After leaving the study, Zhu Zhuqing's face remained calm as usual, but her heart was tumultuous.
No wonder her father, who had not contacted her privately for many years, suddenly wanted to talk to her today.
It turned out to be about this matter.
Including those talks about advancing to the Soul Saint, they were probably secondary.
The key was the so-called secret technique for seizing bloodlines.
But it was different for Su Cheng in Zhuqing's eyes.
Zhu Zhuqing's feelings for Su Cheng had always been extremely complicated.
Over the years, her rapid progress in cultivation and the skillful management of the aristocratic network balancing the royal family owed much to the assistance of the Nirvana Scripture.
However, in this process, Su Cheng also contributed significantly to her, even claiming half of the credit wouldn't be an exaggeration.
In terms of soul masters, whether it was absorbing soul rings beyond the age limit or understanding soul skills far beyond ordinary people, even the fusion skill of the Hell White Tiger, all of them contained Su Cheng's efforts.
When expanding the empire's upper-level network, many times it relied on Su Cheng to negotiate.
Whether it was his special identity or the unique trust-inspiring aura, it greatly reduced the difficulty.
Moreover, their soul fusion skill became smoother over the years.
Displaying the strength equivalent to Title Douluo when used by two Soul Emperor-level soul masters.
It's hard to say there is no connection between the support of those old aristocratic forces and this matter.
Although their attitudes are still ambiguous, they greatly alleviated the pressure from the Dai family.
Zhu Zhuqing stood in the center of the courtyard, watching the swaying shadows on the wall, lost in thought.
Along the way, it seemed like she had gained a lot, but it felt like nothing had changed.
Clearly, it was once the deepest and most detested shadow of her adolescence, but it seemed to have occupied her entire childhood.
But now, looking back suddenly, Zhu Zhuqing found that she never really had any friends.
No, she didn't even have enemies.
Between coming and going, all that was discussed was interests.
Only that figure, like a milestone, inserted itself into her heart.
"Heh."
Zhu Zhuqing suddenly chuckled.
All the entangled worries seemed to dissipate like smoke.
"How could I do that... Give me another twenty years, who can stop me in the Star Luo Empire?"
As for the so-called five-year deadline, it was just a strategy discussed with Su Cheng back then.
She raised her head and looked at the Zhu family, gazing at the wide courtyard and tall walls, taking a deep breath.
"From today on, I will be in charge here..."
However, fate played a huge joke on Zhu Zhuqing.
There were no twenty years.
Not even five years.
During those five years, there were sudden changes on the continent.
First, Xue Qinghe, the crown prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, ascended the throne. Subsequently, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan within the Tian Dou Empire were destroyed overnight.
At the same time, several kingdoms and duchies within the Tian Dou Empire were rapidly incorporated.
Then, even before there was any movement from the Star Luo Empire, the Tian Dou Empire took the lead in deploying troops and declaring war.
In the process, the Soul Hall showed no intention of stopping. Instead, they gathered all the soul masters they could control, forbidding them from assisting the two major empires.
As the two countries fought, the Star Luo Empire suddenly discovered that the Tian Dou Empire had recruited a large number of high-level soul masters and Title Douluos who frequently appeared on the battlefield.
Although the Star Luo Empire's army was still resisting stubbornly, it was evident to anyone with eyes that it was just a façade.
"It finally came."
Su Cheng, who received the news, was not surprised at all. Instead, he felt a sense of relaxation as if everything was finally on track.
During this time, apart from necessary communication with Zhu Zhuqing, he rarely acted under the identity of Zhu Hongtao. Most of the time, he interacted with Zhu Zhuqing as his original self. Now, most of the Zhu family's power was under Zhu Zhuqing's control.
Although he was very familiar with Zhu Zhuqing, he didn't know much about the other members of the Zhu family.
Casual conversations were fine, but living together was obviously impossible.
"Xiao Qing, how do you view the war between the two empires now?"
In the Zhu family study, Su Cheng, disguised as Zhu Hongtao, looked at Zhu Zhuqing and asked.
"In less than three years, the Star Luo Empire will be defeated."
Ordinary civilians might not understand, but they, who were familiar with the situation, could see clearly that the Tian Dou Empire clearly had the support of the Soul Hall behind them.
Although they didn't know the reasons, those Title Douluos and high-level soul masters' strength clearly could only come from the Soul Hall.
If viewed from the perspective of the Martial Soul Hall, these former subjects of fallen countries were inconsequential, and they would probably allow them to continue existing.
But from the perspective of the royal family of the Tiann Dou Empire, there was no way they would spare a single member of the royal bloodline of the Star Luo Empire.
And as the Zhu family, who had been intermarried with the Dai family for generations, how could they possibly escape death?
"These years, I have been exploring everywhere and finally found a soul beast that is extremely suitable for you to attach soul rings to. But to absorb this kind of soul ring, you need to have a hidden soul power level equivalent to that of a Title Douluo without attaching soul rings."
