You Siqi's action successfully froze everyone present. Lu Wuming held back for a long time, but ultimately did not make a move against him.
He couldn't quite articulate his thoughts.
Although his memories of these two were somewhat vague, a sense of hesitation arose when he considered acting.
It was as if a voice in his heart was constantly reminding him that if he truly laid hands on them, the person he loved, Liu Buli, would surely be angry with him.
He had already forgotten the other person, and if he were to make them angry over something like this again, he wouldn't be able to appease them.
The moment this thought crossed his mind, Lu Wuming's urge to act completely dissipated. He simply pushed You Siqi's shoulder, signaling him to keep a slight distance. Then, with a light cough, Lu Wuming asked, "Where did Liu Buli go?"
He still had that same feeling, that Liu Buli was nearby.
Yet, looking around, only these two people were present.
Where else could Liu Buli have gone?
Could he possibly be lying inside that furnace?
The thought struck Lu Wuming as rather amusing.
But in the next second, he noticed both of them looking at him with puzzled expressions. A strange silence settled between the three of them. After a while, Shen Muzhi tentatively spoke, "Why... why are you suddenly calling him by his name directly?"
In their memory, Lu Wuming constantly called out "Master, Master." Directly addressing Liu Buli by his name seemed to have never happened before, at least not in their recollection.
Hearing Shen Muzhi's question, Lu Wuming himself found it a bit peculiar.
No wonder he felt something was off when he asked earlier. Was the issue with the address?
He had wondered why the address felt wrong. So, he didn't usually call Liu Buli by his name when addressing him?
Then what did he call him?
"Wife"?
The more Lu Wuming thought about it, the more it seemed plausible.
After all, Liu Buli was his lover, and he was so beautiful. It was possible that there were always many admirers in the cultivation world. If he didn't properly address him as "wife," he wouldn't be able to assert his claim effectively.
Upon reaching this conclusion, Lu Wuming readily adapted and changed his address. He said, "Where did my wife go? This time, I've said it right, haven't I?"
Very well.
As soon as he uttered these words, Lu Wuming noticed that You Siqi, who had been holding onto him for a long time without letting go, voluntarily released his hands and quietly stepped back two paces.
Shen Muzhi also frowned, blocking You Siqi behind him in a defensive posture. He stared intently at Lu Wuming's face, scrutinizing him from head to toe.
Their wary, almost hostile, reaction irked Lu Wuming.
He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and say, "What's wrong? I'm just asking you a question, and you've been hesitating for so long without answering. Do you really think I have a good temper?"
Shen Muzhi shook his head.
He knew very well that Lu Wuming did not have a good temper.
However, making such a simple mistake with a form of address, looking at Lu Wuming's face now, he was reminded of something crucial Liu Buli had told them before entering the alchemy furnace—
There was someone in the Ghost Clan who could change their appearance.
It was said that the faces this person conjured were virtually indistinguishable from the original. Although their physique couldn't be perfectly replicated, such things could be achieved through disguise. Therefore...
Shen Muzhi narrowed his eyes, gripping his long sword tightly. He spoke word by word, "Stop pretending. You're Chu San, aren't you? We already understand everything about your kind. Don't think that by perfectly mimicking the appearance, we'll believe you're the real person. At least try to learn other aspects too; we're not that foolish."
Lu Wuming became even more bewildered by his statement.
He couldn't help but reach up and scratch his hair. Upon understanding the meaning behind Shen Muzhi's words, Lu Wuming suddenly wore an expression of dawning realization. Pointing to himself, he asked, "You think I'm Chu San in disguise?"
You Siqi nodded vigorously, half his body hidden behind Shen Muzhi, yet his head was still visible, lending his support to Shen Muzhi. He said, "Yes! It's that simple. Do you think we wouldn't be able to tell? Do you know that Lu Wuming only ever calls Liu Buli 'Master'? Regardless of how they address each other in private, Lu Wuming has never used any other term in front of others! You haven't even learned that. If you can't even fake it properly, how can you blame us for finding out!?"
You Siqi spoke with utmost seriousness.
Lu Wuming listened to his explanation and then looked at Shen Muzhi.
The latter nodded naturally as well. From their expressions, it was clear that every word they spoke was the truth.
So, Liu Buli and he were in a master-disciple relationship?
But why had such a scene never appeared in his memories?
Facing the unfriendly response from these two humans, Lu Wuming didn't feel much anger. Instead, he seriously considered their words, stroking his chin. He once again began to doubt the authenticity of his memories.
Lu Wuming opened his mouth and, following Shen Muzhi's suggestion, softly murmured, "Master..."
As the word left his lips, it felt as if the missing piece of a puzzle he had been searching for had finally been found. A sense of everything being logical once again enveloped him.
He pressed his hand to his head, and Lu Wuming suddenly felt that he could no longer trust the memories implanted by the Ghost King.
He glanced again at the two individuals who were wary of him. After much thought, Lu Wuming finally pointed to his head and said hesitantly, "I... I seem to have forgotten many things. It's not that I've forgotten them completely, I still remember some, but they seem to differ from the truth. However, I remember him, Liu Buli. He is someone very important to me. So... where is he now? Can you tell me?"