"Where are you taking me?" Jiong Ye asked, retracting his gaze from Mu Anxiao as he listened to Xi Er's words.
Xi Er's lips curled. "Just follow me," she said, then looked at Zhao Mei'er. "You keep up with me, if you get lost, you can forget about keeping your life."
"I understand," Zhao Mei'er's voice trembled. She was afraid.
Jiong Ye had witnessed Ouyang Ye's capabilities through his 'resurrection' technique, so he dared not act presumptuously any longer and followed Xi Er's pace.
Zhao Mei'er, also intimidated by Xi Er, obediently followed behind Jiong Ye.
Meanwhile.
Mu Anxiao and Ouyang Ye walked side by side on the path leading to the courtyard. At the same time, Mu Anxiao recalled the entire process of Ouyang Ye expelling the Soul Sword from his body not long ago. She stopped Ouyang Ye directly on the gravel path.
Seeing this, Ouyang Ye asked in confusion, "Why did you stop so suddenly?"
"Your injuries have already healed yourself, haven't they?" Mu Anxiao said, taking her hand off Ouyang Ye's arm.
Ouyang Ye looked down at Mu Anxiao's hand and said, "Internal injuries."
"Internal injuries," Mu Anxiao repeated, crossing her arms in front of her. "I'd believe that if pigs could fly. Internal injuries."
"If you don't believe me, then take my pulse," Ouyang Ye said, extending his hand to Mu Anxiao.
"You are a demon, your pulse must be different from ordinary people. Even if I take your pulse, I..."
"If I hadn't focused my attention on you, that fellow wouldn't have had the chance to take advantage of the opening. So," Ouyang Ye interrupted, a slight smile rising to his lips, "you have to take responsibility for me."
"Your injuries are all healed."
"It takes a hundred days to heal a broken bone, let alone this, my spleen was injured, the blood," Ouyang Ye pointed to the bloodstain on his clothes, "don't you see it?"
"But you've already stopped the bleeding," Mu Anxiao lost some of her confidence.
"It's stopped, but I've still lost some blood. This blood," Ouyang Ye said, fatigue appearing on his face, "all flowed out of my body. It's still a strain on my vital energy. I don't care, you have to take responsibility for me." He grabbed Mu Anxiao's wrist.
Mu Anxiao keenly felt the distinct lack of strength in Ouyang Ye's grip and the fact that he had indeed lost a lot of blood not long ago. Helpless, she asked, "How long will it take to recover?"
"I don't know," Ouyang Ye shook his head slightly.
Mu Anxiao looked troubled. "But there are only a few rooms in that courtyard. If you move in, where will I sleep?" she muttered... and sighed softly.
Ouyang Ye looked down at Mu Anxiao's troubled expression and, without thinking, smiled again. "I have a way."
"What way can you have?" Mu Anxiao said, then, thinking of the problem, exclaimed excitedly, "I have a way!"
"I won't live with the wolf demon or the vine spirit," Ouyang Ye knew what Mu Anxiao was going to say, so he preempted her.
Hearing Ouyang Ye's 'suspicious' reply, Mu Anxiao's lips curved up. "Don't be so narcissistic. Even if you wanted to live with them, they wouldn't dare to share a roof with you. You..."
"You don't expect them to make room for me either," Ouyang Ye said, feigning a stubborn attitude.
Mu Anxiao let out a cold laugh.
Seeing this, Ouyang Ye was confused. "What does that smile mean?"
"Go back, and I'll tell you then," Mu Anxiao said, then led Ouyang Ye step by step towards the courtyard.
In a blink of an eye.
Mu Anxiao brought Ouyang Ye into the courtyard, passing the wolf demon, the vine spirit, and A Xue, and headed straight for the rooms.
At this moment, A Xue, still maintaining a bowing posture, looked at Ouyang Ye being supported by Mu Anxiao in astonishment, blinked, and then slowly stood up... looking at the wolf demon and the vine spirit standing in the vegetable patch... without saying a word.
Concurrently, the wolf demon and the vine spirit exchanged a look. The vine spirit whispered, "What's going on?" He pointed at Ouyang Ye and Mu Anxiao, who were pushing open the door to enter the room.
The wolf demon shook his head slightly and happened to meet A Xue's eyes.
A Xue's face instantly flushed at the wolf demon's sudden stare.
Conversely, the wolf demon didn't particularly notice A Xue's reaction and walked directly towards her...
Seeing this, A Xue's eyes darted away, and she turned to run towards the kitchen.
The wolf demon stopped in his tracks. "What's going on?" he said, turning to look at the vine spirit who had witnessed everything.
The vine spirit shrugged, indicating he didn't know.
In the kitchen, A Xue rushed to the water vat and lowered her head, catching sight of herself in the water. "What's wrong with me?" she said, raising her hand to gently touch her cheek.
Mu Anxiao's room...
With Mu Anxiao's support, Ouyang Ye sat at the table. "You haven't said anything all the way here," he said, looking up at Mu Anxiao, who was pouring him water.
Mu Anxiao hummed, then extended the refilled cup to Ouyang Ye and said, "You rest here. I'm going out for a bit."
"What are you going to do?" Ouyang Ye sensed something was off with Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao's gaze flickered. "Nothing much, just going for a walk," she said, meeting Ouyang Ye's eyes calmly, "The quilts on the bed are all new. If you're tired, just cover yourself with them. They're quite warm."
"Is something bothering you?" Ouyang Ye saw through Mu Anxiao's thoughts.
Mu Anxiao shook her head.
Ouyang Ye frowned. "You do have something."
"I don't," Mu Anxiao stated firmly.
"You say you don't. Ever since you agreed to bring me here, you've been silent. You haven't looked at me at all during this time, and when we came back, you didn't look at them either. You..." Ouyang Ye glanced at Mu Anxiao's face. "You said you'd tell me something when we got back, but you didn't, and now you're going out. It's really strange."
"I did say something," Mu Anxiao said earnestly.
"What did you say?" Ouyang Ye countered.
Mu Anxiao pursed her lips. "I said the quilts are new, and you can just cover yourself with them."
"That's not what you were going to say," Ouyang Ye exposed her.
Mu Anxiao sneered. "Then tell me, what was I going to say? You fellow... acting like you know me so well."
"I know you, just as you know me, Mu Anxiao," Ouyang Ye said, narrowing his eyes. "You're a straightforward person. Tell me, are you plotting something again?"
"Plotting?" Mu Anxiao repeated deliberately. She hated Ouyang Ye's attitude, and her tone became noticeably stiff.
At the same time, Ouyang Ye heard Mu Anxiao's displeasure with his words and quickly rephrased his question. "Did I say something wrong? You... do you have something in mind?"