"It's because of our special identities," Feng Qishi said, looking at the children. "Don't you agree?"
"Yes, yes," they chimed in unison.
Mu Anxiao's expression was one of pure exasperation.
"Let's go somewhere later," Feng Qishi suggested.
Mu Anxiao glanced at the spectral children casting their gazes towards him and said, "I can't touch you. Hide-and-seek with you would probably be boring."
"It won't be boring," the little follower shook his head.
Mu Anxiao knitted his brows, then looked again at the children gathering their attention on him and agreed, "Alright, I'll accompany you then."
"Pinky swear," the spectral children all raised their little fingers together.
Mu Anxiao gave an awkward smile and then, with a somewhat anticlimactic gesture, raised his little finger and made a distant pinky-swear with them.
"See?" Feng Qishi pointed at the movie screen.
They all nodded with smiles, their attention shifting to the screen.
Mu Anxiao let out a breath and, as he turned back to the movie screen, he inadvertently noticed a couple not far in front of them, furrowing his brow.
As Feng Qishi followed Mu Anxiao's gaze towards the couple, he exclaimed, "Don't look over there, watch the movie." He then placed his hand in front of Mu Anxiao's eyes.
"What are you doing?" Mu Anxiao turned to Feng Qishi and asked softly.
Feng Qishi blinked his eyes and said, "It's not good for you to look at them."
"What's not good about it? I'm just curious," Mu Anxiao said. "Why are they hugging each other while watching an animated movie?"
"This..." Feng Qishi rubbed his eyes and said, "It's too cold here, they're hugging to keep warm."
"Why don't I feel cold?" Mu Anxiao said, intentionally moving closer to Feng Qishi.
Feng Qishi lowered his gaze to meet Mu Anxiao's eyes and said, "You're too close."
"It's too dark, I can't see you clearly," Mu Anxiao squinted his eyes tightly.
Feng Qishi swallowed and deliberately leaned back a bit, saying, "You're different."
The little follower watched Mu Anxiao and Feng Qishi with a sigh and said, "You guys watch the movie."
"Okay," Feng Qishi nodded, pointing at the movie screen. "Stop looking at them, watch the movie."
"Oh," Mu Anxiao agreed, looked at the movie screen, and then began to eat popcorn one kernel at a time.
Feng Qishi looked at Mu Anxiao, pursed his lips, and said, "I want to eat too."
"I'll roast it for you," Mu Anxiao said, glancing sideways at Feng Qishi.
Feng Qishi gave an awkward smile and said nothing.
A few hours later, they were playing hide-and-seek again in the abyssal forest, but this time, Feng Qishi was having a lot of fun.
"Haha, found you," Feng Qishi, like a child, jumped in front of the little follower hiding behind a tree, laughing.
Mu Anxiao stood calmly behind Feng Qishi and said, "That was too easy."
"How did you know where we were?" the group of spectral children standing behind Mu Anxiao asked.
Mu Anxiao turned to face the spectral children and said, "Why should I tell you?"
"No ghost has ever caught us before. How did you do it?" the little follower asked, walking around Feng Qishi and coming up to Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao looked down at the little follower and said, "I've been to all sorts of forests, so this forest is too small for me. Also, I remembered your..." he leaned down and sniffed, "scent. So, I could find you immediately."
"Are you a dog?" the first spectral child asked Mu Anxiao incredulously.
Mu Anxiao shrugged his shoulders, "No. Of course, a bet is a bet. Next, it's your turn to catch us." He pointed at Feng Qishi behind him.
Feng Qishi smiled, "Okay, let's go, let's go."
The first spectral child, having learned from the previous experience, asked Feng Qishi with distrust, "You won't run, will you?"
"Why would I run? I haven't had enough fun yet," Feng Qishi thought excitedly.
Mu Anxiao yawned and said, "I'll give you an hour. If you don't catch us within an hour, it's over."
"You're too confident," the second spectral child said.
Mu Anxiao's lips curled into a smile, "Indeed. I'll be waiting for you. A hundred counts, don't hold back." With that, she turned and walked away first.
Feng Qishi glanced at the children, gave a simple chuckle, and said, "My master is still my master." He then turned and followed Mu Anxiao.
Immediately, the spectral children exchanged glances. The little follower said, "We need to make a plan."
"Okay," the first spectral child agreed.
And so, they entered into planning.
Mu Anxiao, feeling they had walked far enough, turned to Feng Qishi and said, "Raise your hands."
"What for?" Feng Qishi smiled.
"They can use magic while hiding, so we can too," Mu Anxiao said. Looking to the sides, she continued, "Quickly close your eyes, concentrate your spiritual energy within your body, and then let the spiritual energy conceal you. That's all."
"And you?" Feng Qishi pointed at Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao crouched down and said, "Bury me."
"Huh?" Feng Qishi exclaimed in surprise.
Mu Anxiao roughly pushed aside the branches and debris in front of her, lay down on the ground, and said, "Come on, bury me with these things."
"What if they step on you?" Feng Qishi worried.
Mu Anxiao said helplessly, "Don't you remember? They can't touch me."
"Oh," Feng Qishi realized and quickly crouched down to cast a spell, burying all the things on top of Mu Anxiao. He then asked, "I've left two holes for your nostrils, and I haven't covered your mouth too tightly. How does it feel now?"
Mu Anxiao inhaled some air and said, "It's fine."
"That's good," Feng Qishi said, then half-turned and crouched down beside Mu Anxiao, saying, "I'm done."
"So quickly?" Mu Anxiao was surprised.
"I'm very talented," Feng Qishi whispered.
"Stop bragging. They're coming," Mu Anxiao said calmly.
"Are you sure you won't get anything in your mouth like this?" Feng Qishi asked.
"My mouth isn't open."
"It's not very open!" Feng Qishi corrected.
"Shut up!" Mu Anxiao exclaimed angrily, then quickly spat out something that had fallen into her mouth.
Feng Qishi laughed, "Only you can have fun with these little brats."
Mu Anxiao snorted.
On the other side, they had also finished counting to one hundred and began to split up according to their plan.
Half an hour later... A few spectral children stopped over Mu Anxiao. They looked around with frustration. One spectral child asked, "Did they run off? I can't feel any trace of them."
The others shook their heads and left one by one.
After they had completely moved away, Feng Qishi let out a sigh of relief and asked, "Why can't they feel you either?"
Mu Anxiao shushed him.
Feng Qishi clapped a hand over his mouth, immediately falling silent.