Instinctive fear and wariness instantly took over Zhu Zhuqing's body.
She knew her ruthless older sister too well. Her feet instinctively retreated until her back pressed against the cold door.
The two of them remained locked in a standoff for a long time, neither speaking first.
In the end, Zhu Zhuyun was the one to break the stifling silence.
She glanced at her sister, whose whole body was tense, and let out a long sigh.
"Enough. Stop acting like you're facing a formidable enemy."
"The Star Luo Empire is already a hollow shell. We're both Tang Yu's women now."
"We used to fight to the death over the imperial family's rules. But those grudges have no meaning anymore."
Her breezy words were like a thorn, stabbing into Zhu Zhuqing's heart.
She widened her eyes, a fierce mix of hatred and indignation flaring within them.
"No meaning?"
"Your subordinates nearly hacked me to pieces in the wilderness several times! I still have scars from what you did to me!"
"You say it has no meaning, and expect me to just forget all that?"
As fury churned in her chest, the Soul Power within Zhu Zhuqing began to surge wildly.
The shadow of a black Hell Spirit Cat appeared faintly behind her, exuding a sharp killing intent.
Faced with her younger sister's outburst, Zhu Zhuyun showed no fear. Instead, she curled her lips into a cold smile.
"If you hate me so much, then do it."
"Kill me and avenge what I did to you back then."
Rather than defend herself, Zhu Zhuyun took a step forward and spread her arms wide.
"But I should warn you: the moment you try to kill me, Tang Yu will sense it."
"Do you think you still get to decide what happens to you?"
She paused, a complicated, self-mocking look in her eyes.
"Forget killing someone. I can't even take my own life now."
"He controls everything about me, and that includes you."
Zhu Zhuyun's words were like a basin of cold water, dousing the fury that had just ignited in Zhu Zhuqing.
That was right. She was nothing but a prisoner now, a spoil of war who had been sent here.
What right did she have to seek revenge?
The surging Soul Power gradually faded, and the cat's shadow behind her vanished with it.
Zhu Zhuqing's expression was tangled with conflicting emotions, her eyes full of struggle and helplessness.
She walked around Zhu Zhuyun and went to a wooden chair in the corner of the room, sinking into it dejectedly.
She wrapped her arms around her knees and fell into deep silence and confusion.
Just then, the faint sound of footsteps drew near.
Zhu Zhuyun came to a stop beside her. Her voice was low, but there was something unusual in it.
"Actually... being Tang Yu's woman doesn't seem like such a bad choice."
Zhu Zhuqing jerked her head up, her face full of shock.
"Have you lost your mind?"
Zhu Zhuyun shrugged, looking completely relaxed.
"Think about it. What were we fighting tooth and nail for back in the family?"
"To survive, and to one day support the future Star Luo Emperor and become the lofty empress."
"But look at Tang Yu. He single-handedly beat the Star Luo Empire into ceding territory, paying reparations, and offering women to sue for peace."
"He's clearly hundreds, even thousands of times stronger than Dai Weisi—and your good-for-nothing Dai Mubai."
"Following him offers a much brighter future than staying with the Star Luo Imperial Family."
A shrewd glint flashed in Zhu Zhuyun's eyes.
"Maybe the disaster that befell us has really turned out to be a blessing in disguise. We might have struck gold."
Zhu Zhuqing couldn't accept such heretical talk.
Her ingrained beliefs had been shaken to the core, and for a moment, she couldn't find a word to refute her.
Seeing her dazed expression, Zhu Zhuyun suddenly leaned closer, her smile turning mischievous.
"What's more..."
"Tang Yu is pretty impressive in that department, too."
Zhu Zhuyun's voice carried an unmistakable hint of coyness and lingering satisfaction.
Zhu Zhuqing stared blankly for two whole seconds before suddenly grasping her sister's meaning.
"You shameless woman!"
Her usually cool cheeks flushed bright red in an instant. Even her slender neck took on a rosy hue.
She hurriedly turned her head away and refused to look at Zhu Zhuyun again, but her chest heaved with embarrassment and anger, making her striking curves all the more eye-catching.
Night fell.
Zhu Zhuqing spent the entire night on edge in the unfamiliar room.
She sat fully clothed in a corner of the bed. Even the sound of wind blowing past the window made her tense all over.
Yet the whole night passed, and Tang Yu never set foot in the room.
The next morning.
Sunlight spilled across the rear courtyard of the Wuyang Marquis Mansion.
Zhu Zhuqing had washed up early. She pushed open the door and stepped into the spacious courtyard.
With nothing to do, she felt bored and restless.
Accustomed to intense training, she simply took up a stance in the middle of the courtyard and began practicing how to circulate her Soul Power and coordinate it with her Martial Soul.
Just as she was starting to sweat from her practice,
the door to the master bedroom opposite suddenly creaked open.
Zhu Zhuqing paused and turned to look.
Tang Yu walked out of the room in a loose robe, looking languid.
He casually glanced at Zhu Zhuqing in the courtyard.
That one nonchalant glance was enough to freeze her in place. Her heart raced beyond her control, and she was so nervous that even her breathing grew shallow.
Another figure emerged from the master bedroom right after him.
Zhu Zhuyun followed Tang Yu over the threshold.
Her purplish-black nightdress hung somewhat haphazardly on her body, its neckline open to reveal a broad stretch of pale skin.
Most devastating of all were her long, bare legs.
As she walked, her swaying hem showed off her full, alluring figure to the fullest.
An enticing, intimate languor radiated from her, from head to toe.
Anyone could tell.
What kind of wild night the two of them had spent in that room.
Zhu Zhuqing immediately guessed what had happened, and her cheeks grew scorching hot.
She quickly turned her head away and forced her gaze toward a potted plant in the corner of the courtyard.
Seeing how flustered her younger sister was, Zhu Zhuyun's eyes glinted with mischief.
She stepped forward and naturally slipped her arm through Tang Yu's.
"Marquis, my younger sister actually has quite a talent for cultivation."
"She just never had a decent teacher to guide her back in Star Luo, so her strength has always lagged behind mine."
"Since your strength is beyond measure, why not take the opportunity to give her a few pointers?"
After speaking, Zhu Zhuyun deliberately winked at Zhu Zhuqing.
Tang Yu heard her out and scoffed to himself.
What real skills could anyone learn from a useless man like Yu Xiaogang, who did nothing but parrot what was written in books?
He pulled his arm free and looked at Zhu Zhuqing, who stood nearby, ill at ease.
"Sure."
"First, demonstrate the Soul Skill you're best at."