Breaking Free, Setting Out (4K)

The hustle and bustle of Suotuo City was left far behind as the carriage returned to the Tianxing Academy, traveling smoothly along the official road. Inside the carriage, the newly joined Zhu Zhuqing sat alone by the window, her gaze wandering as she watched the scenery rushing past outside. Her cool profile appeared somewhat blurred in the dappled light and shadow.

After a brief conversation with Ning Rongrong, Meng Yiran, and others, she returned to her usual silence, as if an invisible barrier separated her from the slightly lively atmosphere in the carriage.

Her teammates around her were either whispering about the previous battle or resting with their eyes closed, but Zhu Zhuqing's thoughts had already drifted far away, back to the oppressive and struggling Star Luo City, back to the night that determined the turning point of her fate.

Alone, Zhu Zhuqing relied on the speed and stealth abilities granted by her Nether Civet Martial Soul to carefully traverse towns and wilderness.

Her youthful yet already strikingly beautiful face bore a deep weariness, while her bright cat-like eyes held a mixture of stubbornness, worry, and an indelible hope.

After months of arduous tracking, the clues finally pointed to Suotuo City, a bustling city located on the southwestern border of the Heaven Dou Empire.

"Dai Mubai... what kind of life are you living here? Are you biding your time?" Zhu Zhuqing stood on a small hill Suotuo City, looking down at the brightly lit city below, her heart filled with mixed feelings.

The brutal competition within her family nearly crushed her, forcing her to flee—partly to seek a Life Force of hope, and partly to desperately grasp at the last straw called "fiancé." However, Dai Mubai's abrupt departure and escape had already etched a deep distrust into her heart.

As night fell, the Suotuo Great Soul Arena, Suotuo City's largest den of iniquity, was at its most bustling. Zhu Zhuqing hid in an inconspicuous shadow Fighting Arena, her keen senses reaching into the arena like invisible tentacles. She wasn't there to watch the battle, but to sense the familiar aura belonging to the Star Luo White Tiger.

Inside the arena, amidst deafening cheers, a fierce Soul Fighting had just ended. The tall, blond youth, none other than Dai Mubai, was wearing his signature arrogant smile, with a pair of beautiful twin sisters on either side, enjoying the glory of victory and the company of beauties. He looked triumphant, seemingly having long forgotten the suffocating family feuds of the Star Luo Empire.

Just as Dai Mubai was laughing and preparing to leave the Fighting Arena with his female companion for a more enjoyable place, a Soul Power fluctuation originating from the depths of his bloodline, both incredibly familiar and chilling, pierced his senses like an ice needle through the noisy air. It was the aura of the Hell Spirit Cat!

Dai Mubai's smile froze instantly, his wild and unrestrained expression replaced by incredulous astonishment. He abruptly stopped, his sharp golden eyes shooting like lightning towards the direction from which the Soul Power fluctuations came—the dim shadow at the entrance of the Fighting Arena.

From the shadows, a petite yet upright figure slowly emerged. The moonlight and the neon lights of the distant Fighting Arena outlined her exquisite silhouette. The girl wore a black, tight-fitting leather outfit, and although she was travel-worn and her clothes had several barely noticeable tears, it could not conceal her cool and stunning beauty.

Her face was somewhat pale, and the fatigue from the long journey was obvious, but her deep cat-like eyes were burning with a cold flame as they stared directly and unabashedly at Dai Mubai and the twins in his arms.

That look contained no joy of a long-awaited reunion, no dependence, only deep disappointment, the cold rage of betrayal, and a heavy, silent scrutiny.

Dai Mubai felt as if an invisible hand had gripped his heart tightly, making it hard to breathe. Almost instinctively, he released his grip on the twins, his usual nonchalance vanishing instantly, replaced by a pale complexion tinged with shock, guilt, and other emotions. He opened his mouth, and a name was forced out of his throat with a tremor he himself didn't even realize:

"Zhu... Zhu Zhuqing?!"

