Chapter 2—Bai Lu: Do You Desire Power? Do You Want to Change Your Fate?
"Second Miss, surrender obediently!"
"If you behave, we brothers can at least give you a quick death!"
"Gale Blade!"
Amid arrogant laughter, a Soul Elder suddenly waved his hand, sending wind blades tearing through the air toward Zhu Zhuqing's back.
"..."
Zhu Zhuqing bit her lower lip tightly, saying nothing. There was not the slightest trace of surrender or despair in her eyes.
Her first soul ring lit up beneath her feet. Hell Rush Stab activated, and with her speed suddenly doubled, she narrowly avoided the attack.
"Rock Demon Heavy Fist!"
The middle-aged Soul Ancestor shouted. Earth-yellow light condensed into a millstone-sized phantom fist that blocked Zhu Zhuqing's path forward.
The other four Soul Elders simultaneously activated their soul skills. Flames, ice spikes, wind blades, and shadow blades flew toward her, completely sealing off her remaining escape routes.
"Hell Hundred Claws!"
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes turned cold as she twisted her foot and changed direction.
Her claws tore through the air, producing countless afterimages. With sharp whistling sounds, she barely shattered part of the incoming wind blades.
She rolled tactically into the dense forest and ran deeper inside!
"After her!"
The Soul Ancestor led the pursuit. After only a few hundred meters, they suddenly saw the space ahead open up.
Zhu Zhuqing, whom they had been chasing, stood motionless in an open clearing.
"Hahaha… Didn't you love running? Why stop now?"
"Waiting for us to dote on you?"
The men laughed wildly.
But the moment they stepped into the clearing, their smiles froze.
Looking forward, they saw a gigantic White Tiger, covered in blood and emanating a terrifying aura, watching them with interest.
That expression was like one looking at ants.
"Th-this…"
The Soul Ancestor's face turned pale in shock.
Although the White Tiger before them was severely injured, the level of its aura far surpassed any soul beast he had ever seen.
Run! They had to run!
His soul rings flashed frantically beneath his feet, but his body refused to obey him. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't release a single soul skill.
"Tell me how exactly you were planning to dote on me?"
Bai Lu revealed a smile so chilling it seemed capable of corroding the soul.
A… a hundred-thousand-year soul beast?!
And a White Tiger?!
"S-Senior… you… Could you be the legendary God of Slaughter, White Tiger from White Tiger Forest?"
The Soul Ancestor stammered.
"Oh? You've heard my story?"
Bai Lu looked at him with interest.
After receiving confirmation, the Soul Ancestor felt a chill run through his entire body.
The four Soul Elders behind him turned pale as paper.
A hundred-thousand-year soul beast was a legendary, invincible existence—something only a Titled Douluo could confront.
And the God of Slaughter, White Tiger, was the nightmare of the Star Luo Empire's soul masters!
From an ordinary ten-thousand-year-old White Tiger hunted by others, it had slaughtered everything in its path and become the being known as the God of Slaughter White Tiger.
Even when a Titled Douluo personally intervened, they failed to capture it.
Even now, though Bai Lu was severely wounded, his presence still made souls tremble.
"S-Senior… this is a misunderstanding…"
The Soul Ancestor's legs went weak, forcing out a smile uglier than crying.
"A misunderstanding?"
A red glint flashed through Bai Lu's tiger eyes. "Then I'll misunderstand as well."
Without even standing up or raising a paw, a streak of golden light tore through the air.
It moved so fast that the Soul Ancestor only saw a blur.
The next second, his chest was pierced by a phantom tiger claw.
Puchi!
Wrapped in nearly tangible killing intent, the claw instantly shattered him, tearing his body into two halves.
After death, a faint, dust-like soul phantom floated out from the corpse—only to be swallowed by Bai Lu in one bite.
Dead, and even the soul was not spared.
"Your turn."
Bai Lu turned his gaze toward the four Soul Elders trembling in fear.
An invisible wave containing his killing intent spread outward, transforming into pure spiritual shock that struck them.
"Spareugh."
They didn't even have time to beg or scream before freezing in place.
