Who is being conquered?

Xue Yi turned around and gently tugged his sleeve. "I'm not joking. I've always wanted to thank you. Whether it's as partners during missions or for looking after my little sister in everyday life, you've helped me so much. Really, I'm very grateful..."

"It's nothing, aren't we friends?" Bai Jun smiled and reached out, ruffling her hair until her soft black locks were a mess.

"Friends... Yes, we are friends..."

Xue Yi thought of the manga she had just seen. After speaking, she mimicked the characters, holding a flower branch in her mouth, her delicate face slowly leaning towards Bai Jun.

"Ah, thank you..."

Bai Jun knew Xue Yi well and suspected someone with ill intentions had taught her this. Even so, seeing her delicate face drawing closer, his heart started to race. He swallowed and reached out to take the flowers.

But as soon as his hand was halfway extended, Xue Yi forcefully pushed it down.

Xue Yi, still holding the flowers in her mouth, shook her head at him and leaned even closer, her intentions obvious.

Bai Jun hesitated, about to remind her that this wasn't appropriate, when Xue Yi seized the opportunity to wrap her arms around his waist.

"This is a gift between friends."

She took a step forward, cupped Bai Jun's cheek with her right hand, and finally stood on tiptoe.

Her soft, cool lips met Bai Jun's. He widened his eyes in surprise. Fortunately, the clumsy kiss only lasted a few seconds before Xue Yi slowly lowered her head, a hint of fluster on her face.

The beating in her chest quickened, and her breathing grew warmer. Compared to instinct, what was spreading through Xue Yi's heart was an unknown emotion, pure and fervent.

Xue Yi didn't understand what these emotions were within the mechanical body of a puppet, but she was hesitant to meet Bai Jun's gaze.

"I... I need to report back to the Ten Lords Bureau soon. Goodbye..."

With that, Xue Yi fled in a panic, leaving Bai Jun standing there, stunned.

He vigorously ran his hands through his hair and suddenly let out a laugh.

"A short-lived person won't meet a mechanical girl? Heh, that seems rather interesting..." Bai Jun bent down to pick up the manga Xue Yi had dropped in her haste. Looking at the beautifully packaged cover, his expression turned somewhat somber.

"Sigh, but if that day truly comes, what will I do then..."

Ten Lords Bureau, Yōqiú Prison

"Ah, Lord Han Ya, you're finally back!"

Hearing Han Ya's footsteps, Huo Huo, buried in a mountain of documents, poked her head out and greeted her with a happy expression. "Lord Xue Yi just returned too... Why... why do you look so upset?"

Since it was Xue Yi's Return to Life day, Huo Huo naturally assumed Han Ya had gone shopping with Xue Yi. But as she was about to ask how their outing went, she noticed Han Ya's unusually... dejected expression.

"It's nothing. You've worked hard, Huo Huo." Han Ya forced a smile and walked over, gently ruffling Huo Huo's hair. Instead of heading to her work desk, she turned towards her room.

"I'm a bit tired today. I'm going back to rest."

Watching Han Ya's lonely retreating figure, Huo Huo then remembered that Xue Yi had also seemed a bit nervous when she returned. "What happened between the two of you tonight... Did you have a fight?"

To Huo Huo, Han Ya was her savior, and Xue Yi was a senior who had always taken good care of her. Seeing that they might be having a conflict, Huo Huo bit her finger in distress, unsure of what to do.

"Hmph, I have a feeling there's a very subtle atmosphere. They probably both have a crush on the same man."

The untimely teasing from her tail made the usually gentle Huo Huo unusually angry. "N-no, don't talk nonsense! They are both seniors I respect, how... how could they possibly... like the same man."

Unfortunately, her imposing demeanor lasted only halfway before she reverted to her usual state.

"Oh, if you could have finished with that initial spirit, perhaps I might have thought more highly of you, Potato Cube."

"W-who are you calling Potato Cube!"

"You are, you are, you are, you are!"

"Wuwuwu~"

Chapter 59: Bai Jun, You're So Strong

"Good morning! How did you sleep last night?"

Early in the morning, the warm-hearted Su Shang knocked on Bai Jun's door with the door-sized Xuanyuan Sword, greeting him with the most sincere morning wishes.

"What are you shouting about so early in the morning..."

However, compared to the bursting-with-energy Su Shang, Bai Jun's condition was not as good. He was leaning against the doorframe with a dispirited expression, his handsome face etched with fatigue. His medium-length silver hair was messily draped over his shoulders, and he was casually wrapped in a plaid thin blanket.

Due to the events of last night, he had only gotten home past midnight and had barely managed to fall asleep around four in the morning. And now, the time was...

"My dear Miss Su Shang, what on earth do you want from me at five-thirty in the morning?"

Bai Jun glanced at the wall clock behind him. It was not yet half-past five, meaning he hadn't even slept for two hours. He grumbled softly, his spirit low.

"The early bird catches the worm. My mother taught me to practice in the morning since I was little, so I wanted to ask if you'd like to practice sword fighting with me?"

"Hello, thank you, Xiaolongbao, goodbye!"

