Mu Anxiao watched Gu Yan's rough movements with annoyance and said, "Can you be a little gentler with the child?"
"I heal the sick and save lives; I never bother with gentleness," Gu Yan replied, her expression turning serious. "Mu Anxiao, I wondered why her vitality was so tenacious. It turns out you've contributed half the credit."
"Stop with the nonsense and hurry up," Mu Anxiao said, exasperated by Gu Yan's dawdling.
Gu Yan smiled faintly. "So, you've been waiting for me all along."
"Hurry, I know you can save her."
"You trust me again," Gu Yan said while casting her sorcery.
Mu Anxiao calmly watched Gu Yan's back as she cast her spells. She took a deep breath and said, "On this matter, if I don't trust you, Bing'er is done for. So," she glanced at the coachman, who stood nearby with his hands clasped in prayer, and continued, "I'll just trust you."
"You go out," Gu Yan suddenly said.
Mu Anxiao's eyes darkened. "Why?"
"Your spiritual energy is affecting my performance," Gu Yan said coldly.
"You..."
"Otherwise, Bing'er is beyond saving."
Hearing Gu Yan's dismissal, Mu Anxiao glanced at the grim-faced Bing'er and hesitated before saying, "I'm not leaving." She felt... Gu Yan must have had some intention of trickery.
"You..."
"You say my spiritual energy affects you," Mu Anxiao interrupted, walking up beside Gu Yan with distrust. "Fine, I'll stand right beside you and watch you save Bing'er." She fixed her gaze on Gu Yan's face.
Then, Gu Yan turned her head, her eyes meeting Mu Anxiao's. "You still don't trust me."
"You'd best not test my patience, or else," Mu Anxiao said, reaching out and grabbing Gu Yan's arm. "I'll make you pay with your life."
"You... You're clever." Gu Yan smiled sinisterly.
Xiaoyue and Ame, seeing Gu Yan's sinister expression, instinctively took a step back and moved beside the coachman. The coachman, having overheard Mu Anxiao and Gu Yan's conversation, burst into tears. "Please, save my daughter. I beg you. I'm willing to trade my life for hers," he sobbed pitifully.
Hearing the coachman's words, Gu Yan's lips curved. "You're truly willing to trade your life for hers..."
"If you say one more word, I'll take two lives for one," Mu Anxiao interrupted, her patience wearing thin.
Gu Yan looked at Mu Anxiao's cold expression and was startled. She began to focus on treating Bing'er.
Half an hour later.
Gu Yan succeeded.
Mu Anxiao, not wanting to disturb the coachman's reunion with his daughter, quietly followed Gu Yan out of the woodshed without a word. As for Xiaoyue and Ame, their memories were erased by Mu Anxiao the moment Bing'er awoke. The two were now asleep, slumped motionlessly on the table.
Stepping out of the woodshed, Mu Anxiao looked at Gu Yan's visibly haggard figure and said, "Saving someone must feel good, right?"
Hearing this, Gu Yan stopped and turned around, looking at Mu Anxiao weakly. "If you weren't related to my master, I would have..."
"You're actually quite kind," Mu Anxiao interrupted, a faint smile on her face as she thought of Gu Yan's dedicated efforts in saving Bing'er. "Just on this point, I'll reluctantly help you." With that, she stepped forward and took Gu Yan's arm.
Not far away.
Feng Qishi stood with Shen Lü behind a tree, watching Mu Anxiao standing with Gu Yan. He said in a low voice, "She's leaving."
"The coachman's daughter is completely healed, and the mist and demonic energy in the street have also dispersed," Shen Lü said, placing a hand on Feng Qishi's shoulder. "Senior Brother, you said you wouldn't come to see her, yet you did."
"Is the carriage ready?" Feng Qishi said indifferently, turning to leave.
"It's ready. We're entering the palace now," Shen Lü said, taking one last look at Mu Anxiao before catching up to Feng Qishi. "Senior Brother, do you truly feel nothing? She's about to marry Ouyang Ye."
Meanwhile, Mu Anxiao, supporting Gu Yan, looked back in the direction Feng Qishi and Shen Lü had departed. She thought, Shen the madman, we'll meet again.
At the same time, Gu Yan, who was being controlled by Mu Anxiao, grew displeased. "What are you doing?" she asked, staring at Mu Anxiao's profile.
Mu Anxiao snapped back to attention and looked at the impatient Gu Yan. "I'm not doing anything. Why are you looking at me?"
"I..." Gu Yan was rendered speechless by Mu Anxiao's retort.
"Let's go. Otherwise, your master might get impatient and take your life." As Mu Anxiao was about to lead Gu Yan away, the woman who had been tormenting Lin Zhao suddenly appeared before them. Mu Anxiao saw her and let go of Gu Yan's arm.
Gu Yan frowned as she looked at the familiar woman. "It's you."
Hearing this, the woman's gaze shifted to Gu Yan's face. "You're Ouyang Ye's subordinate. I remember you."
Mu Anxiao had always thought this woman wasn't close to Ouyang Ye. She never expected that not only did the woman know Ouyang Ye, but she also spoke his name so casually. Mu Anxiao realized... she needed to ponder their relationship further.
"What, are you agreeing to leave with me?" Gu Yan said, deliberately straightening her back to avoid appearing weak.
"..." The woman smiled mysteriously and looked at Mu Anxiao. "You did this, didn't you?"
"What did I do?" Mu Anxiao asked, feigning ignorance.
"You ask what you did? Why can't I create nightmares for Lin Zhao anymore? Tell me... is it your doing?" The woman became angry.
Recently, Mu Anxiao had noticed Lin Zhao's improved mental state and assumed the woman had stopped. She hadn't expected the woman to come knocking herself and reveal the truth. Looking at the woman, she felt a genuine sense of being unable to explain herself.
Just then, a dark light descended, and Ouyang Ye appeared before them. Seeing him, Gu Yan quickly said, "Master."
Mu Anxiao looked at Ouyang Ye, who had suddenly appeared and disrupted her thoughts, with disdain. She clicked her tongue. "Why are you here all of a sudden?"
The woman's expression showed fear.
Ouyang Ye smiled faintly. "Now that everything is resolved, I naturally have to come to pick you up." He reached out and took Mu Anxiao's arm.
Mu Anxiao resisted from the bottom of her heart, but thinking of what she had to face, she could only endure it. "What's her situation?" she asked, pointing at the woman.
Ouyang Ye then shifted his gaze to the woman. "Have you decided if you're coming with me?"
Coming with him?
Mu Anxiao heard Ouyang Ye's words and looked at the woman's thoughtful expression and her earlier words. She suddenly understood and called out, "Ouyang Ye."