A few more days passed, and the Dragon Palace sent someone to deliver some treasures to Su Qing.
Su Qing initially wanted to refuse…
But after thinking about it, why refuse something given for free?
Even if she didn't need them now, they might be useful in the future.
Or, she could give them to others.
Why refuse?
So, Su Qing happily accepted the treasures in the end.
However, something struck Su Qing as rather odd.
After she accepted the gifts, the giver seemed extremely pleased…
She didn't know what that old turtle was so happy about, and she was too lazy to ask.
But after this delivery of gifts,
The people from the Dragon Palace never appeared again…
Although Su Qing didn't know what was going on, she wasn't curious about what the Dragon Palace was doing.
Whatever they did had nothing to do with her.
As long as they didn't disturb her again, that was enough.
Just like that, days passed quickly.
Unconsciously, Su Qing had spent another three years.
During these three years,
Su Qing's daily life remained quite peaceful.
There were no major ripples! No great storms.
Although there was now an Ao Ying on Flower-Fruit Mountain… her presence actually had a rather limited impact on Su Qing's daily life.
One more person at most meant one more person to chat with.
Hugging and joking around when there was nothing else to do… life was the same as usual.
Moreover, Ao Ying didn't actually visit Su Qing every day to play.
Most of the time, she was recuperating in the deep pool.
Her Dragon Pearl was damaged, harming her very foundation.
According to Ao Ying herself, this kind of damage would take a hundred years to fully recover.
So, even if Ao Ying harbored 'ill intentions,' she couldn't go find Su Qing every day.
However, every half month or month,
Ao Ying would still come out to chat and talk with Su Qing.
She didn't disappear for two or three years at a time like before.
Leng Xiang, over these three years,
Besides brewing a lot of wine for Su Qing…
She had also subtly changed a little, for some reason.
The specific changes were mainly reflected in her daily life.
She had become… a bit thicker-skinned than before.
When Su Qing made slightly suggestive jokes, Leng Xiang no longer blushed profusely as she used to.
She also became much more proactive than before…
She would even offer to scrub Su Qing's back.
When there was nothing to do… she would also make some requests of her own.
Of course, these weren't all the changes… but the rest wouldn't be elaborated on.
Su Qing just felt that it was a good thing for Leng Xiang to change.
After all, Leng Xiang had indeed become more interesting over these three years.
Su Qing naturally didn't mind her changes…
Late autumn.
Su Qing sat by the sea, gazing at the boundless ocean.
In her hand was the plum blossom wine Leng Xiang had newly brewed over the past three years…
Leng Xiang had brewed a lot of wine, but Su Qing was used to this one, so she didn't casually switch.
She watched the ocean, drinking and calculating the Stone Monkey's movements.
"He's already reached Xi He Niu Zhou Aparagodaniya… and has been there for several months?"
Su Qing's calculation quickly yielded a result…
And it seemed to be the result she wanted.
"But it's still uncertain whether he lost something or if he has already found Patriarch Bodhi."
"Regardless, it at least points me in a direction."
"I'll pack up and go check it out tomorrow…"
"Speaking of which, I haven't been to my old courtyard in a long time."
"I should go see it afterward too."
Over the years, besides cultivating on Flower-Fruit Mountain,
Su Qing's main task was to wait for the monkey to find Bodhi's Daoist monastery.
Now that the monkey had found the monastery, it was indeed time for her to depart.
After so many years without seeing Bodhi, and so many years without returning to the courtyard, she felt it was time to go see.
Returning to the Water Curtain Cave,
Su Qing told Leng Xiang and the little sparrows about her plans.
Leng Xiang and the sparrows had no objections…
"Then, Master, do we need to tidy up the entire Water Curtain Cave?" Leng Xiang asked, looking at the cave they had lived in for several years.
"No need, I think… we'll be back before long."
"Understood, Master." Leng Xiang thought for a moment, then asked, "Should we tell Ao Ying? Should we bring her?"
Su Qing paused, then nodded, "Of course we have to tell her! But her injuries haven't healed yet, so she probably can't follow us around."
Actually, there was another reason why Su Qing wasn't taking Ao Ying.
Patriarch Bodhi had told her not to reveal that he was her master…
Su Qing hadn't forgotten Bodhi's advice and request… so she naturally didn't dare to bring Ao Ying.
Leng Xiang smiled slightly upon hearing this, nodded, and seemed to be in a good mood.
Then she continued with her daily tasks.
For Leng Xiang, Su Qing's response was likely what she wanted.
Before long, Su Qing also briefly said goodbye to Ao Ying.
Ao Ying, upon learning that Su Qing was going to see her master and would return soon,
Didn't say much…
She just nodded.
Then she wished Su Qing a smooth journey and an early return.
Ao Ying actually wanted to go out with Su Qing.
However… her current injuries truly didn't allow her to wander around.
And if she couldn't recover, she wouldn't even be able to do those things after marrying Su Qing in the future.
After all, conceiving life was a very arduous task.
So, her most important priority right now was to recover from her injuries as quickly as possible, rather than running around with Su Qing.
After bidding farewell to Ao Ying,
Su Qing returned to the Water Curtain Cave…
The next day.
Su Qing woke the little sparrows, and after breakfast,
They prepared to set off.
Leng Xiang returned to the Leng Xiang Sword and transformed into a hairpin.
The sparrows stood on Su Qing's shoulders, making her feel a slight weight.
"In the future… it seems I can make a pouch specifically for these guys."
Su Qing thought, softly chanting a True Word Incantation.
Immediately, a crimson auspicious cloud lifted her, transforming into a streak of light that flew towards Xi He Niu Zhou Aparagodaniya.
Su Qing crossed the great sea, Eastern Purvavideha Continent, and then Shanbuzhou Jambudvipa, arriving at Xi He Niu Zhou Aparagodaniya in just two breaths.
She quickly calculated with her fingers and soon found the exact location, then rode the Somersault Cloud towards it.
Xi He Niu Zhou Aparagodaniya.
Deep in the ancient mountains and forests.
A Stone Monkey was currently kneeling before a monastery gate…
Beside the gate hung a couplet.
The upper line read: "Cave of the Slanted Moon and Three Stars"
The lower line read: "Spirit Platform Mountain of Square Inch"
Strangely, this couplet on the gate had no horizontal inscription, only the two lines.
Suddenly, the gate opened.
A young Daoist priest walked out.
"Monkey, you're still here! You've been kneeling here for months, why haven't you left yet?"
"I won't leave, I won't leave! I said I would find the method of immortality! How can I leave without even seeing an immortal?" The Stone Monkey chuckled, saying, "It's only been a few months, let alone a few months, even if Master made me wait a year, I would wait."
"…" The young Daoist priest helplessly said, "Master hasn't accepted you yet! Why are you calling him Master, you monkey grandson?"
"Alright, alright, get up! I came out this time to bring you in. Master said he wants to see you!"
"Is that true?"
"True, true! Come with me!"
Upon hearing this, the Stone Monkey happily followed the Daoist priest into the monastery.
After the Stone Monkey entered, Su Qing also brought her cloud down and landed before the gate.
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