Meng Anli saw the complex, puzzled look in his eyes but did not explain. She only said, "Master, I'll be leaving first. I'll come back tomorrow after class to practice the Rainbow Feathers."
Yun Jing waved his hand.
Meng Anli left, limping as she went.
Yet her heart was brimming with joy.
How could she not be happy to have such a powerful master who treated her so well?
*
Meng Residence.
Meng Mingde had invited the Medicine Immortal to examine Meng Zhao's injuries.
The Medicine Immortal withdrew his hand from Meng Zhao's wrist, his expression conflicted and his gaze grave.
"Let's speak outside."
"No," Meng Zhao called out. "I want to hear it. I want to know what condition my body is in now."
Meng Mingde said, "Say it here."
The Medicine Immortal carefully chose his words. "Several bones in his body are fractured, and several meridians have been severed. Those are all treatable, but... his inner core was shattered."
"What?!"
Meng Mingde, Meng Zhao, and Meng Xiuchen shouted in unison.
Meng Shiwan threw herself onto him, tears streaming down her face. "Second Brother, does it hurt? You are both flesh and blood of the same family—how could Sister strike so heavily?"
Meng Zhao's fists suddenly clenched, veins bulging across them.
He gritted his teeth tightly, but a pained groan still escaped his throat.
"I'll avenge you! I'll kill Meng Anli!"
Meng Xiuchen roared as he tried to rush out.
"Stop!" Meng Mingde shouted him down, then gave the Medicine Immortal some silver.
The Medicine Immortal tactfully said, "I'll prepare some medicine for his tendons and bones, then fetch some bandages."
After the Medicine Immortal left, Meng Mingde looked at the furious Meng Xiuchen, the silently suffering Meng Zhao, and Meng Shiwan, who was weeping over Meng Zhao.
He pulled Meng Shiwan up. "Wanwan, stop crying. Things have not reached the point of no return. Meng Anli had her inner core dug out and could seek Huan Dan Grass. Naturally, your second brother can as well."
Meng Zhao's clenched jaw loosened, but he immediately shook his head in pain.
"It's useless. Yuan Tuo was the one who injured me."
"Yuan Tuo?" Meng Mingde was startled as well.
Meng Zhao nodded and repeated what Yuan Tuo had said to Meng Anli.
The jealousy in Meng Shiwan's eyes nearly overflowed.
Why did she have such good fortune?
Meng Mingde was instead relieved. "Then it's no matter. He has merely been beguiled by Meng Anli for now. Once he discovers your talent for alchemy, he will help you too."
Meng Shiwan feigned happiness. "Sister truly knows how to win people over. To encounter such an opportunity is really wonderful."
"That is because Yuan Tuo has not met Wanwan."
Meng Xiuchen looked at her with eyes full of affection. "Once he meets Little Sister, he will surely be unable to resist giving her all his doting affection and tenderness."
Meng Shiwan shook her head. "Having Father and my three brothers is enough for me."
Those words made the three men present feel deeply comforted.
Meng Xiuchen could not help cursing Meng Anli again. "An ingrate who bites the hand that feeds her. These Great Deities only find her novel right now. Once the novelty wears off, she'll still come crying and begging to return to the Meng family."
Meng Mingde felt the same way. Looking at Meng Shiwan's lotus-like face, he said, "Wanwan, I found another academy for you. It is in the mortal realm and called Qilian Academy. It is only slightly inferior to Xuantian Academy, but it has quite a few powerful disciples. They can contend with Xuantian Academy's disciples in the competition. Go there and study first, then take first place when the competition comes."
She had to return to the mortal realm again.
Meng Shiwan suppressed the displeasure in her heart. "Thank you, Father. I will definitely cultivate diligently."
"It's all that damned Meng Anli's fault. Shiwan has to go to the mortal realm and be forced apart from us," Meng Xiuchen said, growing angrier and angrier. He could not help adding, "I should simply go to Qilian Academy too."
"No, you cannot go." Meng Mingde stopped him. "You must remain at Xuantian Academy and find more chances to approach Yuan Tuo, win his favor, and let him see Meng Anli's true face."
With eyes full of fatherly affection, he smoothed Meng Shiwan's hair ornament.
"After the competition, Wanwan's reputation will soar. With a single word from Yuan Tuo, Wanwan will certainly be able to enter Xuantian Academy."
