"There are many things that cannot be explained clearly. I think their way of thinking is also related to their environment," the proprietress said, placing her hand on Mu Anxiao's shoulder.
"I think so too," Mu Anxiao replied.
The proprietress nodded with a smile, and then suddenly felt a slight burning sensation on her shoulder. She asked, "Why is your palm so hot?"
Upon hearing this, the proprietress quickly withdrew her hand and hid it behind her back.
Mu Anxiao took notice of this.
"Why is there the power of magic on your hand?" she asked.
The proprietress's eyes flickered as she replied, "What power of magic? I'm just an ordinary mortal. I don't understand what you mean by that." She turned her face away.
Mu Anxiao, looking at the proprietress, deliberately glanced at her arm hidden behind her back and said, "If you don't want to tell me, then forget it."
"I have to get back to work," the proprietress said, turning and hurrying away.
Mu Anxiao sighed, turned to look at the proprietress's hand, which had not been brought back to the front, and narrowed her eyes. She saw faint green light beams emanating from her palm and her eyes widened.
"You're here."
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao frowned, retracted her gaze from the proprietress's hand, and turned to look at Xu Lanyan, who was approaching her. She exclaimed in surprise, "Why are you here?"
"I thought you had left. You haven't left after all this time," Xu Lanyan said with a grin, stopping beside Mu Anxiao and taking a seat.
"Why are you here?" Mu Anxiao asked again.
Xu Lanyan reached for a teacup and said, "I heard there's a problem with the Cultivation Gate, so my master sent me to check."
"What problem is there with the Cultivation Gate?" Mu Anxiao asked deliberately.
Xu Lanyan sighed, "The demonic energy there is too strong. My master is worried that some demons are plotting something there, so he sent me to investigate."
"Your kind of immortal doesn't deal with catching demons, do they?" Mu Anxiao asked, picking up her teacup.
"From now on, this is our jurisdiction. I'm going to check out the Cultivation Gate later," Xu Lanyan said.
"I advise you not to go," Mu Anxiao said calmly.
"Why? Have you been there?" Xu Lanyan asked.
Mu Anxiao turned her head to look at a young man walking down from upstairs and shouted, "Bring me some melon seeds and peanuts."
"Who are you ordering around?" the young man said, displeased.
Mu Anxiao frowned. "I'm ordering you. Who else? Hurry up." She said, then turned back to Xu Lanyan, "I have been there. There's a demonic barrier. If you go in, you won't be able to get out."
"I don't believe you," Xu Lanyan shook her head.
"If you don't believe me, then go. Previously, one person had their soul corrupted by that poisonous gas. They died without a complete body," Mu Anxiao said, intending to make it sound terrifying.
Xu Lanyan laughed. "You're kidding, right?"
"Even someone like me who loves to join in the fun is still here. And you say I'm kidding," Mu Anxiao sneered. "Fine, go ahead. Let's see if you can get out."
Seeing Mu Anxiao's serious expression, Xu Lanyan swallowed and asked, "Are you telling the truth?"
"Mm," Mu Anxiao nodded.
"Then how am I supposed to investigate?" Xu Lanyan asked dejectedly.
Mu Anxiao looked at Xu Lanyan's dejected expression and said, "There is a way. I can go for you, but you'll have to give me extra compensation. What do you say?" She raised an eyebrow.
"You have quite the imagination," Xu Lanyan said with a forced smile.
"I do have a wild imagination. Then you go yourself. Anyway, if you die," Mu Anxiao snorted, "your master won't know, and I won't tell him either."
Hearing Mu Anxiao's serious words, Xu Lanyan's eyes sank. "Alright then. But speaking of which, if I can't even get in, how can you possibly get in?"
"I have my ways," Mu Anxiao said, pointing at Xu Lanyan. "You promised."
Seeing Mu Anxiao's determined gaze, Xu Lanyan didn't ask any further questions and said, "Okay. Tell me how much you want after it's done."
"Alright," Mu Anxiao nodded, then inexplicably began to feel uneasy again, her expression turning grim.
Looking at Mu Anxiao's changing expression, Xu Lanyan asked, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Mu Anxiao shook her head, her mind now occupied by worries for her own safety.
"Your expression doesn't look like 'nothing'," Xu Lanyan said, staring intently at Mu Anxiao's face.
Mu Anxiao frowned and asked, "Do you remember the Vine Spirit?"
"Didn't it get dealt with?" Xu Lanyan was unaware that the Vine Spirit had escaped.
"No. Black Peak never handed over that chain. Now the Vine Spirit has merged with the chain and escaped using demonic arts," Mu Anxiao said calmly.
"What?" Xu Lanyan's eyes widened. "Are you talking about the real Vine Spirit?"
"Mm," Mu Anxiao nodded.
"Has this matter been reported?" Xu Lanyan asked.
Mu Anxiao said, "No, and you shouldn't report it either."
"I won't say a word. Then I'll go look for it," Xu Lanyan said.
Mu Anxiao thought for a moment and said, "Don't go. Just stay here. Of course, if you find our conversation boring, you can go upstairs."
Xu Lanyan looked up at the second floor and asked, "Who is upstairs?"
"Your senior brother and your junior brother are both upstairs," Mu Anxiao informed her.
"You mean, A wry smile bloomed as the wind began to stir and that... who else is there?" Xu Lanyan asked excitedly.
Mu Anxiao hummed in confirmation.
"Okay, I'm going," Xu Lanyan said, standing up and heading upstairs.
Mu Anxiao didn't look back, her sense of unease growing for some unknown reason.
Behind the counter, the proprietress looked down at her glowing green palm, then at Mu Anxiao's profile, remaining silent.
In the Underworld, the young man and the boy, accompanied by an underworld official and the Vine Spirit, passed through various barriers and arrived in an extremely grim cave filled with roars and cries.
Hearing the sounds, the boy was startled and hid behind the young man.
The demons they had brought with them were already frightened, and upon seeing this scene, they all began to wail.
The boy pouted and said, "This place is really scary."
"You haven't been here before?" the young man asked the boy with a nonchalant expression.
The boy looked up at the young man and said, "No, I'm a soul spirit. I've never been to a place like this. Have you?"
"I haven't been here, but I've been to our place," the young man said leisurely.
The boy tightly clutched the young man's sleeve and said, "These guys are so terrifying." As he spoke, he cautiously glanced at the demon souls in the cells on either side.
"If I'm not mistaken, the demon souls here are for serious crimes," the young man said as he walked.
The number one leopard-print demon, following closely behind the young man, asked, "What crimes are we guilty of?"
"That depends on how many people you harmed. The more people you harm, the worse it will be," the young man replied.