The Completion of the Temple

Time flew by.

In the blink of an eye, six months had passed.

In Xingyang City, there was a medical clinic whose threshold had once been worn down by the constant stream of visitors.

Today, its doors remained closed.

Nearby, less than a hundred meters away, stood a grain shop that Su Qing had established for Su Qingyu.

The grain shop’s business was thriving; in fact, several surrounding shops had already become part of Su Qingyu’s property.

Standing on the upper floor, Su Qingyu gazed at the clinic doors in the distance. Her heart couldn't help but drift back to the events of the past.

She let out an involuntary sigh.

'I wonder where Master is now, and if she’s safe.'

Leaning against the window frame, Su Qingyu shook her head inwardly. 'No, there’s no need to worry about Master’s safety. She’s so powerful; how could she possibly be in danger? The only ones in danger would be those who try to pick a fight with her.'

'Sigh, I just don't know when the "later" she mentioned—when she’d come back to see me—will actually be.'

'I really miss them...'

Su Qingyu missed Su Qing and the others dearly.

Although she had gradually grown accustomed to their absence, it was only a slight adjustment, and it certainly didn't stop her from longing for them.

She had been raised under their watchful eyes; they were the ones who had brought her up.

To her, they were like mothers.

Even though their personalities were vastly different and Su Qing always enjoyed teasing her with a wicked sense of humor, she remained deeply grateful and truly loved them.

As she reminisced, Su Qingyu sighed again and couldn't help but think of Li Yichou.

'Master Yichou as well...'

'She’s been gone for so long and still hasn't returned.'

'I wonder if she’s safe, and if she actually succeeded in her revenge...'

How could Su Qingyu not understand why Li Yichou had left?

However, even as Li Yichou’s disciple, she had no right or reason to interfere in matters of blood vengeance. All she could do now was wait for her return.

Su Qingyu shook her head, forcing herself to stop dwelling on it.

She had to remain strong and composed, no matter what.

After all, she had promised Su Qing and the others.

Just then, a sudden knock came from the door.

Su Qingyu patted her cheeks, reassuming the serious and professional expression she wore daily, which gave her a slightly aloof aura.

"Come in," she said calmly.

Following her invitation, a young woman entered the room. She had delicate features and a petite frame, looking somewhat malnourished.

This was a beggar Su Qingyu had taken in, named A Lian, who now served as her maid.

Though there was still much she hadn't learned, she was exceptionally loyal and had never made a mistake in her duties.

"What is it?" Su Qingyu inquired.

A Lian replied, "Reporting to Miss, there is a woman who wishes to see you."

"To see me?" Su Qingyu raised an eyebrow. "Did she give her name?"

"She said her name is Li Yichou and that she is a good friend of yours. Since I hadn't heard the name before, I didn't dare make a decision on my own, so I came to inform you first," the maid answered respectfully.

Hearing the maid’s words and that name—more familiar to her than almost any other—Su Qingyu dazed for a moment.

She hurriedly asked, "Are you sure she said Li Yichou?"

Seeing her mistress so agitated, the maid was somewhat surprised but nodded earnestly. "Yes... she definitely said Li Yichou. Miss, is something wrong with that name?"

"It’s nothing. Go and invite... actually, I’ll go see her myself!" Su Qingyu could no longer keep her cool. Dropping her usual facade, she rushed out the door and headed downstairs.

A Lian stood there in a daze, watching her leave, wondering what the relationship between Su Qingyu and the visitor could be.

'My attitude toward her just now was okay, right? I hope she doesn't hold a grudge.'

Though she didn't know the specifics of their relationship, she could tell the visitor was very important to her mistress.

If she were to be resented by someone that important, her future life might become very difficult.

She had worked hard to get a job that kept her belly full; she didn't want to lose it and go back to wandering the streets.

Naturally, she felt a bit anxious.

Fortunately, after thinking it over for a moment, she breathed a sigh of relief.

She hadn't done anything wrong in her reception of the guest, and her professional attitude had been fine. As long as the visitor wasn't excessively petty, she shouldn't hold a grudge.

Exhaling a breath of turbid Qi, A Lian followed her downstairs.

As soon as she reached the bottom, she saw Su Qingyu clinging to Li Yichou.

Seeing this, A Lian tactfully turned away and quietly left to attend to her own tasks.

Su Qingyu didn't notice A Lian seeing the scene; she was busy giving Li Yichou a massive, smiling hug.

Li Yichou helplessly patted Su Qingyu’s back. "Why are you still acting like a child? Let go quickly. If someone sees us, it’ll be embarrassing."

"Aren't I always a child to you?" Su Qingyu released Li Yichou with a grin. "But really, Master Yichou, you had me worried sick. I thought you..."

Su Qingyu didn't want to say anything unlucky, so she stopped herself mid-sentence, simply looking at Li Yichou with a beaming smile.

Li Yichou knew what she had left unsaid. She gave a light laugh and said, "You really didn't need to worry so much. Sister Su left some things for me. With those items and my own strength, succeeding wasn't difficult. Even if an accident had happened and I failed, I wouldn't have been in any real danger."

Since Li Yichou had chosen to act, she had naturally made exhaustive preparations, having at least enough confidence to return alive.

If it had been in the past, she might not have had so many reservations. She wouldn't have cared about coming back alive; she would have only cared about successfully getting her revenge, considering that the best possible outcome.

After all, her heart had once been filled only with hatred and the desire for vengeance.

But now, she had people she cared about.

Revenge had to be taken—it was her obsession, something she had to complete no matter what.

But she also had to return alive, because there were people here waiting for her.

Su Qingyu looked at Li Yichou and smiled brightly. "Whether Master left you things or not, I would have worried about you! After all, I even worry about Master, and she’s powerful to an unreasonable degree! But regardless, the fact that you returned safely and succeeded in your revenge is the best possible outcome."

