"Yes, master," Xu Lan said, taking Xu Lan's arm.
Xu Lan glanced down at the hand Xu Lan had placed on his arm. "Then we can only wait until tomorrow."
Hearing Xu Lan's words, Xu Lan couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
The cook said, "Although that place is deep within the demon forest, however..." She lowered her eyes slightly.
Seeing the cook's deliberate pause, Xu Lan asked, "What do you want?"
The cook replied, "That place isn't easy to get to."
"Isn't that the end of the demon forest? I thought, as long as I keep walking forward, I can get there."
"You think..." The cook looked up at Xu Lan. "It's too simple!"
Xu Lan: "..."
"That place can only be reached by being led. You can't go there yourself."
"Led?"
"Mmm, I suspect," the cook glanced upstairs and said in a low voice, "that girl can."
"Her?" Xu Lan blurted out the word, then thought about the girl's words. He asked, "What will happen if I go by myself?"
"Death."
"..."
Xu Lan exclaimed in shock, "Why would I die?"
"That is a secret place. If you go by yourself without being led, it will always be a dead end. Some..." the girl hesitated, "some unfortunate souls die like that."
Xu Lan: "How do you know?"
The cook retorted, "What is this place?"
"An inn."
"Then that's right. This is an inn, so naturally, I can hear many things you cannot. If you want me to," the cook looked at Xu Lan, "you should wait here for their news."
"..." Xu Lan, "No, I..."
"If you don't listen to me, I can't say anything. Anyway," the cook said coldly, "it's you who will die, not me. And it's you who will trouble Mu Anxiao and the others, not me." With that, she turned and walked away.
Xu Lan glanced at the cook's retreating back and sat down. "Master, I think what the cook said is right." As she spoke, she continued to eat her noodles.
Xu Lan's eyes darkened. "Xu Lan, if Mu Anxiao and the others don't come back, then we..." He looked down at Xu Lan, "we will have to part."
Xu Lan paused, then looked up at Xu Lan. "Master, I believe in them."
"You..."
"If," Xu Lan lowered her eyes, staring at the half-eaten bowl of noodles, "the mission fails, I would rather part with you than watch you die." She looked up at Xu Lan again.
Xu Lan: "..."
"Master," Xu Lan's eyes welled up with tears, "you're all I have left. If you leave, what will I do?"
Xu Lan was moved by Xu Lan's words. "There are no 'ifs.' They will definitely return safely." He sat down.
Xu Lan nodded.
Xu Lan pointed at Xu Lan's noodles. "Are they really good?"
"Delicious."
"Give them to me. You can't eat too much," Xu Lan reached out.
Xu Lan was stunned. "Master, did I eat this?"
Xu Lan had always treated anything Xu Lan used or ate with the same attitude: disdain.
For him to act like this now surprised Xu Lan.
Xu Lan said, "We are partners." He then snatched Xu Lan's bowl and chopsticks and began to eat.
Xu Lan: "..." She smiled.
Village.
Mu Anxiao lost all sleep due to the incident and sat by the fire, quietly gazing at the thick layers of dust on the ground. She thought, the demon soul's helper wasn't a demon soul? Could it be that her helper... was related to the women who harmed Yang Tai?
Thinking of this, she sighed and turned to look at Feng Qishi, who was leaning on her shoulder and sleeping soundly. She then couldn't help but recall his confession to her and mumbled, "Shen Fengzi, why do you like me?"
Feng Qishi replied, "In this world, there is no woman who matches me. Of course, I like you." As he spoke, he opened his eyes and sat up.
Conversely, Mu Anxiao was not startled but appeared very calm. "Zhang Yan, I cannot have personal romantic feelings. I think you should give up."
Feng Qishi said, "I won't give up."
"You and I are impossible."
"I knew you would say this, but come here," Feng Qishi looked at Mu Anxiao and smiled, "Don't you realize that you've actually started to have feelings for me?"
Mu Anxiao: "..."
"Don't you understand?"
Mu Anxiao replied, "My feelings for Shen Yan are purely out of guilt, not any romantic affection."
"Why were you crying when I died in the modern world?"
"I just remembered Shen Yan, that's all!"
"You..." Feng Qishi smiled helplessly, "Fine, I can't argue with you, you blockhead of a woman."
"You're the blockhead!"
"Ten years ago, you... to me..."
"That was also just out of my guilt towards Shen Yan. As for you..." Mu Anxiao suddenly couldn't remember what had happened ten years ago.
"Why did you stop talking?"
Mu Anxiao thought, if she spoke now, with Feng Qishi's personality, he would definitely say she was talking nonsense seriously.
So, to prevent this from happening, she remained silent.
"..."
"It seems you do like me after all."
"I will not like anyone, including you."
"You..."
"Master forbids me from having any emotions, so," Mu Anxiao glanced at Feng Qishi, "you should give up."
"You..."
To prevent Feng Qishi from making any further moves, Mu Anxiao deliberately covered her mouth. "I will find a suitable immortal-destined woman for you. Then, you and I will have nothing to do with each other."
"You want to dump me again."
"Yes, the time just hasn't come yet," Mu Anxiao deliberately moved aside.
Feng Qishi: "..." He understood what Mu Anxiao was afraid of. "Very well."
"..." Mu Anxiao slanted her eyes at Feng Qishi, furrowing her brow slightly.
Feng Qishi's lips curled. "From now on, I'll see who finds an immortal-destined girl faster, you or me developing feelings for you."
"I will never have feelings for you, dream on!"
"Then I'm going to dream." Feng Qishi lay down.
Mu Anxiao turned her head to look at Feng Qishi, who was lying down leisurely, and let out a soft哼. "It will definitely be me who finds an immortal-destined girl for you faster."
"Just you wait. Don't beg me to marry you then."
"..." Mu Anxiao glared fiercely at Feng Qishi.
Feng Qishi glanced at Mu Anxiao's subtle expression and chuckled. "I've discovered a problem recently."
"What problem?" Mu Anxiao looked directly at the fire.
"Your eyes are going crooked."
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao frowned. "Don't talk nonsense." She turned sideways and forcefully hit Feng Qishi's arm.
Feng Qishi laughed. "If you glare too much, your eyes will really go crooked."
"You..."
Feng Qishi: "..." He closed his eyes.
Mu Anxiao: "..." She was speechless for a few seconds, rubbed her eyes, stopped glaring at him, and turned back to the fire.
"Guard me well, I'm a handsome man," Feng Qishi said, rolling over.
Mu Anxiao: "Boring!" She picked up a wooden stick and poked the fire.