Chapter 62: The Cold but Fiery Zhu Zhuqing
"Daughter of the Zhu Clan… could it be Zhu Zhuqing? Or Zhu Zhuyun?" Qi Tian muttered to himself, trying to guess whose body he had possessed this time.
At the moment, he was hiding inside a mountain cave. Not far outside, the deep roar of a beast echoed through the night.
Judging by the sound, it was most likely a tiger-type soul beast.
"What kind of start is this supposed to be?" Qi Tian grumbled as he flexed his limbs, getting used to the new body's movements. The last thing he wanted was to die in someone else's body before figuring things out.
Still, he didn't dare leave the cave rashly. If the soul beast hasn't noticed his
Yet, there's no need to throw himself out there, he reasoned.
Then, he reached out mentally. "Hey, who are you? Don't just stay quiet!" Qi Tian used his spiritual power to communicate with the body's original owner.
Zhu Zhuqing froze in shock. 'My body's being controlled—and this intruder dares to question me? Does he even know what he's doing?!'
"Who are you?" she asked coldly, her voice carrying through their shared consciousness.
Spiritual communication conveyed not only words but emotions as well. Qi Tian could clearly feel her icy hostility. Her words formed in his mind as if spoken aloud in a frosty tone.
"Oh? Not talking, huh? Are you planning to let that soul beast find us and tear us apart?" Qi Tian replied calmly.
A few moments passed in silence before Qi Tian sighed and decided to speak first.
"Your martial soul is the Hell Spirit Cat of the Star Luo Zhu Clan, right? Soul power at rank twenty… bone age around ten years old. So, which lady of the Zhu family are you?"
Zhu Zhuqing was startled. This stranger had not only seized control of her body but had also accurately guessed her identity. Realizing resistance was pointless for now, she answered coldly, "My name is Zhu Zhuqing. Who exactly are you?"
The moment she spoke, Qi Tian's system prompt appeared in his mind.
[Current Mission: Change Zhu Zhuqing's Fate — Make Her Live for Herself!]
[Stage Reward: Borrowed Cultivation — You may cultivate using Zhu Zhuqing's body; any gained soul power will be reflected to your main body.]
[Final Reward: Spirit Soul Contract Technique — A method of contracting soul beasts into spirit souls.]
[Mission Objectives:
1. Defeat Zhu Zhuyun.
2. Reveal and overcome Dai Mubai's true nature.
3. Help Zhu Zhuqing gain the determination to break free from her fate.]
'Spirit Soul Contract Technique? Isn't that something Huo Yuhao and Electrolux invented thousands of years later?' Qi Tian's eyes widened slightly.
'Wait… could it be because Zhu Zhuqing is one of Huo Yuhao's ancestors? Is that why the system's offering this reward?'
He pondered the system's logic for a moment. Regardless, it was an excellent reward—being able to contract a soul beast as a spirit soul would significantly boost a soul master's power.
"Zhu Zhuqing, you came here to hunt a soul beast, right? Do you know where this is exactly?" Qi Tian asked.
"This is the White Tiger Forest—a soul beast reserve under the control of the Star Luo royal family," she replied flatly.
Qi Tian let out a small breath of relief. So it's a controlled area. That means the soul beasts here won't be too powerful—probably no more than a few hundred years old.
That meant he was safe enough.
"Well, since I've taken over your body, I might as well lend a hand. What type of soul ring are you aiming for?" Qi Tian asked casually.
Zhu Zhuqing's tone turned sharp with alarm. "I don't need your help! Get out of my body immediately!"
"Leave your body? Sure, but that's not something I can control. It'll take about a day," Qi Tian thought helplessly.
Zhu Zhuqing could still sense everything—pain, movement, touch—but had no control, as if paralyzed by some unseen force. It was the same as being trapped in her own body, unable to move.
Qi Tian smiled slightly. "Relax. Your martial soul is the Hell Spirit Cat. Let's find a feline-type soul beast for your next soul ring."
He wanted to test something—if he helped Zhu Zhuqing absorb a soul ring, would the soul power she gained also flow back to his real body?
If it worked, he'd hit the jackpot. One rank gained this way could save him several months of exhausting cultivation.
Before his martial soul evolved, a single rank might have taken him an entire year of hard training to achieve.
