The Mu manor was neither vast nor small. The distance between the back and front gates was considerable, taking nearly two kezhong for Mu Anxiao to traverse each time.
Now, to save time, she waited for the servants to pass before breaking into a run.
Unexpectedly, as she sprinted past the long pavilion, a black light flashed before her eyes, drifting towards the back garden.
Seeing this, she abruptly halted, her attention completely captured by the light. "What is that?" she muttered. A thought struck her, and she casually pulled down her veil, turning to chase after the black light.
Following suit, the black light suddenly stopped and gradually morphed into human form.
At the same moment, Mu Anxiao also stopped.
The next second, a woman clad in ornate robes appeared before her. Observing the woman's makeup, she softly inquired, "Are you a concubine from the palace?"
The woman straightened her back, calmly tilting her head as she looked at Mu Anxiao and said, "You are Mu Xiao, aren't you?"
Mu Anxiao frowned. "You know me?"
"Of course. If I'm not mistaken, you should be..." The woman paused mid-sentence, shaking her head slightly. "No, you're not an immortal."
Mu Anxiao's immortal aura had been deliberately concealed by Zhang Yan since her rebirth a year ago, so most demonic souls she encountered couldn't perceive her true identity.
Certainly, if this were three months prior, Mu Anxiao would have been extremely indignant upon hearing such words from a demonic soul, even going so far as to assert her identity righteously.
However, after experiencing so much, she had become more composed. "Immortal? How could I possibly be an immortal?"
"Strange. I clearly sensed an immortal aura then. How could it... not be you?"
"If I were an immortal, I wouldn't have returned. However," Mu Anxiao said with newfound seriousness, "they say I was saved by an immortal. It's probably his immortal aura. But he's not here, so it's probably not him." She shook her head.
The woman: "If that immortal is not here, then where is he?"
"..." Mu Anxiao looked at the woman's anxious expression and recalled her mysterious appearance. She chuckled dryly. "What do you want?"
The woman frowned. "Why are you asking so much?" As she spoke, she raised her hand.
Mu Anxiao looked confused. "What are you doing?" She took half a step back.
The woman narrowed her eyes. "What else could I be doing? Of course, I'm going to erase your memories."
"Erase memories..." Mu Anxiao repeated, feigning fear. "No, please don't! I still want to live. I don't want to die."
"I'm only erasing your memories of me, not killing you. Moreover," the woman's lips curved upwards slightly, "it won't hurt." With that, she suddenly unleashed her demonic arts.
As a whirlwind of black energy erupted, Mu Anxiao held her breath, thinking, "Strange, this demonic energy isn't as potent as the one outside the back gate?"
With that thought, she closed her eyes.
In the next instant, the woman transformed into a black light and departed.
Mu Anxiao opened her eyes, completely unaffected, and turned to look in the direction the black light had gone. She sighed and turned to face Feng Qishi, who was approaching her with measured steps. "Feng... Shen Moyun?"
Feng Qishi: "I saw." He arrived before Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao took half a step back. "You saw... So what? Do you have something else to tell me?"
"Not really. Let's go to the reception hall," Feng Qishi said calmly.
Hearing Feng Qishi's words, Mu Anxiao, recalling the demonic energy emanating from the woman just moments before, retorted, "Did you use her demonic energy to control Jia outside the manor?"
"..." Feng Qishi remained silent.
Mu Anxiao grew anxious. "I'm asking you a question. Can you at least reply? You... " She frowned and gritted her teeth. "You're being very impolite."
"And how polite are you? I helped you, and you didn't even say thank you. Truly..." Feng Qishi's eyes were cold. "Just like they say, you're a wild girl."
Wild girl?
From the first day Mu Anxiao arrived, anyone who saw her or knew of her called her a wild girl.
Mu Anxiao had never cared about this moniker before. She even felt it was their prerogative to call her whatever they pleased.
But... for some reason, when Feng Qishi called her that, she felt inexplicably annoyed.
Therefore, she replied unceremoniously, "Feng Qishi, I don't know how I offended you, but conversely, if I called you a brat, would you be happy?"
"..." Feng Qishi looked utterly bewildered.
Mu Anxiao continued on her own. "You wouldn't be happy, right? Well, I don't like this attitude you're showing me either." She pointed a finger at Feng Qishi's face. "You'd better adjust your attitude when you speak to me from now on. I, Mu Anxiao, don't owe you anything." With that, she gave Feng Qishi a forceful shove on the shoulder.
Feng Qishi stiffened.
