After Xiao Qing left the study, Zhu Zhuqing's expression remained calm as usual, but her heart was in turmoil.
No wonder her father, who hadn't contacted her privately for many years, suddenly wanted to talk to her today.
It turned out it was about this matter.
The talk about advancing to Soul Saint was probably secondary.
The key was still that so-called bloodline acquisition secret technique.
But Su Cheng was different to her.
Zhu Zhuqing's feelings for Su Cheng had always been extremely complex.
Over the years, her rapid advancement in cultivation, which amazed everyone, and her ability to manage the aristocratic network flawlessly and counterbalance the royal family,
were certainly inseparable from her own efforts, and also benefited from the Nirvana Scripture.
But in this process, Su Cheng had also been of great help, perhaps even worthy of half the credit.
At the Soul Master level, whether it was the absorption of Soul Rings across age limits, the understanding of Soul Skills far beyond ordinary people, or even the Netherworld White Tiger Martial Soul Fusion Skill, all contained Su Cheng's hard work.
When expanding their network of connections within the empire's upper echelons, they often relied on Su Cheng to negotiate.
His special status and the unique aura that inspired trust in others significantly reduced the difficulty.
Furthermore, their Soul Fusion Technique had become increasingly refined over the years.
Performed by two Soul Emperors, it possessed strength comparable to a Title Douluo.
It's hard to say that the support of those established noble forces wasn't related to this.
Although their attitude remained ambiguous, it had at least greatly alleviated the pressure from the Dai family.
Zhu Zhuqing stood in the center of the courtyard, staring blankly at the swaying shadows of the trees on the wall.
Along this journey, she seemed to have gained much, yet nothing seemed to have changed.
What was once the deepest and most loathed shadow of her adolescence seemed to have occupied her entire childhood.
But now, looking back, Zhu Zhuqing realized she had never had any friends.
No, not even enemies.
In the comings and goings, all that was discussed was profit.
Only that figure remained, like a signpost, etched into her heart.
"Heh."
Zhu Zhuqing chuckled softly.
All her tangled worries seemed to vanish like smoke.
"How could I do that… Give me another twenty years, who in the Star Luo Empire can stop me?"
As for the so-called five-year deadline, it was merely a delaying tactic agreed upon with Su Cheng.
She raised her head, surveying the Zhu family compound, looking at the spacious courtyard and high walls before her, and let out a long sigh.
"From today onward, I will be in charge here…"
However, fate played another cruel joke on Zhu Zhuqing.
There were no twenty years at all.
Not even five.
In those five years, the situation on the continent changed drastically.
First, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe of the Heavenly Dou Empire ascended the throne. Then, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect within the Heavenly Dou Empire were destroyed overnight.
Simultaneously, several kingdoms and duchies within the Heavenly Dou Empire were swiftly annexed.
Before the Star Luo Empire could even make a move, the Heavenly Dou Empire preemptively declared war.
Throughout this process, the Spirit Hall showed no intention of stopping it. Instead, it gathered all the Soul Masters under its control, prohibiting them from aiding the two great empires.
As the war raged, the Star Luo Empire suddenly discovered that the Heaven Dou Empire had somehow acquired a large number of high-level Soul Masters and Title Douluos, who were frequently appearing on the battlefield.
Although the Star Luo Empire's army was still putting up a fierce resistance, it was clear to everyone that it was all show and no substance.
"Finally here."
Upon hearing the news, Su Cheng felt no surprise, but rather a sense of relief that everything was finally on track.
During this time, aside from necessary communication with Zhu Zhuqing, he rarely acted under the identity of Zhu Hongtao, mostly interacting with Zhu Zhuqing in his original capacity. The Zhu family's power was now largely under Zhu Zhuqing's control.
Although he was extremely familiar with Zhu Zhuqing, he didn't know much about the other members of the Zhu family.
Exchanging a few words occasionally was fine, but living together was clearly impossible.
"Xiao Qing, what's your opinion on the current war between the two great empires?"
In the Zhu family study, Su Cheng, disguised as Zhu Hongtao, asked Zhu Zhuqing.
"Within three years, the Star Luo Empire will surely be defeated."
Ordinary commoners might not understand, but these people could see at a glance that the Heaven Dou Empire clearly had the support of the Spirit Hall.
Although they didn't know the reason, the titled Douluo and high-level Soul Master combat power were clearly something only the Spirit Hall could provide.
"What do you think our fate will be when the Star Luo Empire is destroyed?"
Zhu Zhuqing fell silent upon hearing this.
From the Spirit Hall's perspective, these subjects of a fallen nation were of little concern; they would likely be allowed to continue existing.
However, from the perspective of the Heaven Dou Empire's royal family, not a single member of the Star Luo Empire's royal bloodline would be spared.
And how could the Zhu family, which had been intermarried with the Dai family for generations, possibly escape death?
"Over the years, I have been searching far and wide, and finally found a spirit beast extremely suitable for you to attach a spirit ring to. But the prerequisite for absorbing this spirit ring is that you must possess a hidden spirit power level of Title Douluo without attaching a spirit ring."
