The next day.
Early morning.
Su Qing, who had woken up early, looked at Chang'e sleeping soundly beside her and couldn't help but feel a bit surprised.
Last night, this fellow had been very well-behaved, which was completely beyond her expectations.
"It's almost unlike her... I thought she would make a fuss until the middle of the night and be unable to sleep!"
She had thought that since Chang'e had acted dignified all day, she would be incredibly rowdy at night, like a released spring.
As it turned out, she could actually settle down, which was truly surprising.
But this was quite good; at the very least, it allowed Su Qing to get a good night's sleep.
She had been exhausted from dealing with those seniors yesterday.
Her experience at yesterday's immortal gathering had been terrible. It felt exactly like in her previous life when she suddenly followed her parents back to their hometown and had to face a bunch of relatives she didn't know at all, all offering their warm regards...
Even though she wasn't someone with social anxiety, after going through that, she was nearly at that point.
If there was one thing worth being thankful for in all of this...
It was probably that this group of 'relatives' was actually quite nice... For one, they didn't ask any headache-inducing questions, and for another, they allowed her to reap quite a harvest.
At first, Su Qing naturally refused...
But after more people came over, she completely stopped caring and let things be.
Since the other party wanted to give, she would just accept it.
In any case, she wouldn't necessarily be the one losing out.
Things like 'face' should be kept or discarded depending on the situation. A flexible thickness of one's skin is more conducive to life.
After Su Qing finished dressing, she looked back at Chang'e sleeping sweetly on the bed and, for a moment, felt a bit playful.
She thought about it, reached out, and pinched Chang'e's nose, wanting to use this method to wake her up.
However, it was obvious that this method could not wake an immortal... After all, even if an immortal doesn't breathe, they won't have any problems for a long time.
"She's sleeping so soundly..." Su Qing couldn't help but curl her lips and smile.
Since Su Qing was awake, Leng Xiang had naturally been awake for a long time. At this moment, she stood to the side, watching this scene with many complicated thoughts in her heart.
After a long while, Leng Xiang suddenly spoke: "Master..."
"What's wrong?" Su Qing asked.
Leng Xiang was silent for a second, then said: "We're going back to the Moon Palace today... right?"
"Mm... that's right."
"Then later... could I trouble Master to accompany me to a certain place?" Leng Xiang said with a look of anticipation in her eyes.
Su Qing was stunned for a moment upon hearing this. Leng Xiang rarely took the initiative to make a request, so she couldn't help but feel surprised.
However, regarding Leng Xiang's request...
She naturally wouldn't refuse. She nodded and asked with a smile: "Of course! But where are we going?"
Seeing Su Qing agree so readily, Leng Xiang couldn't help but feel slightly happy in her heart, and she also felt relieved.
She replied: "A village... I used to grow there when I was still a plum blossom. It's near Mount Hua... but I don't remember the name of the place, so I can only lead Master there."
"I see... the place where Leng Xiang once grew? I'm quite curious."
Su Qing had never asked too much about Leng Xiang's past, so there was much she didn't know.
Now that she suddenly said she wanted to take her to the place where she once grew, Su Qing was a bit surprised, but she was also quite happy besides the surprise.
She couldn't say why she was happy...
It was probably because she was getting to know some of Leng Xiang's past.
"After we say our goodbyes to the Three Sacred Mother later, we shall go together!" Su Qing smiled and said to Leng Xiang, "How does that sound?"
Upon hearing this, Leng Xiang revealed a slight smile, nodded, and said: "Mm! Thank you, Master! But... Leng Xiang has one more presumptuous request."
"A presumptuous request? What kind of presumptuous request could there be between us? Just tell me directly, Leng Xiang," Su Qing said, shaking her head slightly.
Hearing this, Leng Xiang nodded with a smile: "Actually... I want to go there alone with Master. Is that okay?"
"Of course! Why wouldn't it be?"
Was this request unreasonable? Clearly not! So why wouldn't she agree?
"Thank you... Master."
Leng Xiang was naturally happy that her master was willing to agree to these things.
As for her other worries... she temporarily pushed them to the back of her mind.
Seeing her happy look, Su Qing couldn't help but smile and said:
"Next, let's first wake up this big fat pig who's still sleeping!"