Blood flowed from their seven orifices as they collapsed limply to the ground.
Even Zhu Zhuqing, standing nearby, felt her head spin, though she forced herself not to fall.
As the first intruder, she had actually survived until now.
Suppressing her fear, she looked up at Bai Lu.
Before she could do anything, Bai Lu turned his head toward her.
Those amber vertical pupils openly examined her, as though evaluating something.
"Little girl, what's your name?"
Zhu Zhuqing suppressed her shock and gritted her teeth.
"Zhu Zhuqing."
"Zhu Zhuqing…"
Bai Lu repeated the name, then calmly revealed her background.
"You're from the Zhu family of the Star Luo Empire, correct?"
How do you know?
Zhu Zhuqing instinctively wanted to ask, but only managed to say:
"Yes."
"I helped you deal with the assassins. Have you thought about how you'll repay me?"
Bai Lu smiled slightly. Combined with his injuries, the entire tiger looked terrifying.
Repay?
How could she possibly repay him?!
Zhu Zhuqing pressed her lips together, saying nothing. Despair radiated from her entire being.
She was only a Soul Grandmaster. She couldn't run, couldn't hide, and had no strength to negotiate or make promises.
Even persuasion was impossible; she simply wasn't good with words.
"Come here."
Bai Lu's gaze sharpened as he released a trace of pressure that enveloped the girl.
Zhu Zhuqing trembled, feeling her shoulders sink under the weight.
Knowing she could not resist a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, she clenched her teeth and slowly approached.
Each step was cautious and heavy.
She stopped three meters away.
"You… what do you want me to do?"
"That's not important. What matters is…"
Bai Lu did not answer directly. Instead, he spoke in a voice like a devil's whisper:
"Do you want to live?"
"Do you want power?"
"Do you want to control your own fate?"
"What do you mean?"
Each question struck Zhu Zhuqing's heart like a hammer.
The words "control your fate" seemed like a key unlocking the deepest desire in her heart.
Why had she escaped? Why was she being hunted? Why was she risking everything to grow stronger?
Wasn't it to change the destiny arranged by her family—to live openly and freely?
"Don't ask!"
Bai Lu's cold eyes stared at her.
"Answer me!"
"I do! I want to!"
Zhu Zhuqing's nails dug into her palm until blood flowed.
Her cold eyes met those red-gold tiger pupils, trying to see Bai Lu's true intentions.
She didn't believe anyone would help her for no reason.
Especially not a soul beast.
"Good!"
Bai Lu grinned, revealing a satisfied smile.
"My name is Bai Lu, a hundred-thousand-year soul beast. I will sacrifice myself to you and become the first intelligent soul ring in the history of the continent."
"Sacrifice?"
The words exploded in Zhu Zhuqing's mind like thunder.
A hundred-thousand-year soul beast offering sacrifice voluntarily? How was that possible?!
"Why me?"
Still stunned, Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help asking.
Even if Bai Lu appeared severely injured, so what?
If a hundred-thousand-year soul beast truly wanted to sacrifice itself, wouldn't it easily find a suitable "host"?
"Because I see unwillingness toward fate in your eyes."
Bai Lu's voice carried a hint of amusement and depth.
"And your martial soul is naturally compatible with me. You can contain my power to the greatest extent. With my help, you will have the possibility of becoming a god."
Become a god?!
That concept was far too distant for Zhu Zhuqing.
She only wanted to become stronger and live openly in this world, nothing more.
"…What do I need to do?"
After several seconds of silence, Zhu Zhuqing spoke calmly.
She knew this was like making a deal with a tiger, likely ending in death, but she had no other choice.
"Relax your mind, endure the pain, and accept my power."
Bai Lu's voice grew serious.
"As long as you endure, you will gain unparalleled talent in this world."
"I'm ready."
Zhu Zhuqing glanced at the corpses on the ground, remembered the cold faces in Star Luo City, and thought of Dai Mubai fleeing…
It seemed she had nothing left to lose.
She took a deep breath, her gaze becoming firm.
"I accept."
End of Chapter