Despairing Zhu Zhuqing, the Power of Thunder Wings

The sky gradually neared dusk.

Zhu Zhuqing fled in panic deeper into the Star Dou Great Forest.

This was because a level forty-six Soul Ancestor was pursuing her, and he was a professional assassin.

Yet she had only just broken through level twenty and had no ability to resist at all.

Only if she encountered a powerful soul beast during her escape and disrupted the situation

would she have any hope of survival.

"Cough, cough..."

Zhu Zhuqing covered her mouth and coughed twice. When she looked at her hand, it was covered in blood.

The blood even had a faint greenish tint.

"This is bad... The poison is starting to act up."

Her face turned bluish.

Her limbs grew increasingly weak, and her running speed gradually slowed.

The wounds on her body also began to ache.

"Is this really where it ends for me today? Zhu Zhuyun, do you really have to kill me?"

Zhu Zhuqing's vision began to blur.

Luo Li emerged from the shadows of the trees. His cheekbones were somewhat high, and his eyes looked sinister.

He lowered his head to look at the bloodstains on the ground and clicked his tongue.

"You sure ran fast. You were poisoned by me and still managed to run for this long."

His steps were slow, and he looked utterly confident.

Zhu Zhuqing leaned against a fallen tree trunk, coughing into one hand.

When she heard footsteps, she raised her head, and a trace of despair flashed through her eyes.

Luo Li stopped ten steps away from her. "Not running anymore?"

Zhu Zhuqing gritted her teeth and tried to stand. Her knees had barely straightened halfway before they gave out, and she fell back down.

Luo Li put his hands into his pockets.

"You can't escape, Second Miss. I've chased you for three days. The poison in you is the third soul skill of my Iron-Spine Scorpion. There's no antidote. It's spread this far already, so you can't even muster Soul Power anymore, can you?"

"Just obediently become my test subject."

Zhu Zhuqing said nothing and stared at him fiercely.

Luo Li's expression did not change as he looked into her eyes.

"Your sister asked me to pass along a message. There can only be one heir to the Zhu Clan. As long as you're alive, she can't sit easy. Once you're dead, everyone's troubles are over."

Zhu Zhuqing's shoulders trembled.

Zhu Zhuyun.

She recalled her childhood.

When she first entered the training grounds at six years old, Zhu Zhuyun had already been able to hold her ground against sparring partners several years older than herself.

Back then, Zhu Zhuqing had thought her sister was strong, strong enough to inspire envy.

Only later did she learn what price that strength had cost.

After that match, Zhu Zhuyun's sparring partner had been crippled in one arm and sent out of the Zhu Clan. No one ever spoke of the reason.

When she was seven, her father called her into his study. She could not remember the specifics.

But she remembered the meaning: between her and Zhu Zhuyun, there could only be one heir.

Her father's expression had been calm when he said it.

She had not understood then, but she understood later.

Training equipment would suddenly come loose, a snake would appear in her room while she slept, and there would be something extra in her bowl during meals that should not have been there.

She had escaped every time through sheer luck, but it also made her realize... someone did not want her to live.

She was ten years old this year.

Not a single day of those ten years had been free from struggle.

Zhu Zhuqing lowered her head, her voice very soft.

"For the sake of inheritance, does it really have to come to this? I'm not interested in any of that at all. I only want to... stay alive."

"Stay alive? Of course you can."

Luo Li's smile gradually turned vicious, and his gaze fell upon Zhu Zhuqing's petite body.

"You can become my exclusive test subject. It might be a little painful, but at least you'll stay alive."

Zhu Zhuqing did not speak again.

At that moment, she considered ending her own life.

At the same time, she remembered why she had fled the Star Luo Empire.

She was going to Heaven Dou City to find someone.

Her fiancé, Dai Mubai.

She had only seen him once, many years ago. She could not even clearly remember his face, only that he had a pair of lighter-colored eyes.

The royal marriage alliance had been arranged by their families. At the time, she had not thought it had anything to do with her, but later she discovered that this marriage might be her only way out.

As long as she could find Dai Mubai, perhaps she could have a place to settle outside Star Luo Empire.

It might not be safe, but at least she could survive.

Perhaps... she might even have someone to rely on.

But now, as she looked into Luo Li's wicked eyes,

her heart was filled with despair and hatred.

She knew how terrifying and revolting the man before her was.

She had traveled for a month, avoided four waves of pursuit, and still failed to escape in the end.

Luo Li shook his head.

"Look at that pitiful little face. What a shame. The eldest miss gave strict orders to kill you, or else I really would've liked to train you properly."

After saying that, he stepped half a pace back and raised his right hand. A clump of dark purple light rose in his palm.

The Iron-Spine Poison Scorpion emerged from his palm. Its entire body was covered in a hard shell, its tail raised high, the hook on its stinger glowing with a faint green light.

