Chapter 74 – First Meeting with Zhu Zhuqing
Qi Tian looked at Zhu Zhuqing, whose body he was currently possessing, and couldn't help but feel a strange sense of dissonance.
At that moment, he had two simultaneous perspectives—one from his own body, and another from Zhu Zhuqing's.
"'Elder Yao' was just a name I made up. Let's start over properly—my real name is Qi Tian," he said with a smile.
Zhu Zhuqing couldn't speak aloud right now, so she could only communicate with him through her soul.
"Then… Can you leave my body now?" she asked quietly.
The moment she realized the person who had been living inside her body for months was a young man, her whole body grew hot with embarrassment.
Cultivating, eating, sleeping—even bathing—every intimate part of her life had been managed by Qi Tian. Before him, her body had no secrets left.
If Qi Tian were just some formless soul, she might have been able to accept it.
But now that she saw he was a real, flesh-and-blood boy around her own age, her mind was in chaos.
Worse yet, she still had a fiancé. How was she supposed to face Qi Tian after this?
Qi Tian rubbed his nose awkwardly.
"Sorry… It's part of my ability. The possession lasts for a full day—I can't leave your body until nightfall."
"Come on, I'll show you around in the meantime."
With that, Qi Tian guided Zhu Zhuqing—or rather, controlled her body—and walked through the area together.
The forest they were in had once been ordinary, but over time, many of the plants had begun to evolve into soul beasts under the influence of Qi Tian's Blue Silver King aura.
Especially near the wooden cabin where he cultivated, the mixed energy of his miniature Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had accelerated the growth of numerous plant-type soul beasts.
There were even a few dangerous ones nearby, so Qi Tian wanted Zhu Zhuqing to familiarize herself with the terrain and avoid any accidents.
As evening fell, he brought her back to the cabin. The wooden house was spacious, with several rooms inside. Qi Tian prepared a bed for her in the one next to his.
"You'll sleep here tonight," he said. "We'll talk more tomorrow when things are less awkward."
"Alright," Zhu Zhuqing answered softly.
Her mind was a swirl of confusion. Too much had happened in a single day, and she hadn't yet digested it all. Lying on the bed, she took the opportunity to quietly think about what her future should be.
Around midnight, Qi Tian, fast asleep, was suddenly awakened by a faint noise at the door.
A normal Soul Elder would never have noticed it—but the Blue Silver Grass surrounding the cabin acted as his eyes and ears.
He bolted upright, extending his Blue Silver Domain, and immediately saw Zhu Zhuqing standing at his door.
She had regained control of her body, yet instead of resting, she had come to his room.
Qi Tian watched as she raised her hand, hesitating to knock, then lowered it again.
After pacing around the door for a while, she finally walked to his window and reached out to open it.
"This girl…" Qi Tian muttered under his breath.
He quickly lay back down, pretending to sleep, curious to see what she would do.
As an agility-attack type soul master, Zhu Zhuqing's movements were as silent and graceful as a cat. She slipped through the window without making a sound.
"Liar," Zhu Zhuqing whispered under her breath.
"But... still, thank you. You helped me realize the path I should take."
Despite her words, a faint smile curved her lips—gentle and warm, like winter snow melting under the spring sun.
If her sister Zhu Zhuyun saw her now, she would be completely stunned. It had been far too long since Zhu Zhuqing last smiled like this.
Ever since she awakened her martial soul and learned of her grim fate, her heart had frozen over—until tonight.
When Zhu Zhuqing was nine years old, she heard that her fiancé had fled. From that day onward, the warmth on her face vanished completely, replaced by cold indifference.
Now, she crouched by Qi Tian's bedside, resting her chin on her hands as she quietly studied his face for a long while.
"He's… actually kind of handsome."
Thanks to her Hell Spirit Cat martial soul, her night vision was exceptional—she could clearly make out every detail of Qi Tian's features even in the dim light.
All this time, Zhu Zhuqing had assumed Qi Tian was an aged Titled Douluo, a soul that had refused to fade even after death, attaching itself to her body. So when she finally saw him—a young man, not much older than herself—she was left utterly stunned.
Unconsciously, she reached out a slender hand toward his face, wanting to confirm whether this was all just a dream.
Everything had gone too smoothly—too unreal.
Her jade-like fingertips brushed against Qi Tian's warm cheek, and instantly, a blush spread across her own.
'Ah… Zhu Zhuqing, what are you doing? You have a fiancé! How can you touch another man's face?'
'What if Qi Tian misunderstands… and thinks I'm some shameless woman without restraint?'
Even as she scolded herself, she didn't pull her hand back. Instead, a firm resolve began to grow in her heart.
She would go to Suo Tuo City. She would personally break off her engagement with Dai Mubai.
'I'll reach the realm of a Titled Douluo one day,' she swore silently.
'And I'll shatter the chains of fate that bind the Zhu Family!'
Qi Tian, feeling the soft and cool touch on his face, had to suppress the sudden urge to pull her into his arms. He understood Zhu Zhuqing's temperament—outwardly cold, inwardly passionate, yet deeply traditional. Until she severed her ties with Dai Mubai, she would never allow herself to cross that line.
After a long moment, Zhu Zhuqing finally withdrew her hand. Her fingers brushed lightly across Qi Tian's wrist as she checked the texture of his bones.
"His bone age… is the same as mine?" she murmured, secretly relieved.
She had feared he merely looked young—but that fear was gone now.
She gazed at him for a while longer before reluctantly climbing back out the window.
Returning to her own room, she lay down and drifted into a peaceful sleep.
The next morning, Qi Tian was up early cultivating. He used the Sea Calming Pearl's adjustable gravity to temper his body while simultaneously training his main martial soul.
The faint sounds of movement outside stirred Zhu Zhuqing from her sleep. She had gone to bed late last night—her mind full of thoughts, her dreams chaotic and vivid.
At first, she dreamed of bathing together with her sister, Zhu Zhuyun—only, in the dream, her sister had reached out to touch her just like Qi Tian had when he'd possessed her body. Perhaps because of her secret visit to Qi Tian's room last night, the dream soon shifted… and the person touching her became Qi Tian himself.
When she awoke, her cheeks were burning. She quickly changed out of her slightly damp, cool nightclothes, trying to ignore the heat in her chest.
Opening the door, she froze for a moment—her eyes brightened.
Outside, Qi Tian was shirtless, training under the morning sun. His muscles were sharply defined—powerful yet not bulky—every movement radiating strength and control. There was an undeniable vitality about him, something that made Zhu Zhuqing's heart skip a beat.
She stood there watching for a while before going to wash up. Afterward, she followed his example, beginning her own morning cultivation.
The two trained side by side amid the quiet forest. The scene was harmonious, tranquil—even serene. Zhu Zhuqing gradually found herself relaxing, her heart steadying as she immersed herself in cultivation.
For the first time in years, a faint sense of happiness welled up within her— A wish that this peaceful life could last forever.
When the sun climbed high into the sky, they finally stopped to rest. Zhu Zhuqing's skin glistened faintly with sweat as she turned toward Qi Tian and said softly,
"Let's get to know each other properly. My name is Zhu Zhuqing."
It was her response to the introduction he'd made yesterday.
Qi Tian smiled.
"Zhuqing, how did you sleep last night?"
Her face instantly turned crimson as memories of her late-night visit—and the dreams that followed—resurfaced.
"I… slept very well," she replied quickly.
—
End of Chapter