Zhu Zhuqing did not answer. She simply stared coldly at him, at her fiancé who should have been fighting alongside her, now indulging in wine and women in a foreign land, enjoying the false freedom that escape brought him. The last glimmer of light in her eyes seemed to have been extinguished, leaving only a deathly stillness like an icy pool.

The next moment, just as Dai Mubai tried to step forward to explain or grab her, she swayed, like a true nimble cat blending into the night, turned without hesitation, and disappeared into the intricate streets and alleys of Suotuo City at an astonishing speed, leaving only a resolute and cold silhouette.

Dai Mubai's outstretched hand froze in mid-air. The twin sisters, bewildered, playfully tugged at him. The surrounding noise and chatter continued. Yet, all of this seemed to have faded away from him.

He gazed in the direction where Zhu Zhuqing had disappeared, and for the first time, panic and... an indescribable stinging pain appeared in his golden eyes.

He knew she had come, carrying the heavy shackles of her family and utter disappointment in his cowardly escapism. Like a cold, biting wind, she instantly shattered the decadent illusions he had deliberately ignored over the years.

Zhu Zhuqing's heart sank deeper and deeper into an ice cellar. A few months ago, with a sliver of hope, she escaped from that suffocating family prison, traveling thousands of miles, enduring pursuit and hiding, before finally finding Suotuo City.

She had imagined countless scenarios of their encounter—perhaps he was also diligently cultivating, perhaps he was also accumulating power, perhaps... they could even join forces to fight against that predetermined, cruel fate.

But reality dealt her the heaviest blow.

What she witnessed was the "reputation" of the eldest Young Master of the Dai Family for his extravagant spending and womanizing in Suotuo City. What she saw with her own eyes was his shameful behavior of being surrounded by women and indulging in a life of debauchery.

For him, she bore the pressure that should have been shared by both of them. The infighting within the family, the pressure from Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun... she endured all the suffering, all because of that marriage contract, that uncertain "future".

But now, this "future" has become a joke.

"Heh..." A very soft, self-deprecating laugh escaped from Zhu Zhuqing's lips. She clenched her fists, her nails digging deep into her palms, bringing a sharp pain, but it was nothing compared to the despair she felt.

She turned and disappeared into the deeper darkness without hesitation. Her back was resolute, as if she wanted to completely abandon everything from the past, including that wretched person.

However, the thread of fate was not severed.

As she wandered aimlessly through the dark alleyways, her mind racing, a slender figure silently blocked her path.

The newcomer was dressed in tight-fitting purple leather armor that accentuated her curvaceous figure. Her appearance was six or seven parts similar to Zhu Zhuqing's, but she possessed a more mature and sharp look. In particular, her cat-like eyes were now silently watching her with a complex and unfathomable emotion.

Zhu Zhuyun. Her own sister, who was also ordered by the family to "hunt" her all the way here.

Zhu Zhuqing's body tensed instantly, her Nether Civet Martial Soul almost bursting forth from her body as she entered battle mode. She stared intently at Zhu Zhuyun, her eyes as cold as knives.

"What? Not running away this time? Or do you feel there's no need to run anymore?" Zhu Zhuyun spoke, her voice tinged with languor yet sharp enough to see through everything.

Her gaze seemed to penetrate Zhu Zhuqing's feigned strength, revealing the despair and confusion deep within her heart.

Zhu Zhuqing pursed her lips, remaining silent. She knew that with her level 38 Soul Power, she had no chance against her sister, who was already at the peak of the Soul Ancestor. However, she was tired and didn't want to run away anymore.

"So, you've finally met the person you wanted to see?" Zhu Zhuyun took a step forward, closing in on Zhu Zhuqing. The powerful pressure of her Soul Power made the surrounding air seem to freeze slightly. "How is it? How's our good brother-in-law doing in Suotuo City?"

The sarcasm in her words pierced Zhu Zhuqing's heart like needles. She abruptly raised her head, her eyes finally blazing with anger. "What exactly do you want? Kill me or torture me, it's all up to you! There's no need for this pretense!"

