The small path stretched forward, and the two walked along it, passing through woods and meadows, unknowingly entering a desert.
Gazing into the distance, it was boundless.
The two were dumbfounded.
"What should we do?" Murong Yanran asked.
"Keep moving forward," Mo Qi said.
Even the longest journey had an end. As long as they didn't turn back, they would eventually find their way out.
At this moment, a disheveled, ragged person suddenly rushed out from the side, shouting, "Don't go any further! This is a desert. It's easy to get lost inside, and there's no way out in that direction."
Mo Qi and Murong Yanran froze, caught in a difficult situation. The newcomer, after scrutinizing Mo Qi for a few moments, suddenly bowed to him, saying, "I am Zhu Yizhao of the Fourth Tier. Greetings, Lord Mo."
The Fourth Tier? Wasn't that Lu Xiaoyue's tier?
Could it be that she was also here?
Mo Qi's heart skipped a beat. He stepped forward to help him up and asked urgently, "Is your Lord Lu also here?"
Zhu Yizhao, his arm hurting from being grabbed, gritted his teeth and replied, "Yes, she is here. Don't worry, she is safe and sound."
He had long heard that all the beauties in the Tiers belonged to Lord Mo. It seemed the rumors were true!
But even so, no one dared to gossip. It was a matter of mutual affection; who could interfere?
Upon hearing that Lu Xiaoyue was safe, Mo Qi breathed a sigh of relief. He let go, even tidied her clothes, and said, "Why would I be anxious? I'm not anxious. I'm just normally concerned about a subordinate. You see, the Tiers are now a mixed bag, and not many people can be trusted. Fortunately, Lu Xiaoyue is arguably one of the reliable ones."
With so many people in the Fourth Tier, you only care about her. It's too obvious, yet you're still trying to quibble.
Zhu Yizhao remained impassive, nodding repeatedly and agreeing with his words.
Murong Yanran said with a joyful expression, "You must have been looking for a way out, right? Have you found it?"
Zhu Yizhao shook his head dejectedly, "No."
Mo Qi and Murong Yanran's eyes gradually dimmed.
Zhu Yizhao slowly continued, "A few years ago, after Lord Lu and I entered the Tongtian Secret Realm, we were pursued by a group of mysterious people. While fleeing, we accidentally fell into this place. After entering, Lord Lu asked me to scout ahead. I went off alone, and during my scouting, I discovered there were people here. I was cautious and didn't inquire about them, just quietly scouted. When I returned later, they had already been captured by the people here and imprisoned. After failing to rescue them, I began searching for a way out." He pointed to the desert. "I entered that desert. It was barren and endless, with no end no matter how you walked. It was also very easy to get lost. I was lost in there for several years. Let alone finding a way out, I almost exhausted myself trying to find my way back. Fortunately, I was lucky and finally got out. However, after coming out, I didn't dare to go among people, fearing discovery, so I've been lingering on the fringes. Fortunately, locals don't come to this place."
"So, when I saw you two heading into the desert blindly, I concluded you were from the outside world. However, I didn't recognize you as Lord Mo at first."
His words had clarified the entire situation.
However, Mo Qi seemed less concerned about these matters. He looked at Zhu Yizhao and said, "Where are Lu Xiaoyue and the others being held? Take me there."
Zhu Yizhao's face showed difficulty. "With just a few of us, I'm afraid we can't rescue them."
Mo Qi retorted angrily, "What nonsense! Just lead the way when I tell you to. What are you dawdling for?"
Zhu Yizhao replied, "Alright, I'll lead the way now."
He turned to leave.
At that moment, a figure suddenly descended from the sky, landing before them. Her graceful posture and beautiful face made Zhu Yizhao's eyes momentarily daze. However, he then retreated, "She, she is..."
Mo Qi waved his hand, signaling him not to panic, and then smiled at Shen Xiuzhu, "Miss Xiuzhu, are you here to lead us?"
Zhu Yizhao rolled his eyes. This joke was a bit much.
Unexpectedly, Shen Xiuzhu said solemnly, "I can help you find the way out. I was actually coming to guide you. However, you cannot go to save others."
