Meng Mingde Was Suspended from Duty

"You won that too. Do not belittle yourself."

Yun Jing raised his hand.

Meng Anli immediately felt a gentle breeze, cool rain seeping into her organs and entrails.

The burning sensation within her vanished.

She could even feel her flesh growing back, her bones resetting and healing together without the slightest gap.

"Is this the Resurrection Art?"

Meng Anli asked him in delight.

Her pair of peach blossom eyes shone startlingly beneath the moonlight, though the bloodshot veins had yet to fade.

Yun Jing lifted his hand slightly and blocked part of her gaze. "Not quite. It is only a healing art."

Meng Anli eagerly seized his hand. "Please teach me, Master."

Yun Jing's hand twitched slightly, but he could not pull free.

He turned his head to look at her hand.

Meng Anli hurriedly withdrew her paw and tucked it beneath the blanket. The bloodshot veins in her shimmering peach-blossom eyes had faded, leaving only clarity and embarrassment.

She gave an awkward laugh. "Sorry, Master. I got a little too excited."

Yun Jing lowered his hand, lightly rubbing his fingertips together. Generously, he said,

"It is fine. Are you still uncomfortable anywhere?"

Meng Anli moved about, then got out of bed to walk and jump around. Delighted, she said,

"No more. Thank you, Master. Your healing hands bring the dead back to life!"

Yun Jing's gaze shifted toward the window before he calmly withdrew it. "Where is the bag Yuan Tuo gave you?"

"Here."

Meng Anli retrieved the clothes that had been hacked to tatters and untied the small bag from her belt.

The bag enlarged in Yun Jing's hand.

Yun Jing opened it and said with distaste, "What a mess."

Meng Anli scratched her head. She had still felt too embarrassed to use her brother's things, so she had not sorted through them.

Yun Jing rummaged out a completely red Jade Bottle.

"This bottle can dissolve immortals and gods at the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm and above."

The leaves outside the window rustled.

As if unaware, Yun Jing continued, "Dissolving a Primordial Unity Golden Immortal takes only a quarter of an hour."

Meng Qing's presence vanished at once.

A mocking curve touched Yun Jing's lips, but when he raised his eyes to Meng Anli, he saw that her face had gone deathly pale. Her earlier rosy, lively appearance had vanished completely, leaving only terror.

"Did I frighten you?"

"This bottle..."

It looked so much like the bottle the Crown Prince had used to dissolve her.

Dissolving her had taken only half a quarter of an hour.

So the bottle used to dissolve her in her previous life had been given to him by Brother Yuan Tuo?

Terrified, Meng Anli staggered a step back, putting more distance between herself and the bottle.

Yun Jing frowned. "It really scared you?"

His clear-spring-like voice brought Meng Anli back to herself.

She steadied her mind and barely forced out a smile. "If this bottle dissolves someone without an inner core, how long would it take?"

Afraid of frightening her, Yun Jing considered it before answering truthfully. "Only an instant."

"An instant?"

Then it probably was not this one. Reassured, she walked over and picked up the bottle.

"What an incredible bottle. Where did Brother Yuan Tuo get it?"

This was incredible?

Yun Jing thought this girl was far too easily satisfied.

He softened his voice and began to explain.

"At the time, Yuan Tuo was still a Daluo Golden Immortal. He dug up a piece of Jade Coral from the bottom of the North Sea. He thought it was beautiful and wanted to keep it, but he also sensed astonishing Killing Intent from it, so he came to me to dispel it.

When I saw that the coral was exceedingly ancient, I realized removing that Killing Intent would take time, care, and effort. So I brought it to the Grand Supreme Elder and had him refine it into a bottle. Thus this Jade Bottle was made, gathering all the Killing Intent within it."

Meng Anli suddenly understood. So that was why it could become a Great Killer Weapon.

She asked again, "How large was that coral? After refining this, was there any left over?"

"Perhaps there was. But since I gave it to him to refine, it was enough for him to return a Jade Bottle to me. He could use the leftover scraps as he pleased."

Meng Anli understood.

The Grand Supreme Elder had probably refined the leftover scraps into another Jade Bottle, and that bottle had fallen into the Crown Prince's hands.

She held the Jade Bottle in both hands. "Please teach me the incantation, Master."

In this life, she would put the Crown Prince inside.

Blood debts must be repaid in blood.

"It was brought out for you to use."

Yun Jing taught her the incantation for storing things inside it, as well as the incantations for making it smaller and larger.

