Xu Lanyan watched Mu Anxiao’s perplexed expression and said after a moment’s thought, “Right, didn’t you have a piece of paper in your hand just now? Let me see it.”
“Master Feng Qishi gave it to me,” Mu Anxiao said casually, taking the crumpled, blood-stained scrap from his sleeve. “Here.” He handed the paper to Xu Lanyan.
Xu Lanyan no longer showed his previous disdain. He calmly took the paper, unfolded it, and said, “I understand.”
“Understand what?” Mu Anxiao asked.
Xu Lanyan shifted his gaze from the paper to Mu Anxiao. “You’ve learned to control yourself, and naturally, you’ve achieved the first level of spiritual energy. This first level of spiritual energy allows you to touch them.” He gestured towards Hun Ling and the others.
“First level?” Mu Anxiao repeated, glancing sideways at Hun Ling and the others, and chuckled, “What does first level mean?”
“It’s… the lowest tier, um,” Xu Lanyan, worried Mu Anxiao wouldn’t understand, thought for a moment and continued, “Let’s put it this way: you now have the ability to acquire spiritual energy, but to cast spells and return to how you were before… you still need to cultivate further.”
“Isn’t this something Master Feng Qishi bestowed upon me?” Mu Anxiao asked.
“No, this was merely his message to you,” Xu Lanyan said, handing the paper back to Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao sighed and took the paper. “Strange, when did I learn to control myself?”
“Xiao Nian,” Queen Rabbit said, following the Yin general to Mu Anxiao’s side, reminding him.
“Xiao Nian, right. I’ve been holding back for days,” Mu Anxiao said, turning to look at Queen Rabbit, who was shackled. “Are you leaving?”
Queen Rabbit nodded. “Yes. Remember my words, nothing is ever easy. You must control yourself and not harbor evil thoughts.”
At this moment, Mu Anxiao didn’t know what to say. Looking at the improved Queen Rabbit before him, and the rabbit spirits cooperating with the Yin generals to leave, a suppressed feeling rose within her.
Seeing Mu Anxiao’s silence, Queen Rabbit said again, “Without you, I wouldn’t have been able to see these things clearly. Thank you, Mu Anxiao.”
Hearing Queen Rabbit’s gratitude, Mu Anxiao’s eyes welled up. “I’m sorry, I’m not good with words. I don’t know what to say to you now.”
“Take care, cultivate properly, I’m leaving now,” Queen Rabbit said, turning to the Yin general holding bamboo. “Is it okay if the credit for capturing me goes to her?”
The Yin general nodded slightly. “Yes, I’ve noted it.”
“Thank you,” Queen Rabbit smiled faintly and looked back at Mu Anxiao. “I’m leaving.”
“Mm,” Mu Anxiao nodded and took a few steps back.
Following this, the other rabbit spirits who had interacted with Mu Anxiao also bid farewell to her one by one and left. Mu Anxiao watched their departing figures, a feeling she couldn’t quite describe growing within her.
Hun Ling stood beside Mu Anxiao and said, “Back then, I led them down this path. Now, watching them leave one by one, this feeling…” He gave a bitter smile. “It’s truly not good.”
“Yes,” Mu Anxiao nodded, then turned to look at Hun Ling, who was sighing in contemplation. “Did they give you any trouble?”
“Following your advice, I tried to influence them with my heart. In the end, they all spoke up for me. Then… the Yin general in charge saw my merit, told me to return, and promoted me,” Hun Ling said, then began to cry.
Mu Anxiao reached out and patted Hun Ling’s shoulder. “Cry if you need to. This feeling must be difficult to bear.”
“Mm,” Hun Ling nodded as he cried.
Xu Lanyan looked down at the backs of Mu Anxiao and Hun Ling, smiled, and said, “Things have concluded satisfactorily.” He then looked up at the sky, which was gradually brightening.
Yan lowered her head in thought, then stepped to Mu Anxiao’s side and asked, “Can you tell me how my father died?”
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao turned to Yan and said, “Your father was killed by your mother. Your mother… she did it all for you.”
“Is my mother the same as Xiao Nian’s mother?” Yan asked.
Mu Anxiao shook her head. “No.”
“How are they different?” Yan asked softly.
Mu Anxiao said earnestly, “Although I don’t understand emotions, your mother once told me something. She said,” she pursed her lips, “she loved your father, and killing him was also because of love.”
“If she loved him, why did she kill him?” Yan’s eyes were filled with disappointment.
Mu Anxiao looked at Yan’s despairing and agitated state and said in a low voice, “I knew you would react like this, which is why I didn’t want to tell you.”
“Beneath an ugly exterior must lie an ugly heart,” Yan said, not listening to Mu Anxiao at all, and lowered her eyelids. “This saying describes my mother, doesn’t it?”
“Yan, your mother also…”
“Stop talking,” Yan looked up at Mu Anxiao. “Xiao Nian’s mother is different from mine. My mother only acted for herself, but Xiao Nian’s mother acted for Xiao Nian. My mother… she’s just a selfish rat spirit.” After speaking, she turned her back.
Mu Anxiao said, “I’m only telling you the surface details. The inner workings are likely different from what you imagine, Yan. Don’t be like this.”
Yan raised her face, holding back tears. “Mu Anxiao, thank you for telling me this. My grandmother raised me, and the rat tribe accompanied my growth. From today onwards, I will no longer mention my mother. I have no mother. I also won’t resent you anymore, because,” she turned to Mu Anxiao, “you did nothing wrong.” With that, she ran off.
Mu Anxiao watched Yan run until she disappeared from sight, a sense of guilt gradually surfacing. She lowered her gaze, Yan’s words echoing clearly in her ears.
“I did something wrong,” she said.
Hun Ling looked at Mu Anxiao’s profile and said, “You merely spoke a truth, a fact.”
“No,” Mu Anxiao shook her head. “I only said what I saw. I don’t know the truth.”
“In my eyes, what you saw is the truth,” Xu Lanyan stated firmly.
“That was my belief at the time, but now…” Mu Anxiao looked at Xu Lanyan. “I don’t think so.”
“Then what should you do? You go explain it to her, and then… what?” Xu Lanyan spread his hands. “You’re going to find her mother, who was manipulated by the vine spirit. Are you stupid, Mu Anxiao?”
“I am just a cripple now,” Mu Anxiao said, pausing before adding, “Although I have spiritual energy, I’m still a cripple.”
“The fact that you can touch me is progress,” Hun Ling encouraged.
Mu Anxiao gave Hun Ling a forced smile. “It seems I need to find a master. That way, I might be able to help Yan faster.”
“Who are you planning to find?” Xu Lanyan asked.
Mu Anxiao thought for a moment and said, “For the path ahead, I must walk it myself.”
“You’re going to find a master yourself? You don’t need my help?” Xu Lanyan looked at Mu Anxiao with surprise.