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

Chapter 292 Doubt, the Scar in the Sky, and a New Beacon of Hope

Is Brahma a fake?

This speculation surprised the Demon Lord.

Qianqiu shrugged and explained, "If the one who betrayed the Heavenly Scar was truly Dao Yu, then the Dao Yu who appeared at this moment must be a fake. His identity is not hard to guess; there is a 99% probability that he is a member of the Secret Guard."

Seeing this, the middle-aged man smiled with relief: "Judging from your expression, you don't seem to agree with this possibility?"

"Ah."

Qianqiu nodded, a confident smile on his face: "This is possible on the premise that His Highness Prince Su has methods that are comparable to, or even surpass, those people in the heavens."

"What do you mean?" the middle-aged man codenamed Demon Lord asked curiously.

"You are closest to 'them' and the Heavenly Lord. Do you think they have the ability to create someone with the same cultivation, martial arts, memories, and methods as you overnight?" Qianqiu asked calmly, but a strange light flashed deep in his eyes.

Upon hearing this, the Demon Lord pondered for a moment before slowly shaking his head.

It wouldn't be difficult for the celestial beings to crudely elevate an ordinary mortal to the status of a terrestrial immortal, or even a terrestrial celestial being, with a certain price to pay.

He and the Heavenly Emperor are the best examples.

However, this is limited to cultivation level, martial arts realm, and martial arts techniques; there is no possibility of relying on others.

Even if those people are immortals, gods, Buddhas, or demons in the eyes of mortals, it is still the same.

Qianqiu took in the Demon Lord's reaction, a hidden glint in his eyes, but he smiled calmly and said, "That Dao Yu from Guanzhong has the cultivation of a peak terrestrial immortal. After testing him, the Marrow Cleansing Scripture is indeed a seventh-level pagoda, and his Tathagata Palm is also at its peak."

"Unless Daoyu and Sanguan have twin brothers, and those twin brothers must have the exact same level seven pagoda, peak cultivation of a terrestrial immortal, and the ultimate Tathagata Palm."

"And one must have a thorough understanding of the Heavenly Scar."

"But how likely do you think this is, Demon Lord?"

The Demon Lord fell silent.

Dao Yu was one of the first people to join the Heaven's Scar.

Their understanding of Dao Yu was far more terrifying than Qian Qiu could have imagined.

Let alone twin brothers, after becoming a disciple of Bodhidharma, Daoyu's relatives and fellow disciples had all disappeared with the passage of time.

As for the Marrow Cleansing Scripture and Tathagata Palm at the seventh level of the Buddha's realm, that's even more impossible.

Although the latter is also circulated in the martial arts world, the Marrow Cleansing Classic has been passed down for hundreds of years. How many enlightened monks have emerged from Shaolin Temple, and how many virtuous monks have emerged in the world? How many people have cultivated to the point of reaching the seventh level of the pagoda?
Apart from Daoyu, there was none.

It can be said that, in the Demon Lord's eyes, both were impossible.

"Understood. I will discuss this matter with the Heavenly Emperor."

"There's one more thing." Qianqiu nodded, took a deep look at the Demon Lord in front of him, and said, "Regarding the matter of targeting Prince Su, it has reached this point. Could you tell me what the Demon Lord and the Heavenly Lord plan to do?"

However, as soon as he finished speaking, a fierce killing intent suddenly erupted from the Demon Lord.

Clearly, his question had violated a taboo.

Qianqiu pursed her lips and changed the subject without hesitation: "Or... what are the chances of winning?"

"Yesterday outside Dongsheng City, the ground was covered in ruins, and the hundred-mile mountain range was leveled, resembling a giant crater ten thousand meters wide created by a meteorite impact. According to estimates, even if a terrestrial celestial being were to exert all their strength, it would be difficult to cause such destruction."

"Today's scene, which resembled the collapse of the sky, should make it even clearer to the Demon Lord that the only one capable of creating such an extraordinary phenomenon that overwhelms the Ming Dynasty and even the entire world is that Prince Su. His strength is more than ten times greater than what the Heavenly Lord and others estimated."

"If the odds of winning are slim, I apologize that I cannot continue."

Qianqiu joined the Heaven's Scar to seek the path to immortality and to gain knowledge, not to die in vain.

