Chapter 154: Zhu Zhuqing misunderstands, Xiao Wu feels something is very wrong.
"Erased… imprisoned…"
Xiao Wu murmured these two words, her body trembling uncontrollably.
She held Lin Qingmo's hand.
A sour heat surged into her eyes without warning, and her vision instantly blurred.
Realizing something was wrong, she quickly lowered her head and bit her lower lip hard, trying to suppress the choking feeling.
But she couldn't completely hold it back.
"Zhuqing…"
When she spoke again, her voice carried a heavy nasal tone, along with undisguised heartache and resonance.
"I… I think I can understand a little of how you feel."
She raised her hand and wiped her eyes haphazardly with her sleeve.
Taking several deep breaths, she tried to steady her voice.
"My mom… she was killed by someone."
Saying this sentence seemed to take a lot out of her, but her gaze gradually became more stubborn.
"At that time, I couldn't do anything. I could only run."
"So I also desperately want to become stronger."
"On one hand, I don't want to be that powerless again. I want the ability to protect myself and the people important to me."
As she spoke, Xiao Wu looked at Lin Qingmo, her expression warm and intense.
"On the other hand, I also think that one day, I'll become strong enough to find the person who killed my mom and let her rest in peace."
"See, we're actually a bit alike, aren't we?"
Xiao Wu tried to force a smile, but it looked more painful than crying.
"We're both desperately running forward to break free from something."
"Maybe it's terrible rules, maybe it's blood debts from the past… in any case, we just don't want to accept fate."
Zhu Zhuqing listened quietly.
When she heard Xiao Wu say, "I think I can understand a little of how you feel," the shoulders, which had been tightly tensed, as if lined with invisible spikes, relaxed ever so slightly.
The way she looked at Xiao Wu lost some of its cold distance, gaining a bit of gentle understanding, even a trace of comfort.
It was a faint warmth, like discovering another flicker of light not far away after trudging through lonely darkness for too long.
She didn't say any comforting words.
She only gave Xiao Wu a very light, yet very certain nod.
Lin Qingmo leaned against the table, watching the scene in front of him, and sighed softly in his heart.
Well then, classic tragic backstory moments plus the heroines healing each other.
He is very familiar with this script.
But while he complained inwardly, his face didn't show much extra emotion.
He knew everything Zhu Zhuqing said was true.
It might even be more brutal than she described.
The Star Luo royal competition in the original story was essentially a gu-raising system.
He also knew how deep Xiao Wu's hatred ran; that obsession had carried her very far.
The information gap was here.
The life-and-death struggles they regarded as everything, in his eyes as a "transmigrator," were merely a known storyline that could even be looked up in a "guidebook."
That feeling was subtle and somewhat heavy.
"Alright, stop getting emotional."
He broke the silence, his tone returning to its usual casualness, even a bit lazy.
"Crying isn't going to raise your soul power by a level."
He set down the cup and walked in front of the two girls.
First, he looked at Xiao Wu, reached out, and ruffled her hair. The motion was a bit rough, yet oddly soothing.
"Keep revenge in your heart. The road is long; take it step by step."
Lin Qingmo lightly patted the back of Xiao Wu's hand as a form of comfort.
Then his gaze shifted back to Zhu Zhuqing.
The girl stood straight, like a taut string, as if a soldier awaiting judgment.
In those beautiful cat-like eyes, there was no pleading, only nearly stubborn anticipation and a sense of going all in.
"Alright."
Lin Qingmo nodded, his tone calm.
"I've seen your sincerity."
"At least you didn't make up a story or say things like 'for justice' or 'for glory.'"
He took another sip of water, organizing his thoughts.
"But Zhu Zhuqing, there are some things I need to say first."
He put down the cup, his gaze deepening slightly.
"The method you want to ask about, how should I put it, it's not something as simple as a set of broadcast exercises."
"That thing involves a lot."
He curled his lips into a faint, cold smile.
"You know what the Soul Master world is like better than I do."
"If even a tiny bit of information about breaking the absorption limit leaks out, do you know how many eyes it will attract?"
He leaned forward slightly, staring into Zhu Zhuqing's eyes.
"The temptation is too great, understand?"
The air in the room grew heavier with his words.
The candle burned quietly, light and shadow flickering across his face.
Zhu Zhuqing listened very seriously; even her breathing became lighter.
Of course, she understood what this meant.
The cruel succession battles of the Star Luo Empire had made her see the greed of human hearts and the temptation of power earlier than her peers.
However, her back straightened even more.
"I understand."
She suddenly spoke with a solemn expression. "I swear upon my Martial Soul that I will never reveal any information to the outside world."
She raised her right hand. Soul Power flickered at her fingertips, and a faint black spirit cat silhouette flashed briefly in her palm.
This was one of the most solemn oaths for a Soul Master, connected to the origin of the Martial Soul.
"If I, Zhu Zhuqing, reveal even the slightest bit of what I hear today, I will suffer backlash from my Martial Soul, my Soul Power will scatter, and I will never rise again."
After finishing the oath, she lowered her hand, her gaze still fixed firmly on Lin Qingmo.
"As long as I can get the chance to become stronger, I can accept any price."
Her tone carried a sense of resolute determination.
"I have nothing left to lose, except this life that still wants to struggle a little."
Lin Qingmo didn't respond immediately after hearing this.
He raised his brows slightly, his gaze sweeping over Zhu Zhuqing with a hint of scrutiny.
This girl had just taken a bath. Her hair wasn't completely dry, and the damp tips clung to her fair neck.
Her smooth skin glowed softly under the dim candlelight.
The dark outfit fit her well, outlining a slender yet not fragile figure—instead, revealing a sense of flexible strength.
Between her brows, the youthful immaturity hadn't completely faded, yet it had already been forced to carry a sharp and heroic edge.
Tsk, have to admit, her foundation is really good.
Lin Qingmo evaluated objectively in his heart.
His glance lasted only a second or two, but Zhu Zhuqing clearly noticed it.
Her face flushed instantly, all the way to the tips of her ears.
Under the candlelight, that redness almost seemed to glow.
Almost instinctively, she raised her hand and quickly pulled at her collar, even though it was already tightly fastened, and her steps retreated half a step.
"Th-that kind of thing… is not, not okay!"
Her voice suddenly became thin and hurried, her eyes darting, not daring to look at him.
"I… I didn't mean that. The price… doesn't include that!"
Lin Qingmo froze for a moment.
Then he burst out laughing, his shoulders shaking slightly.
"Hey, hey, Zhuqing…"
He laughed helplessly, with a hint of teasing.
"You've got quite the imagination. Who told you the price was that?"
Seeing her ears almost burning, he found it extremely amusing.
"What I meant was that the cost might be very high."
He spread his hands. "And you jumped straight in a weird direction."
"Ugh!"
Zhu Zhuqing's face turned even redder this time, from embarrassment.
She pressed her lips together and lowered her head, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
She crazily complained in her heart: Zhu Zhuqing, what were you thinking! So embarrassing!
Especially with Xiao Wu still here.
At this moment, Xiao Wu's gaze toward Zhu Zhuqing became particularly strange.
Xiao Wu blinked, looking at one, then the other.
Then, belatedly let out an "oh," seemingly understanding the misunderstanding just now.
Her cheeks also warmed slightly.
She secretly pinched Lin Qingmo's arm and muttered softly, "You too, you should've made yourself clearer."
End of Chapter