Chapter 270: Zhu Zhuyun's Obsession
The royal family did not allow Zhu Zhuyun to kill Zhu Zhuqing prematurely. After all, the purpose of making the two princes compete was to push them to their limits, ensuring that whoever emerged victorious would be the strongest and most capable.
If one competitor died before the other had fully grown, then the entire competition would be meaningless it wouldn't be a contest, but outright bullying.
Because of this, Zhu Zhuyun never dared to truly harm Zhu Zhuqing. At most, she would apply psychological pressure, use harsh words, and create difficult situations to keep her sister mentally suppressed.
But now, things were different.
Now that she felt a genuine sense of crisis, Zhu Zhuyun was finally willing to kill.
If Zhu Zhuqing truly became the disciple of an Ultimate Douluo, then she, Zhu Zhuyun, stood no chance of victory.
She would be doomed to failure.
Since she was already destined to lose, why not take a gamble?
Even if it meant offending an Ultimate Douluo, it was worth the risk.
After all, Zhu Zhuqing had not yet formally become his disciple. Even though the future video revealed that she would eventually apprentice under him, that was merely a prediction. At this moment in reality, it had not happened yet.
And besides no one would seek revenge for a dead person.
That Ultimate Douluo had no relationship with Zhu Zhuqing yet.
Why would he risk going to war with an empire over a stranger?
Even though Zhu Zhuyun did not represent the entire Star Luo Empire, as the fiancée of a prince competing for the throne, she still carried the weight of the royal family.
To kill her would be to challenge Star Luo itself.
Who would make that choice for a mere girl?
Given all these factors, Zhu Zhuyun made her decision
She sent assassins to kill Zhu Zhuqing.
No matter the outcome, things couldn't get worse than they already were.
But in the end she was too late.
The fated master and disciple had met.
When her men brought back the news, Zhu Zhuyun felt like the sky had collapsed.
From that moment on, she lived every day in despair, as if waiting for her inevitable execution.
To make matters worse, her assassination attempt had been exposed.
The royal family and the Zhu Clan were furious, considering handing her over as an offering to appease that powerful man's wrath.
Her fiancé, Davis, not only failed to plead for her, but fully supported the decision showing zero reluctance.
In that moment, Zhu Zhuyun finally understood what it meant to be disposable.
She had never been special to him.
She had simply been a tool.
Suddenly, her world turned cold.
It felt as if she had been abandoned by everyone.
For a time, she was placed under house arrest, waiting for Ye Cheng to demand justice so that they could hand her over like a sacrificial lamb.
But time passed…
And nothing happened.
Star Luo's rulers gradually realized he didn't even care.
He had no intention of seeking revenge.
Even Zhu Zhuqing had no desire to return.
Through Dai Mubai, they learned that Zhu Zhuqing had completely severed ties with Star Luo and no longer cared about the throne.
And so, Zhu Zhuyun was released.
She regained her position as Davis's fiancée, and in Dai Mubai's place, the royal family chose another girl from the Zhu Clan to be his new betrothed.
Thus, the competition for the throne continued.
But for Zhu Zhuyun…
Everything had changed.
After experiencing isolation, betrayal, and near death, Zhu Zhuyun had an epiphany.
She saw through the so called "royal struggle."
She saw through the so called "power of the throne."
In the face of absolute strength, such things were utterly meaningless.
Only power is eternal.
If you were strong enough, you could control your own fate.
You could do whatever you wanted.
Just like Zhu Zhuqing.
By pure luck, she had become the disciple of a powerful figure
And just like that, she escaped her cruel fate.
She broke her engagement and left the Star Luo Empire without anyone daring to stop her.
Zhu Zhuyun envied her deeply.
But she knew
She could not rely on luck.
She had to rely on herself.
If she could become a Contra, or even a Titled Douluo, then she would hold real influence in Star Luo.
After all, this was a world ruled by the strong.
Only those with power deserved respect.
Determined to change her fate, she threw herself into cultivation.
But
Reality was cruel.
Her talent was too limited.
She trained with all her might, yet her progress was slow.
In traditional cultivation, a person's natural talent dictated their ultimate potential.
If you were born weak, then you would remain weak.
If you lacked innate talent, no amount of effort could change your destiny.
At best, she might one day become a Spirit Sage.
If the heavens blessed her, maybe even a Spirit Douluo.
But a Titled Douluo?
That would take a miracle.
She had no way forward.
At least not until White Cloud Academy began recruiting students.
For Zhu Zhuyun, this was a godsend.
She rushed to apply, though she had little confidence in getting accepted.
After all, countless geniuses had failed the entrance exam.
But in an unexpected twist
Davis was rejected.
And she was admitted.
This stroke of fortune delighted her beyond words.
Because gaining entry into White Cloud Academy meant one thing above all else
She had broken free from Davis's shadow.
And once she entered the academy, what she discovered shattered everything she had once believed.
The knowledge, the training methods, the entire system
It was beyond anything she had ever imagined.
Traditional soul masters were limited by talent.
If you were born with poor aptitude, you were doomed to mediocrity.
But here
Even a so called "weakling" could change their destiny.
The academy provided resources, methods, and support to turn the untalented into geniuses.
The difference was night and day.
For the first time, she saw
She had been living in a tiny, suffocating world.
White Cloud Academy was a gateway to something greater.
She was no longer a frog in a well
She had leapt beyond its walls and witnessed the vast sky above.
And she was completely obsessed.
She forgot why she had come here in the first place.
She no longer cared about Davis, the throne, or the royal family.
She was utterly, irrevocably consumed by the pursuit of power.
And she was not alone.
Many other students felt the same way.
The teachings of White Cloud Academy were revolutionary
And they were changing them all.
Unbeknownst to them, as they absorbed this new knowledge, they were also being subtly "reshaped".
Ye Cheng had woven his ideology into their education.
Slowly imperceptibly he was molding them.
And by the time they realized it
There would be no going back.
(End of Chapter)
Friends, if you enjoyed the novel, you can subscribe to my Patreon channel.
Until November 30st, get 40% off your subscription and 30% off your novel purchase.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Cortez10