One Sword, Two Deaths; An Army Encircles the Zhu Family; the Star Luo Emperor Arrives

Blood sprayed from the man's neck, and a garbled sound came from his mouth.

"Gurgle..."

His words were impossible to make out.

His throat was torn open, and he spat several mouthfuls of blood.

His eyes rolled back, his head lolled to one side, and he lost consciousness.

Zhu Zhuqing knew this chance would not come again. If she missed it, she could never avenge Xiao Hong.

She killed the Soul Emperor with the dagger,

then turned toward Zhu Xiaolie and Chen Li.

She walked toward them coldly,

murderous intent filling her eyes.

The whole world seemed to fall silent. Only Zhu Zhuqing's footsteps remained.

"Tap... tap..."

Step by step, she approached Zhu Xiaolie and Chen Li.

"Zhuqing, what are you doing? Stay away from me! Ah!"

Chen Li saw the murderous look in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes and screamed, her face turning white with fear.

She kept backing away.

She remembered everything she had done.

If she were Zhu Zhuqing, she would have killed herself a thousand times over.

She and her husband had targeted Zhu Zhuqing at every turn,

withholding her spending money,

sending people after her and Xiao Hong,

and arranging for others to harass her at the academy.

After Dai Mubai fled, Zhu Zhuqing had been left alone, with no one to protect her.

They could not kill her, but they could drive her mad, break her,

and torment her until she was a wreck.

They had slipped laxatives into her food several times, but Xiao Hong had always discovered them by tasting it first.

That damned Xiao Hong was dead now.

But then a boy named Fang Fan had appeared out of nowhere.

Yes, he was from Spirit Hall,

and five Titled Douluo protected him.

Just what kind of monster was that boy?

Five whole Titled Douluo had escorted him to the Star Luo Empire,

and he could even defeat opponents more than ten levels above him.

It was fucking ridiculous.

The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became.

Blood dripped from the sharp claws on Zhu Zhuqing's hands

as she slowly came to a stop before Chen Li.

Chen Li's heart leaped into her throat. She could barely breathe.

"Stay away from me!"

Zhu Xiaolie, trembling with fear, roared too, his face contorted as he screamed:

"Big Brother, save me...

You know I serve Dai Weisi. These people from Spirit Hall will leave before long.

When they're gone, how will you answer to First Prince Dai Weisi?"

Zhu Dashuai gave no response,

and Zhu Zhuqing kept coming toward them.

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

She choked back a sob,

but said nothing.

Her vision blurred with tears,

yet she continued forward,

every step resolute.

"To hell with Dai Weisi!

To hell with the Star Luo Empire!

Do whatever you want!

I can take you away from the Star Luo Empire!"

Fang Fan's calm voice rang out,

and Zhu Zhuqing stopped in her tracks.

Tears ran into her mouth.

So tears tasted a little sweet, and a little salty.

Why was someone she'd met only once so kind to her?

Why did the home she'd lived in for so long feel like hell?

She was bitterly disappointed in Zhu Dashuai.

He had done nothing. He had only stood by and watched.

Then she moved forward again.

As Chen Li watched the girl draw closer, despair welled up within her.

Death itself seemed to be approaching.

Zhu Dashuai knew Zhu Xiaolie could not die. Trading a servant girl for a Soul Emperor had already been a bargain.

Zhu Xiaolie was his younger brother,

and a deputy general of the Star Luo Empire.

He commanded an army of ten thousand soul masters. If his death caused them to rebel, the consequences would be unthinkable.

"Zhuqing... enough!"

Zhu Dashuai barked at Zhu Zhuqing, trying to stop her.

"The Soul Emperor who killed her is dead. A Soul Emperor's life for a servant girl's is more than enough. Zhu Xiaolie cannot die!

If he dies, how am I supposed to answer to Dai Weisi? To His Majesty?

Do you want the entire Zhu Family to die with you?"

Zhu Zhuqing stopped.

