Indeed.
From the start, Su Qing's plan was simply to coast through this banquet, staying out of everything and participating as little as possible. She just wanted to show up and enjoy the feast.
But now, the Old Dragon King wanted her to be high-profile and arrogant at the second banquet?
This would clearly draw a lot of hostility toward her.
Moreover, it went against her usual habits...
Without a compelling reason, she really didn't want to agree.
After all, she was now a celestial official of the Heavenly Court, clearly distinct from the traditional demon kings of the demon race...
In short, she would likely be unwelcome and naturally disliked by the other side.
She was already unpopular enough; intentionally stoking the flames...
...one could guess with their toenails that it would lead to a lot of trouble.
Whether she feared those demon kings was one thing.
Her main concern was that if those demon kings came looking for her, they would cause trouble for the common people.
Well.
To put it even more simply.
Su Qing wasn't so selfless that she would court unnecessary trouble for the sake of others...
...unless it involved those close to her, like Leng Xiang or Ao Ying.
Otherwise, Su Qing preferred to be a bit more selfish.
The Dragon King looked at Su Qing, guessing her thoughts, and didn't find anything wrong with them.
He simply shook his head and said, "I know what you're thinking, but you can rest assured on that point."
"Regardless, we are orthodox deities of the Heavenly Court. No matter how bold those demon kings are, they wouldn't dare openly challenge the majesty of Heaven."
"While you might provoke dissatisfaction among some demon kings, they will at most vent their frustrations verbally. They wouldn't actually dare to go to the Changbai Mountains to cause trouble for you."
Su Qing sighed softly and asked, "But why? Why do I need to act arrogant? Senior, you must give me a reason. I don't believe you simply want me to attract hatred for no reason."
"The main reason I want you to be a bit arrogant is..."
The Old Dragon King paused, stroking his beard as he spoke:
"Those demon kings aren't polite like us, nor do they always wear a kind face when communicating. They still live by the law of the jungle. If you can't suppress them with your aura, they won't pass up a chance to bite off a piece of you, even if we are celestial immortals."
"Of course, I don't mean literally biting off a piece of flesh... You understand what I mean, right, worthy son-in-law?"
The Old Dragon King had deep experience with the way demon kings handled matters...
After all, he had interacted with them far more than Su Qing had, so he was naturally most familiar with their style.
Don't be fooled by their strange appearances or the fact that most of them seem a bit dim-witted.
In reality, these demon kings are not stupid. At the very least, they know that if a 'superior' is a soft touch, they should do everything possible to devour them whole...
The Old Dragon King had witnessed this firsthand; they loved nothing more than taking a mile when given an inch.
While not as outrageous as the Monkey King, the cumulative effect over time was comparable.
That was exactly why the Old Dragon King wanted Su Qing to act forceful and arrogant at tomorrow's second birthday banquet.
Only then could she intimidate those demon kings, dampen their arrogance, and nip any ideas of challenging her in the bud... which would also facilitate future cooperation.
After all, that was the true purpose of the second banquet.
The birthday celebration itself was secondary.
Of course, while the circumstances of the first banquet were different, the underlying logic was much the same.
Su Qing fell silent for a moment after hearing the Old Dragon King's explanation.
To be honest, the Old Dragon King's words weren't without merit...
When dealing with demon kings, conventional methods truly wouldn't suffice.
However, Su Qing wasn't in a hurry to agree...
What if she was being set up?
Seeing that Su Qing still hadn't agreed, the Old Dragon King felt a bit helpless.
He then spread his hands and emphasized again seriously:
"In short, just be as arrogant as you want. I'll handle the aftermath."
"Besides, those demon kings aren't as powerful as you might think. You'll see what I mean when you meet them. Even if they try to pick a fight at the banquet, you'll be able to suppress them easily!"
"Don't worry, worthy son-in-law. I would never set you up. Once this is over, I will surely give you a handsome reward!"
Hearing this, Su Qing continued to stare at the Old Dragon King without speaking.
