Soul Transmigration and Replacement

While Xie Shenhong appeared outwardly tense and concerned about his blunder, he was, in truth, deeply rattled by Li Tianming’s earlier intentions.

‘What in the world is this guy thinking?’

Fortunately, Xie Shenhong’s words managed to calm Li Tianming, preventing any further egregious actions.

“Now that everyone is present,” Li Tianming began, “as you can observe, our 99th Squad comprises merely five individuals. This unit is slated for disbandment upon the mission’s completion; consider yourselves a temporary assembly, convened solely for the execution of a specialized assignment.”

After speaking, Li Tianming turned his gaze to Wendy. “Naturally, to outsiders, we will still present ourselves as a squad established for the training of new recruits. I apologize for drawing you into this. Should you find the gravity of this responsibility too daunting, you are welcome to request a transfer, which will not, in any way, impact your personal evaluation.”

“No, I am not afraid,” Wendy declared, her voice ringing with enthusiasm. “On the contrary, to be involved in an event of such magnitude immediately upon joining the corps is nothing short of an honor!”

Wendy, her excitement palpable, continued, “So, Captain, what exactly is the mission? Surely there’s a specific reason why I, a mere newcomer, was chosen to serve as a distraction, isn’t there? And speaking of which, are all you esteemed seniors the primary operatives for this task? Oh, these two seniors are truly remarkable, to be selected as assistants by our Captain, the foremost among the Seven Eastern Expedition Heroes, at such a tender age…”

“I, too, am a newcomer,” Xie Shenhong interjected, cutting off Wendy’s incessant chatter. “Previously, I served as an attendant to Lord Lyte here.”

“My name is Huangfu Lyte; simply call me Lyte,” Lyte promptly added, playing along.

“Lyte, the Light of Dawn, the youngest Martial Lord in the entire corps!”

Upon hearing his full name, however, Wendy’s eyes instantly sparkled, and her excitement surged further. “That’s incredible! My companions include not only the Crimson Hawk but also the illustrious Light of Dawn! I am truly blessed!”

“This is an exceedingly perilous mission, I don’t believe—”

Marco, the eldest among the five, had barely begun to speak when Wendy’s attention instantly pivoted to him.

“I’ve heard tales of you, the mature and steadfast Uncle Marco!” she exclaimed. “The ‘Immortal General,’ who, during the Eastern Expedition, commanded the rear guard on three separate occasions!”

“Uncle…”

Yet, more than Wendy’s effusive praise, Marco was evidently deflated by her addressing him as ‘uncle.’

He absently stroked his somewhat grizzled beard, his gaze falling upon a countenance that appeared significantly older than that of an average twenty-six-year-old, and found himself sinking into profound self-doubt.

‘Is it truly so remarkable to be twenty-six, single, without a girlfriend, and to have never even touched a woman? Does it warrant such a remark…?’

As Marco continued to murmur to himself, Wendy had already redirected her attention to Xie Shenhong.

“Sister, you must not be an ordinary person either, right?”

“No, I am merely one without magical abilities,” Xie Shenhong corrected. “I joined the corps based on my accomplishments, and today, I don’t even qualify to partake in the initiation ceremony… Furthermore, I am a man.”

“Hey, Shenhong!” Lyte interjected, a slight frown creasing his brow. “Why do you speak of yourself in such a manner?”

Xie Shenhong was acutely aware that his self-introduction was likely to be off-putting, yet he harbored no desire to fabricate a misleading impression, preferring to avoid fostering expectations that diverged from the truth.

Nevertheless, he had profoundly underestimated Wendy.

“Ah, Sister is none other than the fabled ‘Crimson Princess’!” Wendy exclaimed, her eyes wide with admiration. “You are indeed so beautiful, and truly formidable! To have joined the corps as one without magical abilities, Sister, you must possess numerous exceptional talents beyond the realm of combat!”

Xie Shenhong intended to deny it, but Lyte preempted him, responding:

“Indeed, he is quite formidable.”

Remarkably, however, their voices had converged in a rare moment of unison.

Lyte and Li Tianming exchanged a brief glance, whereupon the latter swiftly redirected his attention to Wendy.

“Therefore, in the ensuing operation, Wendy, I expect you to provide him with maximum protection and assistance.”

“No problem at all, leave it to me!” Wendy declared, confidently patting her chest, which was as flat as a rasp. “I will absolutely ensure Sister Shenhong’s safety!”

“That doesn’t seem quite right, pairing two newcomers together,” Lyte remarked, a slight frown marring his features.

“Regarding your earlier request to be paired with Xie Shenhong, I regret to inform you that I cannot approve it,” Li Tianming stated, his reasoning clear and concise. “You are a crucial primary combatant, renowned for your exceptional mobility. Your full strength can only be unleashed when you operate independently.”

“Very well.”

Given that the paramount objective was the defense of the kingdom, Lyte reluctantly acquiesced.

Xie Shenhong, too, managed to suppress the inner thought that he had no need for anyone’s protection.

“Now, without further delay, and without mincing words, let us return to the specifics of our mission…”

Much like the intelligence divulged by Dongfang Qinglong, Li Tianming’s presence in the royal capital was solely for the purpose of apprehending potential troublemakers—remnants of the Sakura Kingdom.

Yet, the situation proved to be far graver than initially anticipated—

“Someone has already been attacked?” Wendy gasped, her hand flying to cover her mouth in shock.

