Lu Wuming's unreasonable behavior was something Liu Buli had long stopped trying to stop.
So, for the next period of time, the two of them spent almost all their time in the room. Liu Buli worked tirelessly to help Lu Wuming with his cultivation, making him try out all the props he had painstakingly created.
Lu Wuming had a great time playing, but on the afternoon of the day before the competition began, Liu Buli finally kicked him out of their room.
This time, Lu Wuming behaved exceptionally well.
After all, he had a competition the next day, and his master did too. For his master to have tolerated him until now before kicking him out was already a sign of great indulgence.
Upon reaching this conclusion, Lu Wuming was almost ecstatic.
However, his joy did not last long. He heard Liu Buli's voice from inside the room, saying, "Go and call your junior sister over. I have something to discuss with her as well."
The smile on Lu Wuming's face froze instantly.
He really did not want anyone else to disturb his master, but since it was his master's command, he couldn't refuse.
So, after hesitating at the doorway for quite some time, he reluctantly turned and went to the other disciples' residences to summon Yun Xiang.
It had to be said that Liu Buli's cultivation was indeed quite high, allowing him to resolve his fatigue through cultivation and elixirs.
As a result, by the time Lu Wuming returned with Yun Xiang, Liu Buli was already waiting for them in the courtyard. Seeing this, Lu Wuming immediately rushed to Liu Buli's side, blinked, and asked, "Master, why did you have to come out to wait? Wouldn't it have been better to wait inside? Are you not feeling well?"
The three consecutive questions made Liu Buli blush again.
He glared at Lu Wuming and said, "You shut up and stay put. I'm here to talk to your junior sister. What kind of decorum would it be to lie around in the room?"
Lu Wuming retreated to the side with a dejected look.
He actually wanted to say that lying around in the room wouldn't be a problem.
But he knew his master was a proud person, and even if he said that, his master would never agree.
Yun Xiang had now fully accepted her identity as a disciple, so when she saw Liu Buli, she naturally bowed and greeted him, "Master, you called for me?"
"Yes, to talk about the martial arts tournament," Liu Buli continued, pausing for a moment, then glaring at Lu Wuming, who was standing beside him like a big, obedient dog. "Wuming, you listen too, so I don't have to tell you separately."
Hearing this, Lu Wuming's eyes lit up.
His possessiveness over his master essentially boiled down to wanting whatever others had. Now that his master had explicitly asked him to listen in, it meant he would receive the same guidance as Yun Xiang, and he naturally wouldn't be unhappy.
He obediently sat to the side, and both of them looked at Liu Buli expectantly.
Liu Buli cleared his throat and began, "A martial arts tournament, in essence, is just a sparring session to observe the development of the cultivation world over the years and to gauge everyone's strength. Therefore, the principle followed is to stop at the slightest touch. After all, it's just about probing each other's limits, and no one wants to gamble with their lives."
Lu Wuming and Yun Xiang both nodded as they listened.
Liu Buli continued, "However, during every martial arts tournament, there are always some people who like to be ruthless. How should I describe their mindset? It's like this: if their cultivation hasn't reached a certain level, they become jealous of those younger prodigies who are more talented. They want to crush all those who might surpass them in their cradle. This is similar to your current situation."
Lu Wuming did not understand at all.
Yun Xiang, on the other hand, lowered her head and pondered for a moment before shaking it and saying, "Master, do you mean that even though I have no enmity with them, they might still try to kill me in this competition simply because I am more talented than them?"
"That's exactly it," Liu Buli nodded. "While their cultivation is higher than yours, they can still be ruthless and try to take your lives. After all, with your talent, in another ten years, who knows who will live and who will die in the next martial arts tournament."
This was put more directly, and Lu Wuming finally understood.
However, his confusion deepened, and he asked, "Master, I don't understand, what benefit do they gain from such actions?"
"No benefit at all, they are simply twisted," Liu Buli said. "There are many people in this world who cannot stand to see others succeed. They don't necessarily harm others for their own gain; perhaps it's simply to make others inferior to themselves. You might not understand this, but I'm telling you this now so that you can be mentally prepared. After all, in this upcoming competition, you two seem to be the most talented."
Silence fell upon them after his words.
After a while, Lu Wuming spoke, "So, Master, you're telling us these things specifically because you've already thought of a way to deal with them? Wuming doesn't have much of a brain and never likes to think about these issues. So, Master, just tell me what to do, and I'll follow your instructions."
He said this, and Yun Xiang nodded in agreement.
The girl had barely experienced the outside world, so what Liu Buli was saying now seemed incredible to her.
She had no idea how to resolve it.
Therefore, letting Liu Buli make the decision was the best course of action.
Seeing that both of them trusted him so much, Liu Buli's mood improved. He curved his lips and said, "The best way to resolve this is to fight fire with fire. You are the participants in the competition, and during the fight, whether you stop at the slightest touch or intend to take a life, you should know better than anyone else. Although Shen Muzhi will be watching from the sidelines as the referee, in a high-level duel, even a second can determine life or death, and I fear he might not be able to intervene in time. Therefore, if you encounter someone who oversteps the boundaries, you should directly kill them. I will take responsibility for any problems that arise afterward. So don't worry, when you need to act, act decisively. Don't let yourselves be bullied."