After a long pause, she finally sighed and said:
"Fine, fine. Since I've already promised you, it wouldn't be right to back out now... I'll make sure to be properly arrogant tomorrow. I just hope you aren't leading me into a trap, senior."
Su Qing's sudden change of heart wasn't really because the Old Dragon King's words had convinced her.
What truly convinced her was herself...
How to put it?
Because she remembered something she had said before.
Since she had made a choice, even if it turned out to be wrong, she couldn't complain or regret it.
So...
She was already on this metaphorical pirate ship; all she could do was floor the gas pedal.
Now she could only hope that the Old Dragon King wasn't tricking her... and that the demon kings coming to the feast weren't as strong as she anticipated.
"However... Senior Dragon King."
"I must say this upfront: I'm used to being humble, so I'm not very good at being arrogant."
"So, if I don't pull it off well, I hope you won't mind too much."
After thinking it over seriously, Su Qing gave the Old Dragon King a heads-up to manage his expectations.
After all, she had always been humble and never arrogant...
She had no idea if she could act the part well.
Hearing this, the Old Dragon King didn't say much, only nodding with a chuckle.
Su Qing agreeing was enough. As long as she was willing to act a bit arrogant, even if the results weren't as good as expected, he couldn't blame her.
Of course, he wouldn't dare to blame her anyway.
"Naturally, naturally!" the Old Dragon King said cheerfully. "Well, worthy son-in-law, that's all I wanted to say. What are your plans now? Are you going to find Ao Ying and her mother?"
Su Qing nodded slightly without saying much.
She did indeed plan to find Ao Ying and the Dragon Mother...
After all, she had already agreed to this with Ao Ying.
She couldn't leave her to face the Dragon Mother's barrage alone.
She had to go and accompany her.
"In that case, I'll send someone to take you there!"
"Thank you."
"Nonsense! We're family; there's no trouble at all! If anything, I'm the one troubling you more," the Old Dragon King laughed, stroking his beard.
Su Qing's lips twitched slightly at those words...
At least this Old Dragon King had some self-awareness.
She didn't bother to retort and followed the Jellyfish Yaksa to find Ao Ying and the Dragon Mother.
On the way, Leng Xiang, who had transformed into a hairpin, suddenly spoke up:
"Don't worry, Master. If a fight really breaks out, Leng Xiang is here! I'll make sure to slice them into mincemeat."
Su Qing: "...Mincemeat? Isn't that a bit much? That's too bloody."
"How about slicing them into thin strips then?"
"......"
Su Qing didn't know how to respond for a moment.
"I suppose that works..." Su Qing replied perfunctorily.
"Actually... if Master doesn't want to get involved in this trouble, you can totally refuse. If you wanted to say no, the Old Dragon King would at most grumble a bit; he wouldn't dare actually force you."
"I chose to help and chose this path, so I can't regret it now... It's too late for regrets anyway. Besides, I don't want to be someone who breaks their word..."
Su Qing shook her head and said:
"Besides, if I think about it, our days lately have been a bit too peaceful. A little excitement every now and then is good."
"And I'm also curious about just how strong I've become."
"The Old Dragon King thinks I'm powerful, but I don't really know where my strength stands... so I have to test it to find out."
"If any demon kings really challenge me tomorrow, I can take the opportunity to practice..."
"Besides, I've learned many techniques and spells that I've only used in practice. I haven't used them in real combat yet! This is a perfect chance to try them out..."
"So, it's not entirely a bad thing!"
Hearing Su Qing's words, Leng Xiang opened her mouth slightly, then shook her head with an amused heart, saying:
"Master, you're really good at finding excuses and reasons after the fact! But since you are my Master, I will support whatever decision you make! If a fight breaks out tomorrow, Leng Xiang will slice them all up!"
"Leng Xiang... stay elegant!" Su Qing said helplessly.
"Understood, Master." Leng Xiang didn't argue, but who knows what she was really thinking?
Su Qing continued to chat with Leng Xiang in her mind...
Before long, she saw Ao Ying again.
