"I was just testing you," Feng Qishi said.
"Testing me for what?"
Mu Anxiao asked this aloud, but a strange unease began to stir within her heart.
"You ask what I'm testing you for? You can't even distinguish between a monster and a spirit, what can you do?" Feng Qishi pointed at Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao's eyes flickered unnaturally. "It was too dusty just now, so... I didn't sense it."
"Stop making excuses," Feng Qishi said, then looked towards Chen. "Your name is Chen."
"Your name is Feng Qishi," Chen replied.
Feng Qishi nodded. "Yes, I didn't expect you to remember so quickly."
"You let me out deliberately just now?" Chen asked.
Just moments before, as Feng Qishi entered, he had sensed the resentment emanating from Chen. However, the aura within that resentment was not Mu Anxiao's.
Thus, he thought of how Mu Anxiao had run out with the four beggars earlier, and with a helpless smile, he said, "Yes."
"Why?"
"No reason."
"Do you think I'm too weak?"
"Why do you ask that?"
"Piao thinks so. If it weren't for him, I..."
"Stop there. Have you ever seen Piao?" Feng Qishi asked.
As Feng Qishi voiced Mu Anxiao's unspoken question, only curiosity remained in Mu Anxiao's eyes.
Chen glanced at Mu Anxiao and said, "I haven't seen Piao."
"Then why are you looking for Piao?" Feng Qishi asked again.
Chen pursed her lips. "I only remember the name. As for his face... I truly haven't seen it."
"What happened between you and Piao ten years ago?"
"He dueled me, injured me, and then left."
"What kind of monster are you?" Mu Anxiao asked.
Chen replied, "I am an earth demon."
Earth demon. Mu Anxiao had never heard of such a type of monster. But since Chen told her, she felt awkward about revealing her ignorance, so she gave a couple of forced laughs.
Since Chen had cultivated into human form, she had encountered countless monsters. But every time she revealed her true form, none of those monsters believed her. She would then try to explain vehemently, but they simply wouldn't believe her.
At first, she couldn't accept the feeling of not being believed. Gradually, as more monsters disbelieved her, she stopped explaining.
Therefore, the moment Mu Anxiao spoke, Chen felt that Mu Anxiao was just placating her. Nevertheless, she still wanted to know Mu Anxiao's thoughts clearly.
"No monster believes me, why would you?" she asked.
"The world is vast and full of wonders. If you can say it, why should I not believe you?" Mu Anxiao replied.
Indeed, the world was vast and full of wonders. Mu Anxiao simply hadn't heard of earth demons. If, at this moment... she insisted on not believing Chen, it would surely be a great blow to Chen.
"What you said makes a lot of sense," Chen remarked.
Mu Anxiao gave another dry laugh.
"However, I don't believe you," Chen said, her expression turning cold.
Mu Anxiao had thought she had passed the test, only for Chen to say this.
At this moment, Mu Anxiao understood a truth: sometimes, if you give others face, they might not necessarily return the favor. Rather than being like this, it was better to be straightforward.
"Yes, that's what I think," Mu Anxiao said.
"You really don't believe me," Chen lowered her head.
Mu Anxiao looked helplessly at the dejected Chen, then glanced at Feng Qishi, who was watching her. "What are you looking at me for?"
"Be more tactful, don't be so direct."
"She's quite direct too," Mu Anxiao pointed at Chen.
Chen said, "I knew you would answer like this."
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao shifted her gaze back to Chen's face. "Actually, I do believe you, it's just... I haven't heard of earth demons before, so... I was a bit... slow."
"Then you believe me?" Chen's eyes brightened.
"You can transform into dust, if you're not an earth demon... then what are you?" Mu Anxiao asked.
As Mu Anxiao said, Chen herself had found it hard to think of herself as anything other than an earth demon over the years.
"What grudge do you have with that Piao?" Feng Qishi asked while Chen was silent.
Upon hearing this, a flicker of anger flashed in Chen's eyes.
Ten years ago, just as Chen had cultivated into human form and was channeling the spiritual energy between heaven and earth, a dark light suddenly appeared and enveloped her. It then proceeded to absorb half of the demon energy within her.
Before leaving, he had told her his name and uttered the same words that Mu Anxiao and A Xia had said: "You deserve it."
From that moment on, Chen had resolved to find that person named Piao.
"You don't have a direct feud with him," Feng Qishi stated.
Chen immediately glared at Feng Qishi. "He absorbed my demon energy, and that energy is not easy to cultivate."
"Why would he do that to you?" Mu Anxiao asked.
Chen narrowed her eyes. "Who knows? He appeared out of nowhere and left just as suddenly. That kind of person deserves to die." She clenched her fist.
The grudge between Chen and Piao was also unexpected for Mu Anxiao. Seeing the angry expression on Chen's face, she didn't know what to say and remained silent.
"..."
Unexpectedly, Mu Anxiao's silence was also a mistake.
Chen asked angrily, "Why aren't you speaking anymore?"
Mu Anxiao gave an awkward smile. "He deserves to die, but... do you understand him?"
Chen was not deterred by Mu Anxiao's question. Instead, she became more animated. "That year, I was still a novice. But now I'm different," she spread her hands, conjuring clouds of dust. "My demon arts are quite powerful. Dealing with him is a piece of cake."
Listening to Chen's confident words, and looking at the dust in her hands, Mu Anxiao asked, "Then... do you know where he is?"
At this moment, Mu Anxiao seemed to have sparked Chen's memory. She lowered her hands, bowed her head, and recalled the events of ten years ago.
Finally, she furrowed her brow slightly, then looked around. "Now that you mention it, I really don't remember what he looked like?"
"..." Mu Anxiao.
Feng Qishi glanced at the clearly speechless Mu Anxiao. "Then you boast about defeating him. May I ask," he sneered, "where do you get such courage?"
"None of your business," Chen retorted.
Feng Qishi turned his head and smiled, placing a hand on Mu Anxiao's shoulder. "Is it very exasperating?"
Feng Qishi hadn't mentioned it, Mu Anxiao hadn't felt anything. But now that he pointed it out, Mu Anxiao's heart sank. She gave another awkward smile to Chen, who was looking at her again.
Chen said with a cold face, "I knew you would be exasperated. If it were me... I'd be exasperated too."
Mu Anxiao continued to force a smile.
Seeing Mu Anxiao remain silent, Chen grew impatient. "Can you say something?"
"What should I say?" Mu Anxiao retorted.
Chen replied, "Comfort me."