Su Qing entered the room.
The deceased Li Yichou lay quietly upon the bed. Her expression was peaceful, suggesting she had passed away without pain, likely slipping away in her sleep without even realizing it.
Several familiar figures stood by the bedside. Aside from Ao Yiyi and the others, Rendong and her companions were also present.
Rendong was the most grief-stricken. Although she had rarely shown emotion since childhood, she had grown into a woman of deep feeling, even if she usually preferred to maintain a stoic expression. Now that Li Yichou, the person closest to her, was gone, her sorrow was naturally the most profound.
Watching this, Su Qing let out a soft sigh. She couldn't help but reflect on how time was the most heartless of blades. Shaking her head, she patted Ao Yiyi's shoulder and offered a few words of comfort to Rendong before leaving the room.
She left the remaining arrangements entirely to Su Qingyu. Su Qingyu was more than capable of handling the funeral, and she quickly began organizing the tasks one by one, ensuring everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.
Throughout the process, Su Qing did not offer any help. She simply watched in silence, waiting for the day of the funeral procession.
Of course, she hadn't done nothing at all. She had sought out Li Yichou's soul to speak with her and bid a final farewell. She also allowed her to say goodbye to Ao Yiyi and the others, though she kept these matters a secret from Su Qingyu. The only thing she told her was that Li Yichou would be reincarnated into a good life.
As for how Su Qing knew this, it was because she had personally put in a word with King Yama. Even with her influence, Li Yichou couldn't be given an extraordinary rebirth, but she would be born into a family where she could live out a peaceful, stable life. It would be ordinary, perhaps not wealthy, but certainly safe and tranquil.
Su Qing didn't ask where she would be sent, nor did she care. Since she had no intention of seeking out Li Yichou's next life, there was no need to know. Even if Su Qingyu were to pass away in the future, Su Qing would not seek her out either. To her, the person she knew was the one of this lifetime, not the next. In the next life, they would no longer be the same person.
Time flowed slowly, and several days passed in a flash. The day of the funeral procession finally arrived.
Su Qing joined the mourners to see her off. Once the earth had sealed Li Yichou away, Su Qing let out a long breath.
"So, it ends like this," Su Qing murmured to herself, looking up at the overcast sky. Her mood was somber. Although she had experienced countless partings of life and death, she was never entirely devoid of emotion when they occurred. She was not a heartless being; as long as she possessed feelings, she could never be completely immune to such events. No matter how calm she appeared on the surface, only she knew whether her heart was truly at peace.
After a long silence, she shook her head and said, "No matter how many times it happens, I can never quite get used to it."
Su Qing quickly suppressed her emotions, returning her heart to a state of tranquility. Once she had composed herself, she turned to Ao Yiyi and asked, "How do you feel? This should be your first time experiencing something like this, right?"
Ao Yiyi glanced at Su Qing, then let out a long, heavy sigh. "To be honest, it feels terrible. If I could, I'd really prefer not to go through something like this again. Now, I finally understand why Master often says that immortals shouldn't interact too much with mortals, let alone form deep emotional bonds with them."
This experience was undoubtedly a moment of growth for Ao Yiyi. Li Yichou's death had brought her great sorrow, but it had also taught her many truths. In that sense, it was a rare and valuable experience, though clearly, no one would wish for such a thing. It was far from pleasant.
Su Qing nodded slightly. "The words of those who came before us always hold some measure of truth."
"Yes, but I'd rather have stayed ignorant of that truth forever," Ao Yiyi said with a helpless smile, shaking her head.
"That's fair. No one wants to go through this," Su Qing agreed. "What about Hu Lin'er? How is she doing?"
"Lin'er is doing alright. She seems to have come to terms with it already," Ao Yiyi replied. "But Sister Su, it might be better if you went and spoke with her yourself."
Su Qing nodded. "I intended to do so."
She patted Ao Yiyi's shoulder. "I'll go check on Hu Lin'er. You go get Coal Ball and tell it to get ready to leave."
Ao Yiyi was slightly surprised. "We're leaving so soon?"
"Yes, it's time," Su Qing said, looking at the sky.
Ao Yiyi fell silent for a moment, clearly not understanding Su Qing's reasoning. "Why?"
"There's no particular reason. I just feel that staying longer will only add to the sorrow. Let's go back and have some peace and quiet. We can come back to visit Su Qingyu later."
"But..." Ao Yiyi started to speak, but eventually nodded. "Fine. Since you've made up your mind, Sister Su, I won't say more. I'll go find Coal Ball."
Su Qing watched her leave, then went to find Hu Lin'er.
She found Hu Lin'er sitting on the ground, staring up at the clouds as if lost in thought. Su Qing walked over and asked, "We're preparing to head back. Is there anything left you need to do?"
Hu Lin'er shook her head. "I finished everything long ago. I can leave whenever."
"Good." Su Qing nodded. "What were you thinking about just now?"
Hu Lin'er blinked, stayed silent for a moment, then smiled. "I was wondering what shape those clouds are, and when it might rain."
Su Qing was taken aback. She laughed and asked, "You weren't thinking about Li Yichou?"
Hu Lin'er shook her head. "No... but I was thinking about Su Qingyu and Rendong."
