244: Chapter 24 Taming

After being thoroughly whipped, A Zi became much more obedient.

It wasn't for any other reason; when Meng Li disciplined her, he used a special technique that inflicted little actual damage but maximized the sensation of pain!

For A Zi, this was the first time she had ever been hit so painfully in her life. This left a deep impression on her, making her feel a sense of dread and even causing some psychological trauma.

As a result, for the next few days, whenever she saw Meng Li, she acted like a mouse seeing a cat.

The situation only improved when Meng Li saw she was behaving and began teaching her the basics of Martial Arts.

However, she stubbornly refused to change how she addressed Meng Li, constantly calling him 'Young Master Master'.

Meng Li didn't fuss over it; it was just a title.

A Zhu was initially afraid A Zi would be punished again for this and tried to correct her, but seeing that Meng Li didn't mind and A Zi repeatedly ignored corrections, she finally let it be.

Wang Yu Yan found this amusing and joined in, asking A Zi to call her 'Martial Aunt'.

A Zi knew the relationship between Wang Yu Yan and Meng Li and didn't refuse, calling her 'Martial Aunt' repeatedly, which made the little girl very happy.

A Zhu and A Bi found this arrangement strange.

It wasn't that they knew anything specific, but since the girls were close in age, A Zi suddenly being a generation below Wang Yu Yan gave them an odd feeling.

The one who felt even stranger was Meng Li.

The others didn't know, but he was well aware that Wang Yu Yan and A Zi were half-sisters!

Biological sisters becoming Martial Aunt and Martial Niece...

The seniority structure was truly chaotic!

He wondered what expressions they would have when they learned the truth someday.

Thinking of this, Meng Li felt a strange sense of anticipation but didn't expose the secret himself.

Some things were better left to nature.

After starting to teach A Zi Martial Arts, Meng Li discovered her talent was somewhat specialized.

Or rather, due to her personality and preferences, her interest in different types of Martial Arts showed a clear leaning.

Compared to fist and foot techniques, she preferred using hidden weapons.

A Zhu and A Bi showed similar tendencies.

This made Meng Li realize that his teaching needed to enter a specialized phase.

Thus, once the foundation training for the girls was nearly complete, he began teaching according to their aptitude.

Since A Bi loved music, he taught her the sound attack secret technique 'Azure Sea Rising Tide Melody' and the special method 'Ghost Prison Yin Wind Roar'.

A Zhu was interested in disguise, so Meng Li taught her the 'Disguise Technique' and 'Bone Shrinking Form Changing Skill'.

A Zi liked using hidden weapons, so she learned the 'Finger Flickering Technique' and 'Orchid Pricking Acupoint Hand'.

Aside from these individual specialties, they all shared common core training: the Internal Skill 'Hun Yuan True Qi', the palm techniques 'Bibo Palm Technique' and 'Luoying Divine Sword Palm', and the Lightness Skill 'Swift Steps'.

As for Wang Yu Yan...

She had high talent, learned Martial Arts quickly and well, and showed no distinct preference. She knew more techniques than the other three combined: 'Air-Splitting Palm', 'Jade Flute Sword Art', 'White Rainbow Palm Force'...

Besides Wang Yu Yan and the others, Meng Li also took time to strengthen Bao Butong and Feng Boe.

They learned 'Golden Bell Shield', 'Great Subduing Demon Fist Technique', 'Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill', 'Nine Yin Divine Claws', and 'Heart-Shattering Palm'.

Meng Li attributed the origin of these Martial Arts directly to the 'Huanshi Shuige'.

The others had no doubts.

They all knew the 'Huanshi Shuige' contained many Martial Arts but didn't know the specifics.

Since Meng Li said so, they believed him.

After comprehensively strengthening those around him, Meng Li once again felt the urge to travel far.

This time, he planned to go to 'Lingjiu Palace' targeting the 'Old Woman of Tian Shan'. Specifically, he sought her 'The Supreme Skill of the Eight Desolations and Six Combinations', 'Tianshan Broken Plum Hand', 'Tianshan Six Yang Palm', the 'Life and Death Talisman', and related medical texts.

