Finally, Mu Anxiao felt relief and took half a step back. She withdrew her gaze from the roof beams and stared fixedly at Ouyang Ye, who was smiling at her. She didn't say a word, clenching her fists and breathing in the surrounding evil aura, feeling surprisingly nervous.
Ouyang Ye watched Mu Anxiao, who was clearly tense, with interest. He chuckled, "You're afraid."
At this moment, the evil aura permeating the reception hall was distinctly the same as that emanating from those monsters. However, unlike before, this evil aura was clearly mixed with spiritual energy, and Mu Anxiao surmised that the owner of this spiritual energy was undoubtedly Ouyang Ye.
But what confused Mu Anxiao was why, if she cultivated demonic arts to subdue vengeful spirits and demons, she would be targeted by the Heavenly Realm's immortals. Meanwhile, Ouyang Ye, a nameless celestial being who wreaked havoc on the mortal world, faced no repercussions.
She felt indignant.
"I'm not afraid," she said, her voice firm, her gaze locked on Ouyang Ye's face. "Why is your spiritual energy mixed with this evil aura?"
Originally, she had only thought about it and intended to remain silent. But Ouyang Ye's infuriating demeanor compelled her to speak.
Ouyang Ye replied, "I'm a rogue immortal, so of course I'd cooperate with them."
"You really kill people?" Mu Anxiao's eyes widened.
"I kill people?" Ouyang Ye pointed to himself, laughing. "You're mistaken. How could I possibly kill people? I'm an immortal. Killing would break the rules, so I have demons take care of certain individuals." As he spoke, he tilted his head back, looking at the roof beams.
Following Ouyang Ye's gaze, Mu Anxiao slowly looked up. A woman in purple, with glowing green eyes and disheveled hair, was clinging to the roof beam, her head cocked as she stared intently at Mu Anxiao.
At the same time, hearing Ouyang Ye's words, Sister Mu Xiang looked up at the roof beam and let out a startled cry.
The purple-clad woman's brow furrowed, and she immediately turned her face towards Sister Mu Xiang's direction.
Fake Mu Long, seeing this, quickly pulled Sister Mu Xiang behind him, raised his face, and met the purple-clad woman's gaze.
Conversely, the moment the purple-clad woman looked at Fake Mu Long, a trace of hatred flickered in her eyes. "It's you." Her voice was hoarse, and if one didn't see her, they would assume she was a man.
Fake Mu Long frowned.
Then, as Mu Anxiao shifted her gaze to Fake Mu Long's face, the image of Xi'er instantly flashed in her mind. She lowered her eyes, smelled the surrounding evil aura, and quickly looked up at the purple-clad woman above, murmuring, "Xi'er."
As expected, the moment Mu Anxiao spoke those words, the purple-clad woman turned her gaze back to Mu Anxiao's face. "You're Mu Xi's sister. I've seen you before." As she spoke, she somersaulted and landed.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao hastily dodged aside, afraid she might be hit.
Upon hearing the purple-clad woman's words, Fake Mu Long's head suddenly throbbed with pain.
Sister Mu Xiang held Fake Mu Long's arm, her expression filled with terror.
At the same time, the purple-clad woman landed opposite Mu Anxiao, in front of Ouyang Ye. "Do you remember me?" she asked, a smile spreading across her lips, revealing her yellowed teeth.
Mu Anxiao vividly remembered Xi'er from that year. No matter how detestable she was, she had been a fair-skinned girl. But now... looking at the purple-clad woman who recognized her, she began to doubt if this was truly Xi'er. xxs Yier
"You don't recognize me? That's understandable," the purple-clad woman chuckled. "You were only ten years old then. Your brother wasn't very good to you. But seeing you living like this now, I'm relieved."
"..." Mu Anxiao frowned.
Ouyang Ye was taken aback. "You know she's Mu Anxiao, why didn't you tell me?"
Hearing this, the purple-clad woman rolled up the hem of her trailing sleeves and turned to look at Ouyang Ye. "Didn't you want a destined encounter? It only has meaning if you recognize her yourself."
Mu Anxiao was confused.
Ouyang Ye smiled. "You have a point there."
The purple-clad woman smiled, then turned back to Mu Anxiao. "Your brother killed you."
"I'm not dead. Who exactly are you?" Mu Anxiao asked deliberately.
The purple-clad woman laughed. "You already figured out who I am, yet you ask."
"You..." Mu Anxiao narrowed her eyes. "You really are Xi'er, the young lady of the cultivation sect."
"Yes," the purple-clad woman nodded.
Mu Anxiao was stunned.
Fake Mu Long didn't have a complete memory of Xi'er. However, Xi'er was his nightmare. Every time he thought of Xin'er, Xi'er would appear in his mind. But her face was blurry.
