Mu Anxiao wiped the lingering tears from the corners of her eyes and said, "Will you help me if I agree to marry you?"
"When did I say that?" Ouyang Ye retorted.
Mu Anxiao compromised in this way for two reasons: first, to make Ouyang Ye fulfill his promise to remove the demonic barrier and return her spiritual energy. Second, she wanted to find Ouyang Ye's weakness and deal with him.
To her surprise, Ouyang Ye gave her such a reply. Hearing it, she suddenly felt that she and Alon had both been deceived.
"..." Mu Anxiao stared at Ouyang Ye without speaking.
Ouyang Ye: "Alon told you."
"Didn't you ask her to pass on the message? I heard it and agreed, you..."
"Are you sincere?" Ouyang Ye interrupted.
Mu Anxiao's eyes were firm: "Of course, otherwise, I..."
"Do you like me?" Ouyang Ye didn't give Mu Anxiao a chance to finish her sentence.
Mu Anxiao was stunned, "What are you talking about? Aren't we 'rotten peaches'? You don't like me, so why should I like you?"
"That's right, but rotten peaches are rotten peaches, yet as far as I know, the standard for a rotten peach is that one party must like the other. Even if the other party doesn't like the first party... only in such a situation can it be considered a good rotten peach. If neither party has feelings, then this is at best... a partnership, and it has little to do with rotten peaches."
Ouyang Ye's words were quite convoluted, and Mu Anxiao was utterly confused.
"..." She was speechless again.
Ouyang Ye: "Speak." His tone was stiff.
Mu Anxiao shifted her gaze, "Why are you so troublesome?" She couldn't bear to look at Ouyang Ye.
Seeing Mu Anxiao's perfunctory attitude, Ouyang Ye couldn't help but smile, "I know you'll agree to me. Actually," he stepped forward and cupped Mu Anxiao's chin, forcing her to meet his eyes, "I just thought of it."
Mu Anxiao intended to raise her hand. Unexpectedly, Ouyang Ye saw it clearly, "If you dare to refuse me, I will enrage you, and then," he smiled, "those monsters will become more powerful. Think carefully." After speaking, he leaned down and stared intently into Mu Anxiao's eyes.
Ouyang Ye had said everything, and looking at him like this, Mu Anxiao felt only 'nausea,' no matter how good-looking he was.
"Why aren't you speaking?" Ouyang Ye was gentle.
Mu Anxiao took a deep breath, curved her lips, and smiled at him, "You said that only when one party likes the other, and the other party doesn't like the first party, is it considered a rotten peach, right?"
Ouyang Ye gave a deep 'Mm,' a smile playing on his lips.
Mu Anxiao lowered her eyelids and said, "Alright, I understand. Take it away." She glanced at Ouyang Ye's hand.
Conversely, Ouyang Ye continued to hold her chin, saying nothing.
Seeing Ouyang Ye's indifference, Mu Anxiao tutted, "Take it away. It's not like I can't just stare at you. I'll stare at you, won't I?" As she spoke, she was about to raise her hand when Ouyang Ye grabbed her wrist. She was startled, "What are you doing?" She glanced at her hand, which Ouyang Ye held suspended in the air.
Ouyang Ye held Mu Anxiao's wrist with one hand and her chin with the other, smiling, "Clarify things."
Mu Anxiao tilted her face up uncomfortably and said, "Take your hands off, and I'll make it clear. If you don't, we'll just stay like this, looking at each other. Anyway," she smiled, "I'm not angry, I'm just scared of you."
She knew that only by maintaining her fear would those monsters not grow, so in her eyes, Ouyang Ye was more terrifying than those monsters, even... she saw him as an 'evil spirit.'
At this moment, her back was already covered in a cold sweat.
"I can't tell," Ouyang Ye still had no intention of letting go.
Mu Anxiao: "You don't know me. If you could tell, you'd be a ghost." Her other hand began to tremble uncontrollably.
"..." Ouyang Ye nodded and looked casually at the beads of sweat on Mu Anxiao's forehead, smiling, "Oh, you're breaking out in a cold sweat."
Mu Anxiao: "..." She swallowed.
Ouyang Ye: "It seems you're really afraid of me."
"..." Mu Anxiao's eyes flickered, "Let me go." Her voice trembled.
Sometimes, it's like this; if you don't say anything, it's fine, but once you speak... all sorts of worries follow. At this moment, Mu Anxiao completely lost the courage to look at him. It wasn't because of the monsters, but because... she suddenly feared that Ouyang Ye would marry her on the spot without following the rules.
