Liu Buli broke his word.
He wasn't as strong as he claimed, nor did he escape unscathed.
A gash marred his forehead, not long, but deep enough to expose bone.
Blood trickled down the wound, reaching his eyes and transforming into a tear of blood that traced a path down his cheek and onto his chest.
Beyond that, he bore other wounds, both large and small. Lu Wuming saw them all, and in his heart, he cursed his own ignorance.
In his past life, he had been so powerful that even when he single-handedly annihilated the Pill Sect, he had sustained injuries. Now, for Liu Buli to have single-handedly wiped out the Su family, how could he possibly emerge without a scratch?
He was a monster; monsters could heal themselves.
But Liu Buli was just an ordinary human, flesh and blood, prone to death. How could he have listened and truly let him face the Su family alone…
Lu Wuming stared at the garish blood, and for the first time, he hated himself so fiercely.
He couldn't control his tears, nor the agonizing pain in his chest.
For so many years, he had only learned to kill and to inflict pain. He knew countless ways to create wounds in others, but he had never learned how to heal.
He wouldn't die, and he didn't need healing.
And the others before him also didn't need healing, because he had originally intended to watch them struggle in agony before succumbing to death.
But now, he wanted Liu Buli to live, and he had no idea how to achieve it.
For the first time, he felt such fear and revulsion towards blood.
Helplessness and despair flooded his being. Lu Wuming instinctively clutched Liu Buli tighter, his voice a constant, choked whisper, "Shizun..."
Liu Buli, finding it difficult to breathe from the embrace, had no choice but to stop. He gently placed Lu Wuming back on the ground. kanδん
Pointing to the wound on his forehead, he chuckled with a hint of helplessness. "Wuming, stop crying. These aren't fatal wounds. They look a bit frightening, but they're quite normal. They'll heal in a day or two. You don't need to be so upset."
Hearing this, Lu Wuming's incessant tears paused for a brief moment.
Of course, he wanted to believe his Shizun.
But…
"Shizun, are you lying to me…" Lu Wuming asked in a hoarse voice, hesitating. "Only monsters' wounds heal. You're not a monster, you… how can you recover…"
Mid-sentence, tears once again spilled uncontrollably.
In both lifetimes, he had never seen anyone else heal their wounds before him. He knew very well that the reason people called him a monster was because his wounds could heal, because he wouldn't die.
Liu Buli was not a monster, so he couldn't heal like himself.
Therefore, his claim of recovering in a few days was…
Lu Wuming remained trapped in a cycle of despair. Liu Buli, standing beside him, blinked. Upon realizing what Lu Wuming meant, he couldn't help but burst into laughter.
His laughter interrupted Lu Wuming's sorrow, momentarily making him forget his tears in his bewilderment.
Lu Wuming stared blankly at Liu Buli's face.
Liu Buli, however, managed to suppress his laughter. He coughed lightly, straightened his expression, and adopted a stern demeanor. "Wuming, do you not believe what your Shizun tells you?"
Lu Wuming quickly shook his head. "No, that's not it…"
In his two lifetimes combined, he had only ever trusted his Shizun.
Such deep affection, he had only ever given to this one person.
Liu Buli continued, "Then, if you believe me, why do you doubt? I said my wounds can heal. If you're worried, then just stay by my side and watch me for two days. You'll see if I've healed then, and you won't need me to tell you, will you?"
Lu Wuming opened his mouth.
He felt that what his Shizun said made sense.
But after a sniffle, he reached out, intending to touch the wound on Liu Buli's forehead. Yet, halfway there, he flinched and retracted his hand.
His lips trembled slightly. Lu Wuming said, "But… but you're not a monster… Even if it really heals, two days will be very painful…"
"I am a monster, and I won't feel pain," Liu Buli replied. "Because my wounds can indeed heal, and after applying the ointment, I truly won't feel pain anymore. If you think having such an ability makes one a monster, then I am a monster among monsters, even more so than you."
Lu Wuming didn't understand what Liu Buli was saying.
But he understood the word "monster." He shook his head vigorously. "Shizun is not a monster, no!"
Shizun was the most beautiful, most radiant light.
How could he be a dirty, ugly monster from the shadows!?
Lu Wuming's tears began to flow again.
This time, however, Liu Buli tapped him on the head.
Lu Wuming didn't understand the meaning of this action.
He looked up into Liu Buli's eyes and found that they had returned to their usual warm gaze.
Ruffling Lu Wuming's hair, Liu Buli said, "Since I'm not a monster, neither are you. Everyone has the ability to heal their wounds. You just happen to have a slightly stronger recovery ability than ordinary people. This is something you should be proud of, your strength, your advantage. Those who can't accept your strengths are simply jealous. So, from now on, I forbid you from calling yourself a monster. Those who look down on you, who ostracize you because of your strengths, they are the real monsters. Do you understand?"
In his two lifetimes, this was the first time Lu Wuming had ever heard such words.
So, he wasn't a monster?
So… it was his strength, his advantage?
He also had strengths, and he could be proud of them. Could this be a reason for him to stand by Shizun's side?
Lu Wuming pondered this, and a sense of happiness began to bloom within him.
His tears flowed uncontrollably, yet the corners of his mouth slowly curved upwards.
The expression was quite peculiar, but Liu Buli paid it no mind. He simply stroked Lu Wuming's head and pulled him back into an embrace.
To be honest, he knew he looked rather disheveled at the moment. Until he recovered, he couldn't return to the Pill Sect and become a spectacle for others.
Lifting Lu Wuming into his arms once more, he walked forward, a smile on his face. "Wuming, why don't we stay outside for a while longer together? We'll head back up the mountain once I've recovered. What do you say?"
Lu Wuming, of course, nodded vigorously without hesitation.
Liu Buli took him to the nearest town.
However, neither of them expected to be stopped by the guards at the entrance before they could even enter. Seeing Liu Buli's bloodied state, the guard frowned. "Daoist, please halt. There have been disturbances by the demon race in our city these past few days, and they haven't caught that monster yet. That creature is bloodthirsty and drinks blood. With your current appearance… take my advice and don't enter the city."