Everyone had anticipated the presence of powerful beings within the Ghost City from the outset. However, they truly hadn't expected that the puppet controlled by Shen Muzhi would be utterly destroyed in less than ten seconds.
Furthermore, the ghost clan had clearly detected the puppet sent in by Liu Buli. The boundary was within reach, but a long sword arrived first.
Similar to Shen Muzhi's situation, the puppet controlled by Liu Buli was instantly cleaved into pieces. Fortunately, to conceal the puppet's trace, he hadn't imbued it with much spiritual energy from the start.
Because of this, the backlash Liu Buli suffered was not as severe as Shen Muzhi's. He merely took two deep breaths, completely withdrawing his spiritual energy.
Before the image on the screen completely vanished, everyone clearly saw the ghost clan member wielding the long sword. His appearance was somewhat indistinct in the darkness, but his eyes glowed crimson, causing everyone's hearts to skip a beat.
After withdrawing his spiritual energy, Liu Buli leaned into Lu Wuming's embrace and let out a deep sigh. Once his emotions had somewhat calmed, he finally shook his head and said, "The being inside is far stronger than we imagined. If it had been us going in instead of puppets, we would likely be in dire straits by now."
"The message didn't get through, so no one will come to save us," You Siqi said, feeling somewhat conflicted. "What should we do then? Do you think they'll spare us if we surrender?"
Liu Buli responded to his question with a laugh. "If the food in your bowl pleaded with you, saying it didn't want to die today, would you not eat it?"
You Siqi pouted and replied earnestly, "I'm not like those ghost clan members. I would never eat something from the same language system as me. If it truly pleaded with me when I put it in my mouth, it wouldn't be a matter of whether I eat it or not, but rather I might be scared to death."
Liu Buli raised an eyebrow and looked into You Siqi's eyes, commenting seriously, "You don't seem that afraid."
"Isn't that all thanks to you?" You Siqi shrugged. "Because you seem quite calm, you must have thought of another method even if the information didn't get out. Am I right?"
After all, they had been friends for a long time, and You Siqi believed they shared a certain level of unspoken understanding.
However, to his surprise, Liu Buli glanced at him and calmly shook his head, negating You Siqi's assumption. He smiled and said, "Who told you the message didn't get through? He did shatter that puppet, but I wasn't controlling the puppet itself from the beginning. The puppet's right hand has successfully reached the cultivation world, and I can still feel that the signal device I prepared has been activated. What we need to do now is wait patiently and see how long it takes for Yun Xiang and the others to receive my signal and come to our rescue."
This answer surprised everyone. For a moment, they all fell silent, and then they couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Patting Liu Buli's shoulder forcefully, You Siqi praised him sincerely, "Well done, Liu Buli! I thought our plan had failed. I didn't expect you to be so reliable at the critical moment. My trust in you was indeed well-placed!"
"You can trust Yun Xiang and Ao Lie next," Liu Buli replied seriously. "And also, that sword we just saw. I..."
Before he could finish speaking, Lu Wuming's expression suddenly darkened, and he pulled Liu Buli back several steps.
You Siqi was already adept at reading the situation. The moment he saw Liu Buli and the others retreat, he quickly and proactively hid behind Shen Muzhi. The two of them withdrew to the side at top speed, and as they distanced themselves, they clearly heard Liu Buli say to them, "Seize any opportunity to run, don't mind us. My most important things are in your hands, don't disappoint me!"
Hearing his words, Shen Muzhi responded with a hum and disappeared into the darkness with You Siqi.
You Siqi was still a bit nervous. He looked back, not caring if he became a target, and earnestly reminded Liu Buli, "Don't go head-to-head with that sword, it belongs to Xi Chi!"
Liu Buli's response was a crimson lotus.
The lotus bloomed on the ground, blocking the path between the ghost clan and Shen Muzhi's group, and successfully separating himself from Shen Muzhi's group.
Watching the increasingly brilliant and dazzling lotus, You Siqi clung to Shen Muzhi, who had transformed into a large cat. He wrapped his arms around the cat's neck and asked with concern, "Liu Buli is using himself as a distraction. If we leave like this, can they really hold on until Yun Xiang and the others arrive with just the two of them?"
"It's not just the two of them, and we're not entirely safe either," Shen Muzhi said, leaping onto the wall of the Ghost City. Looking at the clearly overwhelming number of ghost clan members within the city, he continued, "Liu Buli has only drawn away a few key figures. Most of the ghost clan are still guarding the city. We can't get out, and neither can Yun Xiang and the others get in. So Liu Buli's instruction for us to enter the city early was just to help us clear a path for Yun Xiang and the others. When you find an opportunity, run. The five of us here can find a way out."
In such a situation, You Siqi was undoubtedly the burden.
He knew this very well himself, so after a moment of hesitation, he could only nod obediently and say, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. If I'm in real danger, I won't make you worry. But you also don't make me worry too much. Remember to escape when you need to. Liu Buli and the others are blessed with great fortune, they should be fine."
Despite what You Siqi said, his heart was filled with uncontrollable anxiety.
Shen Muzhi listened and merely smiled slightly, saying, "Then give me a kiss. Let's make a promise, and when I get out, I'll kiss you back properly. With this, I can guarantee that I won't put myself in danger."