At this moment, looking at Xi'er, his head throbbed intensely.
Sister Mu Xiang tightly gripped Fake Mu Long's arm and began to cry.
Xi'er smiled at Mu Anxiao, then slowly turned her gaze to Fake Mu Long. "Mu Xi, it's been a long time."
At the sound, Fake Mu Long's eyes widened, and his headache vanished.
Xi'er continued, "I didn't expect you to be able to climb up here," saying this, she glanced at Ouyang Ye and walked forward.
Mu Xi no longer remembered the memories of that year, but Mu Anxiao remembered them clearly. Looking at Xi'er's retreating back, she recalled Mu Xi's hatred towards her after his death, as well as Xin'er's death. Her heart sank, and she called out, "Stop."
Hearing her, Xi'er paused, turned her head to look at Mu Anxiao, and smiled. "Something wrong?"
"It's a miracle you're still alive," Mu Anxiao said coldly.
Xi'er smiled. "Of course. Who am I? I am..."
"Those monsters are quite powerful," Mu Anxiao interrupted.
Xi'er's face fell.
The moment Ouyang Ye heard Mu Anxiao's words, he frowned.
Meanwhile, Ye Yu, startled by Xi'er, released her grip and tightly hugged Feng Qishi's arm, trembling all over.
Feng Qishi looked at Ye Yu in this state and then at the relatively calm Mu Anxiao and Xi'er, choosing to remain still.
Mu Anxiao walked forward. "You don't remember me," she said, coldly eyeing Xi'er.
Xi'er looked at Mu Anxiao's face and narrowed her eyes. "You..."
"The way you killed Xin'er is still vivid in my mind. You crazy woman," Mu Anxiao interrupted.
After decades, Xi'er had forgotten many things. Mu Anxiao had just experienced it, so her memory was fresh. As for Xi'er, she had no recollection of the matter.
"What are you talking about?"
"What am I talking about?" Mu Anxiao sneered. "You're quite good at pretending. Aren't you..."
"Mu Anxiao, what do you mean by that?" Fake Mu Long interrupted.
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao felt that some things should be clarified. She shifted her gaze to Fake Mu Long's face. "She killed you. Your body didn't fall off the cliff. Your body was torn apart by monsters. If you don't believe me, come out, and I'll take you to the cliff to see your grave."
Fake Mu Long: "You..."
"What I'm saying is the truth, because I've been back," Mu Anxiao clarified.
Xi'er's eyes darkened upon hearing this. "The person by Xin'er's side, it was you." She widened her eyes.
"It was me, but unfortunately, I didn't die," Mu Anxiao said coldly.
Xi'er sneered. "I knew you looked so much like Mu Xi. After all this time... you are Mu Anxiao. If I had known, I would have killed you too back then."
"..." Mu Anxiao snorted. "Since your memory has been awakened, it's time we settled our accounts." Saying this, she extended her hand and conjured the silver rope.
Xi'er: "You, you think you can subdue me? I was..."
"I forgot to tell you, my past life was as a demon. If we count it that way," Mu Anxiao interrupted, a smile playing on her lips. "I'm hundreds of years older than you."
"You..."
"Now I'll give you two choices: one, tell him the whole truth and cooperate with me; two, fight me, and let me capture you."
Hearing Mu Anxiao's words, Xi'er couldn't help but smile. "Even if you were a demon in your past life, you are not now."
"But I have the ability to capture you."
"Alright, then capture me. I'd like to see if you can deal with those monsters," Xi'er said, extending her hand.
Mu Anxiao had some experience with those monsters. If there were no complications, she could defeat them. However, the current situation was not in her favor.
Therefore, she reached out and took Xi'er's hand, saying, "There's no need."
"I think it's necessary," Xi'er pulled her hand away.
Conversely, Mu Anxiao intentionally tightened her grip. "There really is no need. Let's talk properly. Just pretend everything I said just now was nonsense."
For the sake of those people, she decided to back down.
Feng Qishi couldn't understand Mu Anxiao.
Ouyang Ye watched Mu Anxiao, who seemed afraid of offending Xi'er, and smiled faintly.
Fake Mu Long was utterly bewildered.
Sister Mu Xiang released her grip on Fake Mu Long's arm, took a step back, and looked at Xi'er, who was being held by Mu Anxiao, with a dumbfounded expression, only fear remaining in her eyes.
Xi'er stared at Mu Anxiao for a few seconds before saying, "Still the same as that year, cowardly."
"The me of that year is also the me of now. I just returned and encountered you," Mu Anxiao smiled. "This must be fate."
"To be honest, I had already forgotten about you," Xi'er said indifferently.
Mu Anxiao felt awkward. "Really? But I've never forgotten you. You..."
