Anli Understood What Explosives Were

Before long, a monk draped in a kasaya and carrying a ringed staff slowly approached.

The moment he met Meng Anli's eyes, he paused slightly, then asked with a gentle smile, "Which Zen courtyard are you a disciple of? Why are you here?"

Meng Anli pressed her palms together in return and was about to speak.

Meng Shiwan jumped in. "She's my maid sister. She came to find me."

"Oh?" The monk looked Meng Anli up and down. "This maid sister of yours has excellent spiritual roots, and her entire bearing..."

"Master, let's begin the lesson." Meng Shiwan urged him.

The monk's smiling gaze upon Meng Shiwan gained a deeper meaning as he lifted his foot and walked into the Zen room.

Meng Shiwan shot her a fierce glare. "Don't make a sound! Don't embarrass yourself!"

"Mm..." Meng Anli answered dully.

Satisfied, Meng Shiwan returned to the Zen room.

Meng Anli remained where she was. She wanted to hear what the Buddhist Academy taught.

The monk lectured on the Heart Sutra of seated meditation and Zen contemplation.

He had only recited half of it when Meng Shiwan interrupted, "Master, shouldn't teaching be tailored to the student? Meditating and contemplating Zen are far too dull. Wouldn't it be better to gather immortal herbs and refine them into golden pills, ascending directly to the Purple Mansion?"

The monk discussed the Dao with her. "Setting aside enlightenment through meditation and Zen contemplation to become a Buddha, what you mentioned are methods of daoist cultivation. Even if daoists excel at alchemy, they must still combine it with meditation. Xuantian Academy in the Heavenly Realm teaches daoist arts. Why did you travel thousands of miles to come to our Buddhist Academy?"

Meng Anli hurriedly poked her head out to look.

Just as she had expected, Meng Shiwan's expression turned half green and half white. Then even her ears reddened with embarrassment.

Meng Anli covered her mouth and laughed softly, only to raise her eyes and meet the monk's gaze.

She quickly drew back.

Meng Shiwan's sobs drifted from the Zen room. "Forgive me, Master. You are my elder, and I should not have questioned you. I merely recalled Sage Confucius's words about teaching according to one's aptitude."

Meng Anli shook her head. Meng Shiwan was still so skilled at switching concepts and elevating the matter to lofty principles.

Unfortunately, this monk did not buy that trick.

The monk said, "There are now Seven Realms, and even more academies. Every academy has different methods of teaching, and you have many choices. When you first arrived, you told me meditation made your mind clear and your spirit bright. Why is it that after making firecrackers yesterday, you no longer wish to meditate today?"

Meng Shiwan protested, "Those are explosives. Their power is far greater than firecrackers. They could even blow apart an entire city."

"Perhaps this old monk is dull-witted, but I feel that something which explodes at the touch of a spark is much like a firecracker—merely with amplified force. When your strength is sufficient, you too can overturn a city with one turn of your hand and save the world with one lift of it."

"I..."

The monk cut Meng Shiwan off. "If you wish to discuss the Dao, we can do so after class. Do not delay the other twenty-nine disciples now."

Meng Shiwan reluctantly closed her mouth.

But Meng Anli felt as though enlightenment had been poured straight into her head.

She had thought those mysterious explosives were something extraordinary.

So they were merely improved firecrackers!

Then as long as she mastered the method of making firecrackers, she would surely be able to gradually improve them into explosives as well.

Creating something from nothing was as difficult as ascending to heaven. Were Meng Shiwan's other things also improvements?

She recalled that the mortal world also had face creams, menstrual belts, and soap for bathing and washing hair.

So they were all improvements.

She gripped the pouch at her waist. It was full of good things. She would get ahead of Meng Shiwan and make the things Meng Shiwan had been proud of in her past life.

And she would make them even better than Meng Shiwan had.

That way, Meng Shiwan would have no more chances to cooperate with the Crown Prince.

Having made up her mind, she silently circulated the Spiritual Power within her body.