Ao Ying was currently sitting on a swing, and sitting beside her was her mother.
Truth be told, Senior Dragon Mother still had quite a bit of childlike wonder in her...
Combined with her youthful appearance... well, it was quite an interesting sight.
"I didn't expect us to meet again so soon, worthy son-in-law!" the Dragon Mother hugged Su Qing with a beaming smile.
"Indeed, I just missed you, Mother-in-law."
"Oh, you girl. I already know why you're here!" The Dragon Mother laughed, tweaking her nose. "Who are you trying to fool?"
Su Qing smiled and didn't contradict her. How could she not know that the Dragon Mother would see right through her lie?
She said it just to make the Dragon Mother happy.
Whether true or false, such words always made someone feel good.
The Dragon Mother was as enthusiastic as ever, quickly pulling Su Qing into a conversation about all sorts of other things.
However, the lady loved to talk about topics concerning the future...
As for what kind of 'future'—those who know, know.
In any case, it was time for Su Qing's head to start aching again.
Fortunately, she wasn't the only one with a headache.
Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, it was already night.
Su Qing lay on the bed while Leng Xiang held her fair, jade-like feet, trimming her nails. Although there was really no need for trimming—her nails were already perfectly neat—Leng Xiang, looking for things to do, simply found a task to occupy herself...
Since she didn't lose anything by it, Su Qing just let her be.
It was just that having her feet handled was a bit ticklish.
"Speaking of which... the Bull Demon King will also be at tomorrow's banquet. I wonder if he'll cause any trouble." Su Qing stroked her chin, then smiled and shook her head. "Oh well, I've got enough trouble as it is. One more won't make a difference. Why am I worrying?"
Su Qing soon set aside her stray thoughts and settled down comfortably. Seeing Leng Xiang's look of intense concentration, she couldn't help but want to tease her.
But as soon as her foot twitched, Leng Xiang gave it a light slap...
"Master, don't move!"
"..." Su Qing: "Understood..."
While Su Qing was relaxed, Ao Ying was facing 'Hell Mode' on the other side.
She didn't know what had come over her mother; just as she was about to lie down, her mother burst in.
And she had a look of great expectation on her face...
"Tell me, now that a month has passed, have you taken the first step?" the Dragon Mother asked expectantly. "You should have finished those materials I gave you, right? Did you use them? Don't tell me you spent the whole month just sleeping in!"
At first, Ao Ying didn't understand what her mother was talking about, but the realization hit her a moment later...
Then, she wilted...
She gulped, guiltily averting her eyes. "The materials... I finished the materials, but as for the follow-up, there was... a slight, tiny accident!"
The Dragon Mother paused, suddenly feeling depressed. She pinched her daughter's cheek and said:
"You need to hurry up, girl! If you don't speed things up, that other girl might beat you to the punch."
"Mom... don't be so impatient! I'm not even in a hurry," Ao Ying mumbled, her speech slurred as her cheek was being pinched. "Let's take it one step at a time!"
"Hmph! Do you have no sense of urgency, or have you simply not realized you have a rival?"
"Ah...?"
"Never mind. It seems you've forgotten everything I taught you again."
"I swear, you really never taught me that."
"Hmm?"
"Okay, fine, I forgot. Please hit me gently? Your daughter is an adult now... it would be embarrassing if someone heard."
"You..." The Dragon Mother was exasperated into a laugh. She shook her head and said, "Fine, fine. Go at your own pace! I won't force you anymore. But I still need to tell you something. Not long ago, the Old Mother visited the Dragon Palace and chatted with me about that White Snake of Li Shan."
"Bai Suzhen?"
"You know her?"
"We're friends!"
"I see. That's not surprising then." The Dragon Mother nodded. "However... if you don't hurry up, she might get there before you."
"Huh? Why?"
"Daughter, are you acting stupid or are you really this dense?" The Dragon Mother rubbed her temples, nursing a headache. "I should have eaten more walnuts while I was pregnant with you; then you wouldn't be so dim-witted. Sigh, it's all my fault."
"..."
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