A Girl Who Longed to Grow Stronger

"A tavern. Are you sure Dai Mubai will show up here?" Ling Qianyue asked in a low voice.

"So you really do know." Zhu Zhuqing fixed her beautiful eyes on Ling Qianyue, as though she wanted to read something from his face.

"Is it strange that I know?" Ling Qianyue spread his hands. "Don't forget, Dai Gonggong and the others are my underlings now. I might know more about the nobles' circle than you do."

Children, when they got something good or learned some special news, could never resist showing it off.

Over the past month, Ling Qianyue had quickly earned his classmates' recognition through his strength and eloquence. He had practically become the king of the children here.

After all, someone handsome, strong, and pleasant to listen to was welcome wherever he went, wasn't he?

Not only did he know about the Zhu Family and Dai Family's generations-long intermarriage, and how each generation selected two pairs to compete for future imperial power, he even knew about the ambiguous rumors between certain noblewomen and young knights.

Zhu Zhuqing nodded, pursed her lips, grabbed Ling Qianyue's sleeve, and turned into a nearby alley. It was somewhat dark inside, and few people came here. Zhu Zhuqing pointed at a pile of stacked debris.

"We can climb up there. If we peek over from above, we can see what's happening upstairs in the tavern beyond the wall."

Ling Qianyue was somewhat helpless. "Seriously? We have to sneak a look? What exactly are you trying to confirm about Dai Mubai?"

The two stood side by side and carefully climbed through the gaps in the debris, trying not to make the slightest sound.

Ling Qianyue felt somewhat amused. He wanted to know what expectations Zhu Zhuqing truly held for Dai Mubai—or what she was worried about.

From the top of the debris pile, they could clearly see the second floor of the tavern beyond the wall.

The tavern's second-floor windows were partly open. Inside, people were drinking together, while several prettily dressed girls in revealing clothes covered their mouths and giggled.

Zhu Zhuqing's gaze swept across them one by one. Suddenly, her eyes stopped, and her entire body froze.

In a corner of the tavern's second floor, Dai Mubai lounged lazily against the back of his chair, an unruly smile curling at his lips as he toyed with an exquisite wine cup in his hand.

Several girls sat around him. Some laughed coquettishly, some whispered to him, and some continuously caressed his body. Dai Mubai, meanwhile, seemed to thoroughly enjoy being the center of attention.

At the sight of this, disappointment welled up in Zhu Zhuqing's heart.

Ever since her Martial Soul Awakening, when she had been chosen as Dai Mubai's fiancée and had begun facing the future slaughter, she could be said to have devoted all her energy to cultivation.

Zhu Zhuqing's Innate Soul Power was rank 7, placing her among the lowest in talent among the original Seven Monsters. Later, because Ma Hongjun's Martial Soul Mutation caused by the Ten Sun Blazing Sun Pill, her talent directly became the worst among the Seven Monsters. Even the immortal herb she received had not been tailored for her like the others' had been.

But she was undoubtedly the most hardworking one. The threat of death and her unwillingness to admit defeat had never allowed her even the slightest slackness.

Whenever night fell and others rested or indulged themselves, Zhu Zhuqing was always sweating on the training grounds. She had only one goal in her heart—grow stronger, strong enough to triumph in the future final battle, however slim the chances might be.

Of course, she had vaguely sensed that same lazy, defeated attitude from Dai Mubai.

She had thought Dai Mubai would be like her, vigilant toward the challenges ahead and relentless in pursuing self-improvement.

They had met once when their engagement was arranged. Seeing him again now, his indolence and self-indulgence were completely different from the young man in her memories, who had at least possessed some sharpness.

How could he be so carefree? Zhu Zhuqing murmured inwardly. Has he given up? But... there's still time, isn't there?

"Have you finished looking?" Ling Qianyue spoke at that moment.

"Mhm..." Zhu Zhuqing lowered herself from her tiptoes, turned around, and sat on the debris pile, staring blankly in silence.

Seeing this, Ling Qianyue sat down beside her as well. "Disappointed?"

"Someone told me that he... has come here more than once. Recently, his temperament seems to have changed somewhat," Zhu Zhuqing said softly.

"So what did you come here to confirm?" Ling Qianyue asked.

Zhu Zhuqing fell silent for a moment before saying, "I heard some rumors and news recently. I only wanted to see how he had been doing lately, but unfortunately..."

"Actually, I understand you very well, Zhu Zhuqing." Ling Qianyue patted her shoulder.

"The marriage alliance between the Star Luo Imperial Family and the Zhu Family is nothing more than a bloody political system. They select several pairs of successors from descendants who are already outstanding, which means the gap in their talents is destined to be extremely limited.

"The advantage brought by age will be endlessly magnified, eventually becoming immense pressure that crushes one side."

Unless the younger side encountered an enormous stroke of fortune in their early years, the elder one was practically destined to win from the start.

Zhu Zhuqing parted her lips. Her hair lightly brushed her cheek, and an almost imperceptible confusion filled her eyes. "But I can't stop, and I don't dare to stop. The road ahead is too dangerous. I can only make myself stronger. I hope he can pull himself together again..."

Ling Qianyue frowned and rose to his feet. "Your mindset of wanting to become stronger is good, but growing stronger is never for someone else, nor can you place your hopes in another person.

"You hope he can pull himself together? What if he can't? Will you stop working hard and give up as well?

"Are you going to exhaust yourself improving your cultivation just for someone who may not be worth such devotion from you?"

Ling Qianyue jumped down from the debris pile and looked up at Zhu Zhuqing. "The reason you feel so despondent now is because you held too many expectations for him. You seem cold and distant, but your heart is actually very fragile. Make yourself harden your heart sooner."

Zhu Zhuqing sat atop the debris pile with her head lowered. Ling Qianyue's words were like a sharp sword, piercing straight into the softest part of her heart.

She admitted that she had indeed placed too many expectations on Dai Mubai. Perhaps it was because, in such an environment full of competition and danger, she longed for a companion who could fight beside her—someone who could understand and support her.

Sister's change, the elders' cold indifference, and her loneliness at the academy had made her increasingly quiet and withdrawn.

Only Ling Qianyue, who sat in front of her, often spoke with her. Sometimes, when they "happened to meet" on the training grounds, he generously offered her cultivation advice and encouragement. That was what allowed her to feel a trace of warmth in this cold environment.

She had brought him along today to verify the news she had learned because she wanted someone beside her who could give her courage and strength.

"Ling Qianyue, you're right." Zhu Zhuqing finally spoke. Her voice was low, but resolute. "I won't think about him anymore. I'll grow stronger on my own, for myself."

A smile finally appeared at the corners of Ling Qianyue's mouth. A faint light flickered at his fingertips, and before Zhu Zhuqing could react, he moved behind her and pressed a finger onto her Mingmen Acupoint.

"You!"

Zhu Zhuqing jolted in alarm, instinctively shrinking forward. Yet the warmth spreading from her waist made her pause in a daze.

"Don't move!"

Star power flowed through Ling Qianyue's hand, gathering toward Zhu Zhuqing's Mingmen Acupoint.