Upon hearing the Lunar Deity's words, Su Qing exchanged a glance with Chang'e and nodded. Neither of them minded helping, especially since the current situation was far more troublesome than they had anticipated.
Seeing them nod, the Lunar Deity let out a long breath and said, "In that case, I shall tell you what needs to be done next. Make sure nothing goes wrong; let's do our best to settle this in one go."
The Lunar Deity clearly did not want the suppression process to fail. Thus, even though she knew Su Qing and Chang'e were well-versed in the mechanics of suppression, she still took the time to explain the procedures and precautions in detail.
Su Qing understood her reasoning. Although she felt the extra explanation wasn't strictly necessary, she didn't say anything and simply listened quietly.
Once the Lunar Deity finished her explanation, everyone sprang into action.
Everything proceeded according to plan, step by step. However, a plan was just a plan, and it didn't guarantee that things would go smoothly. As soon as the Lunar Deity began the suppression, the counter-attack commenced.
Countless vines suddenly erupted from the well, lunging toward the Lunar Deity in mid-air.
These vines appeared ordinary at first glance, but Su Qing and Chang'e, who were utilizing their spirit eyes, could clearly sense the ominous aura radiating from them.
Without a doubt, if one were entangled by these vines, they would be heavily injured, if not killed.
Seeing this, Su Qing and Chang'e's roles became clear. The Lunar Deity was the primary force behind the suppression, while their task was to intercept the mutated counter-attacks to ensure the process remained undisturbed.
Their movements were swift and decisive. In just a few moments, they had severed all the incoming vines.
However, the counter-attack did not stop there; that was merely the first wave. A second and third wave followed immediately, and the intensity of these attacks was far greater than the first.
Evidently, the mutation possessed a degree of self-awareness and knew it was about to be suppressed, causing it to lash out even more violently.
Nevertheless, Su Qing and Chang'e remained calm, handling the threats with composure. They also provided assistance whenever the Lunar Deity required it.
As the array began to unfold, Su Qing felt a slight sense of relief. It seemed the suppression was progressing successfully.
'Can I really trust her completely?' Su Qing asked herself.
After a long silence, she shook her head and struck out to destroy several incoming vines and spells.
"Sister Chang'e, go help the Lunar Deity. I'll handle the rest of these things," Su Qing said, taking a deep breath. She pinched a hand seal and summoned a spear.
This spear was one Su Qing had cultivated long before Leng Xiang had come to her side. It had already developed a consciousness and was only a step away from birthing an artifact spirit. Therefore, while it couldn't compare to the Cold Fragrance Sword, it wasn't far behind in terms of pure power. It was perfectly suited for the task at hand.
Chang'e hesitated for a moment upon hearing Su Qing's words, then nodded. "Be careful then... if it gets to be too much, I'll pull back to help you immediately."
She naturally trusted Su Qing's strength, but this was a mutation triggered by the signs of the Great Tribulation of Heaven and Earth. She didn't know how many strange elements were involved, nor was she certain if Su Qing could handle it alone.
However, she didn't stay behind. She simply told Su Qing to call out if she needed help. After all, she believed in Su Qing; her concern was merely a precaution.
Su Qing nodded and turned to face the counter-attacks alone.
Without Chang'e's assistance, Su Qing had to exert more of her power to deal with the threats. Fortunately, her strength was sufficient. While handling the trouble was slightly more taxing than before, it was only by a small margin. She could still manage.
Everything proceeded relatively smoothly.
As time ticked away, the suppression work reached its final stages. As the suppression grew stronger, the entity's counter-attacks naturally grew weaker, as the power it could seep out was being diminished.
However, this also meant that the pressure on the Lunar Deity and Chang'e increased significantly.
Su Qing couldn't offer much help there. If she ignored the external threats to assist with the suppression, it would actually increase the overall pressure on them, as they would then have to deal with the attacks from the other side. She had to hold her ground.
Fortunately, things did not take a turn for the worse. Everyone withstood the pressure and successfully completed the suppression.
"The array is now established..." the Lunar Deity said softly, exhaling a long breath. "Next comes the reinforcement of the other areas. However, that is not our job. We can notify the Heavenly Court and leave it to their people to handle."
The Lunar Deity looked at the fluttering array flags and nodded with satisfaction, clearly pleased with the result.
But as soon as she finished speaking, black mist began to billow from her body, as if she were transforming into something strange.
Su Qing nodded and turned her gaze toward the array flags. "Indeed. Now that the most troublesome part has been suppressed, the Heavenly Court's people can handle the rest."
Though the people of the Heavenly Court were far less powerful than they were, they still possessed the necessary skills. They were more than capable of completing the reinforcement. The only real questions were when they would arrive and how long it would take.
Thinking this, Su Qing turned back to the Lunar Deity to say something, but before she could speak, she noticed the abnormality in the deity's condition.
