As Ling Yuning approached, Flower Shirong, who had no way to avoid him, surprisingly became calm.
This was the benefit of having over thirty years of social experience. Despite the sudden situation, she initially felt flustered and confused, but she quickly adjusted her state of mind and calmed herself down.
Ling Yuning took a few steps forward and suddenly leaped into the air, soaring over ten feet high. His body resembled a falcon as he struck down with a punch in mid-air.
Ling Yuning's movements were graceful and elegant, and his downward strike carried a powerful force.
If Flower Shirong were hit by this attack, she would undoubtedly be severely injured.
Ling Yuning put forth eighty percent of his strength in that punch.
However, why did Flower Shirong's expression remain so calm?
Was she scared silly?
Was she paralyzed with fear?
In mid-air, Ling Yuning took in the composed state of Flower Shirong, and although he had doubts in his mind, he didn't hold back in the strength of his attack.
As he watched Ling Yuning's fist approaching rapidly, Flower Shirong took a deep breath, flipped her right hand, and a dagger appeared in her hand.
It was a cold and chilling dagger.
Under the moonlight, it gleamed brilliantly.
Then, Flower Shirong made her move.
Instead of dodging, she rushed forward, directly facing Ling Yuning's downward strike, raising the dagger in her hand and charging at him.
An onslaught with a sense of embracing death!
Who will have the longer reach, your bare hands or my dagger?
Ling Yuhui was also taken aback, instantly understanding Flower Shirong's intention.
In a situation where she knew she was no match, Flower Shirong chose a strategy that would result in both parties being injured, wanting to go down together with Ling Yuning.
This kid has gone mad!
Ling Yuhui tried to warn Ling Yuning to be careful but found that due to nervousness, his mouth was open, but no sound came out.
As Ling Yuhui had anticipated, Flower Shirong had chosen a mutually destructive approach. Since she couldn't win and couldn't escape, she opted for a mutual demise.
In simple terms, it was a case of "the barefoot is not afraid of those who wear shoes."
Considering Ling Yuning's noble status as a member of the prestigious Yuning family, would he engage in a fight that would result in both parties being injured? Moreover, Flower Shirong had a dagger in her hand, and if it struck, it would be fatal.
Flower Shirong was gambling, betting on Ling Yuning's fear of death.
Indeed, Ling Yuning was afraid.
The punch he aimed at Flower Shirong's chest suddenly changed into a palm strike, aiming for Flower Shirong's arm, intending to knock the dagger away.
Unfortunately, he was suspended in mid-air with no leverage, and Flower Shirong's speed in closing in was also fast. Although his palm struck Flower Shirong's right arm, it only deflected the direction of the dagger.
The dagger still pierced into his chest.
Ling Yuning screamed in agony, falling to the ground. There was a blood hole in the outer side of his chest, and crimson blood gushed out profusely.
After being struck by Ling Yuning's arm, Flower Shirong's arm burned with intense pain. The dagger, stained with bloody red marks, trembled in her hand. Ling Yuning exerted all his strength to dislodge the dagger.
Enduring the pain, Flower Shirong's facial expression twisted grotesquely as she looked at Ling Yuhui and Ling Yuqing, then glanced at Ling Yuning writhing on the ground, a trace of mockery flickering in her eyes.
At that moment, the Flower Shirong in the eyes of Ling Yuhui and Ling Yuqing appeared like a sinister and malevolent demon, with a ferocious and chilling gaze directed at them. A sudden, bone-chilling shudder ran through their bodies.
In that instant, both of them felt fear.
"I made a vow that in this lifetime, when faced with danger, I will always have someone else take the blow first so that I can die as I should. Unfortunately, you have become the first!" Flower Shirong's voice was calm, devoid of any emotions, but carried a chilling and bone-piercing coldness that permeated their hearts.
Flower Shirong then turned her gaze to Ling Yuhui and Ling Yuqing.
"There's no need for you to provoke me either. Indeed, in terms of realm and strength, I am inferior to you. However, when I become someone else again, I've earned this wretched life. I'll live day by day, and when I'm not in a good mood, I might just go crazy and bite at any time!"
There was a significant element of intimidation in her words.
Who in this day and age complained about living too long? However, if she didn't instill fear in Ling Yuhui and Ling Yuqing right now, the next second would be the end for Flower Shirong.
Having finished speaking, Flower Shirong lightly wiped Ling Yuning a few times with the dagger, cleaning off the bloodstains, and then tucked it into her pouch.
Standing up, Flower Shirong no longer paid any attention to the two of them and walked straight towards the Jiazi Building.
At that moment, Ling Yuhui and Ling Yuqing were still in shock. It was only when they saw Ling Yuning writhing in pain on the ground that Ling Yuhui suddenly woke up and shouted in a hoarse and intense voice, "Lao Liutou, Lao Liutou! Help... help!"
He was terrified by the scene before him, and his voice trembled as he spoke.
The gatekeeper, who was not far from there, heard the call and walked over.
When he saw Ling Yuning lying injured on the ground, surrounded by pools of blood, he was also taken aback. He immediately stepped forward, swiftly using his hands to apply pressure around Ling Yuning's wound, causing the bleeding to stop instantly.
"Don't you know that fighting is not allowed in the quiet room?" Lao Liutou scolded loudly.
"But... Hua... Hua Shirong went mad and when she saw us approaching... she... she just... stabbed with a knife..." Ling Yuhui, though afraid, managed to explain the situation shakily.
"You quickly take the injured person to the medical room. I will report this truthfully to Master Hu Changjiao, and he will decide how to handle it. Young people nowadays really give no peace of mind!" Lao Liutou sternly declared.
