At the request of the Nine-Tailed Fox and the Jade Pipa Spirit, Ling Qing taught the Pipa Spirit a method for cleansing and refining body and mind. He then took his leave and returned to Cangling State.
As for how the Nine-Tailed Fox would enter the palace and carry out her own mission, he no longer asked.
Instead, he joined his fellow disciples in governing Cangling State and the other five states, casually laying plans in various places whenever he had spare time.
When they learned that the Jade Pipa Spirit was the very witchcraft artifact once held by Ying of the Bluestone Tribe, Li Li, Zhu Guang, and the others also traced matters back through the connections between their respective states and the former tribes.
Li Li found the Deng family of Three Mountains Pass. Seeing that Deng Chanyu had been born able to cast Five-Light Stones, he knew she was fated to be connected with him, so he spent some time teaching her a cultivation method.
One day, as Ling Qing chatted with his fellow disciples, someone suddenly came to report, "Reporting to the State Lord, a Daoist has arrived outside the gates, claiming to be an old acquaintance of yours."
Ling Qing and the others were momentarily stunned. What old acquaintances could they possibly have in this place?
But since the visitor was a Daoist, they were surely not outside the Three Teachings. Ling Qing immediately went with his fellow disciples to welcome the guest.
They saw a female Daoist standing outside the palace gates, wearing a fish-tail crown and a bright crimson robe.
Ling Qing and the others cupped their hands in greeting. "This humble Daoist greets you, fellow Daoist. May we ask your name?"
The female Daoist smiled. "So you disciples do not recognize me.