"What?" Hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing was stunned, not understanding Su Cheng's meaning for a moment.
Pushing her spirit power to the Title Douluo level without attaching a spirit ring was indeed something she could do with the help of the Nirvana Scripture; in fact, her current spirit power level was already around level seventy-four.
But to cultivate step by step to the Title Douluo level was a completely different story.
The time required would be immeasurable.
In this critical situation, discussing it is pointless.
"You have a chance, Xiao Qing. As long as you seize Su Cheng's bloodline, you can rise to the top in one step." Su Cheng took out the manuscript filled with the secret techniques for seizing bloodlines again and said in a deep voice.
"Make a decision quickly, or it will be too late. Even if you don't want to act, Su Cheng, as a member of the White Tiger bloodline, will not escape death. His existence is no secret in the Star Luo Empire!" "
..."
Seeing Zhu Zhuqing remain silent, Su Cheng frowned.
"He's just a lone wolf. Besides, even if you seize his White Tiger martial soul bloodline, it won't harm his life."
"...And he's not the only one with the White Tiger bloodline."
After a long silence, Zhu Zhuqing finally spoke again, her voice slightly hoarse.
"No." Su Cheng slowly shook his head. "Davis and Dai Mubai are both too weak. Even if you choose the stronger Davis to seize his bloodline, you still won't be able to push your cultivation to the Title Douluo level."
Actually, besides cultivation, there was another important reason only Su Cheng himself knew.
The White Tiger Martial Souls of those two were vastly different from his own.
All these years, his Nirvana Sutra hadn't been practiced in vain.
The essence of bloodline fusion is completion. Seizing the White Tiger Martial Soul in this way and fusing it with Zhu Zhuqing's own Netherworld Cat would recreate the complete Netherworld White Tiger without harming her foundation or polluting herself—it was by no means a crooked or evil method.
However, this opportunity only comes once. Absorbing many Netherworld White Tigers would truly be going down the wrong path.
Therefore, Zhu Zhuqing should naturally absorb the strongest and most compatible one.
After Su Cheng cultivated the Nirvana Sutra, his bloodline purity far surpassed Davis's, and the core information in his Martial Soul was much closer to the true form of the Netherworld White Tiger.
Furthermore, given his higher cultivation level, Zhu Zhuqing, after seizing his bloodline, would undoubtedly be able to directly elevate her cultivation to an extremely high level.
However, at this moment, Zhu Zhuqing seemed to be concerned about something else entirely.
A hint of resentment flashed in her eyes as she stared intently at Su Cheng, coldly questioning, "So, you didn't actually teach this technique to my elder sister! Because you've been eyeing Su Cheng for twenty years, haven't you?!" "
..." Su Cheng's expression stiffened, then he explained, "You must understand, he's just an illegitimate child, while Davis's identity is different. Moreover, I never imagined that the Heaven Dou Empire would be colluding with the Spirit Hall."
Without further ado, he shoved the manuscript into Zhu Zhuqing's hands.
"This contains detailed instructions on how to seize the White Tiger Martial Soul bloodline. In addition, there's a recipe for a slow-acting potion. This potion enhances cultivation and short-term combat power, but it also causes fluctuations in the opponent's Martial Soul and Qi. During this period, using a secret technique, you can slowly extract their bloodline. You spend a lot of time together these days, giving you ample opportunity to slowly erode his White Tiger Martial Soul."
After speaking, Su Cheng took out a pale red glass bottle.
The transparent bottle was filled with a thick, pale red liquid, reflecting a faint pink light.
"This potion can force out all of the opponent's bloodline potential at once. If you have the opportunity, you can use this potion directly on him all at once."
"..."
Zhu Zhuqing stared blankly at the potion bottle radiating brilliant light, her lips inexplicably dry.
"Be ruthless, Xiaoqing. The future of the entire Zhu family rests entirely on your shoulders!" Su Cheng said in a deep voice.
"Actually, I've reached this age, and my cultivation can no longer advance. The Soul Douluo level is my limit; I've long since disregarded life and death. But you are different. You are the hope of the Zhu family. Moreover, don't forget your eldest sister; she's been waiting for your success all these years."
Zhu Zhuqing stood there for a long time before finally accepting the vial of medicine, her pale face and slender, white fingers trembling slightly.
"Su Cheng is the emperor's illegitimate son, born out of wedlock. In terms of status, he's insignificant. No matter how much potential he has, before he gets a clear identity, he's useless. No one will hold you accountable for him." Su
Cheng gazed at her. "But this is your last chance."
"The last chance…"
Zhu Zhuqing looked down at the manuscript and the vial in her hands.
Then she gently tilted her head back, slowly closing her eyes, as if countless images flashed before her eyes.
Zhu Zhuyun, Zhu Hongtao, and even her second and third sisters, whose memories were already somewhat blurred.
Finally, the scene freezes on that punch they exchanged when they first met at the academy.
The gears of fate began to turn again.
Zhu Zhuqing once more clearly felt her powerlessness.
...
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(End of Chapter)