"Don't you dare do anything reckless!" Zhu Zhuqing's voice trembled slightly, betraying her calm facade.
The Zhu Clan had a long and strict tradition—every generation's first few soul rings were fixed by inheritance.
This forest was part of that legacy, housing numerous soul beasts specifically bred for Zhu family disciples.
When Zhu Zhuqing noticed Qi Tian walking toward the cave's exit, she hurriedly warned, "Our Hell Spirit Cat martial soul always takes the same second soul skill—Hell Hundred Claws!"
"To gain that skill, I need a soul ring from a Ghost Claw Lynx!"
Qi Tian paused, thinking for a moment. Indeed, that beast's attribute matched her martial soul perfectly. He nodded without argument—if he was borrowing her body, he might as well help her properly.
Stepping out of the cave, he was met with the cool stillness of midnight. The moonlight spilled over the forest like silver frost. Fortunately, feline eyes saw clearly even in the dark, so visibility wasn't a problem.
The tiger-type soul beast from earlier had already moved on. Qi Tian let out a soft breath of relief—he had no desire to deal with unnecessary trouble.
"Alright, little girl," he said with a faint grin, "do you know where those Ghost Claw Lynxes like to gather?"
Given this was a royal preserve, the area would be carefully monitored. Someone like Zhu Zhuqing had likely studied it in detail.
Afraid Qi Tian might go after the wrong target—or worse, forcefully absorb the wrong soul ring—she reluctantly started guiding him.
Only then did she realize something unusual. The way Qi Tian moved—using her body—was astonishingly fluid. Each step was light and precise, like a cat's dance under the moon.
What shocked her even more was that he wasn't using her martial soul, nor even a hint of soul power. Yet his movements were incredibly fast and powerful.
'How… how is he doing that?' Zhu Zhuqing focused her senses, trying to understand his movements.
And then, comprehension dawned—
He's using raw muscle control? He's pushing the body to its natural limit!
Qi Tian's true secret lay in his Body Martial Soul. He could sense and manipulate every single fiber of muscle within his body—or, in this case, within hers.
After more than a year of refining himself through relentless training, he had mastered every inch of physical control.
He knew which muscle groups produced explosive speed, which ones generated power, and how to combine them seamlessly.
If he wanted, Qi Tian could probably even replicate the Clear Sky Sect's fabled Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer technique just by analyzing the motion patterns!
And now, controlling Zhu Zhuqing's body, he instinctively used that same technique of optimized muscle control—making her movements faster, smoother, and more efficient than she'd ever achieved on her own.
If this had been his own body, he could've been even stronger—because his True Dragon Physique allowed him to harness the power of his blood and qi as a force multiplier.
With his qi-blood energy unleashed, his physical strength alone could rival that of soul masters who relied entirely on soul power.
After a short while, even Zhu Zhuqing—initially cold and resistant—found herself quietly observing his every move.
She began to realize that there was much she could learn from this mysterious soul who had invaded her body.
Time passed silently. The moon began to sink, and dawn's first light painted the forest edges in pale gold.
This was the perfect time—Ghost Claw Lynxes were nocturnal predators. After a night of hunting, they would soon retreat to their lairs to rest.
Using Zhu Zhuqing's body, Qi Tian carefully expanded his spiritual sense outward. Although her body was weaker than his, his spiritual power remained fully intact.
Within moments, he sensed movement—inside a hollowed tree nearby, a faint aura flickered.
A lynx-like creature was grooming its fur, licking away traces of blood from its night's hunt.
Zhu Zhuqing followed his gaze and immediately spotted the faint silhouette.
"Its claws are about two and a half inches long—that's a five-hundred-year-old Ghost Claw Lynx," she whispered.
Qi Tian nodded. She had done her homework—this target was perfect for her current level.
She hadn't tempered her body or consumed any physical enhancement materials like Whale Rubber, so five hundred years was already near her safe limit.
"Alright," Qi Tian said, glancing at the lynx. "Tell me—where's its weakness?"
Zhu Zhuqing hesitated briefly before answering, "Its speed is incredible, and its claws are extremely penetrating. But it's nocturnal—during the day, it gets sluggish. Also, it hates filth."
A faint smirk crossed her lips. "I prepared a bucket of dirty water in my soul tool just for this."
Qi Tian's smile deepened. "Good. Then once the sun rises… We'll strike."
—
End of Chapter