Mu Anxiao: "Also, if you don't want to help me, then don't. It's better than you feeling uncomfortable."
"No? What did I say that provoked you?" Feng Qishi was taken aback by Mu Anxiao's words.
"Everything you said has provoked me," Mu Anxiao's gaze was sharp.
Feng Qishi's eyes flickered. "You..."
"From the moment you first saw me, you wanted to kill me. Not only that, you've shown me no respect for my decisions, and you call me a wild girl like the others. That's enough," Mu Anxiao interrupted, pouring out all her pent-up frustration.
Feng Qishi swallowed, then said, "Mu..."
"Why didn't you let Jia follow me? You wanted to watch me make a fool of myself, didn't you?" Mu Anxiao interrupted Feng Qishi again.
Feng Qishi blinked, incredulous. "How could you think that of me?"
"I think of you the way you think of me," Mu Anxiao retorted unceremoniously.
Using Mu Anxiao's words, Feng Qishi reflected on his attitude towards her from beginning to end. He said, "I am Shen Moyun, a descendant of Shen Yan. Naturally, I must communicate with you as Shen Moyun. You..."
"Then fine. I am no longer Mu Anxiao either. From now on, I will not listen to a single word you say. However, before that, you need to give me a reason."
"What reason?" Feng Qishi was bewildered again.
Mu Anxiao replied impatiently, "What reason do you think? Of course, it's... the reason why you kept Jia blocked outside."
".." Feng Qishi gasped and said, "Did you not understand what that female demonic soul said, or what?"
"The female demonic soul's words..." Mu Anxiao mused, then suddenly realized. "You mean, she detected Jia's immortal aura?"
"Of course. Your immortal aura has been hidden by your master, so naturally, what she sensed was Jia's," Feng Qishi said patiently.
Mu Anxiao opened her mouth, enlightened. "Oh, no wonder. So that's how it is." As she spoke, her gaze fixed on Feng Qishi's face, then changed. "But that doesn't make sense either."
"What doesn't make sense?" Feng Qishi reverted to his former demeanor.
Mu Anxiao took a deep breath and said, "You should also have..." Mid-sentence, she took a step forward, leaned in, and sniffed Feng Qishi. To her surprise, she exclaimed, "Huh, it's gone." She looked up at Feng Qishi.
Feng Qishi lowered his head to meet Mu Anxiao's eyes and said, "I am Shen Moyun now, a descendant of Shen Yan. Naturally, I don't have that kind of aura." The aura he referred to was immortal energy.
"You're like me?" Mu Anxiao stepped back, pointing to herself.
Feng Qishi shook his head.
"Aren't you replacing someone else?" Mu Anxiao asked softly.
Feng Qishi: "I am myself. I haven't replaced anyone. This identity was given to me by my master."
"Your master learned from my master," Mu Anxiao stated bluntly.
Feng Qishi sighed helplessly. "What do you mean my master learned from your master? You've been given a second chance, so can I. Besides, you're dead, and I..."
"Did you change your personality because I died?" Mu Anxiao interrupted.
Feng Qishi sighed. "It wasn't because of you."
"Not me..." Mu Anxiao's eyes shifted, and her expression turned awkward. "Alright, it was my narcissism."
"Some people die and never come back to life. But you," Feng Qishi's face was impassive, "no matter what you go through, you'll always have a master to save you. So, I'm not worried that you'll die."
Hearing Feng Qishi's words, Mu Anxiao suddenly remembered the puppet he had banished. So, she casually asked, "Were you provoked by something?"
"What do you mean by that?" Feng Qishi retorted.
Mu Anxiao became embarrassed by Feng Qishi's question. "This... I wasn't trying to pry into your privacy. I was just referring to that puppet..."
"Don't ask unnecessary questions," Feng Qishi interrupted, knowing what Mu Anxiao was about to say.
Mu Anxiao's expression froze upon hearing this.
Feng Qishi's eyes darted away. "Alright, let's hurry to the reception hall. Once King Jin leaves, Jia can come in."
"..." Mu Anxiao could tell Feng Qishi didn't want to discuss certain matters. To avoid creating an awkward situation for herself, she replied, "Let's go." Then she looked down and saw her hand bleeding.
Following Mu Anxiao's gaze, Feng Qishi took a step forward and immediately extended his hand. "Give it to me."
Mu Anxiao blinked, looking up at Feng Qishi. "Are you going to use the healing technique on me?"
Feng Qishi: "I have wound medicine." He met Mu Anxiao's eyes.
