When Feng Qishi saw Piao's stunned expression and remembered Shen Xian's words, he said, "Senior brother, I don't quite understand what you mean." He looked at Shen Xian.
Shen Xian picked up a peanut from the plate, popped it into his mouth, and said, "It's simple. After watching the performance, you pay. If you don't have it, they'll accompany you to catch monsters. Of course, it's not just catching monsters, but extracting their inner cores." xxs壹贰
Feng Qishi: "..."
Feng Qishi had always thought he only needed to catch the monsters, but he never imagined it would be so troublesome.
Shen Xian stared at Feng Qishi's dumbfounded face and asked, "Junior brother, are you scared?"
Feng Qishi snapped back to attention and said, "I'm just here to accompany Xu Lan. The portion for Piao and me will naturally be counted towards Xu Lan's."
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao and the vine spirit turned their heads simultaneously to look at Shen Xian and Feng Qishi.
Following this, Shen Xian looked at the vine spirit and asked, "Xu Lan, have you prepared the monsters for my junior brother and Piao?"
"..." The vine spirit smiled, looked at Feng Qishi and Piao, and put on a guilty expression. "Oh dear, I forgot to tell you. My apologies!"
Hearing the vine spirit's dry explanation, Mu Anxiao glared at him with disdain. "..."
Feng Qishi snorted, "So, you tricked us into coming here."
The vine spirit said, "Brother Shen, you shouldn't put it so harshly. I genuinely forgot."
At the same time, the woman on the stage said, "Those who have watched the performance and eaten, please go over there to deliver the monster inner cores." After speaking, she and the accompanying dancers vanished into black smoke.
They came and went so quickly. Mu Anxiao had thought coming to watch the performance was free. Now, hearing the woman speak, she finally understood that this place was indeed different from the human world.
In the human world, you paid first and then watched the performance. Here, it was the other way around – watch first, then pay!
Then, after carefully pondering the woman's words, she mumbled, "Strange, what is an inner core?"
Upon hearing this, the vine spirit looked at Mu Anxiao with a mocking expression and asked, "You don't even know what an inner core is? Are you from the demon realm?"
"..." Mu Anxiao glared fiercely at the vine spirit.
Following this, a woman in a black dress suddenly appeared before Mu Anxiao and said, "Those without inner cores, follow me."
Because of the close proximity, Mu Anxiao casually asked, "Why should I follow you?"
"Catching monsters requires three inner cores. If you can't catch them, you'll stay here as a laborer to pay off your debt."
"Laborer?" Mu Anxiao repeated, thinking of Yang Tai and the affairs in the human world. She quickly shook her head and said, "I can't be a laborer here."
"If you don't want to be one, then follow me."
"..." Mu Anxiao nodded slightly.
Feng Qishi was still a bit angry, but seeing Mu Anxiao's relaxed demeanor, he let go of all the anger in his heart, got up, walked around the table, and stood beside Mu Anxiao.
Piao glanced at Shen Xian and the vine spirit who had trapped them here and said, "You win."
Shen Xian smiled, "Let's go."
The vine spirit beckoned to Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao left without even looking at the vine spirit.
Not long after, Mu Anxiao and the others followed the woman in the black dress to an open space.
Immediately, the sky changed drastically. Mu Anxiao looked around and asked the woman in the black dress, "Is this the place?"
"Yes, those monsters like to come here to duel with demons. Anyway, there are only two outcomes: you die, or they die. You," the woman in the black dress looked at the three of them, "it's best if you survive."
Mu Anxiao asked, "What is a monster inner core?"
"..." The woman in black did not answer and simply vanished before her eyes.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao took a step forward and said, "I haven't finished speaking, why did you leave?"
"..." Piao looked around.
Feng Qishi said, "I understand now."
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao turned sideways to look at the dejected Feng Qishi and asked, "What do you understand?"
Feng Qishi said, "That guy just wants to kill us." He glanced at Piao.
Piao said, "I can see it now, it's all for you."
"For me?" Mu Anxiao pointed to herself.
Piao said angrily, "He just doesn't want you to see Feng Qishi. Now look, he's gotten us into a trap. Mu Anxiao, are you satisfied?"
Mu Anxiao blinked and said, "No, I'm here with you all now. If you speak like that, it's hurtful."
"Why were you so troublesome in your past life? You shouldn't have..."
Halfway through her sentence, Piao couldn't continue.
Feng Qishi said, "When the wind blows, they'll arrive. Get ready."
Mu Anxiao sighed, "..."
After saying those words, Piao felt much better. So, she rolled up her sleeves and prepared to get to work.
Outside the pavilion.
The vine spirit stood under a tree, looking up at the darkening sky. He closed his eyes, placed his fingers on his forehead, and quickly summoned the monster leaders.
There were several types of monsters here. The owner of the pavilion, in order to earn inner cores and improve their demonic rank, had specifically built that combat arena behind the pavilion.
Therefore, as long as a demon stood on that arena, the monsters from all sides would immediately sense it and gather one by one.
However, the owner was worried that the monsters would damage the pavilion, so they set up demonic barriers, allowing only one group of monsters to enter. Those who arrived early would get to eat, and those who arrived late could only leave.
Thus, the vine spirit had to act quickly.
Beside him, Shen Xian faced the pavilion, thinking of the despair in Feng Qishi's eyes and his own selfish decision. He thought, Feng Qishi, it's up to your fate.
Thinking this, he turned his head to look at the vine spirit.
A few minutes later.
The vine spirit lowered the hand that was on his forehead and slowly opened his eyes.
Shen Xian asked, "Done?"
The vine spirit nodded slightly, "Done."
"Then let's go."
The vine spirit asked, "Do you think they will come back?"
Shen Xian thought for a moment and said, "I don't know. All I know is that my Gu An is about to be resurrected." As he spoke, he turned and walked away first.
The vine spirit watched Shen Xian's retreating figure, pondering his words, and gave an evil smile.
In the open space.
Mu Anxiao sat cross-legged, looking up at the dim sky, and said, "I understand now."
Piao turned her head and asked, "What do you understand?"
Mu Anxiao yawned, "This open space is a duel arena specially built by the pavilion owner. Only a portion of monsters can enter at a time. Those who arrive first enter, and those who arrive later are sent away."
"How did you figure that out?" Feng Qishi asked, standing with his back to her, without looking back.
Mu Anxiao said, "The game rules are written on these demonic barriers. If you can't even see that, sigh, it's speechless."
Hearing this, Feng Qishi and Piao finally noticed the game rules and were both speechless.
Then, feeling extremely bored, Mu Anxiao lay down directly. "They're here, call me." As she spoke, she closed her eyes.