Ming Dynasty: pacifying the rebellion and defending the border, dominating the world

Chapter 249 Doubt and Astonishing Speculation

"This humble general has thoroughly investigated this matter."

"Over the past few years, sixteen people have exchanged for the Divine Blade Slash."

"Thirteen of them perished outside during the Secret Guard mission and their deaths have been confirmed. Of the remaining three, two were on duty inside the Secret Guard."

“They have been investigated, and none of them have told anyone else about the Divine Blade Slash, nor have they leaked any secrets.”

Upon hearing Yan Yimei's words, Zhu Jinzhen's expression darkened further.

Of the sixteen people who had exchanged for the Divine Blade Slash, thirteen secret guards died, and two passed the inspection.

The most suspicious person is the last one.

Zhu Jinzhen recalled the cross-eyed little fellow who, upon first entering the martial arts world, boasted of becoming the number one swordsman and idolized Ding Peng and Fu Hongxue. "Jing Yidao?"

"Your Highness, it is him."

"Jing Yidao has been hailed as the fastest swordsman in Liaodong in recent years. He is currently on a mission to monitor Liaodong. Since joining the Secret Guard, he has become famous in the martial arts world for his fast sword. His swordsmanship is so fast that you can only see the flash of the sword without seeing the sword itself. Among the swordsmen of the Finger Profound Realm, there is no one with a faster sword than him."

"He is currently the prime suspect, and I have secretly ordered him to return immediately."

The Divine Blade Slash, renowned throughout the martial world for a century, wasn't considered a supreme martial art for the Secret Guard. It was merely quite legendary in the realm of swordsmanship.

Quite a few people exchanged it, but not many.

Because this martial art is extremely difficult to learn and even more difficult to master, to make the Divine Blade Slash seem to possess magic like Ding Peng did back then, one needs not only diligent practice but also extremely high talent and wisdom.

Therefore, many people are envious of the Divine Blade Slash, but those who have any self-awareness will not exchange for it.

The investigation was naturally very quick.

Of course, there is actually another unbelievable possibility.

That means someone really did pry open the mouths of the dead, such as resurrecting Ding Peng or Bai Xiaolou, or... those secret guards whose deaths had already been confirmed.

"Well, whether Jing Yidao has betrayed us or not is up to you to decide." Zhu Jinzhen offered Yan Yimei a suggestion: "In addition, if we investigate those thirteen secret guards whose deaths have been confirmed, we might find some unexpected results."

"Does Your Highness suspect that among those thirteen secret guards, one of them faked their death and left the secret guard?" Yan Yimei's pupils shrank. She had naturally thought of this as well, but with so many people who seemed to have 'come back to life,' she subconsciously didn't consider this possibility.

Or rather, they didn't connect it to the possibility that some of the secret guards might have faked their deaths.

Instead, they focused their suspicions on Bai Xiaolou and others who might have been resurrected.

Zhu Jinzhen glanced at Yan Yimei: "You must have had some guesses, right?"

"Yes."

Yan Yimei lowered her head in shame.

She had already made up her mind that if one of the thirteen secret guards was indeed using a trick to escape and betray the secret guards, then he had better hide well, otherwise she would not hesitate to be ruthless.

"It seems the rats in the shadows are plotting something big!" Zhu Jinzhen sneered. Such a grand scheme, even going so far as to drag out those dead people again, whether true or false, can only prove one thing.

There were already plenty of 'surprises' prepared for him ahead of him.

Or... a fright?
Yan Yimei bowed and asked, "Your Highness, should we send out a top-tier secret guard to find the mastermind behind this?"

The Heavenly Guard is a brand new level added on top of the original Gold and Purple Guard levels.

Each one of them was a terrestrial Celestial Realm secret guard created by Zhu Jinzhen at great expense using the Martial Arts Cultivation Furnace, roughly equivalent to an enhanced version of the peak Yin Zhong.

The Heavenly Guards do not exist within the Secret Guard; they are loyal to and obey only Zhu Jinzhen, Changsun Wangqing, and Yan Yimei.

It is not usually used lightly.

"No need."

Zhu Jinzhen waved his hand, "Whether the resurrection is real or fake, I don't care. Whatever the legends or myths, it doesn't matter. We can just crush them all when the time comes." "The secret guards' mission is to thoroughly investigate for me. As soon as they find any trace of those 'wandering souls,' they must report immediately."

"I will personally take action."

"Nip all threats in the bud."

The Heavenly-level secret guards are certainly very strong. The terrestrial celestial beings are almost the upper limit of the human realm in the world of martial arts. Looking at all the countries, there is no one else like them on the surface.

However, if Zhu Jinzhen's suspicions come true...

Those ancient figures who have resurrected and returned as dead, stirring up trouble in the martial arts world, are real.

The mastermind behind it is highly likely to be other transmigrators or the intervention of a higher power. It is very possible that the terrestrial Celestial Realm cultivator could actually suffer an unexpected setback.

Zhu Jinzhen certainly wouldn't let his men go and get themselves killed.

It gives potential "protagonists" the opportunity to fight monsters, level up, and develop.

Even if the possibility is less than one in ten thousand.

But what if?
Zhu Jinzhen, a time traveler, has already killed one; it's not impossible for other time travelers to emerge.

Out of caution, he naturally took action himself to nip the potential threat in the bud.

It doesn't matter if you're not a time traveler.

Consider it a way to loosen up your muscles and bones.

"Hopefully, you can please me a little?" Zhu Jinzhen's eyes flashed with a sharp, cold light. He didn't understand what the mastermind hiding in the shadows was planning to do.

But it doesn't matter. In the face of absolute strength, everything else is just a joke.

Even if his guess was true, could a few terrestrial immortals and a group of so-called celestial beings and mystical experts really threaten him?

Idiot's dream!

"Yes, Your Highness. This humble general has ordered the secret guards to monitor Shanxi. If there is any news, we will report it immediately." Although Yan Yimei felt that it was making a mountain out of a molehill and using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, and felt that she and the secret guards were a little incompetent and ashamed, she still nodded seriously and continued to report: "The Cui family transported a large amount of gunpowder. There have been similar incidents in Datong, Zhengding, Baoding and other places."

"One of their plans was to plant a large amount of gunpowder along the route of the Jingnan army."

"To use this to attack His Highness."

"To hinder the advance of the Jingnan army."

Although Yan Yimei's face showed murderous intent this time, she didn't seem too worried.

gunpowder?

In other martial arts worlds, this thing might be a huge problem.

However, in the world of martial arts, gunpowder can at most threaten Grandmasters of the Finger Profound Realm and a small number of Grandmasters of the Celestial Phenomenon Realm. To terrestrial immortals, it is like a gentle breeze or a little noise.

A huge amount of gunpowder? How much could it be?

Even if tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of kilograms of gunpowder were piled up there, the threat to Yan Yimei would be almost zero, let alone her prince.

Zhu Jinzhen remained calm, as if gunpowder posed no threat to him unless someone had planted large mushrooms along the way to the capital, and of great quantity.

"A rat is a rat; it can only come up with low-class tricks and schemes."

"Keep a close eye on them. If you find that they are in league with those resurrected souls, do not hesitate to eliminate them." Zhu Jinzhen gave the order directly. He wanted to see what those people were really up to.

"Yes."

Yan Yimei bowed and replied.

(End of this chapter)