Mei Qinghe and Liu Baiyun were momentarily unable to emerge from their sorrow, staring blankly at Li Miao.
Li Miao didn't mind, stepping forward and placing a hand on Mei Qinghe's shoulder, circulating his true qi through her meridians.
The qi deviation, which Jianghu people feared like a tiger, was suppressed in an instant.
Mei Qinghe felt as if her entire body was immersed in warm water, with threads of warmth flowing through her, suppressing her chaotic true qi and even calming her turbulent mind.
"Senior!" Mei Qinghe reacted, quickly getting up.
"My, my master's arm—" She choked up as she spoke.
"A small matter," Li Miao said nonchalantly, stepping forward and grasping Liu Baiyun's left arm with one hand, while the other hand perfectly reattached the severed arm.
"Headmaster Liu, do not circulate your true qi, endure and stay still."
"This will be quite painful for you, but consider it the price for your severed arm."
With that, white smoke began to emanate from Li Miao's hands, which immediately turned a fiery red.
"Ugh! !—"
Liu Baiyun felt a sudden, piercing pain from her severed arm, as if someone had plunged a red-hot iron skewer into her bone marrow, accompanied by an itchy numbness like countless insects crawling in her flesh!
This torment was more unbearable than all the injuries she had accumulated during her time in the martial world!
Even with her years of martial arts training, she couldn't help but let out a low cry of pain, her face turning pale, sweat pouring down her forehead, and her body trembling uncontrollably.
Mei Qinghe watched anxiously from the side, quietly asking, "Senior... can it really be reattached...?"
Li Miao continued to exert his cultivation, his face relaxed: "A piece of cake."
"Except for the head, if any other part falls off within the time it takes an incense stick to burn, I can patch it right back on for you."
"The Rama's Remains... never mind, you wouldn't understand..."
"Years ago, I got an idea from a play and created this cultivation method.
As a result, the news accidentally leaked, and even a retired grand eunuch secretly brought a jar and wanted me to reattach that thing for him."
"Fortunately, he cut it off early; I really didn't want to touch that part of him.
Old eunuchs smell quite pungent."
Liu Baiyun endured this inhuman torment, her face somewhat distorted.
Li Miao looked up at her and smiled: "Headmaster Liu, it's not comfortable, is it?"
Liu Baiyun nodded with difficulty.
Li Miao laughed: "I originally intended this cultivation method for treating injuries among my subordinates.
But if a limb falls off, the blood qi dissipates within the time it takes an incense stick to burn, and it can't be reattached.
I can't be following them around all day like a nanny, so I used it rarely."
"Later, there was a time when Wang Hai was interrogating a notorious martial arts bandit who was stubborn and wouldn't speak.
Wang Hai lost his temper, used deadly force, and left him half-dead, almost severing the connection."
"So I went and reattached his detached legs, arms, nose, and whatever else, thinking I'd interrogate him after he healed.
As I was treating him, he confessed, crying and begging me to stop the treatment and just kill him."
"Who would have thought that my injury-healing cultivation method would thus become a means of torture?"
"I had a colleague who used to be at odds with me, but after seeing me use this cultivation method to interrogate a prisoner once, he vomited all over the floor.
From then on, he bowed and scraped whenever he saw me.
When my teacup was empty, he'd scurry over to refill it for me."
"This time, consider it a lesson for Headmaster Liu.
If you enter the court's door and still have any collusion with the Ming Cult..."
"Then this cultivation method... will not be for healing your injuries."
Li Miao said calmly.
Liu Baiyun, who had been enduring the torment and listening to Li Miao's rambling, wondered why he was telling her, a newly acquainted person, such irrelevant things.
Hearing his last words, she suddenly froze, involuntarily trembling.
Had Li Miao heard everything she had just said!?
She had personally watched Li Miao enter the private room and confirmed that the rooms above, below, and to the left and right of Mei Qinghe's room were all empty before daring to reveal everything!
But then she gradually felt sensation returning to her severed arm, vaguely sensing that her fingers could move.
Amidst her shock, she secretly sighed.
Such a person! Such martial arts!
Limb reattachment seemed commonplace, already exceeding her understanding of martial arts, like a soaring dragon revealing its claws, unreachably high.
What was so strange about him knowing her words like the back of his hand?
This healing was both a favor and a warning and threat.
Liu Baiyun had long traveled the martial world and never involved herself in court affairs, but at this moment, she felt a hint of the meaning of "the thunder and dew are all the emperor's grace" as described in books.
Liu Baiyun was convinced, nodding in reply: "Yes... Sir."
After another moment.
"Alright!"
Li Miao stood up, releasing Liu Baiyun's arm: "Try moving it.
In ten days to half a month, you'll be able to use it."
Liu Baiyun felt immense relief, a sigh escaping her, her whole body as if just pulled from water, sweat dripping from her cuffs.
Hearing Li Miao's words, she tried to move her fingers with difficulty.
She could move them!
Although not as nimble as before, the severed arm had indeed been reattached!
Seeing this, Mei Qinghe was about to kneel on one knee towards Li Miao.
"Hey—" Li Miao raised his hand to offer a virtual support, and with his true qi released, Mei Qinghe felt herself being lifted by a gentle yet powerful force.
"We don't do that here.
In the future, just do your job well, and let me rest at home more often; that will be repayment enough."
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Mei Qinghe bowed deeply: "Senior... Sir!"
"I have received great kindness and have no way to repay it.
From now on, I will follow your command, even unto death!"
Liu Baiyun initially wanted to stop her, but on second thought, she secretly smiled bitterly.
The Mount Hua Sect had already pledged allegiance to the court, and even she, as the Headmaster, had become a subordinate.
For Mei Qinghe to serve Li Miao was a form of reliance, certainly better than following her, a master of mediocre talent who couldn't even protect her disciple or her sect.
Thinking of this, Liu Baiyun no longer spoke.
Li Miao glanced at Liu Baiyun, then turned and smiled at Mei Qinghe, saying, "It's good to have the intention; there's no need to be so dramatic."
He did indeed have the intention of bringing Mei Qinghe under his service, but he merely gave her a gentle push, not forcing her.
Li Miao had always remained in the Commander position, with subordinates coming and going, and only Wang Hai was truly capable.
Through his years of training, Wang Hai had now achieved proficiency in martial arts, methods, and character, and could handle most matters for him.
It could be said that Wang Hai as a subordinate, coupled with Zhu Zai's indulgence, was the guarantee of Li Miao's comfortable life.
But one person was still a bit too few; it couldn't allow Li Miao to fully "delegate."
Although Mei Qinghe's character was not yet mature, her talent surpassed Wang Hai's.
Wang Hai was trained by Li Miao, while Mei Qinghe was trained by Liu Baiyun... and yet, their ages were similar, and their realms were also similar, which showed the difference.
In the future, Wang Hai would handle affairs, Mei Qinghe would kick down doors, and Little Four would conduct interrogations.
With Li Miao personally training them, in a few more years, he would have two peerless experts and a great shaman under him... Wouldn't that allow Li Miao to live a wonderful life of just signing, stamping, and collecting money?
At that time, even if he were made a Commander, it wouldn't disturb Li Miao's life.
Thinking of this, Li Miao smiled and said, "You say you are master and disciple, but in reality, you are like adoptive mother and daughter.
Just speak frankly."
"I won't stay much longer; I haven't even finished my meal.
You two should have a good chat tonight."
"Tomorrow is the sect visit; don't delay the important matter."
With that, he walked out of the room on his own, leaving Mei Qinghe and Liu Baiyun to smile at each other.