Zhu Yizhao was somewhat surprised. She, she was actually willing to lead the way!
Murong Yanran's watery eyes sparkled with intelligent light, and she nodded as if she understood.
Mo Qi was also slightly stunned for a moment before saying, "You want to save me, so be a good person and save a few more people."
Shen Xiuzhu shook her head resolutely, "I'm sorry. You know our place is isolated from the world, and we don't want any connection with the outside world. If one more person leaves, the risk of exposure for us increases."
Mo Qi frowned, "Then, in that case..."
Murong Yanran suddenly interrupted him, "Husband, you go rest aside for a moment. I need to speak with Miss Shen."
Mo Qi looked confused, "What do you have to say to her..."
"Go rest nearby for now!" Murong Yanran pushed Mo Qi to the side under a tree without further explanation. Zhu Yizhao had no choice but to follow.
Shen Xiuzhu stood there, feeling a bit lost.
Murong Yanran returned to Shen Xiuzhu's side and got straight to the point, "Miss Shen, do you like my husband?"
Shen Xiuzhu was startled. She glanced quickly at Mo Qi from afar, then immediately turned her face away, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. "What are you talking about? Just because you like him doesn't mean everyone does. No one is fighting you. The reason I agreed to lead you is simply out of gratitude. If it weren't for you, I and my kin would have already fallen into an abyss of eternal damnation."
However, Murong Yanran ignored her words and continued, "If you like him, I can talk to him for you."
Shen Xiuzhu was surprised and looked back at her, "Is he really your husband? Who would introduce their husband to others?"
Murong Yanran sighed and said, "Of course not. It's just my wishful thinking. In any case, don't worry about it. Just tell me if you like him or not."
Shen Xiuzhu stammered there, blushing and hesitating.
She said many things, like they were from the outside, their backgrounds were unclear, and their origins unknown. Moreover, they had only met a few times, and she hadn't even considered these issues. Furthermore, her grandfather and the clan would not agree, and her question was too abrupt, making it seem frivolous. Also, the little dog at home hadn't been fed yet, and she wanted to go feed it.
She was worried this was a trap!
Seeing that she couldn't get a clear answer, Murong Yanran sighed and said, "If you like him, we can leave this place together. Have you ever thought about it? This place is isolated from the world, but it was born with a mission. One day, it will no longer be a paradise but will become the epicenter of all wars. At that time, can you and your kin still live a quiet, peaceful, and uncontested life like you do now?"
Shen Xiuzhu frowned, "What has Old Wei told you? I think they truly have no intention of letting you leave."
Murong Yanran continued, "You are a good girl with a bright future and a splendid life ahead. You should pursue your own happiness and not have some baseless mission imposed upon you. That is not the destiny you were born to accept. In my opinion, let those who accept the mission bear the responsibility. You only need to follow your heart."
"Then," Shen Xiuzhu glanced at Mo Qi, who was talking to Zhu Yizhao under the tree, from a distance, and said, "I, I will go back and consider it." With that, she fled away sheepishly.
Mo Qi saw Shen Xiuzhu leave with a red face and felt very strange. He asked Murong Yanran, "What did you say to her? You're being so mysterious."
Murong Yanran giggled and said, "I asked her if she liked you, and she said she did."
"You... you're simply being ridiculous!" Mo Qi pointed at Murong Yanran, gritting his teeth. He then turned and strode away, but couldn't help but laugh after turning back.
"She's so beautiful, don't you like her?" Murong Yanran mumbled, following closely behind.
Zhu Yizhao also quickly followed.
"Who says you have to like everyone beautiful? Would I have the capacity to like them all?" Mo Qi babbled incoherently.
After only a few steps, he suddenly realized he didn't know the way at all. He quickly composed his smiling face and turned to look at Zhu Yizhao, "You lead the way."
Zhu Yizhao was a little surprised, "It's broad daylight, and we're just going to rescue people so openly?"
Mo Qi glared at him, "We're not stealing chickens or dogs. Why can't we do it openly?"
Zhu Yizhao was speechless at this logic. But he could only sigh and obediently lead the way.