Shi Jia's eyes darted away.
The first young man, noticing Shi Jia's evasive gaze and the others who were starting to rise, turned back and said, "Shi Jia, I'm asking you a question. Are you deaf, or what? Speak." His eyes widened.
Shi Jia replied, "I'm saying, we all want to become immortals, and then I..."
"We?" the first young man interrupted, sneering. "Shi Jia, you're not ashamed to say that? You, compared to us? We are people with immortal destinies. You're just a worthless girl who's disliked everywhere."
"..." Shi Jia lowered her head.
Feng Qishi, looking at the first young man who was being so harsh to Shi Jia, recalled the process of Shi Jia's change in attitude and said, "How do you know you have an immortal destiny?"
Upon hearing this, the first young man shifted his gaze back to Feng Qishi's face. Just as he was about to boast, he remembered how he had fainted. He touched the back of his head, and his arrogant tone softened. "I just know."
"Tell me," Feng Qishi knew the first young man was definitely hiding something.
The first young man, aware that Feng Qishi was not someone to be trifled with, glanced sideways at the silent crowd behind him and said, "It was that cultivator who died and wanted to drag others down with her, who told me."
Feng Qishi had always thought Shi Jia might have misheard the news, believing there were no such cultivators. Therefore, he hadn't taken Shi Jia's words seriously.
Who would have thought... now that the first young man mentioned it, Feng Qishi became curious about that person's death.
"Is that so?" He decided not to ask too directly for now, feigning indifference.
The first young man continued, "At that time, that cultivator said she was nothing." He pointed at Shi Jia.
Feng Qishi followed the first young man's finger, glanced sideways at Shi Jia, and said, "Is that why you bullied her?"
However, Shi Jia didn't know about any of this. She only remembered that they got along quite well at first, and then later, they suddenly stopped paying much attention to her. Even when they did, it was on a whim.
At first, she cared a lot, but over time, she got used to it. Gradually, she even began to resist them. She no longer explored the reasons for their dislike of her.
Hearing this now, she only felt surprised. Nothing else really mattered.
The first young man glared at Shi Jia and said, "You don't know how much that person bragged. She was so full of spirit every day, playing us all for fools. It was too much."
"How did I play you? I..."
"You what? You're just a poor girl who knows nothing but bragging all day long," the second young man interrupted.
"Your family's lies are almost bursting, and you, someone who doesn't even have an immortal destiny, talk about becoming an immortal? I think you're just trying to trick us."
"Exactly. We don't even dare to use the rouge and powder you gave us. Who knows if they're fake?"
"Disgusting."
Led by the first young man, these people began to badmouth Shi Jia to her face, one by one. These were the same things they usually said behind her back.
Every time she heard them, she felt terrible. But because they lived under the same roof, she could only endure it, pretending not to hear anything and continuing her life as usual.
Of course, she always thought they wouldn't act this way for the sake of their reputation. Now, seeing this, she realized how naive she had been.
"..." She dared not retaliate and lowered her head.
Feng Qishi calmly watched the men and women speaking ill of Shi Jia. He sighed, turned to look at Shi Jia, who was so ashamed she dared not lift her head, only able to look down, and deliberately called out, "Shut up."
Immediately, they fell silent.
Yuan Yan frowned, staring at Shi Jia.
Feng Qishi asked, "How did that cultivator die?"
The first young man replied, "Suicide."
"Suicide..." Feng Qishi repeated, nodding. "Alright, I understand. Now, I'll test your immortal destinies one by one."
"Who do you think you are?" the second young man was no longer afraid of Feng Qishi.
Feng Qishi shot a glare at the second young man. "Who I am, you'll know soon enough." With that, he snapped his fingers, and they froze.
Yuan Yan asked, "Are you going to force them..."
"What do you mean 'force them'? These people should see reality," Feng Qishi said. He turned to Shi Jia, who was secretly weeping, and said, "Stop crying. Go with him and bring those people here."
"How do I bring them?" Yuan Yan asked, confused.
"Don't you know sorcery?" Feng Qishi revealed.
Yuan Yan was speechless upon hearing this.
Shi Jia wiped away her tears and followed Yuan Yan without a word.
After they left, Feng Qishi walked leisurely to the front of the first young man and said, "I don't believe you have an immortal destiny." Saying this, he naturally took the first young man's hand.
