The moment they heard the voice, Shen Muzhi and Lu Wuming immediately tensed their surroundings.
Indeed, they had been careless.
After all, they had suppressed all their spiritual energy when they jumped down, so they had forgotten to reactivate it upon landing. They hadn't detected the presence of others, a sign of extreme laxity!
However, before they could make a move, Liu Buli patted Lu Wuming's shoulder, signaling him to calm his aura.
You Siqi also shook his head and tugged at Shen Muzhi's sleeve, saying, "We stumbled into someone's home and disturbed her life. You can't disturb someone and then kill them; that would be worse than being a beast."
Hearing this, Shen Muzhi quickly retracted his imposing aura. He looked towards the direction of the voice and saw a girl, appearing to be seventeen or eighteen, squatting amidst the grass. Due to her petite stature and the way she had deliberately hunched down, the group hadn't noticed her before.
Now that she was seen, the girl no longer hid. She stood up and walked towards them. Frowning, her large, bright eyes scanned the group. "This is my home. I've lived here since I was born. You barged in without a word and then tried to attack me. That's incredibly impolite!"
"Apologies, we were just startled and had no intention of harming you. After all, this place is at the foot of a cliff, and no one expected anyone to be living here," Liu Buli lied with a straight face, his ability to deceive growing stronger. He knew the girl's identity but showed no hint of it.
Adopting a pitiable demeanor, he pointed upwards and continued, "We are travelers who accidentally fell down the cliff. If you don't mind, may we rest here for a while?"
It was hard to tell if the girl was too naive or if Liu Buli's act was too convincing. Regardless, upon hearing his words, the girl genuinely felt she had been in the wrong. Her stern expression instantly vanished, and she waved her hand, indicating she didn't mind. As if recalling her sharp-tongued outburst, she blushed slightly with embarrassment.
She looked up again at the indistinct area above, shrouded in mist, and murmured, "So this is a cliff up there?"
Liu Buli nodded vigorously.
Shen Muzhi, however, was somewhat surprised. "You didn't know?"
"No," the girl shook her head. "Since birth, I've cultivated here with my Master. For a hundred years, we never went up, only cultivating and living in the vicinity. My Master passed away a few years ago, and I didn't know what to do, so I continued cultivating as before, never thinking of leaving. Speaking of which, in all my years here, you are the first to disturb me..."
As she spoke, her gaze towards them filled with curiosity.
Her eyes were bright and clear, untainted by the world, showing no hint of deceit.
Liu Buli and You Siqi, knowing the plot, were naturally not surprised. Lu Wuming was indifferent; besides his Master, nothing and no one in the world mattered to him. Including this girl. He cared not what she had experienced, what she had done, or how she had spent the past years.
In contrast, only Shen Muzhi seemed normal.
Even though he was surprised, he didn't pry excessively. He simply exchanged names with the girl, learning she was called Yun Xiang, and then said he wanted to explore the surroundings, pulling You Siqi away quickly.
Yun Xiang had lived in this secluded world for too long, remaining as pure as a blank slate. Because of this, she couldn't discern the intentions of those around her, nor could she distinguish between good and evil. In her eyes, since Shen Muzhi and the others were willing to communicate with her, apologize, and speak politely, they must be friends, and there was no need for excessive caution.
Thanks to this, when the four searched for the entrance to the secret realm, she didn't interfere with their plans.
Shen Muzhi pulled You Siqi to a spot where Yun Xiang couldn't hear them and then asked in a low voice, "Isn't this a secret realm? Why is there a woman in a secret realm? You didn't tell me about this before we came!"
"I didn't?" You Siqi scratched his head and then chuckled awkwardly. "Perhaps I forgot. But it's not a big deal. On the contrary, I think it's a good thing. This is indeed a secret realm, but it's the outer area. Yun Xiang is the last descendant of the ancient Spirit Clan, and her Master was a Spirit Clan immortal master. This secret realm is actually the Spirit Clan's library. Her Master stayed here solely to guard those ancient texts and prevent others from obtaining them."
Shen Muzhi frowned. "If that's the case, why does it seem like the girl herself is unaware of this?"
"Because the Spirit Clan is extinct. She's the last one left. Her Master felt she shouldn't be confined by those ancient texts, so he never mentioned it to her."
You Siqi shrugged. "But this was a long time ago. Her Master died many years ago, and the sadness has long passed. I said it's a good thing because, in the novel, Yun Xiang is one of your confidantes. She's beautiful, pure-hearted, and incredibly powerful. Honestly, don't you think you two are quite a match?"
Shen Muzhi remained silent.
He looked back at You Siqi's face.
Just as You Siqi thought he was about to nod, Shen Muzhi suddenly lowered his head and bit hard on You Siqi's lips.
Blood spread in his mouth.
Shen Muzhi said, "If you don't accept me, I can wait for you. But if you dare to say such things, pushing me away again, I promise I'll force you to do something. If you don't believe me, you can try it again."