Despite the severe injuries it had sustained, the Hell White Tiger roared with renewed fury. Its combined intelligence, fueled by pain and desperation, made it even more dangerous. White and black energies surged around its massive form as it unleashed another devastating Netherworld Slash, this time aimed with pinpoint accuracy at Zhu Zhuqing's heart.
'I can't let it hit me directly,' Zhu Zhuqing thought, her senses on high alert.
Reacting in a split second, she activated Frostfire Dash, her body flickering through the air, narrowly avoiding the deadly attack. The Netherworld Slash tore through the space where she had been moments before, leaving a visible distortion in the air.
"You're persistent, little sister," the Hell White Tiger growled, its voice laced with grudging respect and growing frustration. It followed up with a rapid series of White Tiger Howls, each roar carrying a potent spiritual force that threatened to overwhelm Zhu Zhuqing's defenses.
Zhu Zhuqing staggered back, clutching her head. The spiritual attacks were taking their toll. She focused her will, drawing upon the resilience granted by her Torso Spirit Bone. The pain subsided slightly, allowing her to maintain her footing.
'I need to end this quickly,' she thought, knowing that she couldn't withstand such powerful attacks indefinitely.
She unleashed her Fifth Soul Ring ability once more. "Abyssal Phantom Enhancement!" The Abyssal Phantom Lion roared, its form growing even larger and more menacing, its shadowy claws crackling with intense abyssal energy.
The Hell White Tiger lunged, its massive claws aimed at crushing Zhu Zhuqing. But she was too quick. With a burst of speed, she used Phantom Stab Rush, her enhanced form a streak of pure darkness, targeting the Hell White Tiger's wounded areas.
The attacks landed with brutal efficiency, tearing through the Hell White Tiger's fur and drawing more blood. The fused spirit beast roared in agony, its movements becoming more sluggish.
'It's weakening,' Zhu Zhuqing observed, her hope rising.
She pressed her advantage, unleashing a relentless barrage of Thousand Abyssal Claws. The shadowy claws rained down on the Hell White Tiger, tearing at its flesh, each strike carrying the weight of her determination and years of suppressed anger.
The Hell White Tiger fought back fiercely, its Netherworld Slashes and White Tiger Howls becoming more desperate, but its attacks lacked their earlier precision and power. The injuries were clearly taking their toll.
'Just a little more…' Zhu Zhuqing thought, pushing herself to her limit.
She activated her Third Soul Ring again. "Abyssal Decapitation!" The Abyssal Phantom Lion's claws, dripping with dark energy, aimed for the Hell White Tiger's neck once more.
This time, the Hell White Tiger was too slow to react. The Abyssal Claws struck true, tearing through the fused spirit beast's tough hide. A final, agonizing roar echoed through the arena as the Hell White Tiger staggered, its form flickering erratically.
With a final, shuddering gasp, the fusion dispelled. Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun were separated, both collapsing to the ground, panting heavily and covered in injuries. They stared at Zhu Zhuqing with a mixture of shock and disbelief, the memory of their defeat against Song Qing five years ago flashing through their minds.
'She… she actually did it,' Dai Weisi thought, his pride shattered.
'How… how did she become so strong?' Zhu Zhuyun wondered, her face pale with shock. Song Qing had defeated them with effortless grace, but Zhu Zhuqing's victory had been a hard-fought battle, a testament to her own strength and determination.
Zhu Zhuqing stood panting, her Abyssal Phantom Lion slowly dissipating. A wave of exhaustion washed over her, but it was quickly followed by an overwhelming sense of relief. It felt as though a massive weight that had been pressing down on her chest for years had finally been lifted.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she turned and ran towards Song Qing, throwing herself into his arms. "I… I did it, Song Qing," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "I finally took revenge… for everything they did to me all those years ago."
Song Qing held her tightly, gently patting her head. "I knew you could do it, Zhuqing," he said softly, his voice filled with pride. "I'm so incredibly proud of you."
The entire audience remained in stunned silence. Emperor Dai Xing sat on his throne, his face a mask of shock and barely concealed anger. He had never imagined that Zhu Zhuqing, the seemingly insignificant third daughter, could defeat his eldest son and his future daughter-in-law, even with their Spirit Fusion. This was a humiliation, a blatant display of the Spirit Hall's growing influence.
'This… this is unacceptable!' Emperor Dai Xing fumed internally, his hands clenching on the armrests of his throne. The implications of this defeat were significant, both for the Imperial Family and for the delicate balance of power between the two great empires.
~~
The dust settled in the arena, the silence punctuated only by the heavy breathing of the defeated Crown Prince Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun. Zhu Zhuqing turned her gaze towards their weakened forms, her expression now cold and resolute. The relief of victory had quickly been replaced by the steely determination to claim her due.
"Dear Elder Sister," Zhu Zhuqing began, her voice carrying clearly across the stunned silence, each word laced with a chilling finality, "as per our agreement, you shall become my maidservant from this day forward."
A collective gasp swept through the audience. Emperor Dai Xing's face, already red with anger, turned an even darker shade of purple. Even Song Qing, who had anticipated some form of retribution, was slightly taken aback by the specific nature of her demand.
'A maidservant?' he thought, raising an eyebrow. 'That's… unexpected.'
The Emperor Dai Xing could no longer contain his fury. The humiliation of his eldest son's defeat, coupled with this outrageous demand, was too much to bear. A powerful wave of soul power, the pressure of a level 89 Soul Douluo, erupted from him, crashing down on Song Qing and Zhu Zhuqing like an invisible tidal wave.
