Zhu Zhuqing's Numbness, A Tool!

Zhu Zhuqing stood rooted to the spot, silent for a long time.

Her hands, hanging at her sides, were clenched into tight fists; she had exerted so much force that her nails pierced the skin of her palms.

A trace of crimson blood seeped out between her fingers, yet she seemed not to feel any pain at all.

In her mind, the cruel training she had endured in her family since childhood, her sister's ruthless pursuit, and the cold, snobbish faces of the elders flashed by like a revolving lantern.

Suddenly, a profound sorrow appeared on her face.

It was the numbness and resignation of one who had finally recognized reality.

"So be it..."

Zhu Zhuqing suddenly understood.

From the moment she was born into this world, her entire life had been nothing but a series of chips to be used.

All this time, she had been nothing more than a tool for her family to consolidate imperial power and seek profit.

Now that the Star Luo Empire had been wiped out, her family had abandoned her without hesitation, selling her to a new master.

She was like an object to be bought and sold at will; what was the point of struggling?

Why bother with such futile resistance?

The last glimmer of defiance in her eyes flickered out.

Zhu Zhuqing loosened her clenched fists and took a deep breath of the chilly air.

Then, she lifted her legs, which felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead, and walked slowly toward Tang Yu.

With every step forward, she felt as though she were severing all ties to her past.

Seeing Zhu Zhuqing actually walking toward that god of slaughter, Dai Mubai panicked instantly.

His expression turned frantic, and he could no longer even care about the fear in his own heart.

"Zhuqing! Don't go!"

He instinctively lunged forward, reaching out his hands to grab the black-clad figure that haunted his dreams.

However, the moment he moved, Tang Yu's calm yet oppressive gaze swept over him.

It was just such a casual glance.

Dai Mubai's outstretched hands froze in mid-air, as if he had been struck by a binding spell.

He looked at the young man in black, his mind uncontrollably flooded with the mountain of terrifying rumors surrounding him.

Famous in his youth, a man who dominated the world.

A genuine Title Douluo powerhouse.

The Asura god of slaughter who had left heads rolling on the battlefield, striking fear into the hearts of all who heard his name.

And he was nothing but a coward who dared not even face the competition of his own brothers, fleeing to a foreign land to hide in peace.

The chasm between them was like that of clouds and mud, leaving him unable to even conceive of the thought of resistance.

Dai Mubai knew clearly that even if the man moved only a single pinky finger, he would surely die without a whole corpse today.

Defeat this man?

That was something he wouldn't even dare to dream of.

All his impulses and unwillingness were crushed to pieces in the face of such an absolute gap in strength.

Dai Mubai could only stand frozen in place, like a statue that had lost its soul.

He watched helplessly as Tang Yu turned around.

He watched as that high and mighty youth, accompanied by the fiancée who should have been his, walked away with calm, measured steps.

The two figures drifted further and further away, without a shred of lingering attachment.

The moment they disappeared at the edge of his vision, all the strength in Dai Mubai's body seemed to be drained away in an instant.

Dejected, he collapsed onto the cold stone tiles with a thud.

"Zhuqing..."

On the wide, flat bluestone street, Tang Yu walked in the lead, his pace neither hurried nor slow.

Zhu Zhuqing followed silently behind, maintaining a distance of five steps between them at all times.

Around them was the bustling noise of Suotuo City.

Traffic flowed like water, and pedestrians wove through the streets.

Zhu Zhuqing's beautiful eyes darted around, her gaze repeatedly sweeping over the intricate alleys and the crowded street corners.

The thought of escape grew wildly in her mind, uncontrollable like weeds.

The Hell Spirit Cat martial soul she took such pride in granted her immense speed; as long as she could find a decent cover, she could blend into this city in just a few leaps.

Those slender legs, encased in black high-heeled boots, faltered slightly several times as her muscles tensed instinctively.

Yet, every time her gaze touched the back of the young man in black ahead, the courage she had just gathered instantly crumbled.

Even though he did not turn around, and not a single shred of soul power fluctuated from his body.

That previous scene, however, weighed on her chest like a massive mountain.

He did not even need to release his soul rings.

His aura alone was enough to crush a four-ring Soul Ancestor into a puddle of mud.

This insurmountable gap in strength made Zhu Zhuqing clearly understand that in front of Tang Yu, any attempt to escape was no different from courting death.

She bit her lower lip tightly, eventually lowering her eyes in defeat, abandoning that ridiculous impulse.

Before long, the two stopped in front of a sprawling mansion.

In front of the tall, vermilion-lacquered doors, two mighty white jade stone lions stood guard on either side, and a gold-leafed plaque hung high above the gatehouse, inscribed with the four characters: "Wuyang Marquis Mansion."

It was grand, luxurious, and exuded an imposing, stern air.

Zhu Zhuqing looked up, staring blankly at the two heavy doors.

This was to be her future home.

The Star Luo Empire had been defeated, and her family had sent her away as a peace offering.

From now on, she would be like a caged canary, forever locked within this deep courtyard.

Tang Yu did not care at all what she was thinking, walking straight up the steps.

The guards at the gate immediately knelt respectfully to salute.

Passing through the front courtyard, Tang Yu brought her to a spacious room on the first floor and pushed the door open.

"Go in."

Zhu Zhuqing took a deep breath and stepped over the threshold with her long legs.

As her vision adjusted to the light inside, she suddenly froze in her tracks.

On a soft couch in the center of the room sat a woman.

The other party wore a luxurious purple-black dress, her temperament noble and cold. That face, which resembled her own by seven or eight parts but appeared more mature and alluring, was particularly striking at this moment.

Zhu Zhuqing's pupils constricted, and her heart skipped a beat.

Zhu Zhuyun!

The older sister who had suppressed her relentlessly since childhood and had even sent people to assassinate her more than once.

Hearing the sound of the Space Gate, Zhu Zhuyun also looked up.

After seeing that the person arriving was Zhu Zhuqing, a flash of surprise crossed her cold, beautiful face, and she immediately stood up from the soft couch.

Tang Yu stood by the door, his gaze sweeping over the pair of sisters.

"I know that you two sisters had some knots that couldn't be untied back in the Star Luo Empire."

"But from now on, you are both my women."

"Once this door is closed, resolve your conflicts yourselves."

After tossing out these words, Tang Yu had no intention of staying; he turned and left the room directly.

The heavy wooden door slammed shut with a "bang."

The room instantly fell into a deathly silence.

Zhu Zhuqing and Zhu Zhuyun stood a few paces apart, their gazes meeting in the air.