Chapter 16: Zhu Zhuqing: Even Without You, I Can Control My Own Fate!
Night had fully fallen. The sky was dark, and the wind howled fiercely.
By the time Tang San and the others stepped out of the hotel, Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Mubai were already standing face to face, tension crackling between them like drawn blades.
"Miss, regardless of who wins or loses, this matter ends here!"
Dai Mubai stared at the cold and aloof girl before him. A strange, wicked gleam flickered in his eyes.
He knew very well that sometimes, the fastest way to conquer a woman… was to defeat her completely.
Since the normal approach was no longer possible, he might as well take this opportunity—under the guise of avenging Fatty—to subdue her in one fell swoop.
"Dai Mubai. Martial soul: White Tiger. Rank 37 Power Attack System Battle Soul Elder. Please advise."
He performed a brief salute before assuming a combat stance.
Zhu Zhuqing did not speak. She merely watched him coldly.
"White Tiger, possess!"
With a low roar, Dai Mubai directly entered martial soul possession.
His golden hair shifted into streaks of black and white. His muscles swelled, the "王" (King) pattern appeared upon his forehead, and his hands transformed into tiger paws.
Beneath his feet, two yellow and one purple soul rings slowly rose and rotated.
"Hell Spirit Cat, possess."
Zhu Zhuqing summoned her martial soul as well, instantly transforming into a cat-like maiden.
Sharp, spike-like claws extended from her delicate paws, flashing with a chilling gleam beneath the moonlight. Two yellow soul rings revolved around her slender figure.
"Hell Spirit Cat?!"
The instant Dai Mubai saw her martial soul, his pupils contracted sharply, and he cried out in shock.
He was more than familiar with this martial soul; it was the inherited martial soul of the Zhu family of the Star Luo Empire.
White Tiger and Hell Spirit Cat soul masters, if they possessed sufficient mutual understanding, could unleash a martial soul fusion skill: Hell White Tiger.
And now, even after he had fled all the way to the Heaven Dou Empire—
This damned family destiny was still chasing him!
"You are… Zhu Zhuqing?"
His voice carried disbelief.
No matter how slow he might be, he understood now.
No wonder she looked familiar. No wonder their martial souls resonated.
The girl he had just tried to flirt with…
Was the fiancée he had abandoned.
Zhu Zhuqing neither admitted nor denied it. Her eyes held nothing but cold indifference.
"An explanation… Do you still want one?"
Dai Mubai fell silent, utterly at a loss for words.
He had abandoned his fiancée.
He had treated her like a stranger and flirted with her.
More absurdly, he had even prepared to beat her.
The strange atmosphere left even the onlookers restless.
Weren't they supposed to fight?
Why had they stopped?!
"Hey! They seem to know each other. Were they a couple before?"
Xiao Wu couldn't help asking.
"But from earlier, they didn't look very familiar," Tang San analyzed rationally.
Oscar shook his head. "I've been at Shrek for years. I've never heard Boss Dai mention her, nor have I seen him bring anyone back."
"The Hell Spirit Cat and White Tiger are inherited martial souls of the Star Luo royal family and the Zhu family. The two clans have intermarried for generations."
Ning Rongrong stepped forward and voiced her speculation.
"If I'm not mistaken, they probably have a marriage contract—just without much prior contact."
The group collectively sucked in a cold breath.
How did opponents suddenly become an engaged couple?
'So… I got beaten for nothing?'
Recalling what had just happened, Ma Hongjun silently put on his metaphorical clown mask.
Back in the center—
"Tell me. Who owes whom an explanation?"
Zhu Zhuqing added coldly, her expression and tone brimming with mockery.
"I…"
Dai Mubai was speechless.
Who exactly owed whom?
He was the one who abandoned the engagement and fled the Star Luo Empire, leaving her alone to bear the pressure.
He was the one who flirted frivolously just now, without truly stopping Ma Hongjun's lewd remarks.
What could he possibly say now?
Apologize? Explain?
"Zhuqing, I…"
He opened his mouth, only to find he had nothing to say.
"Shut up."
Zhu Zhuqing had no interest in hearing his nonsense. Her figure flickered, and she attacked instantly.
Hell Rush Stab!
Her body moved like a ghostly shadow, far faster than Dai Mubai anticipated.
"White Tiger Shield Body Barrier!"
Caught off guard, he could only cross his arms defensively while activating his first soul skill at full strength.
Boom!
Golden light had barely formed around him when her purple-glowing claws tore straight through it.
A tremendous force was transmitted through his arms, shaking him back several steps.
Bright red droplets of blood fell to the ground from the wounds across his hands.
"What tremendous strength!"
Dai Mubai was inwardly stunned.
Zhu Zhuqing was only a Soul Grandmaster, yet in that full-powered strike, her strength was not inferior to his!
Before he could think further, she was already behind him, her twin claws raised high.
"Hell Hundred Claws!"
Her second soul ring flared brilliantly.
Countless claw shadows burst forth from different angles, sealing off every possible avenue of retreat.
"White Tiger Vajra Transformation!"
Dai Mubai dared not hold back any longer. His third soul ring lit up instantly.
His already powerful physique expanded further. In an instant, both his defense and attack doubled.
He shifted his stance, turning sharply, and thrust out both tiger palms with full force.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Most of the claw shadows were shattered by his strikes, but several still landed upon his body, carving bloody streaks across his skin.
At that moment, Zhu Zhuqing suddenly lowered her body.
Using her right hand as a pivot against the ground, she vaulted into the air and lashed out with both legs, one after the other, striking fiercely against Dai Mubai's lower body.
Bang! Bang!
"Ugh!"
His lower stance was destabilized. Pain flashed across his face as he staggered.
"Hell Rush Stab!"
Zhu Zhuqing surged forward once more. Her clawed hands, wrapped in ghostly energy, pierced downward toward his off-balance frame.
Whoosh
The sound of tearing air rang out.
"Hah!"
At the critical moment, Dai Mubai activated White Tiger Shield Body Barrier again.
Golden light flared, strengthened by White Tiger Vajra Transformation. This time, the barrier barely managed to block the Hell Rush Stab.
Her strike failed, and Zhu Zhuqing did not linger. With a sliding step, she shifted angles and attacked again.
Whoosh!
Bang!
Dai Mubai raised his arms to block with difficulty. After only a few exchanges, his hands already tingled with numbness.
He truly couldn't understand.
Why was his rarely met fiancée so strong?
So fast?
It felt as though he were the Soul Grandmaster—
And she was the Soul Elder!
"Now!"
After multiple exchanges, Dai Mubai's eyes flashed.
At the cost of taking another visible wound, he finally seized Zhu Zhuqing's wrist.
Immediately, he spoke earnestly:
"Zhuqing, please give me a chance!"
"A chance?"
Her expression faltered slightly. Even the claw aimed at his chest paused midair.
"Yes, a chance!"
Seeing hope, Dai Mubai hurriedly continued:
"Give me a chance. If we work hard together, perhaps we can resist fate."
This time, his words were sincere.
If Zhu Zhuqing, as a Soul Grandmaster, could already fight him evenly—
Then, if they both risked everything and trained desperately, perhaps they wouldn't necessarily lose to the older Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun.
But what he did not expect was—
The moment those words left his mouth, a frigid killing intent flashed within the girl's eyes.
"Unnecessary!"
"Even without you, I can control my own fate!"
"Now… let's settle this!"
—
End of Chapter