"Go fight demons?"
Chang'e froze for a moment upon hearing Su Qing's words, then her expression shifted into one of great interest.
Su Qing nodded and said, "To Jinping Prefecture, where we went last time, to fight a few demons."
"Great, great, let's go together!" Chang'e nodded hurriedly, her voice filled with excitement. "Yes, yes! Since I have nothing better to do anyway, we might as well go fight some demons! It's the perfect chance for me to stretch my muscles!"
Chang'e didn't have the slightest aversion to the idea of hitting people... in fact, she seemed to be looking forward to it immensely.
In the Moon Palace, opportunities to actually get physical were few and far between.
So, whenever such an opportunity arose, Chang'e certainly wouldn't miss it.
Su Qing was slightly surprised to see Chang'e so enthusiastic...
However, she didn't think too much of it and simply nodded. "Since you're so interested, I won't step in when the time comes. You can handle them all yourself."
Upon hearing this, Chang'e became even happier, the excitement on her face impossible to hide. She said, "Deal! That's a promise! You're not allowed to interfere when the time comes!"
"I know, I won't interfere." Su Qing threw up her hands and said, "If you want to do all the work, I'm more than happy to take it easy! However, don't be in such a hurry to kill those demons. I have some questions for them later. If they're obedient and haven't committed any major atrocities, I plan to bring them back to Changbai Mountain to serve as gatekeepers."
Chang'e looked at Su Qing with a face full of confusion. "You're enough for Changbai Mountain on your own. Why do you need a few weak demons?"
She didn't quite understand. With Su Qing and her clones there, Changbai Mountain was already as safe as could be. Why would it need gatekeepers?
Could it be that those demons were female?
If they were female demons, then everything would make sense.
After all, this was Su Qing!
She understood.
"You can't look at it that way... Having more capable people increases the overall strength of Changbai Mountain. Even if I'm not there in the future, with these people guarding it, no major chaos will break out. Besides... it would be nice to have some people to help me with chores so I can relax a bit." Su Qing's expression was calm, her tone lightly amused.
Chang'e nodded and didn't press further.
"Fine, do whatever you plan. As long as I'm the only one fighting this time, it's all good."
Chang'e didn't really care what Su Qing's ultimate goal was. She felt that Su Qing was a reliable person who considered her actions carefully... she certainly wouldn't act recklessly.
Su Qing, of course, had no objections. She raised both hands in agreement and said, "Don't worry, I definitely won't steal your kills. I'll even tell Wukong not to interfere with your fight!"
At this, Chang'e tilted her chin up in satisfaction and said, "In that case, let's depart!"
Su Qing gave a thin-lipped smile and led Chang'e outside...
The moment Chang'e stepped out, the smile on her face vanished instantly. Her entire temperament underwent a world-shaking transformation, becoming cold and aloof—so much so that standing near her felt like being in an ice cellar.
It had to be said that although this woman was unreliable in private, her acting in this regard was quite impressive.
Truly a student of the Lunar Deity!
As for her own efforts? Su Qing suspected she hadn't put much effort into it at all.
Su Qing quickly stopped her wandering thoughts...
In a few steps, she reached Wukong.
"Greetings, Palace Mistress Chang'e!" Wukong showed the proper etiquette when facing Chang'e.
Chang'e gave a faint, perfunctory smile and said, "Mhm. Let's go!"
Wukong blinked, thinking that Chang'e was indeed as cold as ever...
But he didn't mind much...
The cold and distant Chang'e was exactly as he remembered her.
So, no matter how cold she was, Wukong didn't find it strange.
Wukong simply said, "Then Big Sister, Palace Mistress Chang'e, please keep up."
With that, Wukong wasted no more words. He pinched a secret seal and soared off toward Jinping Prefecture on his Somersault Cloud.
Seeing this, Su Qing also used a spell to lead Chang'e and followed closely behind...
Wukong's Somersault Cloud was naturally fast, but Su Qing's speed was even greater...
Even though Wukong had started first, Su Qing caught up to him in just half a breath's time.
Noticing that Su Qing had caught up, Wukong was slightly stunned...
Having not seen her for a while, his Big Sister's strength had actually improved again.
Even her Somersault Cloud was faster than before...
'Big Sister is truly Big Sister... her strength improves so rapidly.'
Wukong was sincerely happy to feel Su Qing's growth...
She was his Big Sister; he was naturally glad she was becoming stronger.
However, he also felt that he needed to work harder...
Otherwise, he would be left far behind by her again.
He didn't expect to surpass her, but he at least had to stay within sight of her shadow... otherwise, it would be too embarrassing.
Su Qing had no idea what Wukong was thinking...
She simply followed behind him all the way to the residence of the Rhino Spirits.
"This is where those demons live... I'll go call them out first to draw them into the open, and then we'll strike together." Wukong didn't intend to leave the task of dealing with the Rhino Spirits to Su Qing and Chang'e while he idled on the side; he wanted to do as much as possible.
However, Su Qing shook her head...
She said, "No need for such trouble... Since Palace Mistress Chang'e is here today, let her handle them alone."
"This..." Wukong was taken aback and said, "Is that really appropriate?"
"I brought Palace Mistress Chang'e along specifically for this. Besides, she hasn't fought in a long time and her hands are itching for action... say no more, just leave it to her." Su Qing waved her hand, looking at Chang'e's back.
Seeing this, Chang'e gave a timely, slight nod, as if confirming Su Qing's words.
Faced with this situation, Wukong could hardly say anything more...
"Then I'll have to trouble Palace Mistress Chang'e." Wukong scratched his head, then gave a bow.