"Kill you?" Zhu Zhuyun scoffed, shaking her head. A barely perceptible hint of pity flashed in her eyes. "My silly sister, if I wanted to kill you, do you think you could have left Star Luo City alive? Could you have made it to Suotuo City, a thousand miles away, unharmed?"

Zhu Zhuqing was stunned, her eyes widening as she stared at her sister in disbelief.

Looking at her sister's swollen eyes and pale face, a barely perceptible pang of heartache flashed deep in her eyes, but it was quickly masked by her usual indifference.

"Not only this time," Zhu Zhuyun's gaze deepened, "But also many of the clan's previous underhanded tactics against you, many of which I secretly helped you deflect or resolve. Otherwise, do you think you could have grown up safely? Do you really think Dai Weisi and his mother are pushovers?"

Zhu Zhuqing was struck dumb, staring blankly at her sister. She had always thought that her sister was on the side of Dai Weisi and the family's interests, and that she only felt disgust and suppression towards her "disobedient" younger sister.

"Why...?"

"Because you are my sister." Zhu Zhuyun's voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable firmness. "Conflict is inevitable; it is the fate of the Dai Family. Our Zhu Family is bound together and cannot remain unaffected. But this cruelty should not be borne entirely by you, nor should it come at the cost of your Life."

She grasped Zhu Zhuqing's icy hand and continued, "The Dai Family is no longer the Royal Family it once was. Now, under the Federation, rules and laws are valued, and it's no longer the barbaric era where life and death were commonplace."

Without the Zhu Family, the Dai Family would be unable to sustain its current situation on its own. Similarly, without the Dai Family, the Zhu Family is nothing! However, this does not mean that the Zhu Family will continue to be subservient to the Dai Family as before, or even use our daughter's life as a bargaining chip in their internal power struggles!

Zhu Zhuqing's heart pounded wildly; her sister's words seemed to have opened a door to a new world for her.

"Father... knows too?" she asked in a trembling voice.

Zhu Zhuyun nodded. "Although Father values the family's interests, he also cares about you... It's just that as the head of the family, there are many things he can't do openly. Letting you leave was Father's tacit approval. Sending you to Suotuo City to see Dai Mubai's current state with your own eyes, so you can finally give up on him, is also our intention."

So... so she wasn't a pawn abandoned by her family? So her father and sister had been protecting her all along in their own way? The overwhelming shock of information left Zhu Zhuqing's thoughts in disarray, and tears welled up uncontrollably again. But this time, they weren't tears of despair, but rather a complex mix of grievances, relief, and a touch of warmth.

"The power struggle Dai Weisi and Dai Mubai is their Dai Family's business. Their life-or-death battle is their destiny. But our Zhu Family's daughter has no reason to be buried with them!"

Zhu Zhuyun's tone was resolute, "Father's meaning is very clear: as long as you give up on Dai Mubai, the family will no longer force you. Your sister, I, will no longer need to put on this 'hunt' act."

"But... will the Dai Family let me off the hook?" Zhu Zhuqing raised her head, her eyes still filled with worry. The Dai Family would never let her get away with betraying the marriage agreement.

"This is the backup plan your father and I have laid out for you." A glint of light flashed in Zhu Zhuyun's eyes. "Join Tianxing Academy. As long as you become a formal student and receive the academy's protection, even if the Dai Family is unwilling, they will never dare to lay a finger on you!"

She paused, her tone tinged with awe. "Don't forget, above the Federation, there are a few truly transcendent beings. Yu Yuanchen of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Qian Daoliu of the Spirit Hall, Tang Chen of the Clear Sky Sect... They established the Federation and allowed old forces like the Dai Family and Xue Family to exist, not because they had any concerns, but because they simply didn't care."

Faced with absolute power, the Dai Family's meager influence was nothing but an ant. They dared not, and would not, provoke the Federation's rules for the sake of a 'disobedient' Zhu Family daughter, much less offend those few individuals."

