Startled by Lu Wuming's condition, Liu Buli tried to call out to him for a long time. Seeing that he received no response no matter what, he quickly took Lu Wuming and left the snow mountain.
Returning to the sect was out of the question, as the journey was simply too far. Although he could manage it with Lu Wuming, it would be too taxing for someone in a coma.
Fortunately, although the Kunlun Mountains were deserted, once they left the snow mountain's vicinity, Liu Buli soon found a city.
Cities in such remote areas were not as particular. It was a place where cultivators rarely ventured, and it was even less likely to find a physician who could treat Lu Wuming's condition.
Luckily, he had already sent a message to Shen Muzhi and the others. Calculating the time, Liu Buli felt that Shen Muzhi and the others should be arriving soon. Therefore, he didn't rush to take Lu Wuming elsewhere. Instead, he found an inn and settled down, patiently waiting for the foremost physician in the land to come find them.
For the next few days, Lu Wuming remained in a deep slumber, unresponsive.
Although Liu Buli was worried, he didn't know what else he could do. He could only quietly stay by his side, holding his hand. He channeled his spiritual energy into Lu Wuming's body, hoping this would alleviate his condition somewhat.
While doing these things, Liu Buli also comforted himself. It was fortunate that Lu Wuming was merely unconscious and still breathing. When his spiritual energy entered Lu Wuming's body, he could indeed sense it. This was better than having no breath at all, wasn't it? After all, if he truly lost his breath, he would have to figure out how to snatch him back from the King of Hell. In comparison, this was indeed the best situation.
Continuing to comfort himself like this, a few more days passed before Shen Muzhi and You Siqi finally found them at the inn.
Liu Buli didn't even have the strength to ask why they were so late. He quickly urged Shen Muzhi to examine Lu Wuming. Fortunately, after discovering Lu Wuming's unconscious state, the latter immediately adjusted his demeanor, adopting the professional air of a physician. After a round of acupuncture and examination, he quickly reached a conclusion.
Before stating his conclusion, Shen Muzhi looked at Liu Buli, his expression unusually complex.
Liu Buli felt as though he were a family member waiting outside an operating room. When the doctor emerged, he dreaded hearing words like "We did our best." Especially now, with Shen Muzhi's conflicted expression, Liu Buli's heart leaped into his throat.
Taking a deep breath, he patted Shen Muzhi's shoulder. Liu Buli said earnestly, "Don't scare me with that look. Just tell me what the problem is. Can he not withstand the evil energy? Or..."
"It's not as serious as you think. Before I tell you the answer, I'm a bit curious about one thing," Shen Muzhi waved his hand, interrupting Liu Buli's wild speculations. "Did you force him to do something? I mean, did you set a deadline for him, compelling him to complete his task by a certain time? Or..."
"How could I possibly do such a thing?" Before Shen Muzhi could even finish, Liu Buli frowned and responded, "You know how much I dote on him. I never object to anything he does, nor would I ever force him. So..."
At this point, Liu Buli paused abruptly.
He didn't need Shen Muzhi to explain further. He felt as though he had already guessed the source of the problem.
His expression turned equally complex. Liu Buli raised his hand and pressed hard on his forehead. Taking a long breath, he said, "So, his current condition is because he absorbed too much evil energy too quickly, overwhelming himself?"
"That's exactly it," Shen Muzhi nodded, confirming Liu Buli's guess. "It's like choking when you eat too fast. He absorbed too much evil energy and malevolence too rapidly. While it won't kill him, it will still lead to indigestion."
Hearing Shen Muzhi's analogy, Liu Buli couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.
For others, this might have been a life-threatening situation, but for his little disciple, it was merely indigestion?
Moreover, he could guess the reason for this. It was likely because he hadn't seen Liu Buli for a long time, and Lu Wuming was a bit impatient. In his haste, he didn't want Liu Buli to endure the pressure of the evil energy and malevolence to enter the cave and find him. So, Lu Wuming thought that if he absorbed it quickly enough, he could see his master sooner.
Upon reaching this conclusion, Liu Buli's mood became even more complicated.
However, concerned about Lu Wuming's health, Liu Buli took another deep breath. Then, changing the subject, he asked, "Then how do we solve this problem? Even indigestion needs medicine. Do you have any medicine that can help? Can I give it to him?"
Shen Muzhi shook his head with a wry smile. "Who among normal people absorbs evil energy and malevolence? Physicians only treat normal ailments. I've never considered such a situation, so I naturally haven't researched it."
Hearing this, Liu Buli became worried again.
Shen Muzhi understood his concerns and gently waved his hand. "Don't overthink it. It's not that troublesome, and the situation isn't that serious. I've examined him, and Lu Wuming's body is actively absorbing the evil energy. Once he finishes absorbing all the excess energy, he'll naturally wake up. It's just a matter of time. Rushing won't speed things up."
Liu Buli blinked and thought for a moment before finally letting out a helpless laugh.
The fool thought that by quickly swallowing all the malevolence, he could shorten the time until they met. In the end, after they met, he would still have to digest what he had swallowed while unconscious. What was the difference between this and him cultivating in seclusion in the cave?
Unsure of what expression to wear, Liu Buli sighed deeply again.
Sensing his thoughts, You Siqi, who was beside him, proactively changed the subject. "You contacted us to come here, but it wasn't just about Lu Wuming's condition, was it? After all, you sent out your message so long ago, and you specifically asked us to find you later. If it were about Lu Wuming, you would have asked us to come immediately, right?"
That was true.
When he first contacted them, Liu Buli had allocated ample time for Lu Wuming's absorption. Who knew such a thing would happen? He was somewhat speechless.
However, since the other party had raised the question, Liu Buli's thoughts shifted. He nodded gently and replied, "I asked you to come, but it wasn't for that. I've found a way for you to return to the other world. The Heavenly Dao told me, and it shouldn't be wrong."