"You already left?" Mu Anxiao asked with a stern tone.
"I did leave, but I was worried you'd be killed, so I came back," Feng Qishi replied.
Mu Anxiao looked at Feng Qishi's deliberately concerned expression and relaxed her grip. "Alright, I'm fine. You can go now."
"Master, what are you doing?" Feng Qishi deliberately pointed at Mu Anxiao's hand.
Mu Anxiao glanced at the chain and said, "I've found an ancestor for you. Hurry and acknowledge him."
Hearing Mu Anxiao's words, the vine spirit eagerly said, "Don't listen to her. I have nothing to do with her."
"Master, isn't he a demon cultivator?" Feng Qishi asked with disdain.
"What, you look down on him?" Mu Anxiao inquired.
Feng Qishi gave a simple, honest laugh. "I want to become an immortal, not a demon."
"Why?" Mu Anxiao asked deliberately.
"Immortal sounds better. Demon is too embarrassing. Besides, demons are supposed to..."
"If you disapprove, then get lost," Mu Anxiao growled.
Feng Qishi was taken aback and turned to look at the big-headed fat demon. "What are you looking at? Let's go."
"She told you to get lost, so get lost," the big-headed fat demon said, pointing at Mu Anxiao.
Feng Qishi winked and said, "Alright, let's go."
The big-headed fat demon understood Feng Qishi's meaning. Without another word, he glanced at Mu Anxiao and walked ahead.
Feng Qishi followed the big-headed fat demon, not looking back.
Afterward, Mu Anxiao continued to pull the chain and said, "I'll let you out now." Her stern expression vanished, and she smiled again.
The vine spirit had been worn out by Mu Anxiao's torment. Seeing Mu Anxiao's serious expression as she released him, he asked, "Do you really want to become a demon?"
"Yes," Mu Anxiao nodded.
"Alright, alright. I promise, but don't pull me anymore." The vine spirit said.
"Why?" Mu Anxiao asked.
"This is my body. It's uncomfortable when you pull me like this," the vine spirit stated truthfully.
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao quickly let go and said, "Then can I call you Master?"
"This..." The vine spirit hesitated for a moment and said, "You can, but you have to tell me where the wolf demon is."
"Then you tell me first, why did this chain become your body?" Mu Anxiao countered.
The vine spirit looked helplessly at Mu Anxiao's preemptive expression and said, "It's not exactly my body, but I infused my demonic energy into the chain that sealed me. This way, I wouldn't be annihilated. Over time, the chain was purified by my demonic energy, and I could cast spells, thus..."
"You mean, you and it became one."
"That's right. Otherwise, how could I move around freely?" the vine spirit said truthfully.
Mu Anxiao uttered an "Oh" and said, "If you didn't become a demon, would you not be able to do this?"
"Yes, that's why I cultivated demonic arts. Although it's a shallow level, it's very useful. However," the vine spirit's tone carried a smile, "as long as I absorb the demonic energy from the wolf demon's soul into my body, I can transform into human form. Then, I will truly have a place in the demon realm."
"You want to use the malevolent energy in the wolf demon's body," Mu Anxiao said.
"Yes, and the killing intent," the vine spirit elaborated.
"As expected of Master. I hadn't thought of these things," Mu Anxiao said, intentionally flattering.
The vine spirit smiled. "Of course. Remember, in this world, you must always be strategic in your actions. If you act without thinking, you will be eliminated, and your life will no longer be your own."
"It's not that serious, is it? My life isn't even my own." Mu Anxiao feigned surprise.
"Hu Yuan is a prime example. If he had become a demon, he would have found a way to continue existing and wouldn't have had his body taken over by the wolf demon," the vine spirit said.
"Demons are truly good," Mu Anxiao smiled.
"Yes, I must tell you, I also refused to enter the demonic path before. But I discovered that the demonic path could allow me to live on, and then I started to think it was wonderful," the vine spirit said, growing more excited.
Mu Anxiao smiled. "I also think you are truly amazing."
"Take me to find the wolf demon."
"Alright, but the wolf demon is currently residing in Hu Yuan's body. I heard that only after he completely leaves here, and everyone believes he is dead, will his demonic arts return. But how he dies, and how he can leave without anyone noticing, I truly don't know any method," Mu Anxiao shook her head.
"I can create a duplicate of Hu Yuan."
"Is it made of wood?" Mu Anxiao asked curiously.
The vine spirit hesitated for a moment and said, "No, it's a real body, just not a body from this place."
"Is it a body from our place?"
"Yes, I know methods to deceive people," the vine spirit said proudly.
Mu Anxiao gave an awkward smile and tentatively asked, "How are you going to do it?"
"You take me there, and I'll show you," the vine spirit said.
"You won't lie to me, will you?" Mu Anxiao asked with lingering apprehension.
The vine spirit smiled. "How could I lie to you?"
"You'd better not lie to me." Mu Anxiao pointed at the vine spirit and then glanced sideways. "Are you following me, or am I carrying you?"
The vine spirit hesitated for a moment and said, "I'll just follow you myself. It saves you the trouble..."
However, before the vine spirit could finish speaking, Mu Anxiao suddenly turned and grabbed the chain. "I've changed my mind. I'll carry you," she said, and then directly stuffed the chain into her pocket.
The vine spirit stayed in the pitch-black pocket for an unknown amount of time before seeing the light again.
"Where is this place?" he asked, looking around in confusion.
Mu Anxiao released her hand and said, "The back door of the hospital."
"Why not the front door?" the vine spirit asked.
Mu Anxiao paused for a moment and said, "We can't go through the front."
"Tell me why," the vine spirit said.
Mu Anxiao surveyed the surroundings and, bending down, whispered, "The inpatient department is already closed at this time. If I go in directly, I'll be scolded."
"I'll go myself," the vine spirit said.
"Can you find him?" Mu Anxiao whispered.
"Yes... no, maybe..." the vine spirit hesitated.
Mu Anxiao watched the chain sway a few times and then stop moving. "Can you or can't you?"
"I..." the vine spirit was speechless.
Mu Anxiao smiled as she looked at the chain swaying back and forth. "You tell me your plan, and I'll tell you where he is, and you go find him."
"You said it," the vine spirit replied.
Mu Anxiao nodded firmly.
"Alright, I'll tell you," the vine spirit said, and then fell silent for a minute. "Before I came here, I killed a demon that had transformed into a human. I can change that demon's body to look like Hu Yuan, and then the wolf demon can come out."