The Holy Spirit Cult's Scheme, Ten Years Later, Upheaval in the Palace (Double-Length Chapter)

[Days passed by, and since the birth of Meng Hongchen and his sister, you now have two tails following you. The two siblings like you very much, and when Jing Hongchen takes you to the Illustrious Virtue Hall, they often stick to your side. You don't reject them and patiently become their "Junior Uncle." Although the generational relationship is a bit awkward, Jing Hongchen doesn't say anything, and Kong Deming always has a smiling face, so Lu Cheng has accepted the title.]

[At sixteen, you successfully advanced to the Soul Saint, becoming the most dazzling new star in the entire Sun Moon Empire. You led your team to victory, defeating Shrek Academy and winning the championship. At that time, you were like the rising sun, an idol to all the royal students of the Sun Moon Empire, and the only candidate to succeed Kong Deming in the future.]

[However, because of the talent you displayed in the competition, you gained the favor of the Body Sect, but you politely declined. Upon returning to the academy, you were then targeted by another force... Zhongli Wu, who smilingly invited you to join and become a Holy Son of the Holy Spirit Cult.]

Inside the familiar metal laboratory again.

Lu Cheng frowned slightly.

A familiar yet repulsive aura appeared beside him, and several figures in black robes materialized. The leader revealed a smiling face, "Child, you'd better reconsider. No one has ever refused an olive branch extended by my Holy Spirit Cult."

Beside him, a burly man twisted his neck, making cracking sounds as he loosened his muscles. A corner of his turban was slightly blown up, revealing a striking pattern on his neck—a tiger's head and a scorpion's tail—looking extremely strange.

The black-robed figure on the other side also crossed his arms and looked at Lu Cheng with great interest. He was slender and exuded a strong aura of darkness.

He was naturally very familiar with these old "colleagues".

"What if I absolutely have to refuse?"

Lu Cheng's eyes remained calm as he met Zhongli Wu's gaze, showing no fear whatsoever.

The atmosphere around them was somewhat heavy.

"Ha ha ha ha..."

After a long while, Zhongli Wu laughed heartily, shook his head, patted Lu Cheng on the shoulder, and said with satisfaction in his eyes, "What courage! A Soul Saint dares to look me in the eye. You truly deserve to be my future Holy Spirit Cult's Holy Son."

"Zhongli Wu!!!"

Suddenly, a loud explosion rang in my ears.

A short, stout figure slowly appeared, his face full of anger. He shielded Lu Cheng behind him, his eyes sharply fixed on Zhongli Wu: "If you dare to make a move on my junior brother again, and our teacher punishes you, your Holy Spirit Cult will be held accountable."

The relationship between the Sun Moon Empire and the Holy Spirit Cult is currently quite ambiguous and difficult to define. After all, the latter's foundation is truly terrifying and its value is very high. Therefore, even His Majesty the current emperor does not dare to offend them easily, which has made these guys increasingly rampant in the Sun Moon Empire in recent years.

"Hehe, why the Hall Master Hongchen's haste? I was merely asking." Zhongli Wu said leisurely, showing no sign of guilt at being caught poaching someone. Instead, he glanced at Lu Cheng with a friendly smile, "I'll say it again, whoever my Holy Spirit Cult desires, we will obtain through any means necessary..."

"You!"

Even though Jing Hongchen gritted her teeth and her face was full of anger, she didn't break off relations. Instead, she stared at Zhongli Wu's departing figure with a sinister look in her eyes, slammed her fist against the metal wall next to her, causing a burst of debris to fly everywhere, and muttered angrily, "Those beasts."

"Xiao Cheng, are you alright...?" After saying that, she quickly turned around to check on Lu Cheng.

"It's alright." Lu Cheng shook his head, a hint of surprise in his eyes. "Grandmaster, is the Holy Spirit Cult... really that arrogant?"

"Alas, you are so engrossed in Soul Tool and cultivation that you are unaware of the empire's sordid affairs. The current emperor is magnanimous, while that prince, who shares the same mother, is ambitious and his rebellious intentions are common knowledge. Yet, only the current emperor does not believe him and treats him like a younger brother, allowing him to win over and bribe people in the army." Jing Hongchen shook his head helplessly.

"And that prince is now even quite close to the Holy Spirit Cult. The situation in the court and among the people is probably somewhat turbulent."

No wonder.

Lu Cheng nodded slightly.

In the original novel, Xu Tianran "colluded" with the Holy Spirit Cult, which can be considered as inheriting his father's legacy. The old emperor in the original novel seems to be incompetent, weak and cowardly, but in fact, he was the one who launched the Xuanwu Gate Incident when he was young.

He remained calm, showing no intention of joining a team.

After all, His Majesty lacks the wisdom and cunning of Duke Zhuang of Duke Zhuang of Zheng. He thought the man was playing dumb to outwit the enemy, but he turned out to be a real pig. It's only natural that he was betrayed by his younger brother. He has no reason to drag his lifelong reputation down with him and get involved in this palace intrigue.

