The Land Grandmother thanked Su Qing repeatedly upon hearing her words, but she ultimately declined Su Qing’s kind offer.
Even though there wouldn't be any issues if Su Qing took action herself, the Land Grandmother felt that accepting such help would be a bit ungrateful and overstepping. Su Qing could offer, but as a subordinate deity, she knew she shouldn't simply accept such a favor.
Having served as a Land deity for so many years, she understood the unspoken rules of officialdom quite well.
However, while the Land Grandmother understood officialdom, she did not truly understand Su Qing.
When Su Qing said she would help teach that scoundrel a lesson, she genuinely intended to do so; it wasn't just polite talk. Nevertheless, since the Land Grandmother had declined, Su Qing naturally didn't push the matter. After all, she had only offered to help. If the other party didn't want it, there was no point in forcing the issue.
"In that case, let’s get back to what we were discussing!" Su Qing nodded, smiling as she steered the conversation back to its original starting point.
At this, the Land Grandmother smiled as well and continued where she had left off. Once they finished discussing the previous topic, Su Qing asked about a few other things.
Soon, after Su Qing had asked everything she wanted and shared a bit more idle chatter, the Land Grandmother took her leave and did not stay any longer.
Once she was gone, Su Qing shared the names of the craftsmen she had learned about with Ao Yiyi.
"With these names, it’ll be much easier to find the right craftsmen later," Su Qing said with a chuckle.
Hearing this, Ao Yiyi looked at Su Qing with a puzzled expression. "Sister Xiao Qing, did you invite the Land Grandmother over just to ask about that?"
"Of course it wasn't just for that! It was also to get to know her..." Su Qing spread her hands and said, "Besides, I was bored anyway. It’s good to get to know a local deity and learn about the local situation. After all, no one knows the affairs of a place better than the local gods."
Su Qing hadn't invited her simply because she suddenly wanted to know about a few craftsmen. One could find out who the skilled artisans were just by asking around town. There was no need to specifically invite a deity for that.
For Su Qing, the craftsmen were just an excuse; what she really wanted to clarify were the local conditions so she could better plan her incense power strategy according to the actual situation.
Ao Yiyi finally understood Su Qing’s other intentions and nodded.
Then, she followed up with another question: "So... how much did you find out, Sister Xiao Qing?"
"I’ve basically got the gist of it," Su Qing said with a beaming smile. "Although the plan still needs to be carefully mapped out, we can certainly go clear out some minor demons tomorrow."
"There are demons here?" Ao Yiyi frowned. "I assume they aren't good ones? If they were, you wouldn't talk about 'clearing' them."
Having spent so much time with Su Qing, Ao Yiyi knew she wasn't the type to kill every demon she saw. Su Qing only took action against those who were heinous and unpardonable. For those who had committed minor errors without causing major trouble, Su Qing would at most give them a simple lesson to teach them better, rather than taking their lives.
After all, Su Qing herself was a demon who had achieved true attainment; deep down, she understood how foolish it was to kill every demon on sight. Thus, if Su Qing used the word "clear," it meant the demon had done something unforgivable that had triggered her killing intent.
Su Qing nodded. "There are indeed a few demons, including a powerful one that likes to eat humans! Naturally, such a creature cannot be allowed to remain."
"A man-eating demon? Why didn't the Land deity report it to the City God? Usually, once such a thing is discovered, the first step is to report it to the City God for handling, right?" Ao Yiyi asked with a furrowed brow.
Su Qing gave a light chuckle and nodded. "I asked the Land deity about that. She said she had reported it, but the City God’s office hasn't sent anyone yet."
"However, I don't know yet if that’s the truth."
"When the time comes, I’ll go ask the City God myself and see if this is a case of negligence."
Ao Yiyi was silent for a moment before saying, "But what if the City God doesn't tell the truth?"
"Do you think I don't even have a spell to distinguish truth from lies? Besides, at worst, I can just perform a divination. Divining the past is much easier than divining the future."
"Oh? Then why didn't you just divine it directly?"
"If I calculate everything clearly right away, there’s less fun later. It’s better to leave a bit of suspense! Besides, the waiting period is quite dull. Since something has come to my door, I might as well use it to pass the time," Su Qing said with a smile. "Otherwise, the days would be quite hard to get through!"
"You certainly know how to find things to do, Sister Xiao Qing. But fine, what is your plan?" Ao Yiyi asked.
"Plan? I don't have much of a plan, other than giving that City God a bit of a warning," Su Qing shook her head. "After all, even if the City God was negligent, I can't exactly strip him of his post directly."
Ao Yiyi nodded helplessly. "That’s true... but this City God is doing a truly poor job. I remember the last time Jin Xin went to find a City God..."
"Alright, let’s not talk about that for now." Su Qing cut the conversation short after listening to Ao Yiyi for a moment. "It’s getting late, and we should get some rest. We have to deal with that demon tomorrow!"
Ao Yiyi was momentarily speechless... she had been about to have a good rant about the City God, only for Su Qing to end the topic. However, she didn't feel like arguing with Su Qing.
She just glanced at Su Qing and said, "You really are something, Sister Xiao Qing."
"Alright, stop complaining about the City God. Leave his business to me. Whether it’s negligence or something else, I’ll definitely investigate it thoroughly," Su Qing said with a graceful smile, spreading her hands.
Ao Yiyi sighed and nodded helplessly before turning to head back to her room.
Seeing her like this, Su Qing shook her head with a smile. She gave the cat a quick pat and then went back to rest as well.
Night gradually deepened.
Outside Su Qing’s courtyard, a yellow weasel stood on its hind legs, peering toward the yard.
