Anli the Housewrecker

Yun Jing rubbed the lion in his arms, his voice gentle. "Not bad. Keep practicing slowly."

"Yes."

Meng Anli formed another hand seal and recited the True Word Incantation, instantly taking flight.

This time, she had prepared herself mentally and did not panic. She even tried using her meager Spiritual Power to sense the feather.

The feather seemed to sense her intention, as though it had been offended. It flew even faster through the air, swaying her up, down, left, and right.

Meng Anli exhausted her strength and crashed to the ground again.

Before her master could say anything, she rolled to her feet and activated the rainbow feather once more.

Refusing to admit defeat, she used her Spiritual Power to probe the rainbow feather. This time, she could at least touch it.

The rainbow feather struck back once again.

She hit the ground hard, her elbow slamming against the stone steps before the door.

"Hiss~"

Pain made Meng Anli bare her teeth. Blood rushed suddenly to her nose, making the bridge swell with pressure, and she could faintly smell blood.

She sat up and raised her arm to inspect it. Her sleeve had been torn, a large patch of skin had been scraped from her elbow, and blood was seeping out.

Yuan Tuo instinctively wanted to step forward.

"Yuan Tuo," Yun Jing called in a low voice, carrying a warning.

Yuan Tuo stopped in his tracks and watched sadly as Meng Anli simply wrapped the wound before taking flight again.

He said, "Her Spiritual Power is too weak right now."

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

Yuan Tuo nodded sorrowfully. "Yes."

Meng Anli fell again. She was covered in sweat and water, then dust from hitting the ground. Her whole body was gray and grimy, as though she had rolled through mud.

Yet her gaze was even more resolute 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 eyes. "If you cannot do it, I will 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 that dead block of ice Han Chuan, who knew nothing of cherishing flowers or jade, came instead, little Anli would probably live in utter darkness.

Meng Anli fell once more. This time, her teeth struck her lips, 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 improved."

"You have improved," Yuan Tuo said. Unable to bear watching any longer, he hurried away. "I'll go prepare tomorrow's lessons."

Meng Anli's gaze dimmed slightly.

Was she too stupid?

Had Brother been disappointed in her?

She activated the rainbow feather again. This time, she did not rush to sense it with her Spiritual Power, instead letting it carry her through the air.

Yet the rainbow feather remained still in place.

Meng Anli tried moving both her legs, and the rainbow feather immediately moved.

She felt out the pattern of its flight. Just as the rainbow feather was about to descend, she gathered all her Spiritual Power and reached for it. This time, the results were striking—half her Spiritual Power entered the rainbow feather.

The rainbow feather instantly flew faster, violently hurling her toward the ground.

At that speed, if she hit the ground, her little life would be lost.

Meng Anli poured Spiritual Power throughout her body and fought against the rainbow feather, slowing its descent. Seizing the chance, she grabbed that peach tree.

The peach tree was tugged by the combined force of Meng Anli and the rainbow feather, roots and all.

Boom~

The flowering tree crashed to the ground, peach blossoms and dust billowing into the air.

The moment the peach tree landed, Meng Anli swiftly flew aside to avoid it, then stood atop the tree.

"Cough, cough, cough... Where is Master?"

She seemed to have seen her master beneath the tree, trying to catch her just now?

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

Who would believe this if he told them?

He had nearly been ambushed by a little girl in the Foundation Establishment Realm and a peach tree.

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

After a while, she raised it again and gave two sheepish dry laughs.

"What happened? What happened?"

Hearing the commotion, Yuan Tuo ran out. When he saw the scene in the courtyard, he too was dumbfounded.

"This... Anli did this?"

"Who else could it have been but her?"

There was a faint gritted-teeth edge in Yun Jing's voice.

Yuan Tuo gave Meng Anli a look that said, "Take care of yourself," then silently retreated inside.

Little sister, it was not that your brother would not help you. Your brother had to save his own life first.

Once you were punished, your brother could still help you out a little.

Yun Jing asked coolly, "Are you not coming down yet?"

"Oh, oh." Meng Anli hurriedly climbed down, using both hands and feet.

Yun Jing raised a hand. The peach tree slowly straightened, its roots sinking back into the earth. The peach blossoms scattered all over the ground grew back onto the tree.

The crushed zither also returned to its original state.

Returning the dead to life?

Meng Anli asked excitedly, "Master can do that too? Can I learn it?"

Yun Jing said coolly, "First master your rainbow feather and Water Arts."

So she could learn it?

Master was truly wonderful!

She answered happily, "Yes!"

Her face was so gray with grime that only the whites of her eyes and her pearly teeth could be seen.

Yun Jing gave a cold, stern chuckle.

"You look like a mud monkey. Use the first cleansing art in Water Arts to wash yourself, then go back for today."

Seeing that it was getting dark, Meng Anli nodded and said, "Yes."

She wanted to flip through the book, but her hands were filthy. She rubbed them against her dirty clothes, only making them even dirtier.

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

Meng Anli tried once, and more than half the mud on her body disappeared.

She tried again, and her entire body was as clean as when she had first arrived. Only the exposed skin on her face, neck, hands, and elsewhere was covered in bruises.

There were also patches where the skin had been scraped away.

The sight was horrifying.

It was hard to imagine that she could still smile.

Yun Jing's brows lowered slightly. He somewhat regretted giving her a rainbow feather of too high a grade.

He spread his palm, and a porcelain bottle appeared in his hand. "Apply this medicine to your wounds. The marks will be gone by tomorrow."

"Thank you, Master."

Her smile was brilliant. It tugged at the injured corner of her mouth from her fall, yet she showed no reaction of pain.

"Stop saying thank you all the time, and stop smiling. The corner of your mouth is split. Does it not hurt?"

"It split?"

Meng Anli raised a hand to wipe the corner of her mouth. Seeing the blood on her hand, she smiled and shook her head. "These are only minor injuries. They do not hurt."

These were minor injuries?

He thought of the information Yuan Tuo had investigated. Before, she had been protected by her father and brothers and had never suffered harm. After Meng Shiwan came, although her brothers had gradually begun favoring Meng Shiwan, scolding Meng Anli and neglecting her, they had not yet laid hands on her.

The only harm they had done was dig out her inner core.

So compared to the pain of having her inner core dug out, was this pain not worth mentioning?