"Shadow." Mu Anxiao deliberately repeated the words, then glanced at the elder, who still dared not look up at A’long, and said, "Fine, then I won't ask you anymore."
A’long had expected Mu Anxiao to press further after her statement, but she had compromised so easily.
A’long was surprised by this.
"...."
"What's that expression for?" Mu Anxiao asked, looking at A’long’s face with confusion.
A’long said, "I'll help you." She then waved her arm, casting another layer of demonic energy around the elder.
The Underworld.
The underworld officers, who were about to set out to apprehend the elder, suddenly stopped, frowned, and muttered, "I must have misread." Saying this, he touched the back of his head and turned away.
In the woods, Feng Qishi felt a wave of relief the moment Mu Anxiao was out of danger.
The old man stood obediently not far away, not saying a word.
Feng Qishi glanced at the old man and remained silent.
The thatched hut.
The elder looked down at the transparent points of light that suddenly surrounded him for protection. He mustered his courage, looked at A’long, and said, "A’long, thank you."
A’long didn’t even glance at the elder as she replied, "You old fool, I'm not helping you, I'm helping her." With that, she looked at Mu Anxiao and said, "Speak."
Mu Anxiao was taken aback. "Speak about what?"
A’long said, "You said you had a secret to tell me. You can tell me now."
"A secret," Mu Anxiao repeated. She then remembered that A’long and Guan Mian both came from the cultivation sect. Considering A’long's current relationship with the elder and what she had just said, her heart sank. "I'll tell you after we've accomplished this." She tried her best to appear calm.
A’long frowned. "Are you lying to me?"
"Why would I lie to you?"
"You know yourself," A’long said, looking at the elder. "This demonic art that hides his soul's aura only lasts for three days. You two should make good use of your time."
"Aren't you coming with me?" Mu Anxiao asked.
A’long glared fiercely at the elder, then looked at Mu Anxiao and said, "I'm not coming."
"You..."
"Give me the fan."
"If you help me, I..."
"Even if I'm covered in wounds, I don't want to help you find his wife," A’long interrupted, extending her hand.
Seeing A’long's resolute expression, Mu Anxiao lowered her eyes, thought for a moment, cast a spell to mend the holes in the folding fan one by one, and then handed it to A’long. "Here."
A’long looked in surprise at her clothes that were gradually becoming new again. She then looked up at Mu Anxiao's sincere expression and said, "You're really helping me."
"Everyone is biased against me. Since you're from the cultivation sect, it's impossible for you not to be biased against me."
"Your fellow disciples from the cultivation sect all dislike you," A’long said, taking the fan. "I saw you that year, but you didn't even spare me a glance."
"...." Mu Anxiao nodded slightly. "You're right, I really didn't pay attention to you."
"You..."
"Not only did I not pay attention to you, but I also didn't pay attention to your fellow disciples," Mu Anxiao said seriously. "To put it bluntly, we're mutual. You find me displeasing, and I find you all displeasing."
"I can see that."
"It's good that you can see that. I'm already very grateful that you've helped me this much."
"You're welcome," A’long said, without looking at the elder, and turned to leave.
Mu Anxiao watched A’long's retreating figure. Then, recalling A’long's perfunctory summary of the events twenty years ago, she thought that if the elder's wife was still alive, A’long would not be able to face her calmly upon seeing her. If something minor then angered A’long, everything would surely become complicated.
Therefore, to avoid such a situation, she decided to give up on getting A’long's continued assistance.
At the same time, the elder looked sideways at A’long's figure as she completely disappeared into the night and said, "She went through a lot."
Mu Anxiao said, "I'm not interested in your affairs. Let's go."
"Okay." The elder turned back to look at Mu Anxiao.
A moment later.
Mu Anxiao brought the elder back to Feng Qishi’s side, but this time it was different; the elder was not carrying a lantern and gong.
"Where are your lantern and gong?" Feng Qishi walked up to the elder and asked.
Mu Anxiao stood beside the elder, holding a magic lantern in one hand. She looked up at Feng Qishi, who looked curious, and said, "Shen Fengzi, you should just shut up." As she spoke, she glanced at the dejected elder beside her.
The elder also glanced at Mu Anxiao and said, "The lantern, it's lost."
"Lost?"
The elder nodded. "I lost it. I lost everything."
At that moment, the elder felt extremely guilty towards A’long, yet he also wanted to know if his wife was still alive.
In short, he was extremely conflicted.
Seeing the elder's demeanor and hearing his words, Feng Qishi lost the courage to speak further.
Mu Anxiao glanced at the elder, then at the old man, and said, "We can go now."
The old man said, "It's already dark. How will you get into the city?"
"I have my ways," Mu Anxiao said, looking at the elder. "Please lead the way."
"You still want to bring him?" the old man pointed at the elder.
The elder replied, "I need to see if my wife is still alive in this world."
"Your wife..." the old man started, then looked at Mu Anxiao. "Hey, didn't you say you were going to fulfill my wish?"
"Because his wife took a fake medicine from a swindler, I'll go see his wife first, and then your family."
"Fake..." The old man had just uttered one word when he frowned. "You said, what fake medicine?"
"Do you know anyone named Guan Mian?" Mu Anxiao asked tentatively.
Feng Qishi was completely bewildered and couldn't understand the current situation at all.
Subsequently, the old man looked down and repeated Guan Mian's name a few times before looking at Mu Anxiao. "He was a young man, said to be cultivating."
"Yes." Mu Anxiao was excited because she hadn't expected the old man to know that fellow Guan Mian.
"That young man was quite gentle, but he was..." The old man, recalling Guan Mian's visit to his home, said, "A bit sly, he gave me a feeling of... good, but also not good. In short... let me see."
"Was he a medicine seller?" Mu Anxiao glanced intentionally at the elder.
The old man nodded. "He was selling medicine, what's wrong?"
To be frank, Mu Anxiao had intended to tell the old man about this after entering the city. But seeing the current situation, she suddenly felt that telling him now might save more trouble.
So, she asked, "You remember when I asked for your help just now?"
"I remember. Didn't you say we'd talk about it after entering the city?"
"...." Mu Anxiao chuckled dryly and said, "I'll tell you now, but please don't be angry."
"Go ahead and say it," the old man replied calmly.