Not far away.
Zhu Zhuqing stood quietly.
Her gaze never left the Sky Screen.
She watched the young version of herself in the image, so bravely expressing her love and so happily nestled in the boy's arms.
At some point, the corners of her eyes had grown damp.
Envy.
She was actually envious of herself in that world.
So she hadn't been born cold and distant, nor had she been destined to wrap herself in a hard shell.
She had once been a little girl who could act spoiled, blush, and love someone without holding anything back.
It was just that—
In this world, no one had given her that chance.
On the Sky Screen, the images didn't end with that warm embrace.
The shadowy forest gradually fell quiet.
But the warm atmosphere instantly froze at the boy's next words.
Black World, Star Luo Square.
Countless people waited for the boy's answer.
Perhaps he'd shyly accept, or make some bold promise.
After all, that was how a childhood-sweethearts story was supposed to go.
However—
The Dai Mubai on the Sky Screen didn't look moved, as everyone had expected.
He simply lowered his head.
There wasn't the slightest trace of desire in his Double Pupil eyes. Instead, they were clear and composed, even carrying a hint of scrutiny.
He reached out and gently pushed away Zhu Zhuqing's hand, which was clutching his clothes.
The movement was slight.
But the rejection was obvious.
The young Dai Mubai looked at the girl he had just saved, his voice so calm it was chilling:
"Marry me?"
"You're too weak right now."
Just a few simple words.
There was no mockery or contempt. He was merely stating a fact.
The young Zhu Zhuqing froze, the light in her starry eyes instantly dimming.
Dai Mubai clasped his hands behind his back.
"My path is destined to be a road to heaven, covered in thorns and blood."
"The woman I want isn't a canary who can only cower behind me."
The boy turned around, leaving the girl with a back that wasn't broad, but was remarkably upright.
"First, learn how to survive in this world that devours people. Get stronger—strong enough to keep up with me."
"Otherwise, you won't even be worthy of standing by my side."
His words fell.
The scene didn't become oppressive.
On the contrary, the camera gave the young Zhu Zhuqing a close-up.
She didn't cry.
The fear and vulnerability that had filled her eyes vanished in that instant, almost as if by miracle.
She stared fixedly at the boy's retreating figure, her tiny fists clenched until they turned white, her nails nearly digging into her flesh.
A fire ignited in her dark eyes.
A fire called ambition.
"I'll get stronger!"
Her childish voice echoed through the forest, unwavering and almost piercing.
The boy stopped in the distance and glanced back over his shoulder.
At last, a hint of a smile appeared on his face.
It wasn't mocking. It was a look of expectation, with a trace of admiration.
"Good."
"I'll be waiting."
The image slowly faded, freezing on the two figures walking one ahead of the other.
At that moment.
The entire Black World continent fell into deathly silence.
Then came an uproar like a volcano erupting.
No one had expected Dai Mubai from that world to be so arrogant!
He actually rejected her?
And for that reason!
Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
Dugu Yan's mouth fell open, disbelief written all over her striking face. Then came profound shock.
"So cool..."
"That's what a real man is like!"
"Unlike that wooden Yu Tianheng. All he does is cultivate. He doesn't have an ounce of dominance."
"A woman should be cherished, but she should also be allowed to grow. Dai Mubai understands life so well."
Ye Lingling, standing beside her, was also gazing at the Sky Screen with sparkling eyes.
"If I were Zhu Zhuqing, I'd train with all my might too."
"Being looked down on by a man like that would be humiliating, but being inspired by him would give me motivation."
"No wonder Zhu Zhuqing from the White World grew so strong later. So this was where it all began."
Spirit Hall, Pope Palace.
Bibi Dong's hand tightened slightly around her scepter.
She watched the Sky Screen, a complicated light flashing in her eyes.
"To stand side by side..."
"To look down upon the world..."
She murmured to herself.
Wasn't that exactly what she had once wanted most?
It was a shame that man couldn't give it to her, and Yu Xiaogang, that good-for-nothing, could give it to her even less.
"This boy truly was born to be an emperor."
Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan stood nearby, holding his hand in a delicate, pinky-raised pose, his face full of amazement.
"Your Holiness the Pope, this little white tiger is quite interesting."
"He's so young, yet his will is remarkably strong. He isn't swayed by beauty; instead, he uses it to spur her on."
"He's simply a monster."
Shrek Academy.
The group, who had still been caught up in that heartwarming scene, now wore all kinds of expressions.
Oscar's sausage fell from his mouth onto the ground.
"I can't take it anymore."
"That guy is such a show-off. The crazy thing is, he pulls it off so smoothly that I actually think he's right."
"Too weak..."
"If it were me, and Zhuqing said she wanted to marry me, I'd probably be overjoyed on the spot. Who'd have time to worry about whether she was weak?"
Ma Hongjun looked as if he had swallowed something awful.
"That's the difference, all right."
"If our Boss Dai had been this bold back then, Zhuqing wouldn't have acted so indifferent to him when she first came to the academy."
The two instinctively looked toward Zhu Zhuqing, who was not far away.
At that moment, Zhu Zhuqing of the Black World was trembling all over.
Not from anger.
But from excitement.
She stared fixedly at the Sky Screen, breathing rapidly, her chest rising and falling sharply.
So... that was how it happened.
Had the Zhu Zhuqing in that world become stronger because of those words?
She looked at Dai Mubai beside her, a trace of disappointment flashing through her eyes.
Back then, apart from running away and lingering among women at the Rose Hotel, had Dai Mubai ever encouraged her?
Had he ever told her to "get stronger"?
He had only ever thought that he couldn't do it, then run off.
He had dumped all the pressure onto her, while she remained in the Star Luo Empire.
"You're not as good as him."
Zhu Zhuqing suddenly spoke.
Her voice was cold and soft.
But to Dai Mubai, it sounded like a clap of thunder.
Dai Mubai's face turned livid. He clenched his fists until his knuckles went white.
He wanted to argue.
He wanted to say that the other Dai Mubai was just putting on an act.
But when the words reached his lips, he couldn't force them out.
Because he, too, had been shaken by that boy's presence.
That dominance—the determination to treat beauties as withered bones and seek only the Great Way—was something he had never possessed.
"I..."
Dai Mubai opened his mouth, then could only lower his head in dejection.
White World.
Star Luo Imperial Palace, back garden.
A group of lovely young women sat together beneath the Sky Screen.
Xiao Wu held a carrot, took a crunchy bite, and stared wide-eyed at the stunning woman seated in the place of honor.
"Sister Zhuqing, so that's how the boss won you over back then?"
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