Chapter 273: Sisters Reunited
"..."
As Zhu Zhuyun gazed at her younger sister, whom she hadn't seen in years, her expression grew increasingly complex. Her red lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but the words seemed to get stuck in her throat.
Beside her, Huo Wu and Shui Bing'er also noticed her sudden change in demeanor. Initially, they hadn't recognized Zhu Zhuqing right away after all, real people weren't like characters in TV dramas who always wore the same outfit and hairstyle. Sometimes, just changing one's style and clothing could make someone look like a completely different person.
Compared to a few years ago, Zhu Zhuqing's fashion choices and hairstyle had undergone a significant transformation. She now appeared more mature and alluring, making it difficult for anyone unfamiliar with her to recognize her at first glance.
At first, the two women merely thought the girl in front of them looked familiar. But after noticing Zhu Zhuyun's reaction, they quickly put the pieces together the two looked remarkably similar, making it clear that they were sisters.
And considering Zhu Zhuyun's status… it didn't take long for them to realize that this girl was none other than the future Asura Goddess herself the renowned Zhu Zhuqing!
However, they had no idea if there was any past resentment between the two sisters.
After all, they were born from the same parents surely their relationship couldn't be that bad, right?
"Zhuqing… It's been a long time."
After a long silence, Zhu Zhuyun finally spoke, her voice laced with complex emotions.
In the past, it was always her younger sister who trembled in fear before her.
But after all these years, their positions had completely reversed.
Now, she was the one who should be trembling.
After all, Zhu Zhuqing was no longer the helpless girl from before not only did she have the greatest backing in the world, but she was also a disciple of a god, destined to become a deity herself!
She had long surpassed Star Luo Empire, surpassed the Zhu Clan, and surpassed anything she could have ever imagined.
Before a true god, even an emperor was nothing more than an insignificant mortal, forced to grovel and smile humbly, fearful of offending the divine.
Royal authority?
In the face of divine power, it was nothing but a joke.
When Zhu Zhuyun first enrolled at Baiyun Academy, she had briefly wondered whether she might encounter Zhu Zhuqing here.
But upon further thought, she dismissed the idea as impossible.
After all, her younger sister was the disciple of a living god surely she would be by his side, receiving direct guidance.
Why would she need to attend an academy?
What teacher could compare to a god?
And besides, from what she had heard, the study materials used at Baiyun Academy were compiled by that god himself, alongside the Medicine King.
For that reason, she had never expected to see Zhu Zhuqing here.
The chances were simply too small.
"Mm…"
"It has been a long time, sister."
As Zhu Zhuqing looked at the woman who had once been her childhood nightmare, she was surprised to find that she felt no hatred or anger.
Instead, she felt calm and at peace.
Because the gap between them was now insurmountable.
More importantly, over the years, as she gained more experience and matured, she had come to realize something
Her sister had never actually tried to kill her.
Most of the time, she had only been trying to scare her.
The assassins who had come after her in the past?
They weren't truly there to take her life they were actually meant to drive her away or, rather, escort her to Dai Mubai.
After all, the royal competition required both contenders to reach a certain level of strength.
If the power gap was too large, then it was no longer a competition, but an execution and that would defeat the entire purpose.
Because of that, the Star Luo royal family would never allow Zhu Zhuyun to kill her before she had a chance to grow stronger.
The assassins she had encountered early on?
They had acted more like bodyguards than actual killers.
Of course, after the future videos were revealed, the later assassins were very real because, by then, they no longer cared about following the royal family's rules.
At that point, they truly wanted her dead.
And Zhu Zhuqing knew this well.
Yet despite everything, she had chosen to forgive her sister.
Because she understood that none of this was Zhu Zhuyun's fault.
The real enemy was the twisted imperial system that forced sisters to become rivals.
Both she and Zhu Zhuyun had been nothing more than pawns, swept up in a game they never wanted to play.
The Zhu family's women were nothing more than accessories to the Dai family disposable, easily replaceable.
If they weren't there, the empire would simply choose another Zhu woman to take their place.
Why should women be forced to destroy each other?
The true culprit was the decayed, barbaric system that dictated their fates.
Over the years, Zhu Zhuqing had learned more than just how to grow stronger
She had learned how to see the truth behind the lies.
She was no longer the naive girl she once was.
"Zhuqing… You… you're still willing to call me sister?"
Zhu Zhuyun's voice trembled involuntarily.
Seeing her younger sister smiling softly, her gentle demeanor free of any resentment, Zhu Zhuyun suddenly felt ashamed.
She realized how foolish she had been to assume that Zhu Zhuqing would seek revenge.
And more than anything
She felt deeply ashamed of the jealousy and bitterness she had harbored for so long.
"Let's leave the past in the past, sister."
Zhu Zhuqing looked at Zhu Zhuyun and remembered their childhood
Back when she was six years old, before awakening her martial soul, she and her sister had been so close.
She had loved her older sister dearly.
But after she awakened her Martial Soul, everything changed.
Zhu Zhuyun grew distant, her attitude became colder, and eventually she even plotted to kill her.
All because of a forced engagement
All because she had been chosen as Dai Mubai's fiancée, making her her sister's rival.
From that moment on, the two sisters had been forced into a life or death struggle.
Family no longer mattered
There was only betrayal, cruelty, and the harsh reality of survival.
Zhu Zhuqing had hated this system.
In her eyes, it did nothing but weaken the empire, fueling internal strife while destroying families.
It even made genuine familial love a luxury.
One day, she would change everything.
One day, when she ascended as a god, she would tear Star Luo Empire apart
And everything that was wrong with it would burn to ashes.
"Zhuqing!"
Zhu Zhuyun couldn't hold back anymore.
She rushed forward, pulling her sister into a tight embrace, her shoulders trembling.
"I'm so sorry! For everything I did to you…"
"Sister… you never actually hurt me, did you?"
Zhu Zhuqing hugged her back gently and whispered, "Let's leave the past behind."
Standing nearby, Huo Wu and Shui Bing'er watched the heartfelt reunion in silence.
They didn't know the full story, but it didn't matter.
All that mattered was that the two sisters had made peace.
A once broken bond was finally restored.
A truly happy ending.
(End of Chapter)
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