Chapter 468 2: Making a Resolution

After the original owner's birth mother died, his father took two more concubines to continue the Zhu Family bloodline, siring several children.

Zhu Ji was the eldest son of the second concubine. He had been arrogant and overbearing since childhood, but he had always acted meek and obedient in front of the original owner.

Today, however, his face had changed, and he wore an expression like he wanted to devour someone.

Behind him stood several people: elderly servants of the mansion, guards, and a man and a woman dressed in green.

The man was about thirty, with the distinct air of a scholar.

The woman was not old and was stunningly beautiful, but her eyes held a chill, giving off a "keep your distance" vibe.

The Qingyi Gang!

People wearing green clothes were common, but the attire of the Qingyi Gang was distinctly different from ordinary green clothing.

If one's eyesight was sharp enough, one could even discern a person's rank from their clothes.

"Whether he has lost his Primordial Spirit is something that can only be determined after an examination." The man raised a hand to quiet the noise in the room, looked at Zhu Ju, and asked:

"Do you remember who I am?"

"Steward Guo Jie of the gang, Mr. Guo." Zhu Ju, lying on the bed with a pale face, spoke weakly:

"The reputation of Elder Guo, the 'Sickly Scholar,' is known to everyone in Taiyuan Prefecture."

"I saw you at a banquet in the Li Mansion a month ago."

He sighed and said:

"My younger brother is impetuous and ignorant. To have troubled Elder Guo to make this trip, it is my fault."

"Mm." A smile appeared on Guo Jie's face.

"Not bad!"

"Your mind is clear. It doesn't seem like you've been bewildered by some demon or ghost. It seems this trip was unnecessary."

"Elder!" Zhu Ji's expression changed drastically.

"Zhu Ju has never practiced Martial Arts! He's just an ordinary person. How could he have escaped from four burly men?"

"And..."

"And he suffered a severe blow to the back of his head! He should have died! Something must have possessed his body."

"Perhaps he himself is a Demon in disguise!"

Guo Jie shook his head, speechless.

'Does he really think possession and demonic transformation are so simple?'

An expert capable of possession would need to have a Cultivation of at least Upper Fifth Grade. There might not be a single person like that in all of Taiyuan Prefecture.

A Demon's transformation is simpler, but it wouldn't have the original person's memories.

Unless...

Zhu Ji was certain that Zhu Ju was already dead, which was why he was so terrified to see him alive.

As this thought crossed his mind, he subconsciously glanced at Zhu Ji, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Let me."

At this moment, the beautiful woman who had been silent until now stepped forward, took out a Golden Needle, and said:

"Young Master Zhu, I need to take a drop of your blood to verify your identity."

"I'll have to trouble you, then." Zhu Ju propped himself up, extended his arm, and asked curiously:

"Are you Master Ming, Ming Nianwei?"

Although this world was dominated by Martial Arts, there were also those who practiced Magic. The Qingyi Gang had a Mage Hall specifically for supporting Cultivators.

Ming Nianwei was not old, but she was a prodigy in the practice of Magic, rumored to have already received the True Inheritance of a Mage.

"I am."

With a sharp sting in his fingertip, Ming Nianwei drew a drop of blood from Zhu Ju's hand and let it fall onto a palm-sized Jade Plate.

Immediately after, two faint, soft lights glowed and then gradually merged.

"No problem."

Ming Nianwei nodded.

"It is indeed the bloodline of the Zhu Family, not a transformation by some other creature."

Zhu Ju looked with some curiosity at the Jade Plate in her hand. The item was called a Blood Testing Disc. Not only could it determine if one was human or demon, but it could also use blood to check if two people were related by blood and if they were direct relatives.

The Qingyi Gang had a sample of the Zhu Family's bloodline, so they could naturally use this treasure to determine if this Zhu Ju was the real one.

'A very ingenious method. Too bad...'

'It's useless against me!'

To begin with, Zhu Ju had not completely occupied the original owner's body; the Physical Body still retained a portion of its original bloodline.

