However, the moment Mu Anxiao fully touched that mass of red demonic energy, she realized she had underestimated everything. Before this, she had never imagined that the demonic energy within Zhao Xiang's body would also be mixed with demonic essence. Zhang Yan had consistently warned her not to provoke those connected to the demon realm, and even if she encountered them, to avoid confrontation.
It was precisely because of Zhang Yan's reminder that she rarely engaged Ouyang Ye head-on, knowing it would bring her no good.
Unexpectedly, at this very moment, she encountered Zhao Xiang. Simultaneously, she finally understood why Zhao Xiang was so uncontrollable; it turned out... it was all because of the demonic essence within him acting up.
With this realization, her gaze sharpened, and she quickly called out before Zhao Xiang could make a move, "Do you want to see your parents?"
She remembered... his current state was because those monsters had crossed his bottom line. And his bottom line was simple: besides himself, it was none other than his parents.
Now, Zhao Xiang appeared much more lucid than before, so she wanted to try and see if this method would work.
She Ning listened to Mu Anxiao's shout and tilted her head, using the opportunity to observe Zhao Xiang.
To her surprise, after Mu Anxiao spoke, Zhao Xiang let out a cold smile. "You're trying to brainwash me," he said, yet he still lowered the hand that was about to exert force.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao's heart grew tense. "I don't have that ability," she said, clearly feeling the red demonic energy in her hands was no longer as heavy.
Zhao Xiang: "If you don't have the ability, you still try to overreach," he said, giving a slight snort. "Let me tell you, even without you, I can find my parents. I..." He paused here, his brow suddenly furrowing.
This time, Mu Anxiao dared not speak. Instead, she continued to observe Zhao Xiang while simultaneously fighting against the red light.
She Ning couldn't see Zhao Xiang's face clearly, but judging by his movements, she sensed that something was not right with Zhao Xiang.
Just then, Zhao Xiang let out a cold laugh.
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao couldn't help but ask in confusion, "What's wrong with you?" Her right hand was already starting to go numb.
Zhao Xiang: "My parents are fine at home, and my prodigal brother is taking good care of them. Stop spouting nonsense," his eyes fixed on her, "demoness." He raised his hand once more.
Seeing this, She Ning dragged her legs and aimlessly walked towards Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao, completely unaware of She Ning's movement, instead inadvertently focused on Zhao Xiang's hand and asked, "What are you going to do?"
"A demoness like you deserves to die," he said, clenching his fist and launching an attack towards Mu Anxiao.
Following this, Mu Anxiao exerted all her strength, wanting to eliminate the red light before another wave of red demonic energy could assist it.
"I can definitely do it," she gritted her teeth, encouraging herself, as the blue beam in her hands completely surrounded the red light, and the demonic energy assisting the red light dispersed and vanished at that instant.
Zhao Xiang's eyes widened as he watched this scene.
At this point, She Ning could no longer see Zhao Xiang and Mu Anxiao clearly. Instead, she could only see... the two beams of light illuminating the surroundings, especially Mu Anxiao's blue light, which appeared incredibly dazzling.
And so, She Ning stopped in her tracks.
Zhao Xiang, with an expression of disbelief, looked at Mu Anxiao, who was obscured by the beams of light, and shouted, "You demoness, you..."
"You are the demon, Zhao Xiang," Mu Anxiao said. After confirming that the blue light had devoured the red light, she retracted her hand, flew above the beams of light, and looked down at Zhao Xiang, who couldn't believe what he was seeing. "You should wake up."
Zhao Xiang looked up at Mu Anxiao and shouted, "I don't understand what you're saying."
"You..."
"Go to hell!" Zhao Xiang interrupted Mu Anxiao harshly and then forcefully swung his arm, emitting another red light.
Mu Anxiao let out a cold laugh, her expression calm as she looked at the red light slowly charging forward. She sighed and said, "Your demonic energy has been devoured. Still wanting to play? Truly overestimating yourself." With that, she watched as the red light was consumed by the blue light.
Zhao Xiang refused to accept what was happening before him and roared, "How can this be?"
"Your wish has been granted; it's time to regain your reason." Mu Anxiao remembered Zhao Xiang saying his enemy was that straw-hatted monster, and now that monster was considered defeated by him. Therefore, she thought his wish had been fulfilled.
Unexpectedly, Zhao Xiang said, "Those monsters must die."
"You..."
"As long as they live, they are a threat to me. In the end, the Master will trust them and not me," Zhao Xiang said, his eyes turning sinister once more. "They cannot live. As long as they live, they are a threat to me. I cannot let them survive in this world."
Hearing Zhao Xiang's words, She Ning thought of the mortals who had been cruelly slaughtered by the monsters, and her eyes darkened. A sense of unease suddenly filled her heart.
Above.
Mu Anxiao looked at the selfish Zhao Xiang opposite her and suddenly realized... he might be more detestable and terrifying than those monsters in the future. Considering this, after replaying his words in her mind, she decided... to stop him.
"You can't do this," she said, stepping onto the upper part of the blue light.
Zhao Xiang narrowed his eyes. "I hate it most when people stop me."
"You have already achieved your goal," Mu Anxiao said, seeing 'greed' in Zhao Xiang's demeanor.
Zhao Xiang gave a slight snort. "It's not enough. Only when I kill them all will I be safe."
"Safe," Mu Anxiao said, with a soft snort. "You're wrong."
"How am I wrong?" Zhao Xiang glared at Mu Anxiao and retorted.
Mu Anxiao: "As long as you follow Ouyang Ye for a single day, you will not be safe. If you kill all his subordinates," she tried to brainwash him, "do you think he will let you off then?"
"..." Zhao Xiang froze. He took Mu Anxiao's words to heart.
Mu Anxiao calmly watched Zhao Xiang, who was now deep in thought, and added, "Think about it carefully. If you go back and explain now, it's still easy to explain, because that straw-hatted monster... is your enemy. But the other monsters," she said, "have no enmity with you, and furthermore, they have never even been on the battlefield." With that, she tried to observe Zhao Xiang.
Immediately after, Zhao Xiang mulled over Mu Anxiao's words and then looked up, saying, "You mean, killing them brings me no benefits, only disadvantages." He said this with a serious expression.
Mu Anxiao nodded in affirmation. "Yes." She was confident she could awaken him, so she fixed her gaze intently on his face.
The next second, Zhao Xiang lowered his eyelids. After a few seconds of stillness, he suddenly burst into laughter.
Hearing Zhao Xiang's grating laughter, Mu Anxiao asked in confusion, "No... what's wrong with you?" she tried to ask.