Xiang Ling Repays Kindness

Calm his mind and focus his thoughts, True Qi flowed from his Dantian, through the meridians, and slowly reached his left arm.

Soon, he felt an obstruction ahead, like a dam blocking a river.

Meng Yuan was not flustered. His True Qi slowly impacted, nine slow and one fast, nine shallow and one deep, then gradually increased the force, until each impact was both deep and fast.

He didn't know how long it took, but Meng Yuan felt the blockage suddenly open. The first acupoint in his left arm opened, located in his upper arm.

Meng Yuan opened his eyes. It was already getting late.

After dinner and a short rest, Meng Yuan took all the students to continue their night training.

They sweated until they were exhausted, and only then did they disperse.

As the senior disciple, Meng Yuan also specifically visited the Male Dormitory and Female Dormitory. Seeing that they were all relatively clean, he spouted some nonsense about washing frequently and airing quilts more often, then returned to his residence next to the Training Field.

Old Man Jiang had already gone to bed. The candle was still lit in Jiang Tang's room.

Meng Yuan pushed the door open and saw the little girl studying diligently.

This girl cleaned the room, read and wrote, brewed medicine, and cooked every day at home. She had even made several pairs of new shoes.

"Brother!" Jiang Tang was very happy to see Meng Yuan return. "I'll get you a late-night snack!"

She ran out in a hurry and brought back a clay pot. Inside was mutton slow-cooked over a low fire.

Now that the Essence Flame was growing slowly, Meng Yuan never stopped having extra meals every night.

"Let's eat together." Meng Yuan sat down and started eating without minding the heat.

"I'm not hungry." Jiang Tang sat opposite him, poured him tea attentively, then rested her arms on the table, cupped her face in her hands, and looked at Meng Yuan foolishly, whispering, "Brother, Sister Xun Mei came this afternoon."

"What did she come for?" Meng Yuan asked while eating.

"She just asked about you."

Jiang Tang reached out her right hand, tilted her head, and helped Meng Yuan tuck the hair at his temples behind his ear to prevent it from getting greasy. She said, "Sister Xun Mei saw me reading and asked if I would be willing to go work for her."

Meng Yuan understood. Xun Mei was truly a good person. She was worried that he had offended the Young Lord and Steward Liu, so she wanted to take this girl under her wing.

This kindness could truly never be repaid.

"What did your grandfather say? What do you think?" Meng Yuan asked.

"Grandfather told me to listen to you." Jiang Tang's voice was soft. "Sister Xun Mei said that I can go to her place during the day, and I can still brew medicine for Grandfather in the morning and evening, and it won't delay making you a late-night snack in the evening."

She was willing to go! That was understandable. Although Xun Mei was a maid, she was not much different from her mistress. She was also polite and gentle, with a graceful demeanor, good at managing finances, and had a good temperament. It was normal for the little girl to admire her.

"Then go." Meng Yuan smiled. "Tomorrow morning, I'll take you to get some head ornaments. We won't pierce your ears, but we'll buy some bracelets and hairpins."

"Okay!" Jiang Tang's eyes instantly brightened. She said happily, "I've saved several taels of silver. I'll use my money this time!"

Meng Yuan took out a hundred-tael silver note and handed it to her. "Use this."

Jiang Tang was confused and quickly asked where the money came from, but Meng Yuan didn't say.

The next morning, Meng Yuan first went to the Training Field for morning practice, and then took Jiang Tang out with him.

The two of them had a good meal and wandered around for the whole morning. They bought bracelets and hairpins at a Silver Ornament Shop, and also got a Bronze Mirror and a Jewelry Box. Only then was everything complete.

Seeing the little girl so happy, Meng Yuan had no more worries and plunged into the Training Field, planning to open all the Lower Thirty-Three Heavens as soon as possible.

At the Training Field, he trained until the evening session ended, and Meng Yuan opened another acupoint in his left arm.

He had planned to go back and ask the little girl how her first day at work was, but Wu Changsheng came running to ask Meng Yuan why he hadn't shouted slogans today. Tie Niu also felt that shouting a few times every day was the only way to express loyalty to the Princess Consort.

"Loyalty isn't shouted out, it's done!" Meng Yuan refused very seriously.

In the following days, Master Nie didn't send anyone, and Meng Yuan didn't go looking for him either.

Meng Yuan had no worries and focused all his efforts on attacking the acupoints. He didn't go out, was too lazy to even inquire about Liu He's matter, let alone go to the Drunken Moon Pavilion.

Flirting with women, especially flirting with widows, was an extremely boring thing! With that free time, Meng Yuan would rather play with a Stone Roller!

In the blink of an eye, half a month passed, and it was already late February.

As the morning sun rose, Meng Yuan first practiced a set of Embracing Stake Nourishing Essence Art, then found a place to sit quietly and visualize the Great River Water.

He mobilized his True Qi, over and over again, time after time, and unlike before, it wasn't nine slow and one fast, but a heavy impact on the acupoints every time.

In a trance, he suddenly felt the blockage disappear without a trace.

Thus, with diligent practice day and night, all the acupoints in his limbs were opened, and the Lower Thirty-Three Heavens were completely opened.

