At the same time, Mu Anxiao stopped before the bamboo fence surrounding the thatched cottage, then glanced at the cottage where the candlelight was lit, thinking, this is it.
As she thought, she looked down at the arm pulled by Feng Qishi, then reached out to push over the already broken bamboo fence, stepped over it, and tiptoed towards the thatched cottage.
Inside the thatched cottage.
The old man stood before the table, clearly feeling Mu Anxiao's presence outside the house, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"They've found me," the candlelight said.
The old man looked down at the candlelight and asked, "Am I really dead?"
"You're confused again."
"I..."
"There's no need to dwell on your past life. I hope you forget it quickly."
"I'm not reconciled," the old man said, his eyes occasionally glancing towards the window.
"What's there to be unreconciled about? Everyone dies eventually. Besides, you're already so old, you..."
"I'm only seventy, and my body is very healthy. Why... " the old man frowned. "Did I die?"
"You..."
"Didn't you say you could save me? But in the end, you didn't save me."
"Didn't I stay by your side?"
"Then you might as well have let them take me away," the old man said, his voice tinged with tears.
The candlelight flickered twice and continued, "If you leave, what will I do?"
"I don't even know if you're a man or a woman. You've been following me every day. What exactly do you want?"
"What did you say?" the candlelight's tone held confusion.
The old man: "What did I say?"
"Can't you tell if I'm male or female?"
"I can't tell," the old man shook his head slightly and looked towards the window.
The candlelight was speechless.
The old man continued, "When can you take me to see my wife? I miss her so much."
"Tomorrow."
"You promised. This time, you're not allowed to lie to me."
"I won't lie to you."
The old man's death was a mystery.
During his lifetime, besides being confused, the old man's health had always been exceptionally good. He particularly enjoyed climbing mountains, so one day he went out.
Who knew that as soon as he entered the forest, he collapsed.
When he woke up, he was in this thatched cottage, and then he saw the lantern and the gong.
It was at that moment that the candlelight told him he was already dead.
Upon hearing this, he flew into a rage. To calm him down, the candlelight told him it could help him fulfill one wish.
Then, he told the candlelight that he wanted to see his wife. At that time, the candlelight agreed to control his emotions.
Until now, the candlelight had not fulfilled his wish.
"This is the last time I trust you," the old man said firmly.
Every time, the old man would say this, and the candlelight had grown accustomed to it. "Alright, it's a deal."
"It's a deal. Now I want to go meet that person," the candlelight said.
The old man hesitated for a moment, pointed to the lantern, and said, "Go in."
"Okay," the candlelight nodded and used its sorcery to gradually transition itself into the lantern beside it.
In the courtyard, Mu Anxiao couldn't hear their voices. Instead, she stopped in the center of the courtyard, hesitating whether to use her soul sword or sorcery.
The forest.
Feng Qishi deeply felt Mu Anxiao's hesitation and reminded her mentally: Mu Shazi, you cannot use your soul sword.
At the same time, Mu Anxiao listened to Feng Qishi's voice with a look of astonishment. Her body stiffened, and she lowered her head, inadvertently looking at her glowing blue arm. She said mentally: Shen Fengzi, you're quite something, controlling me.
Feng Qishi: Who's controlling you? I'm just observing you.
Mu Anxiao: You can see me?
Hearing Mu Anxiao's words, Feng Qishi deliberately turned his head to look at the old man and said mentally: I can't see you yet.
Mu Anxiao: You're remotely controlling me, you...
Feng Qishi: I invented this spell, and I just wanted to... try it out on you. Don't worry, your spiritual energy won't be wasted.
Mu Anxiao: Even if I'm stingy, I don't want to be controlled by you.
Feng Qishi chuckled twice: You finally admit you're stingy. But speaking of which, you're also an oddity. When you were alive, you were stingy with money, and when you use spells, you're stingy with spiritual energy. Mu Shazi, I don't admire anyone, only you.
Mu Anxiao rolled her eyes, then inadvertently looked at the old man carrying the lantern and walking out of the house. Her brow furrowed slightly.
Hearing Mu Anxiao's silence, Feng Qishi also frowned: Why aren't you talking?
Mu Anxiao: He's out. I don't have time to talk to you. She stared at the old man who was approaching her.
Hearing Mu Anxiao's words, Feng Qishi closed his eyes and pressed his index finger to his forehead. Then, Mu Anxiao and the others appeared in his sight.
The old man calmly looked at Feng Qishi's pause and smiled, "Young man, you're getting sleepy already."
Because of Mu Anxiao, Feng Qishi did not respond to the old man.
By the thatched cottage.
The old man stopped in front of Mu Anxiao. "This is my home."
Mu Anxiao looked down at the old man's lantern and said, "What kind of demon are you? Speak."
"I am human."
"..." Mu Anxiao's face turned cold. "I know better than you whether you are human or not."
"You..."
"I know you haven't harmed anyone. As long as you tell me what kind of demon you are, I might spare you," Mu Anxiao said rudely.
The old man looked at Mu Anxiao and grinned, "I am a night watchman. I..."
"Old man, to be honest, is that so difficult for you?"
"....." The old man's face turned cold, and he looked down at the lantern.
Mu Anxiao followed the old man's gaze to the lantern that was gradually turning green. She took half a step back. "It seems I've angered you, old man!"
The next second, the candlelight said, "Put me down."
Hearing the female voice coming from the lantern, Mu Anxiao's body stiffened. She clenched her fists, sniffed the air, and said, "It's your demonic energy." As she spoke, she looked up at the old man who was bending down to put down the lantern and was startled, "It seems I've misunderstood you."
"..." The old man straightened up, looked at Mu Anxiao, and took a step back.
Mu Anxiao furrowed her brow, looked down at the lantern gradually being enveloped by green light, and asked coldly, "Demon, what exactly do you want?"
Then, the candlelight carrying the lantern instantly transformed into a beautiful young woman dressed in purple. "What do you think I want?" Her voice had become much sweeter compared to before.
As for the old man, the moment he saw the woman's back, his eyes widened. "A'long."
Mu Anxiao did not look at the old man but kept staring at the delicate-looking woman carrying a floral scent. "It's strange that a flower demon like you turned into candlelight."
"Your nose is quite sharp," the woman said, turning her head to look at the old man. "Come in."
"A'long, it really is you," the old man said, still looking at the woman's face with surprise.