'He dares!' Song Qing thought, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face.
Without even consciously trying, Song Qing's own soul power, though seemingly lower in level, effortlessly repelled the Emperor's oppressive aura. It was as if an unyielding mountain stood against a gust of wind. The Emperor's pressure dissipated harmlessly around them.
Emperor Dai Xing's eyes widened in utter shock. He could feel his soul power being pushed back, negated by an invisible force. Fury warred with confusion in his gaze as he glared at Song Qing, who stood calmly holding Zhu Zhuqing.
'How… how is this possible?' the Emperor thought, his mind reeling. He couldn't believe that a mere Soul Sage could withstand his pressure. He glanced around, his eyes landing on the seemingly empty spaces around Song Qing. 'It must be one of those Titled Douluo from the Spirit Hall protecting him,' he concluded, his anger intensifying.
"This is too much!" Emperor Dai Xing roared, his voice trembling with rage. "This… this is an insult to my Imperial Family! Holy Son," he addressed Song Qing directly, his tone dripping with barely suppressed fury, "does the Spirit Hall truly condone such an outrageous request from the Third Daughter of the Zhu Family?"
Song Qing rolled his eyes, a gesture that only further enraged the Emperor. "Your Majesty," he said, his voice calm and even, "a bet was made, agreed upon by all parties, including yourself, before the commencement of this duel. Naturally, the terms of that bet must be honored."
'Though,' he thought to himself, his gaze softening as he looked at Zhu Zhuqing, 'I really should ask her why she chose such a… peculiar punishment.'
As if on cue, a chillingly cold voice echoed through the arena. "Emperor Dai Xing, the Holy Son speaks the truth. A bet was made." Ghost Douluo's shadowy figure materialized beside Song Qing, his presence sending a shiver down the spines of many in the audience.
Immediately following, the flamboyant figure of Chrysanthemum Douluo appeared on Song Qing's other side, his voice carrying a silken yet menacing tone. "Indeed, Your Majesty. We would hate for things to become… impolite."
Emperor Dai Xing's face paled as he took in the sight of not just one, but two of the Spirit Hall's most formidable Titled Douluo. And then, he sensed the presence of three more equally powerful individuals concealed within the shadows, their auras radiating immense strength. Five Titled Douluo! The Spirit Hall had sent five of their top experts!
'Five… Titled Douluo?' the Emperor thought, his mind reeling. Blood rushed to his face, and he felt a surge of impotent rage. He wanted to scream, to lash out, but the sheer power emanating from the Spirit Hall experts held him captive.
He turned his furious gaze towards his defeated son and his disgraced future daughter-in-law, who were still lying on the ground, nursing their injuries and their wounded pride. He gritted his teeth, his voice tight with barely controlled fury. "Do… do whatever you want!" he spat out before turning abruptly and storming out of the arena, his royal robes billowing behind him.
Once the Emperor had departed, the tense atmosphere in the arena began to dissipate slightly. Many of the high-ranking officials, sensing the shift in power, quickly made their excuses and followed their Emperor. The ordinary audience members, however, remained for a while longer, whispering amongst themselves about the shocking turn of events, before slowly beginning to disperse.
Song Qing, with a subtle gesture, signaled to the five Titled Douluo, who silently melted back into the shadows, their formidable presence no longer visible. He then turned his attention to Zhu Zhuqing, his expression softening with concern and curiosity.
"Zhuqing," he asked gently, taking her hand, "why did you ask for something like that? Making your own elder sister your maidservant… it seems rather… extreme."
Zhu Zhuqing smiled, a hint of mischief dancing in her dark eyes as she leaned in and whispered in his ear. "Qing, I wanted to completely humiliate that ridiculous tradition the Imperial Family has imposed on the Zhu Family. This forced marriage between those with the White Tiger spirit and those with the Hell Spirit Cat, all in the name of some supposed Spirit Fusion ability… it's always felt so… constricting."
She continued, her voice low and filled with satisfaction, "By making my own elder sister my maidservant, she will no longer be eligible to marry Dai Weisi. And since I refused to marry Dai Mubai, perhaps, just perhaps, this one generation will be free from that suffocating tradition. It might not mean much in the long run, if it continues in the next generation, but… it's a start, don't you think?"
A darker glint appeared in her eyes as she added, "And… well, I won't deny that I also wanted to make her suffer a little more after all those years of bullying."
Upon hearing her reasoning, Song Qing slowly nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. He hadn't given much thought to the traditions of the Star Luo Empire, but Zhu Zhuqing's explanation made sense. He didn't particularly care about the intricacies of their noble families, but if this was what Zhu Zhuqing desired, he would wholeheartedly support her.
Zhu Zhuqing hugged him a little tighter, her embrace filled with affection and a hint of worry. "Did… did I make things bad for you, Qing? Offending the Emperor like that…"
Song Qing let out a soft laugh, his arm wrapping around her reassuringly. "Don't worry about it, Zhuqing. Offending the Imperial Family of this Star Luo Empire really doesn't matter to me at all." He gazed out at the emptying arena, a hint of ambition flickering in his eyes. 'In fact,' he thought to himself, a subtle smile playing on his lips, 'I had planned to offend them sooner or later anyway… when the time comes for the Spirit Hall to expand its territories and claim the entire Star Luo Empire as its own.'