The warm sunlight dispelled the gloom.
Zhu Zhuqing emerged from that place with her third sister, and the two leaned against each other as they walked toward their small, shabby home.
On the Zhu Family's streets, clansmen who knew nothing of the truth wore looks of disgust. Some even threw vegetable leaves at the sisters.
"Third Sister, can you still bear to stay in this family?" Zhu Zhuqing asked, leaning into her sister's arms.
"Well, where else could we go? It might be even darker outside than it is here. Once we leave, we won't be able to come back." Was Zhu Zhulin foolish? No, she wasn't.
That short walk home left Zhu Zhuqing utterly exhausted. Her heart had already died.
She had lost all hope in this so-called Zhu Family, this "Hell Spirit Cat" family.
Originally, she had thought that father of hers would speak fairly, and that the other elders might offer a little help.
Or that kind Uncle Zhu Yang might speak up in her defense.
But no. There had been nothing at all.
Zhu Zhuqing recalled what her mother had said in that strange space: "Child, leave this family as soon as you can."
A young boy knelt outside the door of their shabby little single-story house. Thick white bandages covered his entire body, leaving only his eyes exposed on his head. He was crying.
"I'm sorry, Zhu Zhuqing. It wasn't that I didn't want to testify for you. They wouldn't let me in! I've let you down."
Footsteps approached from a distance, and slowly, two figures blocked the boy's Sun.
Zhu Yushu looked up in confusion. Joy instantly welled up inside him. Zhu Zhuqing was all right! That was wonderful! But before he could ask what had happened-
A woman rushed over from a distance and unleashed a torrent of scolding on Zhu Yushu. Under Zhu Zhuqing's bewildered gaze, the woman forcibly picked him up and carried him away.
Sunlight shone on Zhu Zhuqing's delicate, oval face. A happy smile appeared on her cold little face, her pearly white teeth gleaming in the sun.
Everything unpleasant that had just happened instantly faded away. Zhu Zhuqing had seen something uplifting and beautiful. Perhaps the Zhu Family, this "Hell Spirit Cat" family, was merely shackled by certain rules.
"Sister, do you think there are other boys in the clan who are adorably silly like him?"
Zhu Zhuqing asked this just as they closed the door.
Along with those words came Zhu Zhuqing's desire to grow stronger. She would become the youngest Titled Douluo, stronger than she had been in the original story.
If possible, she would become the Zhu Family's Clan Leader in the future. And if she could take it one step further, she would become the Female Emperor of the Star Luo Empire!
Time always passed so quickly.
On this day, one year later, Zhu Zhulin applied for permission to leave, citing the need to obtain her third Soul Ring.
Just for this one opportunity to leave, Zhu Zhuqing and Zhu Zhulin were forced to use up the concession the clan still owed them from last time, on all manner of ridiculous grounds.
But that no longer mattered. This time, the two had already agreed to leave the Zhu Family for good and flee the Star Luo Empire for the Heaven Dou Empire.
The journey might be dangerous, but neither of them was afraid.
In the original story, Zhu Zhuqing had left the Zhu Family alone to find Dai Mubai and call off their engagement, and that had happened when she was already eleven.
This time, Zhu Zhuqing was seven, while Zhu Zhulin was eleven.
Zhu Zhuqing had one ring and could obtain her second Soul Ring at any time. Her Soul Power had quietly accumulated to its peak. Once she obtained her second Soul Ring, she might shoot straight up to level twenty-three or twenty-four.
Zhu Zhulin had two rings and was a level twenty-nine agility-attack Soul Grandmaster. Her Martial Soul was the Hell Spirit Cat. (She had practiced the divine Yoga technique, Cat Pose.)
There were only three ways to slip out of the Star Luo Empire and reach the Heaven Dou Empire.
The first was to cross the Star Luo Empire's border directly, either with clearance documents or under the guise of trading. This was rather difficult, and the sisters certainly couldn't manage it.
The second was to travel through the Star Dou Great Forest, bypassing the series of checkpoints in both the Star Luo Empire and the Heaven Dou Empire. This route was dangerous, and all sorts of unexpected situations could arise.
The third was to follow the Sun Moon Mountain Range to the sea, then travel by sea to the Heaven Dou Empire. This was by far the most dangerous route.
At the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Two figures walked slowly along, clad in black robes, wearing bamboo hats and masks, and each holding two daggers.
One was tall and the other short. The taller one was about 1.6 meters tall, while even the shorter one stood around 1.5 meters.
From their appearance and the way they walked, it was now impossible to tell whether they were male or female.
This was what Zhu Zhuqing and her third sister, Zhu Zhulin, had agreed on. After all, they were both girls, and pretty ones at that. If villains noticed them, it would be very troublesome.
The taller black-clad figure clearing the way ahead said, "Zhu Zhuqing, these clothes are so hot! It's August! I regret listening to you. My sweat won't stop dripping."
Zhu Zhulin was miserable, and even her steps had become somewhat awkward.
Even the arm she used to cut through the Blue Silver Grass ahead was beginning to fail her.
Zhu Zhuqing knew her sister's little temper, but the forest was full of mosquitoes and insects. There was nothing they could do about it. A little sweat was no big deal; getting out of here safely was what mattered.
She continuously sensed their surroundings with her spiritual power. After confirming there was no trouble, she quickly walked up beside her sister and said:
"Third Sister, this is the Star Dou Great Forest. August is when the mosquitoes and insects are most plentiful. If you don't wear this much, they'll bite you. Don't blame me if you're not pretty anymore!"
"Let me clear the way now. Use your Soul Power to dry yourself off, then just keep an eye on our rear."
And so, the two set off again.
At the outermost edge of the Star Dou Great Forest, a rustling sound arose as they passed through the Blue Silver Grass. Once they crossed this patch of grass, they would reach the small path ahead.
They had studied this route on the map. People from the Star Luo Empire often secretly traveled this way to reach the Heaven Dou Empire. It was a route everyone knew about.
Zhu Zhuqing, who was clearing the way ahead, suddenly asked, "Sister, have you decided what kind of third Soul Ring you want?"
Whether out of dejection or helplessness, Zhu Zhulin clearly had little enthusiasm for her third Soul Ring. She answered flatly, "A feline Soul Beast close to a thousand years old will do. It doesn't matter if it's a little weaker. Even a hundred-year one is fine."
She was only a Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster, and her little sister was only a One-Ring Soul Master. Without anyone to help them, Zhu Zhulin had already given up hope of obtaining a Thousand-Year Soul Ring.
After all, the two of them couldn't defeat a thousand-year Soul Beast, nor did they dare try.
Zhu Zhuqing suddenly turned around. Lost in thought behind her, Zhu Zhulin nearly collided with her, but fortunately sidestepped in time. After all, both of them were holding daggers; an accidental cut would be bad.
Seeing her sister's flustered state, Zhu Zhuqing smiled. "Sister, why don't we get me a Hundred-Year Soul Ring first? I'm not boasting. As long as I obtain my second Soul Ring, getting your third Soul Ring will be a breeze!"
"What? Your Soul Power has already reached level twenty? How is that possible? It's only been a little over a year!"
By now, Zhu Zhulin was stumbling over her words. She stared wide-eyed at her little monster of a sister, finding it almost impossible to believe.
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