"You are not my Xiao'er. Tell me, what have you done to my Xiao'er?" Mu Gui, seeing Mu Anxiao's treatment of Hong'er, became anxious.
Mu Anxiao had not expected Mu Gui's feelings for this Hong'er to be so deep. She sneered, shifting her gaze to Mu Gui's face, "Father, you doubt I'm your daughter because of a woman? Tsk tsk, how cruel."
"I didn't say that, you said it yourself, you..." Mu Gui's voice trembled as he pointed at Mu Anxiao, "Tell me, who exactly are you?"
"Who I am, my mother has already made very clear." Mu Anxiao, not wanting to worry Mai Xia further, continued with what Mai Xia had just said.
"Mu Xiao..."
"I was brought back by an immortal from the palace, so naturally I can distinguish demons and monsters. Father," Mu Anxiao said, intentionally glancing at Hong'er's face, and continued, "It seems you know her identity."
"Mu Lang," Hong'er said quickly.
Upon hearing Hong'er's "Mu Lang," Mu Anxiao's skin crawled. However, she still had to say her piece, "It seems you know her identity." She fixed her gaze on Mu Gui.
Mu Gui looked at the pale and haggard Hong'er with a pained expression, then turned to Mu Anxiao and said, "Mu Xiao, I know you've learned skills outside over the years, but this time, I beg you, let her go."
"Let her go..." Mu Anxiao said, looking at Hong'er's face again, and smiled faintly, "That's not impossible, but only if you make her promise to let me go."
"You made me lose a hundred years of cultivation. This is impossible," Hong'er shouted.
Mu Anxiao knew this... Hong'er would never let her off easily. As expected, a demon's obsession was much deeper than that of an ordinary person. Helpless, she once again fixed her gaze on Mu Gui, "Father, everyone protects themselves, and your daughter is no exception."
"Doesn't she have your brother in her belly?" Mu Gui said quickly.
Mu Anxiao smiled faintly, "Half-brother, doesn't count."
"Mu Xiao!"
"Father, I never intended to do anything to her. Now that the facts are clear, it's she who won't let me go. Moreover, I only returned because I fell into her scheme. If we're talking about it," Mu Anxiao curled her lips, "I'm the one who's most wronged, aren't I?"
"..." Mu Gui felt that what Mu Anxiao said made sense and didn't know what to say.
Then, Hong'er looked at Mu Gui and said stiffly, "Mu Gui, this matter has nothing to do with you. I will always remember your life-saving grace, but," her eyes began to glow red, "when she ruined my cultivation, I can never let it go."
"Hong'er.."
"Don't try to persuade me. Today, it's either she dies or I die," Hong'er said, turning to face Mu Anxiao.
"Be careful not to disturb your pregnancy," Mu Anxiao said, deliberately taking a few steps back.
Mu Gui, hearing Hong'er's words, became anxious, "Yes, Hong'er, be careful not to disturb your pregnancy."
"Is the child more important, or am I?" Hong'er asked, turning her head to look at Mu Gui again.
Mu Gui's gaze was firm, "You and the child are both important."
"If I weren't pregnant, who would be more important, me or Madam?"
".." Mu Gui hesitated.
Hong'er smiled, "Then Madam is more important, isn't she? Fine," she said, "Let me ask you again, if I weren't here, who would be more important, Mai Xia or Madam."
"It's definitely Madam," Mu Anxiao answered for Mu Gui.
Upon hearing this, Hong'er's gaze directly locked onto Mu Anxiao's face, "This is no place for you to interrupt," she said, then turned back to Mu Gui, "Tell me, who is more important."
"You both.."
"Don't say you're both important. Just tell me, who is important."
"Madam.." Mu Gui uttered one syllable and couldn't continue.
At this, Hong'er immediately understood Mu Gui's thoughts, "Good, I understand." With that, she placed her hand, emitting red light, on her lower abdomen.
Mu Gui exclaimed in shock, "Hong'er, what are you doing?"
"I don't want to become the next Mai Xia. I don't want my child to be like Mu Xiao. Mu Gui," Hong'er's face contorted, sweat beading on her forehead, "I gave you a chance."
"Hong'er." Mu Gui said, about to approach.
"Don't come near me," Hong'er roared, unleashing her demonic arts while enduring the intense cramping in her belly, and looked at Mu Gui, "I admit, from beginning to end, I was just using you. If it weren't for Mu Xiao, I would never have met you, but... it was also because of her that I saw your true colors. Mu Gui, from today onwards, I am breaking all ties with you... Ah.."
In the next second, Hong'er's pained screams filled the entire reception hall.
Mu Anxiao stared in disbelief at Hong'er, who was willing to endure all pain to get revenge and was using demonic arts to abort her own child, and froze.
Seeing the situation, Jia's mouth twitched, "Is she... going that far?"
Mu Gui, seeing Hong'er in so much pain, was heartbroken. His legs gave way, and he knelt on the ground, at a loss.
"Mu Xiao, how exactly did you offend her?" Shen Lü said helplessly.
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao snapped back to reality, turned to Shen Lü, and said in a low voice, "Say less."
"Do you need my help later?" Shen Lü asked intentionally.
"She can't do anything to me. Later, you just stand aside," Mu Anxiao said, putting her hands behind her back and waiting for Hong'er's retaliation.
In front of a pillar, Mai Liang looked up at Hong'er's actions, then at Mai Xia, who stood stunned opposite her, and said, "Can you help me up?" She patted Jia's shoulder.
Then, Jia withdrew his gaze and looked at Mai Liang, saying, "Your soul body is weak right now. If..."
"In prison, Mai Xia tried to commit suicide several times. I'm worried about her... Help me up," Mai Liang interrupted softly. She had discovered all this in secret. However, she had always refused to believe what she saw. Every time Mai Xia acted like that, she would tell herself that Mai Xia would never do anything foolish. But now, looking at Mai Xia's lifeless eyes, she was still scared.
"Are you joking?" Jia said, but still helped Mai Liang up.
"I wish I were joking," Mai Liang said, using Jia's strength to walk towards Mai Xia.
Jia believed in Mai Liang's feelings for Mai Xia, so he cooperated with Mai Liang without a second word.
Just then, Hong'er, having endured the pain, raised her head to look at Mu Anxiao, "Now... it's your turn." With an evil smile, before Mu Anxiao could react, she quickly turned and struck Mai Liang again.
Following that, Mai Liang, along with Jia, collapsed.
Mu Anxiao watched the scene and realized... Hong'er truly couldn't be spared. "You're going too far," she said coldly, opening her palm to summon a silver rope and walked towards Hong'er.
Shen Lü glanced at the silver rope in Mu Anxiao's hand and said with disdain, "Just this..."