying saying that Bai Rou'er also planned to help collect Incense Power. So she asked about her plans to see how much longer she would be staying.

"Mhm, I'm going. After all, I promised to help you collect Incense Power, Sister. However, while I'm going, I don't plan to leave just yet," Bai Rou'er nodded. "I plan to stay here and keep you company for a while... I'll head out according to the plan in a few days."

For Bai Rou'er, she had finally gotten a chance to be alone with Su Qing. She naturally didn't want to leave so soon. But she definitely intended to help. After all, she owed Su Qing so much. Debts always had to be repaid. Just her body wasn't enough... wait, that wasn't right. After all, the current Bai Rou'er wasn't staying by Su Qing's side just to repay a debt. She was mostly just 'thirsty' for her.

Perhaps Su Qing never imagined that she, who was always seen as the one 'thirsty' for others, would one day be the target of someone else's desire. As for why 'again'? Because there were others who desired her as well—namely, Jin Xin.

Su Qing looked at Bai Rou'er and nodded with a smile. "I see. That's fine too."

"Hehe, but... even though I plan to go out and help you, I don't intend to stay out forever. After all, leaving you here all alone would be too much."

Bai Rou'er thought for a moment and said, "So, I plan to come back and keep you company every so often! That way, you won't feel bored, Sister."

Su Qing was stunned for a moment, then shook her head with an amused smile. "Actually, I don't really feel lonely... if I want to see them, I can go find them anytime. I'm just a bit reluctant because they left so quickly. But thank you for the thought. Although I know you want to repay your debt to me, you really don't have to go to such lengths."

One had to remember that before everyone arrived, Su Qing had lived here alone. Her only companions were a few sparrows, and they weren't human—they certainly didn't stay by her side all day, thinking only of going out to 'forage.' Even then, she had never felt lonely or bored. So Ao Ying and the others leaving wouldn't make her feel truly lonely. At most, she just wasn't used to the sudden silence. But in a day or two, she would adapt. After all, it had been quiet here before they arrived.

Bai Rou'er sat in the chair opposite Su Qing and shook her head seriously. "That's not right. This is nothing compared to the debt of saving my life. It's the least I can do."

Bai Rou'er didn't care much about whether Su Qing felt reluctant or not; she was mostly just responding to Su Qing's comment about not needing to go to such lengths. Su Qing felt a bit helpless, so she simply shook her head. "Fine, do as you please. As long as you don't regret it, it's fine."

Bai Rou'er gave a graceful smile and sat down to chat with Su Qing about other things. And so, the days passed. In the blink of an eye, more than half a month had gone by.

During this half-month, Leng Xiang's and Ao Ying's teams worked very hard to help Su Qing collect Incense Power. As a result, in just over half a month, Su Qing's Incense Power had increased significantly. If they could maintain this growth rate, in another half-month, they would have gathered about half the amount she had obtained from her disaster relief mission.

That might not sound like much, but one had to remember that Su Qing's disaster relief missions targeted major catastrophes. After such events, people sought not just material aid but spiritual solace, leading to a massive influx of Incense Power. Even an obscure deity could gain a significant following after a disaster. Therefore, gaining so much in just half a month proved they had been working incredibly hard. While she didn't know exactly what they were doing, they were clearly putting in a tremendous effort.

Today, a fine snow was falling.

Su Qing stood in the courtyard, reaching out to catch a snowflake.

"It's been so many days; it's about time I go and see them," Su Qing murmured to herself as she watched the fine snow fall from the sky.