The topic shifted abruptly, but Mo Sigui was naturally a free-spirited person. "The moment my True Energy touched her, she immediately retreated, so I couldn't assess her condition. But if she could react, it means she still has consciousness. Perhaps she’s deliberately avoiding it?"
"Mm." An Jiu thought Mo Sigui made sense.
"From my few interactions with Shi Si, she’s the complete opposite of you," Mo Sigui said. "She’s inherently kind and gentle. If it were an ordinary setback, she might face it bravely, but killing—not everyone can do that."
He had intended to mock her, but An Jiu didn’t pick up on it. "I think so too."
Mo Sigui’s punch landed on air, leaving him deflated. "Have you considered that if you disappear, Shi Si probably won’t survive two days in Mei Shi? You might as well see it through to the end—or let nature take its course."
According to Elder Qi’s view, letting nature take its course meant An Jiu would inevitably emerge victorious.
She murmured to herself, "As long as I live, I can’t avoid killing. The more people I kill, the further I drift from the peace I seek in my heart."
Though unwilling to admit it, she truly was a madman. The more she killed, the colder her heart grew, yet her blood boiled hotter. There had been a time when she couldn’t control her urge to kill—she wanted to strangle any living thing she saw, even herself.
Standing in the snow, her breath forming mist flowers, she whispered these words softly, so faint they scattered with the wind. Yet Mo Sigui sensed a hollow, bleak existence—no hope, no despair, just muddling through life, and then killing.
Mo Sigui patted her shoulder. "Don’t be afraid. Your big brother will take you to experience the beauty of the world."
An Jiu froze slightly. "I’m not Mei Shisi."
"Ha, I wasn’t talking to her." Mo Sigui flicked open his fan and waved it vigorously, unable to shake the pity he felt for An Jiu. He found it baffling—how could such a fierce and unlikable girl evoke sympathy?
An Jiu pressed her lips together. She hadn’t expected her first voluntary confession to be made to the person she despised most!
And this shameless doctor actually pitied her for being a ruthless killer?
"Ahem, go ask Elder Zhi. After Second Cousin’s funeral, we’ll go to Bianjing together," Mo Sigui said. "There are plenty of fun places there."
"An exchange. I’ll find a way to get you out, and you kill me." An Jiu saw right through his motive.
According to Mei Shi’s family rules, no one in the Mei household could leave Plum Blossom Village freely. Mo Sigui had rarely had the chance to go out since arriving. Though he enjoyed this reclusive life, he occasionally missed the bustle of Bianjing.
Mo Sigui gritted his teeth, cursing inwardly: Stubborn, sharp-tongued, cold-hearted, and utterly unreasonable!
After venting in his mind, he said, "Fine, deal."
"In that case," An Jiu headed toward Elder Zhi’s quarters, tossing back a casual remark, "if you fail to kill me, I’ll take your life."
"Hey!" Mo Sigui had never intended to agree seriously. Hearing this, he hurried after her. "A healer saves lives. It’s bad luck to have blood on my hands before I’ve even finished my apprenticeship! How about we wait a few years until I’m fully trained?"
An Jiu stopped and turned. "Then let me know when you’re done. I’ll go ask Elder Zhi again."Mo Sigui persisted in his persuasion, "Bianjing is teeming with talent, and there are several Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries nearby. We could visit them—they understand souls better than physicians."
Seeing An Jiu somewhat tempted, he quickly added fuel to the fire, "Besides, your lingering in the mortal world is a rare opportunity. Don’t you want to see it for yourself? There’s no fighting or killing out there—it’s completely different from Mei Shi’s world here."
Using his Inner Force to scan the surroundings and confirm no one was nearby, he lowered his voice, "I know you’re weary of bloodshed. Yan Niangzi was the same back then. If you could escape Mei Shi like she did, why not enjoy peace in this flourishing age?"
An Jiu had many reasons for choosing self-destruction, and Mo Sigui’s words were just one of them. Yet one phrase struck a chord with her—he said there was no fighting or killing outside. In her previous life, she had lived in relative peace without large-scale wars, but she never had the chance to experience it. Now, though she was still walking a similar path, she wasn’t a fugitive and had a family to rely on. She could relax and explore—an opportunity she’d never had before.
She conceded a step, "Fine. But you must still do your best to destroy me. I promise I won’t kill you even if you fail. Besides, I’m just a soul—not a human life."
"Didn’t expect you to be so articulate," Mo Sigui sighed, looking at her helplessly. "But what kind of talk is this?"
Who discussed their own destruction as casually as daily chores?
Meeting An Jiu’s calm gaze, Mo Sigui waved his folding fan haphazardly. "Fine, fine. Have it your way."
With their agreement settled, they headed to the Hall of Eternal Wisdom together.
One exhausted of Inner Force, the other nearly devoid of it, they trudged through the glaring snow, their steps uneven.
The snow on the archery range before the Hall of Eternal Wisdom lay pristine and undisturbed, leaving two long trails of footprints behind them.
Mo Sigui chattered nonstop along the way, but the moment they entered the hall, he abruptly fell silent.
The vast courtyard was empty. After wandering around for a while, Mo Sigui muttered under his breath, "I’ve always disliked Elder Zhi’s residence—it’s too big and lifeless."
"Shi Si," Elder Zhi’s voice suddenly called from the main hall. "Come in."
An Jiu entered, and Mo Sigui scurried in after her.
The main hall had no chairs, only a dozen or so meditation cushions. Elder Zhi knelt on the foremost cushion, his back slightly hunched. "Sit."
Mo Sigui, ever eager for drama, obediently knelt beside An Jiu.
"How was the trial?" Elder Zhi asked.
"Passable," An Jiu replied.
Elder Zhi nodded, pleased. "I’ve heard a rough account from San’er. It’s said you overpowered an Archery Expert of the Transcendent Realm?"
An Jiu said, "Just luck."
"Modest and composed—good," Elder Zhi praised.
Later, Mei Tingzhu had separated from An Jiu, and when An Jiu unleashed the Startling String, only the Crane Control Army had been present. Elder Zhi remained unaware of this; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so calm.
"Why have you come to see me?" Elder Zhi asked.
An Jiu said, "I want to go to Bianjing."
Elder Zhi’s gaze flicked to Mo Sigui. "What for?"
"To see it," An Jiu declared matter-of-factly.
Mo Sigui fretted inwardly—this didn’t sound like a request at all. Would Elder Zhi lose his temper and take it out on him?"Very well. There are many hidden details in this trial, and the major families will need time to investigate. When the time comes, we'll send you juniors away from Plum Blossom Village as a precaution." Elder Zhi's ready agreement completely took Mo Sigui by surprise.
Though they didn't fully understand Elder Zhi's meaning, they could sense an atmosphere of impending danger in his words. (To be continued...)
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