The Marriage Contract Token Shatters, Zhu Zhuqing Stands Behind Su Hang

"Don't be in such a rush to shock them; let's see what else they try to use to pressure us."

Su Hang stood before the lightning line, dark purple electric arcs slithering across the damp mud, perfectly shielding the caravan's retreat path behind him.

Xiao Wu helped Zhu Zhuqing onto the edge of the carriage, then paused.

"And what if they continue to be shameless?"

Ning Rongrong flipped the Seven Treasures Token into her palm and took over.

"Then we'll keep a record. This Young Miss brought the Seven Treasures ledger tonight."

Behind the forest path, the second group of torches stopped a dozen paces away.

The middle-aged woman leading them wore the dark-patterned attire of the Zhu Family, and two guards behind her carried a wooden box.

Commander Zhu saw the newcomer and immediately stepped aside.

"Steward Zhu Lan, the Second Miss is insistent on leaving with them."

The middle-aged woman didn't look at him, simply opening the wooden box.

Inside lay a complete copy of the Marriage Contract Token, silver-edged with black patterns, the emblems of the Dai Family and the Zhu Family locked together.

Zhu Lan raised the token, her voice steady and heavy.

"Second Miss, the Eldest Miss has a message for you."

Zhu Zhuqing turned from the side of the carriage; the medicine on her shoulder hadn't fully staunched the blood, but her short dagger was already back at her waist.

"Speak."

Zhu Lan raised the Marriage Contract Token half an inch higher.

"Dai Mubai is a prince of the Star Luo Empire, and you are the Second Miss of the Zhu Family. Your marriage contract is tied to the outcome of the struggle between His Highness Dai Davis and the Eldest Miss, as well as the honor and disgrace of the Zhu Family."

Under the torchlight, Zhu Zhuqing did not move.

Zhu Lan pressed further.

"The Eldest Miss tells you to recognize your status, not to be led astray by the words of outsiders, and certainly not to throw away the Zhu Family's face outside Soto City."

Hearing this, Ning Rongrong tapped her Seven Treasures Token against the carriage window.

"Outsiders' words?"

She stepped forward, raising her token directly.

"The Seven Treasures has witnessed the entire conflict on the Hunting Path tonight. The Zhu Family's pursuers brought ropes to seize people, forced them to the Broken Slope, and now you want to frame Zhu Zhuqing for eloping and defecting?"

Ning Chuan immediately stood behind and to the side of Ning Rongrong.

"The Seven Treasures Secret Line will record every word of what the Young Miss has said."

Zhu Lan looked at Ning Rongrong.

"Miss Ning, the more the Seven Treasures writes about the internal affairs of the Zhu Family, the harder it will be to resolve later."

Ning Rongrong didn't retreat an inch.

"If you dare to do it, this Young Miss dares to write it. Don't try to scare me with talk of resolution."

Xiao Wu stood on the other side of Zhu Zhuqing, kicking the broken rope back toward the Zhu Family with her toe.

"She wants to leave because you forced her. What does she owe you?"

Zhu Lan's fingers pressed against the edge of the Marriage Contract Token.

"The Zhu Family gave her resources, gave her status, and gave her a path through this marriage contract; she should follow the rules."

Xiao Wu immediately retorted.

"Does giving resources mean you can claim her life? If Dai Mubai is out debauching, why don't you take a rope and drag him back?"

Zhu Lan's expression darkened.

"The affairs of Young Master Dai are for the Dai Family to handle."

Ning Rongrong let out a laugh.

"What a coincidence; as for Zhu Zhuqing's affairs, she handles them herself."

Tang San stood by the edge of the forest, his hem stained with mud and water, and finally spoke.

"Miss Ning, if the Seven Treasures continues to intervene, it will shift the conflict between the Zhu Family and the Dai Family onto you."

Ning Rongrong turned and blocked him immediately.

"Tang San, worry about yourself first and stop speaking for those who use their power to pressure others."

Tang San's sleeves stiffened.

Ning Rongrong didn't leave him any room at all.

"Just now you urged her to write a letter, and now you urge the Seven Treasures to back down. Every word you say is very 'steady,' but it's always others who suffer the injustice."

Xiao Wu followed up with a jab.

"That's his style: standing far away to talk about the 'big picture,' but when it's time to act, he just harvests his grass."

Tang San's expression tightened, but he did not respond further.

Yu Xiaogang wanted to step forward, but as the Dark Purple Lightning at Su Hang's feet flickered upward, he stopped immediately.

Seeing that soft pressure was useless, Zhu Lan finally pushed the Marriage Contract Token forward.

She channeled her soul power into the patterns on the token, causing the seals of both the Dai and Zhu Families to light up simultaneously.

The soul power was not strong, but it carried the weight of long-term familial oppression, pressing directly toward Zhu Zhuqing.

Zhu Zhuqing had already steadied herself, yet her knuckles turned white as she gripped the sheath of her short dagger.

She had heard those words too many times.

The honor and disgrace of the Zhu Family.

The marriage contract of the Dai Family.

The orders of the Eldest Miss.

The pressure from Dai Davis.

Every single phrase had once weighed upon her back, forcing her to walk the path laid out for her.

