The cultivation world has always been an environment where the strong prey on the weak. If your strength is insufficient, even if you are the first to obtain a magical artifact, it is only a matter of time before it is snatched away if you cannot protect it.
Everyone understood this clearly and had always acted according to this principle. Therefore, even though Liu Buli's actions were outright robbery, no one found fault with them. After all, if the weaker one had been him, he would have faced the same predicament. This was a normal and well-understood situation for everyone.
Precisely because of this, after their conversation concluded, no one else spoke up. Liu Buli did ask the man if he had any other hidden items, but it was clear that they had already stripped him bare.
Upon hearing Liu Buli's question, the man's face immediately fell. He put on an extremely pitiful expression and said with great distress, "Immortal, everything I can give you, and even things I shouldn't, I have already given. Truly, there is nothing left. If you insist, I do have some weapons. You can take them all if you wish."
As he spoke, he simply took out his Qiankun bag.
He spilled everything inside onto the ground. Liu Buli examined the items and picked up a jade pendant shaped like an Ouroboros, saying, "Is this the treasure you mentioned, the one that can sense its other half?"
The man nodded.
The jade pendant was quite beautiful, with a pure white base. At the snake's tail, there was a vibrant red mark. It was not quite the red of blood, but more like the red of a rose, somewhat brilliant and dazzlingly red.
If the two jade pendants were put together, they should form a dual-snake design, each biting the other's tail. Although Liu Buli was not particularly fond of snakes, he could recognize that this jade pendant was exceptional.
Apart from this, there was not a single item in the man's Qiankun bag that could be considered a treasure.
Even someone as calculating as Shen Muzhi, after glancing at the magical artifacts on the ground, could only shake his head and sigh before averting his gaze. He then concluded, "These items are of ordinary quality and have too niche an appeal. It would be a waste of time to try and sell them rather than make a few more pills. It's simply too time-consuming."
Shen Muzhi had spoken Liu Buli's mind.
After helping the man gather his belongings back into the Qiankun bag, Liu Buli weighed the jade pendant in his hand and asked with some curiosity, "Then I don't understand. The other items you carried are more in line with your own status. This jade pendant, from its material to its quality and grade, has nothing that matches you. Why did it end up in your possession?"
It is said that people seek treasures, but in reality, treasures also choose people.
For instance, with powerful weapons, if they remain with a master they are unwilling to follow, there is a high chance of the artifact turning against its owner. This is not to say that the artifact can truly manifest and kill its master, but in many situations, it will subtly influence its owner.
Perhaps it affects the owner's state of mind, or perhaps it affects their luck. In most cases, this kind of situation will directly lead to the death of the artifact's owner. The reason the artifact acts this way is simply because it wishes to find a new master.
The more spiritual the artifact, the more likely this phenomenon is to occur.
Liu Buli examined the jade pendant in his hand. Based on the feeling it gave him, it was definitely capable of such a situation.
It was precisely for this reason that he was certain the jade pendant did not originally belong to the man. If it had been his own item, after he had carried it for a long time, the jade pendant would have recognized him as its master, and its aura would have grown closer to his, rather than being so incongruous as it was now.
Liu Buli asked his question and waited patiently for the man's answer. However, the other party seemed unwilling to answer, stammering for a long time without giving a definitive response.
Liu Buli became impatient.
Lu Wuming, sensing his mood, immediately spoke up, "If you don't want to talk, then your tongue is unnecessary. Do you want to bite it off and spit it out yourself, or shall I cut it off for you? Choose one."
The threat was too potent, and the man finally broke.
He sighed dejectedly and replied, "The jade pendant is indeed not mine, but it is considered my fortune. I snatched it myself. That young Taoist's skill was too poor. Even if this jade pendant was his family heirloom, if he couldn't keep it, wouldn't it be a waste in his hands?"
Liu Buli's eyebrows rose.
The story was indeed exactly as he had guessed.
He did not intend to inquire further, but You Siqi curiously asked, "Then where is the young Taoist you mentioned? Did you get this item in the secret realm? If so, if we take the jade pendant and encounter that young Taoist, won't he call for reinforcements to get it back?"
Upon hearing this question, Liu Buli wanted to tell You Siqi that he was thinking too optimistically and too simply.
As expected, the man fell silent for a moment, then finally said in a low voice, "You can rest assured about that, no one will come looking for you. The item was snatched from outside. The old Taoist in the temple died, and we wanted to take some things. Who knew that those young Taoists would refuse to yield to the death, so in the end, we got the items, and none of those who guarded them were left alive."