If it weren't for the fact that the Heavenly Lord and the Demon Lord had previously revealed their connection to those above.

He had already run away.

Because Qianqiu couldn't imagine any way to defeat that King Su, and even his own experts might not be able to handle it. If the Demon Lord and the Heavenly Lord insisted on their own way, he would have no choice but to retreat while he was ahead.

The Demon Lord fell into a brief silence. He looked deeply at Qianqiu, knowing that this was still a test, but he could only soften his attitude and said in a low voice, "In the mortal realm, terrestrial celestial beings and ascendants are permitted."

"But we will never allow another Qin Shi Huang-like, unparalleled ruler who dared to defy the heavens, nor will we allow another Han Wudi-like, rebellious emperor." "For this, they are willing to pay any price."

"The Zhu family father and son were like this, as was Temujin, who called himself the Eternal Heaven, and so were others."

"Prince Su, Zhu Jinzhen..."

"He is another Ying Zheng and Liu Che."

"Its threat is a hundred times greater than that of its ancestors Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Di."

The Demon Lord's words were brief and did not delve deeper, but the meaning he conveyed was already very clear.

As the strategist of the Heavenly Scar, Qianqiu naturally understood the meaning behind the Demon Lord's words, which was to eliminate Zhu Jinzhen at all costs.

even……

"So, the Demon Lord and the Heavenly Lord's backup plan is the Celestial Immortals?"

The Demon Lord merely glanced at Qianqiu without replying.

I simply warned him: "Just do what you're supposed to do. The more you know, the worse it will be for you."

"Understood." Qianqiu bowed respectfully, displaying the demeanor of a humble gentleman.

When Qianqiu looked up again, the Demon Lord was no longer visible on the cliff face.

However, as she gazed in the direction of Jinling, a fleeting look of sorrow crossed Qianqiu's eyes.

Emperor Taizu, Emperor Taizong, and Crown Prince Yiwen, three generations of true dragons of the Ming Dynasty, could have led the Ming Dynasty to its peak, but they all died mysteriously.

A terrestrial immortal, who died in his prime.

How pathetic and laughable.

Suppressing the myriad thoughts swirling in his mind, Qianqiu looked up at the sky and said, "Heavenly immortals, why are you interfering in human affairs?"

"Just one threat?"

"It seems that perhaps it's not as scary up there as I imagined."

"Otherwise, why would they be so desperate and reckless in their pursuit of Prince Su?"

What Qianqiu cared about even more was the Demon Lord's mention of the First Emperor's conquest of Heaven, and the story he learned in an ancient book about Emperor Wu stepping on Kunlun Mountain, intending to emulate the First Emperor's conquest of Heaven once again.

Based on the Demon Lord's attitude and what he revealed.

It's not hard to guess that when Qin Shi Huang attacked the heavens, he caused enormous losses to the celestial beings, and when Emperor Wu of Han stomped on Kunlun Mountain, they probably paid a heavy price as well.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have gone so far as to cultivate power among mortals and ruthlessly suppress any potential rulers who might unify the world.

The concern is that another figure like Qin Shi Huang or Liu Che might emerge in the world.

A blank sheet of paper in Qianqiu's hand fluttered in the wind, spontaneously combusted in the air, and turned into specks of ashes that were scattered by the wind. The contents of the paper were unknown to anyone but himself.

"Unfortunately, it seems you've miscalculated one thing."

"Human courage is the hymn to life. Human greed is also endless."

"First Emperor Qin Shi Huang attacked Heaven first, followed by Emperor Wu of Han conquering Kunlun."

"If history hadn't been covered up and buried, countless emperors in later generations would have followed suit. Even if you eliminated Zhu Jinzhen, could you guarantee that no one would be able to threaten you in the future?"

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again.

"Besides, you might not be able to defeat Prince Su!"

The more Qianqiu learned about the Prince Su's mansion, the more awe and even fear he felt. Even if the Demon Lord and the Heavenly Lord's trump cards might be celestial beings, he was not entirely optimistic.

But he obviously wouldn't reveal these things to the Demon Lord or the Heavenly Lord.

Qianqiu looked down towards Jinling and seemed to see that person from the past again. He murmured in his heart, "I am tired, Your Majesty. Let me use this broken body to keep a beacon of hope burning in the world!"

(End of this chapter)