Zhu Lan immediately pressed her advantage.

"Second Miss, to see the token is to see the marriage contract of both families. Do you still intend to resist?"

Sensing Zhu Zhuqing's body tense up, Xiao Wu immediately stepped forward to block.

"Who are you trying to scare with that piece of junk?"

Ning Rongrong also raised her Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda, the colorful light ready to descend at any moment.

"Su Hang."

Su Hang had already moved.

The aura of the Chaos Thunder Shadow Dragon unfurled from his body, and the Dark Purple Lightning surged along the ground toward the Marriage Contract Token.

Hum.

The soul power patterns on the token had only just begun to glow when they were directly crushed by the Dragon Might.

The next moment, the silver edge cracked with a sharp sound, and the copy of the Marriage Contract Token in Zhu Lan's hand fell straight into the mud.

The Zhu Family guards retreated in unison.

Zhu Lan looked down at the token in the mud, her fingers frozen in mid-air.

"You dare to destroy the Marriage Contract Token?"

Su Hang stepped onto the lightning trail, his tone flat.

"It's just a common signal token; don't pretend it's destiny."

Xiao Wu laughed out loud on the spot.

"Did you hear that? Don't act like a big shot with a broken piece of junk."

Ning Rongrong was even more direct.

"The Zhu Family is so used to using this thing to suppress others that they really think everyone has to kneel and accept it?"

Zhu Zhuqing looked down at the cracked Marriage Contract Token.

A moment later, she walked over, bent down, and picked it up.

Zhu Lan spoke immediately.

"Second Miss, if you take back the token now, you can still go back and explain yourself."

Zhu Zhuqing ignored her.

Snap.

She personally broke off a corner of the token.

The broken piece fell into the mud, the patterns of the Dai and Zhu Families severed at the edge.

The Zhu Family side fell completely silent.

Zhu Zhuqing lifted her face, her words hard and resolute.

"I am not going to beg Dai Mubai to acknowledge me."

She tossed the broken token back at Zhu Lan's feet.

"I am going to tell him how this debt is to be settled."

Xiao Wu stood by her side, her entire demeanor brightening.

"That was satisfying."

Ning Rongrong hung her Seven Treasures Token at her waist.

"This Miss will bear witness; Zhu Zhuqing's words shall be recorded in the Seven Treasures Secret Archive."

Zhu Lan looked at the broken token, then toward Su Hang and the Seven Treasures guards.

If they continued, tonight would turn into the Zhu Family forcibly seizing the Seven Treasures caravan.

If they pressed their status further, the Marriage Contract Token had already been shattered in front of everyone.

She finally withdrew her hand.

"Withdraw."

Commander Zhu grew anxious.

"Steward Zhu Lan, what about the Eldest Miss..."

Zhu Lan coldly interrupted him.

"If you can't bring the person back, then bring back what you saw tonight."

The Zhu Family pursed their lips as the pursuit force began to retreat, torches disappearing one by one into the forest path.

Zhu Lan paused for a moment before leaving.

"Second Miss, the Eldest Miss will be waiting for your explanation in Star Luo."

Zhu Zhuqing stood within the lightning perimeter, not retreating any further.

"Let her wait."

Only after the torches had faded into the distance did Ning Chuan order the guards to tighten their formation.

The lightning around Su Hang's feet dissipated for the most part, leaving only a few wisps clinging to the mud.

The System Panel lit up with a pale gold border before him.

[Zhu Zhuqing's emotions are fluctuating violently.]

[Exclusive dungeon bond stabilized.]

[Zhu Zhuqing's favorability unlocked: 20%.]

[Reward: 900 Diary Points.]

Su Hang swept a glance over it and casually dismissed the panel.

Although Xiao Wu could not see the panel, she instinctively squeezed half a step closer to Su Hang.

"Brother Su Hang, she's injured, let her sit inside, I'll sit next to you."

Ning Rongrong immediately climbed into the carriage, clutching her small bag.

"This Eldest Miss is responsible for treating her injuries, so I have to sit close too."

Xiao Wu immediately blocked her.

"Treating injuries is one thing, don't use it as an excuse to take the spot next to Brother Su Hang."

Ning Rongrong slammed her medicine bottle onto the table.

"Bunny, saving people is one thing, and seats are another. This is called principle."

Zhu Zhuqing stood by the carriage door, listening to the two of them bickering again, and finally sheathed her short dagger completely.

The stifling pressure that had been weighing on her chest finally dissipated quite a bit.

Su Hang looked at her before boarding the carriage.

"Can you still walk?"

Zhu Zhuqing nodded and stepped onto the carriage ledge.

"I can."

Xiao Wu helped her into the carriage, not forgetting to add a remark.

"Even if you can, don't push yourself. You haven't even seen Dai Mubai yet, save some of your health bar first."

Ning Rongrong pushed a soft cushion toward her.

"Sit here. We'll settle the score once we reach Soto City; this Eldest Miss will have the evidence lined up for you."

After Zhu Zhuqing sat down, she looked through the carriage curtain toward the end of the forest path.

The Zhu Family torches were no longer there.

She turned back, her gaze landing on Su Hang, her words clear and distinct.

"Go to Soto City, and take me to see Dai Mubai."