Learning to Jing Hongchen and stability is the way to go.

We've passed a crucial juncture.

The screen continued to flicker.

[You chose to reject the Holy Spirit Cult. When Kong Deming learned of this, he was furious and even went to the Holy Spirit Cult leader to demand an explanation. However, the leader invoked Long Xiaoyao, and Kong Deming did not back down at all, challenging him to a duel. The final outcome is unknown, but since then, the Holy Spirit Cult has never harassed Lu Cheng again.]

[At eighteen, you advanced to Soul Douluo, becoming a true Level 9 Soul Engineer. With your Blood Pupils's precise guidance, you successfully Illustrious Virtue Hall, serving as one of its most important researchers. That same year, the two little brats who always followed you around finally reached six years old, awakening their Martial Soul, both at level nine, displaying exceptional talent.]

[At twenty-one, you successfully condensed your Soul Core, becoming a Titled Douluo- level powerhouse, shaking the entire Illustrious Virtue Hall. After all, it's common knowledge that even the strongest member of the Illustrious Virtue Hall, Jing Hongchen, is only at Level 93, and the empire's Sea God, Kong Deming, is only at Level 94. Looking across the entire empire, there isn't a single Super Douluo.]

[Breaking through to Super Douluo means being qualified to enter the legendary Level 10 Soul Engineer realm, a height that Kong Deming and Jing Hongchen could never reach in their entire lives. After all, only level ten is qualified to forge a "natal" Soul Tool. Ye Xishui is also a Soul Tool genius, even a "pseudo" Level 10 Soul Engineer, but her Life-Bound Soul Tool, the Death God Tower, is not built with Soul Guidance Technology, but purely with human lives. Therefore, strictly speaking, it cannot be considered level ten, nor does it have the power of level ten.]

[The following year, you became a legend at the Illustrious Virtue Hall and served as Illustrious Virtue Hall deputy head, riding high on your success. However, a mysterious scheme targeting you soon followed.]

Sun Moon Empire Royal Academy

Illustrious Virtue Hall Research Institute.

The highest point.

Wearing a monocle, Lu Cheng stood with his hands behind his back, surveying the academy with an increasingly confident gaze. "It seems this Simulation didn't have a specific target. The outcome will likely be between Meng Hongchen, Ye Guyi, or even Nana and a few others."

As for Meng Hongchen, there's no need to say more; the way that girl looked at him was clearly strange, almost like she was about to fall into a daze.

The "idol-raising" genre isn't bad either.

If you want to raise the rating, simply remaining mediocre won't be enough.

Lu Cheng pondered for a moment.

However, recently, he also vaguely sensed something was wrong. Those rats in the Holy Spirit Cult have been too well-behaved lately. Knowing Zhongli Wu as he did, that guy wouldn't be timid or hesitant because of Kong Deming's warning.

Either they're preparing something big.

He had tried to find Ye Guyi's whereabouts, but there was still no trace of her, so he gave up for the time being.

"Junior Uncle!"

A clear, crisp voice rang in her ears. Dressed in a princess's gown, with a sweet and lovely face, long, snow-white hair cascading over her shoulders, and bright, icy blue eyes, she gazed at Lu Cheng. Holding up the hem of her princess dress, she twirled around like a little deer, her pretty face full of joy. "Isn't A Meng beautiful?"

"Cute."

Lu Cheng pondered for a moment before giving a precise answer.

"A Meng is asking if it's beautiful or not," Meng Hongchen persisted.

"Cute." Lu Cheng stuck to his principles and nodded again.

"..."

The little girl's eyes gradually dimmed, she looked somewhat disappointed, and she began to droop.

Seeing this, Lu Cheng felt a little sorry for her. "Okay... actually A Meng is very pretty too."

"Really?!!"

Meng Hongchen instantly seemed to be filled with adrenaline, jumping up and down, her smile impossible to hide.

"..."

Seeing this, Lu Cheng smiled helplessly.

They've all learned to cheat.

He didn't know why, but they were all so fixated on growing up. She was already a beauty in the making; he'd seen the girl five years later, and she was beautiful too...

"Hehe, if I didn't do that, Junior Uncle wouldn't praise A Meng." Meng Hongchen said with a grin, her two dimples appearing and disappearing on her face, making her exceptionally cute, like a delicate porcelain doll.

"The Soul Tool I gave you... are you wearing it properly?" Lu Cheng smiled and ruffled the girl's hair.

"Here it is!" Meng Hongchen raised her wrist, and an ice-blue wristband was reflected in Lu Cheng's eyes. Her eyes were full of smugness. "Junior Uncle only forged this Soul Tool for my brother and me. A Meng will naturally take good care of it."

"Um."

Lu Cheng glanced at it, then remained silent.