"All you talk about is the Zhu Family, the empire, and His Majesty.

You never mention me.

You never mention my dead mother!

You never think of our little family.

You were hiding nearby, but you did nothing to save Xiao Hong.

To me, Xiao Hong wasn't a servant girl.

She mattered more than any Soul Emperor,

more than Zhu Xiaolie!

You don't deserve to be my father!!"

By the end, Zhu Zhuqing could no longer hold back her grief. She wept until tears blurred her vision.

Xiao Hong...

Whenever Zhu Zhuqing was hurt during training, Xiao Hong brought her medicine.

Whenever she was sad, Xiao Hong comforted her.

Whenever she missed her mother, Xiao Hong made her something delicious.

In this family consumed by ambition and struggles for power, Xiao Hong had been its warmest, purest member.

"Whoosh..."

Fang Fan suddenly passed beside her.

Sword in hand, the boy looked like a streak of dazzling light

as he strode across the grass, one firm step after another.

Sunlight stretched his tall, slender shadow all the way to Zhu Xiaolie and Chen Li.

"Slash..." The boy swung his sword.

Blood scattered, sparkling with rainbow colors in the sunlight

before blooming across the air.

Blood spurted from Zhu Xiaolie's neck. His eyes widened in disbelief, then rolled back as he slowly collapsed.

Blood sprayed from Chen Li's neck too. Her face frozen in disbelief, she fell into a pool of blood.

"No... how dare you!"

Zhu Dashuai roared, but he could not move.

"That was your Second Uncle! Why didn't you stop him? You wretched child... I was going to help you escape the Zhu Family in secret. How did things come to this? Why!!!"

Zhu Dashuai bellowed in fury.

Zhu Xiaolie was his younger brother.

He had promised their mother he would take care of him.

Now Zhu Xiaolie was dead because of his daughter!

"Ah!"

He threw back his head and roared, his hair in disarray.

His Soul Power surged wildly.

"You dared kill my second brother!"

He glared at Fang Fan, his eyes full of murderous intent.

"I'll kill you!!"

"How dare you speak to the Spirit Hall Saint Son that way!"

Pufferfish barked. The pressure of a Titled Douluo forced Zhu Dashuai down onto one knee.

"Uh..."

Only then did it sink in for Zhu Zhuqing. She stood stunned.

He...

He had killed Zhu Xiaolie and Chen Li.

He even looked rather handsome.

Fang Fan flicked the blood from his sword and turned toward her.

"Come with me!"

Fang Fan smiled at her, his eyes full of sincerity.

His smile was as beautiful

as the rainbow that had just appeared,

and his eyes shone like stars at night.

Her mind went blank for a few seconds.

Her revenge was complete.

He had helped her achieve it.

And he was Spirit Hall's Saint Son!

A disciple of His Holiness the Pope?

No wonder five Titled Douluo guarded him.

"Thank you!"

Zhu Zhuqing bowed to Fang Fan, then turned and knelt before Zhu Dashuai.

"Uh..." Zhu Dashuai stared at her, bewildered.

What was she doing?

"Thank you for raising me!"

She bowed her head to the ground three times before Zhu Dashuai.

Each bow struck hard enough to dent the grass,

and blood ran from her pale forehead.

Zhu Dashuai's heart ached.

They were both his own flesh and blood.

How had things come to this?

Why!!

"Clank... clank..."

From nearby came the sound of armored feet marching in dense ranks.

A vast Soul Master Army surrounded the Zhu Family.

Dai Yutian and Dai Weisi had led the army here and encircled the estate.

A grim, deadly air hung over the army.

"Interesting. The emperor of the Star Luo Empire is here too!"

Flames swirled around Ling Yuan as the pressure of a Titled Douluo swept wildly outward.

The other Elders sent their pressure surging as well,

making even the battle-hardened soldiers' faces change slightly. The deadly air was scattered,

and the soldiers retreated one after another.