Flying swiftly on the wind all the way, in just a quarter-hour, Meng Ruji brought Mu Sui down in the forest near their “home.” They didn’t continue forward because the silver ingot, now reduced to eight silver, began flickering in its formation.

Meng Ruji was afraid they might fall from the sky, so she simply put away the silver ingot.

“This thing has size and duration limits for carrying techniques,” Meng Ruji realized. “Copper coins can only carry small techniques, silver ingots can handle a bit more, but after a long time, they’re depleted. Will they slowly recover?”

Meng Ruji examined the silver ingot from all angles, talking to herself.

Behind her, Mu Sui silently answered in his mind: Yes. By tomorrow, there will be more.

But he couldn’t expose himself, so he chose to keep his lips tightly sealed, not opening them at all, afraid he might say something uncontrollable again.

“I’ll study it more tomorrow…” Meng Ruji put away the silver ingot and turned to look at Mu Sui. “There’s not much road left—it’s just ahead. Let’s walk. It’ll also avoid the commotion of controlling wind and drawing others’ attention, causing unnecessary trouble.”

Wealth should not be displayed openly—Meng Ruji understood this clearly.

Mu Sui silently followed Meng Ruji forward.

The forest was quiet, the night wind gentle. Meng Ruji was savoring this rare moment of stolen leisure after these busy days.

The eight silver in her chest, while not enough to return them to the mortal world, could at least ensure that she and Mu Sui wouldn’t worry about food for a while.

Moreover, she had now comprehended the path to using techniques in the Place of No Refuge. When she next tried to catch a major criminal, she wouldn’t have to worry about being outmatched in combat.

Peace of mind, tranquility—this long-absent inner calm made even Meng Ruji’s steps feel lighter. She took a deep breath, feeling that even the cold night wind could dispel the stagnant qi in her heart.

But beside her, Mu Sui’s heart was tormented.

Behind Meng Ruji, every step he took was conflicted. His body wanted to get closer to Meng Ruji, while his heart wanted to distance itself from her.

He had thought of ten thousand manipulative words to trick Meng Ruji into teaching him how to use the Inner Core, but he was afraid that once he opened his mouth, he’d start saying things like wanting kisses and hugs again…

If he said such things too many times, Mu Sui feared his soul would truly become clingy and disgusting…

He couldn’t stand it.

He couldn’t accept such a version of himself.

Harboring completely different moods, the two walked the same quiet stretch of night road.

Until they reached “home,” still three or four zhang from the door, Meng Ruji and Mu Sui almost simultaneously heard rustling sounds coming from the broken house.

Someone was in the house.

In the next instant, before Mu Sui himself had even reacted, he had already grabbed Meng Ruji’s wrist, pulled her behind him, stepped forward, and positioned himself in front of her.

He completed these actions without saying a word, then continued in silent darkness, his mood even more complex and tormented.

Meng Ruji wasn’t particularly surprised—this was indeed how Mu Sui had been all these days.

She peeked out slightly from behind Mu Sui, focusing on their broken wooden house, speaking matter-of-factly: “There’s only some dry grass in this broken wooden house—would someone steal that too? Didn’t you finish eating before you came out today?”

Of course, Mu Sui didn’t answer her. He was in no mood to answer her. He was currently immersed in the frustration of being unable to control himself.

“Huh?” From the broken wooden house, someone came out—not a thief, but Miaomiao.

She had vaguely heard Meng Ruji’s voice from inside the house. Coming out to look, she indeed saw them: “Heavens, you’re finally back.” Miaomiao immediately walked over quickly. “Are you two alright? Where did you go?”

“We’re fine, we’re fine.” Meng Ruji waved her hand. “Sorry to make you worry, waiting here for us until now. Thank you for helping me call Mu Sui over.”

“Ah?” Miaomiao looked up in confusion, glancing at Mu Sui.

“Right.” Mu Sui spoke, his voice slightly cold. He stared at Miaomiao, his eyes containing a warning. “Thank you for the reminder.”

Meeting Mu Sui’s gaze and hearing these words, Miaomiao immediately pressed her lips together. She glanced at Meng Ruji and saw her smiling brightly, looking spirited with no injuries except for the broken skin on her forehead…

Miaomiao lowered her head slightly, mumbled an unclear “oh,” then said: “Sister Ruji, as long as you’re alright. I’ll head back now.”

