Douluo Dalu: The World Suppressing Douluo

"What's wrong?"

Seeing Zhu Zhuqing freeze after hearing where he was headed, Lin Ye couldn't help but ask in confusion.

"Lin Ye, what a coincidence... The place I planned to go is also Soto City in the Balak Kingdom."

Zhu Zhuqing pursed her lips slightly, her clear eyes flickering with complex emotions.

"You're going to Soto City too?"

Lin Ye was surprised.

The Heaven Dou Empire was vast, yet they just happened to be heading to the same place?

"Heh, I guess this means we're fated to travel together. In that case, let's go to Soto City together."

After a brief moment of surprise, Lin Ye quickly regained his composure and smiled.

"Mm."

Zhu Zhuqing nodded silently.

—

After finishing their meal of the bud-horned deer, the group set off.

Their first goal was to leave the Star Dou Forest and find a nearby town to hire a carriage for their journey to Soto City, located within the Balak Kingdom of the Heaven Dou Empire.

Upon leaving the forest, Lin Ye and his group made a brief stop in a small town called Ximo Town.

There, they had lunch before Lin Ye purchased a carriage. With Golden Crocodile Douluo as their driver, the three of them departed for Soto City.

Even with a carriage, the journey from the Heaven Dou Empire's border to Soto City would take nearly a month.

—

Over the course of their travels, Lin Ye and Zhu Zhuqing grew more familiar with each other.

One day, through a chance encounter, Zhu Zhuqing made a shocking discovery—Lin Ye was actually a Soul King. Not only that, but his soul ring configuration was an unprecedented yellow, purple, black, black, black!

Although Lin Ye had claimed to be fifteen or sixteen years old to conceal his identity, a fifteen-year-old Soul King with such an extraordinary soul ring configuration?

Even across the entire Douluo Continent, such talent was unheard of!

This revelation left Zhu Zhuqing more curious than ever about Lin Ye's true identity.

As their bond deepened, Lin Ye also helped Zhu Zhuqing train, using his Fallen Heart Flame to aid her cultivation.

When she learned that Lin Ye possessed twin martial souls, Zhu Zhuqing was once again deeply shaken.

However, after witnessing Lin Ye's monstrous talent firsthand, she quickly calmed herself.

Even so, a storm brewed in her heart.

A Soul King under sixteen, with a soul ring configuration of yellow, purple, black, black, black, and twin martial souls…

Zhu Zhuqing could already foresee that as long as Lin Ye didn't meet an untimely end, he would one day become a Titled Douluo who could shake the entire continent!

And with that realization, a thought she had buried deep in her heart resurfaced.

—

Having grown up in the Duke Zhu Clan, Zhu Zhuqing had long been exposed to its cruel traditions.

From the moment she awakened her martial soul at six years old, she had no childhood to speak of. While other children could act spoiled and ask their parents for treats and toys, she was forced to struggle for survival against her elder sister, Zhu Zhuyun, who constantly sought to eliminate her.

As a child, she had once cried and begged her parents for help.

But their response had been cold: this was the Zhu Clan's ancestral rule.

From that moment on, Zhu Zhuqing sealed her emotions away, refusing to let herself be vulnerable again.

Yet rather than breaking her, her parents' indifference only made her stronger.

She vowed to defeat Zhu Zhuyun in the inheritance battle, become the next Nether Grand Duke of the Zhu Clan, and change the clan's cruel succession system!

However, she knew that achieving this goal would be nearly impossible.

Even if she became the Nether Grand Duke, the Zhu Clan was still bound by the influences of the auxiliary elders and the Star Luo Imperial Family, which had long intermarried with her clan.

These forces were her greatest obstacles.

Zhu Zhuqing had once considered working together with Dai Mubai to put an end to the brutal succession traditions of their two clans.

But in truth, she knew nothing about him.

She didn't understand his personality, nor did she know if he even shared her desire to break free from their families' traditions.

Everything about him was uncertain.

Now, however, another option stood before her—Lin Ye.

With his unparalleled talent, Lin Ye was destined to become one of the strongest powerhouses on the continent.

If she stood by his side and gained his support, and with the help of his Fallen Heart Flame, she was confident that she could surpass the Soul Saints and Soul Douluos in her family and even reach the level of a Titled Douluo!

If she could achieve that, and with Lin Ye backing her, she would have absolute confidence in seizing the position of Nether Grand Duke and reforming the Zhu Clan's inheritance system.

Yet despite this newfound desire to follow Lin Ye, Zhu Zhuqing hesitated.

She had always known that to gain someone's help, she needed to prove her worth.

But when it came to Lin Ye, she had no idea what she could offer.

If she could secure his assistance, it would greatly aid her in either competing against Zhu Zhuyun or simply focusing on her own cultivation until she was strong enough to stand on her own.

But the key question was—would Lin Ye be willing to help her?

And with her personality, she couldn't bring herself to ask for help.

At least, not without offering something in return.

Perhaps… she should go to Soto City first, meet Dai Mubai, and then decide?

Zhu Zhuqing wavered.

What she didn't know was that Lin Ye had already begun considering her potential.

After all, he still hadn't found a single member for his team in the upcoming Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament.

—

Finally, on the last night before reaching Soto City.

In a quiet forest clearing beside their carriage, Lin Ye sat by the campfire, roasting a few wild rabbits they had caught.

Glancing at Zhu Zhuqing, who sat silently beside him, he hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Zhuqing, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."

Zhu Zhuqing blinked, momentarily caught off guard. But she didn't refuse.

"What is it? Go ahead."

"It's nothing serious," Lin Ye chuckled. "I just wanted to ask—why are you heading to Soto City? I'm going there to meet a friend, but you… You're from the Star Luo Empire, aren't you? Why come all the way to the Heaven Dou Empire?"

Hearing Lin Ye's question, Zhu Zhuqing fell silent.

For a moment, she didn't know how to answer.

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