Even if he had replaced the original by changing his appearance, with his ability to manipulate bloodlines, he was confident he could make his own blood adapt perfectly.

Putting away the Blood Testing Disc, Ming Nianwei flipped her hand, and an antique-looking bronze mirror appeared in her palm.

She held the bronze mirror and waved it at Zhu Ju. A young man's face immediately appeared within it.

The face was identical to Zhu Ju's.

"The Primordial Spirit is a match. It's not possession or rebirth."

Ming Nianwei nodded.

"Steward Guo, everything is normal."

"Thank you for your trouble, Master Ming," Guo Jie said with a smile.

"Little Friend Zhu, you are severely injured and should be resting quietly. Unfortunately, this younger brother of yours is too 'concerned' about you, forcing us to make this trip."

Zhu Ji stood to the side, his face ashen, muttering, "Impossible," "How could this be," "He's already dead..."

The sight made a flicker of disgust appear in Guo Jie's eyes.

"Elder."

Zhu Ju took a deep breath and slowly sat up.

"Our family is in a sorry state. I've made a fool of myself before you two."

"Shuang'er."

"Here!"

Shuang'er, who had been panicked and flustered the entire time, snapped back to her senses at his call and rushed over to help him stand.

"While Elder Guo is here, go and call the clan elders. I want to..."

"Split the family!"

"Ah!"

Shuang'er froze, staring up at him dumbfounded.

At the side, Zhu Ji's body trembled, and he collapsed weakly to the ground as if all his strength had left him.

Zhu Ju's expression remained unchanged.

'With the Formless Seal, even a fragmented version, I can simulate the original owner's Primordial Spirit.'

'At least...'

'Someone with Ming Nianwei's methods would never be able to tell the difference.'

*

*

*

In the main hall.

The Zhu Family clan elders, Guo Jie of the Qingyi Gang, and others were seated on either side.

Zhu Ju, dressed in mourning clothes, clasped his fist in his palm and bowed to everyone present before speaking slowly:

"My family has fallen on hard times. First, my father met with disaster, and then thugs abducted me from the city. If not for the help of a master, my corpse would have been tossed onto some Ten Thousand Burial Ridge."

"Little Friend Zhu."

Guo Jie advised:

"My condolences."

"As the saying goes, the virtuous are blessed by heaven. Since you've escaped this calamity, good fortune is sure to follow."

"Indeed!" "That's right." The others chimed in agreement.

Although there were older generation members of the Zhu Family present, most of them relied on the Zhu Mansion for support, so they naturally gave face to him, the new master of the Zhu Mansion.

"Thank you for your kind words, Elder." Zhu Ju cupped his hands.

"Recalling my abduction by those thugs, there are many strange details, especially regarding the second branch..."

His gaze shifted to Zhu Ji, who was kneeling on the floor, his face ashen.

"Aunt Zhou is away visiting relatives and won't be back until the day after tomorrow. I hope the gang can investigate this matter thoroughly."

"Rest assured, Young Master Zhu," Ming Nianwei spoke up.

"If the second branch truly did conspire against you, the Qingyi Gang will certainly not let you suffer this injustice."

Her personality was cold, but also straightforward.

A moment's thought about today's events was enough to know something was wrong. After all the trouble, she naturally sided with Zhu Ju.

Guo Jie, however, did not speak.

He could also see that the second branch was suspicious, but how old was Zhu Ji? Did he have the guts to plot the murder of his own brother?

The second branch's mistress happened to be on a long journey, which could be a way to avoid suspicion, but it was also possible she truly knew nothing.

"For my father's funeral arrangements, I will need the help of you clan elders."

Zhu Ju bowed to the several elders, "Also, regarding the matter of splitting the family, I must trouble you all to work hard on it."

"Of course."

"It is our duty."

"..."

The clan elders readily agreed.

"Furthermore."

Zhu Ju took a deep breath, slowly straightened his body, and said with a solemn expression:

"This whole ordeal has made me see some things clearly. In this day and age, literary pursuits can bring fame, but they cannot protect one's life."

"Therefore..."

"From this day forward, I will practice Martial Arts!"