After being reborn, the villain comes with a spoiler tag.

"explain."

Huo Yu's voice was as cold as ice, devoid of any warmth.

Long Yucheng looked back and forth between Huo Yu and Su Yixuan for a while, and finally obediently stood behind Huo Yu.

"me……"

Su Yixuan's face was as pale as paper. She stammered as she tried to explain, but her thoughts were in complete disarray, and she couldn't piece together a reasonable explanation.

[Target #2, Huo Yu's favorability has decreased by 5, currently at -5.]

Although it was only negative five, far from the negative fifty that would trigger a system warning of murderous intent, Su Yixuan had never felt it so acutely as she did at this moment:

will die!

I really am going to die!

The look in Huo Yu's eyes as he gazed at her was no longer the calm, still gaze of the past; instead, it was filled with surging killing intent and hidden anger beneath the surface.

Su Yixuan had traveled through three worlds, but the sense of crisis Huo Yu brought her at this moment was stronger than ever before.

This palpable threat of death, like the Grim Reaper's scythe already silently resting on her neck, was a fear she had never felt even when facing a zombie siege.

So, she cried, much to her dismay.

[Target number one, Long Yucheng, has gained one point in favorability; current favorability is 19.]

At this moment, Su Yixuan had no time to worry about increasing her favorability rating.

"I...I'm a victim too! If I really wanted to harm you, there would be a hundred quick and easy ways. Why would I use this method? If Fellow Daoist Long hadn't helped me just now, I would be the one who died!"

Su Yixuan stammered incoherently, not even understanding what she was saying. Her mind was blank, and amidst the chaos, an absurd thought suddenly flashed through her mind:

[Now Huo Yu ranks third in terms of favorability in this world.]

[Host, please focus on dealing with the current crisis.]

The system provided a timely reminder.

Huo Yu stared at her coldly for a long time before finally withdrawing his threat.

The reason is that he needs a dog language translator at this moment.

Although he didn't understand why Long Yucheng appeared as a human in Su Yixuan's eyes, but as a dog in his own, Huo Yu guessed that it might be related to his glimpse into part of the illusion.

His right wrist was currently empty; if the mixed-blood dragon were here, he would have taken Su Yixuan's life without hesitation.

"Where did you get your messenger token?"

Despite having retrieved the fire dragon, Huo Yu's words remained as chilling as ice.

Long Yucheng, who had been standing obediently at Huo Yu's feet, barked a few times at Su Yixuan when he saw that the atmosphere had eased a bit.

He said, "Junior Sister Guan seems to have such a communication talisman as well. This communication talisman was... given by a senior uncle at the Golden Core stage; all disciples at the Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining stages have one..."

As Su Yixuan wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, she did not forget her work of transmitting the message. When she spoke of this, she seemed to remember something, and her cheeks, which had just regained a little color, turned as pale as paper again.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go to the government office immediately."

Before she could finish speaking, she disregarded whether Huo Yu would take her life, summoned a paper crane, and flew swiftly towards the government office.

Huo Yu and Long Yucheng exchanged a glance, as if they instantly understood the countless emotions flashing in each other's eyes.

Su Yixuan had no time to pay attention to the two people behind her. As soon as she landed, she hurriedly ran towards the back hall where the Foundation Establishment disciples were on duty.

At the same time, Huo Yu arrived and gently placed Long Yucheng, whose body hair had been meticulously combed, on the ground.

Long Yucheng sniffed the air around him, alertly pricked up his ears, and exchanged a glance with Huo Yu.

"Junior Sister Su? What are you doing here? Didn't our Martial Uncle strictly forbid everyone from leaving their posts without permission?"

In the center of the back hall, the cultivator surnamed Sun, who had once been involved in a "jealousy rivalry" with Huo Yu at the inn, initially showed joy upon seeing Su Yixuan, but then, remembering something, his joy turned to worry.

Especially when he saw Huo Yu and Long Yucheng following him in, he couldn't help but frown.

"Junior sister! This is a place of great importance, how could you bring outsiders here! ...Very well, I'll pretend tonight's events never happened. Junior sister, you should return to your post as soon as possible before your master finds out!"

Su Yixuan stared blankly at the cultivator surnamed Sun, then turned around and left the government office with Huo Yu and Long Yucheng.

Although the Sun-surnamed cultivator in front of her behaved and acted as usual, the system had already told her that this person's favorability towards her was zero.

But as she stepped out of the government office, Su Yixuan still looked at Huo Yu and Long Yucheng with unwavering hope:

Did you see my senior brother just now, just like I did?

Huo Yu remained silent and did not respond.

He did see the cultivator surnamed Sun and heard his conversation with Su Yixuan, but in Huo Yu's divine sense, the cultivator surnamed Sun in front of him did not have any Heavenly Dao Points above his head.

Long Yucheng seemed somewhat dejected, letting out a low "woof" and ceasing to wag his tail.

Su Yixuan gave a bitter laugh and said to Huo Yu:

He said, 'I only saw half a body.'"

Huo Yulai had anticipated this, so he remained silent.

Long Yucheng looked up at Huo Yu, his amber eyes filled with deep worry and unease.

The government office was empty and quiet. Today was the most important festival of the year in Zhuque City, and all the yamen runners were granted a three-day holiday.

Everyone had gone to the Vermilion Bird Gate to watch the ceremony, and even the main road in front of the government office was unusually empty, with no one around.

Just then, another streak of light pierced the night sky and flew over this place.

Although immersed in grief, Su Yixuan quickly regained her alertness, summoned a paper crane, and looked over warily at the first opportunity.

As the light dissipated, what appeared before the two of them and Long Yucheng was Guan Fengyue, whom Long Yucheng had been worried about.

"stop!"

Su Yixuan shouted sharply, her tone full of vigilance, then turned to ask Long Yucheng.

"Is she even alive?!"

Long Yucheng barked and started wagging its tail again.

Guan Fengyue's face was also full of doubt, and she said:

"Of course I am alive. I have met this senior sister, senior brother Long, and fellow Daoist Huo."

Su Yixuan first explained to Huo Yu what Long Yucheng had said:

He said, "It's Junior Sister Guan."

Then, she turned her gaze to Guan Fengyue and asked without any politeness:

Where is your command token?

"It was taken away by Uncle Li during the day..."

As Guan Fengyue answered, a hint of confusion appeared on her face. Her gaze shifted back and forth between Su Yixuan and Huo Yu as she cupped her hands and asked:

"I haven't asked for your name yet, teacher."

"Su Yixuan".

Su Yixuan gave a brief answer, but a trace of doubt still lingered in her eyes as she continued her interrogation:

"What a coincidence that your messenger token was taken away today of all days? What did you take it for?"

Guan Fengyue became increasingly confused:

"This... I dare not presume to guess what my martial uncle means. Is there anything wrong with this messenger talisman?"