Ling Yuhui and the other person quickly carried the injured Ling Yuning and left the quiet room, while Lao Liutou headed towards the Jiazi Building where Flower Shirong had gone.
At the entrance of the Jiazi Building, Lao Liutou stopped Flower Shirong.
Looking at Flower Shirong's indifferent expression, Lao Liutou shook his head and sighed softly, "Should I say you're ignorant or heartless?"
"Are you here to arrest me?" Flower Shirong appeared calm and unruffled.
"When someone is almost dead, can I act as if nothing happened? Wasn't the rule of the quiet room established for a reason? Fighting and violence are things of the past. Don't you understand the consequences of punishment?" Lao Liutou said.
"If someone wants to kill me, do you expect me to sit and wait for death? And then die a second time?" Flower Shirong's voice was calm, showing no signs of abnormality.
"Come with me. If you have anything to say, tell Hu Changjiao."
Lao Liutou understood very well that this matter was not trivial and could only be handled by Master Hu Changjiao.
Having said that, Lao Liutou turned and walked away, while Flower Shirong followed silently behind him.
At the entrance of the quiet courtyard stood a tall and slender old man with a white beard. His presence seemed to blend into the quiet courtyard, as serene as a mountain and as still as a tree. He seemed both insignificant and omnipresent.
As the two approached the courtyard gate, Lao Liutou greeted the old man and remained silent by the side.
Flower Shirong stepped forward and bowed, "Disciple Hua Shirong pays respects to Master Hu Changjiao!"
Master Hu Changjiao observed Flower Shirong for a long time before coldly stating, "Regardless of right or wrong, the quiet room strictly prohibits noise and violence. Offenders will be confined for thirty days. Considering that you have injured Ling Yuqing with a weapon, the offense is grave, and the punishment will be doubled. You will be confined for sixty days and have 500 credits deducted."
"Has the Ling family disciple who nearly killed me a few days ago received any punishment?" Flower Shirong didn't argue because it would be futile. He calmly posed his question.
"At the time, the situation was chaotic, and no one knew who was responsible. I could only deduct 500 credits from all the Ling family disciples who participated in the brawl and send them to the mine for labor," replied Master Hu Changjiao.
Flower Shirong burst into laughter. "Master Hu Changjiao is truly fair. Now I will tell you that it was Ling Yufeng who attacked me. You should go and arrest him."
"How can I trust your word alone?" Hu Mo's voice was calm, showing no signs of anger or joy.
"Aren't you currently relying on one side of the story?" Flower Shirong laughed. "They say I injured someone, and you believed them?"
"Can the injured Ling Yuqing fake his injuries?" Hu Mo's voice suddenly turned cold.
Flower Shirong laughed heartily and said, "Master Hu Changjiao, how can you be sure they didn't set up a false injury? They claimed I hurt them, but why am I completely unharmed despite facing three higher-level disciples, one of whom is at the first stage of the martial realm and surpasses me by multiple small realms?"
Hu Changjiao remained silent, calmly observing Flower Shirong. Apart from his profound gaze, there was no hint of emotion on his face.
However, Hu Changjiao's heart was also stirred: how could this usually unnoticed member of the Hua family suddenly become so eloquent? Faced with someone as authoritative and superior as himself, Flower Shirong showed no signs of fear.
"I will investigate the matter myself. You go and receive your punishment in the confinement room."
After a brief pause, Hu Changjiao gave Flower Shirong an answer—delaying the resolution. After all, when there was no conclusive evidence, one could simply prolong matters.
"I'll be in the confinement room, let's see how Master Hu Changjiao clears my name."
Having anticipated this outcome, Flower Shirong accepted the punishment calmly, without insistence or argument.
If one dared to harm others, they should be prepared for the appropriate punishment, and Flower Shirong was mentally prepared for it.
After speaking, Flower Shirong walked out of the quiet room's gate and headed towards the confinement room.
Flower Shirong accepted the punishment calmly, which surprised Hu Mo. He gazed at Flower Shirong's receding figure in a daze, remaining silent for a long time.
Lao Liutou glanced at Flower Shirong's departing figure and pondered, "Master, Flower Shirong's reasoning seems a bit twisted."
"Do you believe him?" Hu Mo chuckled. "Such pampered family disciples would usually make a fuss over a minor injury. How could they willingly maim themselves and shift the blame onto others? These kids haven't reached that level of maturity."
"It's Flower Shirong, though..." Hu Mo's brow furrowed slightly.
The confinement room was located next to the instructors' dormitory and was only a few hundred meters away.
At this moment, Flower Shirong stood in front of the confinement room, surveying the courtyard that he would face alone for the next two months.
Compared to the other courtyards in the academy, the confinement room's courtyard was smaller. Several scattered buildings stood in loneliness, with only a narrow stone path extending through the courtyard. The rest of the area was overgrown with tall weeds.
The gatekeeper was an elderly man with disheveled hair, nearing his seventies. He wore a gray-white robe tailored for the academy and had a slightly unsteady gait.
When the gatekeeper saw Flower Shirong entering the gate, he picked up a plaque and glanced at it, trembling as he recited, "Flower Shirong, guilty of causing injury, sixty days of confinement, deduction of 500 credits. It's quite serious!"
Even before Flower Shirong arrived, the people in the confinement room already knew the full details of the incident through the plaque.
"I'm innocent!" Flower Shirong said, handing over his own plaque.
"Everyone in the confinement room claims to be innocent."
While the old man spoke, his hands swiftly pressed two plaques. After hearing a "beep" sound, he glanced at it and furrowed his brow.
"Young man, you don't have enough credits."
Flower Shirong chuckled. It was unheard of to owe credits while being in confinement.
Could it be that insufficient credits would exempt him from confinement? Flower Shirong had a faint hope in his mind.