Yue Ci's self-awareness was something Mu Anxiao had not expected. Thus, taking advantage of the leisurely interlude, she stated her stance with unwavering firmness, "Yes, that's exactly what I mean. This immortal book is the most useful thing I have right now. What if you just took it?" she pouted, "what would I do?"
"Am I that kind of person?" Yue Ci asked, fixing Mu Anxiao with a sharp gaze.
Mu Anxiao pursed her lips. "To monopolize someone's weapon for a year, it just shows," she clicked her tongue, "that your thick skin is not thin at all."
"Are you insulting me or complimenting me?" Yue Ci asked with a wry smile.
Mu Anxiao shrugged her shoulders.
Yue Ci frowned. "No, this means you absolutely refuse to trust me."
"I value my life. If you were to kill me," Mu Anxiao smiled, "I would definitely say I trust you the moment you did, but that would be against my true feelings."
Yue Ci's face hardened.
Immediately, Mu Anxiao stopped provoking Yue Ci and pointed to the inscribed symbols in the immortal book. "Since you can draw, you must be familiar with this kind of thing. As far as I know, you can draw it just by looking at it," she smiled, "Am I right?"
"You really overestimate me."
"Hurry up, those two fellows are about to collapse from exhaustion," Mu Anxiao urged.
Yue Ci pursed her lips and smiled. "I have my methods, but since you are so insistent on me using this cumbersome way, then fine," he nodded, "Don't blame me if something goes wrong."
"Something goes wrong?"
"Don't get me wrong, my skill in drawing talismans has been praised by others. But... I just have a bad memory. If I don't look at it bit by bit, I'm prone to making mistakes. A mistake in a character of a talisman can lead to serious trouble," Yue Ci said with a serious expression.
"What kind of serious trouble can it cause?" Mu Anxiao felt Yue Ci was trying to scare her.
Yue Ci: "At worst, the resentment of the vengeful souls might increase."
"What?" Mu Anxiao thought she had misheard, her face filled with surprise.
Yue Ci: "Don't pretend to be deaf. In short, you choose. If a mistake is made and the mortals in this city are harmed, it will all be your responsibility."
"Return it to me after you're done," Mu Anxiao compromised in an instant.
Yue Ci nodded. "Absolutely. That was due to the crisis at the time, and I didn't have a chance to give it to her. After a while, I'll go into the palace to find her."
"You'd better keep your word, You Xian is quite anxious," Mu Anxiao handed the immortal book to Yue Ci.
"Understood. By the way," Yue Ci said, taking the immortal book and confirming that Jia and Hun Ling were not yet in imminent danger, "she didn't recognize you, did she? I mean, back then."
Recognize?
Mu Anxiao had forgotten the experiences of that period until Yue Ci mentioned it. Hearing it now, she only then remembered that You Xian had not recognized her. Thus, she followed Yue Ci's lead and replied, "Oh, she didn't. At that time..." Halfway through her sentence, she realized something was amiss.
Seeing this, Yue Ci asked, "What, you stopped speaking mid-sentence?"
"How did you recognize me?"
"I'm different from them," Yue Ci said, holding the immortal book closer to Mu Anxiao's face. "Alright, I'm going."
"Go ahead."
"Okay," Mu Anxiao nodded.
Yue Ci smiled slightly and stepped forward.
Instantly, a golden light spread, and the layers of mist gradually dissipated as Yue Ci made his move. The three vengeful souls also slowed their actions after Yue Ci initiated his action. Witnessing the scene before them, Hun Ling and Jia, panting heavily, stopped their escape and turned to look at Yue Ci, who stood in his place.
"Who is this?" Jia did not recognize Yue Ci.
Hun Ling glanced at Jia, then at Yue Ci who was drawing talismans in the air, and said in a low voice, "Don't disturb him." With that, he pulled Jia away.
Following that, a massive golden talisman character flew past them towards the three vengeful souls.
Mu Anxiao stood in place, watching Yue Ci's performance, and realized... she was still not good enough. With a sigh, she suddenly felt self-conscious. "It seems I still need to learn more." As she spoke, she glanced over and saw that the three vengeful souls were already enveloped by the talisman and frozen in place.
Jia exclaimed, "This actually works."
Hun Ling looked at Jia's ignorant expression, pondered for a moment, and said in a low voice, "This talisman is a sealing talisman."
"What is a sealing talisman?" Jia blurted out.
Hun Ling looked at Jia's clueless demeanor and paused before saying, "I don't know about that either." He didn't want to discourage Jia, so he didn't elaborate further.
"You don't know either?" Jia didn't believe it.
Hun Ling said seriously, "I am only a soul spirit."
"..." Jia froze for a few seconds, then realized, "Oh, right. You are indeed just a soul spirit. Come to think of it, if I don't know something, how could you possibly know it? Haha, my apologies." He patted Hun Ling's shoulder.
Hun Ling, not wanting to show off, remained silent.
A moment later, Jia turned to look at Yue Ci, who had finished his work, and smiled, "You're done."
Upon hearing this, Yue Ci came back to his senses, looked down at Jia, and smiled, "You little fellow, you're quite good at ingratiating yourself."
"Little fellow?" Jia's mouth twitched. "I'm a Yama's escort, you're the little fellow, you..."
"If I recall correctly, these talismans are from your domain. It's understandable that Mu Anxiao doesn't know how to use them, but you don't," Yue Ci interrupted, a mocking smile on his face, "that's a bit too much."
"He doesn't know either," Jia equated Hun Ling with himself.
Hun Ling looked at Jia's self-humiliating arrogance and had nothing to say, covering his face with his hand.
Conversely, Yue Ci paid Jia no mind and continued to smile. "He is a soul spirit, and you are a Yama's escort. Your ranks are different, so," he said, "you can't be lumped together."
"You... it's just that my official position is too high, so there are some things I can't access. Naturally," Jia said indignantly, "I don't understand these things. Who's like you, just an unknown nobody."
"Yes, I am an unknown nobody. Just now," Yue Ci said, leaning forward to glance at the vengeful souls, then looking back at Jia, "I saw you chasing quite happily. Since that's the case, you continue. It would be a good way to show off your official might." He then made the gesture of drawing a talisman.
Jia's eyes widened.
At this moment, Hun Ling was so speechless that he didn't even want to lift his head.
Mu Anxiao looked at Jia, who had been 'insulted' yet still unwilling to lower his pride, and sighed. "He's different from others; it's normal that he doesn't know these things," she walked to Yue Ci's side. "Can you return the immortal book to me now?" she extended her hand.
Yue Ci shook his head.
Mu Anxiao frowned. "What do you mean by shaking your head? You said you would return it after using it. Are you... trying to go back on your word?" She then prepared to snatch it.
To prevent Mu Anxiao's sudden attack, Yue Ci moved a couple of steps to the side, smiling. "I won't go back on my word, don't misunderstand me."
"If you don't want me to misunderstand you, then return it to me," Mu Anxiao was getting anxious.