Soul Rings rose beneath his feet, two yellow and two purple rings encircling him in sequence.

Luo Li's right hand changed. His entire arm became covered in dark purple armor, his five fingers turning into hooked scorpion pincers, their tips glowing with the same green light as the scorpion's tail.

His first Soul Ring lit up.

"See you in your next life, Second Miss. Scorpion Tail Thrust!"

The next second,

Luo Li's right arm turned into a dark purple afterimage and shot straight toward Zhu Zhuqing's neck.

A sharp whistling sound rang out as it tore through the air.

Zhu Zhuqing watched that dark purple stinger descend toward her. She closed her eyes in despair, a tear slipping from the corner of her eye.

But what followed was not the arrival of death.

She only heard a clang.

It sounded like metal striking metal, dull and brief.

She slowly opened her eyes.

A figure of the same height as her stood before her.

Long black hair, shoulders not particularly broad, yet he stood firmly in front of her.

That person held one arm across his chest. The entire arm was covered in a thin layer of golden light, as if plated with bronze.

Luo Li's scorpion pincer struck that golden light and left only a shallow white mark.

Copper Head and Iron Arms.

Bai Yi remained in his blocking stance without moving.

The golden light was especially conspicuous in the twilight.

Zhu Zhuqing looked at that golden back and forgot to breathe for a moment.

Luo Li felt as if his scorpion pincer had struck an immovable steel wall, forcing him back two steps.

He frowned as he sized up the little brat who had appeared out of nowhere.

Short, and looking only around ten years old.

He had used seventy percent of his strength in that block, yet he had not even broken the brat's skin.

"Interesting."

Luo Li narrowed his eyes. "Your martial soul talent should be pretty good, kid. Which family are you from?"

He was ruthless and killed without blinking, but he did not want to offend people carelessly.

A child with such talent could not possibly have no background.

Bai Yi lowered his arm and smiled.

"You don't even recognize your grandpa anymore. Good grandson, kneel down and call me Grandpa a couple of times, and I might spare your life."

Luo Li froze for a moment. He scrutinized Bai Yi again, then sneered.

"Hehe. Very good. I was originally planning to let you go, but since you insist, you can join my specimen collection."

He retracted the scorpion pincer on his right hand, then felt around his waist with his left hand and pulled out a poison needle hidden beneath a dark cloth strip, pinching it between his fingers.

Zhu Zhuqing heard those words from behind him.

She had investigated Luo Li before. He was Zhu Zhuyun's poison master.

He often used living people to test poisons in prisons, and what he excelled at most was torturing people.

Zhu Zhuqing leaned against the tree trunk, her expression sorrowful but also carrying a hint of gratitude.

She barely managed to raise a hand and grab the corner of Bai Yi's clothes.

"Run... His target is me. Don't save me."

After saying that, the last glimmer of light in her eyes faded away.

Bai Yi tilted his head to glance at her, then brushed her hand away.

"Why are you making such a big drama out of this?"

He then turned back to face Luo Li.

"My hands were just itching. I wanted to find a punching bag to test my soul skill on."

The next instant, a Golden Cudgel appeared in Bai Yi's hand.

Three Soul Rings also rose from beneath his feet at the same time: purple, purple, black.

The three rings of light encircled him in sequence, radiating an eerie glow in the twilight.

Luo Li's face stiffened.

"A... Soul Elder?"

He stared at the black Soul Ring for two seconds, and his pupils suddenly contracted.

"How do you have... a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring?"

He unconsciously took a step back.

A black Soul Ring.

A Soul Elder no more than twelve or thirteen years old carrying a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring.

To absorb a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring required, at the very least, the physique of a Soul King. Otherwise, one could not withstand the impact of its Soul Power.

Since this child could absorb a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring, then his physique was at least...

Several thoughts flashed rapidly through Luo Li's mind.

Zhu Zhuqing, behind Bai Yi, was also stunned.

Leaning against the tree trunk, she stared at that black Soul Ring and forgot even to breathe.

She had never seen or heard of a Soul Elder with a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring in the Star Luo Empire.

What kind of monster was this child, who was about the same age as her?

Luo Li took a deep breath and steadied himself.

A Soul Ancestor in his forties against a Soul Elder in his twenties—though Bai Yi had a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring, the difference in rank was right there. It was not an unwinnable fight.

I'll win!

He gritted his teeth. His second, third, and fourth Soul Rings lit up at the same time.

Second soul skill, Shadow Ambush.

Third soul skill, Poison Thorn Binding.

Fourth soul skill, Scorpion Life-Claiming!

His figure abruptly vanished.

The fallen leaves on the ground were pressed down by some force before bouncing back up.

