233: Chapter 13 Lesser Formless Skill

The next day, in the back garden of Canhe Village.

Wang Yuyan, A Bi, and A Zhu were practicing their Martial Arts diligently in the open space.

A Zi didn't come; she was left at the Listening Fragrance Pavilion to study and learn to read with a Nanny.

Meng Li sat in the gazebo, flipping through a Secret Manual, occasionally glancing at the progress of Wang Yuyan and the other two from the corner of his eye.

The Secret Manual he was currently reading was the Skill of No Phase.

This Secret Manual was left behind by Li Qiu Shui and was divided into eight volumes. Both Li Qingluo and Ding Chunqiu had read it, but the former was uninterested in Martial Arts, while the latter had limited Aptitude. Thus, even with a top-tier Secret Manual in hand, neither had achieved anything significant.

According to the original plot, Jiumozhi would later bring Duan Yu to Canhe Village and be tricked by A Zhu and A Bi. Feeling unsatisfied, he would stay behind at Canhe Village.

During that time, he would happen to encounter Li Qingluo, who was looking for her daughter, and follow her into the Langhuan Jade Cave, where he would accidentally witness Ding Chunqiu and Li Qingluo studying the Skill of No Phase.

Jiumozhi realized the profoundness of the Skill of No Phase from their conversation and stole seven volumes of the Secret Manual afterward.

The reason one volume was missing was that Ding Chunqiu carried it with him.

Later, Jiumozhi studied it diligently and achieved success, giving him the confidence to provoke the Shaolin Monastery and make a name for himself. Unfortunately, he had bad luck and encountered Xu Zhu, one of the 'Two Cheats' of the original work, who recognized his use of the Skill of No Phase at a glance. He lost face before he could fully show off.

Now that Ding Chunqiu has been crippled by Meng Li, he'll likely kick the bucket before long.

This Secret Manual had been obtained by Meng Li from Li Qingluo as a 'debt collection,' so Jiumozhi will likely never have the chance to encounter the Skill of No Phase.

Halfway through the manual, a maid suddenly came to report: "Young Master, Mister Kang is here and says he wants to see you."

Kang Guangling?

Hadn't he gone to gather the rest of the Hangu Eight Friends?

Could it be that they had already been gathered?

If so, he must be here to ask for the prisoner.

Guessing secretly, Meng Li waved his hand to dismiss the reporting maid, then said a few words to Wang Yuyan and the others before heading to the front courtyard living room to meet Kang Guangling.

Upon reaching the front hall, Kang Guangling exchanged brief pleasantries with Meng Li before getting straight to the point: "Young Master Murong, I have already contacted my fellow Disciples. I wonder how your interrogation of that old scoundrel Ding Chunqiu is going?"

Meng Li tapped his finger lightly on the table and asked instead of answering, "Mister Kang, do you know much about the Sect Head of your Xiaoyao Sect?"

Kang Guangling was stunned. The Sect Head of the Xiaoyao Sect?

Of course he knew about that, but he didn't understand why Meng Li was suddenly asking.

However, considering that Meng Li had captured Ding Chunqiu, Kang Guangling readily replied, "The first Sect Head of the Xiaoyao Sect was the Ancestral Master, Carefree Child. The second Sect Head was named Wu Ya Zi, who is my Grandmaster."

"Why does Young Master Murong suddenly ask about this?"

After speaking, a flash of insight crossed his mind, and he guessed, "Could it be that Ding Chunqiu's trip to Manda Mountain Villa is related to this?"

A moment later, Kang Guangling shook his head in denial, "But I have never heard of Manda Mountain Villa having any connection with the Sect Head of my Xiaoyao Sect."

Meng Li coughed twice and explained, "To be honest, I'm not entirely sure either. However, according to Ding Chunqiu, the current owner of Manda Mountain Villa—who is my aunt—is the daughter of your Sect Head, Wu Ya Zi."

"Therefore, my aunt possesses some Secret Manuals of the Xiaoyao Sect."

"Ding Chunqiu's purpose in coming to Manda Mountain Villa was to seize those manuals."