"What?" Zhu Zhuqing was stunned upon hearing this, not immediately grasping the meaning behind Su Cheng's words.
Attaining a soul power level equivalent to that of a Title Douluo without attaching soul rings was something she could achieve with the help of the Nirvana Scripture. In fact, her current soul power level was already around seventy-fourth rank.
However, progressing to become a Title Douluo in the conventional manner would be vastly different in terms of difficulty. The amount of time required for this process was simply incalculable.
In the current crisis, discussing this matter was utterly meaningless.
"You have the chance, Xiao Qing. As long as you seize Su Cheng's bloodline, you can soar to new heights." Su Cheng produced the manuscript filled with the secret technique for seizing bloodlines again, speaking with a solemn tone.
"Make a decision soon, it's getting late. Even if you are unwilling to act, when the time comes, Su Cheng, as a White Tiger bloodline holder, will not escape death. His existence is not a secret in the Star Luo Empire!"
"..."
Seeing Zhu Zhuqing remain silent, Su Cheng frowned involuntarily.
"He's just a lone person, and even if you seize his White Tiger martial soul bloodline, it won't harm his life."
"...It's not just him who possesses the White Tiger bloodline."
After a long silence, Zhu Zhuqing finally spoke again, her voice slightly hoarse.
"No." Su Cheng shook his head slowly. "Davis and Dai Mubai are too weak. Even if you choose Davis, who has a stronger cultivation, to seize his bloodline, you won't be able to elevate your cultivation to the level of a Title Douluo."
In fact, besides cultivation, there was another important reason that only Su Cheng understood clearly.
The White Tiger martial souls of those two individuals were fundamentally different from his.
Over the years, his Nirvana Scripture was not just for show.
The essence of bloodline fusion was completion. By using this method to seize the White Tiger martial soul, merging it with her own White Tiger, and reproducing the complete form of the Phantom White Tiger, it would not harm her foundation or taint herself. It was by no means a twisted or evil method.
But there was only one chance. Absorbing too many Phantom White Tigers would indeed lead to a path of darkness.
Since that was the case, Zhu Zhuqing should naturally absorb the strongest and most compatible one.
After Su Cheng cultivated the Nirvana Scripture, the purity of his bloodline had long surpassed that of Davis, and the core information in his martial soul was also closer to the essence of the Phantom White Tiger. Plus, with his higher cultivation, Zhu Zhuqing could definitely elevate her cultivation to a high level after seizing his bloodline.
However, it seemed that Zhu Zhuqing was concerned about another matter at the moment.
Her eyes flickered with a hint of resentment as she stared at Su Cheng, questioning coldly, "So, you didn't teach this technique to my elder sister at all! Because twenty years ago, you already had your eyes on Su Cheng, didn't you?!"
"..." Su Cheng's expression stiffened, then he explained, "You have to understand, he's just a bastard son with no significant status. Even if he has potential, if he doesn't receive a clear status, it's wasted. No one will hold you accountable for what happens to him."
He forcefully handed the manuscript to Zhu Zhuqing.
"Here are the detailed instructions on how to seize the White Tiger martial soul bloodline. In addition, there's a method for making a slow-acting potion. This potion can enhance your cultivation and combat power in the short term, but at the same time, it will cause fluctuations in the opponent's martial soul and blood. By using a secret technique during this period, you can slowly extract the opponent's bloodline. You've spent enough time together in daily life, so you have plenty of opportunities to slowly erode his White Tiger martial soul."
Finishing his explanation, 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 on the bottle's surface.
"This potion can force out all of the opponent's bloodline potential at once. If you have the chance, you can directly use this potion on him all at once."
"..." Zhu Zhuqing stared blankly at the dazzling potion bottle, her lips inexplicably dry.
"Make a tough decision, Xiao Qing. The fate of the entire Zhu family rests on you alone!" Su Cheng said solemnly.
"In fact, I have reached this age, and it's no longer possible for me to advance further in cultivation. Being a Soul Douluo is already my limit, and I've long put life and death aside. But you're different, you are the hope of the Zhu family. Moreover, don't forget your elder sister. These years, she has been waiting for the day when you succeed."
Zhu Zhuqing stood still for a long time before finally accepting the bottle of potion, her fair and slender fingers trembling slightly uncontrollably.
"Su Cheng is the emperor's illegitimate son, and in terms of status, he's insignificant. Even if he has potential, without a clear identity, if he's disabled, he's just disabled, and no one will pursue your responsibility for him."
Su Cheng stared at her. "But this is your last chance."
"The last chance..." Zhu Zhuqing lowered her head to look at the manuscript and potion in her hand. Then she slowly raised her head, closing her eyes as if countless shadows flickered before her.
Zhu Zhuqing, Zhu Yun, Zhu Hongtao, and even her second and third sisters, whose impressions were becoming blurred.
Finally, the scene froze at the punch they exchanged when they first met in the academy.
The gears of fate began to turn once again.
Zhu Zhuqing once again keenly felt her own powerlessness.
. . .
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