You're Strong But Now You're Mine

Logically speaking, Smile, as the initiator of the Immortal Palace plan, should be the first to leave without anyone else discovering his true form. However, if he leaves last, the others can wait outside to trace his tracks, which might expose his trail.

"Me?" Smile said, "Does a fish need to leave the rivers? Do trees need to leave the earth? Do birds leave the sky? I don't need to go. Next, witch."

Li Ying obeyed and left. As soon as she stepped out of the basement, she ran without looking back. After several minutes of twisting and turning, she finally reached the edge of the Imperial Academy. She jumped up to climb the wall and leave, then immediately removed her mask and black robe, casually throwing them into a river outside the Academy, and walked onto the grand avenue illuminated by street lamps.

Back when discussing with everyone at the Platinum Tower, Li Ying had already planned her escape route. Now she just needed to return to Vermilion Bird Alley to complete her mission for the night.

It was nine o'clock at night. Although it wasn't completely dark yet, aside from a few commercial streets, there weren't many people around. Most had already gone to bed. Along the way, there was nothing but the barking of dogs and the meowing of cats.

"Meow~~"

Li Ying saw a calico cat by the roadside and couldn't help but squat down to rub its back. This calico cat was plump and white, seemingly not fed by nearby residents, and wasn't averse to human interaction. However, while being rubbed, it kept meowing incessantly, behaving quite pesteringly.

"Stop meowing. If meowing was useful, I would have done it long ago." Li Ying patted the calico's butt, causing it to tremble with pleasure, and to meow even more enthusiastically.

Tap.

Hearing footsteps, Li Ying looked up and saw a familiar figure on the other side of the street. Surprised, she said, "Teacher Ying?"

"Student Li Ying?" The handsome and well-dressed middle-aged man was also surprised to see Li Ying. "Why are you wandering around outside this late?"

Ying Sheng, the Lingxu Battle Technique teacher at the Imperial Academy. Li Ying had been attending his classes all year. There were many Battle Technique teachers at the Academy, especially for the three popular techniques: Lingxu, Flying Flower, and Sword Mastery. Each technique typically had more than two teachers to supervise and guide students in their Battle Technique training.

As for the head coach Lou Yinhai, he was not responsible for teaching but for the revision and updating of Battle Techniques. Under his command was a team of over twenty people, known as the 'Imperial Academy Battle Technique Research Society,' reputed to be the most intense group of bachelors at the Academy, consisting entirely of brute enthusiasts who loved nothing more than fighting. Their task every day was to use simpler, more efficient techniques in a sealed space to overpower the brawny guy in front of them.

Rumor had it that Lou Yinhai had once given a Battle Technique class, but after a trial class, it was urgently stopped by Cha Huan—because after the class, over a hundred students ended up in the school's Medical Bureau; all due to Lou Yinhai's teaching philosophy of 'Can't techniques just be learned by fighting? Still can't learn? Then you're not fighting enough.'

"I came out to buy soy sauce."

"A female student shouldn't be out this late. The nights in Yanjing aren't safe, as there are frequent intrusions from outer district criminals. The Imperial Academy was just attacked a few days ago..." Ying Sheng sighed, "Hurry and go home."

"Mm-hmm!" Li Ying quickly stood up and started walking out of the street.

As they passed each other, Ying Sheng suddenly flickered, his left leg whipping out fiercely at Li Ying!

At the same time, Li Ying quickly drew her gun and aimed it at Ying Sheng!

Bam!

Ying Sheng casually dodged the bullet, then kicked Li Ying into a nearby alley, causing a flurry of cats and mice to scatter.

"Although you are often tired and lazy in class, with average learning ability, your reaction and judgment skills are the best I've seen among students," Ying Sheng walked into the alley as if strolling, "How did you know I was acting suspicious?"

"Cough... cough cough!" Li Ying struggled to stand against the wall, wiping blood from her mouth. Her legs were trembling, clearly indicating how much Ying Sheng's kick had hurt her, yet she chuckled coldly, "Just like female students shouldn't be out at night, male teachers shouldn't be out at night either."

"If I chose to leave by this path, it means others might take it as well. When I met you, Teacher Ying, it's just like you didn't believe I was here to buy soy sauce; why would I believe you were just passing by?"

"Did something change for you, Li Ying?" Ying Sheng praised, "Compared to your judgment and reflexes, your mental resilience is even more remarkable. Many can make the right decisions, but due to a hidden trace of luck and self-doubt, they often lose the initiative. Only those who've faced true calamity can firmly trust their instincts and follow their will."

Li Ying raised her gun aiming at Ying Sheng while slowly stepping back, "Are you going to kill me?"

Ying Sheng showed no fear of her gun, "Yes."

"Why? Because I joined the Immortal Palace?"

"Correct."

"But didn't you also join the Immortal Palace? Isn't the palace better off with more people?"

"To put it correctly, it's better off with 'our people,'" Ying Sheng said calmly, "You're with Shuiyun Palace. If you were to leak the Immortal Palace plan to Shuiyun Palace, it would be beyond control. We wouldn't obtain the Immortal Blood; Shuiyun Palace could then widen the gap with other Sword Masters, securing their victory. To prevent this, Li Ying, you can only disappear forever in this alley."

Li Ying reacted instantly.

"Are you with the other Sword Masters?"

"Or rather, I'm with the supporters behind the other Sword Masters," Ying Sheng said, "Once you stood by Shuiyun Palace, you should have foreseen this day. Success means unparalleled wealth and glory, living in peace and comfort. But more likely, you face this: dying namelessly in a back alley..."

"Don't struggle, your strength is too weak. Even with a gun, it's no use. Blocking that one kick was already good enough."

"The more you resist, the more you suffer," Ying Sheng sighed, "All I can do is make your suffering as swift as possible."

"Don't think you've won!" Li Ying shot at Ying Sheng, taking the opportunity to run towards the other end of the alley as he dodged.

However, Li Ying quickly stopped.

"Teacher Su?"

On the other side of the alley stood a tall, handsome young man, none other than Su Qian, the popular Sword Mastery teacher among students at the Academy. Although Li Ying preferred Teacher Wei Weiming's type, Teacher Su Qian was also a charming young man she admired.

However, Su Qian switched from his usual friendly smile to a gloomy and indifferent demeanor. The street lamp cast his shadow long, and he stood silently at the alley entrance, back to the light, caressing the hilt of his sword, which clearly displayed his stance.

Li Ying stepped back, her voice trembling, "How did you recognize me? Was it, was it because I dropped a novel just now, and you recognized me because of that!? You know me this well?"

"…I just recognized you by your voice," Ying Sheng said, having almost closed in on her.

"Student Li Ying, you have no way to escape. Please accept your fate obediently."

"I won't!" Li Ying aimed her gun at Ying Sheng, weakly threatening, "Stay back, or I'll—"

Ying Sheng laughed, "The Patrol and Punishment Department's patrol team is quite far from here; even if you screamed your lungs out, no one would come to save you."

"Is that so? I don't believe it." Li Ying suddenly smirked, pulling out a metal badge, she shouted confidently, "Broken throat!"

"Coming."

Ying Sheng's expression changed dramatically, he retreated a step instantly. The next moment, a red-haired figure descended from the sky, landing forcefully where he was previously, causing a ground-shattering explosion!

Boom!

Ying Sheng continued retreating rapidly, leaping ten meters in a single step, swiftly gliding towards the alley's exit like a phantom. However, the red-haired figure followed a ghostly shortcut, elegantly yet brutally catching up with Ying Sheng. In a state of panic, the red-haired figure grabbed Ying Sheng by the neck and slammed him against the sidewall!