Su Qingyu didn't blame Li Yichou for keeping things from her; as long as she returned successfully, everything was worth it.

Li Yichou nodded. "The debt is paid. From now on, it’s a truly peaceful life."

Although she no longer had a driving mission after her revenge, she still had people by her side and things to support her will to live.

She wouldn't completely lose hope for life just because her vengeance was complete.

She would continue to live well—even better than before.

So well that when Su Qing eventually returned, she would be astonished.

She shared these thoughts with Su Qingyu, knowing that even more than herself, Su Qingyu was the one who missed Su Qing the most.

Naturally, she wanted to use this to encourage her.

Su Qingyu nodded upon hearing this and said seriously, "Don't worry, I promised Master that I would work hard to manage the things she left behind. Oh, right! Now that you’re back, Master Yichou, why don't we reopen the medical clinic Master left? Rendong has her own clinic to manage and simply can't look after this one as well."

Su Qingyu had actually wanted to persuade Rendong to close her own clinic and inherit their master’s instead.

However, Rendong had been quite unwilling.

She had said that what Su Qing had taught her was to do what she was currently doing well and to properly manage her own clinic.

Su Qingyu, of course, didn't doubt Rendong’s words.

After all, that was exactly the kind of thing her master would say.

"Mhm, that shouldn't be a problem. However, we’ll need to recruit some workers. I can't handle everything alone," Li Yichou agreed with a nod.

"For that, we can just borrow some from Rendong. She’s been training quite a few assistants..." Su Qingyu said after a moment of thought.

Li Yichou naturally had no objections. The two of them sat down and began to slowly chat about their recent experiences.

Meanwhile, in a very distant place...

In the small town where Su Qing was staying, the Daoist temple had finally, slowly reached completion.

The reason it had taken so long to build wasn't that the workers were lazy, but simply because the scale of the temple was a bit large.

No, rather than large, it was more accurate to say it was somewhat luxurious.

Consequently, it had taken this long to barely reach completion.

Today, as the temple was finished, it was time for the divine statues to be moved in.

Because the temple was larger than originally designed, it naturally couldn't house only one deity—Su Qing.

As for the other divine statues, Su Qing had arranged for them long ago.

These other statues weren't of famous, well-known immortals.

Instead, they were subordinate deities under the Azure Spirit Sovereign.

For example, Ao Ying, Leng Xiang, and the like.

In short, they were definitely all her own people.

As for what their 'duties' were—well, that was entirely up to Su Qing to arrange now.

After all, even if people prayed to them, Su Qing would be the one to hear it.

When the time came, she could handle those prayers herself without any issue.

Besides, weren't they already spending most of their time helping her process prayers anyway?

Su Qing stood before the temple gates.

Looking at the completed Daoist temple, she nodded with satisfaction.

'Although the size drifted a bit from the original plan, the effect is quite good,' Su Qing thought. 'I just wonder how many people will come to offer worship once the temple officially opens.'

During the construction period, Su Qing had also spread many legends regarding the 'Azure Spirit Sovereign'.

She had planted a few seeds in the hearts of the people.

Perhaps they didn't fully believe in the reality of this deity yet, but once the temple opened, most would likely come with a 'it doesn't cost anything' mentality to believe a little, offer a bow, and make a wish.

If those wishes actually came true...

Then in the future, they would naturally come to worship more frequently.

Incense Power would then accumulate naturally.

Su Qing understood the mindset of mortals all too well.

After all, in her previous life, she hadn't been much different.

Su Qing stretched, then saw Ao Yiyi leading the men carrying the divine statues toward them.

"You’ve all worked hard," Su Qing said with a smile. "Once everyone has finished the job, in the name of the Azure Spirit Sovereign, I’m giving everyone a twenty percent raise on their wages!"

Su Qing couldn't be bothered to think of inspiring speeches; she simply provided a direct benefit—something tangible rather than empty promises.

Sure enough, the workers, who knew Su Qing’s temperament, felt a surge of energy upon hearing this.

With a chorus of grunts, they began hauling the divine statues inside.

As the workers busied themselves, Hu Lin’er followed them inside to supervise.

Ao Yiyi, meanwhile, came to Su Qing’s side.

"Once the statues are moved in, the temple will be fully established. What is your next move, Big Green Sister?" Ao Yiyi asked.

"What move? Nothing special. I’ll just follow the plan. Granting the wishes of the locals and slowly gathering Incense Power. It’s that simple," Su Qing replied calmly, having no convoluted ideas or long-term schemes.

Ao Yiyi nodded and asked, "Then when do you plan to go to the next place?"

"I’ll probably stay here for a year or two. At the very least, I need the Incense Power to stabilize before I can leave," Su Qing said with a shrug. "After all, I don't want my following to weaken the moment I leave, forcing me to start all over again."

"I see. So we won't be leaving for a while?"

"What’s wrong? Do you have some other plan?"

"Nothing special. I just find the life here to be quite peaceful. It’s much better than the noisy Xingyang City, and I’ve grown quite fond of it."

"Is that so? If you want to stay for a few more years, I have no objection."

"There’s no need for that; Big Green Sister’s matters are more important," Ao Yiyi said with a smile. "I’ll go help check on the situation inside. Will you join me, Big Green Sister?"

"Mhm, I’ll come along too," Su Qing nodded and followed her.

Time slipped away.

Soon it was evening.

By now, the divine statues were fully installed within the temple.

At the same time, Su Qing and Ao Yiyi were discussing when to open the temple to the public and... whether they should recruit some Daoist priests. After all, it was a Daoist temple; it would be quite strange without any priests.