A dark purple figure moved swiftly close to the ground.

Immediately after, several dark purple poison thorns suddenly burst from the ground beneath Bai Yi's feet, winding toward him in an encircling formation.

The thorns were covered in venom, and a pungent smell spread through the air.

At the same instant, Luo Li rushed out from the shadows. His entire right arm had completely transformed into a scorpion limb, the pincer swelling to twice its size, its tip shining with dark green poisonous light.

As long as he unleashed all of his soul skills at once, catching this child off guard and preventing him from using that Ten-Thousand-Year soul skill,

the advantage would be his!

Bai Yi did not dodge.

The third Soul Ring behind him abruptly lit up.

Golden lightning exploded from his back, gathering behind him into a pair of enormous, translucent Thunder Wings.

The instant the Thunder Wings spread outward, their tips flung out dense golden arcs of electricity. The poison thorns winding toward him were struck by the arcs and halted in midair for a moment.

Then the Thunder Wings suddenly beat.

Golden light spread from those wings, transforming into an arcing Thunderstorm Shockwave that exploded outward in all directions.

The poison thorns shattered inch by inch within the thunderstorm, turning into dark purple powder that scattered through the air.

Luo Li had just emerged from the shadows when the Thunderstorm Shockwave reached him.

He twisted sideways and took the blow, sending him flying seven or eight steps before his back slammed into a large tree and stopped him.

Bai Yi gave him no chance to catch his breath.

He raised his right hand, and the Golden Cudgel slid out from his palm.

The entire staff was coated in pale golden lightning, arcs of electricity dancing across its patterns.

He stepped forward and swung both hands.

The Golden Cudgel swept out with lightning, flinging a curved golden blade of energy from its tip.

Luo Li hurriedly crouched down as the energy blade sliced through a cluster of trees behind him.

The severed trunks were smooth and charred, with traces of lightning still lingering along their edges.

Luo Li stared fixedly at the trees crashing down behind him, nearly frightened out of his wits.

He turned and tried to flee at once.

"Looks like my aim was a little off."

Golden light flashed in Bai Yi's eyes. This time, he gripped the Golden Cudgel and smashed it heavily into the ground.

The golden arcs coiling around the staff rapidly formed into an energy blade that slashed forward.

Luo Li had not even taken two steps before the lightning caught up with him.

His martial soul, the Iron-Spine Poison Scorpion, appeared behind him and tried to block the attack.

But it could not hold for even a second. Every piece of green armor was obliterated.

Then the lightning blade cleaved vertically through Luo Li's body. Not even blood flowed from the cut.

The two remaining halves of his body burned, perished, and turned to ash in an instant.

Bai Yi put away the Golden Cudgel, and the Thunder Wings behind him gradually faded away as well.

The soul skill granted by the Golden-Winged Thunder Roc was indeed powerful. Even a Soul Ancestor's martial soul had been instantly killed in one strike.

Bai Yi turned around and looked at Zhu Zhuqing, who sat on the ground with a rather dazed expression.

It had to be said, the development of people on Douluo Continent was truly outrageous. Back in his previous life, who could have told that this was the figure of a ten-year-old?

After musing to himself for a moment, Bai Yi said,

"Which city are you headed to? I can give you a ride for a little while longer. Then I need to go back to school."

Zhu Zhuqing came back to herself, and light returned to her eyes.

"Thank you, benefactor. I... came from the Star Luo Empire and was planning to flee to the Heaven Dou Empire. I don't know where I should go either. I have no family here."

As she spoke, tears silently flowed from her eyes.

For some reason, she did not want to tell Bai Yi that she had come here to find her fiancé.

Bai Yi glanced at the darkening sky.

"Fine. I'm heading back to Heaven Dou City, so I'll take you there. Once we arrive, find yourself some work. Supporting yourself won't be a problem."

Zhu Zhuqing bit her lip.

"My name is Zhu Zhuqing. Benefactor, may I know your name?"

"Bai Yi."

"Bai... Yi." Zhu Zhuqing raised her head. "Benefactor, I'm sorry. I may not be able to repay you. The poison in my body has already seeped into my bones. I can't hold on long enough to reach Heaven Dou City. In my next life, I'll repay you."

"Oh, I almost forgot. This is simple."

Bai Yi slapped his forehead, then crouched in front of Zhu Zhuqing and took both her small hands in his.

"Benefactor..." A faint blush unexpectedly appeared on Zhu Zhuqing's bluish face.

After a few seconds, the flush gradually became more noticeable.

Zhu Zhuqing was deeply shocked, because she could feel Bai Yi's Soul Power flooding into her body like a torrent.

It rapidly devoured the poison within her body.

It also healed her external injuries. The skin that had once scabbed over became smooth and radiant again.

Her whole body regained its vitality.