The first young man's eyes widened.
Outside the courtyard.
Mu Miyan and Shujia stood together in front of the mansion. After exchanging glances, Mu Miyan asked, "Is it still here?"
Shujia nodded. "It should be here." He looked left and right, walked to the door, and placed his hand on it.
Mu Miyan watched Shujia's mysterious back and frowned, "What are you doing?"
"I'm checking if there's a barrier here. Don't disturb me," Shujia said seriously and began testing aimlessly.
All along the way, Shujia had maintained a certain demeanor, which made Mu Miyan, who was with him, feel both frustrated and vexed.
She then stared at Shujia's back for a few seconds before walking directly to his side and saying, "I don't see any barrier here like you said." She stared at Shujia's profile.
Shujia replied, "Don't look at me." He continued to stare at the door.
Mu Miyan looked at Shujia's serious expression, curled her lips, and thought about how Shujia had been wasting time with various excuses along the way. She said, "A quarter of an hour ago, just a quarter of an hour ago, we were here. You said it wasn't this place."
"Did I say that?" Shujia finally looked at Mu Miyan.
Mu Miyan nodded.
"Really? I forgot," Shujia said, lowering his hand, a hint of embarrassment in his expression. "Why didn't you say so earlier?"
"I did say so. This time, listen to me," Mu Miyan said. As she spoke, she pushed the large door, and it creaked open a tiny gap.
Immediately, Shujia was startled. He turned to look at the door that had opened a small gap and exclaimed, "You've learned magic."
"..." Mu Miyan glared at Shujia, gently pushed the door open, and stepped in first.
Shujia clicked his tongue, followed Mu Miyan across the threshold, and said, "Be careful, it might be a trap."
Mu Miyan walked ahead. "It would be better if you talked less," she said, proceeding with caution, following her intuition towards the corridor.
Shujia, seeing Mu Miyan so confident, didn't say anything more. Instead, he observed his surroundings while keeping pace with Mu Miyan.
Forbidden Forest.
Zhao Mei'er, trapped in the dense fog, had completely lost hope. She was staring despairingly at her hands, muttering, "It's over, it's over, I'm finished."
Hai looked at the suddenly dejected Zhao Mei'er, confused, and asked cautiously, "What's wrong with you?"
"..." Zhao Mei'er lowered her head, ignoring Hai.
Seeing that Zhao Mei'er was not responding, Hai remained silent.
Meanwhile.
Mu Anxiao stopped in front of Ouyang Ye, looking astonished at the fragrant poison swirling in Ouyang Ye's palm. "You've taken Zhao Mei'er's fragrant poison for yourself."
"I'm protecting you," Ouyang Ye said, lowering his head and meeting Mu Anxiao's eyes.
Mu Anxiao's gaze flickered. "I don't need it."
"You don't need it, but in reality, you have been protected by me," Ouyang Ye said, bringing his palm closer to Mu Anxiao's face.
Mu Anxiao stared blankly at the red halo in Ouyang Ye's palm, took half a step back, and said, "Thanks."
"That's more like it," Ouyang Ye said. He turned his head, glanced leisurely at the vine spirit that had transformed into human form, and a smile played on his lips. "They're here."
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao looked at Ouyang Ye's face for a few seconds, then followed his gaze and turned her head, stunned. "Vine spirit."
The vine spirit said, "Long time no see, Mu Anxiao." He ignored You Xian and Yin Ye and walked towards Mu Anxiao.
Seeing the vine spirit appear, Yin Ye deliberately hid behind a tree.
Mu Anxiao frowned. "Stop trying to butter me up."
"We're old friends, you speak like this," the vine spirit stopped beside Mu Anxiao and smiled, "It's not very good, is it?"
"Who is your old friend? Go away," Mu Anxiao said, glaring fiercely at the vine spirit.
Then, the vine spirit smiled and suddenly reached out to grab Mu Anxiao's arm. "Aren't you curious who I fought and got injured by?"
Mu Anxiao dared not move rashly. She lowered her head to look at the vine spirit's hand and said, "Take your hand away." She gritted her teeth.
"I won't. I'll tell you right now who I fought with." Saying this, he let go, pushed Mu Anxiao away, and stood facing Ouyang Ye.
