Douluo Continent: Martial Soul Young Gilas, Sandstorm King!

Chapter 139 The only warmth to draw from this cold, quagmire of rules.

The private room fell silent.

The only sounds were the occasional faint breathing of the young Gilas and the faint chirping of insects outside the window.

Lin Xia looked at Zhu Zhuyun quietly.

The struggle, pain, the "protective instinct" twisted by ironclad rules in her eyes, and the deep, unspeakable fear were all clearly reflected in his dark golden pupils.

Lin Xia understood that Zhu Zhuyun did not not love her sister; her "coercion" was precisely the deepest love and protection she knew—a kind of protection under the rule of despair, disguised as harm.

She transformed herself into the sharpest whetstone on her sister's path to growth, even if it would cut her, she would hone her sister to be sharp enough to face the inevitable life-or-death battle.

At the same time, Lin Xia also keenly grasped the information revealed in Zhu Zhuyun's words.

Zhu Zhan, and even some members of the Zhu family, do indeed have a "favoritism" towards Zhu Zhuqing. This may explain why Zhu Zhan tacitly allowed his interference—he also felt sorry for the young girl and sought a delicate balance on the edge of the rules, fearing that going too far would be counterproductive and that he would completely destroy Zhu Zhuqing's will.

However, understanding is not the same as agreeing.

Lin Xia still couldn't stand this rule that distorted familial affection into a life-or-death struggle for survival.

He loathed the pain inflicted in the name of "for your own good".

Zhu Zhuyun's approach may be effective within the rules, but the cost is too high and too cold.

However, he was also acutely aware that his current strength was insufficient to shake the ironclad laws of the Star Luo Empire that had been passed down for thousands of years, and insufficient to change the deep-rooted destiny of the Dai and Zhu families.

Forcibly intervening might temporarily alleviate Zhu Zhuqing's pain, but in the long run, is it really good for her?
Could this actually cause her to lose faster and more miserably in future matches due to a lack of real "tempering"?
Zhu Zhuyun's concerns were not entirely unfounded.

This heavy thought plunged Lin Xia into a long silence.

He couldn't easily say "agree" because it went against his conscience.

Lin Xia couldn't simply "refuse," because that might really harm Zhu Zhuqing.

Time passes little by little.

Finally, Lin Xia sighed deeply. That sigh was filled with a sense of powerlessness in the face of cruel reality, an understanding of Zhu Zhuyun's twisted struggles, and a deep worry for the future of Zhu Zhuqing's small figure.

He neither said "yes" nor "no".

Lin Xia simply raised her eyes to meet Zhu Zhuyun's tense and expectant gaze, and then, very slowly and solemnly, nodded.

This nod is not a promise to stand idly by, but rather a complex compromise and temporary concession.

This means that he understood Zhu Zhuyun's position and predicament, grasped the stakes involved, and accepted Zhu Zhuyun's "power" as the older sister to "dominate" her younger sister's upbringing within the existing framework of rules.

At least until he finds a better way that doesn't go against his conscience and can truly help Zhu Zhuqing, he will no longer use the previous method of direct intervention to "sabotage" Zhu Zhuyun's plans.

But Lin Xia's eyes remained clear and firm, silently conveying another message.

He will not give up on the matter; he reserves the possibility of intervening in his own way when necessary.

This nod is only temporary.

Zhu Zhuyun watched Lin Xia nod, her tense nerves seeming to relax slightly, a hint of relief flashing deep in her eyes, but it was quickly overwhelmed by even deeper, more complex emotions. She understood the reserve in Lin Xia's eyes, but she also knew that this was the biggest concession Lin Xia could make after understanding all the burdens.

"Thank you."

Zhu Zhuyun's voice was a little hoarse. She stood up, said nothing more, and turned to leave the private room.

Lin Xia did not get up to see him off.

He remained seated, his fingers unconsciously stroking the warm teacup, his gaze fixed on the window.

Young Gilas seemed to sense its master's low and complicated emotions, and gently rubbed its cool, hard little head against Lin Xia's cheek, making a low, comforting "yoji..." sound.

"strength……"

Lin Xia whispered, her eyes suddenly becoming incredibly sharp and intense, like a quenched blade.

"We need even greater power! Power strong enough to break the rules!"

"Not for others, but simply to free myself from the constraints of rules!"

The cold wind stirred up the dust on the streets of Xingluo City, sweeping over the towering yet oppressive walls of the Zhu Mansion.

Since that heavy conversation with Zhu Zhuyun in the teahouse private room about "cruelty" and "protection," Lin Xia's days have returned to a calm on the surface, but deeper thoughts have settled in her heart.

Lin Xia continued to keep an eye on Zhu Zhuqing in that secluded little courtyard, but her methods became more subtle, like a stone thrown into a deep pool, only causing barely perceptible ripples.

Gone are the childlike, reckless "coincidences." Instead, fresh seasonal fruits are quietly placed on the windowsill, or books that are "accidentally" left beside the stone bench where she often sits, recording basic soul power application techniques or stories of strange soul beasts on the continent.

Young Kiras would occasionally wander to the foot of her courtyard wall, leaving behind a few fragments of special minerals imbued with the aura of the earth's veins, like a silent greeting.

Zhu Zhuqing remained silent, like a young bamboo stalk frozen in the cold wind. But Lin Xia could occasionally catch glimpses of the fleeting, extremely brief glimmer in her eyes when she paused as she turned the pages of those books, or when she discovered the fruit on the windowsill in the morning.

This glimmer of light became the only warmth Lin Xia could draw from in the cold, rule-bound quagmire of the Zhu family.

More than ten days passed quietly in the oppressive atmosphere of the Zhu residence.

Just as Lin Xia was beginning to consider whether she should bid farewell to Zhu Yu and return to the Gengjin City Blacksmith Association, a summons from the core of power in the Star Luo Empire finally arrived.

The summoning eunuch, with a respectful yet undeniably authoritative demeanor, announced that Emperor Dai Tianxing of Xingluo had finished dealing with urgent state affairs and would summon Lin Xia to the "Starry Radiance Hall" in the imperial palace to officially begin the restoration of the national treasure—the Starry Crown.

When Zhu Yu personally came to the Zhu residence to escort Lin Xia, Lin Xia was leaning against an ancient tree in the courtyard, playing with a fragment of meteorite iron containing a faint stellar power. Young Gilas was lying at his feet, his scarlet eyes warily scanning the newcomer.

"Sister Zhu Yu".

Lin Xia raised her head, a perfectly timed childlike "impatient" smile on her face, her voice clear and crisp.

"If you hadn't come soon, I was already planning to pack my things and go back to Gengjin City. I thought His Majesty had forgotten about this country bumpkin."

Today, Zhu Yu wore a more dignified deep purple palace dress, her bare feet clad in soft shoes inlaid with stars. Upon hearing this, a slightly apologetic smile curved her lips. Her insightful eyes lingered for a moment on Lin Xia's seemingly complaining yet calm face before she softly said:
"Little one, don't be offended. Imperial affairs are complicated, and His Majesty works day and night. Now that the dust has settled, he summoned you immediately. Rest assured, the Star Luo Royal Family will never go back on its promise to you regarding the benefits."

(End of this chapter)