Chang'e didn't respond. She simply lowered her cloud and landed in front of the cave entrance...
What followed needs little explanation.
Chang'e dragged those fellows out and gave them a one-sided, brutal thrashing...
The entire process was incredibly violent...
It was safe to say that if Su Qing hadn't specified she wanted them alive, Chang'e might have beaten those demons to death.
Soon, the battle was over.
Wukong also successfully rescued his master.
After listening to Tang Sanzang's long-winded expressions of gratitude,
Su Qing waved her hand and said, "Alright, Wukong, take your master back quickly! Palace Mistress Chang'e and I still have a few things to ask these demons..."
Wukong didn't ask what questions she had for them; he simply nodded obediently...
"Then I'll take Master back first. Big Sister, if you need my help with anything later, just come and tell me... Since the demons here have been dealt with by Palace Mistress Chang'e, Master shouldn't face any more danger, so I'll be free to help."
Su Qing had helped Wukong so much that he knew he owed her a great deal. If he could be of any assistance, he naturally hoped to help her out.
Su Qing just smiled and said, "I understand. If I need your help, I'll find you."
Wukong gave a cheeky grin and left with his master.
Once Wukong was gone,
Su Qing walked over to the demons and said, "Alright, now it's your turn..."
The Rhino Spirits were terrified...
They didn't know what they were about to face, but they felt that the woman before them was just as dangerous as the one who had just thrashed them...
Though if they had to say who was more terrifying, they definitely felt it was the one who had just beaten them up... after all, they had felt her blows firsthand!
Without waiting for the Rhino Spirits to speak, Su Qing asked directly, "Will you surrender? If you are willing to submit, then considering you haven't harmed the common people, I can let you live. But if you refuse and intend to resist to the end, then I can only send you to report to King Yama."
Su Qing didn't bother with grand speeches or moralizing... she simply laid out the stakes before the Rhino Spirits.
If these Rhino Spirits were smart, they would know how to choose.
The Rhino Spirits were no fools. No demon who could cultivate to such a level was truly stupid...
So, their choice was obvious.
"We are willing to surrender." The three Rhino Spirits knelt and bowed in unison.
They didn't want to die, so surrender was the only path.
Neither of the two women before them was someone they could handle...
Either one could easily take their lives.
Under such circumstances, what else could they do but surrender obediently?
If they showed even a hint of resistance...
The outcome was clear.
Su Qing nodded in satisfaction at their answer and said, "Since you're willing to surrender, then put on these collars! From this day forward, you shall be the gatekeepers of my Changbai Mountain."
The collars were similar to the Tight-Fillet... though they weren't nearly as powerful.
As Dharma treasures, they were several levels below the Tight-Fillet.
Of course, while their power was far less, they were more than enough to restrain a few Rhino Spirits.
The Rhino Spirits were stunned for a moment, but in the end, they gritted their teeth and accepted the collars that symbolized their humiliation...
Seeing them all obediently put on the collars,
Su Qing nodded with satisfaction.
She then said, "Since you are now my subordinates, I'll give you some names. You'll be Niu Da, you'll be Niu Er, and you'll be Niu San."
Su Qing was too lazy to think of elegant names, so she just gave them these simple ones... saving herself the mental effort.
Upon hearing this, the Rhino Spirits were more or less dissatisfied...
But no matter how unhappy they were, there was nothing they could do... they could only obediently accept their ugly new names.
There was no choice; Su Qing was their master.
Beside her, Chang'e almost couldn't help but laugh when she heard Su Qing's incredibly poor naming skills...
But to maintain her persona, she had to hold it in...
It was truly painful for her.
Su Qing didn't care what Chang'e thought of the names; she had already named them.
Next, it was time to take them to Changbai Mountain.
Su Qing said, "Alright, follow me now! I'll take you to the place where you'll live and work in the future."
The Rhino Spirits nodded, not daring to say a word.
Su Qing glanced at Chang'e, then pinched a secret seal...
Immediately, the Somersault Cloud rose from the ground, carrying them all toward Changbai Mountain.
Before long,
Su Qing and the others arrived at the foot of Changbai Mountain...
This was the demon town, the place where Su Qing kept the Spider Spirits.
When Su Qing arrived, her clone was already waiting there...
And it wasn't just her clone; even the Old Deer was waiting there.
"Sovereign, you've returned?" Seeing Su Qing return with Chang'e, the Old Deer walked up with a fawning expression and said, "This humble official greets Palace Mistress Chang'e."
Chang'e gave a slight wave of her hand, indicating she didn't want to waste words with him...
Su Qing then said, "I'll leave these Rhino Spirits to you for now... As for their work, I assume you already know how to arrange it?"
Before Su Qing had returned with the Rhino Spirits, her clone had already visited the Old Deer and explained everything that needed to be done.
So, the Old Deer was naturally well-informed...
The Old Deer nodded and said, "Rest assured, Sovereign. I am putting two hundred percent of my effort into the tasks you've assigned. Just leave these people to me... I will give you a satisfactory result."
Seeing that the Old Deer was still working so hard, Su Qing felt somewhat relieved and said, "Very well. I will now teach you a set of incantations. If these people are disobedient or dare to act out, use these incantations to subdue them."
At this, the Old Deer nodded hurriedly. Initially, he had been worried he wouldn't be able to suppress these demons...
But now, with Su Qing's words, the Old Deer could rest easy.
With the means to control these fellows, he naturally wasn't worried about keeping them in line.
"As expected, the Sovereign considers everything thoroughly."
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