Chapter 49: Reattaching Limbs: Li Miao

Mei Qinghe and Liu Baiyun had not yet emerged from their sorrow, staring blankly at Li Miao.

Li Miao did not mind; he stepped forward, pressed one hand onto Mei Qinghe's shoulder, and channeled his true energy through her meridians.

The "Qi Deviation" that Jianghu practitioners feared like a tiger was suppressed in an instant. Mei Qinghe felt as if her entire body were submerged in warm water; wisps of warmth wandered through her, suppressing her rampaging true energy and smoothing out her chaotic state of mind.

"Se—Senior!" Mei Qinghe realized what was happening and hurriedly stood up.

"My, my Master's arm—" She choked up as she spoke.

"A small matter," Li Miao said nonchalantly. He stepped forward, grabbed Liu Baiyun's left arm with one hand, and used the other to snap the severed limb back into place, perfectly aligned.

"Sect Leader Liu, do not circulate your true energy. Hold still and endure."

"This will be quite painful, but consider it the price for your severed arm."

Having said that, wisps of white smoke began to rise from Li Miao's hands, which instantly turned a deep, glowing red.

"Ugh!! —"

Liu Baiyun felt a piercing, heart-drilling pain erupt from her severed arm, as if someone had driven a red-hot iron skewer into her bone marrow, accompanied by an itching, numbing sensation like countless ants crawling through her flesh!

This torture was harder to endure than every injury she had suffered throughout her years in the Jianghu combined!

Even with her years of martial arts training, she could not help but let out a low cry of pain. Her face turned pale, sweat poured down her forehead, and her body trembled uncontrollably.

Mei Qinghe watched from the side, worried, and asked softly, "Senior... can it really be reattached..."

Li Miao continued to channel his energy, his face relaxed. "A trifle."

"Except for the head, if any other part is cut off and less than a stick of incense has passed, I can bundle it up and stick it back on for you."

"The Luomo Remains... never mind, you wouldn't understand..."

"I once got inspiration from a play and created this technique. As a result, I accidentally leaked the news, and there was a retired eunuch who secretly brought a jar, wanting me to reattach that thing for him."

"It was fortunate he cut it off early; I didn't want to touch that part of him. Old eunuchs have a very pungent smell."

Liu Baiyun endured the inhuman torture, her face twisted.

Li Miao looked up at her and smiled. "Sect Leader Liu, it's not easy, is it?"

Liu Baiyun nodded with difficulty.

Li Miao laughed. "I originally intended this technique for treating my subordinates. But if a limb is severed, the blood energy dissipates within a stick of incense, and it can't be reattached. I can't be a nanny following them around all day, so I rarely use it."

"Later, Wang Hai was interrogating a Jianghu bandit who was stubborn and wouldn't talk. He got carried away, used too much force, and left the man half-dead, nearly cutting him to pieces."

"I went and stuck all the legs, hands, and noses that had fallen off back onto him, thinking I'd heal him and then interrogate him. As I healed him, he confessed, crying and begging me to stop healing him and just kill him instead."

"Who would have thought that my healing technique would become a method of torture?"

"I have a colleague who used to be at odds with me, but after seeing me interrogate a prisoner with this technique, he vomited all over the floor. Since then, he bows and scrapes whenever he sees me. When my teacup is empty, he scurries over to refill it."

"This incident will serve as a lesson for Sect Leader Liu. Once you have entered the door of the Imperial Court, if you collude with the Ming Sect even a little bit..."

"Then this technique... will no longer be used to heal you."

Li Miao said flatly.

Liu Baiyun had been enduring the torture, listening to Li Miao's chatter, thinking to herself that they had only just met, so why was he saying these irrelevant things? Hearing this, she was suddenly stunned and couldn't help but shudder.

Had Li Miao actually heard everything she said earlier!? She had watched him walk into the private room and confirmed that the area around Mei Qinghe's room was empty before she dared to reveal these things!

Yet, she gradually felt sensation returning to her severed arm, faintly feeling that she could move her fingers. Shocked, she sighed inwardly.

Such a person! Such martial arts! Regrowing a severed limb was like a common occurrence; it had already exceeded her understanding of martial arts. Like a dragon revealing its claws, he was unreachable.

If he could know everything she said, what was so strange about that?

This healing was both a favor and a warning and threat. Liu Baiyun had walked the Jianghu for a long time and had never been involved in the Imperial Court, but at this moment, she felt a hint of what the books called "the Emperor's grace in both thunder and rain."

Liu Baiyun had been subdued and nodded in reply. "Yes... my lord."

Another long while passed.

"Done!"

Li Miao stood up and released Liu Baiyun's arm. "Try moving it. In ten days or half a month, you'll be able to use it."

Liu Baiyun felt a sense of relief, letting out a long breath. Her whole body felt as if she had just been fished out of water, and sweat dripped from her sleeves.

Hearing Li Miao's words, she tried moving her fingers with difficulty.

She could move them! Although not as agile as before, the severed arm had truly been reattached!

Seeing this, Mei Qinghe suddenly moved to kneel on one knee before Li Miao.

"Hey—" Li Miao raised his hand in a gesture of support. With his true energy released, Mei Qinghe felt herself being lifted by a gentle yet majestic force.

"I don't go in for that here. In the future, do your job well so I can rest at home more often; that will be enough to repay me."

Mei Qinghe bowed deeply. "Se... my lord!"

"I have received great kindness many times and have no way to repay it. From now on, I am at your command, even unto death!"

Liu Baiyun wanted to stop her, but upon second thought, she smiled bitterly to herself.

The Huashan Sect has all defected to the Imperial Court, and even she, as a master, has become a lackey under their banner. For Mei Qinghe to serve Li Miao can be considered finding a reliance; it is surely better than following a master like herself, who has mediocre talent and can protect neither her disciples nor her sect.

Thinking of this, Liu Baiyun said nothing more.

Li Miao glanced at Liu Baiyun and turned to smile at Mei Qinghe. "Having the heart is enough; no need to be so dramatic."

He did indeed have the intention of winning Mei Qinghe over to work for him, but he had only given a few nudges and had not forced it.

Li Miao had been stuck in the position of Battalion Commander for a long time, and his subordinates came and went; the only one who could be counted on was Wang Hai. After years of his cultivation, Wang Hai's martial arts, methods, and temperament were now well-developed, and he could handle most things for him.

It could be said that this subordinate, Wang Hai, combined with the indulgence of Zhu Zai, was the guarantee that Li Miao lived a comfortable life.

But one person was still a bit too few; it didn't allow Li Miao to fully "outsource" his work.

Although Mei Qinghe's temperament was immature, her talent was still above Wang Hai's.

Wang Hai was cultivated by Li Miao, while Mei Qinghe was cultivated by Liu Baiyun... yet the two were about the same age and had similar realms, which showed the gap.

In the future, let Wang Hai handle the work, let Mei Qinghe handle kicking down doors, and let Li Xiaosi handle the interrogations.

With Li Miao's personal cultivation, in a few years, two peak experts and one Great Shaman under his command... wouldn't that allow Li Miao to live the wonderful life of just signing papers, stamping seals, and collecting money?

By then, even if he were made a Guard Commander, it wouldn't disturb Li Miao's life.

Thinking of this, Li Miao smiled and said, "You call yourselves Master and disciple, but in reality, you are foster mother and daughter. It's good to talk things out."

"I won't stay any longer; I haven't even finished my meal. You two have a good talk tonight."

"Don't delay the important business of Baishan tomorrow."

Having said that, he walked out of the room on his own, leaving Mei Qinghe and Liu Baiyun to smile at each other.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 50 =====