Zhu Zhuqing

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Zhu Zhuqing (朱竹清)
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Gu Tian's group; formerly the Zhu Family of Star Luo
Occupation/Role	Agility-attack Soul Master; former Star Luo Royal Academy junior division student
Status	Active
First Appearance	40

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Rank 10 Soul Power	53	Had only recently reached Rank 10 before leaving the Zhu Family and had not yet obtained a soul ring.
Level 13, one-ring Soul Master	59	Defeated a 500-year Hell Spirit Cat, absorbed its soul ring, and awakened her first soul skill, Hell Stab.
Near Level 20	92	The Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum reshaped her body and raised her Soul Power by seven levels.
Rank 24	203	Reached Rank 24 at barely over six years old after roughly a year under Gu Tian's guidance.

Background / History

Born into the direct line of the Zhu Family, Zhu Zhuqing was forcibly betrothed to a Dai Family boy from birth. The Zhu and Dai families’ succession system demanded that only one heir survive on each side, making her a pawn—and effectively a sacrifice—in the imperial struggle. Her elder sister Zhu Zhuyun, five years her senior and favored by the elders, viewed Zhuqing as a threat to her own path to becoming empress. 42 201

Her childhood was defined by isolation, harsh training, and surveillance from Zhu Zhuyun. She was denied ordinary outings and raised to regard anything unrelated to combat as a distraction that weakened a warrior’s spirit. 44 46

After Dai Mubai disappeared, the Zhu Family prepared to bury Zhuqing alive with him if he was not found or confirmed dead within three months. Gu Tian learned of her fate, rescued her from the Zhu Residence, and gave her the safety in which she could finally rest without nightmares. 41 43 44

When brought before her family, Zhuqing defied Zhu Ganglie and shielded Gu Tian. After Zhu Zhuyun struck her, Gu Tian and Chiyan overwhelmed the Zhu Family. Zhuqing chose not to have her relatives killed; instead, she repaid what she considered her debts with three kowtows and severed all familial ties. 47 49

Appearance

Zhu Zhuqing is a cool-faced young girl with long black hair and a slender, athletic build. Her appearance and bearing become notably more healthy after leaving the Zhu Family and receiving restorative treatment. 43 57 92

• Her martial soul possession gives her mismatched yellow and purple Hell Eyes. 58
• She manifests several-inch-long black claws while using the Hell Spirit Cat martial soul. 58
• Her post-soul-ring aura is described as cold, restrained, and shadowy. 59 61
• She was initially dressed in a red Cloud Brocade dress provided by Gu Tian after her rescue. 43

Personality

Zhuqing is initially traumatized, guarded, and accustomed to rejection. In Gu Tian’s care, she gradually accepts comfort, praise, and companionship, showing vulnerability that her upbringing had denied her. 43 44 59

She possesses intense determination and a strong need for self-reliance. During the hunt for her first soul ring, she refused Gu Tian’s intervention despite injury, insisting that she must earn the strength to stand beside him as an equal. 58

Her resolve also extends to her past: although fearful of returning to the Zhu Residence, she ultimately faces it with Gu Tian’s support. 199

Abilities & Skills

Hell Spirit Cat Martial Soul

A top-tier agility-attack martial soul traditionally cultivated for extreme speed and piercing power by the Zhu Family.

• Grants exceptional speed, agility, stealth, and combat instincts. 57 58
• Produces black claws and Hell Eyes during possession. 58
• Contains a faint trace of Shadow Dragon origin, though much of its divinity was lost through generations of inheritance. 57
• Its inherited combat instincts allowed Zhuqing to contend with a soul beast beyond the conventional first-ring limit. 58

Hell Stab

Zhuqing’s first soul skill, gained from a 500-year Hell Spirit Cat soul ring. 59

• Greatly increases stabbing distance and speed. 59
• Used to silently close in on opponents and strike from behind or through battlefield cover. 73
• Functions as a rapid assassination-style attack suited to her agility role. 73

Nether Hundred Claws

Zhuqing’s second soul skill.

