{Meng Tao's POV}
My back hit the ground for what felt like the hundreth time today.
'I did not think this through. The risk I took was calculated, but math had always been my weakest subject.'
For a second I simply looked at the sky that had slowly turned a burnt orange color. There was no pain in my body. As a matter of fact, I just felt extremely relaxed. If not for the fact that I have been thrown around constantly, I could even say I was enjoying myself.
It took an hour to realize that simply having increased durability did little when my fighting experience could be counted on one hand. Never mind that I was fighting someone who made Kung Fu movies look realistic by comparison.
I brought myself back to my feet and looked at the man opposite to me. While he has been throwing me all around the courtyard for hours, he did not look pleased in the slightest. Instead, Song Chu's martial arts garb was soaked in sweat, and his breathing was uneven.
A few hours ago he was still fresh and would throw out a taunting comment every so often.
"Come on, Lord Meng!"
"You've got to be quicker than that!"
"Why are you punching the air so enthusiastically? How did it piss you off?"
Those taunts ended around the two-hour mark when he noticed that I was taking no damage whatsoever. It did not matter how hard he threw me. No matter where he punched me or how many spins his kicks had, they could not even bruise my skin.
Honestly, at some point my goal changed from beating him to simply wearing him down until he couldn't continue. I may not be able to hit him with my current skills, but nothing he could do could do anything to me.
"Hahh Hahh, Wh-why do you keep getting up!?" His breaths came out in pants, and his limbs were slightly trembling from the exertion.
I did not answer. I simply rushed him again, aiming a haymaker at his face. While not as fresh as he once was, he still manages to parry my arm away and retaliate with a kick. If it was earlier in the fight, then that kick would have sent me flying again. However, the same move could only work so many times, and at this point I was fairly sure I had seen most of his moves.
Dodging to the side, I clutch his leg and press forward, making him lose his balance slightly. When he tried to hop back to regain his balance, I tripped his remaining leg with mine and transitioned into a tackle.
In several quick motions I found myself sitting on top of Song Chu in what MMA enthusiasts would call full mount.
'Thank you Y*utube!'
I let a savage grin appear on my face. After getting thrown around for several hours and weeks of bogus training, I felt like it was time to get some payback.
"Wait! Hold u—"
I ignored him and started to throw punch after punch at his face. While most of them missed, I had an advantage. Even if I hit the ground, it causes me no damage or pain. For every ten punches he managed to dodge, three more punches hit him square in the face.
"Ahh!"
"Quit it!"
"Not the face!"
I disregarded everything, and it was only when I was tired that my punches started to slow down. Song Chu took that change to buck me free. However, like usual, in less than three seconds I was already back up, guard up, and ready to fight some more.
"Wait, wait! Let's call it here, Lord Meng!" His face had turned into a sorry sight. His left eye had turned black-blue, parts of his forehead began to swell, and his lip was split and leaking blood.
After releasing that frustration I felt much better. I slowly lowered my guard and let out a smile.
"Sure, thanks for your instruction today, Song Chu."
The man got up from his place on the ground and calmed his breathing down.
"Errm, City Lord, about today's payment..." Song Chu, for once, seemed humble.
Without losing my grin, I handed him the usual fee and turned to leave. However, Song Chu raised his voice again to stop me.
"Lord Meng, actually if possible, I would like next month's fee upfront. After all, our training has gotten more intense, and I think it would really deepen our relationship as teacher and student." The man managed to make his face look honest, as if he really was doing all of this for me.
However, I narrowed my eyes at him. I was already paying him a significant amount for simply telling me to run laps and do other basic training. The only real benefit he had was his ability to break my staff; however, that was no longer the case.
'I had planned to let you go, but this is fine too. At least I wont feel as bad.'
I quickly put on my customer service smile and readily nodded.
"Of course, Maid Shi tell Cao Peng to bring me a month's worth of tutoring fees here at once." I spoke to the maid that had been waiting on standby near the entrance of the courtyard. She simply gave me a bow and then left to do her assigned task.
After a few minutes Cao Peng showed up with a large pouch of money and handed it to Song Chu. As the heavy pouch touched his hand, I could see the frustration from today's training fade and be replaced with a smile that said everything went according to plan. Seeing everything was in order, Song Chu quickly left the courtyard to do who knows what.
As soon as he left, the smile on my face disappeared, and I started to stare at the nuisance leaving the area.
"My Lord—" Before Cao Peng could finish, I asked him a question.
"You are strong, right, Cao Peng?"
"Of course, my Lord, I am a master martial artist." I felt my eyes widen slightly as I heard that. To think a high-level exp bag was right next to me the whole time. However, I quickly brought my attention back to the topic at hand.
"In that case, do me a favor and get my money back. Teach him a lesson while you are there if you would." I spoke while knowing the dirt off of my clothes; however, even looking away, I could feel the mirth coming off of of Cao Peng as I gave the order.
"At once, Lord Meng!"
{Meng Mei's POV}
I sat on my chair near the window rocking Feng to sleep while watching my husband get thrown about by that insect. While the durability displayed by him was impressive, seeing him touched by that pest irritated me. Even the sight of Meng Tao repeatedly punching his face did little to alleviate my ire.
"The audacity of that ant!" My furious whispers seemed to cause feng to shift in my arms.
The time after the birth of my son had been adequate; one could even say pleasant. Unlike the rest of this primitive planet, there were actually some interesting personalities among the apes here. Especially the personality of my husband. So full of ideas but still so naive and inexperienced. However, the adorable part is that he knows that he lacks experience and is willing to listen to advice and suggestions.
Some of the ideas he had reminded me of how some clans back home run things. The fact that he was willing to include me only made me think better of him. It was to the point that I was willing to spend more time with him and continue to cook for him.
However, several weeks ago he recruited his "tutor." The pest that does nothing but try to leech money from his betters. And judging by the face of that fool of a marshal these past weeks, I bet he is in on it. So when I saw Meng Tao hand over a large sum of money, I decided then and there that enough was enough.
"Zhou Fan." I spoke lightly in the empty room.
"Yes, Mistress?" To most people's eyes, it would seem as if Zhou Fan had materialized behind me out of nowhere.
"Go retrieve that money from the ant that has been leeching money from my husband." I readjusted Feng, who had woken up in my arms. "Also, teach that fool why he shouldn't try and swindle his betters. Give him a lesson that he will never forget."
"At once." Zhou Fan vanished in thin air.
Fully awake, Feng began to babble adorably.
"Ahh ahh Annnn. Tuh," Feng tried to enunciate.
"That's right, baby, an ant. I'm so proud of you," I praised Feng and lowered my top to feed him.
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