Mu Anxiao remained silent, deliberately stepping back. "It seems I guessed correctly."
"Are you stupid?" Mu Anxiao said helplessly.
Hearing this, Jia frowned. "You're calling me stupid when I've guessed it all? You definitely have something to hide."
"..." Mu Anxiao knew Jia was always cautious and careful, but this behavior was starting to annoy her. "Fine, tell me, what's wrong with me?" As she spoke, she glanced around, and when she confirmed no one was passing by, she squatted down.
Thus, Jia and Mu Anxiao were at eye level. "Why are you squatting down?" he began to fear Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao: "So I can talk to you at your level. Go ahead," she smirked, "what's wrong with me?"
"You're about to team up with the monster controlling me. How can I trust you?" Jia's eyes darted away.
"You're an Yin Messenger."
"I am an Yin Messenger, but when it comes to slyness, I really can't compare to you."
"...Sly," Mu Anxiao snorted. "Kid, do you even know what that word means? You just throw it around. It's enough."
"I..." Jia frowned slightly. "I'm just saying what I saw. As for the meaning of 'sly,' I certainly understand it. If I didn't, I wouldn't use it."
"Is that the truth?" Mu Anxiao looked at Jia with a scrutinizing gaze.
Jia took a deep breath. "This has nothing to do with the truth. I just feel..." He frowned. "I've been betrayed by you."
"..."
"We've been together for a long time, and I've helped you a lot. And in the end," Jia continued, not waiting for Mu Anxiao to speak, "you treat me like this."
"No, how have I treated you?" Mu Anxiao looked at Jia's wronged expression, wanting to laugh but refraining.
Jia: "You watched me... being controlled by that monster, and then you're cooperating with it. Now you ask me how I've been treated? You're hilarious." He then let out a fake laugh.
Mu Anxiao sighed. "I didn't expect you to be controlled. Do you know you almost finished me just now?" In her eyes, Jia had become her comrade, so she knew she couldn't offend him at this stage.
"What do you mean by that?" Jia's eyes lit up.
Mu Anxiao: "I mean, everything was beyond my expectations. You..."
"You compromised with that monster for me," Jia interrupted.
Mu Anxiao's expression stiffened. Looking at Jia's hopeful expression, she took a deep breath and said, "To put it this way, she's not a monster."
"If she's not a monster, then what is she?" Jia became curious.
Mu Anxiao: "You might be surprised to hear this," she said, thinking for a moment. "She... is actually an immortal soul."
"..." Jia didn't react, still staring at Mu Anxiao's face.
Mu Anxiao pursed her lips. "Did you not hear me, or did you not understand? Or are you thinking?"
Hearing this, Jia immediately reacted. "Ah, you're done talking."
"I'm done," Mu Anxiao nodded.
"Then, in that case," Jia said calmly, showing no surprise, "she's not a monster, she's an immortal soul."
Mu Anxiao nodded.
"Immortal soul..." Jia repeated, raising a hand to his head. "Do you know the consequences of an immortal soul controlling an Yin Messenger?"
"What are you going to do?" Mu Anxiao had a premonition of something ominous.
Jia: "I'm going to report her."
"Huh?" Mu Anxiao was taken aback by Jia's words.
Jia said seriously, "I'm an Yin Messenger. She controlled me and almost finished you. That's a major crime. So..." He looked earnest. "Let's report her together."
"I've already agreed to her terms. If you do this," Mu Anxiao looked at Jia's excited expression, "it's not good, is it?"
"..." Jia was speechless.
Mu Anxiao: "Why aren't you talking?"
Jia frowned slightly. "She was about to kill you, and you still want to help her? Mu Anxiao, are you out of your mind?"
"She's Mai Xia's sister."
"What?" Jia was surprised.
Mu Anxiao: "Don't be surprised. She's Mai Xia's sister. She died twenty years ago."
"No wonder I didn't know. Mai Xia never mentioned her. She really kept it well hidden," Jia murmured.
"Yes."
"Why did she control me?" Jia wondered.
Mu Anxiao's legs had gone numb from squatting, so she sat down. "She wanted to talk to me through you, but I saw through it."
"Saw through it..." Jia realized that what Mu Anxiao had said earlier was now irrelevant, but he didn't care. "Then why did she knock me out?"
"It's simple, she just didn't want you to hear," Mu Anxiao shrugged.
Jia nodded. "So that's how it is."
Mu Anxiao looked at Jia's calm expression and recalled her own half-true, half-false words. "You're not angry."
"Angry..." Jia looked at Mu Anxiao's questioning expression and smiled. "What is there to be angry about? You've tricked me before, haven't you?"
"..." Mu Anxiao gave a dry laugh.
"Don't think I'm just a child; I understand everything. Since she didn't intend to harm us, we can help her," Jia said, mimicking an adult's tone.
Mu Anxiao lowered her gaze. "..."
Jia frowned. "What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?"
"What you said is not wrong, it's just..." Mu Anxiao looked up at Jia. "You only need to help me, not her."
"She's going into the palace with us, so she naturally needs our help. You... isn't this inappropriate?"
"Do you know what she wants us to do?" Mu Anxiao asked back.
Jia chuckled. "I won't know until you tell me."
"You're volunteering to help someone without even knowing what's needed," Mu Anxiao shook her head slightly. "If anyone's foolish, it's you."
"You're acting strange," Jia said directly.
Mu Anxiao: "Did you see Shen Moyun's face earlier?"
"..." Jia thought for a moment, then exclaimed, "Right! Why did he look different again? Did you provoke him?"
"A fallen tiger is bullied by dogs. That guy is just relying on his high status, so..." Mu Anxiao stopped mid-sentence.
Jia leaned forward and stared at Mu Anxiao's face. "Why did you stop talking?"
Mu Anxiao sighed. "He's going to help Mai Xia's sister, Mai Liang, and says he doesn't have time for me. Come here." She beckoned.
Jia froze for a moment, then stepped forward to Mu Anxiao. "What for?"
"..." Mu Anxiao stared at Jia for a few seconds, then said, "So, I still have to rely on you." As she spoke, she placed her hands on Jia's small shoulders.
Jia lowered his gaze.
Seeing Jia suddenly fall silent, Mu Anxiao asked, "What's wrong? You don't want to?" She then removed her hands and poked Jia's shoulder with her finger.
Jia said, "I can be controlled by a weak immortal soul, to be honest, I..." He hesitated. "I'm suddenly a little afraid of the person in the palace."
"What are you afraid of? I'm here, aren't I?"
"You... you mostly have mortal energy on you now, but I'm different. She'll definitely notice me. Of course," Jia thought for a moment. "She won't be able to do anything to me. Then... I'll just escape underground. I'm just afraid it will drag you into it. What if she kills you?"
"I think you're worrying too much," Mu Anxiao said helplessly.