Kang Guangling looked astonished. "Is this true?"

Although he was a Disciple of the Xiaoyao Sect, he was a generation apart from Wu Ya Zi and was a music enthusiast himself, so he knew very little about his Grandmaster's affairs.

Meng Li said, "This is what Ding Chunqiu said himself. I have confirmed it with my aunt, but she was separated from her parents at a young age for some reason. Now that many years have passed, her memory of the matter is somewhat blurred, and no conclusion can be reached."

"Therefore, whether this is true or false, I'm afraid we must seek confirmation from your master or even Senior Wu Ya Zi to know for sure."

Kang Guangling thought for a moment and asked, "Then I wonder if Madam Wang could accompany me back to the sect?"

Meng Li said, "I'll have to ask her about that."

Kang Guangling nodded, chatted for a few more minutes, and then left.

Meng Li thought for a moment and did not return to the back garden, but instead headed to Manda Mountain Villa.

He needed to talk to Li Qingluo about Wu Ya Zi.

Upon arriving at Manda Mountain Villa, he asked around and learned that Li Qingluo had gone to the Langhuan Jade Cave.

This surprised Meng Li a little.

Li Qingluo had never liked practicing Martial Arts. Although she had built the Langhuan Jade Cave as a treasury of Martial Arts, she only used it as a storage room and rarely went there.

It was truly strange that she would go there now.

Soon, Meng Li arrived at the Langhuan Jade Cave. As soon as he entered, he saw Li Qingluo holding a Secret Manual, reading it while gesturing along.

"Why are you suddenly interested in Martial Arts?" he asked curiously.

Startled by his voice, Li Qingluo jumped.

Once she regained her composure, she instinctively patted her heaving chest, then glared at him, saying with some irritation, "Aren't you teaching Yu Yan Martial Arts? Why did you suddenly come here?"

As for how Meng Li got in?

Li Qingluo had witnessed Meng Li's methods. She had tried to resist, but it was useless; instead, she was held firmly in his grasp.

Feeling utterly powerless, she eventually had to honestly "repay the debt."

With the added status of a creditor, Meng Li could freely enter and exit Manda Mountain Villa. The Langhuan Jade Cave was also open to him, and even...

Thinking of certain scenes, Li Qingluo felt secretly ashamed and angry, but her heart couldn't help but race.

Meng Li didn't know what she was thinking. Hearing her words, he said truthfully, "I have something to discuss with you."

Li Qingluo was slightly stunned, then said in shame and annoyance, "It's daytime."

Meng Li: "??"

A second later, he realized and looked at Li Qingluo with a strange expression. "I haven't even said what it is yet, and you're already jumping to conclusions?"

With that, Meng Li reached out and pinched Li Qingluo's chin, looking into her eyes teasingly. "Do you want to pay off your debt with your body?"

Seeing this, Li Qingluo realized she had misunderstood. Her face turned red, and she immediately issued a triple denial: "I'm not, I didn't, don't talk nonsense!"

"Is that so? Let me check."

Check? How to check?

Li Qingluo was confused.

A second later, she understood, and her face instantly turned as red as blood.

...

After finishing a full inspection of Li Qingluo, Meng Li toyed with what used to be Wang Yuyan's exclusive granary and spoke of business: "Do you still remember anything about your biological parents?"

Li Qingluo hummed twice and replied lazily, "I remember."

When she was born, the relationship between Wu Ya Zi and Li Qiu Shui was still quite good.

Wu Ya Zi's obsession with the jade statue, Li Qiu Shui giving him a 'Green Hat' and hooking up with Ding Chunqiu—those were all things that happened later.

Although she was young at the time, she could still remember some things.

Therefore, Li Qingluo had an impression of her biological parents. She didn't understand when she was young, but as she grew up and became aware, she understood. The reason she chose to honestly repay her debt so quickly, besides being held in Meng Li's grasp and unable to resist, was more or less influenced by genetics and her memories.

She was the biological daughter of Wu Ya Zi and Li Qiu Shui, and both of them behaved in ways that defied social norms in their relationships.

"Then, do you want to go see your father?"

...