Mu An Xiao watched the innkeeper heave a sigh of relief and couldn't help but doubt his words again.
So, she raised her Soul Sword once more.
This time, she placed it steadily on the innkeeper's shoulder.
Seeing this, the innkeeper immediately pouted, "What are you doing?"
Mu An Xiao took a sharp breath and said, "I don't find your words very credible."
"..." The innkeeper's face was bitter, "Alright, tell me, what do I need to do for you to believe me?"
"Tell me the identity of the one who gave you the inner core."
The innkeeper began to avoid her gaze, "...."
"Can't say, or won't say?" Mu An Xiao tilted her chin up.
The innkeeper said, "I can't tell you."
"Can't tell," Mu An Xiao lowered her head to look at the Soul Sword and said, "Just now, I used the flat of the blade to tap your head. Now, I'm going to tap your shoulder, and I'm not planning to use the flat of the blade. Think carefully." As she spoke, she pointed the blade just above the innkeeper's shoulder.
The innkeeper's nerves tightened, knowing full well the power of the Soul Sword.
Thus, he said with a trembling voice, "I'll tell you."
After going in circles like this, Mu An Xiao was about to run out of patience with the innkeeper.
At this moment, impatience filled her eyes, "Speak."
"Yes, a demon soul," the innkeeper said, lowering his head.
Mu An Xiao: "A demon soul? Why didn't you admit it earlier?"
"He said if I told you, he wouldn't help me anymore."
"You're a demon, and you asked a demon soul to help you," Mu An Xiao narrowed her eyes, "Don't you find that shameful?"
"What's shameful about it? As long as I can keep..." As the innkeeper spoke, he couldn't help but glance at the Soul Sword in Mu An Xiao's hand, "This inn, no matter what, I can accept it."
Mu An Xiao: "...."
This time, the innkeeper's gaze became noticeably firmer, "I'm telling the truth."
"You're a demon, afraid of being killed by a demon soul? How ridiculous."
Hearing this, a darkness flickered in the innkeeper's eyes, "It is ridiculous, but this is the closest place to the underworld, and also a place where demonic energy is weakest. Although I am a demon, I am not a proper one."
"Not proper?" Mu An Xiao repeated, chuckling, "You should say, not of the orthodox lineage."
"It's the same."
"It's not the same."
"Then..." The innkeeper, still afraid that Mu An Xiao might change her mind, agreed, "Then it's not the same."
"Continue."
"It's precisely because of this that my demonic arts are not as potent as any demon soul's. In other words, I am the weakest here. If I want to become stronger, I have to resort to any means necessary. This principle," the innkeeper said, "I still understand."
Mu An Xiao's lips curved, "Resorting to any means necessary means helping an outsider kill your own kind. You're quite something."
"When have demons ever had reason for who they kill? A sentimental demon like you," Mu An Xiao laughed, "is truly the first I've seen."
"I am a human-demon."
"Human?"
Mu An Xiao had always known of humans and demons.
Human-demon? These two words were new to her.
Naturally, it piqued her curiosity.
So, she continued, "Human? In that case, are you a half-breed?"
Feng Qi Shi listened to Mu An Xiao's words and said helplessly, "You can't call him a half-breed, you could say he's of mixed blood."
Mu An Xiao turned and shot Feng Qi Shi a glare.
Feng Qi Shi: "...." He deliberately looked away.
The innkeeper said, "You can say that. It's precisely because I'm a half-breed that they bully me."
"Is your mother human, or is your father human?"
The innkeeper shook his head, "...."
Mu An Xiao frowned, "What does your head shake mean?"
"..." After a few seconds of pause, the innkeeper said, "My mother told me that someone from my father's generation was human, but my father said that someone from my mother's generation was human. In short, they call me stupid, and it's inherited."
Mu An Xiao: "...."
The innkeeper's words gave Mu An Xiao a new perspective.
In her mind, the sequence was as follows:
The mother, seeing her child's dullness, blamed the father.
The father, seeing his child's foolishness, blamed the mother.
Although she couldn't fully empathize, based on Feng Qi Shi's experience of being looked upon coldly by his mother, she believed that this innkeeper's... experience was very similar to Feng Qi Shi's.
Feng Qi Shi, however, felt a sense of empathy, "Do you consider yourself a human-demon?"
Upon hearing this, Mu An Xiao consciously withdrew her Soul Sword, moved aside, and allowed the innkeeper to face Feng Qi Shi.
The innkeeper: "...." He cautiously glanced at Mu An Xiao.
Feng Qi Shi gave the innkeeper a look that encouraged him to reply.
The innkeeper understood the meaning and said, "My grandparents said I'm not a human-demon, that I'm very orthodox. They also said my parents were talking nonsense."
Mu An Xiao asked, "Are your parents still alive?"
Feng Qi Shi said, "They are demons, not humans. Their lifespans are very long. Why are you asking such a pointless question?"
Mu An Xiao: "..." She shot Feng Qi Shi a fierce glare.
The innkeeper cautiously glanced at the Soul Sword in Mu An Xiao's hand and said, "They are both still alive."
"And them?" Mu An Xiao shifted her gaze back to the innkeeper's face.
The innkeeper said, "After they handed over this inn to me, they all left one by one. Before they left, they said that if I didn't manage this inn well, I would be eaten by monsters in the future."
"By monsters?"
"Yes, because I'm a half-breed, my demonic energy is too weak, and my demonic arts are feeble. If I enter there, I'm destined to die."
"Did they abandon you?"
The innkeeper: "...."
Mu An Xiao knew her words were hurtful.
However, the information the innkeeper conveyed to her was thus, and she felt her words were not wrong.
Feng Qi Shi asked, "So, you're afraid of this place going bankrupt?"
"Yes." The innkeeper nodded.
Mu An Xiao sighed, "Then you can run a legitimate business."
"Not many demons come here. If I... run a legitimate business, it would be impossible to earn this many inner cores. By then, this place would still go bankrupt. In short, after this incident, I might not survive." The innkeeper pouted and began to cry.
"Why are you crying, a grown man?"
"I'm just a child."
Hearing this, Mu An Xiao was speechless.
Ever since he was neglected by his mother in the mortal world, Feng Qi Shi no longer considered himself a child. Now, hearing the innkeeper's words, he realized that this innkeeper was likely pampered and spoiled.
And his parents' actions were merely to motivate him.
However, he misunderstood his parents' intentions.
It seemed he, like Mu An Xiao, was rendered speechless.
Xu Lan and Xu Lan exchanged glances.
Xu Lan asked, "Master, does he have no trace of human soul energy on him?"
Xu Lan glanced at Xu Lan, then back at the innkeeper, "When did your parents start telling you that you were a half-breed?"
"A few years ago." The innkeeper replied tearfully.
Xu Lan: "...."