When Wang Yu Yan learned Meng Li was going away, she immediately wanted to go with him.

'Cousin, take me with you, okay?' The little girl shook Meng Li's arm, pouting sweetly.

She had learned this from A Zi.

According to A Zi, most men couldn't resist a woman's coquetry.

Especially beautiful women.

When they acted cute, men would soften and agree to their requests.

Wang Yu Yan had tried it a few times and found it effective, so she tried the trick again now.

Meng Li pinched her pretty cheek and smiled, 'I want to take you too, but Aunt doesn't agree.'

Wang Yu Yan's expression froze.

Because what Meng Li said was true. When Li Qingluo learned Meng Li was leaving, she guessed Wang Yu Yan might follow and issued a strict prohibition.

Although Wang Yu Yan was influenced by Meng Li now and had achieved success in Martial Arts, she didn't fear Li Qingluo much, but she still couldn't openly defy her.

After all, no matter what, Li Qingluo was her mother.

However, what Wang Yu Yan didn't know was that Li Qingluo forbidding her from going was actually requested by Meng Li.

Meng Li's reason for doing this was simple: the purpose of this trip had nothing to do with Wang Yu Yan, and bringing her along would only cause complications.

Firstly, there was an old feud between the 'Old Woman of Tian Shan' and 'Li Qiu Shui'.

Secondly, bringing an extra person was less convenient and quick than traveling alone.

Seeing that Li Qingluo was involved, Wang Yu Yan gave up the idea of going and instead urged Meng Li, 'Then Cousin, come back soon.'

'Okay.'

...

Night, 'Manda Mountain Villa'.

Li Qingluo knew Meng Li was leaving and found another opportunity to discuss repaying the debt early with him.

After the discussion concluded, she was physically and mentally exhausted but deeply satisfied.

After resting briefly, Li Qingluo said to Meng Li, who was measuring his own abundant assets, 'I want to practice Martial Arts too.'

Meng Li was slightly taken aback, then said, 'Aren't you practicing already?'

Li Qingluo snorted, 'My progress is too slow practicing alone. You teach me.'

'Me teach you?' Meng Li chuckled lightly, then added, 'This is without reason. If I teach you Martial Arts out of the blue, aren't you afraid of arousing suspicion?'

Li Qingluo replied, 'Who says it's without reason? After Yu Yan started practicing Martial Arts, she's become bolder and has talked back to me several times recently. I want to discipline her, but I can't catch her. If this continues, she'll become utterly lawless.'

'Therefore, I must practice Martial Arts so I can subdue her.'

Meng Li: '...'

Practicing Martial Arts just to discipline a child?

The reason was odd, but barely acceptable.

However...

Meng Li thought of a certain scenario, his eyes flickering slightly. Then, he grabbed Li Qingluo's chin and said in a deep voice, 'Kneel down.'

Li Qingluo: '?'

A huge question mark appeared in her mind, but she didn't hesitate in her actions, instinctively complying.

It was simply due to familiarity.

'Call me Master,' Meng Li issued the next command.

Li Qingluo: '!!!!'

...

After completing the formal discipleship ceremony for Li Qingluo, Meng Li left contentedly.

'Bastard!'

As soon as he left, Li Qingluo couldn't help but curse softly.

Though she cursed verbally, she didn't feel much anger; rather, it was embarrassment, excitement, and even a trace of infatuation.

The reason was just two words—excitement!

Meng Li knew far too much.

Since establishing the debt relationship, his methods of collecting repayment had repeatedly shattered her perceptions.

The discipleship ceremony just now had delivered an enormous shock to her.

If it were anyone else, they might have found it hard to accept.

But Li Qingluo was the daughter of 'Li Qiu Shui', and knowing the absurd things her mother had done, coupled with her worldview being influenced by 'Ding Chunqiu' and encountering a player like 'Duan Zhengchun', all these factors combined meant her threshold for certain matters was far beyond ordinary.

Therefore, the recent absurdity hadn't broken her limit; instead, it had broadened her understanding to a certain extent.

Simply put, Meng Li's actions showed her a new way to approach the matter of repaying debt.