Chapter 50 Zhu Zhuqing's Other Path
A brief silence fell over the air.
Only the rustling of leaves in the evening breeze could be heard.
Ye Liuyun put his hands in his pockets, looked up at the moon, and spoke as if he were telling someone else's story:
"The Netherworld Cat family."
"Since ancient times, it has been linked to the royal family of the Evil-Eyed White Tiger through marriage."
"Each generation of heirs must fight their way out from among countless brothers and sisters."
"The winner takes all, the loser..."
Ye Liuyun turned his head, looking directly at Zhu Zhuqing, whose face was deathly pale and who was trembling all over, and said, word by word:
"Either die, or have your soul power destroyed and be imprisoned for life."
"Your older sister, the one who is several years older than you, more talented than you, and more ruthless than you, is waiting to kill you, isn't she?"
"You—!!!"
Zhu Zhuqing's pupils dilated in shock, and she stared intently at Ye Liuyun as if struck by lightning.
This matter was not exactly top secret.
But the opponent was just a commoner Soul Master from a small place!
How could he know about this high-level power struggle?
Zhu Zhuqing gave a self-deprecating laugh. The other party was a genius; how could he be regarded as an ordinary minor soul master?
"That's right, so you also know that Dai Mubai was my former fiancé, right?"
"He abandoned me and ran away, and came here."
"But I was not willing to give up. I wanted to try again, so I tried every means to escape and came here."
"But he's such a rotten person, I see no hope for him."
"It's better to be trained to death than to be imprisoned for life, or even… to be used as a toy by the new emperor."
Zhu Zhuqing struggled to raise her hand, stretched out her palm to block the moon, and looked at the stars through the barely visible gap; her lips were chapped.
"I see no hope."
Zhu Zhuqing slid down the tree trunk, collapsed to the ground, hugged her knees, and buried her head deep in them.
Her voice choked with sobs, filled with despair:
"My older sister is seven years older than me, and her soul power is more than one level higher than mine. No matter how hard I try or how much I push myself, the seven-year gap is like an insurmountable chasm."
"The final battle is in two years, and I can't win."
In this world, talent and time were cruel.
A seven-year gap in soul power was an almost insurmountable chasm for sisters who were equally talented.
Ye Liuyun looked at the kitten struggling in the mire of despair.
"We can win, I know how."
Zhu Zhuqing suddenly raised her head, and a spark of hope appeared in her previously lifeless eyes.
How to win?
Zhu Zhuqing looked at Ye Liuyun with anticipation, hoping that this genius could give her some advice on how to grow quickly.
She bit her lip, her eyes resolute; she was willing to give up everything to survive.
Ye Liuyun thought for a moment and realized that as long as Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Mubai ate the immortal herb, their strength could be surpassed in a short period of time.
But what did that have to do with him? He shrugged.
"I don't want to talk about it."
Zhu Zhuqing was stunned.
Immediately, a feeling of shame and annoyance at being mocked welled up inside her.
"You... you're playing me?!"
Zhu Zhuqing trembled with anger, tears welling up in her eyes:
"If you didn't want to help, why give me hope in the first place?!"
"Do you know what I'm facing? It's the Star Luo Empire! It's the cruel iron law of the family! It's not something you can solve with just a few words!"
"What else can I do if I don't fight? Am I just supposed to sit here and wait to die?"
Looking at the hysterical Zhu Zhuqing, Ye Liuyun sighed and looked at her as if she were an idiot.
He pointed to the girls' dormitory building not far away; that direction led directly to Ning Rongrong's room.
Was it so hard to survive?
"Go and get on good terms with Ning Rongrong, even if it's just to become her personal bodyguard and join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
"Although the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect may not dare to confront the Star Luo Royal Family for your sake, you are just the youngest daughter of the Zhu family, not the heir to the throne."
"You are just a tool for a political marriage. If the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is willing to protect you, the Star Luo Empire may not completely break off relations for a 'tool'."
Zhu Zhuqing was taken aback.
This path... she really hadn't thought of it.
But before she could think it through, Ye Liuyun's voice rang out again:
"If you feel that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is not stable enough."
"There's an even simpler one."
Ye Liuyun turned around and pointed to the distant east:
"Spirit Hall."
"You have no grudge against Spirit Hall."
"Go to Spirit Hall and show your talent. Although it might be a bit difficult to become a Title Douluo without any special opportunities, with your efforts, becoming a Soul Douluo will definitely not be a problem."
