Upon hearing this, Zhu Hongtao was surprised.
He had always been puzzled by Zhu Zhuqing's progress in cultivation over the years.
He knew his daughter's talent all too well; otherwise, he wouldn't have been so cold to her.
In his heart, even if his daughter escaped death, her fate wouldn't be good.
In contrast, Zhu Zhuyun was the most likely heir to ensure the Zhu family's continued stable development.
Looking at the book Zhu Zhuqing handed him, Zhu Hongtao's eyes narrowed. He took it and gently began to flip through it.
The more he read, the more shocked he became.
As a Soul Douluo-level expert, he naturally had some insight.
Although he hadn't yet cultivated to truly experience its effects, he was already quite moved.
In the cultivation system of Douluo Continent, Soul Masters weren't ignorant of the function of meridians; they simply didn't know where to begin.
The human body was like a sophisticated instrument.
For ordinary people, without extensive experimentation, who would dare to easily attempt to guide the circulation of soul power within their body?
If Su Cheng hadn't possessed the extraordinary talent of a "medical genius" in the last simulation,
even with vast amounts of human data, medicine, and medical information, he wouldn't have achieved much in this field without conducting extensive human experiments.
Glancing at Zhu Hongtao, whose mind was in turmoil, Zhu Zhuqing continued, "Not only that, Father, this technique also enhances the quality of your Martial Soul."
As she spoke, a ghostly shadow rose around her, and her Martial Soul, the Netherworld Cat, materialized, six soul rings quietly circling beneath her feet.
"Father, come and see."
Hearing this, Zhu Hongtao reluctantly shifted his gaze from the Nirvana Sutra in his hands
and looked at Zhu Zhuqing.
His pupils contracted again.
The Netherworld Cat Martial Soul before him seemed fundamentally different from his own.
Although its appearance hadn't changed much, its sinister and chilling aura was far more pronounced.
"Martial Soul, possess!"
Sharp, cat-like claws instantly sprang from Zhu Zhuqing's palm, sending a chill down Zhu Hongtao's spine.
The spirit possession was completed in an instant.
Sharp cat claws shot forward with lightning speed.
As the claws extended, her entire right arm gradually deformed.
White fur sprouted, and black stripes appeared.
The sharp claws grew further, becoming thicker and longer, like tough, sharp daggers embedded in her palm, flashing with a blinding cold light.
During this process, her seventh spirit ring also quietly appeared beneath her feet.
The entire process was fluid and swift, giving Zhu Hongtao no time to react.
The Severing Meridian Qi Replenishment Technique!
Zhu Hongtao had only recently begun reading the Nirvana Sutra, and his mind was still largely immersed in it.
He was completely unprepared for his biological daughter, Zhu Zhuqing, and never expected her to suddenly launch a sneak attack.
The power of the Severing Meridian Qi Replenishment Technique in the hands of a Soul Saint was vastly different from its lower-level form.
Its activation speed was so fast that even with Zhu Hongtao's strength, he couldn't react in time.
If his opponent's soul power were weak, he could still dodge using the suppression of a Soul Douluo's aura and his higher level of physical strength.
But now, the seven soul rings beneath Zhu Zhuqing's feet clearly demonstrated her current Soul Saint cultivation level.
And not just any ordinary Soul Saint.
The aura fluctuations she unleashed in that instant almost made Zhu Hongtao feel that her strength was at the same level as his own Soul Douluo.
The seventh soul ring, which seemed to reveal a hint of red light in its darkness, terrified him even more.
"Swoosh—"
A sharp claw instantly pierced his heart, followed by the sound of flesh tearing.
The violent soul power instantly shattered his heart.
Zhu Hongtao was dead.
Zhu Zhuqing bent down and gently took the manuscript of the Nirvana Sutra from his hand.
Then, a wave of soul power flashed across her beautiful face.
Like ripples spreading out, her face and figure slowly changed, revealing Su Cheng's appearance.
"Just a mere Soul Douluo."
Su Cheng's cultivation was now even higher than Zhu Zhuqing's; he had already advanced to the Soul Saint level.
His external spirit bone, "Mask," has been strengthened multiple times along with his increasing strength.
Let alone an ordinary Soul Douluo like Zhu Hongtao, even an ordinary Title Douluo wouldn't be able to see through his disguise.
Only a Title Douluo with formidable strength and keen senses could detect any flaws through careful observation.
However, while this spirit bone's disguise ability is strong, capable of concealing appearance, spirit, and aura, it can no longer be concealed when he launches a full-force attack.
This is why, during his sneak attack on Zhu Hongtao, he unconsciously revealed his seventh spirit ring and the true form of his White Tiger spirit.
However, with the Qi-restoring technique he possessed, coupled with the external soul bone "Mask," assassinating those whose cultivation levels weren't much higher than his own was incredibly easy for Su Cheng.
The real Zhu Hongtao had to die.
