How do I handle difficult, controlling and aging parents?

Some context here, I'm in my late 20s. My parents are old and they have always been controlling. Using a throwaway account here as I don't want it to get back. I'm not in the US where people can move out when they're 18. (Long post ahead, sorry in advance)

Since forever, I've never been allowed to step out of the house to go anywhere without them escorting me (friends / out / visiting) etc. Let's not even talk about dates. As a result I don't really have friends. That's still applicable today. I've been trying to get them to understand things from my perspective but they say things like I'm stupid or not able to handle things outside of the house. I've tried convincing them to allow me to start to do some things now, as I've been accepted into a local masters program on scholarship, so I assumed I would be given some 'freedoms' but they still are unwilling to listen. I can't go to the supermarket or the gym. They've told me that people / trainers at the gym will try to cheat my money and seduce me into marrying them, as they've heard such stories from their friends. They control what I wear (colors and clothes must be approved by them before I can buy it). I've also tried showing them the thousands of people I've seen on the rare occasions that I do go out with them, and those people can wear what they want (i.e casual shorts / singlets). The most hurtful thing for me, is when there is someone dressed nicely / smartly in a beautiful dress with makeup etc and they will be like "look at that person, they look so good" - but I'm not allowed to do that. They've mockingly said that to see if my 'future husband ' will allow me to wear shorts / dresses and to ask him then.

All my life my parents have been telling me to 'study' and comparing me to their friends' kids who are doing better for their tests / exams. But when I've finally gotten somewhere by getting accepted , they belittle it , saying that I'll end up in an unhappy marriage and they hope I don't progress in my career etc so this education means nothing. To them, if I don't progress in my career, I will stay with them and not 'fight' them. I honestly don't want to fight, getting yelled at makes me cry till today. I'm a crybaby I know, but I've tried to control it but it really doesn't work. They've also cursed me out many times, but I also understand their frustration comes from their own issues like money or stress etc. I've been trying really hard to make them happy, but I seem to always make some mistake to trigger them. My parent will tell me to be like 'them' but am I so wrong for wanting to do things in a different way?

I've also tried to apply overseas for scholarships to universities for my masters to get away but none of the universities accepted me. My parents gloated on this, saying that this proves that no one wants me. I also don't feel good to leave them because they've mentioned countless times that 1) they went through alot of shit to bring me up 2) they do not want me staying away from them. So I'm still staying with them, and my masters prgramme school is about an hour's drive from my house. I'm currently working part time and give them about 50% of my salary (they wanted it) and I'm still paying my student debt off from my undergrad degree, so there is not much left for me. My parents have also said multiple times they will hope and pray that I die if I move away from them, or stop giving them money or get married. Sometimes, they even fight each other, and it scares the shit out of me when they raise their voices / curse out. They've also hinted on many ocassions that if I get married, they will interfere in it as much as they want.

The most confusing thing is when I share with my parents some information about some friends / part time work encounters, they will somehow use it against me. They will make it seem like it's my fault and I am weak for being on 'decent' terms with people at work/school. One of my parent has many issues at work so in some way they expect that from me too. So I am unwilling to share too much about that these days, to spare them and me the trouble. The other parent is not reliable / will always tell things that I've shared with the other, so i don't really have someone to 'trust'.

To be very honest, all of the people I've tried to befriend have been very unreliable, judgemental or plain nasty. I've tried calling some of my friends previously to get some mental support but they are unwilling to reply / pick up the phone. The other folks have their own partners and have no time for me. One has told me to "kys" which made me very sad and reluctant to talk to anyone about this since then. That was when i was in my teenage years. Ironically, when I was younger, I would look up to 'adults' and wish I would grow up soon. But life didn't get better. Now, I really wonder why I was born into this world, if it's all suffering and no one is there.

I read a few threads here too where some folks have mentioned their parents 'guilt tripping them', and my parents love to hold those 'mistakes' against me, like not scoring well for my exams when I was younger , or like having 1 friend which happened to be male. Unfortunately that 1 male friend turned out to be only my friend because he wanted me to have sex with him, which I really wasn't interested in. I even rejected him , but my parents found out when snooping through my texts, and hold it against me, saying that I wanted to marry him (when I really said no, and we became distant friends).

I get that they're aging so maybe their tempers and fears are worse, and all the stories they've heard from their friends about the children leaving to get married / live alone etc are scary to them. There have also been terrible stories about people who get married and find out their spouses are abusive etc and can't leave. So moving out is out of the question, I can't bring it up. I also don't really have a 'support' system as our relatives are not on good terms with us. My parents' friends don't know how my parents are towards me btw, and even if they did they wouldn't care because I'm convinced those people aren't my parents' true friends hah. They're always competing / showing off to one another which I feel makes things worse, but when I've tried to suggest to my parents to stay away from those people, they will scream and shout saying I'm stupid. On many ocassions I feel like my parents' lives got worse because they had me and they've hinted at that many times. I feel very sad.

I want to attend some counselling sessions but I'm not able to , as my parents don't allow it and it's costly.

I'm really at a loss at what to do to make the situation better, and make my life better. How do I handle such difficult people? How do I make my parents see that having me is really not that bad? They're in their 60s, and they want to live beyond 100 - how do I make them happier / better? Please be kind in the comments, my life is hard enough.