Now that Su Qing had pressed the issue, Hu Lin'er didn't intend to hide it anymore. She shared her thoughts, feeling that speaking them aloud might make her feel better. Keeping everything bottled up was never comfortable.
Su Qing wasn't surprised. She smiled and nodded. "And what were you thinking about them?"
Hu Lin'er gave a helpless smile. "The future... I was wondering if I'll be just as heartbroken when their time comes."
"You likely will be. But what does it matter? Even after seeing so much life and death, I still haven't fully transcended it. Why are you in such a hurry?" Su Qing shook her head. "Don't think of it as a bad thing. On the contrary, it's a good thing. it shows you're still a being with emotions, and that you haven't cultivated yourself into a fool."
Hu Lin'er looked surprised. She stared at Su Qing and said, "I thought you hadn't been sad about this at all, Miss!"
Su Qing froze for a second, then shook her head. "I'm not heartless, and I was quite close to Li Yichou. You know that. How could I not feel any sorrow? It's just that after experiencing it so many times, I don't like to show those emotions anymore. I didn't expect you to misunderstand me like that."
Hu Lin'er smiled. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize... My mind has been so cluttered lately that I didn't even consider that."
Su Qing's mouth twitched slightly; she was somewhat speechless. However, she didn't dwell on it. She shook her head and said, "Now that you know, I won't say more. Compose yourself; it's time to go. As for their future, don't think about it for now. The more you dwell on it, the harder it will be."
Su Qing's advice came from experience. She knew all too well that these matters were impossible to resolve through overthinking. Hu Lin'er nodded and stood up, following Su Qing back.
They didn't return immediately to the city that had lost its City God, but went back to Su Qingyu's home first. Su Qingyu was already waiting for them. When she saw them return, she looked up.
Su Qingyu appeared as she always did, seemingly not overly saddened by the recent events. Su Qing smiled at her and said, "We're getting ready to leave."
Su Qingyu wasn't surprised. She simply nodded and said, "Leaving so soon? I'll truly miss you, Master! But I know I can't stop you if you've decided to go."
Su Qingyu knew better than anyone that Su Qing wasn't someone who would change her plans based on a few words. Thus, she didn't try to make her stay. She only said, "I hope Master can come back sooner next time."
Su Qing nodded. "Don't worry, I will. And... don't be too sad."
"Do I look sad to you?" Su Qingyu shook her head. "Go ahead, Master. Just remember to come back. Also, I hope that when I die in the future, Master can give me a grand funeral."
"Hahaha, I can do that. But that's likely a long, long time from now," Su Qing said with a laugh, not refusing the request.
Su Qingyu laughed with her. "Don't worry, I don't want to die that early either."
Su Qing reached out, instinctively wanting to pat her head as she had when Su Qingyu was a child, but remembering her age, she patted her shoulder instead. "I believe you."
Su Qing then turned to Ao Yiyi. "Let's go."
Ao Yiyi nodded, said her goodbyes to Su Qingyu, and waved to Rendong. Su Qing didn't linger on the farewells. She performed a hand seal and summoned the Somersault Cloud. Once everyone was aboard, they set off.
In no time at all, Su Qing returned to the city. Once back, she didn't dwell on the sorrow of the past few days, but immediately began handling the local affairs. Ao Yiyi also became as busy as before. Only the black cat, Coal Ball, remained in a state of confusion. It knew someone had died, but it still didn't quite understand why everyone was so sad. After all, couldn't they just reincarnate? That was what its master had always told it. However, it didn't speak up, simply remaining quiet as it always had.
Meanwhile, in the Northern Continent, above the North Sea...
Su Qing was currently locked in combat with a pitch-black demon dragon. This dragon had appeared from nowhere, its body wreathed in black Qi, giving off an ethereal yet terrifying aura. This black dragon did not belong to the North Sea Dragon Palace, nor did it seem to belong to any of the Four Dragon Kings of the Seas. It was an existence that had simply emerged without explanation.
However, despite its mysterious origin, its strength was formidable. Upon its appearance, it had severely beaten several dragons from the North Sea Dragon Palace and even killed a few at the Earthly Immortal realm. Curiously, this black dragon was extremely peculiar; it didn't attack dragons from other regions, specifically targeting only those from the North Sea. The inhabitants of the North Sea Dragon Palace were completely baffled, having no idea why this dragon held such immense malice toward them.
In their desperation, they had reported the matter to Su Qing, seeking her help to slay the beast. In truth, the North Sea Dragon Palace didn't want to trouble Su Qing, but none of them were a match for this black dragon. Had they been able to handle it themselves, they never would have asked for her assistance.
When Su Qing heard the Dragon King's description, she became intrigued. She suspected that this black dragon might be an anomaly born from the Great Tribulation of Heaven and Earth. Thus, it was necessary for her to see it for herself. If she could resolve it easily, she would; if not, she would leave it to the Heavenly Court.
This was how Su Qing found herself in a fierce battle with the black dragon. The dragon was powerful, but it was ultimately a step below Su Qing. She quickly gained the upper hand and, before long, found an opening to strike.
Su Qing exhaled a breath of turbid air and seized the opportunity, slicing the massive demon dragon in half at the waist. Having finished the deed, she finally sighed in relief and spoke to the sword in her hand.
"Thank you for the hard work, Cold Fragrance."
Rate on N.U.
