The man in green chuckled, "The fact that you can say it proves you care. Stop pretending in front of me." With that, he turned his back.
Shi Yi watched the green-clad man's retreating figure, utterly speechless.
An instant later, the old man's voice came from within, "Enter."
"Yes, Master," the green-clad man replied loudly, pushing open the ethereal clouds and stepping inside.
Shi Yi followed closely behind.
The old man stood in place, hands behind his back, observing the two of them. "What were you two talking about outside?"
"Reporting to Master, my junior brother asked if you would hold a disciple-accepting ceremony," the green-clad man answered truthfully.
Upon hearing this, the old man glanced at Shi Yi, who had lowered his head, and smiled. "Do you want me to hold a disciple-accepting ceremony for you?"
"I dare not," Shi Yi said softly.
The old man chuckled, "It's alright. Once your senior brother has completely recovered, I will hold it for you."
"No need," Shi Yi replied again.
The old man smiled faintly and shifted his gaze to the green-clad man's face. "Is there something you don't understand that you wish to ask again?"
"Yes," the green-clad man nodded.
"Speak," the old man said.
Shi Yi looked up cautiously at the old man, then lowered his head again.
The green-clad man pondered and then asked, "We no longer have desires or emotions. How can we find women of destined affinity? Even if we find them, without any feelings... how can we live?"
"Our celestial positions do not require us to sever desires and emotions. Don't you know this?" the old man asked.
The green-clad man blinked in surprise. "They don't? Then why do I... feel so indifferent towards humans?"
"Because you can control your desires and emotions, you feel this way. If you couldn't control them," the old man smiled, "I wouldn't have let you descend."
"I don't feel like I'm controlling them."
"Controlling your desires and emotions has become your habit. Over time, habits become deeply rooted in your being, and naturally, you no longer feel them," the old man said calmly.
Shi Yi asked, "What about me?"
Upon hearing this, the old man looked at Shi Yi. "It is precisely because you cannot control them that you must learn to do so. Just like your senior brother, he couldn't control himself, so he will accompany you from now on."
"Our senior brother, after all, lived as a human for over a decade. It's normal that he couldn't control himself," the green-clad man said. "Don't think anything of it!"
"You are also not allowed to descend," the old man said, his attention shifting to the green-clad man.
The green-clad man was displeased. "Master, I've only just started. How can you..."
"What about that Hong Yan?" the old man interrupted.
"Hong Yan is in the celestial realm. I've settled her," the green-clad man replied.
"She will suffice," the old man said.
The green-clad man frowned upon hearing this. "Master, what do you mean by that!"
"Don't you like her?" the old man asked directly.
Shi Yi chuckled quietly.
The green-clad man nudged Shi Yi with his elbow. "Master, when did I ever say I liked her?"
"You still say you don't? Just now, the way you rushed back to find her, I'm not foolish. If you like her, just say so, and I won't prevent it," the old man said with a smile.
The green-clad man's mouth twitched. "Master, I've only known her for a short time. My liking... liking her, are you kidding? She's at most a partner to me, just like Mu An Xiao was before. Mu An Xiao assisted my brother in finding women of destined affinity, and she assists me. We're partners, in a cooperative relationship, understand?"
"I thought you liked her," the old man said.
"I thought so too," Shi Yi chimed in.
The green-clad man patted his face in exasperation. "Don't misunderstand, don't misunderstand. I'm looking for women of destined affinity, not demons. Don't you two guess randomly."
"Junior brother, I also think you like Hong Yan," Feng Qi Shi said suddenly.
Hearing this, the green-clad man frowned, strode over to Feng Qi Shi's side, and lowered his head. "Then, according to you, I could say you like Mu An Xiao."
"I owe her," Feng Qi Shi said.
"Owe what? How I treated Hong Yan is exactly how you treated Mu An Xiao back then. Therefore, you do like her," the green-clad man stated firmly.
Feng Qi Shi said, "Don't lump me in with you. It's different."
"Senior brother, don't think I can't see it, you and Mu An Xiao..."
"I won't talk about you anymore," Feng Qi Shi interrupted, closing his eyes.
Shi Yi looked at Feng Qi Shi, recalling how differently Mu An Xiao treated him compared to herself, and a sense of unease gradually surfaced in his heart.
"Don't be impetuous," the old man said suddenly, looking at Shi Yi.
Shi Yi snapped back to attention and looked at the old man, nodding. "Understood, Master."
The old man said nothing more, turned, and walked away.
The green-clad man also fell silent and turned to Shi Yi. "Don't tell Hong Yan what I said."
"I know," Shi Yi replied.
"Good that you know," the green-clad man said, then glanced at Feng Qi Shi.
In the mortal realm, Mu An Xiao had been staying at the inn for three days. Nothing had happened during these three days. Her daily life consisted of eating, sleeping, and eating again. This kind of life, for her, was also... a form of contentment.
"Aren't you looking for your master?"
"Not anymore. I just want to lie here like this. It's comfortable," Mu An Xiao said, lying on the bed and looking at Tian Jiang, who was standing by the bedside and looking down at her.
Tian Jiang frowned. "Fine, you don't have to look, but could you stop bothering me at night?"
"No, unless you promise not to leave here," Mu An Xiao said.
"Why won't you let me leave here? I'm a demon," Tian Jiang said helplessly.
"Because if you leave, I will have to leave," Mu An Xiao said.
"I will not take you as a disciple," Tian Jiang said impatiently.
"I know," Mu An Xiao said, sitting up. "And I also know that after you leave here, you'll definitely go somewhere else to open another inn, right?"
Tian Jiang shifted his gaze, "Who told you that?"
"I heard what you said to your waiter last time. You said you were going to leave here and open an inn elsewhere," Mu An Xiao said with a smile. "At first, I thought you were going to retreat into the forest, but this is good too. If I follow you, I'll have a place to stay."
"Why do you insist on following me?" Tian Jiang asked, confused.
"At first, I couldn't figure it out myself why I wanted to follow you. After sleeping on it today, I figured it out," Mu An Xiao said earnestly.
"Speak," Tian Jiang uttered one word.
Mu An Xiao gave Tian Jiang two sheepish smiles. "Based on my understanding of you these past three days, you know both demonic arts and the art of subduing demons. If I follow you, I'll be safe."
"Three days ago, although you pestered me, I admired your spirit of seeking knowledge from the bottom of my heart. But I never expected... after only three days, you've changed your mind," Tian Jiang snorted lightly. "Mu An Xiao, I've truly misjudged you."