"I assume you're quite skilled, so how did you end up in such a state?" Mu Anxiao said, turning to fix her gaze on Jiong Ye, who happened to be looking at her. "It's truly bewildering."
"Haven't you ever been in a predicament? Let me tell you, stop mocking me, be careful, you might laugh yourself into trouble." Jiong Ye said with a stern face.
Mu Anxiao wasn't offended, she just smiled faintly, "You're quite narcissistic."
"How could I..."
"Since you're so prone to suspicion, then fine, I'll be blunt," Mu Anxiao's eyes sharpened. "I came specifically for you."
"I can tell," Jiong Ye said calmly.
Mu Anxiao’s lips curved. "Since you can tell, then stop with the nonsense and come with me." With that, she began to survey their surroundings.
Watching Mu Anxiao's reaction, Jiong Ye pondered his past grievances with her and his recent actions towards her. He felt confused. "Mu Anxiao, what are your intentions?"
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao relaxed her furrowed brows and turned back to Jiong Ye. "Previously, I thought you were dead," she said.
Jiong Ye narrowed his eyes.
Mu Anxiao: "Don't give me that look. I'm looking for you simply because we had a connection in the past. To be honest," she tilted her head, "if this were the mortal realm, I wouldn't have let you off if I saw you, but because this is the demon realm, I'll let you off."
"So, if we were back in the mortal realm, you would capture me." Jiong Ye understood Mu Anxiao's meaning.
Mu Anxiao nodded.
Jiong Ye lowered his gaze, thinking, "You're looking for me because you want to leave here too, right?" He thought they had the same goal and felt a surge of excitement.
Mu Anxiao shook her head.
Jiong Ye frowned. "Then... what do you mean by looking for me?" He was disappointed.
"I know too few demons here. In other words," Mu Anxiao said, smiling slightly, "it's rather nice to meet you here."
"You want to brainwash me into staying here and becoming Ouyang Ye's subordinate." Jiong Ye stated.
Mu Anxiao took a deep breath. "Yes, but... not exactly."
"Can you make yourself clear? If you keep me guessing like this, I'll think you're deliberately messing with me," Jiong Ye was losing patience with Mu Anxiao.
At this moment, Mu Anxiao didn't want to waste time with idle talk. She glanced in both directions and only wanted to take him away. But since he had put it this way, if she didn't give him a reasonable explanation, she feared he wouldn't let it go.
Helpless, Mu Anxiao decided to be perfunctory. "Xi'er told you and Zhao Meier to wait at the original spot. Why did you come here?"
"I..." Jiong Ye felt guilty under Mu Anxiao's questioning. "I just heard monster calls, so..."
"Because there's an exit to the mortal realm here." Mu Anxiao intended to catch Jiong Ye in a lie.
Upon hearing this, Jiong Ye's expression froze completely.
Mu Anxiao sneered, "I knew you wouldn't give up so easily."
"I just wanted to... try one last time." Under Mu Anxiao's exposure, Jiong Ye became much more compliant.
"And how did that try go? I see," Mu Anxiao placed a hand on her hip and glanced at the blood forest behind them, continuing, "you found nothing."
"I..."
"You've been wandering around here for quite some time, haven't you?" Mu Anxiao interrupted.
Jiong Ye's eyes flickered. "I... I didn't find anything."
"You want to leave here that badly." Mu Anxiao was straightforward.
Jiong Ye shook his head.
Mu Anxiao frowned slightly. "What do you mean by shaking your head? I don't understand." As she spoke, she scanned Jiong Ye's face.
Under Mu Anxiao's questioning, Jiong Ye swallowed a couple of times and said, "I was just giving myself one last chance. It seems I can't get out. Since that's the case," he sighed, "I can only follow the path fate has laid out for me."
"It can only be this way," Mu Anxiao nodded.
Seeing this, Jiong Ye suddenly became curious why Mu Anxiao was here. So, he deliberately said, "How strange."
"What's strange?" Mu Anxiao's attitude was indifferent. While Jiong Ye was replying, she turned her head and focused on the direction to her right.
"Didn't you leave with Ouyang Ye? Why... are you looking for me again? Could it be," Jiong Ye paid no attention to Mu Anxiao's movements and instead remembered the demon sword, "it's that." His tone was very cautious.
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao immediately withdrew her gaze, looked up, and stared at Jiong Ye for a few seconds. "You're referring to the demon sword, aren't you?" she thought that until the soul sword returned, she would refer to it that way.
Jiong Ye hummed in agreement and said, "You said that if it weren't for the demon... no, if it weren't for it, you wouldn't have saved me at all. This time, is it also because of it?" Tears welled up in his eyes.
Mu Anxiao smiled upon seeing Jiong Ye's unusual demeanor. "It's related, but not entirely because of it."
"What do you mean?" Jiong Ye was confused.
Mu Anxiao felt that Jiong Ye occupied a significant place in the demon sword's 'heart'. But in reality... the demon sword hadn't asked Mu Anxiao to rescue Jiong Ye. Therefore, she couldn't arbitrarily fabricate the demon sword's intentions and deliberately changed the subject. "If I remember correctly, didn't that demon-devouring beast pull you into the water?"
"Zhao Meier told you." Jiong Ye was successfully sidetracked.
Mu Anxiao: "Yes. How did you escape?"
Jiong Ye said calmly, "I can swim."
"That's... it?" Mu Anxiao was surprised that Jiong Ye's swimming skills were so good?
"Not exactly. But speaking of it," Jiong Ye said, lowering his gaze and thinking, "it is strange. Inside that demon-devouring beast's body... there seemed to be spiritual energy."
"Spiritual energy?" Mu Anxiao was startled.
Jiong Ye nodded. "Just as I was about to be eaten, that spiritual energy saved me." He said, his expression becoming firm.
Mu Anxiao frowned.
Subsequently, Jiong Ye glanced at Mu Anxiao's contemplative face and added, "By the way, you used magic just now."
"Mm," Mu Anxiao admitted readily.
After Mu Anxiao's response, Jiong Ye began to worry for her. "You're truly bold. If Ouyang Ye finds out you did this," he lowered his voice, fearing eavesdropping, "you... do you know what your fate would be?"
"What do you think he can do to me?" Mu Anxiao asked deliberately.
"Lock you up," Jiong Ye said seriously.
Mu Anxiao laughed.
Seeing this, Jiong Ye tutted and said, "Don't think I'm joking. Ouyang Ye is capable of that. Even if..." he said, feeling uncomfortable under Mu Anxiao's gaze, "even if your relationship with him is unusual, he won't spare you."
"You know him very well." Mu Anxiao smiled faintly.