"I remember it now."
"Mmm."
"Since you remember, I'll tell you. Actually," the monster leader grinned widely, "I'm here for you."
"For me?"
"Yes. My goal is simple: to kill you."
"Kill?" Mu Anxiao swallowed, "I have no enmity with you. Why would you kill me?"
"Then my brothers have no enmity with you. Why did you kill them?"
A good point. Mu Anxiao had indeed done something that angered these monsters. She had to admit it now, but she didn't want to lose her life because it wasn't worth it.
So, she said, "I had no choice."
"You..."
"Don't 'you' me. If you want me dead, blame yourselves for not being strong enough."
"...."
"Look, in the human world, people use silver. But here, they use your inner cores. Do you know what that means?"
"What?"
"It means your inner cores have long become their silver. So, don't blame me. Blame the one who defined your inner cores as silver." Mu Anxiao spread her hands.
"You're shirking responsibility."
"I'm not. I'm just," Mu Anxiao smiled, "stating facts."
"Indeed, just like that year."
"What happened to me that year? Please be clear. I am Mu Anxiao, not Gu An. And you are not her to me anymore. That means I have no enmity or grudges with you."
"What a silver tongue you have."
"It's not that I'm eloquent. I'm just used to speaking the truth, that's all!"
"I think you're used to spewing nonsense."
"....."
A dog's mouth cannot produce ivory. Mu Anxiao finally understood. The one speaking nonsense was the creature before her.
"Why are you silent now?"
"I'm not talking now. Back then, Gu An already died at your hands. You now..."
"Those who die in the Demon Realm have no chance to reincarnate. Since you have reincarnated, you are still our enemy." The monster leader interrupted.
"You..."
"Attack her!"
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao's body tensed. She looked around, wondering why Yan Bian hadn't appeared yet.
"....."
"Go to hell." The monster leader pointed at Mu Anxiao and vanished.
Next, Mu Anxiao was plunged into a battle against wave after wave of monsters.
The Residence.
Feng Qi Shi knelt on the ground, his face covered in dust. He poked at a hole in the wall and exclaimed excitedly, "Found it."
Hearing this, Xiang Nang hurried behind Feng Qi Shi and crouched down to look. "This is the hole in the wall."
"Yes."
"What are you going to do?"
"You step back."
"What are you doing?"
"This is a weak point. I'm going to inject a spell into it, and then break this wall. This way, the barrier will be completely broken." Feng Qi Shi explained as he began to cast his spell.
Xiang Nang cooperated, stood up, and retreated a few steps.
The Demon Forest.
Mu Anxiao flew into the air, wielding her silver rope with all her might, her nerves taut, guarding against surprise attacks.
Below.
The monster leader leaned against a tree with his arms crossed, looking up at the agile Mu Anxiao, who was continuously knocking down monsters. A smile curved his lips. "She's indeed more powerful than Gu An was that year. But it's understandable. This one possesses spiritual energy, while Gu An only had demonic energy." He continued to observe.
Meanwhile, Mu Anxiao quickly turned and knocked down a monster behind her.
On the trees, another group of monsters waited for their turn.
A quarter of an hour later.
Teng Tiao Jing, who had been sleeping, was woken up by Yan Bian.
"What are you doing?" He opened his eyes, looking groggily at Yan Bian squatting before him.
Yan Bian said, "Look at the color." She pointed to the glowing red sky.
Teng Tiao Jing glanced dismissively at the sky. "What am I looking at? The Demon Forest is like this. Every day the sky looks like a woman's face, changing its mood."
"What do you mean by that?" Yan Bian grabbed Teng Tiao Jing's collar.
Teng Tiao Jing looked down at Yan Bian's tightly clenched hand on his collar. "See? Did I hit the mark?"
Yan Bian let go immediately upon hearing this. "Come with me."
"Where are we going?" Teng Tiao Jing played dumb.
"Come with me to find Mu Anxiao."
"She definitely wouldn't..."
"You were supposed to stay with Mu Anxiao, protecting her from the shadows. But you brought me here, and now I can't even see a trace of her. What do you mean by this?"
Teng Tiao Jing closed his eyes.
Seeing this, Yan Bian frowned, reached out, and forcibly pried Teng Tiao Jing's eyes open. "I'm talking to you. Can't you hear me?"
Teng Tiao Jing grabbed Yan Bian's wrist. "I can hear you, but I guarantee Mu Anxiao is fine."
"Even if she's fine, you..."
Yan Bian's words were cut short as Teng Tiao Jing suddenly pointed a finger and tapped Yan Bian's forehead forcefully.
Then, Yan Bian sat on the ground.
"Just let me rest for a bit." He pleaded.
"....." Yan Bian, unable to move and with her mouth sealed, glared at Teng Tiao Jing, suddenly realizing... this guy was a liar.
Teng Tiao Jing: "...." He glared at Yan Bian and closed his eyes.
Yan Bian frowned tightly, growing anxious.
The Residence.
Feng Qi Shi stood up, narrowed his eyes, and kicked the wall forcefully.
Xiang Nang exclaimed, "Doesn't your foot hurt?"
"These bricks are soft. It doesn't hurt." Feng Qi Shi replied while kicking.
Xiang Nang breathed a sigh of relief. "Do you need my help?"
"No, you stay far away."
"Okay." Xiang Nang nodded and took a step back.
At the same time, Shen Xian stood by the door and, as he glanced towards the kitchen, his eyes widened. "What is Feng Qi Shi doing?" As he spoke, he hurried towards the kitchen.
The Kitchen.
Feng Qi Shi also sensed Shen Xian's arrival instantly, so he sped up, kicking the wall repeatedly.
Xiang Nang also sensed Shen Xian and clenched her fists, worried for Feng Qi Shi.
In the Demon Forest.
Mu Anxiao stood her ground. The silver rope in her hand vanished after its last swing.
At this moment, her heart was completely broken. Clenching her fists, she turned and looked at the monsters closing in on her, gasping, "I'm not afraid of you."
The moment Mu Anxiao uttered these words, the monsters let out ear-splitting roars of "Awooo..."
Hearing their cries, Mu Anxiao's heart ached.
Monster Number One, hiding behind a tree, watched the monsters advance on Mu Anxiao. Recalling the power of the Soul Sword from yesterday, he hurried to the monster leader's side. "Boss, don't push her anymore."
"Push her," the monster leader's lips curved into a smile. He turned to Monster Number One. "Can't you see she's about to collapse?"
"Boss... tell the brothers to stop, otherwise, they will all die."