"If the opportunity arises, becoming a Title Douluo is not out of the question."
"Such a promising and hardworking newcomer, Spirit Hall will do its best to nurture him."
"Do you think the Star Luo Empire would dare to go to Spirit Hall to demand their release?"
"Even if you gave that emperor a hundred lives, he wouldn't dare to provoke Spirit Hall for the sake of a daughter of the Zhu family!"
"Spirit Hall is forcing the two great empires to band together for warmth, and they pay a lot of money to Spirit Hall every year to provide subsidies."
"At that time, with the strongest power on the continent behind you, you can eat and drink as you please."
"What are you so worried about now that you've escaped the birdcage?"
"The world is vast; there's nowhere you can't go!"
Boom!
Ye Liuyun's words were like a bolt from the blue, instantly shattering Zhu Zhuqing's long-closed mental block.
She stood there blankly, her mouth slightly open, her mind a complete blank.
A single word awakens one from a dream!
Yes...
She had been trapped in a vicious cycle of "family rivalry".
Because of the fusion of the two families' martial souls, and because of the education she received at home, she always felt that she had lived her life to be a good wife and mother, and to support Dai Mubai.
If she didn't rely on Dai Mubai for survival, she would die.
Everyone told her that she could only survive by defeating her sister.
But actually, it seemed she didn't necessarily have to win.
If she could marry someone from Spirit Hall or some important figure from the upper three sects, then this matter would be over.
It was Dai Mubai who had no choice, not her.
But she still foolishly tried her best to pull Dai Mubai back on track.
Why should someone who should be working hard give up on themselves? Why should she, someone who had a choice, live for Dai Mubai?
But now that she had a way out, her spirit of training to the death immediately deflated.
She slumped to the ground to rest, giving a self-deprecating laugh.
Ye Liuyun happened to sit down to rest as well, and joked.
"What, are you reluctant to give up the position of Empress?"
Zhu Zhuqing shook her head readily, feeling relieved of some of the pressure and now in the mood for conversation.
"I'd rather live than have a certain status."
"I suddenly feel so tired, I don't want to work so hard anymore."
Ye Liuyun did not hide anything.
"I'm exhausted from cultivation, so I'm going out for some fresh air."
Zhu Zhuqing hesitated for a moment, but still couldn't help asking:
"Even a genius like you works tirelessly day and night?"
Ye Liuyun covered his forehead, seemingly in a headache.
"Actually, I'm very lazy. If I were very rich, I would really like to eat and sleep like a parasite."
He then pointed in the direction of the boys' dormitory.
"Tang San is a genius with twin martial souls and innate full soul power, but he also works hard day and night."
"There are many, many more amazing people who are also working incredibly hard."
Zhu Zhuqing glanced at the boys' dormitory in the direction Ye Liuyun was pointing.
"I thought you and Tang San didn't get along well and that you would say bad things about him, but I didn't expect you to see his efforts."
Sitting on the ground, Zhu Zhuqing had her arms on her legs like a young girl, her hands supporting her chin, and she was muttering to herself.
"Why does Tang San work so hard, and so do you? You two clearly have no reason not to become stronger."
Ye Liuyun also seriously considered this question: why should he work so hard to become stronger?
Humans were really strange.
Take going to school, for example.
Despite having many troublesome tasks, some people still strive to become class monitor.
It's clearly tiring to get high scores, but everyone still tries to be number one in every exam.
Zhu Zhuqing joked with a smile.
"Tang San works so hard, what if he surpasses you one day?"
Ye Liuyun gave a disdainful sneer.
"Am I inferior to him?"
"I'm not chatting anymore, I'm going back to cultivate."
If he had to give a reason for working hard, it would be simply "dissatisfaction."
There were countless heroes in the world, but who did you think you were?
Zhu Zhuqing also got up and patted the dust off her bottom.
Although she had already figured out a way to avoid dying, she still decided to work hard at cultivation.
And one day in the future, she would defeat her sister.
It was just to prove that it wasn't that she was incapable, but that useless Dai Mubai was holding her back.
The two went their separate ways back to their dormitories.
But this scene was seen from afar by Dai Mubai, who had been sleeping all day and got up to get some fresh air.
Watching Zhu Zhuqing and Ye Liuyun chatting intimately under the moonlight.
Dai Mubai was so angry that his eyes were about to burst, and he cursed viciously.
"Bitch!"
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[end of the chapter]