Love?
All along, Mu Anxiao had referred to her feelings for Feng Qishi as 'liking.' She had never used the word 'love' to describe her emotions. However, the wolf demon's question made her pause. Lowering her head slightly, she couldn't help but recall all that she had experienced with Feng Qishi, his companionship during her most helpless moments, Shen Yan's salvation of her decades ago, and how she felt when she was with him. As these memories briefly resurfaced, she couldn't help but smile and say, "If it weren't for him, I would have been long gone. His appearance made me see family anew, helped me find my own worth. These..." She looked up at the wolf demon. "These things, these feelings, summed up, should be love, right?"
Having experienced so much, it was difficult for her to recall every moment they had spent together. But when she thought of those times, her heart felt happy and at ease. She thought, this must be love, right?
The wolf demon had never seen Mu Anxiao like this and couldn't help but smile, saying, "The iron tree has bloomed."
The Vine Spirit also smiled.
Mu Anxiao looked at the gossipy expressions on the wolf demon and the Vine Spirit's faces, cleared her throat, and said, "If either of you dare tell Feng Qishi about this, I will never forgive you." As she spoke, her gaze flickered.
"Understood," the wolf demon said. He glanced up at the night sky and smiled, "Look, the sky here is helping you. Hurry and go."
"Then I'm going," Mu Anxiao said. Just as she was about to pass them, the courtyard gate was kicked open with a loud bang. She frowned, "Who is it?"
The wolf demon and the Vine Spirit turned around.
At the same time, Rose and Bee, along with Xiao Yi and several other demons carrying lanterns, walked in. They exchanged glances upon seeing each other and remained silent.
Ignoring the Vine Spirit and Mu Anxiao, Xiao Yi walked directly up to the wolf demon and asked, "You don't want to marry Rose, do you?"
Everything happened so suddenly, the wolf demon was stunned.
Rose stepped forward, glanced at Xiao Yi, and then looked at the wolf demon, saying, "I don't believe you don't want to marry me." She met the wolf demon's eyes.
Hearing this, the Vine Spirit shuffled a few steps closer to Mu Anxiao, not daring to speak.
Mu Anxiao, witnessing Xiao Yi's aggressive demeanor and then looking at the bruised and battered Rose, guessed that they must have made some sort of deal. To prevent a tragedy, she deliberately moved past the Vine Spirit to stand beside the wolf demon. Before she could even respond, the wolf demon said, "I don't."
Upon hearing this, Rose's body sagged. She took an uncontrolled step back and said, "Then why didn't you..."
"I knew it, you love me," Xiao Yi said, stepping forward to embrace the wolf demon.
The wolf demon froze.
Mu Anxiao was stunned.
At the same time, Rose spat out a mouthful of black blood and collapsed.
Seeing this, Bee quickly rushed forward and knelt beside Rose. "Rose, what's wrong?" He had followed along midway and had no idea what had transpired between them. Seeing Rose like this now, he was truly frightened.
Rose coughed, spitting blood frantically.
Over there, Xiao Yi got up and kissed the wolf demon on the cheek again. Then she turned and said, "A bet is a bet. Since the wolf demon refused, you must die. Now, I will grant you release." With that, she put on a stern face and was about to raise her hand when Mu Anxiao quickly rushed forward and grabbed her hand. Seeing this, Xiao Yi immediately glared at Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao also glared back at Xiao Yi, "Xiao Yi, you are too cruel."
"She killed A Xue," Rose suddenly said.
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao's body stiffened. She glanced back at Rose, then at Xiao Yi, and asked, "Why did you do this?"
"You ask me why?" Xiao Yi said, sneering. "That A Xue was killed by you all anyway. Who told you to keep calling me A Xue? Now that he's dead, you won't make that mistake anymore. How wonderful."
"You've gone too far," Mu Anxiao said, raising her hand to strike her.
Seeing this, Xiao Yi smiled.
Hearing the sound, Mu Anxiao reluctantly stopped her movement, frowning, "What are you laughing at?"
"If you hit me, I'll earn merit. My master is worried you can't kill anyone," Xiao Yi said, then turned back to Bee, who was trying to save Rose, and smiled, "If I hit her, she'll die more peacefully. The more you do this, the more pain she feels. You're such an idiot."
"I'll kill you," Bee directed his gaze directly at Xiao Yi's face.
Xiao Yi laughed, "You? Come on." She shouted.
Upon hearing this, Bee stood up, spread his hands, and produced silver needles. "Alright, I'll oblige you. Go..." Before he could finish, his body stiffened, his hand trembled, and the silver needles fell to the ground. Then, forced by the air current behind him, he slowly turned around and saw Ouyang Ye. "Master," he said softly.
Mu Anxiao's expression froze, and she released her hand.
The Vine Spirit and the wolf demon, witnessing Ouyang Ye's ruthless actions, were too terrified to move.
"A bet is a bet. Since you lost, you must bear the consequences," Ouyang Ye said, stepping past the fallen Bee and arriving in front of Mu Anxiao and Xiao Yi.
Xiao Yi smiled faintly, "Master, you've arrived."
"Mm," Ouyang Ye replied, looking at Mu Anxiao with swollen red eyes. "In the Demon Realm, kindness is not a virtue."
"Ouyang Ye, your true colors are finally showing," Mu Anxiao said, her eyes filling with tears.
Over there.
Bee knew he wouldn't survive, so he painfully crawled to Rose's side and said, "Rose, I'm sorry. I couldn't save you. You..."
"I'm sorry, I never realized how good you were. Master is right," Rose said, tilting her face slightly towards Bee. "A bet is a bet. This is my fate. You... I'm sorry." As she spoke, she slowly reached out and took Bee's hand.
A warm current flowed through him, and Bee smiled.
The wolf demon watched this scene, tears falling, and said, "It's all my fault." Then he watched them disappear.
"You're feeling sympathetic," Xiao Yi suddenly said.
Upon hearing this, the wolf demon raised his hand to wipe away his tears, turned to Xiao Yi, and said coldly, "It's none of your business."
"You..." Xiao Yi uttered, her eyes narrowing. She turned to Ouyang Ye. "Master, the wolf demon, the Vine Spirit, and Jiong Ye and Feng Qishi are all in league. This servant believes they should all be imprisoned in the tower." She cupped her hands.
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao shot a furious glare at Xiao Yi. "Are you insane?"
"Master," Xiao Yi ignored Mu Anxiao completely.
Ouyang Ye smiled. "Very well, I'll listen to you. Take them away."
"Yes, Master," Xiao Yi said, turning to the soldiers in the courtyard. "Arrest them."
"Yes," they replied in unison.