Su Qing and Jin Xin shared a rare, exceptional tacit understanding. Neither of them mentioned what had happened. They simply went about their tasks in silence.
Since they were leaving the next day, Su Qing needed to spend today handing over her responsibilities and saying proper goodbyes to everyone. Although she didn't have deep emotional bonds with them, they had spent a significant amount of time together. Leaving without a word would have felt somewhat improper. Consequently, she had quite a lot to do throughout the day.
Time ticked by. After a busy day, Su Qing finally finished everything on her plate. With that, her final affairs in this place were concluded. All that remained was to wait for tomorrow morning to set off for their next destination. As for where that was? As always, they would go wherever the road took them.
That night, everyone rested well. Jin Xin didn't come to cause any trouble either, staying quietly in her own room and doing nothing at all.
The next morning, Su Qing rose early. She brought out the horses and hitched them to the carriage. Once everyone had gathered, Hu Lin'er took the reins and they set off. The clone continued its journey to spread incense power.
Meanwhile, Su Qing's main body was still at the Changbai Mountains, busy with official duties. The workload at the Changbai Mountains had been steadily increasing over recent years. Liu Xixi could no longer handle it all on her own, so Su Qing found herself with far fewer opportunities to slack off. As for the reason... what else could it be? It was undoubtedly caused by that cursed Great Tribulation of Heaven and Earth.
Specifically, since this was the hub for handling all matters across the Northern Continent, the work had piled up like a mountain. Every matter, large or small, was sent here for review. It left Su Qing feeling quite exasperated.
Inside the study, Su Qing let out a long breath and set down the official document in her hand. "I finally understand why Great Emperor Zhenwu is so reluctant to return. The amount of business to handle upon coming back is simply overwhelming," Su Qing sighed, feeling helpless. Unfortunately, she had already agreed to help out here, and she had gained many benefits in return. There was no chance for her to desert her post now.
Liu Xixi, standing nearby, naturally couldn't hear Su Qing's inner thoughts. Seeing Su Qing exhale so deeply, she assumed the Sovereign was exhausted. She spoke up, "If you are tired, Sovereign, you can leave the rest to me! You really don't have to work this hard; you could just leave it all to me as you did before!"
Su Qing shook her head. "In the past, there wasn't that much to do, so leaving it to you wasn't a problem. But now that the workload has increased, you truly wouldn't be able to manage if I left everything to you. Don't push yourself too hard; I have a fair idea of where your limits lie."
Su Qing didn't want to work her to the point of collapse. If Liu Xixi went down, Su Qing would be the only one left to do the grueling work. Her words warmed Liu Xixi's heart. "Thank you for your kindness, Sovereign. But if you really are tired, please rest for today! Besides, Sister Tingtong has already come to fetch you."
Su Qing paused and looked at her in surprise. "When did she arrive?"
"Not long ago..." Liu Xixi pointed toward the window. Not far away, a little girl was leaning against a stone table, playing with a teacup. "No matter how many times I see her, Sister Tingtong is just so cute."
Liu Xixi rarely spoke about non-work matters during office hours, but this little girl was an exception. Su Qing had noticed that Liu Xixi was extremely fond of Su Tingtong—to the point of being quite doting, perhaps even as much as Su Qing herself. Su Qing didn't know why she liked the child so much, but seeing her daughter loved by her employee made her happy.
"She is indeed quite cute. I remember Su Ying and Yudie were just as cute when they were little. I wonder when those two started growing up so crookedly," Su Qing said with a helpless smile, reminiscing about the past.
Liu Xixi smiled as well. "As long as they are taught well, children will be obedient."
Su Qing nodded. "Naturally, they must be taught."
With that, Su Qing stretched. "Since the girl is here, I'll go take a little break. It'll be hard on you for a bit, but I'll be back to help soon!"
Liu Xixi had no objections. She simply nodded and buried her head back into the documents. Su Qing turned and walked out the door. She reached out and gave the bored girl a light pat on the head. "Why did you run over here?"
"Hehe, didn't I miss Mother? I just didn't expect you to be so busy! I didn't want to disturb you," Tingtong said with a giggle, hugging Su Qing's waist.
This child was very good at showing off her cuteness and was quite the little flirt. If it weren't for the fact that the girl had mastered everything Su Qing taught her, Su Qing might have felt that the child was spending all her intelligence on these frivolous antics.
Su Qing smiled helplessly and tweaked her nose. "Alright, alright, Tingtong is the best. Now, my good Tingtong, have you finished the lessons I assigned you?"
Although Su Qing doted on the child, she was quite strict regarding her studies. The child was still young and needed a proper education. Furthermore, her cultivation practice was never neglected. Although the Great Tribulation of Heaven and Earth was inevitable, achieving a decent realm would provide an extra measure of self-protection during the chaos preceding the Heavenly Tribulation.
Upon hearing Su Qing's words, Su Tingtong immediately put her hands on her hips. "Hmph, I knew Mother would ask about my lessons! That's why I finished them long ago. Don't you know me by now, Mother? Lessons are no trouble for me at all."
This was the truth. Tingtong always mastered the lessons Su Qing assigned very quickly and performed them excellently. Whether it was arithmetic, arrays, or the path of alchemy, she grasped everything rapidly. She was a little genius with talent that was almost frightening.
