"Shall we begin?"
Mu Anxiao's sudden 'command' caught Ouyang Ye off guard. However, as he considered her seemingly reasonable words and observed Feng Qishi's deteriorating condition from the inhaled poison, he lowered his gaze and fell silent, a wry smile blooming as the wind began to stir.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao's expression turned puzzled. "What are you smiling about all of a sudden?"
"After all this, your goal was for me to save him. Mu Anxiao, Mu Anxiao," Ouyang Ye shook his head slightly. "You've indeed planned this quite well."
"I haven't planned anything. I was never taught how to use an abacus when I was young. If you asked me to use one now, I wouldn't know how," Mu Anxiao deliberately misinterpreted Ouyang Ye's meaning.
Ouyang Ye knew Mu Anxiao wouldn't speak straightforwardly; she was evading the issue again. He was accustomed to her habit of feigning ignorance. With a faint smile, he replied, "Is that so? I really can't tell. If you don't know how to use an abacus, shall I teach you?"
"No need," Mu Anxiao realized that if she continued this conversation, it would delay Feng Qishi. She quickly steered the topic back. "In short, I think you should save him."
"I never intended to harm him, you..."
"That poisonous gas is not something you can control, is it?" Mu Anxiao interrupted Ouyang Ye.
Ouyang Ye looked confused. "What do you mean by that? I don't quite understand."
"As you can see, my consciousness has entered Feng Qishi's body. Although I was blocked by that fellow," Mu Anxiao, determined not to betray black qi, became serious. "I saw the poisonous gas dart past that fellow and rush into Feng Qishi's body. At its speed, I'm worried it will enter Feng Qishi's internal organs. By then... it will truly be beyond remedy."
"I know what I'm doing."
"I know you won't actually kill Feng Qishi, but I don't believe the poisonous gas will truly obey you, because," Mu Anxiao's gaze was firm, "that thing has no humanity."
"I know my subordinates well, you..."
"If you don't save him," Mu Anxiao interrupted sharply, dropping the flatbread in her hand to the ground. "Then poison me." She extended her hand.
Ouyang Ye was stunned. "You're threatening me with your life."
"Didn't you say you know what you're doing? Since that's the case, then poison me with the same poisonous gas as Feng Qishi. At worst, I'll die with him," Mu Anxiao said coldly.
Hearing this, Feng Qishi urgently growled, "Mu Anxiao, don't do anything foolish."
Mu Anxiao: "..." She didn't even look at Feng Qishi, continuing to stare at Ouyang Ye.
Ouyang Ye's eyes deepened, and he let out a bitter laugh. "And you say you don't care about him."
"Think whatever you want. Get it done," Mu Anxiao urged coldly. "Hurry."
"I will not harm you," Ouyang Ye said, stepping towards Feng Qishi.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao's heart sank. She quickly asked, "What are you doing?" As she moved to follow, a barrier suddenly appeared before her. Helpless, she stopped in her tracks. "Ouyang Ye, what does this mean?" She raised her hand and patted the transparent barrier.
Meanwhile, Ouyang Ye had stopped in front of Feng Qishi. "..." He intentionally remained silent.
"What did you do to her?" Feng Qishi worried about Mu Anxiao's safety.
Ouyang Ye smiled faintly. "In this life, the next life, and the life after that, I will never let you meet her again. This time, I'll let you go." As he spoke, he reached out and placed his hands on Feng Qishi's shoulders.
Feng Qishi stiffened, and just as he prepared to break free, his body suddenly froze. Immediately, his eyes darkened, and before he could use his spiritual energy to resist, the black qi, in league with Mu Anxiao, surged out of his body and appeared beside Ouyang Ye.
Outside the barrier, Mu Anxiao watched the black qi summoned by Ouyang Ye with wide eyes. "Ouyang Ye, what exactly are you trying to do?" She pounded on the barrier.
Ouyang Ye, without looking back, continued to stare at Feng Qishi.
Conversely, the black qi glanced back at Mu Anxiao, who had deliberately helped it. After a moment's thought, it attempted to ask, "Master, what are you doing?" It looked at Ouyang Ye.
"You have the nerve to ask," Ouyang Ye said coldly.
"What do you mean by that? I... don't quite understand," the black qi was bewildered by Ouyang Ye's statement.
Then, Ouyang Ye removed his hands from Feng Qishi's shoulders and asked, "What was the explanation I gave you?" He turned his gaze to the black qi's face.
The black qi thought for a moment and said, "You said, don't lay a hand on him, and then..."
"I told you to control that poisonous gas. Why... did it escape and enter his body?" Ouyang Ye interrupted the black qi's words sharply, his eyes filled with... killing intent.
The black qi, seeing Ouyang Ye like this, grew fearful. "I didn't... they themselves said they wanted to go for a walk, and then..." It said, an idea striking it, and its attention suddenly shifted to Mu Anxiao. "It's not my fault," it pointed a finger at Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao, unsure what the black qi was up to, remained silent and observed.
Ouyang Ye didn't even glance at Mu Anxiao. "What does she have to do with it? This is your mistake."
"Master, I..."
"Now, I command you to go in and draw out that poisonous gas," Ouyang Ye had completely lost patience for the black qi's 'storytelling.'
The black qi was speechless upon hearing this...
Ouyang Ye frowned at the black qi's demeanor. "What do you mean by this? What, you don't want to complete the task I assigned you?"
The black qi shook its head.
"Then what do you mean? Explain it to me clearly," Ouyang Ye became serious.
Mu Anxiao, watching whether Ouyang Ye was genuinely assigning tasks to the black qi or just pretending, narrowed her eyes... using the opportunity to wait for a chance.
Meanwhile, the black qi looked at Ouyang Ye with a troubled expression. After a full five seconds of silence, it finally said, "Master, there is a distinction between men and women."
"What distinction between men and women? Explain yourself clearly," Ouyang Ye became angry.
Just then, Mu Anxiao removed her hands from the barrier, muttering, "Hypocritical." Then, her gaze bypassed them and landed on the immobilized Feng Qishi.
The black qi completely failed to notice Mu Anxiao behind it and said in a low voice, "That poisonous gas is all female. If I were to directly engage with it, it might... not be appropriate. So," it dared not bear the consequences, gesturing towards Ouyang Ye's hand, "Master, don't you know how to detoxify? Why don't you detoxify him yourself?"
"You..."
"Master," the black qi said, cautiously glancing at Mu Anxiao, and stepping forward, whispered, "This is your chance to shine."
"What do you mean by that?" Ouyang Ye lowered his voice.
The black qi smiled charmingly. "As long as you detoxify Feng Qishi, won't you become his savior? That way, you can command him freely. How wonderful is that?" It raised an eyebrow.
Ouyang Ye thought... the black qi was going to say something about Mu Anxiao. To his surprise... it was just this. Therefore, after the black qi finished speaking, he put on a stern face.