“That was a subordinate of mine from the Eastern Expedition,” Marco stated, his expression grim. “After the war, he joined the Azure Dragon Knights. Two days prior, while on patrol, he was tragically attacked by a Martial Lord and succumbed to his injuries. His strength had reached the Upper Silver rank.”

“Please accept my condolences… I will ensure my own safety.”

Wendy spoke with a heavy heart, finally comprehending the source of Marco’s earlier apprehension.

After all, she herself was merely at the peak of the Silver rank, not significantly more powerful than the unfortunate victim.

“A Martial Lord… Is the Vermilion Bird Grand Array truly incapable of tracing their movements?”

Had the perpetrator been a Gold-rank individual originating from the former Sakura Kingdom territories, locating them would have proven exceedingly difficult, given that even the Deep Sea Crimson Knights harbored a small number of such individuals, let alone other knight orders.

However, individuals of Martial Lord rank and above are invariably subjects of intense surveillance; there should be no logical reason for their whereabouts to remain undiscovered.

“The Grand Array has been thoroughly scrutinized,” Li Tianming revealed. “Every Martial Lord within the city possesses a verifiable alibi, and there are no records whatsoever of additional Martial Lords having entered. Consequently, the upper echelons widely contend that the Vermilion Bird Grand Array has, in essence, become unreliable.”

“Captain, you must be jesting, surely?” Wendy exclaimed, utterly stunned.

Indeed, anyone else privy to this information would undoubtedly react with similar incredulity.

For the past decade, since the reconstruction of the royal capital, the Empire had repeatedly dispatched highly skilled individuals to sow discord, yet each attempt, owing to the formidable presence of the Vermilion Bird Grand Array, had resulted in their utter disappearance without a trace.

However, while the Grand Array itself remained a static construct, technology, conversely, was in a constant state of advancement.

Evidently, the Empire had recently achieved a significant technological breakthrough, thus emboldening them to launch such extensive operations.

“Naturally, there exists another possibility,” Li Tianming remarked. “It could be that the Empire remains utterly incapable of circumventing the Vermilion Bird Grand Array, yet the individual who perpetrated this attack constitutes a singular exception.”

“Captain, are you implying that someone has discovered a vulnerability within the Grand Array?” Wendy asked, a tremor in her voice. “But that would be incredibly perilous, wouldn’t it? If they were to leak that loophole…” The thought spiraled into increasing horror, prompting Wendy to instinctively clutch her head.

“Indeed, that would represent the most dire scenario,” Li Tianming conceded. “However, there is yet another possibility: that the vulnerability is accessible only to an exceedingly select few, rendering it virtually impossible to replicate.”

“Is such a thing truly possible?” Marco questioned, a slight furrow in his brow. He struggled to comprehend why Li Tianming was steering the conversation in such an unconventional direction.

Lyte, however, discerned the underlying implication.

“Are you suggesting, then, that the perpetrator might possess a ‘Sealing Body’?”

The others, too, soon grasped the implication.

“Precisely,” Li Tianming affirmed, a faint smile playing on his lips. “I trust you are all well-acquainted with the distinctive characteristics of a ‘Sealing Body,’ are you not?”

“Yes, I know!” Wendy exclaimed, raising her hand. “The Sealing Body is one of the three great physiques, on par with the Eternal Body, and its primary characteristic is ‘one soul, two bodies.’ This manifests as an individual’s ability to transform into two distinct people at will. Should one form perish, complete resurrection is possible, provided the other form remains alive.”

“Furthermore, the cultivation talent inherent to a Sealing Body is twice that of an ordinary person,” Li Tianming added, elaborating.

“Are you suggesting, then, that our adversary is such a monstrous being?” Marco inquired, his expression grave.

“Merely that it’s a possibility… What are your thoughts?”

With that, Li Tianming turned his gaze toward Xie Shenhong.

“I believe that probability is exceedingly low,” Xie Shenhong began his analysis. “As you are all aware, individuals possessing one of the three great physiques are exceptionally formidable, and among them, the Sealing Body is considered the most inherently potent. For such a being to engage in clandestine, spy-like activities, thereby prematurely revealing their existence, strikes me as utterly inconceivable.”

“Indeed, if it truly were a Sealing Body, even the Sakura remnants would not permit them to recklessly expose themselves to such risks,” Lyte conceded, nodding in agreement. “Furthermore, a Sealing Body cannot entirely elude the Vermilion Bird Grand Array’s scans. If my memory serves me correctly, a Sealing Body is compelled to transform into an alternate form for twelve hours each day, is that not so?”

“Yes, and it is a compulsory transformation,” Xie Shenhong confirmed calmly.

‘Connecting this to myself?’

‘Impossible.’

‘In the past five years, he had not once transformed into Hai Zhu; only after acquiring the golden pocket watch did he gain the ability to shift forms. How, then, could he possibly be a Sealing Body?’

‘Furthermore, if he were indeed a Sealing Body, far too many inconsistencies would arise. A decade ago, Hai Zhu had made her public debut as a teenage girl.’

‘The most plausible explanation, of course, was that the golden pocket watch was a divine artifact crafted upon the very principles of a Sealing Body, and the form of Hai Zhu he assumed… was, in all likelihood, the remains left behind by some unknown, deceased Sealing Body.’