He gave the two children Defensive Soul Tool purely out of concern that the Holy Spirit Cult might try something tricky. He was the two children's junior uncle, and besides their teacher and Grandmaster, the two children were the closest people to him. Of course, he had also watched Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen grow up.

The deepest feelings.

If they really do something to him, who knows...

After all, what kind of bottom line can you expect from the Holy Spirit Cult, these Evil Soul Master?

Trying to force him into a corner, haha.

Lu Cheng shook his head. If he wasn't mistaken, the big one was about to happen, given how far the timeline had progressed.

That's right, he murdered his brother, usurped the throne, and fought for the imperial power.

It was bound to be a bloody and violent drama, but he had no interest in it, so he stayed inside the Illustrious Virtue Hall and did not want to get involved.

Meng Hongchen skipped and hopped away.

As the days went by, just as Lu Cheng began to suspect that the Simulation Device had been modified and that a power grab would not occur.

A rainy night.

The rain was pouring down, and the streets were deserted.

As Lu Cheng was inside, researching and designing his level ten Life-Bound Soul Tool, the Communication Soul Tool on his wrist vibrated slightly. He was startled at first, then answered the call. A hurried voice came from the other end. "Xiao Cheng, something's happened in the capital. The prince seems to have launched a coup. He's somehow bribed Xu Jiangliu, the commander of the Royal Soul Tool Legion, but the latter hasn't led troops to intercept him. His taxi troops were just transferred back from the front lines and have gone straight into the palace. And... this time, it seems like the Holy Spirit Cult is involved."

"You absolutely mustn't go out. Just stay obediently in the Illustrious Virtue Hall. Even if the entire Mingdu blown up, it won't affect you."

Jing Hongchen said reassuringly, "Don't worry, after this incident, the new emperor will surely not do anything to us in order to appease him. I will still be the Illustrious Virtue Hall, and you too..."

"Don't worry, senior brother, I know what I'm doing."

Lu Cheng said with a smile.

His tone was relaxed.

He's not stupid. Why would he drag himself into this sensitive situation? His priority is to break through to Level 95 Super Douluo and become Level 10 Soul Engineer, only then will he be qualified to make plans behind the scenes.

He'd already experienced how messed up this world was once; a bunch of old geezers, each one more sinister than the last.

He ended the call and let out a long sigh of relief.

Looking at the sheets of paper on the table, a pale gold pen twirled between her slender fingers. She could vaguely make out a suit of armor on it, but it didn't seem heavy at all; instead, it was rather light, with Neural Operating System and a metal shell.

Strictly speaking, this is a Battle Armor.

Similar to Huo Gua's Ice Extreme Divine Crystal Armor Battle Armor, he planned to use it as his Level 10 Soul Tool, which would be his future Life-Bound Soul Tool.

However, he underestimated its difficulty.

In this life, he did not possess the Ultimate Ice- attribute Martial Soul, but only the Blazing Angel Martial Soul. Therefore, he could not use the Ice Extreme Divine Crystal to skip the forging step, and finding a suitable metal became a problem.

Of course, there's also the Neural Operating System.

He did find Xuan Ziwen, but in the original story, it took several years to complete, and it was by no means something that could be done overnight. Now, he and Xuan Ziwen have taken on this project together, picking up what Jing Hongchen and others had discarded and reworking it. They have made some progress, but there is still a considerable distance to go before they can produce a finished product.

"This is difficult..."

Lu Cheng frowned slightly, rubbing his fingers together.

"Beep beep..."

Suddenly, a piercing sound rang out. Lu Cheng was startled at first, then his pupils shrank sharply. Vast and terrifying Spiritual Power surged outwards like a sea.

Lu Cheng kept his eyes tightly closed.

A huge, Blood Pupils slowly opened above Illustrious Virtue Hall, looking down below.

There was no trace of the two of them.

The search area was expanded further, but still nothing was found.

Most of the members of the Illustrious Virtue Hall were awakened by the almost tangible and terrifying Spiritual Power, and then looked at the core area with astonishment and shock.

Such incredible Spiritual Power!

They are probably all at least Titled Douluo level or higher.

And the Blood Pupils Martial Soul can only be possessed by one person.

Who it is is beyond doubt.

"Wrong!"

Lu Cheng's expression was rather unpleasant.

Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen's Defensive Soul Tool had clearly left the Mingdu area and were moving rapidly out of the city.

This timing... seems suspicious.

Because of a major event, Jing Hongchen is most likely not at home at the moment, so the defenses at home are severely lacking, which has given some people an opportunity to take advantage of the situation.

"Damn it."

Lu Cheng gritted his teeth.

Without a second thought, a pair of fiery red wings suddenly unfurled from behind, and like a cannonball, it burst through the roof and transformed into a fiery red meteor, flying straight out of the city.

It's clearly a setup targeting him.

But he had no choice but to go.

Neither the Simulation missions nor the genuine bond we've developed over the years can separate us from our two little ones.