The moment Liu Buli saw the materials, his heart began to race again.
When he first saw the stone, he thought it was the key for You Siqi and the others to return to their world. So, he was determined to get it. However, if You Siqi and the others weren't in a hurry, they could have waited until they found the materials and then come back for it. But after seeing the materials, Liu Buli's mood changed instantly.
Now, they had to snatch things from under this bird's nose. There was no room for delay, because all the things they needed were right in front of this bird. Even if they left now and went anywhere else, the ultimate destination would still be to return.
Liu Buli was a little conflicted.
You Siqi leaned in beside him and whispered, "What do you think is the success rate if we slow down, sneak over, and take the herbs and stone without disturbing it?"
Liu Buli didn't answer his question. He merely gave You Siqi a look. A look that said he was being foolish.
You Siqi felt a bit awkward under his gaze and cleared his throat. He explained earnestly, "I was just asking for your thoughts. After all, as you can see, the bird looks like it's sleeping soundly. Cats have paw pads, so if we approach silently..."
Before he could finish his thought, Shen Muzhi sighed helplessly and interrupted him, "Siqi, I know you trust me a lot, but in this matter, I'm afraid I have to let you down. From the perspective of divine beasts, that bird is much higher in rank than I am. The moment I get close to it, I won't even have the ability to hide myself. I'll be discovered 100%."
As if to confirm his words, Liu Buli nodded gently beside him and added, "You Siqi, stop trying to force your husband to his death every now and then. I can't bear to watch anymore."
His words were spoken with genuine seriousness.
You Siqi blinked and began to reflect. He realized he had been treating Shen Muzhi as the protagonist, subconsciously believing Shen Muzhi would have a solution to every problem. But Shen Muzhi was different from the all-powerful protagonist in his novel. Moreover, even if they were the same, the protagonist's victories in the novel were always earned through blood and tears. He certainly didn't want Shen Muzhi to suffer the same fate and become so disheveled.
The reason he suggested Shen Muzhi go take a look this time was because the stone was clearly something they needed. In that case, it seemed unfair to put Liu Buli and the others at risk again. However, since both Liu Buli and Shen Muzhi had rejected his suggestion, You Siqi quietly fell silent.
After another moment of silence, he whispered again, "Do you think the bird will have malicious intent towards us?"
"Whether it has malicious intent, I don't know. But if we go to take the things, I think it will definitely fight us to the death," Liu Buli said, patting You Siqi's shoulder. "So, I suggest you'd better retreat back into the passage you came from. Although I'm not sure how much good it will do, it will at least minimize the damage to you if the spiritual energy truly erupts."
Hearing Liu Buli's words, Shen Muzhi immediately nodded in agreement. It wasn't that they were looking down on You Siqi. They had already experienced firsthand how powerful that bird was. In such a situation, if a battle broke out, You Siqi would inevitably become a burden. If he could protect himself, it would allow the others to relax a little.
Everyone's thoughts were aligned, and You Siqi understood this perfectly. Without any hesitation, he gave the others a few more instructions to take care of themselves, then turned and walked back in the direction of the passage.
As it turned out, their guess was correct. As long as they didn't approach the materials and the stone, the bird remained quietly perched there, showing no intention of attacking them. This was a good thing for them.
After gathering together to discuss the situation, the conclusion they reached was to have Lu Wuming go first and try to get the items. If things unfolded as they predicted, and the bird turned hostile once they took the items, then Liu Buli and Lu Wuming would deal with the bird together. As for snatching the items, that would naturally fall to Shen Muzhi. After all, despite all his talk, You Siqi had gotten one thing right—a cat's agility was far superior to that of a human. From this perspective, having their big cat snatch the items would be much more efficient than two humans fumbling around.
"Remember, our goal isn't to win. Based on my personal feeling, we definitely can't win. So, the only objective is to snatch the items. As soon as Shen Muzhi succeeds, we leave immediately," Liu Buli earnestly reminded Lu Wuming before he made his move. Even Lu Wuming, who was accustomed to killing, couldn't resist the pure bloodline suppression emanating from the bird. So, he obediently nodded.
Lu Wuming thought for a moment and replied, "Master, you should also be careful." Then, taking a deep breath, he walked towards the bird.
Just as they had imagined, the blue bird remained completely silent until Lu Wuming touched the materials and the stone. Even when Lu Wuming stood right in front of it, it maintained its previous posture, motionless.
Now within arm's reach, Lu Wuming looked at the blue bird before him and couldn't help but frown. The creature showed no signs of struggle or resistance. In that case, if he attacked the bird now, could he eliminate it while it was unaware?
As this question arose in his mind, Lu Wuming glanced back towards Liu Buli and the others. He knew he was a bit slow-witted. Therefore, when faced with such a situation, he preferred Liu Buli to be the one to make the decision.
Sensing his gaze, Liu Buli naturally understood his intention. Frowning in hesitation, he exchanged a look with Shen Muzhi beside him. Their eyes were filled with indecision, yet they also knew this was a golden opportunity. After a moment of silence, they both nodded simultaneously, acknowledging Lu Wuming's idea.
The next second, Lu Wuming no longer hesitated. He directly raised his hand, revealed his ghost claw, and fiercely swiped at the bird's neck.