Meng Ruji glanced at the pitch-black forest path: “How about I escort you back…”

“No, no, no.” Miaomiao waved her hands repeatedly. “I know the way.”

After speaking, Miaomiao ran off like a wisp of smoke, not saying another word.

Meng Ruji watched Miaomiao’s retreating figure, somewhat puzzled: “Is she still a bit afraid of walking at night? Mu Sui, why don’t you go escort her?”

“She said it wasn’t necessary.” Mu Sui replied, walking indifferently toward the wooden house, saying softly, “She seems quite clever.”

Back in the wooden house, Meng Ruji had been busy all day and was tired. She leaned against the corner and, like every night in the Place of No Refuge, went to sleep.

Tonight, she slept especially soundly, no longer having to worry about tomorrow’s meal money.

Mu Sui also lay down nearby, sleeping in his clothes, but compared to Meng Ruji, his sleep was far from peaceful.

Having just recovered his memories, he had many dreams throughout the night, waking several times. Nearly all memories of past and present leaped about in his dreams, giving him no peace all night.

After sleeping one night, he was in worse condition than if he hadn’t slept at all.

When he woke the next day, Meng Ruji lazily stretched. Looking at Mu Sui beside her, she found he seemed to have been awake for a long time, but had heavy, dark circles under his eyes and looked very gloomy.

Even seeing her wake up, he didn’t come over seeking closeness as he had before.

“Mu Sui?” Meng Ruji asked him. “Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

Mu Sui glanced at Meng Ruji, initially not planning to say anything since he was already accustomed to such states. But thinking about what he needed to accomplish today, he controlled his mouth and opened it: “I have a headache.”

“What’s wrong?” Meng Ruji moved over with concern, reaching up to feel his forehead.

Mu Sui pressed his lips together, letting his cheeks grow warm.

“It is a bit hot. Did you catch a chill from falling into the Nai River yesterday? That shouldn’t be possible—you look very healthy.”

His body was indeed quite healthy.

Mu Sui paused briefly, opening his mouth slightly: “Nai River water…” After confirming his mouth would obey him now, he said, “Seems to have affected me…”

“What kind of effect?”

After asking, Meng Ruji froze, fragments from yesterday until now flashing through her mind. She felt there were some strange things about Mu Sui. After pondering for a moment, she studied Mu Sui carefully.

“Have you… Remembered something?”

She was quite perceptive…

Mu Sui thought, though this wasn’t unexpected. That Meng Ruji would blurt out this question now proves that yesterday, in his confusion, some subtle actions must have planted seeds of doubt in Meng Ruji’s mind.

Rather than let her become suspicious of him later, it would be better for Mu Sui to reveal some things himself today.

“If I had done something wrong to you, would you dislike me?” He first let his mouth ask such a question.

“So…” Meng Ruji studied him. “What exactly have you remembered?”

“Your Inner Core—I didn’t borrow it from you, I stole it.”

“Oh… and besides that, have you remembered why you wanted to steal my Inner Core?”

Mu Sui shook his head: “I only remember on a snow-covered cliff, besides me, there was a group of black monsters. Before stealing your Inner Core, I fought with them.”

Meng Ruji immediately recalled that when she had awakened, on Xuejing Cliff, there had been scattered black snowflakes and black stones on the ground, looking ominously evil.

“You’re saying that day, there were other things that wanted to take my Inner Core?”

“I’m not certain.”

Meng Ruji pondered.

Mu Sui looked at her and continued asking: “If I were a bad person before and did bad things to you, would you despise me? Would you drive me away?”

Meng Ruji was pulled from her contemplation by Mu Sui’s question. She looked into his eyes and said solemnly:

“No.”

Exactly as Mu Sui had predicted.

She wouldn’t.

Of course, Mu Sui could read Meng Ruji’s thoughts.

The matter of stealing the Inner Core—Meng Ruji already knew about it. If she despised him and wanted to drive him away, she would have done so long ago. Now he was merely using something she knew about, adding some information she didn’t know, to deceive her trust…

“Mu Sui.” Meng Ruji suddenly called his name seriously. “I said yesterday that regardless of the past, from now on I’ll treat you as my brother. Those words weren’t a joke.”

