"If I drink it, I won't be myself anymore, and you'll surely detest me. It's better this way," Mu Anxiao said, pushing away the bottle in Ouyang Ye's hand. "I should be obedient."
"Really?" Ouyang Ye smiled coldly.
Mu Anxiao hummed and replied, "At worst, I won't say harsh words to you."
"If you're not obedient, then drink," Ouyang Ye added.
Mu Anxiao pouted. "Don't worry, I will never let your scheme succeed. You can let go now." As she spoke, she glanced at her arm, still held by Ouyang Ye.
Ouyang Ye then smiled faintly. "I don't like to press my advantage." With that, he loosened his grip and made the bottle vanish.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao suddenly remembered the bottle stopper Ouyang Ye had thrown away and said excitedly, "If you do that, the medicine in the bottle will spill." She felt a surge of delight.
"Would it be bad if it spilled?" Ouyang Ye asked Mu Anxiao intentionally.
"It's not good if it spills. Like this," Mu Anxiao blurted out impulsively, "your scheme won't succeed."
"Indeed. So what should we do?" Ouyang Ye asked indifferently.
Mu Anxiao thought for a moment. "Then let it be. Since it's all spilled, naturally..."
"The seven-colored water in this lake is the catalyst for that medicine. Even if this cup spills, I can still make many more, unless," Ouyang Ye interrupted, a smirk playing on his lips, "you destroy all the water in this seven-colored lake. Then I will..."
"I don't have that kind of leisure time."
"Even better," Ouyang Ye said, extending his hand. "Come."
"What for?" Mu Anxiao asked, bewildered.
Ouyang Ye smiled. "I'll take you somewhere." He gestured with his hand.
Mu Anxiao looked at it, and her heart sank as she thought of Ouyang Ye's bottled medicine. She had no choice but to concede. "Where are we going again?" she asked, taking hold of one of Ouyang Ye's fingers.
Ouyang Ye's face darkened.
Mu Anxiao, oblivious to Ouyang Ye's expression, glanced back at the breathtaking scenery. She said dismissively, "Ouyang Ye, I'm sure this place is just an illusion you created."
"This place is another heaven, an immortal realm," Ouyang Ye said, gazing at Mu Anxiao's hand for a few seconds before continuing, "Mu Anxiao, you're being perfunctory with me, and it makes me very uncomfortable."
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao frowned. She turned back to Ouyang Ye's face and said with a tut, "How am I being perfunctory?" She didn't think her actions were inappropriate.
Ouyang Ye lowered his head and stared at his hand.
The next moment, Mu Anxiao followed Ouyang Ye's gaze to his hand and understood. "This is quite nice."
"Hold my hand," Ouyang Ye commanded.
Mu Anxiao's heart grew uneasy, but recalling Ouyang Ye's cunning methods, she conceded again. "You're really something else," she said, firmly taking Ouyang Ye's hand.
Ouyang Ye smiled. "That's more like it," he said. He glanced at Mu Anxiao's face and his heart skipped a beat. "Mu Anxiao, I have a question for you."
"A question?" Mu Anxiao snapped back to attention, looking up at Ouyang Ye. "What question?"
"If I were Feng Qi Shi..."
"Why bring him up?" Mu Anxiao deliberately interrupted Ouyang Ye.
Ouyang Ye's heart sank. He started to feel jealous again. "If Feng Qi Shi had brought you here, would you not be in this mood?" He thought of Mu Anxiao's reaction not long ago and began to feel suspicious.
Mu Anxiao was speechless.
Ouyang Ye continued, "Speak, tell me your thoughts."
"If everything here were real, I would like it very much, but," Mu Anxiao said, frowning slightly, "I really dislike these illusory places, so..."
"This place is called Azure Sea Blue Sky," Ouyang Ye interrupted suddenly.
Mu Anxiao blinked. "Azure Sea Blue Sky... What does it mean?"
"I told you, this is not a place that was conjured. This is a real place, on the other side of the heavens. In other words," Ouyang Ye tightened his grip on Mu Anxiao's hand, "it's the new Demon Realm."
"This place is real," Mu Anxiao said in surprise.
"Yes, the former Demon Realm is no longer... viable. What I need to do now is..." He trailed off, his eyes filled with a smile. After a pause, he chuckled. "I'm not telling you."
Mu Anxiao's face fell.
"I've already chosen a date," Ouyang Ye said, pulling Mu Anxiao towards the other side of the mountain.
"What date?" Mu Anxiao glanced at her hand, still firmly held by Ouyang Ye, feeling a surge of displeasure.
"Our wedding date," Ouyang Ye said, turning to stare at Mu Anxiao. "On that day, you will be the most beautiful bride."
"I'm not pretty to begin with. What you're saying... is truly like a joke," Mu Anxiao said, averting her gaze.
Ouyang Ye's tone suddenly became stiff. "Mu Anxiao, is marrying me that difficult for you?" With that, he loosened his grip.
Mu Anxiao still held Ouyang Ye's hand. "Ouyang Ye, I want to ask you a question."
"Speak," Ouyang Ye said, still gazing at Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao looked into the distance without turning her head. "Are you marrying me just to anger Yuan Xian?"
"No."
"No," Mu Anxiao finally turned her head, meeting Ouyang Ye's eyes. "Then why must you marry me? Don't say you like me. Tell me with sincerity."
"You are the most unique woman I have ever met," Ouyang Ye said simply.
Mu Anxiao laughed. "That's just a meaningless statement."
"I..."
"Since I was little, I've been a tomboy. I'm uneducated and haven't learned any of the things a woman should learn. Naturally," Mu Anxiao interrupted, maintaining the curve of her lips, "I would be different from other women. If I were the same, wouldn't that be something?"
"You..."
"Ye, you're back." Just as Ouyang Ye uttered a syllable, a woman in a white dress descended from the sky and greeted him.
Mu Anxiao looked at the girl who appeared so fittingly and then heard her pet name for Ouyang Ye. She quickly let go of his hand and said, "Childhood sweethearts, huh?" She glanced at Ouyang Ye.
Ouyang Ye stepped forward and smiled at the girl in white. "Juan'er, why are you here?" He was remarkably gentle.
Mu Anxiao took a step back, feeling out of place.
At that moment, Juan'er happened to look at Mu Anxiao. "This must be Mu Anxiao."
"Yes," Ouyang Ye replied without looking back.
Juan'er smiled. "As expected, she's different." With that, she gracefully walked up to Ouyang Ye. "Don't forget what you promised me," she said, gently taking Ouyang Ye's hand.
Seeing Ouyang Ye's intimate gesture with Juan'er, Mu Anxiao smirked. She thought, 'It seems Ouyang Ye has his own share of romantic entanglements here too. Tsk, tsk... This way, I can complete my mission with peace of mind. That's great.'