Feng Qishi, who hadn't spoken precisely because he believed Mu Anxiao surely had a plan, was surprised by her current unhurried demeanor, showing no concern for Lin Yan's safety.
Frowning, he watched Mu Anxiao's retreating back and impatiently said, "Mu the Fool, just climb over. What can you possibly find by fumbling around like that?"
"..." Mu Anxiao, one hand caressing the wall, turned her head to look at Feng Qishi's impatient expression. She replied faintly, "Shen the Mad, you haven't seen it."
"Seen what?" Feng Qishi's mind was consumed by Lin Yan's safety. Hearing Mu Anxiao's rhetorical question, he became particularly agitated.
"Come here."
Feng Qishi hesitated for a moment before stepping forward. He glanced at the wall before him and said, "Why don't we just climb over?"
"This isn't an ordinary wall."
"Huh?"
"This wall was built with sorcery. If I'm not mistaken, it was constructed by the imposter."
"What happens if we climb over?"
"I don't know," Mu Anxiao shook her head. "But I know only souls can pass. We cannot."
"What about Lin Yan?" Feng Qishi grew anxious.
"I don't know." Mu Anxiao shook her head slightly and took a dagger from her懷. "You'll have to ask her."
The dagger, carefully sensing the surrounding aura, transformed into human form after confirming the absence of the fake Lin Yan's presence. It stood beside Mu Anxiao and reached out to tap the wall.
Seeing the dagger's peculiar behavior, Feng Qishi asked, "Do you know what this is?"
The dagger's expression was unnatural. "It's a trap."
Feng Qishi: "A trap? Leading where?"
"To the woods outside the city, just as she said," the dagger pointed at Mu Anxiao. "This is forged with sorcery. It's only effective at night, and only targets mortals."
"So, if we climb over now, will we be alright?"
"No," the dagger replied, as if it had made a mistake, unable to look up.
"What will happen?" Feng Qishi, not noticing any changes in the dagger, inquired.
The dagger: "If you cross, you will fall into a swamp, gradually sinking with no possibility of escape."
As Mu Anxiao had suspected, the sorcery set by the fake Lin Yan was unlikely to be that simple. Looking at the wall before her, she asked, "Dagger, is there any way?" She didn't look at the dagger.
"..." The dagger continued to keep its head down.
Feng Qishi became utterly tense, to the point where he didn't know what to say.
"..." Mu Anxiao turned her head to look at the dagger's entirely uncomfortable movements and expression. She asked, "What's wrong with you?"
The dagger: "Actually... this was set up by him and me together." She had initially not wanted to tell the truth, but realizing it would eventually come out, she dared not hide it.
"You?"
"Yes, I assisted him in casting this sorcery."
"You and him together." Mu Anxiao repeated, tilting her head to look above the wall. "What will happen if I climb over?"
"You'll immediately fall into the swamp."
"..." Mu Anxiao was startled by the dagger's reply.
A Long: "I'll go check over there. You guys think first."
Hearing A Long's words, Feng Qishi couldn't help but feel relieved. "Then I'll trouble you."
"It's nothing, I'm going." A Long shook his head.
Mu Anxiao: "Be careful."
"Mm." A Long nodded, turned, and passed through the wall.
Mu Anxiao watched A Long disappear into the wall, then turned her gaze to the dagger. "So, this wall is targeted. It doesn't harm souls, but only harms humans at night," she said, lowering her eyes to ponder. "This means this wall is most dangerous to celestials."
"You could say that."
The moment Mu Anxiao heard the dagger's response, she suddenly recalled Mu Xi defecting to the Vine Spirit. Thinking of her own past grievances with the Vine Spirit, her heart sank.
That fellow must have said a lot of bad things about me to Mu Xi, perhaps it's because of this that he hates celestials so much! She thought, reaching out to touch the wall again.
Feng Qishi: "What's wrong?" He saw something on Mu Anxiao's face again.
Mu Anxiao snapped back to reality, turned to Feng Qishi, and said, "Nothing."
"No..."
As Feng Qishi uttered the first syllable, Mu Anxiao turned to the dagger again. "Is there any way to undo this sorcery?"
"Yes," the dagger nodded. "However, you cannot possibly accomplish it."
"Tell me."
"..." The dagger hesitated for a moment before saying, "It requires sorcery."
"Sorcery?" Mu Anxiao repeated, looking down at her own hand. "Shen the Mad, this time, you won't be able to stop me." She turned to look at Feng Qishi.
Sorcery?
Feng Qishi had always been most opposed to Mu Anxiao using sorcery. However, at this critical juncture, if he continued to object, time would be wasted.
By then, not only would Lin Yan be in danger, but those people would also be killed.
Therefore, for the sake of those people, he compromised. "Alright, you use it!"
"With you saying that, it's enough."
Feng Qishi shook his head slightly, looking up at the sky, and frowned. "Not good."
"What is it?" Mu Anxiao asked in confusion.
Feng Qishi: "This place... is connected to the Celestial Realm. If you use sorcery, the gods above will know immediately," he said. "You..."
"It doesn't matter."
"You..."
"If we're discovered, so be it. If I'm not mistaken, this is the only way to find them. If we don't do this, nothing will be accomplished. Don't stop me."
"..." After Mu Anxiao finished speaking, Feng Qishi had nothing more to say.
Silence implied consent. Mu Anxiao no longer paid attention to Feng Qishi's attitude and turned to the dagger. "How do we do it? You tell me."
"I..." The dagger started to speak but stopped.
Mu Anxiao: "You say it, what can't be said?"
"You alone cannot."
"Then you cooperate with me."
"I cannot cooperate with you," the dagger shook its head slightly.
Mu Anxiao remembered the dagger saying it had partnered with the fake Lin Yan to construct this wall, yet now it spoke like this. This made Mu Anxiao furious. "What's wrong with you? Can you only harm people and not save them?"
"No," the dagger said, sounding troubled. "I genuinely cannot cooperate with you."
"You..."
"How about I cooperate with you?"
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao's body stiffened. She turned her head to look at Wan Sha, who was walking over. "What are you doing here?"
"To prevent you from wrongly accusing me, I came."
At the same time, Mu Xiang hid in a nearby wall corner, without a notebook in hand.
"I wasn't thinking of you, but," Mu Anxiao couldn't help but think of the relationship between Wan Sha and the Vine Spirit, and coldly snorted, "perhaps, you also have a slight connection to this."
"Too much nonsense. Just tell me, do you accept my help?" Wan Sha raised her chin.