Lu Wuming was never one for eloquent speeches, especially in his current state of muddled memories. It was truly difficult for him to say anything to comfort Liu Buli.
However, he could see that Liu Buli was at the peak of his sadness.
As his lover, Lu Wuming felt he should say something. After much internal struggle, Lu Wuming looked into Liu Buli's eyes and said with all seriousness, "Shizun, I don't think Shimei will regret coming out with you this time."
His words were spoken with such conviction.
The firmness of his statement made Liu Buli feel a sense of disbelief.
Subconsciously tilting his head, Liu Buli asked Lu Wuming with a face full of confusion, "You haven't fully recovered your memories yet, have you? If that's the case, how can you be so sure she doesn't regret it?"
"Because I'm thinking from my own perspective," Lu Wuming replied. "Shizun, you're right. I truly don't remember who that Shimei was. I don't remember anything that happened between us. But if it were me, no matter what I had to face in the future, I would never regret choosing to follow Shizun. Because Shizun, you are wonderful. To have met you, to be by your side, I feel it's the greatest fortune of my three lives."
Lu Wuming had intended these words purely to comfort Liu Buli.
Yet, as Liu Buli looked at his expression, the image of Yun Xiang uncontrollably surfaced in his mind.
That young girl would always look at him with such an expression, and when he met her gaze, she would offer him a brilliant smile. Just like every other time, she would say to Liu Buli, "Shizun, you're such a good person."
Even now, Liu Buli still hadn't figured out where Yun Xiang had gotten the conclusion that he was a good person.
However, it was a conclusion she had held for her entire life, and at this moment, Liu Buli had no desire to refute it. After a period of quiet contemplation, he finally smiled and nodded gently. Liu Buli said, "Perhaps she truly doesn't regret it. It's just that I regret it a little now."
He understood Lu Wuming better than anyone.
Precisely because of this, Liu Buli was also acutely aware that his foolish disciple did not possess much ability to comfort others.
Therefore, if he continued to express his sorrow, it would only increase Lu Wuming's psychological burden.
Liu Buli did not want that to happen.
In that case, it would be better to hide all his helplessness and emotions deep within himself. As long as he presented an image to Lu Wuming that he wasn't so heartbroken, the other would likely stop worrying about him so much.
With this conclusion in mind, Liu Buli shifted the topic and asked Lu Wuming, "Where is Shen Muzhi? The arrangements around here seem to be mostly done. Why is he nowhere to be seen again?"
Hearing Liu Buli change the subject, Lu Wuming felt a slight sense of relief. After all, if the conversation had continued, he truly wouldn't have known how to comfort the other person.
Clearing his throat, he directly followed Liu Buli's lead and replied, "Shen Muzhi has been checking on you for the past two days. He said there's nothing for him to worry about regarding your condition. So, he asked me to stay by your side. He said he's going to pick up You Siqi and might take a few days to return. He told us not to rush and that he'll bring everything needed for the unfinished areas from Shuicheng."
Hearing this explanation, Liu Buli nodded in relief.
You Siqi had been in Shuicheng for so long; Shen Muzhi couldn't possibly not miss her. Most of the matters they needed to handle were now resolved. As for the wedding they had agreed upon, You Siqi would certainly attend.
So, waiting a little longer, treating it as a good period of rest, wasn't so bad.
Liu Buli told himself this in his heart.
Meanwhile, a thousand miles away in Shuicheng, Shen Muzhi's head was starting to ache from his younger brother's incessant chatter.
"Big Brother, I've heard about the things you did with Daoist Liu. It's not just 'heard,' it's spread throughout the entire cultivation world now." Shen Muyan, with a look of distress, ran his hands through his hair. "Do you know what people outside are saying about you? They say you are all outcasts, forced to huddle together for warmth like mad devils. Because your actions are so perverted, no one in the cultivation world likes you, and no one is willing to stand with you."
Shen Muzhi had heard similar remarks quite a bit on his journey here. However, for himself, he didn't care at all.
Looking at his younger brother's current state, Shen Muzhi smiled helplessly and said, "Muyan, at least from a conclusionary standpoint, they aren't entirely wrong. Your elder brother has indeed been associating with a demon and a ghost. I'm telling you the truth now, will you be disappointed in me?"
To Shen Muzhi, his younger brother was, besides You Siqi and Liu Buli, the person closest to him in this world.
And being blood-related, he truly didn't want his brother to have too many reservations about him.
Therefore, when he posed the question, Shen Muzhi didn't realize that his words carried a hint of caution, as if he were afraid that if he said something wrong, their brotherhood would end right there.
However, to his surprise, upon hearing his question, Shen Muyan instead wore a particularly displeased expression. He glared fiercely at Shen Muzhi and said, "Big Brother, what are you talking about? Why would I be disappointed in you? I've investigated what you did. When a friend you treated like family died, and was dismembered, going to retrieve their body, isn't that something any normal person would do?"
Shen Muzhi blinked.
If he considered it from that perspective, he couldn't quite grasp why Shen Muyan was angry just now.
Fortunately, he didn't have to dwell on it for too long. Shen Muyan paused for a moment before continuing, "I'm angry because they said you were abandoned by everyone, and you didn't even refute it! Our Shen family has achieved quite a bit. You are my elder brother, can't you rely on me a little?"