"What are you looking at me for?" Mu Anxiao asked.
"No need to verify, the result is already out," Jia said, then looked down at Hong'er, who was startled by his words. "You wicked demon, don't make excuses for yourself."
"You little thing, you're just afraid to verify it, that's why you're slandering me," Hong'er roared. She thought Jia had been intimidated by her gaze, but unexpectedly... her reaction only strengthened his resolve. Refusing to back down, she was determined to completely intimidate Jia with her attitude at this moment.
Mu Anxiao listened to Hong'er's words without speaking, instead shifting her gaze to Jia.
Jia, hearing Hong'er's words, remained unfazed and coldly retorted, "Do you think you're very powerful?"
Hong'er stiffened, her face full of arrogance as she said, "I just want revenge, I..."
"As Mu Anxiao said, there are many ways for a demon to cultivate, but," Jia interrupted, his eyes becoming unusually cold, "the fastest way to boost cultivation is to do evil. And you..."
"Shut up," Hong'er suddenly grew anxious.
To this, Jia merely snorted and continued, "And you said you lost a hundred years of cultivation because we harmed you. If I remember correctly, a demon who wastes a hundred years of cultivation would be extremely weak. Yet, you are full of vigor. Not only that, but your method of killing your own child was quick, precise, and ruthless." He said, shaking his head slightly. "A demon who hasn't done evil wouldn't have your methods."
"What do you know, you little thing?" Hong'er retorted, flustered.
"No matter how small I am, I've seen more demons than you have. Now," Jia turned serious, "I'll give you two choices."
Mu Anxiao liked Jia's demeanor, so she confidently crossed her arms in front of her.
Just then, Feng Qishi inadvertently noticed the trace of blood at the corner of Mu Anxiao's mouth. His heart sank, and without thinking, he bypassed Jia and stopped beside Mu Anxiao. Then, without a word, he took out a brand-new gray handkerchief from his sleeve and offered it to Mu Anxiao's face.
Mu Anxiao frowned at the sight and immediately tilted her head up to look at Feng Qishi. "...What are you doing?" she asked impatiently.
"Your mouth has blood on it," Feng Qishi said gently.
"I don't need you," Mu Anxiao replied, ungratefully pushing away the hand holding the handkerchief. She took a step back and raised her hand to forcefully wipe her mouth.
Feng Qishi knew that his actions in the manor had surely hurt Mu Anxiao's feelings. But seeing her like this, he still felt heartache. "Be obedient," he said, stepping forward. He used his left hand to hold Mu Anxiao's shoulder to restrain her, then picked up the handkerchief and gently wiped the bloodstain from her lips.
At this moment, Mu Anxiao was startled by Feng Qishi's sudden action and froze.
Meanwhile, Hong'er, who had no intention of responding, completely shifted her gaze to Mu Anxiao and Feng Qishi. She sneered, "Mu Anxiao, you are an immortal, using demonic arts, and now you are acting like this with this male immortal..."
"I'm truly curious, if these things about you were to reach the Heavenly Realm, would you be in trouble?"
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao quickly regained her senses, pushed Feng Qishi away, stepped forward, and glared at Hong'er, who had suddenly turned her attention back to her. "You don't need to worry about my affairs."
"I didn't say I was worrying about you; I'm just curious about what kind of end you will eventually meet."
"Curiosity killed the cat; you don't understand that," Mu Anxiao said coldly, opening her palms and conjuring a ball of blue light. "You are truly uneducated." With that, she directly launched the blue light, striking Hong'er's chest heavily.
Jia was stunned as he watched this scene.
Similarly, Feng Qishi had not expected Mu Anxiao's attacks to be so quick, precise, and ruthless. Moreover, she was using demonic arts. Watching her... his expression froze.
Hong'er also did not expect Mu Anxiao to use demonic arts so skillfully. This time, she was truly afraid of Mu Anxiao. "You really want to kill me," she said, gasping for breath and clutching her chest.
"Jia, go check," Mu Anxiao commanded coldly.
Following her words, Jia nodded and agreed. He crouched down, tied one end of the silver rope to Hong'er's wrist, and said, "Wait a moment."
"..." Mu Anxiao remained silent, quietly watching Hong'er's face.
Feng Qishi withdrew his handkerchief and stared at the back of Mu Anxiao's head.
Immediately, the silver rope was dyed red.
Mu Anxiao looked at it, took a deep breath, and said, "Too much explanation is concealment, and too much concealment is storytelling. Hong'er, Hong'er," she said, her eyes cold, "it seems your skill in lying is truly remarkable."
"I already said I didn't..."
"Jia, tell her," Mu Anxiao, too lazy to listen to Hong'er's nonsense, interrupted her.
Jia glanced back at Mu Anxiao, sighed lightly, and said, "Your name, Hong'er, truly suits you." He looked at Hong'er's face. "Your fate lines are quite numerous." With that, he untied the silver rope from Hong'er's wrist and stood up.
Hong'er frowned and cried out, "I didn't..."
"When one has lived for a long time, one forgets their past. This is a common problem for female demons," Mu Anxiao said, no longer wanting to hear Hong'er's excuses.
The moment Mu Anxiao uttered these words, Hong'er froze.
Mu Anxiao, observing Hong'er's expression, asked softly, "Do you only see me as your enemy?"
Upon hearing this, Hong'er looked up at Mu Anxiao and said, "You are my enemy. If it weren't for you, my hundred years of cultivation wouldn't have been ruined. It's all you, it's all you." Her eyes were unfocused, her entire demeanor seeming unstable.
"Do you feel like you're the one who's been wronged the most?" Mu Anxiao continued to provoke.
Seeing this, Feng Qishi quickly stepped forward and said softly, "Don't provoke her anymore."
Jia also said, "Yes, don't provoke her anymore."
"You two saints, step aside." Mu Anxiao glanced at Feng Qishi and Jia, stepped forward, and lowered her head to stare at Hong'er's face.
Hong'er began to cry.
Mu Anxiao snorted, "When you harmed others, why didn't you feel wronged? You, you female demon, truly..."
"You all bully me, you all harm me, you all hit me. Yes," Hong'er interrupted, standing up. "I feel wronged. Why do you all look at me with such strange eyes? What exactly did I do wrong? Why do you... bully me, why?" Her eyes widened, meeting Mu Anxiao's gaze intently.