Douluo Dalu: Blue Lightning Sky Dragon Hammer

Tang Zhen stood there absolutely dumbfounded. He was making his way to Nuoding City to try and encounter Xiao Wu before she got too entangled with Tang San.

Knowing the trouble Tang San would cause once he ascended to Godhood, Tang Zhen as the righteous *pfft* ....what was that noise? It sounded like someone was questioning his righteous *pffft*...character.

Ignoring the sounds of doubt, Tang Zhen was determined to make sure that Tang San's path was not going to be smooth.

Looking back at Zhu Zhuqing and trying not to look like a complete fool in front of the lovely maiden, he eased his face into a gentle smile.

Initially terrified after seeing the brutality of this young boy, Zhu Zhuqing was scared and after hearing it was her elder sister whom she still loved and thought of highly that was the mastermind behind the attempted assassination, Zhu Zhuqing completely froze with wide eyes and tears flowing down her pretty face.

Tang Zhen seeing the person he was determined to make his future wife in such a state felt a pain in his heart that surpassed all other pains he had experienced in both lives.

He slowly walked up to her, crouching down, he gently offered her his hand. "Are you okay?"

Seeing a hand in front of her, Zhu Zhuqing finally looked up. Unable to see his face during the attack, she finally got a good look at him and the world froze around her.

Zhu Zhuqing was always surrounded by handsome boys in the Star Luo Empire when she was with her family up until a year ago. Even her supposed fiancée Dai Mubai was extremely handsome just like the rest of the Dai imperial family members. She was introduced to young nobles constantly and they were always trying to win her favor. She knew she was beautiful as everyone has told her she was her whole life. But she could see the hidden intent in the eyes of all her admirers. They only admired her beauty. They didn't care or bother to try and get to know her. They only saw Zhu Zhuqing, the second daughter to the duke of the Zhu family. They didn't see Zhu Zhuqing, the lonely girl that just wanted to find genuine companionship.

Seeing the boy in front of her now who was slightly older than her, Zhu Zhuqing's face lit up like a tomato. This boy set a new standard for the word handsome. Even with his clothes slightly covered in blood and some even landing on his face, the gentle look in his eyes reassured her that he meant her no harm.

She thought his eyes were initially red as when he disappeared only red streaks where his eyes would be were left along with that terrifying Thunder movement he demonstrated. But looking back at her now were eyes that seemed to mock the color of the sky for being too dull in comparison.

Yet behind those eyes she could see a lot of other things. Pain, tiredness, wisdom, confidence, tenderness, but the one that stood out to her was loneliness.

What was this boy doing in the Star Dou Forest alone? Where were his parents?

Questions started to form in her mind and she was so lost in thought that she didn't hear him ask if she was okay.

Tang Zhen was trying but failing to keep his composure. His smile was slightly faltering and his mouth started twitching with the awkward silence. He tried to sound heroic in front of his future wife to make a good impression but maybe the blood was not the greatest idea.

After what felt like an eternity, Zhu Zhuqing snapped out of her stupor and realized her savior had said something.

Her blush intensified from embarrassment as she said, "I-I'm sorry?"

Tang Zhen just repeated, "Are you okay?" Still with his hand outstretched, he maintained his composure.

Zhu Zhuqing finally reached out with her hand and grabbed his. For both parties, they felt a jolt the moment their hands touched.

Zhu Zhuqing's blush came back with a vengeance as it intensified even more than before. "Oh uh y-y-yes."

Tang Zhen delighted by her reaction and seeing her adorable state smiled even brighter.

All if that came crashing down. Due to the merge of Uchiha Sasuke, Tang Zhen suddenly felt a killing intent directed at Zhu Zhuqing. His face instantly changed from being warm to one of filled with malice. "Who dares try to hurt my woman?"

Zhu Zhuqing seeing his face change all of a sudden but oblivious to the killing intent directed at her thought that he was another assassin sent by her sister and Dai Weisi trying to play her again, instantly froze in terror.

All of a sudden she felt herself being hoisted and her vision blurred and when she realized what happened, she saw rhat she was in Tang Zhen's arms in a bridal carry a few feet away.

After realizing Tang Zhen wasn't going to hurt her, she focused her attention to where she was before and was shocked to see the woman who she considered her aunt standing there with a bloody knife in hand swinging down.

Stunned by the disappearance of Zhu Zhuqing, the woman looked around and found her in the arms of that monster.

Tang Zhen realizing he was so distracted by Zhu Zhuqing, failed to noticed this woman had killed the last soul master and tried to kill Zhu Zhuqing as well.

With wide eyes, Zhu Zhuqing shakily asked her, "A-aunt Ling? What are you doing?"