"Father's words are reasonable." Hope flashed through Meng Zhao's eyes. "Then obtaining Huan Dan Grass will be much easier as well."
Meng Xiuchen was filled with fighting spirit. "Leave it to me."
Meng Mingde said cautiously, "That temper of yours must change. Whatever I tell you to do, do it. Do not act impulsively and fall into Meng Anli's treacherous schemes."
"Yes."
At that moment, Meng Anli was cultivating Water Arts.
Lu Yao was in her private alchemy room, while Meng Anli sat in the outer room practicing Water Arts.
Over the course of one night, she learned ten Water Arts.
They were all relatively simple ones, such as the Cleansing Incantation, the Irrigation Incantation, the Water Pillar Attack Incantation, the Water Condensation Orb Incantation, and the Water Orb Attack Incantation.
Early the next morning, she felt refreshed and clear-headed.
Lu Yao also emerged from the alchemy room, stretched lazily, and said regretfully, "This time, the pill was difficult. I couldn't refine it in one night."
"It's all right. Take it slowly."
"I know. I won't rush for success." Lu Yao saw that Meng Anli's face had completely healed, without even a trace left behind, and sighed. "As expected of a level-twelve medicine. You healed so quickly."
"Mm."
Meng Anli smiled brightly. Her master truly was generous—whenever he acted, he used full-level medicine.
"How is your Water Arts book coming along?"
"I'll show you the Cleansing Incantation first."
Meng Anli recited the incantation at Lu Yao.
Lu Yao, whose body had felt sticky after refining pills all night, was instantly refreshed.
Lu Yao cupped her face. "Our Anli is really amazing."
Meng Anli removed her hands. "All right, neither of us needs to wash up now. Hurry to the back mountain and claim a spot."
They were to meditate at the back mountain at dawn.
Afterward came breakfast. Once breakfast was over, they returned to their respective lecture halls, where their masters arranged the day's lessons.
Yuan Tuo's arrangement was to teach some theoretical knowledge in the morning.
In the afternoon, he had them train.
Meng Anli explained the theory to Lu Yao during the noon meal.
That afternoon, Lu Yao went with them to the training grounds.
Yuan Tuo had them line up, then sternly examined every disciple.
"To possess supreme magical power, you must also have a strong body and fine martial skills. On the battlefield, when all is said and done, what is contested is physical strength and martial skill. If you strike faster than your opponent, hold out for one more breath than he can, and land one more move against him, then you win."
To Meng Anli, this was a fresh way of thinking.
Her previous masters had told her that as long as her magical power was strong enough, she could successfully ascend.
As for what ascension would be like afterward, those masters had never explained.
Yesterday, Master Yuantuo had explained that after ascension, one would witness more changes through the ages, the countless faces of the Seven Realms, and war.
One had to be strong enough oneself.
Her master was right. If she encountered an evenly matched opponent, then once both sides exhausted their magical power, it would come down to physical strength.
"And furthermore—"
Yuan Tuo slowly paced from the far left to the right. "Applying magical power to your techniques makes them more offensive and makes improvement easier."
Meng Anli nodded. A light palm strike and a palm strike infused with magical power naturally had different destructive force.
Yuan Tuo slowly paced from the far right back to the left.
"I do not know how skilled each of you is. There happen to be fourteen of you, so pair up and spar. Let me see what your current abilities are."
The disciples began discussing it.
Lu Yao took Meng Anli's hand. "We only know basic palm pushes and kicks. Let's pair up."
Meng Anli was just about to agree when a red-haired head leaned over.
"Meng Anli, do you dare trade a few moves with me?"
"No." Lu Yao objected. "You fight people all the time, so your fists and feet are definitely better than Anli's. We can't fight you."
Guang Ling sneered, "Lu Yao, are you Princess Anli's little maid? Your mistress hasn't even spoken, so why are you shouting?"
"You!"
Meng Anli took her hand. "She is my best sister, so of course she protects me. Don't you protect your brothers?"
As she spoke, she looked at Mo Ziqian.
Guang Ling reflexively looked over as well.
Mo Ziqian: "?"
His smiling mask slipped away, leaving his face full of confusion.
Guang Ling shouted, "Don't drag him into this. Do you dare fight me or not?"
Meng Anli asked in return, "Why wouldn't I dare?"
Before you continue