The instant the demon sword lit up with that beam, the bug, as if cooperating, translated for it, "She doesn't know I'm here, and I'm not being dishonest."
Mu Anxiao hadn't expected the demon sword to speak up for her at this critical moment. Half of the tension in her heart eased. Nevertheless, she didn't believe Ouyang Ye would trust what the demon sword was saying. Thus, she kept her gaze fixed on Ouyang Ye's face, curious about his response.
"Really." Ouyang Ye, unaware of Mu Anxiao's gaze, continued to look at the demon sword.
The demon sword replied, "Yes."
Immediately after, Ouyang Ye smiled as the demon sword gave its reply. "Bug, I didn't expect you to have such an ability. If that's the case, how about I give you a new position?"
At this, the beam of light around the demon sword extinguished.
The bug, after Ouyang Ye uttered those words, burrowed even deeper into the crevice.
Observing the reactions of the demon sword and the bug, Ouyang Ye's lips curved into a slight smile. "It seems you made quite a meticulous plan," he said, finally shifting his gaze to Mu Anxiao's face.
"A meticulous plan? What meticulous plan did we make?" Mu Anxiao retorted, genuinely not understanding Ouyang Ye's meaning.
Ouyang Ye maintained his smile. "You had them stealthily follow you, then lure me here," he said, glancing at the screen, "and release Jiong Ye, right?"
"Since you've already agreed, what's the point of saying all these nonsense?" Mu Anxiao saw no need to hide anything anymore.
Ouyang Ye's expression turned serious.
Xi'er exchanged glances with Ouyang Ye and Mu Anxiao, thinking, Mu Anxiao is finished.
Seeing Ouyang Ye's demeanor, Mu Anxiao deliberately said, "I've already agreed to so many of your demands, what more do you want?"
"I just don't want you to lie to me anymore," Ouyang Ye said, his voice filled with emotion.
Mu Anxiao didn't know what Ouyang Ye was getting at, but to fulfill the demon sword's request, she had to go along with him. "Alright, alright, I won't lie to you. Can you start now?" She gestured towards the screen.
As Mu Anxiao spoke, the demon sword returned to her side.
Mu Anxiao glanced at the demon sword, then at Ouyang Ye, who was staring at her without uttering a word. She frowned.
Seeing this, Ouyang Ye's lips curled. "Things are not as simple as you think. This screen is enchanted with..."
"You are the boss here. No matter how difficult it is, I believe you can find a way to release them," Mu Anxiao seized the opportunity to flatter Ouyang Ye.
Ouyang Ye was indeed pleased upon hearing this. "Although I know you're saying it against your will, hearing you say this makes me happy."
"Then let's begin," Mu Anxiao forced herself to smile at Ouyang Ye.
"You go," Ouyang Ye said suddenly.
Mu Anxiao's expression froze. "Where do you want me to go?" she asked, her gaze unintentionally falling on Xi'er's smirking face. Annoyed, she asked, "What's with that expression?"
Hearing this, Xi'er quickly suppressed the smile on her lips and said indifferently, "This is your moment of testing." She then looked at Ouyang Ye. "Master, am I right?"
"Yes, I need to test you," Ouyang Ye said, locking his gaze with Mu Anxiao's.
Mu Anxiao was stunned.
Seeing Mu Anxiao's reaction, Ouyang Ye smiled. "What, are you scared?"
"I'm not even familiar with this thing, how can I operate it? You... you're messing with me." Mu Anxiao had expected Ouyang Ye to quickly release Jiong Ye and Zhao Mei'er. To her surprise, after all this talk, Ouyang Ye was entrusting everything to her. Faced with this situation, she was truly unhappy.
"Don't speak so harshly. I'm testing you, not messing with you," Ouyang Ye said, giving Mu Anxiao a faint smile. "Go ahead."
"You're not telling me what to do, yet you're asking me to go. Ouyang Ye, you're deliberately toying with me."
"As long as your heart is evil enough, you can save them. If your heart is not evil enough, it will be difficult," Ouyang Ye said indifferently.
Evil?
Not evil?
Mu Anxiao had never imagined that her humbled plea would be met with such a perfunctory test from Ouyang Ye. Glancing back at the screen, she suddenly felt like a joke. Clenching her fists, she took a deep breath and said, "Ouyang Ye, I knew you wouldn't be so kind. As expected," she turned back, glaring at Ouyang Ye, "it's just as I thought. In that case, all the demands you made of me are void."
"What did you say?" Ouyang Ye was shocked by Mu Anxiao's audacity.
"I said, everything I promised you before coming here is no longer valid, unless," Mu Anxiao said with a cold expression, "you honor your promise and release them."
"You're threatening me."
"You played me first," Mu Anxiao growled. Her patience with Ouyang Ye had run out.
Then, Ouyang Ye laughed.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao was perplexed. "What are you laughing at? I'm telling you, I'm completely serious. If I actually act, you won't be needed here anymore." As she spoke, she gripped the hilt of the demon sword.
The bug clung tightly to the crevice of the demon sword.
"I was joking with you, and you took it seriously," Ouyang Ye said with a laugh.
Conversely, Xi'er had always believed that Ouyang Ye's words were never a joke. Hearing him suddenly say this, a hint of loneliness arose in her heart. "Master, do you really intend to release them personally? If so, you..."
"Who said I was going to release them?" Ouyang Ye interrupted, shifting his gaze to Xi'er's face.
Xi'er stiffened. "Master, any monster that enters the screen can only be saved by themselves. There is no other way."
"If you can lock them in, you can certainly release them," Ouyang Ye said calmly.
Then, Mu Anxiao exchanged glances with Xi'er, whose scheme had failed, and Ouyang Ye, whose attitude had shifted again. Blinking, she was utterly confused.
Listening to Ouyang Ye's words, Xi'er's gaze involuntarily shifted to Mu Anxiao's face. "Master," she said, "the monsters in the cultivation land all know that Jiong Ye and Zhao Mei'er have been imprisoned. If they are released today, it might break the rules. I beg you... think twice." She bowed slightly.
"Release them," Ouyang Ye uttered a single word.
Xi'er continued to look troubled. "Master, Jiong Ye has his own agenda. If he is released, he will surely cause a lot of trouble, and..."
"I told you to release them, so release them. Less nonsense," Ouyang Ye interrupted Xi'er in a low voice.
"Master..."
"I told him to release them. If anything goes wrong in the future, I'll take responsibility," Mu Anxiao couldn't bear it any longer.