Ji Lun and Bai Sha locked eyes on each other's vulnerabilities, trading blows back and forth for several rounds. Bai Sha's attacks grew increasingly decisive, increasingly ruthless.
Her hands danced across the control panel like phantoms, and the mech, previously staggering due to damaged joints, suddenly charged straight toward Ji Lun. In mid-air, she twisted her blade, unleashing a dazzling arc of starlight that sliced through the air like a bolt of lightning.
The scattered dust leaves were swept aside in an instant.
The black mech couldn't dodge the strike. It could only raise its arms to shield its vital points, enduring the searing heat of the light sword.
With a grating clank, the sound of the mech's arm being pierced was jarringly sharp.
The black mech seized the moment to retreat, one hand gripping its already damaged arm, pulling away from Bai Sha.
In the next second, without hesitation, the black mech tore off its now useless limb.
Bai Sha watched as sparks flared and fizzled, stunned by Ji Lun's actions—his mental link was still connected to the mech, wasn't it? To rip off its arm like that? Even if he had adjusted the sensory sync rate to the minimum, it would still cause him significant pain.
In the split second Bai Sha was caught off guard, Ji Lun's black mech glided toward her like a specter. A sharp, piercing sound cut through the airflow, rushing toward Bai Sha's ears.
Bang, bang.
Two silent shots from a hidden weapon completely shattered Bai Sha's already heavily damaged mech.
It was an entirely unfamiliar sensation.
Bai Sha stared in disbelief as her mech disintegrated, as if she had suddenly plunged into a void. Her vision went dark.
In the next moment, massive, translucent ripples emanated from her body, spreading outward with overwhelming force.
The shadow of a mysterious bird materialized behind her, its wings unfurling abruptly. The edges of its feathers shimmered with radiant hues, as if burning with blue flames.
The giant bird raised its head and let out a cry, its ferocious mental energy intertwining, sweeping across the entire training field like a hurricane.
"…"
"Your Highness…"
"Your Highness! Are you alright?"
The calls pulled Bai Sha back to reality.
A sharp headache throbbed in her skull. She clutched her head, opened her eyes, and found herself sitting amid a pile of rubble. The severely damaged mech lay in a heap nearby, her body covered in leaves and dust.
"Your Highness, are you okay?"
The question came again from above.
Bai Sha looked up to see Ji Lun kneeling on one knee before her, his amber-gold eyes gazing at her with a hint of urgency.
"I'm fine," Bai Sha blinked, feeling she had mostly recovered. She grabbed Ji Lun's arm to stand, glancing around at the scene, her brows twitching. "This… Did I do all this?"
"It was an instinctive self-defense response from your mental entity," Ji Lun explained. "It might be because your mech was destroyed for the first time, which affected your mental state. But this kind of reaction usually only happens once. Next time, you'll be mentally prepared and get used to it."
Bai Sha: "Next time?"
Ji Lun fell silent for a moment, his gaze dropping slightly. "My apologies. Perhaps I was too heavy-handed. If you don't wish to continue training, I'll escort you back to Youdu Star immediately."
Bai Sha quickly shook her head. "No, I don't mean I want to stop… It's just, I've made such a mess of your training field. I'm sorry. I'll cover the costs to repair it."
"No need. I have several other training fields like this. We can continue anytime," Ji Lun said, lifting his head.
For some reason, Bai Sha thought he resembled a black panther perking up its ears.
"Let's take a break first. You might not be tired, but I am," Bai Sha said, sitting cross-legged on the ground. She could feel her mental energy reserves had significantly depleted. "General Ji Lun, you really don't hold back. You nearly gave me psychological trauma…"
Ji Lun's gaze dropped again.
Bai Sha: "Ahem, well, I could use a little emotional comfort right now…"
Ji Lun: "…"
He didn't move, but at his feet, a sleek, glossy black panther materialized.
Bai Sha's eyes lit up instantly.
The panther let out a low growl—not loud enough to stir the air, more like a playful or emotional expression.
It swayed its tail back and forth, gracefully stepping to Bai Sha's side, squinting its eyes as it nuzzled her palm.
Barely containing her excitement, Bai Sha gently raised her hand—and began petting the panther.
Bai Sha and the mental entity, one human and one panther, played with unrestrained enthusiasm. Ji Lun, however, stood there like an outsider—though not entirely detached. Bai Sha's petting of the panther still affected him: from behind, his ears were faintly tinged with red.
After five minutes of playing with the panther, Ji Lun abruptly recalled his mental entity.
"That's enough," Ji Lun said. "Rest a bit more, and we'll head to the next training field."
Bai Sha reached out longingly into the air, instinctively grabbing the hem of Ji Lun's clothing.
Bai Sha: "That was way too short."
Without turning to look at her, Ji Lun spoke with forced patience, his voice taut. "His Majesty sent you here for special training, not to waste time on frivolous distractions."
"Interacting with a mental entity counts as a frivolous distraction?" Bai Sha persisted, playing coy. "That panther isn't my pet cat—" She cut herself off, realizing her words.
Good thing you know it's a panther, not your house cat, Ji Lun thought to himself. The words circled in his mind but came out as: "If you can win one round, I'll let you play with it for an hour."
Bai Sha: "…Seriously?"
Ji Lun: "I won't go back on my word."
Unfortunately, in the hours of special training that followed, Ji Lun unleashed his true strength. Bai Sha didn't manage to touch a single hair on the panther and instead took a beating.
But this kind of beating was expected and well-calibrated. Ji Lun's training methods were undeniably effective. Though he wasn't a formal instructor, he had a keen ability to pinpoint Bai Sha's weaknesses, forcing her to reflect and improve through combat. After a few sessions, Bai Sha felt she had gained invaluable insights.
The learning efficiency was indeed high.
The only downside was that her desire to "pet the panther" lingered throughout the days of training, eventually becoming an obsession.
After the training concluded, Bai Sha returned to Youdu Star on her own.
As soon as she met the Emperor, Cecil Ronin gave her a once-over and asked, "How did the training go?"
"Not bad," she replied.
Bai Sha's body bore faint scratches, but after a session in the healing pod, the wounds had fully closed, leaving only a few white scars on her skin—like delicate etchings on flawless jade.
Yet her entire demeanor had shifted, becoming more restrained, like a sheathed blade. Only those who drew close would sense the chilling edge she now carried.
The Emperor nodded with satisfaction and pride at Bai Sha's growth. Then he heard his niece say in a pleading tone:
"Uncle, can we keep a panther?