Seeing Lu Wuming's expression darken, Thirteen naturally understood the reason.
He quickly waved his hand and explained, "Young Master, don't think of it as too terrifying. Under normal circumstances, Chu Qi wouldn't easily pry into someone's memories. As I said, the requirements for him to do so are very strict. Honestly, unless absolutely necessary, he himself is too lazy to do it."
Lu Wuming wasn't reassured by his comfort, his face still etched with a troubled expression. He asked, "How is it strict? Does he need to do anything?"
"It's not that he needs to do anything, but the person whose memory he wants to see needs to," Thirteen sighed. "They have to drink his blood for him to see their memories. The more they want to see, the more blood they have to drink. They wanted to see Chu Si and Chu Liu's memories back then, so Chu Qi would draw blood from them every day for nearly three months. Only after they drank it did he finally manage to see all their memories. And the deepest memory they hid... was of rebellion."
Upon hearing this answer, Lu Wuming's expression became a little more animated. He absolutely detested the Ghost King. He had originally thought that the ghosts in Ghost City were all mindlessly obedient to that immortal old thing, the Ghost King. But now, it seemed he had oversimplified things. There were occasionally some thinking individuals among these ghosts!
This conclusion struck Lu Wuming as rather amusing. He curved his lips and continued, "And then? Did the Ghost King deal with them?"
"No," Thirteen shook his head. "His Majesty is merciful. In the beginning, he didn't think of killing them to solve the problem. Instead, he had Chu Yi and Chu Qi cooperate to alter their memories, fabricating a new mindset for them, making them loyal to His Majesty again, and continue to be His Majesty's swords as before."
The smile on Lu Wuming's face faded slightly, and he slowly frowned.
He knew very well that the Ghost King's actions had nothing to do with mercy. It was simply because Chu Si and Chu Liu were still somewhat useful in his eyes, and Chu Yi's abilities could turn them into puppets to continue working. That's why he kept them.
However, judging by Thirteen's reaction...
Lu Wuming pondered for a moment and then asked, "Did Chu Yi's ability have a loophole? Or did something else happen? In any case, those two weren't successfully brainwashed, and they almost did something that truly harmed the Ghost King, right?"
"That's right."
Thirteen nodded vigorously.
His gaze towards Lu Wuming couldn't help but fill with a trace of admiration.
To be able to guess so accurately from just a few fragmented descriptions. He truly was their Young Master. In terms of intelligence alone, he far surpassed other ghosts!
While silently praising Lu Wuming, Thirteen didn't forget to answer his question. After a slight pause, he said, "No one actually knows which part went wrong. But the final outcome was that Chu Yi's ability failed. Chu Si and Chu Liu pretended to have their minds successfully purified and diligently helped the Ghost King with his work. This situation even lasted for a hundred years. When everyone thought they were fine, they found an opportunity and severely wounded His Majesty. It was from that moment on that His Majesty never stepped out of the palace again. Sometimes we wonder if Chu Si and Chu Liu's actions broke His Majesty's heart back then, to the point that His Majesty no longer wishes to see even us."
Based on his interactions during this period, Lu Wuming had already seen that Thirteen's admiration for the Ghost King was extreme. Therefore, he would absolutely never imagine that the rebellion, which they believed didn't cause much harm to the Ghost King, had, in a sense, truly killed him.
It was just that the Ghost King had preserved his soul and placed it in this great hall. He didn't not want to see these people; he simply couldn't appear before them in human form anymore.
Reaching a conclusion in his mind, Lu Wuming's expression remained largely unchanged.
As if he were merely passing the time out of boredom, he casually asked, "What about those two? Were they dealt with this time?"
"Chu Er killed them," Thirteen nodded. "His Majesty had already given them a chance, but they didn't know how to cherish it. Moreover, they deserved this end for what they did."
The topic had reached its natural conclusion, and there was no need to continue. To prevent the Ghost King from sensing anything amiss, Lu Wuming changed the subject with Thirteen and chatted for a while. After a period of combat, during which he defeated Thirteen, he returned to the great hall as usual, found his favorite corner, and sat down, quietly resting with his eyes closed.
He had initially intended to quickly relay the information he had gathered today to Liu Buli. However, before he could even make contact, the Ghost King's voice echoed through the great hall: "Why were you suddenly asking Thirteen about those matters? You don't still think you have any chance of escaping, do you?"
"I told you, I never thought of escaping from the beginning," Lu Wuming replied slowly. "I just wanted to understand this place. Didn't you say I am your successor? As a successor, it's normal for me to want to understand the position I will inherit, and the people who will accompany me. Is there any other reason needed for this?"
Lu Wuming's answer this time was concise.
It seemed as if he truly thought that way, and there was no room for any other interpretation.
The Ghost King's voice fell silent for a moment, then he continued, "I find it to be a normal matter, which is why I didn't interfere just now. But since that's the case, and you've learned all you wanted to know, when Chu Yi and Chu Qi return, will you cooperate a little and allow Chu Qi to examine your memories properly?"