No one can remain completely hidden forever, and this identity would be extremely useful in his upcoming plans in the capital.
Most importantly, he would have frequent contact with Zhu Zhuqing under this identity.
Su Cheng didn't understand Zhu Hongtao and didn't know his true intentions.
If he hesitated to act now due to too many concerns, it could easily leave hidden dangers.
Strike first to gain the upper hand; without the real Zhu Hongtao, he would be the only Zhu Hongtao.
For a period afterward, Su Cheng, in the name of the Duke of Youming, temporarily handed over the power of the Duke's mansion to Zhu Zhuyun.
He then went out and assassinated several loyal members of the royal family.
These people might not have been top-tier in cultivation, but they were definitely not weak; almost all of them were at the Soul King or Soul Emperor level, and there was even a Soul Saint among them.
After all, in the political system of the Star Luo Empire, it's difficult to hold a high position if you're too weak.
These people's strength was secondary; their crucial positions were paramount. Their deaths significantly weakened the influence of the royal Dai family within the Star Luo Empire in a short period.
During this process, he didn't use his martial soul; he dealt with them all with swordsmanship.
Although Su Cheng no longer possessed the martial soul Longevity Sword, and the external power of his sword intent was naturally suppressed in the simulated world, his sword intent flowed freely, and his swordsmanship remained top-tier.
Combined with his cultivation and the Qi-restoring technique, a sneak attack was easily achievable.
However, he didn't overdo it.
Dealing with only a few key individuals was enough; doing too much would inevitably leave a trace. If someone discovered his tracks, other things wouldn't matter, but if it aroused Zhu Zhuqing's suspicion, it would be a greater loss.
Furthermore, excessive intervention would lower his final score. The current situation was enough for Zhu Zhuqing to fish in troubled waters; he didn't need to do anything more.
The unexpected deaths of these people did indeed cause considerable chaos within the empire's upper echelons.
Although no one knew who was responsible, most people suspected Zhu Zhuqing.
Many of the vacant key positions were seized by members of Zhu Zhuqing's faction.
Three months later, the power struggle within the empire's upper echelons temporarily subsided.
In the Zhu family study, Su Cheng, disguised as Zhu Hongtao, stood behind the desk.
Opposite him stood Zhu Zhuqing, her face now somber, making it difficult to discern her true thoughts.
"Xiao Qing, your recent actions have been quite grand. It seems I really am getting old."
Zhu Zhuqing frowned upon hearing this, but did not deny anything.
Although she felt somewhat bewildered by the series of events that had occurred recently, she had ultimately benefited greatly, and there was no need to deny anything now.
It was enough to know what was going on.
"What level of cultivation have you reached now?" Su Cheng asked in a deep voice.
"I'm already level 70, and I'm preparing to absorb my seventh soul ring to advance to Soul Saint."
"Don't rush to advance. The Nirvana Sutra's cultivation has no bottlenecks. Even without absorbing a soul ring, your level will only be temporarily unable to break through; your actual soul power will continue to accumulate. In a few days, I'll help you gather some information about soul beasts; it will be much better than advancing now."
Zhu Zhuqing was taken aback.
Ten-thousand-year soul beasts are not uncommon; why suppress her cultivation for them?
Indeed, with a cultivation technique at her disposal, even without a breakthrough, her soul power could continue to accumulate, but the efficiency would be much lower. In her view, this was putting the cart before the horse, completely unnecessary.
"You don't need to rush. I know what you're thinking, but I would never harm you," Su Cheng said calmly. "I can't compare to you in matters of strategy now, but I can still give you some guidance in cultivation. You won't have to wait too long; I promise you won't be disappointed."
After a moment of contemplation, Zhu Zhuqing nodded in agreement.
Although it would slow down her cultivation speed, she could wait a year or two.
"I'll be quite busy for the next while, so you'll be in charge of all the affairs of the manor. You're free to use all the resources."
"Alright." Zhu Zhuqing nodded calmly, offering no further refusal.
The Zhu family had considerable influence in the capital, and these political resources would further enhance her power and authority.
"There's one more thing."
Su Cheng took out a page of manuscript from his robes, gently stroking it for a moment before looking at Zhu Zhuqing.
"Over the years, I've developed a secret technique that can steal a person's martial spirit bloodline..."
Zhu Zhuqing suddenly looked up, her pupils constricting as she stared at Su Cheng.
A sharp glint flashed in her previously calm eyes as she murmured, "Steal a person's bloodline?!"
"That's right." Su Cheng nodded slightly, his gaze deep as he looked at her. "Su Cheng is the best choice for you to use this secret technique."
Zhu Zhuqing frowned, staring intently at her father's slightly aged face.
He said decisively, "I don't need it!"
With that, he turned and left the study.
Su Cheng stood behind his desk, watching his departing figure, his expression calm.
He murmured to himself, "No, you will need it; the time just hasn't come yet."
...
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(End of Chapter)