Mu Anxiao steadied herself, followed the vine spirit's gaze to Ouyang Ye, and said faintly, "Vine spirit, don't tell me the immortal you're talking about is... him." She couldn't believe it.
The vine spirit said, "Mu Anxiao, we'll settle our accounts later. I want to settle accounts with him." He glared at Ouyang Ye.
One wave of trouble had not subsided before another began.
Indeed, as Mu Anxiao suspected, the 'immortal' who had injured the vine spirit was none other than Ouyang Ye.
However, what puzzled Mu Anxiao was that the vine spirit had not realized that Ouyang Ye was no longer an immortal.
She felt a bit lost.
Ouyang Ye said, "Last time it was your leg. This time, where do you want to be injured?"
"You..."
"It's the same thing. As long as you cooperate with me, you," Ouyang Ye pointed at the vine spirit, "will not die."
"Don't tell me you can see my future. I'm telling you, I don't believe your words."
"Future?" Mu Anxiao repeated, glancing at Ouyang Ye and asking, "Vine spirit, what's going on?"
Hearing this, the vine spirit ignored Mu Anxiao and said, "This matter is related to you..."
"As long as you don't follow me, she will kill you," Ouyang Ye interrupted, glancing at Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao was stunned. "Vine spirit, don't listen to his nonsense." She didn't know what the future held, but she knew that Ouyang Ye's words could very well enrage the vine spirit. If it put the vine spirit in danger, the vine spirit would definitely fight her to the death. Given her current situation, she was no match for the vine spirit and would only end up humiliated in front of these evil spirits.
Therefore, she had to act in her own best interest.
"..." The vine spirit hesitated.
Ouyang Ye said, "The time you went to the demon realm, I said you would fail, and you didn't believe me. Do you remember the outcome?"
The vine spirit didn't have a deep impression of Ouyang Ye. However, he remembered meeting a man with his back turned before going to the demon realm, and that man had told him he would fail.
At the time, he hadn't paid much attention to the man, and his words had gone in one ear and out the other.
However, now that Ouyang Ye mentioned it, he did have some recollection.
"Was that you?" he asked tentatively.
Ouyang Ye nodded. "It was me."
"You..." The vine spirit uttered a single word, leaned forward to sniff the air in front of Ouyang Ye, and his eyes widened. "You are an evil spirit, not an immortal."
"You're indeed quite foolish."
"You..." The vine spirit wanted to say more but stopped. He knew he was no match for Ouyang Ye.
Ouyang Ye glanced at the vine spirit's frozen face, then looked at Mu Anxiao and said, "Mu Anxiao, your future is very bright. However, I don't want to see your bright side. I just want... you to come with me."
"..." Mu Anxiao listened, completely bewildered. "Are you crazy?"
"I can see the future I want to see. I've also looked at your future. All these evil spirits will become your tasks, but I don't want them to become your tasks."
"What do you want to do?" Mu Anxiao's eyes widened.
Ouyang Ye said, "I am your benefactor. You all must obey my orders from now on." He looked at the evil spirits holding weapons. "If anyone dares to listen to her, I will make them disappear from this world."
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao became angry. "Ouyang Ye, why are you suddenly having a breakdown?"
"I keep my word," Ouyang Ye said, looking at the vine spirit. "If you don't deal with her, you will die within three days."
"Three days?" the vine spirit exclaimed in surprise.
"So, as long as you can defeat her, your life will not be threatened," Ouyang Ye said, extending his hand and conjuring a red pill.
Seeing this, the vine spirit frowned. "What is this?"
"In the past, you took Xi'er's bottle. The medicine inside was only half effective. This is the other half. You must strip away all her abilities today, otherwise..." he leaned in, "you will die."
"Die?" the vine spirit repeated, then sneered, "I'm already dead, you..."
"Disappear from this world," Ouyang Ye added, clenching the red pill in his palm.
Upon hearing this, the vine spirit immediately shifted his gaze to Mu Anxiao's face.
Mu Anxiao furrowed her brow. "Vine spirit, I don't have time to deal with you. Don't listen to his nonsense."
"Last time, I didn't listen to him and failed. This time, I believe him," the vine spirit said, his eyes flashing with green light.
At the same time, Xi'er appeared beside Ouyang Ye. "They're here." She ignored the vine spirit.