"Let's be direct," Feng Qishi said, standing up. "I'm a demon catcher. From what I've observed of you, your sins aren't too deep. With my help, you'll receive less punishment after you're gone."
"Why do you want to capture us?" the first rabbit spirit asked, looking at Feng Qishi in fear.
Feng Qishi smiled. "Originally, I didn't plan to capture you. I thought the yin and yang officials would come. But then..."
"We won't go with you," the second rabbit spirit interrupted sharply.
Feng Qishi sighed and pointed at the maid rabbit. "You were sent here by your rabbit queen, weren't you?"
The maid rabbit remained silent.
Feng Qishi's lips curled. "You said Mu Anxiao told you that your lives were controlled by that great demon, but have you ever considered the great demon's temperament?"
The maid rabbit said, "We have, but we don't want to die."
"I'm merely giving you a chance to be reborn," Feng Qishi said sternly.
"Reborn?" the maid rabbit said, looking up at Feng Qishi. "Isn't going down there just death? Reborn... who are you trying to fool?"
"Believe it or not, it's up to you," Feng Qishi said, turning his back.
Silence fell upon them.
Meanwhile, Mu Anxiao stopped outside the woodshed and, confirming there were no guards, reached out and pushed the door open.
Hearing the door open, the rabbit spirits tensed and took half a step back.
Then, Mu Anxiao entered the woodshed, looking at her own hand with surprise. "The door was locked, yet I could still open it."
Hearing this, Feng Qishi turned calmly and looked at Mu Anxiao. "That's because you've been favored by the great demon."
Mu Anxiao closed the door again and looked directly at Feng Qishi. "You're quite relaxed here."
"Indeed," Feng Qishi nodded. He glanced at the rabbit spirits present and said, "Since you're here, persuade these fools, who are just like you."
"Persuade them about what?" Mu Anxiao hadn't caught on.
Feng Qishi sighed. "I want to capture them, but they don't want to come with me."
"You're capturing them?" Mu Anxiao said, sweeping her gaze over them. She strode over to Feng Qishi and widened her eyes.
Feng Qishi asked mentally, *What do you want to say?*
*You're being too direct,* Mu Anxiao frowned.
*Is that so? Didn't you say I could capture them?* Feng Qishi raised an eyebrow.
Mu Anxiao remembered her instructions to Feng Qishi before coming here, so she narrowed her eyes. *At the time, I thought there was only one. No one expected there to be so many rabbit spirits, and they're more formidable than the dog-heads.*
*I'm not afraid of them,* Feng Qishi narrowed his eyes.
*I know you're not afraid, but the way you're acting will enrage them. Are you an idiot?* She widened her eyes again.
Feng Qishi pursed his lips and continued, *Is that so? I hadn't thought of that.*
*You lunatic,* Mu Anxiao slammed her fist into Feng Qishi's shoulder.
Feng Qishi glanced at the rabbit spirits who were now watching them. He cleared his throat and said, "Don't worry, I won't force you. If you don't want to come with me, then so be it."
"Really?" the maid rabbit asked.
Feng Qishi pushed Mu Anxiao aside and nodded at the maid rabbit.
Mu Anxiao looked up at Feng Qishi, relieved.
Feng Qishi continued mentally, *Are you satisfied now?*
*Mhm. You want them to voluntarily follow you. In other words, you need to gain their trust,* Mu Anxiao, seeing Feng Qishi wasn't looking at her, pinched his arm hard. *Understood.*
Feng Qishi's expression changed. He turned to Mu Anxiao and forced a smile, nodding.
*Understood. I'll cooperate with you. You can start,* Mu Anxiao said mentally.
*Alright,* Feng Qishi nodded.
The first rabbit spirit glanced at Feng Qishi, stepped forward, and looked at Mu Anxiao. "Are you alright?"
Feng Qishi said, "She's been favored by your great demon, so her status is naturally higher."
"Then can we live?" the maid rabbit asked excitedly.
Mu Anxiao said, "I won't let you die."
"Thank you," the maid rabbit nodded slightly.
Feng Qishi let out a sigh and muttered, "They sure do know how to talk prettily."
"What do you mean by that?" Mu Anxiao glared at Feng Qishi.
Feng Qishi curled his lip and said, "They don't want to listen to me, and I'm too lazy to say anything more."
"We don't want to die," the maid rabbit stepped forward, emphasizing.
"Who wants to die? No one wants to die. But have you ever considered," Feng Qishi couldn't help but say, "that your lives no longer belong to you? I want to help you, but if you're unwilling, then there's nothing I can do."
Mu Anxiao looked at Feng Qishi's earnest attitude and then at the expressions on the rabbit spirits' faces. She thought, *This guy's pacing is too fast!*
"Mu Anxiao, can we go with him?" the maid rabbit deferred the decision to Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao gave Feng Qishi a conflicted look and said, "Your lives are currently in the hands of the great demon. There are no other options right now, unless you leave this body, because the demonic energy hasn't yet invaded your souls."
"It hasn't?" the maid rabbit exclaimed.
Feng Qishi said, "If it had, I wouldn't be saying this."
"Are you trying to help us?" the maid rabbit asked, looking at Feng Qishi's sincere expression.
Feng Qishi smiled. "If you don't want to believe me, then I won't say any more, because my superior," he pointed at Mu Anxiao, "is her."
"Since when did I become your superior?" Mu Anxiao exposed Feng Qishi.
Feng Qishi frowned slightly and said, "Can you give me some face?"
"No," Mu Anxiao shook her head slightly.
"Fine, then I can only look out for myself. When we get out, I'll pray for you," Feng Qishi said mentally, *Mu, you idiot, you're doing this on purpose, right?*
*You're allowed to pace quickly, so why can't I?* Mu Anxiao stared ahead and said mentally.
*You got me,* Feng Qishi said mentally, glaring at Mu Anxiao.
The rabbit spirits fell silent.
Mu Anxiao said, "Alright, you can think about it. I'm leaving now."
"Wait."
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao's brow furrowed, and she turned to look at Feng Qishi. *What is it?*
"If I heard correctly, Xu Lanyan and that guy should have gone down to the cellar. Be careful when you encounter the dog-heads when you get out," Feng Qishi instructed mentally.
Mu Anxiao nodded slightly in annoyance. After glancing back at them, she left the woodshed.
Feng Qishi breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Take your time thinking about it. I'm going to rest." He then sat down on the ground.
The maid rabbit glanced at the woodshed door and said, "If we go down there, will it be very painful?"
"I've never been punished, so I naturally don't know the pain. However, it's definitely better than now. At the very least, you'll have a chance to be human," Feng Qishi said, looking up at the maid rabbit.