Douluo Continent: Martial Soul Young Gilas, Sandstorm King!

Chapter 138 Under this rule, weakness, dependence, and wishful thinking are the path to death!
Everything Lin Xia did was cleverly hidden under the guise of "childish mischief," "unintentional coincidences," and "the good intentions of the young master of the blacksmith's association."

He never offered Zhu Zhuqing any words of comfort directly, nor did he ever reprimand those snobbish servants to her face.

He simply stood silently, like an invisible barrier, shielding the silent girl from some unexpected malice, leaving behind a tiny, yet perhaps most precious, warmth in the darkness.

Zhu Zhuqing remained silent, still isolating herself in that cold little courtyard.

She stopped coming to see Lin Xia, as if she had severed all warm connections with the outside world.

But Lin Xia knew that she must have sensed it.

Because every time he "coincidentally" helped her, in some unintentional moment, such as when he saw her staring blankly at the window from afar, or when the two "bumped into" each other on the garden path, her lowered eyelashes would tremble very slightly, her fingers holding the book would tighten a little, and the icy aura that permeated her, making her seem unapproachable, would seem to freeze for a moment.

That's enough, Lin Xia thought.

The morning light in Xingluo City quietly spread across the bluestone path.

Lin Xia finished his routine morning exercise. Young Gilas perched on his shoulder, its scarlet eyes slightly narrowed, enjoying the morning breeze.

After this period of settling in, the little guy's carapace has become more subdued in its dark red luster. The occasional glimpse of its aura is heavy and profound, carrying the majesty of ancient dragon blood, forming a strange contrast with its immature appearance.

Just as he was about to head to the blacksmiths' association to handle his daily affairs, a figure blocked his way.

Zhu Zhuyun.

Unlike the reserved elegance of an imperial noblewoman she displayed when they first met, her brows now bore an intractable gloom and weariness.

She wore the signature tight-fitting outfit of the Xingluo Zhu family, which outlined the budding curves of a young girl, but her eyes were sharp as an eagle, fixed on Lin Xia.

"Little Xia, little brother."

Zhu Zhuyun spoke, her voice deliberately calm, yet she couldn't hide the complex emotions within.

"Can we talk about it? About Zhu Qing."

Lin Xia paused, and the young Gilas on her shoulder also raised its head alertly, its scarlet eyes looking at Zhu Zhuyun, and a low "gurgling" sound came from its throat.

Lin Xia patted the little guy reassuringly and nodded calmly.

"Sister Zhuyun, please speak."

Led by Zhu Zhuyun, the two walked to a relatively quiet teahouse on a street corner, where Zhu Zhuyun booked a private room.

After taking her seat, she didn't touch the tea on the table, but looked directly and frankly at Lin Xia.

“Little Xia, I know you’ve been… helping Zhu Qing lately.”

Lin Xia picked up her teacup, blew on it to cool it down, and did not deny it.

"She's too young, and the training is too tough. I just can't stand it."

"Don't you like it?"

Zhu Zhuyun repeated it, a bitter and helpless smile curving her lips.

“I know you are exceptionally talented and have extremely high aspirations. You even look down on the recruitment offers from the Spirit Hall and the Star Luo Empire, and you act according to your own principles. The things you ‘disapprove of’ probably really crossed your bottom line. I thank you for your kindness on behalf of Zhu Qing, really.”

Zhu Zhuyun's tone was sincere, but then she changed her tone, revealing an undeniable firmness.

"But, little Xia, I beg you, please stop helping Zhu Qing."

Lin Xia put down her teacup, her dark golden pupils staring directly at Zhu Zhuyun.

"Why? Because of the rules of your Zhu family? The destiny of the 'Netherworld Cat'?"

"Yes!" Zhu Zhuyun replied decisively.

"This is the foundation of the Star Luo Empire, the ironclad rule passed down through the Dai and Zhu families for a thousand years! The victor lives, the loser dies, or... is stripped of everything and imprisoned for life! There is no third way!"

Zhu Zhuyun's voice rose slightly, carrying an almost cruel clarity.

"Zhu Qing will have to face all of this sooner or later! If she can't prepare herself now, if she can't grow quickly under the cruel competition and pressure, become strong enough, resilient enough, and ruthless enough!"

"Then in the future, she won't have even the slightest chance when facing me or Davis! All that awaits her is the abyss of despair!"

Lin Xia was silent.

He looked into Zhu Zhuyun's eyes and saw the almost obsessive determination, as well as the deep-seated pain hidden beneath that determination, like an undercurrent.

He could sense that behind this "advice" was not entirely indifference and calculation.

"You care about your sister so much."

Lin Xia's voice was low, carrying a hint of barely perceptible inquiry.

"Can't we try a different approach? Why force her to struggle through humiliation, oppression, and isolation, to 'become stronger' through pain and despair? Isn't this kind of upbringing too cruel? She's only six years old!"

"cruel?"

Zhu Zhuyun seemed to be stung by the word, her eyes narrowed sharply, and then a huge struggle and a trace of... confusion emerged.
But that struggle was only momentary, as if she were instantly crushed by some heavy shackles. Her eyes turned cold and hard again, even carrying a trace of sorrow that Lin Xia couldn't understand.

"Yes! It is cruel! This rule itself is cruel to me and Zhu Qing, to all of us who are in it! But this is reality! It is a curse etched into our blood!"

Zhu Zhuyun's voice trembled slightly with suppressed emotion.

“Little Xia, you have unparalleled talent, you have the protection of the Divine Craftsman, and you have even rejected the strongest power on the continent. You can choose to ‘dislike’ it, and you can choose your own path.”

“But Zhuqing can’t! I have no choice! Neither does Zhuqing! We were born into this arena, and we are each other’s opponents! We are sisters connected by blood!”

Zhu Zhuyun was somewhat agitated, her fingers unconsciously clenching the hem of her clothes until her knuckles turned slightly white.

"Zhu Qing was protected too well in the past few years."

Zhu Zhuyun's voice lowered, carrying a heavy weariness.

“My father…and some of the older members of the family showered her with too much undue ‘favoritism’ and ‘leniency.’ It made her believe that there was still warmth in the world, that competition could end after a few rounds, and that she could rely on others…This illusion was fatal!”

"Under this rule, weakness, dependence, and wishful thinking are the path to certain death!"

"If she doesn't experience real setbacks, doesn't taste the deepest humiliation, and doesn't fully understand the despair of being isolated and helpless, she will never truly awaken! She won't fight to the last drop of blood! She will only... she will only..."

At this point, Zhu Zhuyun's throat seemed to be blocked by something, and she could no longer continue.

Her eyes revealed a deep fear, a fear of her sister's future fate, an ending that terrified her more than death itself—utter loss of hope, becoming a walking corpse, a prisoner.

She abruptly turned her gaze away, looking out the window at the bustling street scene of Gengjin City in the early morning, as if trying to calm her turbulent emotions, or perhaps trying to escape Lin Xia's gaze that seemed to see right through people.

After several breaths, she took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her turbulent emotions, turned back, and her eyes regained their calmness, but beneath that calmness lay an unfathomable complexity.

"Anyway, little Xia."

Zhu Zhuyun's voice regained its previous calmness, even carrying a hint of unquestionable resolve.

"Please try not to interfere. I won't... really hurt her. My methods may be cruel, but it's the only way to ensure she... has the right to live in that future."

(End of this chapter)