"Hm?" Xing Yuan was puzzled, somewhat disbelieving.
How had she never noticed before that that cowardly Zhang Can was so brave?
He seemed to have forgotten the days he was exploited under Situ Ying, did he think she was truly harmless just because she had retracted her fangs?
Not only Xing Yuan, but Situ Ying also found his thoughts incomprehensible.
Others might not know, but did Zhang Can, who was in the same place as her, not know how much influence she still had under her command?
At the very least, killing him wouldn't be a problem.
Situ Ying glanced at Xing Yuan and asked with concern, "Teacher, if I kill her, you shouldn't have any objections, right?"
Situ Ying hadn't uttered this title in many years, and for a moment, she felt a sense of daze, recalling those difficult yet warm years. A strange melancholy arose in her heart.
"Cough! I have no objections, but what if it wasn't him! After all, you both grew up under my watch. However, since he made a move against you, then retaliating is acceptable, but you should at least have conclusive evidence!"
Xing Yuan still felt that Zhang Can didn't have the guts, but Situ Ying sneered and immediately took Xing Yuan to another of her undisclosed chapels.
"Of course, I have evidence. A few days ago, I noticed his gaze towards me was wrong. I specifically found a few people to follow him, and as expected, if I hadn't considered our fellow disciple relationship, how would it have escalated to this point."
Situ Ying said fiercely, hatred in her eyes.
In the battle between her and Zhang Can, many of her people had perished, including fellow disciples.
That little one who had followed her since childhood and later grew up saying he wanted to protect her.
Although she had never had any other feelings for him, he had died for her. For reasons of sentiment and principle, this revenge had to be exacted.
"Alright!" Xing Yuan sighed, her face etched with weariness. "You've all grown up and have your own ideas. You're no longer the children I could control back then."
Situ Ying pursed her lips, a multitude of complex emotions flashing in her eyes, but in the end, it only turned into a sigh. "Teacher, I'm very sorry."
We have failed your expectations and haven't grown up to be harmonious. Although he made the first move, she also felt a sense of guilt.
Xing Yuan waved her hand. "You don't need to be like this. I know you're in a difficult position.
Although I'm old, I'm not unreasonable. Do whatever you want to do! It's just... you're all my flesh and blood. I won't interfere in your affairs."
Situ Ying felt a slight relief and nodded. "Okay."
This was good enough. She had the ability to handle the remaining matters with her own strength.
Situ Ying had a troop under her command. Just as she had been taken in by her teacher back then, her soldiers were also ones she had picked up one by one.
She had cultivated them wholeheartedly. To them, she was not just their leader, but their faith.
Except for a very few individuals, they never defied her decisions, even if the path ahead was extremely perilous.
After the full-scale war broke out, there was no truly safe place in this world. Battles were raging everywhere. So, when Situ Ying directly stormed into Zhang Can's home, no one was surprised.
She broke down the door, but only Zhang Can was inside.
He sat calmly at the table, as if waiting for death.
Situ Ying, radiating a chilling aura, couldn't help but pause.
She sneered and raised her gun. "What, you know you deserve to die for what you've done!"
Zhang Can was calm, his eyes like a still pond, the white hairs at his temples appearing so prominent now.
"Yes, I deserve to die." He stated the fact calmly.
"I should have died many years ago. I just didn't expect that the one to end me would be you."
She was outstanding and decisive, the person he had adored in his youth. Yet, ultimately, she couldn't compare to the power that was within his grasp.
From the moment he decided to make a move against her, he knew it was either her death or his own. But he had no choice, because he had finally developed a weakness.
He had initially only sought revenge for his family, but when did it change?
Perhaps it was when he discovered the benefits of power.
He had once groveled before others, but after gaining power, they were only fit to grovel before him. For this, he didn't care even if he was branded a traitor.
Just as their teacher had taught them, strength was the fundamental basis of everything.
He thought of many things but remained silent.
Situ Ying gazed at him coldly. "For the sake of our fellow disciples, I will allow you to say one last word."
"Haha~" Zhang Can laughed, tears streaming down his cheeks uncontrollably. "You are truly generous!"
Zhang Can's eyes dimmed. He unconsciously clenched his fingers and said gently,
"A last word? Indeed, I do. Please convey a message to Teacher for me, Senior Sister. It was me who accidentally let it slip back then. I didn't know that Teacher's secret was such a valuable thing."
Situ Ying's expression sharpened, and she fired a shot into Zhang Can's left arm. "What did you say? The incident where we were separated and pursued back then, was it all because of you?"
Xing Yuan had hidden the secret of her body very well, but no matter how well it was hidden, there would always be times when it was inadvertently exposed.
Especially when injured, her wounds healed so quickly that even a child could sense something was wrong.
Children were also a species that favored favoritism.
There was no other way. Xing Yuan had to reveal some of the differences in her body from ordinary people in the form of a secret.
However, while children would be happy because of secrets, there were always some children who were careless and didn't understand the importance of secrets.
Zhang Can was such a child in his youth. It wasn't until he was coaxed with a few candies and revealed everything he knew that he tried to speak less from then on.
A burning hatred appeared in Situ Ying's eyes, more intense than the hatred she felt when Zhang Can had tried to kill her before.
"Killing you is too good for you. You should have personally apologized to Teacher."
Zhang Can looked surprised, his eyes widening in astonishment, followed by resistance.
No, he absolutely could not show such a vulnerable side in front of Teacher, confessing his wrongdoings for her to judge.
He could die, and he could let Teacher know everything, but the one to judge him absolutely could not be Teacher.
Zhang Can's eyes showed extreme unease. In the next second, he stood up. "Okay, I'll go back with you."
But before he could take two steps, Zhang Can's eyes hardened as he slammed himself against the wall, his head bleeding profusely.
Zhang Can's action was too fast, too fast for Situ Ying to react. By the time she reached Zhang Can, she found that his breathing had completely ceased.
Situ Ying sighed softly. If she had known this would happen today, why had she done it in the first place?