Mu Anxiao stared in astonishment at Shen Yan, who had reappeared. "People have faces, how can they become rattan?" she said impatiently.
"Mu Anxiao, open your eyes and look at him," Shen Yan glanced at Mu Anxiao, then narrowed his eyes as he looked at the disguised elder.
Mu Anxiao returned his gaze, mimicking Shen Yan's narrowed eyes. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes and shook her head. "I can't tell, but you..." She crouched down, hugged her head with both hands, and looked up. "Don't think I'll protect you."
"Stop being so narcissistic," Shen Yan glared at Mu Anxiao, gripping the disguised elder's wrist. "You dare to kill humans, you will die!"
Mu Anxiao dared not look at him, nor did she care to listen to Shen Yan's words. She merely trembled and buried her head between her arms.
The disguised elder glanced at the terrified Mu Anxiao, a smile tugging at his lips. "The way you act with a little girl by your side, it's really not like you, Shen Yan."
"So you do know me," Shen Yan smirked.
"I don't want to fight you," the disguised elder said, tugging his hand free.
"You can't beat me, can you?" Shen Yan said, poking the disguised elder's arm with two fingers, then swiftly striking the elder's forehead.
Instantly, the disguised elder's head snapped back. At the same time, Shen Yan quickly retreated half a step and shouted to Mu Anxiao, "Hurry and leave."
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao slowly raised her head, a pained expression on her face, and pouted at Shen Yan, "I can't leave."
"What a bother," Shen Yan sighed helplessly. He glanced at the disguised elder, who was slowly recovering, then stepped forward, bent down, and yanked Mu Anxiao up. "If you dare to make a sound later, I'll throw you down." With that, he slung Mu Anxiao over his shoulder, stomped forcefully, and flew towards the sky.
Mu Anxiao, caught off guard and sprawled on Shen Yan's shoulder, looked at the shrinking house and the ground with a look of terror, screaming erratically.
Shen Yan roared, "Shut up!"
Due to the wind, Mu Anxiao couldn't hear Shen Yan's voice and continued to shriek.
This time, Shen Yan was at a loss for what to do with Mu Anxiao. He turned and returned to the ground.
"You idiot," he said, bending down and unceremoniously dropping Mu Anxiao onto the ground.
Mu Anxiao lay on the ground, her voice hoarse as she continued to wail.
Shen Yan let out a soft sigh, glanced at Ye Yin, who had opened the door, and turned to leave.
Ye Yin calmly watched Shen Yan's departing back, then walked expressionlessly to Mu Anxiao's side. He looked down at Mu Anxiao, who was lying on the ground, exhausted, and asked, "Have you finished screaming?"
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao frowned, slowly got up, and looked at Ye Yin, who stood beside her. Her voice raspy, she said, "I found those people. They said they are free tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Ye Yin repeated. He stepped forward and placed his foot on Mu Anxiao's arm. "Your mouth is quite capable of talking, isn't it?"
"I just met..."
"If you can, you can. If you can't, you can't. Stop making excuses," Ye Yin said. He moved his foot away and waved his arm at Mu Anxiao, and she vanished.
This time, Mu Anxiao accepted her fate of being thrown into the dry well with resignation. Sitting in place, she tilted her head back to look at the much smaller circular opening above. Pouting, she said, "My bad luck." With that, she shifted her body and curled up to lie down.
Shen Yan drifted in the air, looking down at Mu Anxiao, who had been tormented by Ye Yin and thrown into the dry well. He shook his head and turned back to the disguised elder.
"You're back," the disguised elder said, rubbing the back of his neck.