"We'll have to live together eventually. You being like this," Ouyang Ye finally released her hand, "puts a lot of pressure on me."
Mu Anxiao breathed a sigh of relief and involuntarily took two steps back, "You being like this puts a lot of pressure on me too."
"Is that so?" Ouyang Ye said, crossing his arms, "Speaking of which, all the girls I meet like me. Why don't you like me? Could it be... because of Feng Qishi?"
"..." Mu Anxiao didn't want to discuss this with Ouyang Ye, her eyes flickering.
"People are strange. The more they deny liking someone, the more they actually like them in their hearts. But it's fine," Ouyang Ye said, stepping forward, "this way, we can constitute a rotten peach."
As Ouyang Ye stepped forward, Mu Anxiao took a step back, "Aren't you contradicting yourself? You said that if neither party likes the other, the rotten peach doesn't form. You..."
"I like you," Ouyang Ye interrupted.
Mu Anxiao felt nothing from this, only frowning.
"What? You don't believe me?"
"I don't believe you," Mu Anxiao shook her head.
"..." Ouyang Ye lowered his eyes and smiled, his gaze fixed on Mu Anxiao's mouth.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao quickly raised her hand to cover her mouth and said, "What are you looking at? You have a mouth too. Go find a mirror and look at your own." Saying that, she turned her face towards the demonic barrier where the monsters were still howling, her eyes widening.
"You're angry." Ouyang Ye laughed.
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao frowned, lowered her hand, and looked back at Ouyang Ye, "You did it on purpose."
"Mm," Ouyang Ye said, walking two steps in front of Mu Anxiao, "It seems you can't stand this." Saying that, he suddenly hugged Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao's body stiffened. She pushed Ouyang Ye with one hand and said in a low voice, "Get off."
Ouyang Ye listened carefully to the cries of the monsters in the demonic barrier and chuckled, "It seems your fear has vanished."
"Ouyang Ye, let me go, or I'll kill you," Mu Anxiao said softly, "and drag you to hell with my own hands."
"Then try me," Ouyang Ye intentionally held her tighter.
Mu Anxiao's hands were pressed tightly against Ouyang Ye's chest, and she lost all strength to resist. "Ouyang Ye, what exactly do you want?"
"You are the one I've chosen," Ouyang Ye's voice was very low, "To be honest, I'm very angry that you're using me like this."
"What do you want to do?" Mu Anxiao had a bad premonition.
Immediately after, Ouyang Ye stood up directly, just like in the reception hall not long ago, and placed his hand on Mu Anxiao's head, "I'll return your spiritual energy. This way," he raised his other hand and pointed his palm at the demonic barrier, "I will become the master of the monsters again."
"Are you crazy?" Mu Anxiao was agitated.
Ouyang Ye: "I want to make you like me bit by bit. This way, it's more stimulating." Saying that, he began to circulate his energy.
At this moment, Mu Anxiao was completely immobilized by Ouyang Ye.
In the next moment, Mu Anxiao's spiritual energy returned, and at the same time, the monsters in the demonic barrier began to howl more ferociously.
Mu Anxiao listened to the sound, her heart sinking. Just as she was about to speak, Ouyang Ye removed his hand from her head and took a step back, "Have fun, I won't accompany you anymore."
"You..." Mu Anxiao uttered a word, and suddenly felt another layer of spiritual energy enter her body. She lowered her eyes and thought, then quickly said, "You gave me a layer of your spiritual energy."
Immediately, Ouyang Ye stepped forward, bent down, and met Mu Anxiao's eyes, "Back then, you stole Shen Yan's immortal blood, and he resented you for fifty years. Now, you've stolen my spiritual energy, naturally," he said, "I have the right to hate you, and you won't escape from my palm."
"..." Mu Anxiao had never imagined that a demon would say such things to her. Now, facing the sinister Ouyang Ye before her, she couldn't help but shiver, "Do you think you're very handsome?"
Ouyang Ye frowned, "What do you mean?" He scanned Mu Anxiao's face.
Mu Anxiao had only been afraid that the monsters would grow because of her, and then afraid that he would marry her on the spot. But now it was different. He wasn't going to marry her, and her spiritual energy had returned. Naturally... she no longer needed to be timid.
"Every young master I've met speaks to girls like this. Honestly, you are indeed quite good-looking, but... not everyone has the demeanor of a noble son. This way, you're really childish."
"You..."
"What do you mean, you? I've been staring at your face for a long time, and I haven't had the nerve to say it. That," Mu Anxiao interrupted, raising her hand and grabbing Ouyang Ye's bangs, "is really annoying." Saying that, she intentionally pulled.