"Oh? Then I shall have to test you!"
Even though Su Qing trusted Su Tingtong, she still needed to conduct tests to help her plan what to teach next. Tingtong remained undaunted, standing with her hands on her hips and waiting for the challenge—and the reward that would follow!
Su Qing knew exactly what the child was thinking and began the questioning. As expected, the child quickly answered every question Su Qing posed, and her answers were exceptional—practically textbook perfect. Su Qing couldn't help but marvel; the child's talent was indeed superb, even significantly higher than her own. No wonder both the Old Mother of Mount Li and Taishang Laojun had vied to teach her! Unfortunately, both seniors were incredibly busy; even if they were to teach, they could only do so through clones.
Su Qing looked at her with satisfaction and nodded. "You answered very well. So, tell me, what kind of reward do you want?"
Su Qing had an agreement with the child: every time she finished her lessons, she could ask for a simple reward, and occasionally, she could ask for something more rare. The little girl giggled and looked up at Su Qing. "I want a kiss from Mother~"
Su Qing smiled and nodded. Although the child always earned a reward, she never asked for anything excessive—usually just small gestures like this. They were very easy to fulfill, and Su Qing was more than happy to oblige. After all, who could dislike a child who was incredibly cute and not at all greedy?
"Then bring your face over here~" Su Qing said beamingly.
Tingtong naturally leaned in, letting Su Qing press her lips against her cheek. After the kiss, Su Tingtong looked overjoyed, appearing utterly adorable.
"There now~" Su Qing squinted her eyes and rubbed the girl's head. "Go play for a bit longer, then go back to accompany your mother, alright? Once I finish these last few things, I'll be back."
Though Tingtong was a bit reluctant, she nodded. "Alright, but Mother, you mustn't break your word~"
"Don't worry, when have I ever broken my word?" Su Qing patted her head. Only then did Su Tingtong reluctantly believe her. Su Qing played with her for a while before returning to finish the last of her work.
After completing everything, Su Qing returned to her bedchamber, feeling somewhat weary. Equally tired was her clone at the Changbai Mountains. Although that clone had an assistant, the assistant's abilities weren't as strong as Liu Xixi's, so the clone still did the bulk of the work. As for Bai Zhu, she mostly handled chores. Occasionally, Su Qing would have her do other things, and while she did them well enough, her strength was ultimately lacking, meaning many tasks could not be entrusted to her.
Su Qing stretched and then looked at Bai Qingrou, who was waiting for her in the room. The current Bai Qingrou was very different from the girl who had first arrived years ago. As they say, clothes make the man; once Bai Qingrou had changed into custom-made dresses, she immediately looked far more beautiful than before. Not only was her attire more refined, but she had also become more confident. As for her ears and tail, there was no need to hide them here. Displaying them only made the girl look even better, adding a touch of cuteness.
Su Qing looked at her and said calmly, "How is it? How is your progress with the spells I taught you?"
Bai Qingrou had been diligently practicing spells by Su Qing's side for years. While her talent couldn't compare to Su Qing's daughter, it was still decent, and she was exceptionally hardworking. With Su Qing's personal guidance and the aid of various spirit pills over the years, Bai Qingrou had finally entered the path of cultivation. Although she was still a long way from becoming a Human Immortal, she was no longer as weak as before. One could say her progress was acceptable—just barely.
Because of this, Su Qing had not formally accepted her as a disciple. She continued to instruct her plainly and give her items as usual, letting her practice on her own. Bai Qingrou never complained; instead, she practiced even harder, showing a very good temperament. This was why Su Qing taught her so earnestly. Although she hadn't taken her as a disciple, the treatment Bai Qingrou received was hardly different from that of a disciple; the only thing missing was the formal title.
Hearing Su Qing's calm voice, Bai Qingrou answered steadily, "I have mostly mastered them."
"Good. In that case, show me! If you truly have mastered them, I will teach you the rest," Su Qing said, stroking her chin. "I remember you said you were interested in drawing talismans? I happen to know a bit about the path of talismans. While I can't compare to the top experts, I should have no problem teaching you."
Bai Qingrou's eyes lit up, and she quickly said, "Yes, I am indeed very interested in the path of talismans..."
"Then I shall teach you talismans later!" Su Qing nodded. "Now, let me see how well you've mastered the spells I taught you!"
Su Qing intended to teach her talismans, but only after she had mastered the previous lessons. Otherwise, she would be sent back to keep practicing the old material until she got it right.
Bai Qingrou nodded quickly and began to demonstrate the results of her recent efforts before Su Qing. She formed a hand seal, and a sudden gale blew through the area. A moment later, the wooden stakes in the courtyard shattered into splinters. Immediately after, she formed another seal, and the splinters burst into flames, quickly turning into a pile of ash.
But she wasn't finished. She formed a seal and sprinkled water over the ash. Plumes of steam rose instantly, and a small rain cloud formed above the courtyard. A few moments later, a light drizzle fell, though it vanished as quickly as it had appeared, as if it had never been there at all.
Only then was the demonstration truly over. Bai Qingrou panted as she withdrew her power, her face slightly pale. Clearly, this sequence of casting had pushed her magic power to its absolute limit. She had barely managed to hold on.
Rate on N.U.