• Creates more than one hundred sharp claw marks in an instant. 104
• Its speed and volume of attacks can visibly distort the surrounding air. 104

Combat Instincts

Zhuqing was trained under the Zhu Family’s brutal standards for agility-attack Soul Masters.

• Exploits blind spots, performs rapid repositioning, and attacks vulnerable areas. 58
• Fought a 500-year Hell Spirit Cat alone before absorbing its soul ring. 58 59
• Served as an assault-type member during the battle against Zhao Wuji. 73

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• White Tiger Dagger — A superior black-jade dagger used during her first soul-ring hunt. It broke after Zhuqing used it for the decisive throw against the Hell Spirit Cat. 58 59
• Red Cloud Brocade dress — A festive dress prepared for her by Gu Tian following her rescue. 43

Relationships

• Gu Tian — Rescuer, protector, and central companion. He helped her escape the Zhu Family, supported her cultivation, and encouraged her to become strong enough to stand beside him as an equal. 43 49 57 58 59
• Zhu Zhuyun — Elder sister and rival. Zhuyun viewed Zhuqing as an obstacle to her marriage to Dai Weisi and had repeatedly contemplated making her disappear. 42 47 201
• Zhu Ganglie — Father and Zhu Family head. He treated her primarily as a component of the Zhu–Dai marriage alliance and threatened her over Dai Mubai’s disappearance. 41 47
• Dai Mubai — Former fiancé through the Zhu–Dai arrangement. He abandoned Star Luo and was willing to let Zhuqing die rather than accept her association with Gu Tian. 45
• Gu Yuena — Recognized the Shadow Dragon trace within Zhuqing’s martial soul and considered her potential immense if properly nurtured. 57
• Bi Ji — Healed Zhuqing with life energy and warned that her weak foundation required careful soul-ring selection. 57
• Xiao Wu and Gu Yue — Assisted Zhuqing after her rescue and supported Gu Tian’s decision to protect her. 43
• Qin Ming — Apologized for failing to protect her during her abduction in Heaven Dou City. 163
• Prince Xue Xing — His guards rescued Zhuqing from her abductors after they encountered his carriage in the North District slums. 159

Story Role / Major Arcs

Escape from the Zhu Family

Zhuqing’s impending burial alongside the missing Dai Mubai prompted Gu Tian’s intervention. After her rescue, she rejected the Zhu Family’s authority and formally severed ties with them. 41 43 49

First Soul Ring Hunt

Gu Tian brought Zhuqing to the Star Dou Great Forest to acquire her first soul ring. She chose to fight independently, defeated a 500-year Hell Spirit Cat, and became a Level 13 one-ring Soul Master with Hell Stab. 56 57 58 59

Academy Battles and Cultivation

At Shrek, Zhuqing acted as an assault-type combatant against Zhao Wuji, using Hell Stab in a coordinated attack. Later cultivation resources increased her Soul Power by seven levels, bringing her close to Level 20; she subsequently demonstrated Nether Hundred Claws. 73 92 104

Heaven Dou Abduction

Following the match against Godwind Academy, Zhuqing disappeared from an alley while Gu Tian was delayed by Tang San. She was abducted but recovered by Prince Xue Xing’s guards, after which she recounted her ordeal to Gu Tian’s group. 156 157 159

Return to Star Luo

Zhuqing returned to the Zhu Residence with Gu Tian to confront the family connected to her past and investigate the abduction. Though anxious about crossing the threshold that had defined her nightmares, she faced the return with his support. 198 199 200

Trivia

• Zhuqing’s first genuine experience of casually playing in Star Luo City came only after leaving the Zhu Family. 46
• She had read extensive ancient records as a child because she was often isolated by her family. 57
• Meng Yiran initially mistook her for an ancient soul beast in human form because of her cold, shadowy aura. 61