Douluo Continent: Martial Soul Young Gilas, Sandstorm King!

"Ah."

Zhu Zhuqing nodded, a complex look flashing in her eyes.

“She told me a lot. She said that my fate was sealed as I stayed in the Zhu family and in Xingluo City. Just like my father said, only one of us could survive. Her life wasn’t any easier than mine. She envied me… envied me for having you.”

Zhu Zhuqing paused for a moment, seemingly recalling the scene at the time, her voice lowering slightly.

“My sister said that Father was right outside the door. He heard everything we were talking about.”

Lin Xia's heart skipped a beat.

Is Zhu Zhan outside the door?
My sister told me, 'Father won't stop you from leaving. At least not now.'

Zhu Zhuqing repeated Zhu Zhuyun's words, her eyes fixed intently on Lin Xia.

"Then...she left. I pushed open the door and saw my father standing in the shadows of the corridor, his back to me. He stared at the huge family genealogy and star chart on the wall, a symbol of destiny...he stood there for a long time. He didn't turn around to look at me, nor did he say a word. But I knew that what my sister said was true. His silence was acquiescence."

A brief silence fell over the carriage. Only the rumbling of the wheels and Younggiras's curious "yo-ji" could be heard.

Lin Xia finally understood.

Zhu Zhan, this tormented father and cold-blooded clan leader, after that night at the lakeside pavilion, the hidden spark in his heart, ignited by Lin Xia's arrogant words "stars are not eternal" and "overturn the chessboard," a spark he himself dared not delve into, was ultimately ignited into actual action—or rather, tacit action—under the catalysis of Zhu Zhuyun's words, "I really envy you."

He cannot break the rules on his own initiative, nor can he bear the guilt of betraying the royal family, causing a family split, or even a civil war.

But he could choose to "not see" Zhu Zhuqing's escape.

The Zhu family can therefore avoid bearing the responsibility of directly breaking the marriage alliance.

More importantly, deep down, wasn't Zhu Zhan also gambling?
Is it possible for Lin Xia, this variable, to grow to the point where she can "overturn the chessboard"?

He was betting that his youngest daughter could use this opportunity to escape the prison of her inevitable death.

Even... to leave the Zhu family a possible escape route in the event of future upheavals?
This acquiescence is a compromise, the last straw a father grasps in despair, and the most "benevolent" yet "utilitarian" choice a patriarch can make when caught between family interests and personal feelings.

Lin Xia let out a long, silent sigh, her chest churning with complex emotions.

There was sympathy for Zhu Zhan's situation, lament for the fate of the Zhu Zhuqing sisters, and a heavy sense of responsibility that was forcibly placed on my shoulders.

He overturned the chessboard... and it seemed that a small chess piece had jumped into his palm on its own initiative in this heavy game.

He lowered his eyes, his gaze falling once more on Zhu Zhuqing's face. The girl's eyes remained calm, but beneath that calm lay a volcanic, suppressed anticipation and a resolute determination to gamble everything.

She placed all her hopes on the person in front of her.

Under Zhu Zhuqing's increasingly bright and expectant gaze, which seemed to gather all the light of the stars, Lin Xia remained silent for a moment. Finally, he slowly and solemnly nodded.

"In that case..."

Lin Xia's voice regained its usual composure, carrying the weight of a promise.

"Then you can come with me."

Zhu Zhuqing's eyes instantly burst forth with an indescribable brilliance—a kind of ecstatic joy at escaping from a desperate situation, a kind of liberation from shackles!

The calm she had been trying so hard to maintain crumbled at this moment.

"Lin Xia is the best!!"

A joyful shout, tinged with tears, escaped the girl's long-suppressed emotions, which burst forth like a flood.

She even forgot her usual restraint and aloofness, and like a swallow returning to its nest, she suddenly threw herself into Lin Xia's arms!
She wrapped her small arms tightly around Lin Xia's waist, buried her face deep in his chest, and her body trembled slightly with excitement. Lin Xia was taken aback by her sudden and enthusiastic embrace, and subconsciously reached out and awkwardly patted her thin back.

He could clearly feel the immense emotional outburst contained within the small body in his arms; the scalding tears seemed to have already soaked the front of his clothes.

At this moment, she was no longer the ghostly cat burdened with a heavy destiny and with cold eyes, but just an ordinary girl who had escaped her cage and found someone to rely on.

Looking at the fluffy little head in his arms and feeling the complete trust placed in him, Lin Xia's tightly clenched lips finally curved upwards involuntarily, and a low, gentle laugh slowly overflowed from his chest.

"Ah……"

The laughter carried a hint of helplessness, but more so a sense of relief that everything had settled down and a faint anticipation of future challenges.

The young Gilas tilted its little head, looking at the two hugging each other. It seemed to understand something, so it came over and gently rubbed its hard but warm head against Zhu Zhuqing's leg, making a friendly "yo-ji yo-ji" sound.

The carriage resumed its smooth journey, but the atmosphere inside was completely different.

Zhu Zhuqing's emotions were like a rollercoaster, going from tension and determination to ecstasy and catharsis, and now they were finally gradually calming down.

She shyly stepped away from Lin Xia's embrace, her face still flushed and tear stains still visible at the corners of her eyes, but her dark eyes shone brightly, filled with curiosity and longing for the future.

She carefully tidied her disheveled hair and clothes, regaining her usual quiet demeanor, but the occasional glances she stole at Lin Xia betrayed her inner joy.

Lin Xia felt a warmth in her heart as she looked at her, but she also knew that taking her away was only the first step. The road ahead was full of thorns.

"sit down."

Lin Xia pointed to the seat opposite her and sat down again.

Young Kiras jumped onto the seat next to Lin Xia and curiously looked at Zhu Zhuqing.

"Since you've decided to follow me, there are a few things you need to understand."

Lin Xia's tone became serious.
"First of all, I will not provide you with the same abundant cultivation resources and environment as the Zhu family. I do not have the support of a large family, nor do I have the top-level cultivation techniques and secret treasures of the Star Luo Royal Family."

All I can give you is the most basic guidance and some directions that I believe are correct.

"The path of cultivation ultimately depends on your own efforts and comprehension. This will not change because you leave the Zhu family, and it may even become more difficult."

Zhu Zhuqing nodded vigorously without the slightest hesitation.

“I understand, Brother Lin Xia. I’m not afraid of hardship. In the Zhu family… I’ve never had any real resources.”

Her voice was soft, yet it carried an iron will.

"Being able to leave that place and decide my own destiny makes all the suffering worthwhile."

"Secondly."

Looking into her determined eyes, Lin Xia continued.

"Following me doesn't mean you can immediately escape the identity of the Netherworld Cat and that destiny. Neither Dai Mubai nor Davis, nor your family, will give up easily. You may face unpredictable dangers and pressures in the future. You must be mentally prepared."

"I know."

Zhu Zhuqing's small hands clenched slightly on her knees.

"I've chosen this path, and I won't turn back. Danger... is better than despair." (End of Chapter)