Zhao Xiang saw the look of shock on She Ning’s face and thought about She Ning’s identity and status. He suddenly chuckled heartily.
She Ning had already been startled by Zhao Xiang once. His smile made She Ning unable to understand him. “No, just say what you mean. Can you stop looking at me like that? It’s chilling.” After speaking, he deliberately took a step to the side, creating distance between himself and Zhao Xiang.
“You’re quite capable,” Zhao Xiang said directly.
At the same time, after Zhao Xiang uttered these words, Mu Anxiao’s gaze fixed on Zhao Xiang’s face.
Zhao Xiang didn’t notice Mu Anxiao’s gaze. Instead, he continued to stare at She Ning and said, “I think you understand what I mean, right?” He then turned his head, and just by chance, his gaze met Mu Anxiao’s. (He was startled.)
Mu Anxiao crossed her arms in front of her, remaining silent, simply watching Zhao Xiang, wondering what incomprehensible thing he might do that would shock her… and them.
Zhao Xiang, not wanting to feel too awkward, forced a dry smile at Mu Anxiao while stiffening his neck, turning his head, and looking back at She Ning.
She Ning still looked at Zhao Xiang in a daze, saying nothing.
Just then, the man in the straw hat couldn’t stand it anymore. “If you have something to say, just say it. Going around in circles like this is likely a waste of time.” He walked to Mu Anxiao’s side.
From the moment the man in the straw hat spoke, Mu Anxiao developed a strong aversion to him. So, as he stood beside her, she deliberately moved two steps to the side, trying to maintain distance from him.
Conversely, the man in the straw hat paid no mind to Mu Anxiao’s reaction. He continued to focus on Zhao Xiang opposite him, “Friend, am I right?”
Friend?
The man in the straw hat’s address of ‘friend’ warmed Zhao Xiang’s heart. He swallowed and slowly turned his head to look at the man in the straw hat, asking, “Do you know what I mean?”
She Ning had still not understood what Zhao Xiang was trying to do. So, the moment Zhao Xiang asked this question, he looked at the man in the straw hat. At this point, he wanted to hear… what reply the man in the straw hat would give Zhao Xiang.
Mu Anxiao’s heart wavered as she listened to the man in the straw hat. She then quietly turned her head and fixed her gaze on the man in the straw hat.
The man in the straw hat smiled down and suddenly turned his head, fixing his gaze on Mu Anxiao’s face.
Mu Anxiao, startled, quickly shifted her gaze away.
Seeing Mu Anxiao react like this, the man in the straw hat smiled again and said, “You want her to conceal her spiritual energy.” He glanced sideways at Mu Anxiao, then turned back to Zhao Xiang. “But you thought of her as a waste, surely she wouldn’t have that ability, so you want him to help you.” He pointed at She Ning.
At this moment, She Ning also instantly understood what Zhao Xiang had meant earlier. However, he genuinely did not know the spell to conceal spiritual energy for others. So, he stated directly, “I don’t know how.”
Hearing this, Zhao Xiang’s body stiffened. He turned his head to look at the blunt She Ning, his expression freezing, and he gave a wry smile. “You are truly direct.”
“How could I be indirect about something like this?” She Ning continued to be blunt. He didn’t want to create any… illusions for Zhao Xiang. Because those illusions were trouble for him. So, to avoid unnecessary trouble and illusions, this was the only way.
Conversely, Zhao Xiang felt hurt. “You are indeed quite direct,” he emphasized what he had said before.
She Ning dodged his gaze.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao sneered and said, “Zhao Xiang, you will ultimately have to listen to me.” She ignored the man in the straw hat and stepped forward. “Alright, stay here. I’m going in.”
“You…”
“I can do it,” the man in the straw hat suddenly interrupted Zhao Xiang.
Zhao Xiang’s eyes lit up, and he quickly shifted his gaze to the man in the straw hat’s face.
The man in the straw hat glanced at Zhao Xiang, then looked at Mu Anxiao. “You don’t need to thank me too much. I can help you conceal your spiritual energy.”
“You?” Mu Anxiao disdained everything about the man in the straw hat, thinking he was bragging.
“What? Me? You don’t believe me?” The man in the straw hat deliberately moved a step closer to Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao knew the man in the straw hat would do this, so she also moved a step aside and said, “Stay away from me.”
“Love at first sight, did I scare you?” The man in the straw hat teased Mu Anxiao.
“…” Mu Anxiao glared fiercely at the man in the straw hat, feeling too lazy to say anything else.
Seeing that Mu Anxiao wasn’t responding to him, the man in the straw hat laughed. “Could it be, you have someone you like?”
“That’s none of your business.” Mu Anxiao didn’t even look at the man in the straw hat. She glanced at Zhao Xiang, who was looking at her expectantly opposite them, and said, “I’ve made myself perfectly clear. If you continue like this, it would be hurtful.” She had no intention of believing the man in the straw hat.
The man in the straw hat suddenly laughed.
The others, hearing this, were startled and simultaneously looked at the man in the straw hat.
The man in the straw hat said, “It seems you’re afraid of me.” He continued to look at Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao looked calmly at the narcissistic man in the straw hat opposite her, sighed lightly, and said, “You are just a mortal. You should know your own abilities better than I do.” Her face turned cold. “You can even perform the spell to conceal spiritual energy? What nonsense are you spouting?”
“You talk too much,” the man in the straw hat raised his hand and picked at his ear.
Mu Anxiao snorted. “I talk too much, but it’s better than you bragging.” As she spoke, she glared at the man in the straw hat and turned to look at Zhao Xiang. Just as she was about to speak, her arm was grabbed. Her eyebrows furrowed, and she twisted her head rapidly to see that it was indeed the man in the straw hat who had restrained her.
“What are you doing?” She tried to maintain her composure.
The man in the straw hat smiled. “Your spiritual energy has already been hidden by me.” As he said this, he let go of her arm.
Mu Anxiao’s expression froze. She quickly clasped her wrist, felt for a moment, and exclaimed in surprise, “You’re just a mortal.” Then, she looked at the man in the straw hat with dread.
The man in the straw hat laughed. “What’s wrong with being a mortal? Aren’t you one too?”
“You…” Mu Anxiao disliked the man in the straw hat’s words, so she sneered and said, “Look how old I am.” She intended to use her age to show off that she was… no longer a mortal.
Unexpectedly, the man in the straw hat laughed again.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao knitted her brows tightly.
Then, Zhao Xiang took a step forward, leaned in to sniff Mu Anxiao’s aura, and smiled. “The spiritual energy has indeed been concealed.” He then pointed at She Ning. “That… benefactor, please conceal his as well.”
The man in the straw hat: “…..” He looked at She Ning.
Being stared at by the man in the straw hat, She Ning felt quite awkward. He said, “I have already hidden it. No need to trouble you.” He nodded slightly.
Seeing this, the man in the straw hat nodded slightly, then looked at Mu Anxiao. “…” He deliberately remained silent.