Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The imperial court was guarded by 50,000 imperial guards, and there were ten elite generals that were at the peak stage of Soul Travel Realm. There were a hundred generals that were above the fifth stage of Soul Travel Realm while there were more about a thousand commanders—all of Soul Travel Realm.
Ling Xue transferred the authority to lead these 50,000 men to Jiang Yi, which was a form of trust and the lack of options. Only Jiang Yi had seen the little fox and was familiar with it. Jiang Yi and his group had been chasing for the little fox for such a long time. He was also the Patrol Envoy, which was considered a member of their imperial court.
Jiang Yi wasn’t well-versed in military affairs. He assembled all the ten elite generals and asked them to conduct a city-wide extensive search—not to miss any area, including 30 kilometers underground. If there were any suspicious individuals, they had to seize them first before anything else. If there was an expert above the seventh stage of Soul Travel Realm, they would have to put their names in the record, and all those unfamiliar individuals were to be captured.
Once Jiang Yi gave his orders, the entire Stellarsky City was in a chaotic mess. Since the demonic beast army was about to storm their city, the citizens of the city were all very cooperative. The 50,000-strong army swept the entire city while a general that led a few thousand men dug under the city with many tunnels, conducting a detailed search.
On the same night, the underground search army relayed a piece of inspiring news: there was a newly excavated tunnel under the Stellarsky City, and there was a small hole ripped out of the underground restriction. There were obvious signs of someone using a formidable power to destroy the restriction and secretly infiltrate the city.
“Search, search! Do not miss out any place and find those people!”
Jiang Yi was even more determined that the little fox was inside the city and didn’t go anywhere else. There was a high possibility that the little fox was still alive. If they wanted the demonic beast army to invade Stellarsky City, then it was necessary for the little fox to be alive; and they had to hide it in the city.
However…
After searching for a day and night, the 50,000 imperial guards had combed the entire city ten times and caught tens of thousands of suspicious individuals. However, they still couldn’t find any clues after interrogating those people that they caught.
“This isn’t possible…”
Jiang Yi, Principal Qi, and the others were temporarily residing in an official enforcement hall. After collecting all the information, everyone began to have doubts.
A Vice Principal from Azure Dragon College blinked his eyes and asked, “Jiang Yi, is the little fox truly in Stellarsky City? If not, why would such an extensive search not detect it?”
“That’s right!”
A charming and distinguished lady, who looked like a Vice Principal from Centaurea College, also spoke with some doubt, “50,000 imperial guards. No matter how huge Stellarsky City was, an unfamiliar expert would surely be found. There are very few experts above the seventh stage of Soul Travel Realm. How could they hide in the city?”
“It is here. Definitely here!”
Jiang Yi was absolutely certain when he spoke. He had this indescribable feeling that the little fox was certainly in the city. He turned his eyes to look at one of the elite generals and asked, “There is anywhere else in the city that has yet to be searched?”
“There is no place else!”
That elite general muttered to himself before looking around and saying, “Apart from the imperial palace and the residences of the six Imperial Princes and two Princesses. The imperial palace is filled with experts, and no one will be able to infiltrate it. The residences of the Imperial Princes and Princesses are all guarded by several peak-stage Soul Travel Realm experts while countless secret guards patrol during day and night. No matter how powerful those people’s powers are, they will never be able to infiltrate and hide for so many days.”
“Search those places!”
There was a chilling light that flashed in Jiang Yi’s eyes as he yelled out, “Immediately assemble the army to surround the Princes and Princesses’ residences and do a complete search!”
“Ah?”
The elite generals were all shocked when they heard that Jiang Yi wanted them to surround the residences that belonged to those Imperial Princes and Princesses? Did Jiang Yi want to rebel? He had the guys, but these elite generals didn’t have the guts. These were the sons and daughters of the dragon.
One of the elite generals rubbed his nose embarrassedly and bowed with a cupped fist, “Patrol Envoy Jiang. Without His Majesty’s imperial decree, no one can enter the Princes and Princesses’ residences. If you want to search those places, the only option is to request for a decree in the palace.”
“His Majesty?”
