The Ming Dynasty: The most ruthless imperial grandson, Old Zhu begged me not to kill him.

Chapter 791 We must investigate their conspiracy.

"Jiang Huan, I order you to continue your covert investigation of the Blood Shadow Cult. You must uncover their conspiracy and the location of their stronghold!"

"According to the order!"

Zhu Xiong Ying watched Jiang Huan's departing figure, a resolute glint in his eyes. He secretly vowed to eradicate the Blood Shadow Sect completely and avenge Mu Wan'er and Zhang Zhengchang!
He walked to the window, gazing at the deep night sky above the Forbidden City, his heart filled with confusion and unease. He didn't know what the future held, but he knew he had to be strong, for he was the emperor, bearing the heavy responsibility of protecting the Ming Dynasty!
Suddenly, a dark shadow flashed by and landed silently on the roof of the Imperial Study...

The shadowy figure remained motionless, seemingly blending into the night. Zhu Xiong Ying stood by the window, unaware of the danger lurking on the roof. He was still lost in his own thoughts, plotting how to eradicate the Blood Shadow Cult completely.

Suddenly, he felt a chilling killing intent behind him. Years of martial arts experience made him instinctively dodge to the side, and a poisoned dart grazed his cheek and embedded itself in the wall behind him.

"Who!" Zhu Xiong Ying shouted angrily, drawing his sword from his waist and looking around warily.

A dark figure leaped down from the roof and landed steadily on the floor of the Imperial Study. By the moonlight, Zhu Xiong Ying could make out the appearance of the newcomer.

She was a tall woman dressed in black, her face veiled, revealing only a pair of cold eyes. In her hand she held a strangely shaped curved knife, the blade gleaming with a ghostly blue light, clearly coated with deadly poison.

“A member of the Blood Shadow Cult!” Zhu Xiong Ying recognized the other party at a glance.

"That's right, I'm here to take your life!" The woman's voice was icy, like a ghost from hell.

"You think you can take me?" Zhu Xiong Ying sneered, his eyes filled with disdain. Although he was grieving, he hadn't lost his composure. He knew he couldn't die here.

"You'll know once you try!" The woman's figure flashed, turning into a black shadow as she pounced on Zhu Xiong Ying.

The curved blade sliced ​​through the air with a sharp whistling sound, aiming straight for Zhu Xiong Ying's throat. Zhu Xiong Ying remained calm and parried with his sword.

"clang!"

A crisp metallic clang rang out, and sparks flew everywhere.

The woman was clearly surprised by Zhu Xiong Ying's martial arts skills, a hint of astonishment flashing in her eyes. But she quickly recovered and launched another attack.

For a moment, the Imperial Study was filled with the glint of swords and the palpable tension of killing intent.

Although Zhu Xiong Ying was the emperor, he had practiced martial arts since childhood and was unparalleled in the world. The sword he carried was a divine weapon that could cut through iron like mud.

Although the woman was skilled in martial arts, she was still inferior to Zhu Xiong Ying. After several rounds, she gradually began to lose ground.

"Looks like you're nothing special after all!" Zhu Xiong Ying said with a sneer as he parried with his sword.

A flash of annoyance crossed the woman's eyes, and her moves became even more ferocious. She knew that if she couldn't finish the fight quickly, the longer it dragged on, the worse it would be for her.

"Die!" the woman suddenly screamed, and the scimitar in her hand transformed into a blue lightning bolt, piercing straight for Zhu Xiong Ying's heart.

Zhu Xiong Ying dared not be careless and quickly dodged to the side. The curved blade grazed his chest and cut a gash in his clothes.

so close!

Zhu Xiong Ying inwardly cried out, a layer of cold sweat beading on his forehead. He knew that if that stab had landed, he would have been seriously injured, if not killed.

"You deserve to die!" Zhu Xiong Ying roared, his sword attacking the woman like a storm.

The woman was exhausted from fighting back, and soon she had several wounds on her body. She knew she was no match for Zhu Xiong Ying, and the thought of retreating began to take root in her mind.

"Want to leave? Not so easy!" Zhu Xiong Ying saw through the woman's thoughts, sneered, and his sword moves became even more fierce, giving the woman no chance to breathe.

The woman struggled to stay upright, her body accumulating more and more wounds, and her night clothes were stained red with blood.

"what!"

The woman let out a scream as Zhu Xiong Ying knocked the scimitar from her hand with a single sword strike.

Zhu Xiong Ying's sword tip was pressed against the woman's throat; with just a slight push, he could end her life.

"Speak! Who sent you?" Zhu Xiong Ying asked sternly. The woman gritted her teeth and remained silent.

"You won't talk? Then die!" A murderous glint flashed in Zhu Xiong Ying's eyes.

"Wait!" the woman suddenly said. "I can tell you, but you have to agree to one condition."

"What are the conditions?" Zhu Xiong Ying asked.

"Let me go!" the woman said.

"Do you think that's possible?" Zhu Xiong Ying sneered.

“You have no choice!” the woman said. “If you kill me, you’ll never know who sent me!”

Zhu Xiong Ying hesitated. He knew the woman was right. If he killed her, the trail would go cold.

"Okay! I promise you!" Zhu Xiong Ying finally chose to compromise.

A sly glint flashed in the woman's eyes.

"Yes..." The woman was about to speak when suddenly, a resolute glint flashed in her eyes, and she bit open the poison sac hidden in her teeth.

"You..." Zhu Xiong Ying was stunned for a moment, not expecting the woman to be so resolute.

A cold smile appeared on the woman's lips as she slowly collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

Zhu Xiong Ying stared at the woman's corpse, his heart filled with anger and remorse.

He never expected that he would be tricked by a woman!

Just then, a commotion arose outside the Imperial Study.

"Protect Your Majesty!"

"There are assassins!"

……

A large number of guards rushed into the imperial study and surrounded Zhu Xiong Ying.

Looking at the guards in front of him, Zhu Xiong Ying suddenly felt a sense of powerlessness.

He felt like a puppet, being manipulated and slowly walking towards the abyss...

Just then, a slight noise came from the beams of the imperial study. Zhu Xiong Ying looked up sharply, but saw nothing. Was it just his imagination? The assassin was dead, and it was unlikely that the Blood Shadow Sect would send anyone else, given the tight security of the imperial palace. With this question in mind, he waved his hand, signaling the guards to withdraw.

The guards filed out, and the imperial study returned to its usual quiet. Zhu Xiong Ying slowly walked to the window, gazing at the deep night sky, his mind filled with countless thoughts. Suddenly, he felt a chill on his back; something was pressing against it…

Zhu Xiong Ying held his breath, his muscles tense. He felt something cold and hard pressed against his back. A dagger.

"Who?" he asked in a deep, terrifyingly low voice.

no answer.

The Imperial Study was silent, with only Zhu Xiong Ying's heavy breathing echoing in the background.

He slowly turned around and saw a man in black standing behind him, holding a dagger that gleamed coldly. The man in black was masked, revealing only a pair of icy eyes.

"Who are you?" Zhu Xiong Ying asked again, his tone tinged with anger.

(End of this chapter)