"Mu Xi?" Mu Anxiao repeated, thinking of her long-departed brother. She let out a cold snort and said, "It seems you know quite a bit."
"My name is Song Xi."
"Song Xi..." Mu Anxiao mused, her eyes darkening. "Just a single character difference." She stared at Song Xi for a few moments, then narrowed her eyes.
Song Xi looked at Mu Anxiao's thoughtful expression and smiled. "Did you think of something when you heard my name? Or perhaps..."
"You know Xi'er, don't you?" Mu Anxiao recalled the cultivator disciple named Xi'er who had pushed her brother Mu Xi off a cliff and then framed the ten-year-old her for all the crimes... Xi'er.
"She is my wife, and also the Sect Master of this Demon Cultivation land," Song Xi replied with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao's expression became one of disbelief. It was then that she remembered the massacre by Ouyang Ye and considered Ouyang Ye's leniency towards this place. She tried to guess, "Has she perhaps already died?" she asked intentionally.
Song Xi's face stiffened.
Seeing Song Xi's expression change, Mu Anxiao frowned slightly. "..."
Then, Song Xi became angry. "My wife is alive and well. Why would you say she's dead? You, Mu Anxiao, are just as annoying as my wife said you were." With that, he reached out to grab Mu Anxiao's neck.
Mu Anxiao quickly took a step back, dodging his grasp. "What was the massacre last year all about?"
"That was an affair of the palace. What does it have to do with us?" Song Xi asked, lowering his hand.
"..." Mu Anxiao pondered Song Xi's words and turned to look at the vine spirit.
The vine spirit, having heard Mu Anxiao, immediately said, "Zhao Meier and that Jiong Ye are not dead."
"So, my beliefs were all mistaken," Mu Anxiao said, thinking of Xi'er's methods, she couldn't help but laugh. "Indeed, they are all very capable. How could Ouyang Ye possibly kill them? Truly... I was overthinking it." She felt quite foolish.
At the same time, Xi'er, dressed in a black long dress, emerged from the hall. "Mu Anxiao, you truly have a tough life."
Hearing this, Song Xi quickly turned to look at Xi'er and smiled. "My wife."
"Husband, you go attend to your business. I'll handle her," Xi'er said, walking forward.
Song Xi smiled faintly at Xi'er. "My wife, I'll be going then. Be careful of this woman, she is not..."
"Alright, I know better than you," Xi'er interrupted him, walking slowly behind Mu Anxiao.
Song Xi sighed softly and turned to leave.
Then, Xi'er did not look at Mu Anxiao immediately. Instead, her gaze shifted to A Xue's face. "Take them to the courtyard I've prepared for them." She then glanced at the vine spirit and the others.
Xiao Yi frowned slightly but felt the demonic energy emanating from Xi'er and dared not speak further.
A Xue responded, "Yes, Sect Master." Then he turned to look at them and walked ahead.
The wolf demon glanced at Xi'er and said, "Mu Anxiao, be careful."
Mu Anxiao nodded and said, "You go ahead." With that, she gave Xiao Yi a look, and Xiao Yi, along with the vine spirit and the wolf demon, followed A Xue.
After they had left, Mu Anxiao turned around to face Xi'er, who had completely transformed into a demon, and sneered, "You've changed so much."
"It's none of your business," Xi'er said, looking Mu Anxiao up and down. "Aren't you curious why Master didn't let me go out to meet you?"
"I have no interest in that," Mu Anxiao replied coldly.
Xi'er smiled. "I didn't expect you to have grown so much in a year."
"Not quite a year."
"But it has been a year here," Xi'er said, looking disdainfully at Mu Anxiao's attire. She continued, "Do you want to know where Zhao Meier and Jiong Ye are?"
"No."
"Is that so?" Xi'er said, a smile playing on her lips. "However, I want you to know."
"Since you've already made up your mind, why are you asking me?" Mu Anxiao said dismissively, then glanced at the still bright sky. "I only know that none of you are good people."
"If you are disobedient, this will be your fate," Xi'er said, turning her back. "Follow me."
"You..."
"Enough nonsense. You know I don't like listening to nonsense," Xi'er interrupted and walked towards the hall.
Mu Anxiao cast a final glance at the demons on either side, then stepped forward to follow Xi'er.
In the blink of an eye...
Mu Anxiao followed Xi'er to a secret chamber. To Mu Anxiao's surprise, the candles on the candelabra were all lit with a dim green light. The rows of screens in front were also eerie. Moreover, the demonic energy emanating from the place gave off an incredibly chilling feeling. Clenching her fists, Mu Anxiao felt a pang in her heart under the stimulation of the oppressive environment. "What did you bring me here for?" Her voice echoed in the room.
Xi'er turned around and smiled at Mu Anxiao. "Go take a look ahead." Her voice also echoed.
Hearing the chilling echoes, Mu Anxiao lost the desire to ask questions and walked towards the screens.
Conversely, Xi'er was already accustomed to the echoes. "Zhao Meier, one lacked ability, and the other wanted to escape, so they were sealed here. If you wish to be like them," she said, waving her arm. The screen in front of Mu Anxiao clattered down. Mu Anxiao, startled, froze in place. She continued, "This will be their fate."
As Xi'er finished speaking, the screen in front of Mu Anxiao suddenly lit up, displaying two figures walking. Those two figures were Zhao Meier and Jiong Ye...
"Upon entering, one must reflect. If one cannot grasp the truth within forty-nine days, then..." she paused, and a screen beside her suddenly ignited. She laughed, "Then it will be their fate, self-destruction."
Then, Mu Anxiao followed Xi'er's gaze to the self-immolating, screaming screen and realized... this place was truly terrifying.
"They have twenty days left," Xi'er said and turned around. "Alright, let's go."
Mu Anxiao did not heed Xi'er's words but stared intently at the faces of Jiong Ye and Zhao Meier.
The next second, Zhao Meier's voice reached her ears, "Save me."
At the same time, Jiong Ye's voice also entered her ears, "Save me."
Save me?
Mu Anxiao, hearing their cries for help, was about to speak when Xi'er turned around and said, "Saving them is harming yourself. Let's go."
Upon hearing this, Mu Anxiao's eyes darkened, and she turned to follow Xi'er.