Jiang Yi’s brows lifted. He had been to the imperial palace for a few times, but this Emperor had yet to reveal himself. The situation was already so crucial, but it was still Princess Ling Xue taking charge. Jiang Yi was beginning to suspect whether this Emperor was even existent…
Jiang Yi went into deep thought before he spoke, “If Princess Ling Xue gave the decree, can we search their residences?”
“Sure, you can!”
The elite general nodded. “Princess Ling Xue is appointed as the Regent, and her decree is on the same level as an imperial decree. As long as she gave the decree, we can immediately conduct a search on the residences that belonged to the Princes and Princesses.”
“Okay! I will go and ask for one now.”
Jiang Yi nodded, burst out summoning his Dragon Eagle, and flew towards the imperial palace. He then dove towards Princess Ling Xue’s Snow Moon Palace.
“What? You want to search the residences of my Imperial brothers and sisters?”
After hearing Jiang Yi’s request, Princess Ling Xue’s shapely eyebrows winched, revealing this difficult expression. She pursed her lips and said, “My Imperial brothers and sisters all have peak-stage Soul Travel Realm experts guarding their residences. Normal people will not be able to infiltrate it. There is no need to search them, right?”
“Hur-Hur!”
Jiang Yi snorted. “On normal circumstances, that group of individuals will definitely not be able to enter. I am afraid there might be… a mole!”
“Mole?”
Princess Ling Xue’s charming face shook as she spoke in a cold and threatening tone, “Are you saying… my imperial brothers and sisters are colluding with the masterminds? How can it be possible?! If Stellarsky City is destroyed, they will have to die, too! Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Jiang Yi, you better watch what you say.”
“Ke-Ke!”
Jiang Yi let out a faint laugh and shrugged his shoulders. “Since you do not believe me, I shall not bother; and I do not wish for this Patrol Envoy position anymore. I will take my group and leave immediately. Princess, please take care.”
Finishing his statement, Jiang Yi took out the token, seal, and the golden sword and placed them on the table. He then turned and walked away without any reluctance. Since Princess Ling Xue didn’t believe him, he couldn’t be bothered either.
His suspicion that those people were hiding in the imperial residences was naturally not him speaking without giving any thoughts. He guessed that Jiang Bieli was the mastermind of this incident, but he didn’t understand his father well enough. He had only heard of many things that Jiang Bieli had done.
Jiang Bieli’s innate talents were heaven-defying. He was only 40 years old and was already one of the top ten martial experts on this continent, which proved how he was defying against the natural orders. In Jiang Yi’s opinion, Jiang Bieli’s wasn’t terrifying because of his martial prowess, but because of his wisdom.
Before he was appointed as the Western Garrison Liege Lord, he had led troops for hundreds of battles, in which he was all victorious. Twenty years ago, he even decimated hundreds of thousands of soldiers from the Great Xia Kingdom and led an army to invade the Great Xia Kingdom afterward, almost exterminating the Great Xia Kingdom.
After he became the Western Garrison Liege Lord, there weren’t any more chaotic wars for the past two decades in the Divine Martial Kingdom, making everyone forget about Jiang Bieli’s wisdom. Everyone was only paying attention to his martial prowess while Jiang Bieli had been laying low for the past two decades, giving everyone a false image that he had been seeking for the pinnacle of martial dao.
When Jiang Yi guessed that Jiang Bieli was the mastermind behind the scenes, he naturally thought of Jiang Bieli’s glorious battle records. Since Jiang Bieli had such courage and such ambition, how could he not have considered everything in all different angles?
No one would have thought that the imperial princes and princesses of the Empire would collude with outsiders to plot against the Azure Dragon Empire. Hence, for those people to hide in the imperial residences… it was actually the safest. This was why Jiang Yi had determined that those people were hiding within one of the imperial residences.
“Jiang Yi…”
Seeing Jiang Yi turning and simply leaving with such resolve, the absolute beauty on Ling Xue’s face began to panic. She called out Jiang Yi’s name, but Jiang Yi didn’t respond and continued walking. She was immediately anxious as she called out delicately, “Jiang Yi, wait! I will give out the decree. You can do whatever you want. I just hope you will not be too reckless. These people are Ling Xue’s family…”