With her spirit eyes still active, she could see it with exceptional clarity. "Star Lord, what's happening?" she asked.
Su Qing remembered that the Lunar Deity's state had seemed slightly off from the beginning, but now it was clearly much worse.
The Lunar Deity shook her head. "Do not worry. It is merely that this body has reached its limit. My body was a clone created through special means; it was inherently unstable. Given the massive consumption of energy just now, it is only natural that it cannot hold on. Besides, I never intended for this clone to last long. Its purpose was solely to suppress the mutation here. Now that the goal is achieved, it is time."
Since the task was complete, the Lunar Deity saw no further need to hide anything from the two of them.
Although she had originally planned to stay a bit longer, her early intervention meant she could no longer maintain the form. She did not regret it, however. For her, being able to return and see Su Qing and Chang'e was enough.
Even though the two of them didn't seem to believe she was truly the Lunar Deity, they had at least seen her and been willing to help her. As for their lack of belief, she didn't blame them; in fact, she felt somewhat gratified. Even the simple-minded Chang'e had learned to be cautious. That was enough.
Su Qing was momentarily stunned and looked at her with surprise. "The Star Lord's body cannot exist indefinitely?"
"Of course not. I never said this body could last forever," the Lunar Deity replied, shaking her head. "This body was merely an experiment, a product of chance. But do not worry; before long, I should return. Next time, perhaps I can make the body last longer. But for now, this is the end."
As she spoke, the Lunar Deity's body began to dissolve into mist, piece by piece, until she vanished entirely—as if she had never been there at all.
Su Qing took a deep breath, staring at the spot where the Lunar Deity had dissipated. After a long silence, she sighed and said, "It seems... I truly misjudged her."
Hearing this, Chang'e shrugged. "You shouldn't blame yourself. Your caution was correct. After all, the Lunar Deity's return was indeed a bit too strange."
It was true. Although everything the Lunar Deity had said suggested she was real, there had been a subtle feeling in their hearts telling them she was a fake. It was that very sensation that had fueled their doubts.
Su Qing gave a helpless smile at Chang'e's words, then looked up at the sky. "Forget it. Now that the Lunar Deity has left, there's no point in dwelling on it. I'm just still not sure what that feeling in my heart was about... If she was truly real, why did we feel that way?"
Chang'e tilted her head. "I... I don't know! If you ask me, I can't tell you anything. Perhaps it was because of the mutation? It wanted us to think the Lunar Deity was a fake, so it influenced our hearts. After all, this mutation was very powerful; it even blinded our eyes and made us overlook many things."
Though Chang'e claimed she didn't understand, her words actually gave Su Qing a spark of inspiration.
Su Qing fell silent for a moment, then nodded slightly. "I think I understand... By the way, Sister Chang'e, could you try to contact the Lunar Deity again later? If she was truly real, you should be able to reach her. We can ask her about the situation then to be certain."
Su Qing wasn't trying to save face by refusing to admit she was wrong; she simply wanted verification.
Chang'e tilted her head and gave a graceful smile. "Mhm, alright! I understand, I will! It's not a difficult task, just leave it to me."
Seeing Chang'e agree so easily, Su Qing smiled and nodded. "In that case, today's business is mostly settled. Let's head back. We still need to send someone to notify the Heavenly Court."
Chang'e nodded. "Good! Let's go back first. Oh, you're not in a hurry to return to the Northern Continent, are you? If not, why not stay and keep me company for a while? It won't be too late if you leave tomorrow."
Now that the crisis was over, Chang'e naturally wanted Su Qing to stay and play for a bit. Such opportunities were rare, after all, and she didn't want to waste it.
Su Qing rubbed her chin. "That shouldn't be a problem, but... are you sure you don't want to finish the work at hand before thinking about playing?"
The matter wasn't entirely finished yet.
"No rush. These things can be left to Yuer; they're just simple tasks," Chang'e said with a beaming smile. "Don't forget, I have very capable subordinates!"
Su Qing's lips twitched slightly. This woman really never changed, dumping even these small tasks on Yuer.
Shaking her head, Su Qing could only say, "Suit yourself! By the way, we should go call Yuer back first."
Chang'e chuckled and nodded.
What followed was very simple. Su Qing stayed quietly in the Moon Palace for half a day. When dawn broke the next day, she left the Moon Palace and returned to the Northern Continent.
Yuer, following Chang'e's instructions, took care of the remaining tasks. As for Chang'e, after drinking some wine, she was once again out for the count. She had always been this way, and Su Qing had long since grown accustomed to it.
Back in the Northern Continent, Su Qing's life returned to its usual routine.
After some time had passed, the Moon Palace suddenly sent a messenger with a letter. It seemed that the matter Su Qing had entrusted to Chang'e finally had a result.
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