"I know more," Alóng glanced at Mu Anxiao's fan, "If you don't want to hear it, give me back my fan and leave."
"A bet is a bet. You said if you lost..." Mu Anxiao stopped mid-sentence, realizing the time constraint. She suppressed her fleeting curiosity and said, "Fine. Since you like to go back on your word, I don't need to be polite either." With that, she closed her fan and grasped each end with a hand.
Seeing this, Alóng exclaimed, "What are you doing?"
Mu Anxiao: "Some things you won't tell me, so you can say them down there. But first, I need to force your soul out. It'll be more convenient that way."
"No," Alóng was terrified by Mu Anxiao's demeanor.
Mu Anxiao smiled, "No? Alright," she released one end of the fan, "I'll give you fifteen minutes to explain. If you can't, I won't be so polite anymore."
"You dare."
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao turned her gaze to the man, the 'Dá Yé', who was glaring at her, seemingly more anxious than Alóng. "I knew there was something unusual between you two."
Dá Yé: "If you dare to harm Alóng, I won't be polite to you."
"You're already immobilized. Can you be quiet?" Mu Anxiao said, shooting a glance at Dá Yé before turning to the pale and haggard Alóng. "The clock is ticking."
Immediately, Alóng moved beside Dá Yé and used her last ounce of demonic power to break the immobilization spell on him. Then, she took his arm and said, "He is my husband."
However, Dá Yé did not want Mu Anxiao to know this. In his eyes, Alóng was still just a young girl, and revealing this would ruin her reputation.
But things had come to this, and Dá Yé could do nothing else. He lowered his head, glancing at Alóng's head resting on his arm, then at Mu Anxiao's confused expression. He remained silent, supporting Alóng's arm.
Alóng looked up at Dá Yé, "Why aren't you surprised? Or angry?"
At the same time, Mu Anxiao was also perplexed by Dá Yé's reaction.
She shifted her gaze to Dá Yé's face.
Dá Yé didn't even look at Mu Anxiao, his gaze still fixed lovingly on Alóng. "You've been by my side all along. Why should I be angry?"
Over the decades, Mu Anxiao had witnessed many similar human-demon romances. However, the outcomes of those relationships were entirely different from that of Dá Yé and Alóng now.
She recalled how those men, upon learning their wives were demons, would beg Mu Anxiao for help, even blaming the demonesses for deceiving them – they were all so selfish.
In contrast, seeing the harmonious scene between Dá Yé and Alóng now, she felt an inexplicable warmth.
"Really?" Alóng was also touched.
Dá Yé: "You've accompanied me for most of my life. In this time, I've caused you so much worry, and I even led to you being cast out by them. I should be the one apologizing to you."
"A Píng," Alóng tightened her grip on Dá Yé's arm.
Conversely, Mu Anxiao was stunned by Dá Yé's words.
"Are you two actually married?" she asked.
Dá Yé and Alóng both turned to look at Mu Anxiao.
Alóng said, "Twenty years ago, I was cast out by his family. To be with him, I transformed into a candle flame and stayed by his side."
"Do you have other wives?" Mu Anxiao asked, looking at Dá Yé as if she had just heard earth-shattering news.
Dá Yé: "Yes. I've always wanted to see her, to ask what happened twenty years ago. But now," he looked down at Alóng, "it's no longer necessary."
"..." Mu Anxiao couldn't comprehend.
Alóng: "Haven't you always wanted to see your wife?" she looked up at Dá Yé.
Dá Yé smiled, "You are the regret of my life. I wanted to see her to understand what she did to you, to make you leave me so heartlessly. Now that I see you," he shook his head slightly, "I no longer wish to go back."
Mu Anxiao crossed her arms, listening to Dá Yé. She thought about Alóng, who had been reluctant to assume human form earlier. "Then, you should be thanking me."
"Mu Anxiao, can you stop being so narcissistic?" Alóng scoffed.
Mu Anxiao: "How am I being narcissistic? If I hadn't appeared, you would never have had the courage to regain your human form. Without your human form, your A Píng would never have seen you. My appearance gave you the courage to become human. Don't you have to thank me?"
Mu Anxiao dared to say this because of the affectionate look in Dá Yé's eyes when Alóng had transformed. From that, Mu Anxiao could tell they hadn't seen each other for a very, very long time.
Of course, this was an experience she had drawn from herself.
The first time she saw Feng Qi Shi in the mortal world, all the excited feelings, except for the depth of affection, had surged within her.
Therefore, she understood this feeling better than anyone.
Hearing Mu Anxiao's words, Alóng furrowed her brow tightly.
Dá Yé glanced at Alóng and said, "Then thank you."
"You're welcome," Mu Anxiao replied, looking at Alóng. "Since you've been lurking by his side, you must also know how he died?"
"What do you mean lurking? I was guarding him," Alóng straightened up.
"Fine, call it guarding. But can you tell me now?" Mu Anxiao placed a hand on her hip.
Alóng glanced at Dá Yé and said, "He was killed by the owner of this thatched hut."
"What? Where is the owner of this thatched hut?"
"Dead."
"Dead..." Mu Anxiao uttered the word, her brow furrowing. "You killed him."
"Yes, but also no."
"What do you mean?"
"He was killed by his disciple. However, without my help, his disciple couldn't have killed him."
"Then it was still you."
Alóng lowered her gaze.
"Don't want to admit it?" Mu Anxiao retorted. After a moment of thought, she continued, "It's fine if you don't admit it. Then tell me, where is his body? And why didn't he go down?"
"I protected his soul body with my demonic energy, so naturally, they didn't find him. As for his body," Alóng glanced at Dá Yé, "I hid it."
"Hid?"
"This is all I can say. I can't say anything more."
Everyone who saves someone has their reasons. Alóng's actions now, without any other explanation, were impossible to dismiss.
Therefore, when Alóng said this, Mu Anxiao fell into contemplation.
"..."
Seeing Mu Anxiao's sudden silence, Alóng asked, "Why aren't you speaking?"
Mu Anxiao: "..." She looked at Alóng, considering her words, and her eyes lit up. "You're not planning to help him cultivate demonic arts, are you?"
Alóng: "..." She avoided Mu Anxiao's gaze, not expecting her to guess her intentions.