After knowing that gentle methods wouldn't wake Chang'e, Su Qing gave up on those gentle awakening techniques and switched to a simpler and more direct method.
And as it turned out, in any matter, not beating around the bush and going straight to the point is the simplest and fastest way.
After Chang'e was woken up, she didn't have any morning grumpiness.
She was just a bit lacking in energy... and somewhat speechless.
She yawned and said to Su Qing with a face full of helplessness: "Actually, even if you didn't use that much force, I would have woken up..."
"Sorry... it's actually because I couldn't wake you without that much force, so I used a little bit of strength," Su Qing apologized without hesitation upon hearing this.
Chang'e was momentarily speechless, but she didn't blame Su Qing. She just grabbed Su Qing's face and rubbed it hard twice to vent her frustration before letting her go.
Now that Chang'e was awake, it was naturally time to bid farewell to the Three Sacred Mother...
Today, the Three Sacred Mother was wearing plain clothes with not many decorations. Her dark hair was coiled up with a thin silver hairpin, highlighting her gentle temperament to the fullest.
The Three Sacred Mother naturally noticed the group's arrival. Seeing them come over, she knew they were here to say goodbye.
So she asked: "Are you all leaving? Don't be in such a hurry! Why not stay for lunch before you go?"
"Lunch won't be necessary. We've already disturbed you for a night. If we stay any longer, it would be a bit impolite," Chang'e said with a slight smile.
The Three Sacred Mother shook her head and said: "It's usually quite quiet here. I'd even wish for you to stay for a few more days! How could it be considered a disturbance?"
The two went back and forth, appearing to be quite close.
But if one listened closely, it was hard not to feel that it was almost entirely polite small talk.
Although the Three Sacred Mother and Chang'e were friends, they weren't that close; they were just ordinary friends.
So, regarding Chang'e and the others leaving, the Three Sacred Mother naturally wasn't too reluctant.
It was nothing more than feeling that once everyone left, her immortal residence would become a bit too quiet again.
After bidding farewell to the Three Sacred Mother, everyone naturally had to leave her immortal residence.
As they were leaving, Su Qing handed the few sparrows in her arms over to Yuer.
Then she said to Chang'e:
"Sister Chang'e... I have a place I need to go to, so Sister Chang'e should head back first. I'll return later."
Hearing this, Chang'e was slightly puzzled and asked: "Is it not okay for me to go with you?"
Su Qing shook her head slightly and softly offered an apology.
Seeing this, Chang'e didn't press further and just smiled, saying:
"In that case, alright! I'll head back with Yuer first. But remember to return to the Moon Palace early! If you're gone for too long, watch out or I'll personally catch you and bring you back!"
These words naturally didn't threaten Su Qing, but she still nodded obediently.
After all, there was no need to insist on going against someone, was there?
Seeing this, Chang'e nodded with satisfaction and said:
"Then I'll head back first. Remember to be safe... and, don't damage the environment."
Chang'e had originally wanted to tell Su Qing to be careful...
But on second thought, there were very few in this world at the Earthly Immortal realm who could defeat her, so there was no real need to worry too much.
Although Su Qing felt it was a bit strange, she still nodded slightly and watched Chang'e leave.
After Chang'e left, Su Qing looked at Leng Xiang and said: "Let's go!"
Hearing this, Leng Xiang smiled slightly and said: "Master, please come up. I will take Master there."
"Huh?" For a moment, Su Qing didn't understand what Leng Xiang meant and was dazed for a while.
Seeing this, Leng Xiang grabbed Su Qing's hand and leaped onto the Cold Fragrance Sword.
Only then did Su Qing understand what her words just now meant...
"After spending so much time with Chang'e, strange things have entered her head too," Su Qing thought helplessly.
Leng Xiang's speed of flying on the sword was naturally not as fast as Su Qing's Somersault Cloud, but it had the advantage of being stable, and they also had the leisure to look at the scenery.
Along the way, Su Qing didn't disturb Leng Xiang again.
Because she could also see that Leng Xiang didn't seem to remember the location of the old village very clearly anymore. The reason she was flying slowly now was likely because she was searching for the village's location.
So, she would just let her search slowly.
There was no need to add mental pressure to her.
"But... the village from when she was still a Plum Blossom Demon must be at least a thousand years old by now, right? Then... after so much time, will that village still exist?"