"...Wound medicine," Mu Anxiao repeated, a cold smile forming. "Never mind. I'm not of mortal flesh. I don't need mortal things." With that, she curled her lips, glared at Feng Qishi, and turned to leave.
Feng Qishi watched Mu Anxiao's retreating figure, his eyes darkening. He looked down at his hand, still extended before him, and sighed faintly, muttering, "This way, that demonic soul should be able to trust her." With that, he began to walk in the direction Mu Anxiao had gone.
In the blink of an eye.
Mu Anxiao stopped outside the reception hall.
At this moment, the doors of the reception hall were ajar. The people standing outside the reception hall, upon seeing Mu Anxiao, all adopted expressions of fear. Even those passing by, like a short while ago, avoided her.
At first, Mu Anxiao didn't think much of it, but upon seeing this, she became puzzled. "Strange, what's wrong with them?"
Concurrently, Feng Qishi stopped beside Mu Anxiao. "..." He deliberately remained silent.
Conversely, Mu Anxiao, seeing him stop beside her, jumped in surprise. "Why are you here again?" She shifted a step to the side.
Feng Qishi cleared his throat and said in a low voice, "Be careful."
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao's brow furrowed. She whispered, "What's wrong?" She didn't dare to look at Feng Qishi, and the amplitude of her mouth movements was smaller than usual.
Feng Qishi: "I've already told you." After saying this, he walked ahead.
Mu Anxiao was startled, suddenly remembering Mu Hua's accusation. Then she thought of the woman who had suddenly found her, and her heart sank. She muttered, "She wouldn't have said something that could be misunderstood, would she?" With that, she deliberately glanced at the servants on either side and proceeded towards the reception hall.
Inside the reception hall.
Feng Qishi walked up to a young man in yellow robes, with a handsome and youthful appearance, and cupped his hands. "King Jin, she has arrived." With that, he stepped aside.
King Jin, seated in a grand chair, glanced at Feng Qishi, put down his teacup, and then looked towards Mu Anxiao, who was deliberately slowing her pace as she approached the door. "It's hard to tell," he said.
The woman who had sought out Mu Anxiao earlier was also seated beside King Jin. She said faintly, "Indeed." As she spoke, she glanced at Mu Hua, who was standing by.
Mu Hua sensed the woman's gaze and turned to smile gently at her.
Seeing Mu Hua smile at her, the woman immediately adopted a stern expression.
Mu Hua was startled and turned to cautiously glance at the madam and Mu Gui seated on either side, not daring to speak.
Next, Mu Anxiao, despite her inner worries, ignored the servants who cautiously stepped aside upon seeing her. She crossed the threshold, deliberately avoiding looking at King Jin, who was seated in the place of honor. She frowned, then looked at Mu Gui, who was walking beside her, and said, with a hint of disrespect, "Father, everyone's here."
Mu Gui frowned, stood up, and said to King Jin, "My Lord Jin, this is my daughter, a wild girl. She... because she was lost from childhood, she has no manners. I beg your forgiveness." He cupped his hands.
King Jin looked at Mu Gui, then at Mu Anxiao, and said directly, "Your sister says you are a monster."
Mu Anxiao glanced at Mu Gui and gave a dry laugh. "You are King Jin, aren't you? Greetings, King Jin." As she spoke, she quickly stepped forward, imitating Mu Gui's gesture, and bowed.
King Jin: "I'm asking about you."
"..." Mu Anxiao chuckled foolishly and said, "If I were a monster, I would never have returned."
"Why?" King Jin asked.
Mu Anxiao: "To be frank, I'm not very well-liked in this family, so..."
Mu Gui cleared his throat a couple of times.
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao swallowed her words and turned to look at Mu Gui, who was ignoring her and smiling at King Jin. "Father, have some water." She then turned back to King Jin and said, "In short, they all say I'm a monster. I've gotten used to it."
King Jin deliberately asked, "Are you a monster?"
Mu Anxiao smiled faintly. "Of course not. I don't know why my sister would say that." As she spoke, she looked towards Mu Hua.
Seeing Mu Anxiao looking at her, Mu Hua became extremely nervous. "She is the monster, King Jin, please believe me."
However, Mu Anxiao was now utterly bewildered. She recalled that by the lake, Mu Hua had asked her to be her servant. Yet now, she was claiming to King Jin that Mu Anxiao was a monster.
She wondered if she was misunderstanding Mu Hua.
Thus, she stared intently at Mu Hua's face.
Mu Hua didn't even glance at Mu Anxiao, continuing to look at King Jin with a wronged expression.