Zhu Zhuqing's heart pounded wildly. A brand new path, full of light and hope, seemed to be slowly unfolding before her eyes. No longer was it a hopeless future bound to Dai Mubai, but an opportunity to enter the continent's top universities and take control of her own destiny by relying on her own talent!

"Tianxing Academy..." she murmured the name. Tianxing Academy, with the backing of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, was filled with powerful individuals.

"There happens to be a promising team from the Tianxing Academy training in Suotuo City these days." Zhu Zhuyun smiled slightly as she looked at the renewed sparkle in her sister's eyes.

"Their leader is Yu Yunliu from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, a Soul Douluo- level powerhouse. My father has already spoken to her on behalf of the Zhu Family. Now, it all depends on your performance. If your talent and dedication catch her eye, she will give you a chance to be tested."

"Sister... I'm sorry... I..." She choked back tears and threw herself into Zhu Zhuyun's arms, sobbing uncontrollably. All her grievances, fears, and despair were released at that moment.

Zhu Zhuyun gently patted her younger sister's back, her eyes filled with complex emotions. This stubborn and silly little sister had finally... grown up.

Zhu Zhuyun's voice carried a hint of pride and determination. "Remember, Zhu Zhuqing, your destiny is in your own hands. You are the most talented member of our Zhu Family in this generation. Go to the Tianxing Academy; there is a wider world there. As long as you are strong enough, you may well have the same right to choose your own life as those other privileged young women!"

That conversation that night completely changed the trajectory of Zhu Zhuqing's fate.

The following evening, Suotuo Great Soul Arena.

Following the address her sister had given her, Zhu Zhuqing waited quietly. She changed into a clean black training uniform that perfectly accentuated her figure, and her cool and aloof face seemed to be bathed in a soft glow under the setting sun.

When Yu Yunliu's scorching and powerful aura appeared, Zhu Zhuqing took a deep breath, suppressed her nervousness, and took the initiative to meet it.

Zhu Zhuqing displayed her full strength before Yu Yunliu. Speed, stealth, attack, willpower... she held nothing back.

Yu Yunliu's eyes, which seemed to see right through people, lingered on her for a long time before finally turning into a smile of appreciation. "Not bad, a good prospect. A bit cold-hearted, but resilient enough. Come back to the Tianxing Academy with me. Once you pass the entrance exam, you'll be a member of Tianxing."

And so, the scene that unfolded in the lounge earlier came about.

When Yu Yunliu introduced her to the members of the Tianxing Team, Zhu Zhuqing could clearly feel the curiosity and scrutiny in their eyes, as well as the friendliness from the girl with the Eight Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.

She knew this was a completely new beginning. Dai Mubai, Star Luo City, and all those repressed past events... would be severed completely.

The road ahead may still be full of challenges, but this time, she will fight for herself.

The carriage jolted slightly, pulling Zhu Zhuqing back to reality from her reverie.

She looked up into the carriage. Ning Rongrong and Meng Yiran were quietly discussing the concept of a new Soul Tool, their eyes sparkling; Lei Dong and Song Qing were whispering and analyzing the details of teamwork; the other team members were either cultivating or resting.

This is a team full of vitality and hope, a stark contrast to the oppressive and calculating environment she had spent the past decade or so in Star Luo City.

Although she was naturally aloof and didn't like to talk much, at this moment, surrounded by this group of geniuses of the same age, and feeling the pure atmosphere among them—which, while competitive, was mostly about mutual support and common progress—her Ice Seal heart seemed to have thawed slightly.

Sunlight streamed through the car window, casting dappled shadows on her cool, aloof face. Something seemed to be subtly changing in her eyes, which were like deep, still pools.

The carriage continued its journey, carrying young men and women with diverse thoughts, heading towards the Tianxing Academy, and towards an unknown yet full of possibilities future. Zhu Zhuqing's story has only just begun.