You Siqi, as the author of this novel, naturally had the final say on whether there were any other treasures within this secret realm.
Understanding this, even though Lu Wuming desperately wanted to leave, he obediently followed and looked towards You Siqi, quietly awaiting his answer, all to satisfy his master's desire for exploration.
Fortunately, You Siqi didn't remain vague this time. Instead, he pulled out a small notebook from his pocket, carefully flipped through its contents, and then firmly replied, "As for the treasures I know of in this secret realm, you've basically gotten them all. Only the artifact left by Xichi remains, which has fallen into the hands of the Ghost Clan, and we haven't retrieved it yet. However..."
While his earlier statement had greatly pleased Lu Wuming, the sudden shift in tone and the obvious pause made Lu Wuming frown.
His expression turned grim, and Lu Wuming asked with a hint of ferocity, "However what?"
"However, the way out is not entirely peaceful. We might encounter some Ghost Clan members when we leave. But I'm not sure of their numbers, as a large portion might be coming for you, Lu Wuming," You Siqi said. "This is probably the only issue, but I think you are all quite powerful. So, if we prepare well, it should be fine."
You Siqi's words were perfectly chosen.
He used "you all" instead of "we."
From the very beginning, he excluded himself from the combatants. You Siqi even patted Liu Buli's shoulder earnestly, saying, "After all, this primarily depends on you. I'm an elder of the Dan Sect, even if it's just an honorary title. To protect the honor of the Dan Sect, Sect Leader, you must protect me well. Of course, under normal circumstances, you won't need to protect me too much. I believe our Mu Zhi is reliable."
As he spoke, he turned and flashed a bright smile at Shen Muzhi.
Shen Muzhi looked at his expression with a helpless, wry smile. He let out a soft sigh, then nodded towards Liu Buli, acknowledging him. Their eyes met, Liu Buli pursed his lips, and finally nodded in agreement.
The exit was much easier to find than the hiding places of the treasures. With You Siqi, the author, leading the way, they didn't spend too much time before locating the point with the strongest spiritual energy fluctuations.
However, the situation was indeed as You Siqi had predicted. Not only were there many Ghost Clan members at the exit, but there were also a considerable number of cultivators. Before they even approached, those cultivators had already engaged the Ghost Clan in battle. Now, both sides were fighting fiercely. Liu Buli observed the scene and then asked the others in a low voice, "What do you think is the probability of successfully sneaking out through the middle of the battlefield without provoking anyone?"
You Siqi immediately raised his hand to answer, "If it were just us few, I think the success rate would be over ninety percent. But since Lu Wuming is with us, I don't think you should count on that. Just prepare for battle."
Liu Buli gave a wry smile.
This answer was exactly as he had anticipated.
However, after glancing at the not-yet-overwhelming number of Ghost Clan members, he pondered for a moment and then directly said to Li Qingcheng, "Li Qingcheng, you and your husband don't need to linger. Your target isn't here, so escaping directly shouldn't be difficult for you."
Upon hearing this, Li Qingcheng immediately became displeased. Frowning, she said, "Why are you saying that again? Haven't I already told you that my husband and I are prepared to protect you? It's just this many Ghost Clan members, do you think we're afraid?"
"I know you're not afraid, and precisely because there are so few of them, there's no need for you to trouble yourselves to fight with us," Liu Buli explained with a smile. "The situation where I need your help is much more serious than this. So, when you return, remember to train yourselves well. Next time we meet, it's best if you're more than ten times stronger than you are now. That way, if any danger arises, I'll dare to face it with you. Don't you agree?"
As he spoke, he looked into Li Qingcheng's eyes.
They made eye contact for a moment, and Li Qingcheng finally understood his intentions. Although she still pouted in dissatisfaction, she ultimately accepted Liu Buli's proposal. She let out a soft hmph and said, "Liu Buli, take care of yourself. We won't be with you this time, but next time you encounter danger, don't think you can push us away again, understand?"
Liu Buli smiled and nodded, acknowledging her statement. He didn't offer any further explanations. The group exchanged glances and split into two groups, heading towards the exit.
As they had expected, the moment Lu Wuming appeared, almost all the attention of the Ghost Clan shifted towards him. Li Qingcheng and Tan Wu took advantage of the chaos and headed towards the exit. Similarly, other cultivators who were fighting the Ghost Clan saw this situation, seized the opportunity, and quickly followed, leaving the secret realm one by one, as if afraid the surrounding Ghost Clan members would entangle them further.
In an instant, the cultivators were gone, leaving only the Ghost Clan and the four of them. What had been a roughly even match in numbers quickly turned into a scene of the Ghost Clan surrounding and attacking them. You Siqi looked around and then said seriously, "I should have left with Li Qingcheng and the others just now."
"There's no need to leave. It's better for you to stay here," Shen Muzhi said with a smile, pulling him closer and gently ruffling his hair, his gaze constantly vigilant of the surrounding Ghost Clan. "If you left, the cultivators outside who want to cause trouble for me might attack you. So, it's better to be by my side. Since there are bad guys everywhere, and I can protect you here, it will ultimately be safer."