Chapter 55 055 Protecting Your Highness is still young and not yet a woman...
Ah Meng thought she had hidden herself well, but she secretly peeked at her master and his paintings.
Little did she know, her shadow had already betrayed her.
"Why are you slacking off again?" the boy said calmly, without turning his head or stopping his painting.
If it were when she first became a disciple, Ah Meng would have been afraid when she heard her master question her with such a cold expression. But now she had already figured out her master's temper. Not only was she not afraid, but she also took advantage of the situation and jumped onto her master's back.
They wrapped their arms around their master's neck, peeked over his shoulders, and openly looked at the painting.
"Is the painting of your beloved by Master?"
The boy glanced at his shoulder; the little girl's messy hair tickled him. He was silent for a moment, but ultimately didn't throw her off.
"Do you know what a sweetheart is?" The cold tone carried a hint of sarcasm.
This brat isn't practicing properly; where did he hear these new words from?
Ameng retorted, "Of course I know! A sweetheart is someone you hold dear in your heart. Yinye and the other palace maids all say, 'Master, you have a sweetheart and don't even look at other women.' But I think they're wrong!"
"Oh? What's wrong?"
The master's curiosity was finally piqued.
A-Meng climbed off her master's neck, took short strides, and walked around from behind her master to the front. She put one hand on her hip and pointed the other thumb at herself with an air of importance.
"Me? I'm a woman too, but my master can see me!"
The boy's usually cold eyes reflected the little bundle in front of him, and a slight smile finally appeared. He gently pinched the little girl's two buns with both hands.
"Your Highness is not yet grown up and is not considered a woman."
Ah Meng's smug little expression immediately dimmed.
"Then...when I grow up and become a woman, will I be able to become Master's beloved?"
The boy paid no attention to the child's innocent words, his gaze sweeping over the little girl standing in front of the painting before returning to the painting itself.
"When Your Highness grows up, someone will naturally take you as their beloved."
Ah Meng was too young to understand complex meanings. She simply thought that her master had agreed to her request, that she could become her master's sweetheart when she grew up, and that her master would then carefully draw her into his paintings, making her beautiful.
She felt happy inside, and looked at her master with a smile.
But Master's expression suddenly turned very ugly.
"Ameng, run!"
A-Meng was pushed to the ground by her master, still dazed, vaguely sensing a warm, foul-smelling breath coming from behind her.
She obediently got up and ran a few steps forward, but quickly realized what was happening, turned around, and stared in fright.
The master was currently locked in combat with a giant python.
The ghost realm is not lacking in python demons and snake monsters. A-Meng has seen many pythons larger than the one in front of her since she was a child. In fact, this python, whose head is about the same size as her master's head, is nothing to brag about.
But at this moment, A-Meng was so terrified because she saw the patterns on the python's body—
Black and silver vertical stripes run from head to tail across the python's body, interspersed with triangular silver sequin patterns. Ever since A-Meng could remember, the palace maids had taught her that these were the patterns on the Spirit-Devouring Python.
If you see this thing, don't do or think about anything, just run!
The Spirit-Devouring Python is the natural enemy of ghosts. This creature is neither demon, spirit, monster, nor immortal; it feeds exclusively on spirits, especially ghosts and spirits that are heavy with yin energy and have lost the protection of their physical bodies. These spirits are extremely attractive to the Spirit-Devouring Python.
This thing is extremely malevolent; it grows stronger when it encounters a strong opponent. If one were to fight against multiple opponents, its strength would equal the sum of all its enemies. Therefore, even the bravest warriors in the ghost realm would find it difficult to escape once they are entangled with it.
The only way to counter it is to ambush it, and kill it in one blow before it can bring the attacker into its range!
However, in that brief moment of pause, A-Meng saw that her master had been pounced on by the spirit-devouring python and bitten several times. Black energy was gushing from the wounds, showing signs of the spirit body dissipating.
A-Meng was terrified. Her master told her to run, but what would happen to him if she ran? He would be eaten by the Spirit-Devouring Python!
General Meng seemed to be intentionally dragging the Spirit-Devouring Python away from the direction Ah Meng was trying to escape, so Ah Meng could have run away at this moment. But the little princess stood there for a moment, thought for a moment, then turned around and ran to the weapon rack on the other side of the training ground, and took a bow and arrows.
She drew her bow, nocked an arrow, and aimed at the head of the spirit-devouring python; her hand was still trembling.
The master was still fighting fiercely against the Spirit-Devouring Python. The two figures were constantly intertwined. It was unknown whether this arrow would kill the Spirit-Devouring Python or betray the master and ancestors.
If she makes a mistake, even if she doesn't harm her master, and the Spirit-Devouring Python takes her into its territory, she will likely find it difficult to escape.
At the critical moment, the little girl's eyelashes trembled as she closed her eyes, recalling the scene when her master frightened her to tears when she was learning archery.
At that time, because she lacked strength in her hands, her hands always trembled when she drew the bow. She practiced for many days but still couldn't hit the target. Her master told her to practice drawing the bow without a bow to build up her strength, but she refused to endure the hardship and was always lazy. When drawing the bow without a bow, she would just pretend to draw it without putting in any effort.
One day, her master asked her to draw the bowstring to its fullest extent, and then personally nocked the sharpest arrow for her, pressing the arrowhead against his own forehead.
“If Your Highness cannot hold on, this arrow will pierce my head, and at that distance, my blood will splatter onto Your Highness’s face.”
At that moment, those dark, calm eyes stared at her without any emotion, like a whirlpool.
She was terrified and cried, but dared not slacken her efforts. She pulled the bowstring taut. When she returned to the palace that night after training, her arm ached so much that she could not move it, and her palms were chafed. She nestled in her mother's arms and sobbed uncontrollably.
She was convinced that her mother would see how pitiful she was and order her master to be severely punished.
But when her mother gently patted her to comfort her, she only said indifferently, "Your master... is really crazy."
After that, he seemed more at ease entrusting her to his master's instruction...
Her slightly curled eyelashes trembled, and when A-Meng opened her eyes again, the fear in them had vanished completely.
Her gaze gradually calmed, revealing a determination beyond her years. She stood like a stone statue, unmoved by the ever-changing rays of light falling from the ghostly sky.
"Release the arrow, just as I taught you."
It seemed as if his master's teachings were echoing in his ears once again.
Ah Meng's eyes narrowed slightly, her beautiful pupils radiating a dazzling light.
In the instant that General Meng and the Spirit-Devouring Python separated, an arrow pierced through the air, striking the python's head and then, accompanied by billowing black smoke, passing through its skull!
With a piercing scream, General Meng kicked the python hard in its vital spot.
Struck by two fatal blows at the same time, the Spirit-Devouring Python convulsed twice, the red light in its eyes went out like a lamp, its body went limp, and it crashed heavily to the ground, finally turning into a wisp of black smoke and dissipating.
"Release the arrow, just as I taught you."
"Only when you can hit the bullseye can you protect yourself and the people you want to protect."
A Meng fired an arrow with all her might, and the moment she saw the Spirit-Devouring Python dissipate, she finally exhausted the last bit of mental strength she had been holding on to.
Her master hadn't lied to her after all.
Now she can finally protect the people she wants to protect.
Before losing consciousness, the little girl curled her lips into a satisfied smile.
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