"You could actually be seen in the past. In that case," Xi'er met Mu Anxiao's gaze with her green eyes. "Shall we cooperate?"
"Huh?" Mu Anxiao only intended to stall Xi'er and had never thought of having any interaction with her. Xi'er's current proposal genuinely stunned her.
Xi'er continued, "Go back to the past and help me... protect the cultivation sect."
After that year, Xi'er had gone to cultivate. She was unaware of Mu Anxiao's relationship with the cultivation sect. She only knew that the cultivation sect had encountered trouble, which led to significant changes within it. She had also lost contact with her parents as a result.
Her current cooperation with Ouyang Ye was intended to revitalize the cultivation sect with his help. As for the idea of returning to the past, it was a sudden whim.
Ever since witnessing Mu Xi's death process that year, Mu Anxiao had sworn to return and capture Xi'er. However, Xi'er now wanted to use her to save the cultivation sect she disliked the most.
She found Xi'er's proposition laughable.
"..." She merely smiled without speaking.
Xi'er asked, "Why aren't you responding to me?"
"Do you know what I do now?" Mu Anxiao suddenly asked.
Xi'er's eyes darkened. "What do you do?"
"You don't know?"
Over the decades, Mu Anxiao had become infamous in the mortal world. Now, for Xi'er to claim ignorance made Mu Anxiao suspect... had Xi'er time-traveled?
Xi'er explained, "I've been cultivating. It was last year," she glanced at Fake Mu Long. "It was because of him that I came out, so I don't know about worldly affairs." She believed Mu Anxiao would help her.
Mu Anxiao responded, "Oh."
"Oh, what 'oh'? Are you going to help me or not?" Xi'er asked, looking at Mu Anxiao with anticipation.
Mu Anxiao looked at Xi'er, contemplating her words, including the treacherous circumstances of Xin'er's murder that year. She suddenly had a... foreboding feeling.
With that thought, she lowered her head to look at the hand she was holding, saying, "I will, but if I help you, what benefits will you give me?" she said intentionally.
Xi'er asked, "What do you want?"
"I want money."
"Money?" Xi'er chuckled. "You only want money?"
"Yes, gold would be even better."
"Your request is too simple."
"Mhm," Mu Anxiao nodded, glancing at Ouyang Ye, who was watching her. "Also, you need to break off your relationship with him," she raised a free hand and pointed at Ouyang Ye.
Ouyang Ye's eyes darkened.
Subsequently, Mu Anxiao observed Xi'er's facial expression.
Outside the reception hall.
Wan Sha and Mu Xiang stopped outside the door together. Piao, as usual, poked a hole in the window paper with his index finger, opened one eye, and closed the other, looking through the small opening directly at Feng Qishi, who was being held by Ye Yu. Feng Qishi frowned, then looked at Xi'er, who was being held by Mu Anxiao, and murmured, "It's her."
Hearing this, Wan Sha reached out and gently patted Piao's back, asking, "What did you see? Why don't you just go in?" Her voice was very soft.
Piao ignored Wan Sha, staring at the contemplative Xi'er for a few seconds. He recalled a woman who had used demonic arts to harm mortals a decade ago, and his eyes darkened. "Speaking of her, it's undeniable," he said, straightening up and turning to look at Wan Sha and Xi'er, who were both dressed in servant uniforms. "You two, leave."
Wan Sha asked, "Why?"
"There's a powerful demonic entity inside. If you are here, you will be affected," Piao said, pointing at Wan Sha. "Especially you."
"Me?" Wan Sha pointed to herself, her eyes darkening. Without finishing her sentence, she pulled Mu Xiang and walked away.
Mu Xiang could only comply with Wan Sha, not daring to say a word.
Inside.
Mu Anxiao looked at the contemplative Xi'er and smelled the surrounding evil aura. She smiled. "Reluctant." Saying this, she realized... Xi'er had been completely demonized. Moreover, she possessed the 'lives' of others, making her a 'sinful demon'.
With that thought, she no longer bothered to waste words with Xi'er.
Xi'er asked, "What do you mean by reluctant?" Her eyes flickered.
Mu Anxiao let out a soft snort and turned to Ouyang Ye. "I think it would be best if you two got together. She's reluctant to part with you, and you're reluctant to part with her."
"...." Ouyang Ye smiled faintly. "Are you jealous?"
Mu Anxiao snorted, released Xi'er's hand, and looked at Ouyang Ye. "Don't be so narcissistic. I don't know what you do, but I warn you, if you dare to harm anyone, I will absolutely not let you off the hook." She said this and fixed her gaze on Xi'er's face. "You were once human, now you are a demon who has caused great harm, so I have the right to capture you." After saying this, she took a step back and threw out the silver rope, which automatically wrapped around Xi'er's body.