"Indeed, just as the rattan spirit said, you are a scumbag who only catches demon souls indiscriminately," the woman said.
Mu Anxiao could not see the face of the demon soul before her. She took a step back and asked, "What do you want?"
"What do you think?" the woman replied, raising her black claw.
Upon seeing this, Mu Anxiao quickly turned and ran away.
The woman watched Mu Anxiao's rapidly retreating figure, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips, and pursued.
A few minutes later, Mu Anxiao stopped, bent over to catch her breath, and turned to face the woman who was chasing her, saying, "Do you want to kill me, or what?"
"I want to kill you, but if I kill you, I will be discovered by the Yin messengers immediately, so..."
"So, you won't kill me, then," Mu Anxiao interrupted.
Hearing this, the woman's eyes gradually lit up with red and purple light. "I will torment you," she said, then suddenly extended her black claw, which passed through Mu Anxiao's body.
Mu Anxiao looked at the woman before her without any sensation and began to laugh, "I'm a cripple now. Souls like you can't even touch me. You're too naive, woman."
"How can this be?" the woman exclaimed, withdrawing her black claw in shock.
Mu Anxiao's lips curled into a smile. Then, using the light from the surrounding lanterns, she saw the woman's face clearly. "It's you," she gasped.
Upon hearing this, the woman looked up at Mu Anxiao and asked, "You recognize me?"
"Are you a rat demon?" Mu Anxiao pointed at the woman's face uncertainly.
"You figured it out," the woman said, turning and disappearing.
The moment the woman vanished, Mu Anxiao took a step forward and said, "I didn't expect the rattan spirit to have released Yan's mother as well." She frowned.
In the Rabbit Queen's room, the rattan spirit approached the couch and asked in a low voice, "You're faking it, aren't you?"
Hearing this, the Rabbit Queen looked up at the rattan spirit and smiled, "I can see that."
"You're lying to me," the rattan spirit exposed.
"What do you mean?" the Rabbit Queen played dumb.
"You weren't affected by my soul-bewitching technique at all," the rattan spirit widened his eyes. "Right?"
"How did you know?" the Rabbit Queen asked, looking at the rattan spirit who had just exposed her with great interest.
"If Mu Anxiao hadn't come, I might not have seen through it," the rattan spirit shook his head slightly.
"Oh?" the Rabbit Queen smiled. "What do you mean?"
"You know it yourself," the rattan spirit said coldly.
"I do know, but I want to hear you say it. If you don't, then," the Rabbit Queen stood up and looked up at the rattan spirit, saying, "I will turn all those demon souls into my subordinates, leaving you, someone neither demon nor beast, to be a useless creature like Mu Anxiao forever."
"How audacious of you," the rattan spirit frowned.
The Rabbit Queen smiled, "Originally, if you hadn't exposed me, I would have played along with you. But now that things have come to this, there's no need for me to continue feigning ignorance with you, rattan spirit."
"Do you believe I'll kill you?" the rattan spirit leaned down to meet the Rabbit Queen's eyes.
The Rabbit Queen smiled, "If you kill me, your time cultivating demon arts is not as long as mine."
Hearing the Rabbit Queen's words, the rattan spirit couldn't help but laugh, "You truly are a surprising female rabbit."
"Surprising," the Rabbit Queen sneered. "Rattan spirit, don't try to butter me up. I won't fall for your tricks."
"If I may, I am willing to serve you," the rattan spirit cupped his hands.
The Rabbit Queen tilted her head, staring intently into the rattan spirit's eyes, and said, "I have many monsters serving me. I don't need someone like you who immediately casts spells on me." With that, she reached out and grabbed the rattan spirit by the neck.
The rattan spirit chuckled, "You think you can restrain me? This is not my true form." With that, he instantly transformed into chains and disappeared.
The Rabbit Queen grasped at empty air, angered, "Rattan spirit, you'd better not appear here again. Next time, I will absolutely not let you off."
The first maid rabbit, hearing the Rabbit Queen's angry shouts from inside, was startled.
Immediately afterward, the Rabbit Queen said, "I want to rest. Get out."
Hearing this, the first maid rabbit hastily replied, "Yes," and left.
The Rabbit Queen retreated and sat by the couch, pondering the rattan spirit's words. A wave of displeasure washed over her, and she clenched her fist, slamming it forcefully onto the table.
At the same moment, the rattan spirit found Mu Anxiao again.
"Stop."
Mu Anxiao pretended not to hear and continued forward.
Seeing that Mu Anxiao wouldn't stop, the rattan spirit quickly transformed into a male figure and caught up with her, saying, "It's all because of you that my plan failed."
Hearing the rattan spirit's words, Mu Anxiao stopped with displeasure, "What do you mean by that?" She turned her head to look at him.
The rattan spirit said, "I've fallen out with that rabbit."
"What does her falling out with you have to do with me?" Mu Anxiao said dismissively.
"It has to do with you, of course. If you hadn't gone, I wouldn't have fallen out with that rabbit," the rattan spirit placed all the blame on Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao narrowed her eyes and said, "No good deed goes unpunished. There's something fishy about this." She then took half a step back.
"You..."
"Never mind 'you.' Aren't you very annoyed by how that rabbit treated you?" Mu Anxiao said.
The rattan spirit lowered his gaze and said, "I am quite annoyed."
"If you're annoyed, you come to me. Please remember," Mu Anxiao pointed at the rattan spirit, then at herself, "we are enemies. I will not help you."
"Can't you be less absolute about it?" the rattan spirit asked.
Mu Anxiao smiled, "You truly surprise me. One moment you show a face that wishes to tear me to shreds, and the next you act like a lapdog. I really don't understand you, rattan spirit."
"A tiger fallen into the plains is bullied by dogs. I accept it," the rattan spirit nodded.
"You're insulting me," Mu Anxiao pointed at the rattan spirit.
"No, I'm not," the rattan spirit turned his face away.
Seeing the rattan spirit's uncharacteristically submissive demeanor, Mu Anxiao snorted and said, "I can't be bothered to talk to you." She then turned and walked away.
The rattan spirit came back to his senses and followed Mu Anxiao.
After not walking far, Mu Anxiao stopped again and asked, "What exactly do you want?"
"I want the rabbit's demon soul," the rattan spirit stated directly.
"Why do you want her demon soul?" Mu Anxiao asked without even looking at him.
"Currently, the demon souls under my command, excluding the one I gave you, number two hundred and forty-nine. I dislike that number," the rattan spirit told the truth.
Mu Anxiao was speechless at this.
Seeing that Mu Anxiao wasn't replying, the rattan spirit asked, "Why aren't you talking?"
Mu Anxiao said, "I think you've gone mad, rattan spirit."
"How have I gone mad?" the rattan spirit asked with a foolish expression.
Mu Anxiao smiled, "Do you think I'm as foolish as you? Helping you would be harming myself."