Lu Wuming never had a problem saying no to Liu Buli properly. It was the same now as it had been before.
So even though he felt in his heart that he should teach this disobedient disciple a lesson or two, in the end, no lesson was taught. Instead, he was obediently taken to the hot springs, undressed, and things spiraled out of control.
Before Lu Wuming could lose himself completely, Liu Buli grabbed his arm and, after a moment's thought, earnestly advised, "Behave yourself. I have other matters to attend to recently, so it will only be once. Do you understand?"
Lu Wuming lowered his head, offering no response.
Liu Buli couldn't help but laugh in exasperation.
Based on past experience, when Lu Wuming remained silent, it meant he had no intention of listening.
Liu Buli glared. "If you don't answer, then it won't be even once."
Hearing this threat, Lu Wuming finally pouted and softly agreed, "I'll behave."
In a way, Lu Wuming was quite capable of controlling himself.
As long as he promised Liu Buli something, he would obediently follow through, even if he was extremely reluctant, so that Liu Buli wouldn't think of him as a disobedient child.
Thus, after just one session, Lu Wuming changed into clean clothes and carried Liu Buli back to their shared residence.
Lying on the bed, listening to Liu Buli recount the events of the past two days in the sect, Lu Wuming frowned, expressing his displeasure. "Master, if you had told me clearly earlier, I wouldn't have let those traitors die so easily."
He said it with utmost seriousness, but Liu Buli listened with a sense of helplessness.
Thinking of the gruesome scene, he desperately wanted to say that if that was considered "easy," then how terrifying must the "not easy" way be?
However, such thoughts were somewhat unappetizing, so Liu Buli pondered for a moment and kept his silence.
Lying on Lu Wuming's firm chest, Liu Buli yawned and said, "Actually, it was just an accident. If Yun Xiang hadn't stirred things up, those disciples would have maintained the delicate balance of disliking me but not leaving the Dan Sect. After all, this state was the best for them, and they didn't want to break it."
Lu Wuming frowned, looking confused. "If they dislike us so much, why do they insist on staying here? If it were someone I disliked, I'd wish them dead immediately. Keeping them around would only make me uncomfortable. Why don't these people feel that way?"
"Because they lack the strength to establish their own independent sect," Liu Buli sighed. "Most people in this world are like this. It's not just in our Dan Sect; disciples in other sects also dislike their sect leaders. Moreover, as for us, do you think only those few people dislike you and me? They just couldn't openly show it. Most people remain in their previous state, disliking us but not expressing it directly to our faces."
Lu Wuming listened to Liu Buli's explanation, understanding it only partially.
In the end, he could only furrow his brows and hesitantly ask, "Then can't we find them and purge them?"
"There's no need," Liu Buli smiled. "Today's incident has served as a warning. Those noisy monkeys have seen the fate of their kind and won't dare to cause trouble in front of us again. It's said that if the water is too clear, there will be no fish. Having such people in the sect is harmless. Anyway, they can't stab me in the back, and even if they wanted to, they lack the strength. Don't you think so?"
Lu Wuming couldn't quite grasp these matters.
Whether it was the sect's operations or the management of disciples, it was all controlled by Liu Buli. Even when help was needed, it was the Grand Elder who assisted. Lu Wuming was merely Liu Buli's blade, a blade with little independent thought, always obeying Liu Buli's command on whom to strike.
Thinking about this, a sense of inexplicable irritation arose within him. Lu Wuming scratched his head and said, "Master, am I too foolish? Why don't you teach me similar things? If any problems arise again, I can help you share the burden."
Lu Wuming spoke very earnestly.
But to Liu Buli, it sounded like a joke.
His foolish disciple's mind wasn't something that could be salvaged in a day or two. Moreover, Liu Buli had never intended for him to change. He felt that Lu Wuming's current state was perfectly fine. If he learned too many ways to handle things that didn't concern him, it would only add unnecessary worries to him.
Ruffling Lu Wuming's hair, Liu Buli feigned anger. He asked, "Wuming, do you think your Master isn't smart enough to figure out these simple matters alone?"
Lu Wuming immediately shook his head.
He firmly believed that his Master was the smartest person in the world, without any doubt.
Seeing his earnest expression, Liu Buli smiled again. He said, "Since that's the case, you don't need to learn things that aren't meant for you. Stay by my side obediently, and are there any matters I can't handle?"
What he said seemed to make sense.
Lu Wuming blinked and didn't dwell on it any further.
In the following period, life became exceptionally peaceful. No one dared to cause trouble in the sect, and Liu Buli's days became much more leisurely.
He would occasionally guide Lu Wuming in his cultivation and visit Yun Xiang and the other disciples. Perhaps because Yun Xiang had performed so strongly in the previous fight, or perhaps because the young lady herself was beautiful and generous, she gradually became an object of admiration for the other disciples.
When they had questions about their cultivation, they would ask her first. This saved Liu Buli some effort and also allowed Yun Xiang to get along better with the other disciples.
Spring turned to autumn, and winter snow melted, only to usher in the summer solstice.
By the late summer of the following year, the Grand Elder, holding an invitation, excitedly ran to Liu Buli's courtyard and said, "Sect Master, the decennial martial arts tournament is about to begin. This time, it will be held at Medicine Master Valley. Would you like to participate?"
Hearing this, Liu Buli couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
He had little interest in martial arts tournaments.
However, based on the plot of the novel, this martial arts tournament was unusually interesting...
Liu Buli narrowed his eyes and accepted the invitation. He waved for the Grand Elder to leave. Once the man was gone, he yawned and turned to Lu Wuming, asking, "Wuming, after resting for so long, do you want to go out with Master and kill some ghosts for fun?"