Outside, Mi Feng let out a soft hum, thinking about how to abandon and deceive Mu Anxiao. He turned and walked to a pillar, tilted his head back to look at the sky, and began to zone out.
Inside the room, to prevent Mi Feng from overhearing her conversation with the man, Mu Anxiao started making various hand gestures at him the moment she stopped. Unexpectedly, the man did not understand Mu Anxiao's intentions at all, crossed his arms, and struck a pose as if watching a show.
At the same time, after completing this set of gestures, Mu Anxiao frowned. She couldn't understand the man's meaning either.
Immediately, the man reached out and gently pushed Mu Anxiao's forehead, saying, "Alright, you can talk now."
Mu Anxiao's eyes widened. She hadn't seen any light beams appear and was a bit confused.
"Don't worry, that guy can't hear you," the man reminded her.
Mu Anxiao knitted her brows, then glanced back, and said in a low voice, "You're playing me."
"How am I playing you? Tell me," the man said, his tone carrying a hint of provocation.
Mu Anxiao seized upon the man's words, thought for a moment, and said, "I didn't even see you cast a spell, and you say you're done," she said, then, as if afraid of eavesdropping ears, she lowered her voice again, "You're playing me."
"You think I'm on the same level as you," the man said with a cold snort. "Using magic so openly."
"How am I being open?" Mu Anxiao suddenly retorted.
The man said, "If you weren't so open, you wouldn't be in prison. You say that," he reached out and patted Mu Anxiao's shoulder, "as if you're so formidable."
"..." Mu Anxiao admitted that she indeed lacked the ability to conceal her spells and spiritual energy, but she had never really thought about it. Because of this, she lowered her eyes in deep self-consciousness, leaving only a sigh.
Seeing Mu Anxiao's sudden dejected reaction, the man taunted, "You don't need to overthink it. I already told you, we're not on the same level."
"Have you been to the Heavenly Realm?" Mu Anxiao suddenly asked. As she raised her face to try and see the man, he covered her eyes. She startled, "What are you doing?" She raised her hand and grabbed his arm.
The man said coldly, "If you see my face, you'll have bad luck."
"You've covered your face so thoroughly, I can't see it even if I wanted to," Mu Anxiao said, deeply feeling the immense strength in the man's hands.
"But you still shouldn't look at my face," the man added.
Mu Anxiao sighed in resignation, "So you mean I should talk to you with my head down."
"Yes, head down."
"Are you a high-ranking official in the Heavenly Realm?" Mu Anxiao suddenly asked.
The man was taken aback by Mu Anxiao's question. "Why are you suddenly asking this?"
"Just tell me, are you a high-ranking official? What celestial position, what..." Before she could finish, there was a knock on the door, so Mu Anxiao reluctantly swallowed her words and compromised, "I won't look at you then."
Hearing Mu Anxiao's words, the man removed his hand, took out a drafted topographical map from his sleeve, and handed it to Mu Anxiao. "Just give it directly to him."
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao exclaimed in surprise, "You've already prepared this. It looks like," she said, about to look up but remembering the man's reaction, she continued to speak with her head down, "you really do have a celestial position." After she finished speaking, she took the fake topographical map and pointed to her throat.
The man understood Mu Anxiao's meaning and said, "Just talk to him."
"We're communicating now and he can't hear, but can he see me talk?" Mu Anxiao asked without looking up.
The man replied, "They can't hear you when you talk to me, but they can hear you when you talk to them. Do you understand what I mean?"
"They can't hear me when I talk to you, but this spell doesn't affect me talking to them," Mu Anxiao said, blinking and smiling. "This spell of yours is truly as eccentric as you are." With that, she shook her head in admiration and turned to go back to the door.
Mi Feng hadn't noticed the commotion inside and continued to knock.
Mu Anxiao heard the grating sound of the knocking, sighed, and said, "I've found it."
Hearing this, Mi Feng lowered his hand, his heart filled with excitement. He then said in a fawning tone, "Uh, why don't you first hand the topographical map to me through the gap below, and then I'll unlock the door for you." He rubbed his hands together expectantly.
"I think you should unlock the door for me first," Mu Anxiao said, deliberately trying to make things difficult for Mi Feng.
Mi Feng panicked. He then intentionally pushed the door inward, and indeed, a gap appeared below. "It's not that I don't want to unlock it for you first, but the main thing is I'm not entirely sure if this is the right key, and time is running out. If the elder returns and sees you with the topographical map, she'll definitely be angry. It would be better if you give me the topographical map first, then even if she arrives, you'll have an excuse, right?" He wasn't sure if he had explained himself clearly, but in fact, this was what he wanted to say.
"This..." Mu Anxiao feigned hesitation, looked down at the gap for a few seconds, and then squatted down. "Alright then, you come down."
"Okay." Mi Feng eagerly squatted down.
Next, Mu Anxiao pushed the folded fake topographical map through the gap. "Remember to give me..." Before she could finish, Mi Feng snatched the map away with a whoosh. Then her hand trembled, and she quickly said, "What do you mean by this?" she asked, standing up abruptly.
Outside, Mi Feng happily put the topographical map back into his sleeve and said, "I just tested it, this key doesn't work. I'll go find another one for you."
"You're leaving just like that?" Mu Anxiao shouted.
Mi Feng paused, stared at the door for a few seconds, and said, "I've made myself perfectly clear. When you get out, come find me in the courtyard, and I'll definitely compensate you."
"Didn't you say you were going to look for the key?" Mu Anxiao listened to Mi Feng's contradictory words, utterly exasperated.
"Oh, I definitely won't give up on you," Mi Feng said impatiently, turned, and ran off.
And so, Mu Anxiao was truly tricked by Mi Feng. Although these were all things she had anticipated, the event still made her feel disheartened. "He's too mercenary," she said, letting out a light sigh. She turned to look at the man walking towards her.
The man said, "You're quite mercenary yourself." He stopped in front of Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao let out a soft scoff, "Compared to him, I'm still far from it." She then looked down at the topographical map she had tucked into her waist, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "Are you sure you can find them with this topographical map?"
"What do you mean by that?" the man retorted.