Su Shang stated her purpose, but before she could finish, the door slammed shut. Bai Jun gave a perfunctory reply and prepared to go back to sleep.

"Hey! No, no, no! I just arrived at Luofu and can't even tell which way is which. I'm afraid I'll get lost if I'm alone!"

Su Shang's urgent knocking came from outside the door again. Bai Jun indifferently rubbed his ears, returned to his futon, pulled his small blanket over himself, and closed his eyes, ready to sleep, letting Su Shang make a fuss outside.

But soon, he couldn't sleep at all.

Thump—!

A dull thud echoed from the entrance area by the door, like the sound of a heavy object losing support and crashing to the ground. Bai Jun seemed to realize something, and he suddenly jumped out of bed, running to his entryway. To his dismay, he was almost angered to death.

"Uh, Bai, Bai Jun, I didn't actually use much strength... Also, how much does it cost to replace a main door?"

Su Shang looked at the wooden door she had forcefully smashed down, instinctively retracting her small hands and wiping the cold sweat from her cheeks. Especially after noticing Bai Jun's disbelieving gaze, she guiltily shifted her eyes away.

And so, the door that had accompanied Bai Jun for nearly three years came to its end in this fashion, also taking away his sleepiness.

Things being as they were, Bai Jun wasn't one to fuss over details, nor was there any need to deliberately blame or resent Su Shang. He simply took her wallet and patted her shoulder earnestly, "Sigh, this isn't your fault, you don't need to worry about it. Come on, I'll go with you to practice sword fighting."

Su Shang was so touched by his magnanimity that her eyes welled up with little pearls, completely oblivious to the fact that her wallet contained her entire month's food expenses.

As they left, Bai Jun coincidentally propped up the broken door that Su Shang had dismantled, managing a flimsy barrier against any gentlemen. However, he didn't have anything valuable at home, so even if a thief were to break in, he figured they'd only lose some clothes, at most a worn-out radio if the thief happened to fancy it.

As it was still early, the streets of Changle Heaven were deserted, with only sparse figures occasionally visible. Pushing through the cold air, the two found an empty, open space and began their pre-practice warm-ups.

After stretching for less than ten minutes, Su Shang's face was flushed, sweat beaded on her forehead, and her breath carried the heat of exertion. She had thoroughly warmed up, dispelling the inertia from her long sleep, and her physical performance and mental state had reached their peak.

In contrast, Bai Jun showed no change after ten minutes, almost no sweat on his brow, his breathing perfectly calm, even yawning out of boredom.

"Bai Jun, are you really warming up? If you don't stretch your body sufficiently, you might get injured," Su Shang kindly reminded him.

"Ah, it's fine, it's fine, I know what I'm doing."

Bai Jun stretched, then picked up his saber, carrying it on his shoulder like an old man fishing. His casual attitude suggested he wasn't taking Su Shang seriously.

"Alright, but you need to be serious too, otherwise I'm afraid I'll hurt you."

Su Shang gripped the Xuanyuan Sword, heavier than a greatsword, holding it in an upper stance. Her gaze sharpened, exuding more of a swordsman's aura than before.

Sensing her change, Bai Jun showed no outward reaction, but inwardly he marveled that she was indeed a successor of the Great Void Sword Art. Gradually, Bai Jun also adopted a practical, battle-ready atmosphere.

Their lazy and sharp gazes met for a long time, yet Su Shang hesitated to make the first move.

Even though she had completely warmed up, and considering the weight and length of the Xuanyuan Sword, it would always be advantageous to attack proactively when facing a saber. Despite this, her intuition kept telling her not to act rashly; if she approached carelessly, she might easily be counterattacked.

Given this, Su Shang had to calm herself and consider her options.

After a few seconds, Bai Jun smiled.

"Using a heavy weapon but not attacking proactively? Then, I'll take the initiative."

With that, Bai Jun drew his saber with ease. Its pale blade glinted coldly in the frigid air. He lowered his stance slightly, deliberately signaling his attack intent to Su Shang.

Su Shang also channeled all her strength, preparing to parry any slash at any moment. In her judgment, as long as the Xuanyuan Sword could block his swiftest first strike, she could then leverage the Xuanyuan Sword's superior performance to suppress his slender saber.

However, in the next second, Bai Jun's figure completely vanished from her sight. Before she could react, an astonishing impact struck the Xuanyuan Sword.

The impact was so strong it made one doubt if the Xuanyuan Sword had been shattered. The immense force applied to the blade numbed Su Shang's hands to the point of immobility.

This is bad, I can't block this. I need to use the Great Void Sword Art to deflect the force...

Just as Su Shang recalled the Great Void Sword Art, a cold touch grazed her neck.

"So fast..."

Su Shang stared blankly at the pale saber that had appeared at her neck at some unknown time. Realizing her defeat, the Xuanyuan Sword clattered from her numb hands, and she herself fell to the ground in a seated position.

"You still need to practice. Because you only saw me holding a saber, did you focus solely on speed and neglect power? You need to learn to observe your opponent's entire body, pay attention to their every move, and don't always project your own fixed ideas onto the battle."