"It seems this is the place." Huang Sanniang had arrived as promised.
She had come to find a way to take Su Qing’s life. However, for some reason, as she approached the courtyard, a subtle sense of unease drifted through her heart. It felt as if there were some extraordinary existence inside.
Yet, when she focused her senses, she couldn't feel anything particularly special. It seemed there were only a few ordinary humans within, just like her usual prey.
Huang Sanniang hesitated slightly, but after a moment, she decided to give it a try. After all, she needed that scoundrel to help her catch people to eat.
Although Huang Sanniang had cultivated some magic and possessed some ability, she had unfortunately not yet achieved transformation. It was quite dangerous for an untransformed demon to enter the human world at will to steal people for food.
She didn't even dare to provoke that old Land Grandmother or appear before her. If that woman notified the City God and he sent someone down, Huang Sanniang would surely be doomed.
This was why Huang Sanniang was so cautious, even making the scoundrel cover the Land deity's statue before she entered the town. It was also why she only had others catch people for her to eat instead of doing it herself.
All things considered, she needed someone to help her obtain food... and that stupid scoundrel was clearly the most suitable candidate. Only those fools were easy to trick and willing to help, especially their leader.
Naturally, since she had promised, she had to do her best to fulfill it. Of course, if it truly proved impossible, Huang Sanniang certainly wouldn't force it. She cherished her own life very much.
Huang Sanniang circled the courtyard once, found a small hole, and squeezed inside.
At this hour, everyone in the house had already gone to sleep. No one seemed to have noticed Huang Sanniang’s arrival.
"The scent in this yard is so fragrant! Especially near the stables... it feels like there are many fragrant things there, like the Immortal Herbs in the mountains..." After entering, Huang Sanniang sniffed the air, completely dazed.
If her nose weren't so sharp and sensitive, she would have thought something was wrong with it. To think she would smell the scent of Immortal Herbs, which only grew deep in the mountains, in a place like this!
After a moment’s thought, Huang Sanniang decided to put the killing aside for a moment and check the stables first. Perhaps this family lacked any discernment and was feeding high-quality Immortal Herbs to their horses as if it were common fodder.
Although the probability of such a thing was low, it wasn't impossible. After all, someone who didn't know their value would certainly fail to recognize Immortal Herbs. She had to see for herself to be sure.
She reached the stables. A stout, healthy horse was leisurely eating its night fodder. The fragrance of the Immortal Herbs wasn't coming from the fodder, but from the horse itself.
"How... how is this possible? Why would a horse have the fragrance of Immortal Herbs?" Huang Sanniang was stunned, her confidence shaken. The situation in this courtyard was so different from anything ordinary... even the horse smelled of Immortal Herbs.
"Could it be that this horse ate Immortal Herbs and couldn't digest them, so the scent is emanating from its body?"
Huang Sanniang was bewildered, her mind racing with wild thoughts as she considered even the most unlikely possibilities.
However, just as she was lost in thought, the horse that had been eating grass suddenly looked toward her. Their eyes met, and the horse let out a loud snort.
Huang Sanniang’s heart jumped in shock. She felt as if the horse before her was more powerful and intelligent than she was. It didn't seem like something she could afford to provoke.
"How can this be? How is this possible? Isn't that just an ordinary horse?" Huang Sanniang was even more confused. If this wasn't an ordinary horse but some kind of extraordinary spirit horse... then what kind of strength did the master of this house possess?
Huang Sanniang felt her imagination reaching its limit. Even so, she couldn't fathom what kind of formidable existence she had stumbled upon.
Huang Sanniang took a deep breath... and then, without hesitation, she turned to flee.
'Luckily I was lured here by the scent of those Immortal Herbs first. Otherwise, if I had gone straight for the master of this house...'
Huang Sanniang didn't dare think further. There was no point in continuing that train of thought; it would lead only to death. Now, she only wanted to leave as quickly as possible.
Unfortunately, while she wanted to leave, someone else didn't want her to go.
A black cat appeared before her, blocking her path entirely.
"You smell of the dead. You've eaten people, haven't you?" Coal Ball looked at the weasel warily, the fur on her tail bristling.
She hadn't noticed when the weasel entered. She had been sleeping on the fodder behind the horse when the horse's snort woke her up. When she came to check the situation, she happened to run into the weasel.
As for why she was blocking the weasel? Well, there wasn't any special reason other than the fact that Su Qing had taught her to do so. Seeing the thick scent of blood and the aura of death on this weasel, she had instinctively jumped out to bar its way.
However, having blocked the weasel, Coal Ball wasn't sure what to do next. Should she catch it? Or just bite it to death?
Coal Ball didn't know. She wasn't even sure if she could beat the weasel in front of her.
"You're a demon too? Don't tell me you've never eaten a human?" The weasel asked with a cold sneer when she saw the black cat blocking her path and saying such things.
Coal Ball shook her head. "I've never eaten a human, and I don't need to!"
"Then you should try it. Once you do, you'll never be able to quit," the weasel sneered.
Coal Ball ignored her, thought for a moment, and then lunged with her claws. She didn't understand what the weasel was talking about, but it didn't matter. No matter what she said, Coal Ball was going to bite her to death.
Yes, Coal Ball had decided. Biting her to death was more practical. If she just tried to catch her, she might not be able to keep her contained, and the weasel might escape by morning.
Seeing the black cat attack, the weasel didn't hesitate for a second... she fled. She had no intention of wasting time fighting the cat; her goal from the start was to escape. Even while she had been talking to Coal Ball, she had been calculating how to flee with the least effort, not how to win a fight.
Fight? How could she fight anyone in this household?
Rate on N.U.
