After the purification of Kong Youde's corpse, Xu Qing acquired the skill of horse grooming.
The so-called horse grooming refers to the skills of raising horses, treating them, and breeding them.
Xu Qing previously learned horse inspection skills from the elder Crown Prince Zhao You, who was of high status and, although he had acted as a groom, never truly pursued horse grooming as a profession.
Kong Youde was genuinely born into a groom's family. His grandfather raised horses, his father raised horses, and he grew up accompanied by horses, inheriting profound family expertise and mastering the art of horse grooming.
However, Xu Qing had little interest in the art of horse grooming. He never cared for the Chasing Mourning horse at the Funeral Shop, feeding it whatever was available for years. Nonetheless, the horse lived well and even gained over a decade of spiritual practice, showing signs of becoming a spirit.
Furthermore, who among those cultivating immortality would go into horse grooming? Being a groom when human is demeaning enough; cultivating immortality yet tending horses would render the immortal cultivation pointless.
And spreading such a thing would certainly be shameful!
Xu Qing gathered his thoughts and looked at the two people in the forensic room, saying, "The corpse is heavy and hard to transport. Liuqing Street and Tanggu River are one west, one east, separated by seven or eight alleys. The deceased's body was buried under the willow on Liuqing Street, but the head was thrown into Tanggu River. Why do you say that is?"
Song Tu suddenly enlightened, "The deceased must be a resident near Liuqing Street. To avoid the corpse from being recognized, the perpetrator found it difficult to transport the body and feared complications along the way, so he deliberately severed the head and carried it to Tanggu River to throw it into the river."
"A head is easy to conceal and carry, ensuring that even if someone discovers the body under the willow someday, they can't identify the deceased solely from a headless corpse. By the time the body decays, this case would have become a cold case."
"This is simple. Tomorrow, have Chief Zhao and his team post a picture on Liuqing Street to verify this person's identity. If truly nearby Liuqing Street, a clue will surely emerge."
Xu Qing remained silent. The Qiao Family was in East Gate Alley, just east of Liuqing Street. If a notice is posted tomorrow, the origins of the little girl and Kong Youde can surely be investigated.
But he did not wish to give the true perpetrator an advantage; all truths need official clarification to be proclaimed to the world. Simultaneously, Xu Qing also wanted the deceased's wish fulfilled and the real culprit to receive due punishment.
Because this was the vow undertaken by Bao Sheng Temple.
...
At the third watch, outside the Government Office.
Xu Qing walked leisurely ahead, followed closely by a little girl.
"Your surname is Qiao, your father, Qiao Fang, named you Sweet, and you live in East Gate Alley on Liuqing Street. Your mother's surname is Ye, right?"
The little girl blinked her bright eyes incredulously at Xu Qing. She could hardly remember the name of East Gate Alley on Liuqing Street, yet this person knew it better than her.
"I also know about your plea at Bao Sheng Temple, wishing for Bao Sheng Niangniang to intervene for you."
Xu Qing stopped and reached forward with his hand, a five-colored steed appeared out of nowhere.
He turned his head, looking at the shocked face of the little girl, asking, "Do you want to take revenge yourself, or let Bao Sheng Temple do it for you?"
"I, I want to find my mother..."
Xu Qing was silent for a moment, then said, "If your mother saw you in this state, she would be restless even in the netherworld."
"Dear, do you wish to cultivate?"
"Cul... tivate?" The little girl looked confused.
"It's like Bao Sheng Niangniang, seeking the path to immortality."
"If I become a deity, can I see my mother?"
"Perhaps, alas, my skills are low, and I'm yet to know the ways of deities."
Xu Qing mounted the horse, while the little girl clinged to his back as if possessed.
On the pitch-dark street without moonlight, the image of ghosts riding zombies and zombies riding horses was especially absurd.
Xu Qing traveled nonstop until he arrived at Bao Sheng Temple at Ziyun Mountain, where he had Bai Xiaoxian act as the intermediary, guiding the little girl to pledge allegiance at the temple.
After this ghostly girl's corpse was removed from the burial place, her spirit grew increasingly faint, soon to be entirely dispersed.
But as long as she pledged at Bao Sheng Temple before that, becoming a devotee worshipped at the temple, her spirit could stabilize, and she could also begin her cultivation path.
The little girl was very obedient, and after performing a formal bowing ceremony, Xu Qing took out the Mother Qi Bottle, and sprinkled with his fingers. When the liquid fell from the bottle, pure vitality melded into the spirit, causing the little girl to emanate a bright white light.
Xu Qing said, "From today onward, you are the Guardian Maiden of Bao Sheng Temple. I'll give you a new Daoist name, Shiyue, meaning 'planting seeds, nurturing seedlings', symbolizing rebirth. Shiyue also derives from the ten months of pregnancy, what do you think?"
The little girl listened in bewilderment, but upon hearing Xu Qing's gentle inquiry, she subconsciously nodded her head.
Whether it's nine or ten months, if Xu Qing gave her a name like a cat or a dog at this moment, she would wholeheartedly agree.
Although the little girl didn't understand why Bao Sheng Niangniang was a man, it didn't prevent her from believing in Bao Sheng Niangniang.
The reason was simple—because the young man before her, under the blessing of the blood lake Dharma realm, seemed to be bathed in a holy light. Not just Shiyue, but any child who saw it probably couldn't resist an innate feeling of affinity.
Xu Qing was oblivious to this until they departed the temple, preparing to return, when the little girl suddenly spoke, "You seem like my mother."
Xu Qing cast a glance at little Shiyue, then looked down at his body, nearly eight feet tall, how could he resemble the weak, slender Ye Shi even slightly?
"In the future, Shiyue, you must call me Sect Leader or Sir. Don't think about unrealistic titles."
Shiyue nodded with an 'Oh', and Xu Qing noticed the little girl seemed even less clever than Xuan Yu, hesitantly said, "In that case, let me hear you say it."