"Feeling ashamed?" Zhang Yan asked deliberately.
Feng Qishi nodded.
Zhang Yan smiled, "I can understand you. Back then, I was just like you. My demon soul was at home, and I didn't even realize it. In the end, it harmed the people around me. However," he raised an eyebrow, "do you know what this means?"
"What?"
"Too little contact," Zhang Yan said, extending his hand towards the teacup before retracting it.
Feng Qishi watched Zhang Yan's gesture of reaching out and pulling back. He then reflected on his own irrationality regarding demon souls, his eyes darkening. "You're right, I haven't had enough contact."
"Every demon soul has a different personality, but remember one thing," Zhang Yan said seriously. "No matter what, you must remain vigilant against them. Otherwise, you'll fall into their trap."
"..." Feng Qishi understood Zhang Yan's meaning and said, "You've been observing me all along."
"You found out."
"Mhm," Feng Qishi nodded. After a moment's thought, he asked again, "Mu Anxiao said the coachman has a problem. What do you think about that?" He fixed his gaze on Zhang Yan.
Zhang Yan shook his head. "I don't know about the coachman you're referring to, but I trust my disciple's intuition. Of course, it's up to you whether you believe it or not. I came to tell you that your General's Mansion is not as safe as you imagine." With that, he glanced down at the teacup that was still steaming and stood up.
Seeing this, Feng Qishi asked, "Are you leaving already?"
"Yes, I have other matters to attend to. Remember what I said, you must be vigilant." Zhang Yan turned and left.
After Zhang Yan left, Feng Qishi looked down at his palm and murmured, "Bing'er, the coachman." Then, he stood up, took out silver from his sleeve, placed it on the table, and left.
General's Mansion.
Yuan Xiao, ignoring Xiao Fei, sat beside Yuan Qing and looked at Mu Anxiao, who was grimacing from the bitter immortal medicine. "Your master said you would be like this," she said, taking out a piece of candy from her sleeve and offering it to Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao's expression contorted as she saw the candy. "I wouldn't believe you if you said you weren't doing this on purpose," she said, taking the candy and quickly popping it into her mouth.
Yuan Xiao smiled.
As the sweetness spread through her mouth, Mu Anxiao relaxed with a sigh, "Phew, that was so bitter." She then looked at Yuan Qing, who was smiling at her, "Doesn't your medicine taste bitter?"
Yuan Qing shook her head.
Yuan Xiao said, "I specially processed it for my disciple. It shows your master doesn't treat you very well." She then smiled.
Mu Anxiao cast a sideways glance at Yuan Xiao and asked, "Aren't you leaving?"
"In a moment," Yuan Xiao replied, suddenly becoming serious. "Haven't you sensed anything?"
"Sensed..." Mu Anxiao hesitated, her expression also turning serious.
However, with Yuan Xiao remaining silent, Mu Anxiao hadn't noticed anything. Now, upon hearing Yuan Xiao speak, she suddenly stood up and looked up at the rafters.
Yuan Xiao followed Mu Anxiao's gaze, also looking up at the rafters, and asked, "Did you find something?"
"Demon aura," Mu Anxiao replied. She then looked back at Yuan Xiao. "When you arrived, did you sense anything?"
"No, but I did notice a little maid in this mansion who seemed a bit strange," Yuan Xiao stated the key point.
"A little maid?" Mu Anxiao wondered if Yuan Xiao was referring to Bing'er.
"Yes, a little maid who looks like she's only six years old."
It was indeed Bing'er.
Mu Anxiao fell into silence.
Yuan Xiao, seeing Mu Anxiao suddenly go quiet, asked curiously, "Why aren't you talking?"
"..." Mu Anxiao thought of how well Feng Qishi treated Bing'er, and then of Feng Qishi's suspicious and annoyed attitude towards her. She suddenly didn't know how to proceed.
Yuan Xiao, seeing Mu Anxiao's hesitant expression, asked, "What's wrong?"
"You also think that child has a problem?" Mu Anxiao asked back.
Yuan Xiao sighed softly and said, "There is indeed a problem. A child who can converse with a demon soul, anyone who saw it would find it strange."
"Demon soul?"
"A male demon soul dressed in fine robes. I could tell that it was the child's first time meeting him, but," Yuan Xiao continued, "she was so calm. That's really worth being suspicious about."
"..." Mu Anxiao had already found Bing'er strange, and hearing Yuan Xiao say this, she became even more convinced of her thoughts. "It seems she indeed has a problem."
"I suggest you don't be too direct."
"Why?" Mu Anxiao asked deliberately, wanting to hear Yuan Xiao's reasoning.
Yuan Xiao replied, "I can see that the child has a very good relationship with Shen Moyun. If you were to harm her, you would certainly offend Shen Moyun. Therefore, I advise you not to be too obvious. Of course, the most important thing is," she said with a serious expression, "this is just our speculation about the child. If you are too direct and let Shen Moyun see it, it will do you no good."
"You make sense. I was thinking the same thing," Mu Anxiao said calmly.
"It seems we're on the same page," Yuan Xiao smiled faintly.
Mu Anxiao replied, "More or less." She then looked at Yuan Qing, who was clearly uncomfortable, and asked, "Are you alright?"
Yuan Qing covered her head with one hand, looking blurrily at Mu Anxiao and shaking her head slightly. "I'm so dizzy," she said, then turned to Yuan Xiao. "Master, you lied to me."
Hearing Yuan Qing's words, Yuan Xiao sighed softly. "My disciple, go to sleep," she said, reaching out and gently patting Yuan Qing's shoulder.
Instantly, before Yuan Qing could say anything else, she slumped forward.
Mu Anxiao calmly watched Yuan Qing faint and smiled faintly.
"Following you will only be a burden," Yuan Xiao suddenly said.
Mu Anxiao smiled. "You're afraid she'll get into trouble, aren't you?" she thought. If she were in the same situation, she wouldn't want her disciple to take risks either.
"Her spiritual energy is only at the third level, and her magic is not good either. Moreover, she no longer has the Rebirth Art. If she truly followed you, she would definitely..."
"I understand. Stop talking, or I'll get angry," Mu Anxiao interrupted, understanding Yuan Xiao's feelings.
Yuan Xiao smiled and pointed at Mu Anxiao's hand. "Congratulations, you've gained another level of spiritual energy."
"What?" Mu Anxiao hadn't recovered. Following Yuan Xiao's finger, she looked down and saw a ring of blue light appear on her palm. Her eyes widened. "Was it that immortal medicine?"
"No, this level of spiritual energy is a gift from me, it comes with the Rebirth Art," Yuan Xiao said and stood up.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao quickly stood up as well and said, "You're giving me spiritual energy, that's not quite right."
Since spiritual energy had vanished a year ago, Mu Anxiao had vowed to do everything diligently. And now... Yuan Xiao was telling her she had gifted her a level of spiritual energy, which touched her.
However, despite being touched, she knew she couldn't accept this spiritual energy.