Anli the Housebreaker

Yun Jing rubbed the lion in his arms, his voice soft. "Not bad, keep practicing."

"Yes."

Meng Anli formed another hand seal and recited a true incantation, instantly taking flight.

This time, she was mentally prepared and didn't panic. She even tried to use her meager magical power to sense the feathers.

As if sensing her intent, the feathers seemed offended. They flew faster in the air, shaking her left and right.

Meng Anli, exhausted, fell to the ground again.

Before her master could say anything, she scrambled to her feet and urged the colorful feathers on again.

She stubbornly used her magical power to probe the colorful feathers, and this time, she could at least touch them.

The colorful feathers retaliated again.

She landed heavily, her elbow hitting the stone steps in front of the door.

"Hiss~"

Meng Anli's mouth contorted in pain. Her nose, suddenly congested, made the bridge of her nose swell, and she could faintly smell blood.

She sat up and looked at her arm. Her sleeve was torn, and a large patch of skin had been scraped off her elbow, now oozing blood.

Yuan Tuo instinctively wanted to step forward.

"Yuan Tuo," Yun Jing called out in a deep voice, with a warning tone.

Yuan Tuo stopped in his tracks, watching with heartache as Meng Anli simply bandaged herself and took flight again.

He said, "Her spiritual power is too weak right now."

"Only when her opponent is stronger than her can she improve."

Yuan Tuo nodded sympathetically. "Yes."

Meng Anli fell again, covered in sweat and water. She landed on the ground and picked up more dirt, looking dusty all over, as if she had rolled in mud.

But her eyes were even more determined and excited.

He said with satisfaction, "From now on, all her training in the academy should be like this."

Yuan Tuo hesitated slightly.

"What?" Yun Jing raised his eyebrows. "If you can't do it, I'll have Han Chuan take over."

Yuan Tuo waved his hands repeatedly. "No, I'll do it, I'll do it! I can do it!"

If Han Chuan, that heartless block of ice who didn't know how to cherish a maiden, were to take over, little Anli would probably live a life of darkness.

Meng Anli fell again, this time biting her lip, and a drop of blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.

She grinned at Yun Jing and Yuan Tuo.

"Master, brother, I think I've made progress."

"You have," Yuan Tuo couldn't bear to watch and quickly left. "I'll go prepare tomorrow's lessons."

Meng Anli's gaze dimmed slightly.

Was she too stupid?

Was her brother disappointed?

She urged the colorful feathers on again, not rushing to use her magical power to sense them, but letting the feathers carry her as they flew.

The colorful feathers, however, remained still.

Meng Anli tried moving her legs, and the colorful feathers instantly started moving.

She sensed the pattern of the feathers' flight. Just as they were about to descend, she gathered all her magical power to touch the feathers. This time, the effect was significant; half of her magical power entered the feathers.

The colorful feathers immediately flew faster, violently throwing her towards the ground.

At this speed, her life would be in danger upon landing.

Meng Anli poured her magical power into her entire body, resisting the colorful feathers and slowing their descent. She seized the opportunity to grab onto a peach tree.

The peach tree was pulled up by the roots by the combined force of Meng Anli and the colorful feathers.

Rumble~

The flowering tree landed, scattering peach blossoms and dust.

As the peach tree hit the ground, Meng Anli quickly dodged and stood on the tree.

"Cough, cough, cough... Where's Master?"

She thought she had seen her master below the tree, ready to catch her?

Yun Jing, already standing on the steps: "..."

Who would believe him if he told them?

He had almost been ambushed by a Foundation Establishment stage young girl and a peach tree.

Seeing Yun Jing's gaze, Meng Anli guiltily lowered her head.

After a while, he looked up and let out two dry chuckles.

"What's wrong, what's wrong?"

Yuan Tuo heard the commotion and ran out. Upon seeing the scene in the courtyard, he was also dumbfounded.

"This... Meng Anli did this?"

"Besides her, is there anyone else?"

Yun Jing's voice held a hint of gritted teeth.

Yuan Tuo gave Meng Anli a look of "take care" and silently retreated.

Little sister, it's not that I'm not helping you, it's that I need to save my own life first.

Once you're punished, I can still help you out a bit.

Yun Jing asked coolly, "Aren't you coming down yet?"

"Oh, oh," Meng Anli scrambled down with her hands and feet.

Yun Jing raised his hand, and the peach tree slowly straightened, its roots sinking back into the soil. The peach blossoms scattered on the ground regrew onto the tree. The crushed zither also returned to its original state.

Resurrection?

Meng Anli asked excitedly, "Master knows this too? Can I learn it?"

Yun Jing said coolly, "First, practice your colorful feathers and water techniques well."

So I can learn it? Master is so kind!

She happily responded, "Yes!"

Her face was so dirty that only the whites of her eyes and her teeth were visible.

Yun Jing let out a cold, light laugh.

"You look like a mud monkey. Use the first technique of the water arts, the cleansing technique, to clean yourself up, and then you can go back."

Meng Anli saw that the sky was also getting dark and nodded, saying "Yes."

She wanted to flip through a book, but her hands were very dirty. She wiped them on her filthy clothes, but they only got dirtier.

Yun Jing sighed helplessly, "Forget it, I'll teach you."

Meng Anli tried once, and most of the dirt on her body was gone.

She tried again, and she was as clean as when she first arrived, except for her face, neck, and hands, and other exposed skin, which were covered in bruises. There were also traces of scraped skin. It looked shocking.

It was hard to imagine she could still smile.

Yun Jing's brows furrowed slightly, regretting giving her such a high level of colorful feathers. He spread his hand, and a porcelain bottle appeared. "Apply this medicine to your wounds, and the marks will disappear tomorrow."

"Thank you, Master."

Her smile was radiant, but when she pulled at her injured mouth, there was no reaction of pain.

"Don't always say thank you, and don't smile like that. Your mouth is split open, doesn't it hurt?"

"Split open?"

Meng Anli raised her hand to wipe her mouth and saw the blood on her hand. She shook her head with a smile, "These are just minor injuries, they don't hurt!"

These are minor injuries?

He thought about the information Yuan Tuo had found. She had been protected by her father and brothers and had never been harmed before. After Meng Shiwan arrived, although her brothers gradually became biased, scolding her and neglecting her, they hadn't actually hit her. The only harm was the removal of her inner core. So, was the pain from these injuries insignificant compared to the pain of having her inner core removed?