Then he instructed her, "Once you have learned these, dissolve anyone you cannot defeat. Do not let yourself end up so bedraggled and suffer such injuries again."

"But Master, I rose two whole major realms!"

Meng Anli's brows danced with excitement. "Brother Yuan Tuo was right. Hardship makes people grow."

The little girl's brows and eyes brimmed with confidence, delight shining in her peach-blossom eyes as she lifted her chin to look at him.

She was exactly like his little lion when he begged to be petted.

Yun Jing lightly rubbed his fingers together. "Mm. As you wish."

In any case, he could heal her easily.

Even if she lost her life, it would only mean taking a trip through the underworld.

She could do as she pleased.

At Meng Anli's insistence, Yun Jing taught her some Transformation Techniques.

He did not leave until dawn was about to break.

Lu Yao returned after spending the entire night refining pills to cure fire poison, only to find Meng Anli completely recovered.

She rushed over joyfully. "Anli, you are all better?"

"Mm." Meng Anli smiled and pointed at the Communication Mirror.

From the other side of the Communication Mirror, Lu Zhiyuan asked quietly, "Has A Yao returned?"

Lu Yao saw him dressed in court robes, sitting cross-legged opposite Anli.

"How is it? Did they impeach the Meng family?"

"Not yet. They are discussing state affairs. It will probably begin afterward."

After the state affairs had been discussed, the Censor Immortal Official stepped forward again.

"Your Majesty, this humble servant impeaches the Meng family. Their attendants bullied the few with their numbers and defied their superiors. The Meng family's Third Young Master gravely injured his younger sister, while the Meng family head, Meng Mingde, failed to govern his household strictly."

The Heavenly Emperor sighed and asked as usual, "Meng Mingde, is this true?"

"It is true. A few days ago, my son sparred with Anli at the academy and lost face before her. He bore a grudge, so yesterday he privately led the household servants to intercept Anli. I have been on duty these past few days and have not returned home, thus I neglected to discipline the children."

Lu Zhiyuan cursed under his breath, "What a shameless scoundrel. He is pushing everything onto his own son."

The Crown Prince spoke. "Yesterday, Anli suffered many wounds deep enough to expose bone, multiple fractures, and fell unconscious several times. Her injuries were exceptionally severe. Had it not been for the timely arrival of the people of the Heavenly Realm, the disciples of Gui Class, and General Lu, the consequences would have been unthinkable."

The Heavenly Emperor nodded in satisfaction. "Anli is Shaoguang's fiancée and the future Empress. How can you brush this aside with a single excuse that you 'failed to discipline your child'?"

Meng Mingde hastily dropped to the ground in a bow, frightened. "Your Majesty..."

"Since you are too occupied with duty to spare the energy to discipline your children, you will be suspended from duty for three years. Discipline your children properly, and do not let such trouble arise again."

"Your Majesty!"

Meng Mingde looked up in disbelief. He had worked so hard at his duties, carrying out his work with painstaking diligence. How could he be suspended just because his son had beaten an unruly daughter?

The Heavenly Emperor did not respond. Two Immortal Attendants before the hall went over to drag him away.

"Lord Lu." The Heavenly Emperor looked warmly toward Lu Zhiyuan.

Lu Zhiyuan's hands trembled in fright. He hurriedly stuffed the Communication Mirror into his sleeve. "This humble servant is here."

The Heavenly Emperor pretended not to notice his little movement. "There is no war at present, so take over Meng Mingde's duties for the time being."

"No, I..." Lu Zhiyuan waved his hands. "This humble servant has never handled such matters before. I fear I will not do well."

"Someone will teach you." The Heavenly Emperor changed the subject and teased, "Or do you find it too tiring and merely wish to return early every day to Niuyang Mountain to keep your wife company?"

All the immortals burst into laughter.

Lu Zhiyuan scratched his head. "This humble servant accepts the decree."

"Impossible!"

Meng Mingde tried to shout, but an Immortal Attendant clapped a hand over his mouth and warned in a low voice, "Family Head Meng, do not anger Your Majesty."

Meng Mingde gritted his teeth in hatred, his gaze at Lu Zhiyuan as venomous as poisoned steel.

It was all his fault!

No wonder he had been so eager to help Meng Anli.

So he had been waiting for him here all along.

He had long coveted his position and wanted to replace him.

What a scheming, vicious bastard!

Just you wait!