Douluo Continent: Martial Soul Young Gilas, Sandstorm King!

Chapter 164 Zhu Zhan: Don't blame me for being rude!

Zhu Zhuqing paused for a moment, as if to etch this vow into the deepest part of her soul, and then said with unparalleled clarity and unwavering determination:

"I know... which way to go."

Looking at the stubborn flame burning in her eyes, Lin Xia finally slowly withdrew her hand, revealing a truly relaxed, approving smile.

"very good."

The tone of the journey changed abruptly over the next few days.

Lin Xia kept her promise and did not rush back to that suffocating cage.

The carriage no longer sped along the most convenient official road, but deliberately slowed down, its wheels gently turning as it entered the bustling towns and somewhat larger cities along the way.

In the bustling market of Linshui Town, Zhu Zhuqing was given a string of crystal-clear sugar phoenixes drizzled with amber syrup by Lin Xia.

At first, she held it up carefully, watching the lifelike wings reflect a rainbow of light in the sunlight.

Only after Lin Xia smiled and gestured did she tentatively stick out her little tongue and gently lick the hard, sweet tip of the wing.

A pure, childlike sense of satisfaction instantly dispelled the last trace of gloom between his brows, and for the first time, his obsidian-like eyes curved into bright crescents in the sunlight.

In the old teahouse in Windmill City, they sat on the second floor by the window.

The storyteller's melodious voice drifted down from downstairs, recounting the legend of how a Soul Master from hundreds of years ago turned the tide and defeated a powerful enemy in a desperate situation.

Zhu Zhuqing held the warm teacup, which was filled with the fragrance of jasmine, and listened intently.

When she heard that the Soul Master had delivered a fatal blow based solely on instinct and will when his soul power was exhausted, her fingers gripping the teacup tightened involuntarily, her knuckles turning white, and the flame in her eyes silently burned even brighter.

Lin Xia saw this but didn't point it out. She simply picked up her teacup and gently blew away the foam.

The most unforgettable moment was that quiet night by the Xingluo River.

Countless river lanterns of various shapes and sizes were placed into the clear river water, carrying all kinds of wishes downstream, adorning the entire river into a flowing ribbon of light.

Lin Xia bought two very simple lotus lanterns.

Zhu Zhuqing followed his example, squatting by the river and carefully pushing her lotus lantern with a small lit candle into the water.

The flickering candlelight reflected on her focused little face as she watched her lamp sway and merge into the river of light, drifting towards the unknown distance, as if those heavy, unbearable past events were being quietly carried away with the current.

She stood up, the night breeze ruffling her hair, and her eyes, illuminated by the starry sky and the lights on the river, became clearer and more determined than ever before.

When the familiar, oppressive, towering silhouette of Xingluo City finally stood unavoidably before her, the carefree smile on Zhu Zhuqing's face, like a flame thrown into ice water, quickly subsided and went out.

But this time, instead of confusion and fear, there was an almost indifferent calm.

She straightened her small back, her eyes calmly gazing at the massive city gate, like a soldier about to step into battle, silently examining her armor and blade.

The carriage rolled over the huge bluestone slabs, passed through the bustling streets, and finally stopped in front of the two heavy black lacquered gates of the Zhu Mansion, which were carved with ferocious ghost cat totems.

The door hinges creaked heavily as they slowly opened inward, revealing a familiar, deep courtyard that seemed perpetually impenetrable to light.

An invisible, cold, and heavy pressure instantly swept over us from the direction of the front hall, as if even the air itself had frozen. The front hall of the Zhu residence was so empty that the faint crackling of the candlelight could be heard.

Light streamed in obliquely through the high windows, but it could not dispel the chill that permeated the vast space.

The air was as thick as solidified mercury, and every breath was accompanied by heavy resistance.

Zhu Zhan stood with his tall figure back to the gate, in front of a magnificent painting of a tiger descending a mountain, his hands clasped behind his back.

He didn't turn around, but his silent back was like a piece of unmelting ice that had never melted for thousands of years, radiating a chill that could freeze blood and making the entire hall seem several degrees lower.

As Lin Xia led Zhu Zhuqing across the ridiculously high threshold and into this suffocating area, a deep, rumbling, yet clearly explosive, angry shout suddenly rang out.

"Your Majesty!"

The sound wasn't loud, but it contained a terrifying soul power pressure at the level of a Soul Douluo, like an invisible heavy hammer that slammed down!

The air vibrated violently, and the heavy hanging curtains billowed outwards.

The servants standing in the hall were already pale with fright, wishing they could bury their heads in the cracks between the floor tiles, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.

Zhu Zhuqing's body swayed violently under this overwhelming pressure, and her face instantly lost all color, turning as pale as a fragile piece of paper.

A fear instinct emanating from the depths of her soul made her legs go weak, and she almost succumbed to that force and knelt down in the dust.

However, just as her knees were about to touch the cold, hard obsidian ground, Lin Xia's resounding words—"Climb to a height they can only look up to"—were poured into her mind like molten iron, instantly burning away the cold fear!

She bit her lower lip hard, using all her strength to resist the urge to kneel down!
Her small, undeveloped breasts heaved violently as she bit her lip so hard that a thin trickle of blood, with a metallic taste, slid down the corner of her mouth.

But she straightened her slender spine, which seemed as if it would break at the slightest touch, like a small grass that stubbornly took root in a gale. She raised her head slightly, her gaze unwavering, fixed straight and empty on her father's cold back.

Tears welled up in her eyes, but a stronger will held them back, stubbornly refusing to fall even a fraction.

Lin Xia took a half step forward without making a sound, blocking Zhu Zhuqing's way and relieving some of the overwhelming pressure on her.

He lowered his head slightly, his posture respectful, his voice steady and calm, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

"Clan Chief Zhu, please calm down. Zhu Qing is young, and it was my oversight to take her away from the manor. All the responsibility lies with me."

Zhu Zhan finally turned around slowly.

His face, with its sharp, chiseled features, was expressionless, only frozen indifference.

However, the gaze in those deep-set eyes was as sharp as a poisoned needle tempered with ice, piercing Lin Xia with scrutiny, disappointment, and an undisguised, condescending anger, before turning to the small, stubborn figure standing behind him.

"Is the responsibility yours?"

Zhu Zhan's voice was as cold as a glacier breaking.

"Lin Xia, don't blame me for being harsh. Although you are very talented, I came here to help His Majesty repair the national treasures, not to bring my Zhu family's daughter, a destined Crown Princess of Xingluo, away from the manor without permission, showing no respect for elders, and whose whereabouts have been unknown for nearly a month!"

He spoke slowly, but each word was like hailstones hitting the ground, heavy and devastating.

(End of this chapter)