Tang Zhen narrowed his eyes at the woman. He had less than 40% of his soul power remaining after using his abilities and the Chidori. His young body still had a limit and even though his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon was more powerful, he still had the drawback of the martial soul consuming too much power until he reached level 50 like all the other clan members.

The woman started to laugh maniacally as she responded back to Zhu Zhuqing. "I am just following the orders of my master, the first lady, she asked me to watch over you and then to kill you afterwards once we were alone in this forest."

Zhu Zhuqing started to shed tears. Even in her state she was undoubted beautiful. It looked like little pearls were falling down her face.

Tang Zhen trying to understand more about the relationship between Zhu Zhuqing and his sister, probed further. "And what do you gain for killing her? Wealth? Recognition?"

The mad woman stared back at Tang Zhen and responded, "The first lady said that I would get whatever I want. Gold coins, men, status, and I would no longer be a slave!"

Hearing enough Tang Zhen flicked his wrist and all the woman saw was a black object flying towards her with no chance to dodge, a black kunai lodged into her forehead killing her instantly.

Tang Zhen thought it was over but suddey broke out into a cold sweat. He felt a powerful presence in the forest watching him. "Is that a Soul Emperor? I can't sense his strength." He thought.

Then all of a sudden the presence disappeared.

"What's wrong?" He heard a tender voice. Looking down, he saw Zhu Zhuqing looking up at him. She must have felt his body tense up all of a sudden.

"Its nothing." He reassured with a smile. In his mind it was a chaotic storm of questions and thoughts. Who was that person? Why didn't they attack? Did they mean us no harm? Maybe a scout?

Then he came to an absurd conclusion. Did Zhu Zhuyun send an expert to protect her sister? Why would she do that? Even though in the original story the two sisters sort of made up eventually after the attack by the Martial Soul Hall, Zhu Zhuqing never really warmed back up to her sister.

"Just what in the world is going on?" Tang Zhen thought.

"Mhm…. My name is Zhu Zhuqing by the way. I'm 7 years old. Thank you for saving me."

Tang Zhen smiled at her again causing her to blush. "My name is Tang Zhen, I am 9. It's a pleasure to meet you Zhuqing."

After talking back and forth and calming down, Zhu Zhuqing seemed to become colder after the realization that her beloved older sister just tried to have her killed.

Tang Zhen noticing this asked, "Zhuqing, do you hate your sister for what she did?"

Zhu Zhuqing just nodded. Sighing slightly, Tang Zhen told her that it was best not to get revenge but the best path forward was to get stronger. Become strong enough to confront her sister to for the truth and decide upon her fate afterwards.

"I will help you get stronger, do you want to come with me Zhuqing?" Tang Zhen offered with a smile.

"Mhm….can I… can I call you big brother Tang Zhen?" Asked Zhu Zhuqing timidly.

Tang Zhen was overjoyed. He graduated to the essentials big brother status. "Brother Xiao Yan, I also have a sister now." Mentally with a shaking fist in front of his face trying to keep his composure.

Smiling at Zhuqing's adorable state, Tang Zhen replied, "Of course. Your big brother will protect you for life. No matter who tries to come after you, no matter how strong they may be, they will have to get through me first." He declared with a resolute determination. He pulled Zhu Zhuqing into his arms causing her to blush to atomic levels but she eventually wrapped her arms around his waist enjoying the warmth he gave off.

"Big brother Tang Zhen, why did you say I should get stronger to get answers from my sis- Zhu Zhuyun? The other people already said it was her." She asked with confusion.

Tang Zhen knew that since she was still young it would be difficult to explain so he told her that he would tell her when she got older and they enrolled in a secondary soul master school together.

Zhu Zhuqing pouted cutely which Tang Zhen found too cute.

"Alright Zhuqing, let's get out of here and find a place to rest for the night. Then we can go enroll in a school together. Okay?"

"Mhm" Zhu Zhuqing agreed.

They walked, talked, and laughed together until they reached Nuoding city where they found a small inn and would go to Nuoding Academy together where Tang Zhen planned to find Xiao Wu.

He used his Sharingan to fool a low level bishop at the spirit hall in Nuoding City to provide him with paperwork and registration. Foregoing his second martial soul, he registered with his dragon spirit.

At the inn, although they booked separate rooms, there was a sudden knock at Tang Zhen's door and a timid voice came from behind it. "Big brother Tang Zhen, its Zhuqing could I come in?"

Confused, Tang Zhen let her in. "Zhuqing what's wrong?"

Zhu Zhuqing blushed heavily and asked, "Big brother Tang Zhen, Zhuqing is scared, c-could I s-sleep here with you?"

Tang Zhen couldn't believe his luck. He hurriedly agreed. Soon they both fell asleep in each others arms. An abandoned, betrayed little girl and a lonely boy.