A deep, resonant bell rang out, and the lesson ended.

Meng Anli hurriedly withdrew her power.

The monk emerged first. Seeing that she was still there, he smiled warmly. "Miss, whose disciple are you?"

Meng Anli answered respectfully, "Forgive me, but it is inconvenient to say."

"No matter. I see that you have an affinity with Buddhism. I had thought that if you had no master, I would take you in."

"Thank you for your esteem."

The monk smiled with narrowed eyes, clearly full of fondness for her. Then he sighed regretfully. "What a pity. Someone got there first."

Outside the Mystic Light Mirror.

"Clang~"

Yun Jing set down his teacup heavily. "That old bald donkey actually wanted to steal my disciple."

The little lion startled and leaped down.

Yun Jing reached out and scooped him up. The lion was caught by a hind leg and dragged back into Yun Jing's arms.

He chuckled, his voice like rich, mellow spring water. "What are you afraid of? Didn't Anli refuse?"

At least she had a conscience.

After the monk left, Meng Anli poked her head out to look at Meng Shiwan.

Meng Shiwan was sprawled over a small table, crying, surrounded by disciples trying to comfort her.

"Shiwan, our master has always been stern. He speaks bluntly and never smiles."

Meng Anli: "?"

Were they talking about the monk who had just smiled at her so warmly?

The others chimed in, "Yes, yes. Stop crying already."

"No matter what Master says about me, I should accept it. I just feel..." Meng Shiwan sobbed prettily, like pear blossoms drenched in rain. "My explosives truly are different from firecrackers, but Master wouldn't listen."

"Master is stubborn."

"We've all seen the power of the explosives. We know how capable you are."

"Don't cry anymore."

Several female disciples walked out arm in arm.

They discussed it in low voices. "Crying again and again. She isn't even water-elemental—how does she have so many tears?"

"How else could she make men feel sorry for her if she didn't cry?"

"Men fall for that trick the most. Too bad I can't pull it off."

"Me neither. My mother told me that relying on anyone is worse than relying on yourself. Only becoming strong yourself truly matters."

"Shh~"

One of them spotted Meng Anli and motioned for the others to be quiet.

Those people curled their lips at her and left.

Meng Anli did not care. She was thinking.

Did all men fall for Meng Shiwan's act?

That did seem to be the case. She had relied on those tactics to win the affection of every man in the Meng family.

Hadn't she made Meng Liangmiao and Meng Xiuchen suffer losses these two times by relying on weakness and everyone's condemning tongues as well?

Since it worked, why not use it?

Meng Anli walked in and asked worriedly, "Shiwan, why are you crying?"

Upon hearing her voice, Meng Shiwan sat upright and wiped away her tears. "Sister Xiao Ying, you must be laughing at me."

Meng Anli looked bewildered. "Shiwan, what are you talking about?"

"Weren't you here just now?"

"Mm, I was walking around nearby."

Meng Shiwan's expression improved considerably, though she still pursed her lips in a stubborn manner. "Thank you all for comforting me. I will prove myself to Master."

As she spoke, she rose and headed outside.

Leaving behind a resolute silhouette.

An absurd thought rose in Meng Anli's heart.

Could it be that Meng Shiwan had suddenly contradicted Master today just to show off before her?

Then she shook her head. That couldn't be it.

Perhaps it was merely because she had made explosives yesterday.

And she had become somewhat proud today.

Meng Anli followed her around the corner.

Once Meng Shiwan saw that no one was around, her expression instantly changed.

Her face filled with disgust. "How did you know I was here? Who sent you?"

"A fairy named Meng Anli told us you were here. Mother was worried that studying on your own would be too hard, so she had me come see you and bring you a few sets of clothes."

Meng Anli handed her the bundle.

The bundle was patched and covered in dust.

Meng Shiwan slapped it away. "How dare you bring such ragged clothes here?"

She tugged at the Floating Light Brocade she wore. "Do you see this? This is what I wear now."