Bai Jun shook his head teasingly, sheathed his saber, and extended his hand to Su Shang, who was on the ground. "Alright, get up now. Don't you find the ground cold in the early morning?"

"...Thank you." Su Shang endured the numbness in her hands and slowly stood up, pulling on Bai Jun's hand.

"Do you want to continue?" Bai Jun picked up the Xuanyuan Sword from the ground, handed it back to Su Shang, and asked kindly.

Compared to Bai Jun, whose breathing remained calm, Su Shang's breath was disrupted by tension and pain. Nevertheless, she responded loudly, "Of course, this is just the beginning!"

To encounter such a powerful sparring partner, and for that person to be the usually unreliable Bai Jun, Su Shang was shocked. At the same time, a competitive spirit arose within her. If she couldn't even withstand this level of attack, she would be letting down her mother's years of guidance!

She took the Xuanyuan Sword, nodded at Bai Jun, and raised her sword.

"Alright, let's continue then."

The reason for her previous failure was her inability to anticipate Bai Jun's astonishing speed and power. This time, Su Shang adopted a 120% serious attitude, gripping the Xuanyuan Sword tightly, and chose to proactively attack in her most skilled manner.

She pushed off with her feet and sprinted forward, followed by the glint of her blade grazing the ground, tracing an extremely dangerous trajectory. With a low upward slash, she aimed directly for Bai Jun's legs.

A crisp metallic sound rang out as the raised greatsword clashed fiercely with the swinging saber. However, this was within Su Shang's plan. She poured all her strength into it, attempting to unbalance Bai Jun.

But Bai Jun's body remained unmoving as a mountain. Even though he blocked her Xuanyuan Sword in an awkward position, he still possessed the power to overpower her full-force attack.

Just as the two were in a fierce clash, at the very moment Su Shang thought this—Bai Jun's saber suddenly changed direction. It swept down along the side of the Xuanyuan Sword, launching a tricky slash towards her face.

"Guh!"

Su Shang's entire body, including her face, lurched backward. The saber narrowly missed her face, but the gust of wind it generated still clipped several strands of her hair.

"Not bad, you're quite capable, aren't you?"

Bai Jun didn't press his advantage. His eyes slightly drooped, and a smile played on his lips.

Su Shang, after quickly retreating to create distance from Bai Jun, thought of a way to counter. She then shifted the Xuanyuan Sword from a slash to a thrust. The massive blade, like a speeding train, charged into his attack range with a rapid step.

Bai Jun had been waiting. The moment the Xuanyuan Sword thrust forward, he redirected his saber, blocking her attack at an incredibly precise angle.

As a successor of the Great Void Sword Art, you must have a move you can execute with full confidence.

Her mother's teachings suddenly flashed before Su Shang's eyes. Thus, after her move missed, she didn't hesitate. She immediately lowered her center of gravity, stomped the ground with one leg, swung the Xuanyuan Sword, which was larger than a door panel, above her head with all her might, and brought it down in a single strike!

"Take this! Great Void Form!"

As Su Shang yelled and the sword on her body lit up, Bai Jun showed a slightly surprised expression, but that was all.

"The power is not bad, but it seems to lack accuracy."

Bai Jun, showing a hint of disappointment, sidestepped and easily dodged her Great Void Form. He then aimed, put force into his left leg, and powerfully kicked towards Su Shang's soft backside.

"Waaaah—!"

With a burst of intense pain, Su Shang was kicked flying onto the grass not far away. She rolled on the ground. Although hitting the grass was Bai Jun's final act of mercy, the powerful impact still sent her and the Xuanyuan Sword tumbling several times before she ended up face-first on the ground.

"Can you still go?"

Bai Jun, happy to have avenged his gate, walked over and casually picked up a branch to poke her head.

"Y-yes, I can!"

Enduring the shame of her backside being kicked, Su Shang got up from the grass, still full of energy, and responded loudly.

Then came the beatings, the being thrown around, and sometimes punches and kicks. After a full round of this, Su Shang collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath, her earlier vitality completely gone. However, the cold floor felt very comfortable, drawing away heat through her clothes.

"Do you want to continue?"

"N-no, I really can't..."

She didn't wipe away the sweat, or rather, she didn't even have the strength to wipe it away. Feeling the pain in various parts of her body, Su Shang gently closed her eyes, but quickly opened them again in resignation.

Looking at Bai Jun, whose condition hadn't changed from before the warm-up, Su Shang seemed to understand why he hadn't warmed up earlier—he probably felt that sparring with her didn't warrant a warm-up?

Su Shang sighed again, but she also felt convinced.

"You've worked hard. I was careful not to break or fracture your bones. How do you feel?" Bai Jun sat down beside her and asked casually.

"..." Hearing his words, Su Shang lay on the grass, moved her arms, and touched the painful spots. Her eyes showed some surprise. "That's right, it seems there's no problem. Although it hurts, it's just bruises and sprains."

The throbbing pain was mild, but it didn't affect her normal movements.