CHAPTER 269: CHAPTER 269: ZHU ZHUYUN’S OBSESSION

The royal family does not allow Zhu Zhuyun to kill Zhu Zhuqing in advance. After all, the purpose of letting the two princes compete is to stimulate the potential of both through rivalry. In the end, no matter who wins or loses, the winner would be the strongest.

But if one of them kills the other before they’ve matured, then what’s the point of the competition? At that point, it’s no longer a contest—it’s bullying.

Because of this, Zhu Zhuyun never dared to truly kill Zhu Zhuqing. At most, she applied verbal and psychological pressure, trying to suppress her mentality or leave lasting trauma.

But now, driven by a real sense of crisis, Zhu Zhuyun genuinely wanted to kill!

In her eyes, if Zhu Zhuqing truly became the disciple of a Limit Douluo, then there would be no chance of winning. The only outcome left would be defeat.

Since she was doomed either way, why not gamble everything?

Even if it meant risking the wrath of a Limit Douluo, what if it succeeded? No one might even come to investigate. After all, Zhu Zhuqing hadn’t officially become a disciple yet. Even if the future showed she would, it still didn’t feel real in the present.

And who would stir up a storm over a dead girl? They weren’t related yet. Would someone truly take revenge on an empire over a stranger?

Although Zhu Zhuyun didn’t represent the Star Luo Empire herself, as the fiancée of one of the royal heirs, she was part of the royal faction. Killing her would mean going head-to-head with the empire.

More importantly, no rational person would oppose an entire empire over someone who wasn’t even their student.

With this logic, Zhu Zhuyun dispatched her most trusted assassins to eliminate Zhu Zhuqing the moment she learned about her sister’s bright future.

Because whether the assassination succeeded or failed, it wouldn’t leave her worse off than before.

Unexpectedly, she was a step too late.

The fated master and disciple met after all.

When Zhu Zhuyun heard the report, it felt like the sky collapsed. She became dazed, as if each day was a countdown to her execution.

Worse, the Star Luo royal family and the Zhu Clan were furious when they discovered she had ordered an assassination attempt on her own sister. They were even considering handing her over to placate that formidable figure’s wrath.

As for Davis, her fiancé, he didn’t even speak on her behalf. In fact, he agreed without hesitation. There was no reluctance in his expression. He perfectly embodied what it meant to be cold and heartless—treating women like expendable garments.

Zhu Zhuyun felt a chill pierce her heart. She was utterly disillusioned. It was as if the entire world had turned against her.

For a time, she was placed under house arrest, waiting for Ye Cheng to arrive, demand punishment, and be thrown to the wolves to appease his fury.

Fortunately, as time passed, the Star Luo Empire realized that this person didn’t seem to care about them at all. There were no threats, no moves demanding justice. Even Zhu Zhuqing showed no signs of returning. Eventually, after questioning Dai Mubai, they learned that Zhu Zhuqing had cut all ties, refusing to take part in the competition for the throne.

Zhu Zhuyun was released and once again became a prestigious royal fiancée. As for Dai Mubai, the royal family quickly selected a new fiancée from the Zhu Clan.

And so, the competition between the princes continued.

But after that long house arrest—after facing a world that seemed to have abandoned her—Zhu Zhuyun was enlightened.

She had an epiphany and finally understood that all this talk of fighting for the throne, of royal power... meant nothing in the face of absolute strength.

In this world, only power is eternal!

With power, one can control their destiny, do whatever they wish, and live freely.

Her sister, Zhu Zhuqing, was proof of this. Because she was lucky enough to be chosen by a powerful master, she broke free from her tragic fate. She rejected her arranged marriage, and the Star Luo Empire didn’t even dare to protest.

Zhu Zhuyun was envious—but she knew she couldn’t rely on such luck. Not everyone could be chosen by a master like that.

She could only rely on herself!

If she could reach the level of Soul Douluo—or even Title Douluo—then she would finally have a say in the Star Luo Empire. This was a world where strength reigned supreme. Only the strong were respected.

So she trained harder than ever before. But constrained by her own limited talent, her efforts bore little fruit. In traditional soul master cultivation, a person’s future was essentially decided at birth. Talent was fate.

At least, that’s what she believed. Unless she could find a powerful mentor like Zhu Zhuqing, her peak achievement would be Soul Saint. If she miraculously reached Soul Douluo, it would be a gift from her ancestors.

While she fretted over her stagnant strength, Baiyun College opened enrollment.

Zhu Zhuyun was ecstatic and applied without hesitation. Honestly, she wasn’t confident she’d make it in—after all, many people more talented than her had failed.

But unexpectedly, Davis was rejected... and she was accepted!

And everything she saw and learned at Baiyun College began to completely upend her worldview. She gradually realized that the path of traditional soul masters, dependent entirely on innate talent, was a dead end.

The difference between divine ring cultivators and traditional soul masters was stark.

For traditional soul masters, martial soul talent was everything. If you weren’t born with it, tough luck. Your future was sealed.

But divine ring cultivators, even with poor talent, could improve through training, environmental advantages, and external help. They could turn waste into genius!

This was the most profound difference between the two paths.

In just two months, Zhu Zhuyun had experienced an intellectual awakening. Everything she thought she knew had been so narrow, so limited—like a frog trapped in a well.

Attending Baiyun College was like that frog leaping out of the well and finally seeing the vast sky.

Zhu Zhuyun was completely captivated.

She forgot her original motives and immersed herself in the sea of knowledge, unable to pull herself out.

She wasn’t the only one. Many others were equally stunned by what the school taught. They came to understand just how massive the gap between Baiyun College and the outside world really was.

What these students didn’t realize was that, as they absorbed all this knowledge, they were also being subtly "brainwashed." Ye Cheng had hidden his own philosophies within their textbooks, slowly planting his ideals in their hearts.

This kind of influence was silent and imperceptible. By the time they noticed it, there would be no turning back.

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