You Siqi, for the most part, was a decent person. However, at times, he was oblivious to others' expressions, fixated solely on matters that interested him.
Such was the case now.
He completely missed the deeper meaning in Liu Buli's words. Instead, he pressed closer, excitedly exclaiming, "I'm just really curious. It's all in the past anyway, so just tell us, won't you? You couldn't have actually done anything illegal or immoral, right?"
Liu Buli smiled and replied, "Not exactly, but I did dance on the edge. So, I don't think it's a good topic. What do you think?"
Upon hearing this, You Siqi immediately stopped his questioning.
He knew it! Liu Buli definitely wasn't a good person before transmigrating!
Just as he had suspected!
However, You Siqi had no desire to know just how bad he had been. After all, if Liu Buli's past was too terrifying, or if he had committed heinous acts, how would he face him in the future?
You Siqi tried to comfort himself, telling himself it was all in the past.
Besides, the current Liu Buli wasn't a good person either.
Once he accepted that, nothing else seemed to matter.
Seeing his reaction, Shen Muzhi could only smile and give up on asking. Lu Wuming, however, remained persistent. He tugged at Liu Buli's sleeve and whispered, "Shizun, Wuming doesn't know about these things concerning you. If you don't want to tell them, can you quietly tell me when we get back?"
"Alright, I'll do as you say," Liu Buli replied with a smile.
He was quite certain that even if he told Lu Wuming, the latter would never understand. So, if this fool wanted to know, there was no harm in telling him. After all, these were matters that had no bearing on his current self, and telling them as a story wouldn't be so bad.
With this thought, the group finally reached the end of the passage.
As they passed the densely packed arrays, Liu Buli felt a slight tension. Fortunately, neither he nor Lu Wuming were affected by them. Perhaps it was as Lu Wuming had guessed; the fruits of an entire race's painstaking research were ultimately ineffective against a Ghost King.
Upon seeing the final grand door, You Siqi's excitement surged. He excitedly tugged Shen Muzhi's sleeve, his eyes practically sparkling. He declared, "The artifact I want is behind this door. It's an artifact that can alter time. This race used it to summon those legendary ferocious beasts here. So, I've been thinking, if we could obtain that artifact, and use it to change time, wouldn't that allow us to return to my era?"
It sounded a bit far-fetched.
But it was the most plausible way You Siqi could think of to fulfill his wish.
Shen Muzhi smiled helplessly, choosing not to dampen his spirits. He simply pointed at the door and said, "Since the answer is behind the door, why don't we go in and find out? We've come this far, so we'll know whether it's right or wrong."
As he spoke, he reached out to push open the door.
You Siqi quickly interjected, "Wait a moment. The reason this artifact is hidden in such a secret place is because its very existence affects its surroundings. So, when we open the door, we might see strange things. Those are the rifts of time. The things within might be real, but no matter what they are, they absolutely won't harm us. So, you must remain steadfast and not be deceived, and never lose yourself. I'm not worried about Liu Buli or Lu Wuming. My only concern is you, Shen Muzhi, do you hear me?"
You Siqi spoke with utmost seriousness.
Clearly, Shen Muzhi had a history, which was why You Siqi felt the need to specifically warn him when encountering a similar situation.
Slightly embarrassed, Shen Muzhi touched his cheek and mumbled, "I haven't done any similar foolish things recently, so you don't need to worry about me so much."
You Siqi didn't reply.
But it was evident he was still concerned.
Shen Muzhi sighed, knowing that mere words wouldn't change anything. Only by performing well this time could he successfully shed his past reputation and make You Siqi believe he was a dependable man at all times.
Having made up his mind, Shen Muzhi placed his hand on the door again.
He glanced back at Lu Wuming and Liu Buli, saw they were ready, and nodded at him. Shen Muzhi took a deep breath, gathered his spiritual energy into his palm, and slowly pushed open the door before him.
The action was much easier than he had anticipated.
As the door slowly parted before him, Shen Muzhi felt his heart leap into his throat. The more he worried about something happening, the more it seemed to occur.
The moment the door fully opened, he felt a sharp pain in his head. It was as if the spiritual energy from within the door had forcefully invaded his brain. After a wave of dizziness, Shen Muzhi promptly fainted.
His situation was slightly better. Since he hadn't been the one to actively push the door, the others were naturally not directly impacted when the spiritual energy surged out.
You Siqi, who had been worried about Shen Muzhi's condition, quickly reached out to catch him as he fell and had him quietly rest against a nearby stone wall.
With the door open, one could see the artifact placed in the center by peering from the side.
It looked like a mirror.
However, the surface wasn't clear but chaotic, like a hidden, bottomless vortex.
Everyone could tell that this artifact was extremely dangerous.
Liu Buli hesitated for a moment before speaking, "After opening this artifact, that race lost the ability to close it. That's why it has been affecting the surroundings for so many years. Now, we need someone to go in and close it. From an illusionary perspective, You Siqi would be suitable, but he lacks sufficient spiritual energy. Therefore, as a second choice, I believe I am the most suitable candidate. What do you all think?"