Meng Yuan was about to breathe a sigh of relief when he suddenly felt his whole body tremble slightly, and the True Qi in his Dantian showed signs of instability.

Master Nie hadn't mentioned this situation. Meng Yuan quickly calmed his mind and focused his thoughts. It took a long time before he finally stabilized.

"According to Master Nie, the Lower Thirty-Three Heavens are in the skin and flesh, and the Middle Thirty-Three Heavens are in the muscles and bones. Their positions correspond."

"Ninth Rank is to fully open the Lower Thirty-Three Heavens, which are now fully opened. What should I do next to achieve perfect breakthrough?"

Meng Yuan was a novice and really didn't understand.

"Master Nie always said to find a Madam to teach me. Actually, in terms of martial arts, he is the Madam."

Meng Yuan was an honest person. Seeing that it was almost noon, he went to find someone at mealtime, and also planned to get a free meal.

He went to the Drunken Moon Pavilion, which he was familiar with.

"Why haven't you come to see me for so long? Do you find it too noisy here?" Xiang Ling's light green dress was thin, revealing her plump figure. Her jade hairpin and hair ornaments swayed, and a smile played on her lips. She truly looked like a gentle and charming older sister.

Meng Yuan's heart fluttered, but he maintained a serious demeanor. "Sister Qingqing, is Master Nie still busy with the Martial Arts School?"

Seeing that the young man brought up business as soon as he arrived, Nie Qingqing put away her smile and said, "The Martial Arts School's matters are nothing. It's just that Uncle Zhang had something come up recently and borrowed my father."

"The Demon Suppression Division's Songhe Prefecture Garrison?" Meng Yuan asked curiously.

"That's right." Nie Qingqing clasped her hands. "He should be back in two or three days."

"So that's how it is." Meng Yuan had a plan and didn't press further. He just said, "Sister, I ran all the way here and I'm very thirsty. Could I trouble you for a cup of tea?"

Meng Yuan's intention to freeload on food remained unchanged.

"You came to see Master Nie, not me. Why should I give you tea?" Nie Qingqing beckoned, and a servant boy brought a jar of wine. "I haven't forgotten the kindness of your help last time, Young Lord. This jar of wine is a small token of my gratitude."

After speaking, Nie Qingqing left directly. The servant boy shoved the jar of wine into Meng Yuan's arms and didn't forget to hurry him along. "Young Lord, please return."

Hey? Women are really strange. When I'm serious, you complain I'm not flirtatious, but if I were to be flirtatious, you'd say I'm playing around!

Meng Yuan didn't get to freeload on food and walked back holding the wine jar.

Upon returning to the Royal Residence, he saw someone waiting at the entrance of the Training Field. It was Zhao Datou.

Zhao Datou also saw Meng Yuan. He quickly stepped forward, glanced at the wine jar in Meng Yuan's arms, and asked very seriously, "Little Meng, tell me honestly, did Grandmother sleep with you?"

What is this all about? Meng Yuan said helplessly, "I've been in the Royal Residence all along. Where would I go to sleep?"

Zhao Datou didn't believe him and grabbed Meng Yuan's wrist. Seeing that he was warm, had no dark circles under his eyes, and was full of energy, he indeed didn't look like he had been drained by women. Only then did he feel a little relieved.

"Grandmother came looking for me and said she wanted to see you," Zhao Datou whispered.

"How did she find you? She shouldn't know we're working at the Pasture Manor," Meng Yuan asked curiously.

"She said the smell of cow dung from our manor was the strongest and best-smelling, and she found me as soon as she arrived," Zhao Datou said helplessly.

Meng Yuan smiled and asked, "Did she say why she wanted to see me?"

Zhao Datou stared at Meng Yuan and whispered, "She said you untied her rope, and when she returned home, she missed her godmother and she missed you, and she wanted to repay you."

It seems she wants to repay the kindness of saving her life. That little Xiang Ling's brain isn't very good, but her character is acceptable.

"How did she say she would repay me?" Meng Yuan asked curiously.

"How else could she repay you?" Zhao Datou grabbed Meng Yuan's arm and didn't let go. "Little Meng, I know you're promising and have your own ideas. The Jiang family girl is indeed still young. You young people have a lot of fire, but you can't just mess around. Even if you go whoring, whoring doesn't cost much!"

Speaking of this, Zhao Datou quickly added, "But don't take Tie Niu with you, he's still a child."

"..." Meng Yuan rubbed his temples, smiled helplessly, and asked, "Did she say herself that she wanted to sleep with me?"

"No, she didn't say that. She just said she wanted to see you and made an appointment for tomorrow morning, just outside the manor." Zhao Datou still had lingering fear. "Grandmother was very proud and said she would definitely make you very happy!"

Very happy? How happy?

Meng Yuan had no interest in sleeping with the little Weasel and knew that Xiang Ling definitely wasn't coming to sleep with him.

However, now that the Lower Thirty-Three Heavens were fully open, and there was no progress on the method to advance to Eighth Rank, and Master Nie wasn't here, it wouldn't hurt to go out for a walk. Anyway, it would only take a day round trip.