Mu Anxiao, hearing the man's words, thought of the two fellows outside the cell and said in a low voice, "It seems Mo Juan is in a hurry." She looked around, then covered the lock with her hand, and it opened. "But let's eat first." With that, she pulled open the door and walked in.
The man was startled. "You're coming in now?"
"What's the big deal? Aren't you here?" Mu Anxiao said, sidestepping the man and glancing at Jiongye and the wolf demon. "I asked the kitchen to prepare food. Are you two... still going to eat?" She could tell they were reluctant to eat.
As Mu Anxiao had expected, the wolf demon waved his hand. "Perhaps not. We ate too much earlier."
"Yes, you eat," Jiongye said, staring at Mu Anxiao's muddy face for a few more seconds, curiosity finally getting the better of him. "By the way, who are you?" It dawned on him that a stranger had entered their cell.
Mu Anxiao looked at the slow-witted Jiongye, then at the wolf demon, who had the same expression. "To formally introduce myself, I am Mu Anxiao's subordinate. Oh, by the way," she said, not knowing if the man had told them about entering the palace, so she deliberately tested them, "Do you know about his plan to enter the palace?"
"We do," they said in unison.
"You know?" Mu Anxiao was surprised and quickly turned to look at the man. "Did you say something?"
The man averted his gaze. xxs壹贰
Mu Anxiao understood. "Fine, if you said it, you said it," she said, suddenly remembering the wolf demon's relationship with Rose. She quickly added, "Don't even think about snatching my spot to enter the palace."
"I was just about to discuss this with him. How about letting me tag along?" the wolf demon said eagerly.
Mu Anxiao put on a stern face. "What business is it of yours?"
"I can..."
"As the saying goes, you can dodge the first day but not the fifteenth. It's foolish to try and avoid that flower demon like this," Mu Anxiao said, intentionally interrupting the wolf demon.
The wolf demon was surprised. "How did you know?"
"Hmph, there's nothing in this place of cultivation that I don't know. Besides, I helped Bee not too long ago," Mu Anxiao said confidently.
"You helped him, what does that have to do with me avoiding Rose?" the wolf demon didn't understand.
Mu Anxiao smirked. "From what I know, Rose's opinion of Bee has changed. If you stay here a bit longer, I believe your engagement will be annulled."
"Really?" the wolf demon hesitated.
Mu Anxiao smiled. "You don't have to stay if you don't want to. Just stay in the courtyard properly after we leave. In any case," she said, crossing her arms, "as long as you don't try to switch places with me, anything else is fine."
"Who do you think you are, to forbid me from switching with you? You..."
"I'm a eunuch, are you?" Mu Anxiao interrupted the wolf demon in one breath.
The wolf demon's expression froze. "You... you're not a complete male demon?" he asked, feeling a pang of sympathy for her.
Mu Anxiao hadn't expected her casual remark to elicit such an expression from the wolf demon. Looking at him, she couldn't help but feel disgusted. "What does it have to do with you? I just want to use this to explain," she felt uncomfortable under the wolf demon's gaze and deliberately shifted her eyes. She continued, "Master asked me to accompany him this time precisely because of my status. But you're different. You're complete. If you go to Master to discuss this, he probably won't agree, and might even get angry. Anyway," she cleared her throat, "I'm doing all this for your own good."
"You're so kind," the wolf demon said, his attitude towards Mu Anxiao changing.
Mu Anxiao's mouth twitched. "Can you stop saying that and looking at me like that?" she tilted her face. "It's unsettling."
"Fine, I won't argue with you anymore," the wolf demon said, a smile appearing on his face. "I'll wait for you to return."
"Alright," Mu Anxiao nodded reluctantly, then looked at Jiongye. "You'll probably be released with him."
"Compared to Zhao Mei'er, whose position is higher?" Jiongye suddenly asked.
Mu Anxiao was a bit bewildered by Jiongye's abrupt question. "What do you mean?"
"She's my enemy. If I'm not mistaken, she might enter the palace with our lord. It would be inconvenient for Mu Anxiao, but I believe," Jiongye said, his face excited, "it would be very convenient for you."
"You want me to avenge you?" Mu Anxiao was surprised.
Jiongye nodded.
"I'm just a nobody following Mu Anxiao. She's a minor demon serving our lord. This... isn't this making things difficult for me?" Mu Anxiao seized the opportunity to reveal her status.
Jiongye looked disappointed. "Your position isn't as high as hers."
Mu Anxiao gave a silly laugh.
Jiongye curled his lips and turned to walk away.
Mu Anxiao glanced at the wolf demon, feeling speechless, then turned to the man. "Let's eat." She put down the food container.
The wolf demon also walked away.
Thus, after they left, the man quietly set up another barrier. Mu Anxiao squatted down, opening the food container, and said, "I inquired, and those immortals who were taken away seem to have all worked in the kitchen." As she spoke, she placed a plate of leftover dishes in front of the man. The man looked down and frowned. She happened to look at him. "What's with that expression?"
The man said, "These are leftovers from you."
"Yes, this is what happens when you don't save any for me. Eat up," Mu Anxiao said, handing the chopsticks to the man.
The man hesitated for a moment, then took the chopsticks. "You're really something." He then began to eat.
Mu Anxiao continued, "They all believe that the Rongguang Hall is very likely the kitchen."
Hearing this, the man looked up at Mu Anxiao. "You mean, they are all kitchen immortals?"
Mu Anxiao 'mm-hmm'-ed.
"Who told you all this?" the man asked, meeting Mu Anxiao's eyes.
Mu Anxiao replied calmly, "Two cooks in the kitchen."
"Isn't this a bit too coincidental?" the man said suspiciously.
Mu Anxiao smiled. "How is it coincidental? Besides, they're the ones who said it, not me." She reached out and patted the man's shoulder. "Don't worry, my information is absolutely accurate..." She suddenly fell silent.
The man looked confused. "What is it?"
"They said there's a Zhaoxianjing outside the palace gate. Anyone who passes through... will be revealed instantly," Mu Anxiao said, staring at the man who had transformed into herself. "Your situation shouldn't be revealed, right?"
"Instead of worrying about me, you should worry about yourself," the man said, continuing to eat.
Mu Anxiao, hearing the man's words, suddenly realized... she wasn't a demon. If that was the case, when she passed through the palace gate, she would undoubtedly be revealed instantly. Thinking of this, she raised her hand and smacked her forehead hard, saying, "This is another problem."
"..." The man glanced at Mu Anxiao and said nothing.