"You don't need to praise me. Listen to me now. Stand here and wait..."
"I don't want to," Gu Yan interrupted, reaching out to tug on Mu Anxiao's sleeve.
As Gu Yan pulled, Mu Anxiao stiffened. Glancing down at Gu Yan's hand on the silver rope, she asked, "Are you sure you want to come with me?"
"I've already searched the entire first floor. I think," Gu Yan pointed towards the stairs, "she must be hiding upstairs."
"Are you sure?" Mu Anxiao asked, a strange nervousness creeping into her heart. Driven by this tension, she fixed her gaze on Gu Yan's face.
Gu Yan had intended to answer with conviction, but being stared at so intently by Mu Anxiao, she was genuinely startled. "What's wrong?"
"When you left Ouyang Ye's side before, it was Gu Yan's trick, wasn't it?" Mu Anxiao inquired.
Gu Yan didn't understand why Mu Anxiao would suddenly ask such a question, but seeing how serious Mu Anxiao was, she replied honestly. "Yes, she said some things to the Master, and afterward..." She paused, then continued, "The Master began to trust her a lot more."
Hearing Gu Yan's words, Mu Anxiao couldn't help but recall Gu Yan's recent actions, her thoughts stirring.
Seeing this, Gu Yan looked puzzled. "What's wrong?"
"I'll go up by myself. You wait here for me," Mu Anxiao said, glancing towards the shop's entrance. "It's not realistic for you to go out now."
"I know you're doing this for my own good, but the Yin energy upstairs is even heavier. Before I leave, I can still block some of it for you. If you go up alone, it might harm your body," Gu Yan blurted out everything on her mind to Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao could see Gu Yan's kindness, and she truly couldn't bear to disappoint her good intentions. However... just as Gu Yan had said, Ouyang Ye had clearly been easily swayed by Gu Yan's words, and his trust in Gu Yan evidently surpassed his trust in her. Therefore, no matter the outcome, as soon as she left, she would be in danger.
But what if she agreed to let Gu Yan accompany her and they fell into another trap?
In the end, after a series of speculations, Mu Anxiao decided not to let Gu Yan go with her.
"I can do it myself," Mu Anxiao stated firmly.
"But..."
"No 'buts.' I'm a Yin Messenger, after all. The Yin realm is much more Yin than this place. So," Mu Anxiao said, "don't worry about me. I'll be fine."
"What if there are vengeful spirits upstairs... can you really handle them alone?" Gu Yan voiced her new concern.
Mu Anxiao laughed upon hearing this. "You really do worry too much. I have my ways, so don't fret."
"I want to go with you."
"No," Mu Anxiao was resolute.
Gu Yan looked confused. "Why not?"
"Because..." Mu Anxiao hesitated, then, combining her worries, she thought carefully and suddenly realized something. "Because we can't give Gu Yan any leverage."
"What do you mean?" Gu Yan's thoughts suddenly became clouded.
Mu Anxiao countered, "How is our relationship at the General's mansion?"
"Well..."
"Not when we're alone, but in front of Ouyang Ye."
"In front of the Master..." Gu Yan repeated, her eyes darkening as she understood. "You mean, if you and I are seen together, Gu Yan will use it to our disadvantage, is that it?"
"Yes."
"So what? You help me, I thank you. This is basic for humans and demons alike. I haven't done anything wrong. Besides," Gu Yan reasoned, "the Master likes you. If I help you, shouldn't the Master be happy? He... he shouldn't easily believe Gu Yan's words, should he?"
"You think too highly of your Master," Mu Anxiao said, pursing her lips. "Let me put it this way, why do you think I came in here?"
"The Master..."
"Wrong," Mu Anxiao interrupted with a sigh. "Your Master angered me into coming in here."
"What do you mean?" Gu Yan's eyes dimmed, a sense of disappointment washing over her.
Mu Anxiao explained, "It means he's been brainwashed by Gu Yan. If you and I were to take Gu Tie out together, it would be falling into Gu Yan's trap. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"You mean Gu Yan brainwashed the Master again?" Gu Yan finally realized the seriousness of the situation.
Mu Anxiao nodded, her mind clearing up after the conversation with Gu Yan.
Gu Yan's eyes darkened. "Then what should we do?"
"What do you mean, 'what should we do'?" Mu Anxiao didn't quite grasp Gu Yan's meaning.
Gu Yan said earnestly, "Once the Master is easily swayed by Gu Yan, he loses all reason. In the end... the outcome will be the same."
"He listens to that female demon spirit, Gu Yan, that much?" Mu Anxiao asked, surprised.
Gu Yan nodded. "Gu Yan is best at brainwashing the Master. She's most skilled at twisting the truth. So," she paused, then continued, "as long as the two of us go out together, it will become a fact. Do you understand what I mean?"
"In short, we've already fallen into the trap Gu Yan set," Mu Anxiao said calmly, as she had expected it.
"Yes."
Mu Anxiao hummed in agreement, thinking to herself that Ouyang Ye was such a sly character. If everyone around him was like Gu Yan, he wouldn't have gotten to where he is today. Thinking deeper, it would be strange if he *didn't* trust Gu Yan.
"Then what do we do?" Gu Yan believed Mu Anxiao would surely find a solution.
"Do you still want to follow Ouyang Ye?" Mu Anxiao asked.
Gu Yan hesitated.
Seeing Gu Yan's indecisive expression, Mu Anxiao looked puzzled. "What's wrong? You don't want to leave Ouyang Ye?"
Gu Yan shook her head.
"Then what do you mean?" Mu Anxiao couldn't understand Gu Yan.
Then, Gu Yan pursed her lips and said, "I want to see, just one last time, if the Master... has any basic trust in me." Her gaze was firm.
Mu Anxiao was speechless for a moment. "It's this situation, and you still want to test Ouyang Ye?" she said. Deep down, she was already prepared to help Gu Yan, because she knew... Ouyang Ye would absolutely not change his mind.
"Yes," Gu Yan said innocently.
Mu Anxiao nodded, respecting Gu Yan's choice. "Alright, but," she said, fixing her gaze on Gu Yan's face, "if he doesn't trust you, what will you do?"
"Then I'll do whatever you say."
"You're willing to go down too?" Mu Anxiao asked, referring to leaving.
Gu Yan understood Mu Anxiao's meaning and nodded.
"Alright then," Mu Anxiao said, pointing towards the stairs. "I'll go up. You wait for me here."
"I want to go with you," Gu Yan said quickly.
"As I said, every step we take now is a trap set by Gu Yan. So, from now on, I'll go alone. You," Mu Anxiao said, pointing at Gu Yan, "stay right here."
Gu Yan hesitated.