Ouyang Ye was yanked forcefully by Mu Anxiao, bending him over. In this way, his nose lightly brushed against Mu Anxiao's nose.
Mu Anxiao had only intended to tease him with his bangs, but she used too much force. She quickly let go and took three steps back, deliberately maintaining a distance from Ouyang Ye, saying, "Don't misunderstand, I didn't control my strength."
Ouyang Ye remained in that position, then his eyes flickered involuntarily. He stood up and said, "It seems you've started to like me." He looked at Mu Anxiao.
"..." Mu Anxiao sneered, "Just pulling your hair means I like you? How desperate are you for girls to like you?"
"You..."
"Hurry up and go. You're not Shen Yan, and I'll never feel indebted to you. As for the spiritual energy, don't worry, I'll use it without complaint when I fight those guys later," Mu Anxiao interrupted.
Ouyang Ye: "Your thinking is too simple. Let me tell you, you have my spiritual energy in your body, and the demonic barrier also has my spiritual energy. Do you know what that means?"
"I don't know," Mu Anxiao's tone was stiff.
Ouyang Ye smiled, "It means those monsters won't harm you at all. On the contrary, they will still obey your and my commands. You..."
"Since that's the case, I'll just expend all the spiritual energy and re-cultivate," Mu Anxiao said casually.
Ouyang Ye was stunned, "What did you say?" In his memory, Mu Anxiao was very stingy, and her saying this now made him involuntarily surprised.
Mu Anxiao: "I only say good things once." Saying that, she spread her hands and conjured her soul sword.
Ouyang Ye's eyes widened, "You're crazy."
"There is gain in giving up. It's even better that they don't kill me, because then I can kill them effortlessly," Mu Anxiao gripped her soul sword and looked at Ouyang Ye, "Tell me, am I right?"
"You..." Ouyang Ye thought Mu Anxiao would develop different feelings for him after hearing his words, even if it was just 'anger.' To his surprise... this was the result. "You're ruthless," he said, walking forward and grabbing Mu Anxiao's arm, "Fine, I'll take back my spiritual energy." Saying that, he withdrew his spiritual energy.
Mu Anxiao watched Ouyang Ye quietly, feeling a sense of relief. "That's right. You're not Shen Yan, and you'll never become another Shen Yan. Now," she said, grabbing his arm, "you're not going anywhere."
"What do you want to do?" Ouyang Ye was not the least bit nervous.
"Catch you. You're an evil creature, and capturing you will surely be very valuable. Perhaps," Mu Anxiao smiled, "your master will thank me, and the immortals in the immortal realm will also look at me with new eyes. Maybe I'll even get an immortal position. Tsk tsk, capturing you is really worthwhile."
Ouyang Ye had never expected Mu Anxiao to treat him as a tool for 'promotion and wealth.' Hearing her words now, he couldn't help but become angry, "Mu Anxiao, your face changes really fast."
"I learned it from you," Mu Anxiao said, tightening her grip on Ouyang Ye's arm, "Just now, you clearly said..."
"Has your spiritual energy returned?" Ouyang Ye retorted.
Mu Anxiao paused for a moment, then nodded, "It has."
"Since it has returned, it means I didn't lie to you. I'm not marrying you for now. If you're unhappy, so be it, but you still want to capture me," Ouyang Ye frowned, "Have you been eaten by dogs for your conscience?"
"Eaten by you," Mu Anxiao tilted her chin up.
Ouyang Ye's expression stiffened, "Mu Anxiao, your mouth is really glib."
"Likewise. Honestly, you gave me this inspiration. I just thought of it on the spot," Mu Anxiao said, "If I don't capture you, you'll still come out later and say you want to marry me. This way, you'll be my nightmare. I don't want this nightmare, nor do I like prolonged complications, so cooperate." Her face turned cold.
Ouyang Ye smiled, "Do you think I'm an evil spirit?"
"Now that demonic barrier is controlled by your spiritual energy. Once you walk far away, this demonic barrier will automatically dissipate, so I think," Mu Anxiao smiled, "you definitely won't go far, unless you have a moment of mercy and want to remove this demonic barrier so it doesn't cause me trouble." She raised her soul sword and pointed it at the demonic barrier.
Ouyang Ye laughed, "You know quite a lot."
"Yes, quite a lot. Can't be helped, I'm a genius," Mu Anxiao said smugly, glancing at the demonic barrier, "Xi'er, come out and..."
"Don't say it, I *do* want to become your nightmare," Ouyang Ye interrupted, flung Mu Anxiao's hand away, and disappeared.