He Is My Fiancé!

"Zhu Qing, stop right there!"

Zhu Qing did not even turn her head. Instead of stopping, she quickened her pace.

"You..."

Seeing that Zhu Qing was ignoring him, Dai Mubai suddenly raised his right hand, and his White Tiger Martial Soul appeared behind him.

Su Yu grabbed Dai Mubai's hand. "Dai Mubai, if there's a misunderstanding, just clear it up. There's no need to fight!"

Dai Mubai glanced at Su Yu, a trace of resentment flashing in his eyes.

Then he thought it over. Zhu Qing was his fiancée. As long as he refused to let go, this woman could only ever be his!

With that thought, a cold smile appeared in Dai Mubai's eyes.

Since I'm here today anyway, I might as well find those Twins from last time!

Dai Mubai licked his lips and walked toward Suotuo City.

Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu exchanged glances before chasing after Zhu Qing.

Su Yu did not follow them. He stayed hidden in the shadows, protecting them.

In the woods outside Suotuo City, the wind carried the fresh scent of grass and trees as it brushed past.

Zhu Qing sat on a sun-warmed stone, unconsciously picking at the dirt caught in a crack.

Her tears fell like beads from a broken string, sliding down her pale cheeks and landing on her collar, soaking a small dark patch into the fabric.

"Zhu Qing, what's wrong?"

When Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong found her, they saw her in this state.

Xiao Wu walked over first and gently patted her shoulder before sitting down on her left.

Ning Rongrong sat beside her on the right as well, looking worriedly at the redness around her eyes.

Zhu Qing abruptly raised her head and stared at the interlaced branches overhead, trying desperately to force her tears back.

But she could not suppress the sob in her throat, and her voice came out slightly hoarse:

"It's nothing, Sister Xiao Wu, Rongrong. I'm just sitting here for a while. You two go back first. I'll return in a bit."

"Zhu Qing, we're the best of sisters, you know."

Ning Rongrong took her hand, her tone carrying a hint of playful insistence.

"I told you all about my embarrassing business last night. Is there anything you can't tell us?"

Xiao Wu chimed in as well, clenching her fists angrily.

"Exactly! Did that Dai Mubai make you angry? If he dares bully you, I'll have Tang San teach him a proper lesson tomorrow!"

"Right!" Ning Rongrong immediately agreed, her eyes shining.

"Zhu Qing, don't be afraid of him. If it comes down to it, I'll have Brother Su Yu teach him a lesson! Brother Su Yu can definitely stand up for you!"

Seeing how protective the two of them looked, Zhu Qing felt something warm spread through her heart, and the wall she had forced herself to maintain instantly collapsed.

She lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly. The grievance she had kept bottled up finally broke free as soft sobs.

Zhu Qing's voice still carried the remnants of her choking sobs. Every word seemed to take all her strength:

"Sister Xiao Wu, Rongrong, I'm actually the Second Young Lady of the Zhu Family of the Star Luo Empire... Dai Mubai! Dai Mubai! He's my fiancé."

Xiao Wu blinked and scratched the silly tuft of hair on top of her head, her face filled with confusion.

"Zhu Qing, so what if he's your fiancé? Could he really force you to do something you don't want to do?"

Ning Rongrong gently patted Xiao Wu's arm. A look of understanding entered her eyes as she softly explained to Zhu Qing:

"Sister Xiao Wu, it's not that simple. You know there are the Two Great Empires on the continent, right?"

"Of course. Heaven Dou and Star Luo."

Xiao Wu nodded. This was basic common knowledge.

"The two empires have different rules for inheriting the throne." Ning Rongrong paused, her tone growing more solemn.

"In the Heaven Dou Empire, the emperor appoints the Crown Prince. When the old emperor dies, the Crown Prince takes the throne."

"But the Star Luo Empire isn't like that... Their succession to the throne has always been accompanied by struggles among the Royal Family's children. You could even call it slaughter."

She looked at Zhu Qing and lowered her voice further. "And, Sister Xiao Wu, the Star Luo Royal Family is the Dai Family."

Only then did Xiao Wu understand. Her eyes widened.

"So... that lecherous tiger who's shameless every day is actually a Prince of the Star Luo Empire?"

Zhu Qing lowered her eyes. Her fingertips dug deeply into her palm as she nodded.

"Yes. He's the Third Prince, while our Zhu Family has been an affiliated family of the Star Luo Royal Family for generations."

"The marriage between our two families' children has been a thousand-year-old tradition... My engagement to him was arranged from the day we were born."

"That's a good thing, isn't it? In the future, Zhu Qing, you'll be the Third Prince Consort!"

Xiao Wu was just about to say more when Ning Rongrong grabbed her hand.

Ning Rongrong's expression grew much more serious as she continued explaining to Xiao Wu:

"Sister Xiao Wu, you don't understand the danger involved."

"The Star Luo Empire does not grant hereditary titles to nobles who share the imperial surname. That means that among the men of the Dai Family in every generation, only one can ultimately survive."

"The one who survives becomes the new emperor of the Star Luo Empire."

Ning Rongrong looked at Zhu Qing, sympathy in her voice.

"Dai Mubai is only the Third Prince. Above him are the First Prince and the Second Prince. The struggle between them has always been a fight to the death."

She paused before saying each word clearly: "So for Zhu Qing, she and Dai Mubai have only two possible futures."

"Either Zhu Qing and Dai Mubai emerge victorious from this brutal struggle, and they become emperor and Empress!"

"Or Zhu Qing and Dai Mubai fail, and they become prisoners under the new emperor, with their lives hanging in the balance."

By the time Xiao Wu heard this, all the lightness had vanished from her face. Her mouth hung slightly open, and she could not speak for a long while.

"This... this is far too cruel." Xiao Wu's voice dropped. "Then, Zhu Qing, you..."

Zhu Qing's voice was like a withered leaf dried by the wind, filled with an exhaustion that would not fade.

"Sister Xiao Wu, Rongrong, I'm the fiancée of the Third Prince, Dai Mubai."

"Of this generation in Star Luo, only two Princes are qualified to participate in the struggle for the throne—Dai Mubai and the First Prince, Dai Weisi."

She paused, her fingertips tracing shallow marks across the rough stone. Her voice grew even lower.

"Dai Weisi's fiancée is my elder sister, Zhu Zhuyun."

"Dai Weisi is already an adult. His Soul Power broke through Rank 40 long ago, and now he is only one step away from becoming a Spirit King."

Zhu Qing raised her eyes toward the distant horizon, a weight beyond words filling her gaze.

"Dai Mubai is only fifteen this year. When he comes of age, we must return and fight Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun."

"It will be a Spirit Duel that determines life and death."

Her voice trembled slightly, yet it held the resolve of someone who had no choice but to face it.

"If we win, Dai Mubai can become the Crown Prince, and I can become the Crown Princess. In the future, we will inherit the throne. But if we lose..."

Zhu Qing's throat tightened before she continued. "If we lose, the best outcome for us would be having our Martial Souls crippled and being imprisoned for the rest of our lives."

"If they cannot tolerate us... then we can only die and vanish from this world, our souls scattered."