Mu Sui froze.

His scheming was disrupted by these words.

He looked at her and saw Meng Ruji’s clear eyes and genuine expression. He truly felt somewhat confused:

“I stole your Inner Core, and you don’t mind?”

“The former you stole my Inner Core—of course I mind. When I find a way, I’ll take the Inner Core back. You said before that you’d find a method quickly to return it to me, didn’t you? Moreover, whether or not I get the Inner Core back, once you recover your memory, I’ll have to give you a beating.”

“…”

“But in judging people, I generally focus on the present, not the future. I look at this moment, not the past. Your past schemes against me were real, but your current protection of me is also real.” Meng Ruji smiled. “I treat you as one of my own because your actions right now have already earned my sincere treatment.”

Right now… already earned…

Mu Sui lowered his eyes, no longer looking at Meng Ruji’s overly clear gaze.

“What if my actions are deceiving you?”

Mu Sui asked. As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt something was wrong. But it was already spilled water.

Yet Meng Ruji seemed to answer without thinking: “Then I’ll accept the loss.”

Mu Sui finally looked up again, meeting Meng Ruji’s eyes.

Her gaze was calm yet firm: “So, Mu Sui, don’t be afraid. I won’t abandon you.”

At this moment, he was being firmly trusted by her, treated with sincerity, and protected without abandonment.

“However…” Meng Ruji thought for a moment and smiled. “If you do something very wrong to me in the future, then in the future I definitely won’t let you off. I don’t take losses.”

Mu Sui suddenly remembered long ago, when his subordinate had told him that in Hengxu Mountain in the mortal world, there was a Demon Lord who had died hundreds of years ago. Within her body was an Inner Core possessing the power of creation. Obtaining this Inner Core might help them in their endeavors.

From that time, Mu Sui had studied many books recording this Demon Lord’s deeds.

The world said she had a half-demon body, possessing both demonic decisiveness in killing and human gentleness and compassion. She never judged people by birth, nor when killing them. Immortals, demons, gods, Buddhas, right and wrong—she made her judgments. Whether to kill or save, she only asked her own heart.

She should have been an extremely arbitrary person, yet she earned the respect of both immortal and demon paths.

Records also said that when she sealed herself within Hengxu Mountain, her Five Guardians all wept tears of blood, grieving immeasurably.

At the time, reading these records, Mu Sui had thought the writers were merely exaggerating. Now it seemed this Meng Ruji indeed had some ability to win people’s hearts.

If it were before…

Mu Sui lowered his eyes.

But now was no longer the past…

This Inner Core—he absolutely would not return it. He had things he must do.

“Last night, I only remembered those things.” Mu Sui didn’t look at Meng Ruji’s eyes, saying softly, “In the future, I won’t wrong you…”

Meng Ruji patted Mu Sui’s shoulder: “I believe you.”

“Sister, my chest also hurts a bit.”

He did have chest pain from Meng Ruji’s pressing yesterday.

Hearing this, Meng Ruji grasped his pulse and felt it for a while: “Is it the Nai River water causing problems? There’s a doctor at the market. Should I take you to see them? I don’t understand the ailments of the Place of No Refuge either.”

“I think… I can’t walk either.”

Indeed, he did feel somewhat weak. Nai River water sent people to their next life by taking away their life force—this was natural. If he had drifted any longer yesterday, he might have truly lost consciousness and ascended to heaven.

“Then I’ll go to the market to find a doctor and ask. You wait here for me.”

Meng Ruji took out her silver ingot, but saw that the formation on it was still flickering somewhat.

Mu Sui also saw this and guessed the silver ingot’s recovery would probably take another three or four hours.

Meng Ruji tucked the silver ingot back into her chest and told Mu Sui, “Walking there will probably be a bit slow. Wait a while longer for me.”

“Alright.”

Then, after Meng Ruji’s figure disappeared into the distance, Mu Sui also left the small wooden house.

The only place with a doctor in the market was the small medicine shop at the market’s end. The medicine shop was far from here and even farther from the government office. Mu Sui had time to properly handle his affairs.