Su Qing thought to herself as she looked at the overlapping mountains and dense forests below.
She had the most experience with the ruthlessness of time...
On her journey in the past, she still remembered how many friends she had seen off.
Just a hundred years was enough for many things to undergo earth-shaking changes...
How could there be no change after a thousand years?
Thinking of this, Su Qing couldn't help but worry about what would happen next...
In the midst of her thoughts, Leng Xiang's voice suddenly reached Su Qing's ears.
She said: "Master, we've arrived..."
As she spoke, Leng Xiang lowered the flying sword and landed on the ground.
Su Qing slowly came back to her senses and looked around...
And when she saw the situation around her, Su Qing couldn't help but fall silent in her heart.
As expected... after a thousand years, that small village had already disappeared.
All that remained was a ruin overgrown with weeds. Collapsed earthen walls and scattered bricks and tiles were still faintly visible.
Su Qing glanced at Leng Xiang and found that Leng Xiang actually seemed quite calm.
Clearly, Leng Xiang had already thought of this possibility and had long since prepared herself mentally.
"As expected... it has already disappeared?" Leng Xiang whispered, then she looked at Su Qing and said: "Master, can you come with me for a moment?"
Su Qing nodded slightly and followed Leng Xiang through the ruins, arriving in front of a small earthen hut that had mostly collapsed.
In the courtyard in front of the earthen hut, weeds had grown everywhere... but among those weeds, there was a withered tree that was much taller than the house...
"Master... are you willing to listen to me ramble a bit about my past?" Leng Xiang looked at this house, clearly appearing somewhat nostalgic.
It seemed... before becoming the Cold Fragrance Sword, she was a plum blossom on that withered tree, or perhaps she was the plum blossom tree itself.
Hearing Leng Xiang's words, Su Qing was stunned for a moment, then nodded and said: "If you're willing to speak, I'm naturally willing to listen."
Leng Xiang smiled and then said thank you.
Then she slowly told Su Qing about some things from when her consciousness first opened and she was still a Plum Blossom Demon...
Why her cooking was good, why she was skilled at housework, and why she understood farming.
All of her past, including the experience of being broken off and made into a precious sword... she recounted them all to Su Qing as if they were precious treasures.
However... today, what Leng Xiang wanted to say to Su Qing wasn't just about her past.
There were also some things she hadn't dared to say because of past cowardice or worry.
Because as the days and years passed, she gradually discovered...
If she continued like this, her master might really be snatched away by someone else.
She knew that her master was somewhat dense regarding feelings; it wasn't that she didn't understand, it was just that sometimes she didn't notice, or rather... she thought in the wrong direction...
Therefore, if she wanted to wait for her master to notice on her own...
Then by the time her master had been won over by someone else, her master still wouldn't have discovered her own feelings.
So... she decided not to wait anymore and took this opportunity to make a move.
Regardless of whether the outcome was good or bad, at the very least... she would have made her feelings clear to her master.
However... she also knew that she definitely couldn't monopolize her master, nor could she restrict her master. What she wanted... was actually very simple.
Su Qing didn't know that Leng Xiang had many other thoughts in her heart; she was just listening to Leng Xiang talk about her past.
Leng Xiang's past actually couldn't be called very beautiful...
But when she spoke of it, Su Qing didn't hear any sadness; it seemed she had long since let go of everything from the past.
Su Qing was also very happy about this.
After all, she knew that people who wallow in the past are always in pain.
She had deep feelings about this point.
Leng Xiang spoke for a long time, and Su Qing listened for a long time...
Gradually, the sun rose high in the sky.
Suddenly, Leng Xiang stopped, took a deep breath, and walked two steps with her hands behind her back before turning to face her.
Su Qing was a bit confused, thinking that Leng Xiang had finished, and asked: "What's wrong?"
Leng Xiang shook her head slightly, as if weighing her words, or as if struggling over whether she should speak.
She felt her head was a bit hot right now, and her heart was beating very fast; she knew she was still nervous.
However, she didn't plan to back down this time. If the Dragon Girl could say it righteously, and the White Snake could say it righteously, why... couldn't she?
She exhaled a breath of turbid air and stared at Su Qing, asking:
"Master... Leng Xiang has a presumptuous request. If Master wants to marry a wife in the future... can you marry Leng Xiang as well?"
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