Bao Longwei reminded.

The position of the Chief of Prison is quite different from Xiao Zhan’s current status, but there are rules in the Court, even if Xiao Zhan is more powerful than him and has a higher status, he cannot act arbitrarily against them.

He argued with reason, without any timidity.

"If I, the King, want to forcibly open the tomb, who among you can stop me?"

Xiao Zhan looked disdainful.

As he spoke, an invisible wave of martial power seemed to envelop the entire Black Iron Mountain. Despite being severely injured, he made a breakthrough in cultivation during the bloody battle, becoming a Martial Cultivator. Even if he is physically weak and in low spirit, he is not someone Bao Longwei and Han Tieshan’s ilk can oppose.

The wave of martial power, like a raging tide, caused Han Dong and the others to stagger.

Han Tieshan hurriedly said, "King Xiao, you are wise and powerful. Whatever you wish to do, no one can stop you, but Jiang Feng’s tomb was ordered by the Holy Emperor to be constructed, I implore the King to reconsider."

Han Tieshan did not wish to clash with Xiao Zhan, so he had to bring up the Emperor.

"Hmph, it’s a matter concerning the cause of the Second Prince’s death, even if you three report to the Holy Emperor, I, the King, will still open this coffin today."

Xiao Zhan did not back down in the slightest.

"With King Xiao’s strength, we certainly cannot stop you, but my father has made it clear, I hope King Xiao can consider Xiao Ran before opening the coffin."

Han Dong advised.

Xiao Zhan slightly frowned. After increasing his power, the Emperor would certainly not want to offend him, but if he acts without the Emperor’s consent, it might cause trouble for Xiao Ran.

Thinking of this, Xiao Zhan said to Xiao Ran, "You stay here and guard, I will go to meet the Holy Emperor first."

"Yes." 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Xiao Ran watched Xiao Zhan transform into a rainbow and hasten towards the Imperial City.

"Dong’Er, the person in the portrait looks exactly like Jiang Feng, I advise you all not to get involved in this matter."

After Xiao Zhan left, Xiao Ran immediately reminded Han Dong.

He had deep affection for Han Dong, fearing that if Jiang Feng was truly the one who killed the Second Prince, Han Dong might be implicated.

"Crown Prince, Jiang Feng died at Zhenbei Prison, I witnessed it with the Heir of Prince Jing, you and the Heir are good brothers, I don’t think he would lie to you! Jiang Feng is really dead."

Bao Longwei patiently told Xiao Ran.

"Chief, I didn’t say Jiang Feng wasn’t dead, it’s just a suspicion now, but if the person is really Jiang Feng, Chief, think about how you would explain it to the Holy Emperor!"

Xiao Ran retorted.

"Someone who’s already dead, given a grand burial by the Court, how could they come back to life."

Han Tieshan snorted coldly.

"I also hope this is really his grave."

Xiao Ran had always had resentment towards Jiang Feng, seeing Han Dong’s complicated expression, he suddenly asked, "Dong’Er, what do you think?"

"I believe he cannot deceive people, he has been here all along."

Han Dong felt an indescribable discomfort.

Wishing both that the person is not Jiang Feng, and that the person is indeed Jiang Feng.

Half an hour later.

Xiao Zhan descended from the sky.

Said, "Holy Emperor’s decree."

"Long live the Emperor!"

Everyone knelt down to salute.

"To clear Commander Jiang’s injustice, I permit opening the coffin for inspection, to quell the murmuring mouths."

Xiao Zhan said.

"Holy Emperor is wise."

Everyone said in unison.

Regarding this decree, no one doubted it, and even when Xiao Zhan left, Han Dong and the others could already foresee this outcome.

One must realize the deceased is the Second Prince; the monarchy is cold-hearted, to catch the true culprit, how could they hesitate to open a tomb, let alone for a mere Prison Commander, a forgotten minor character.

An hour later, Jiang Feng’s tomb was chiseled open by stone masons.

Upon returning, Han Dong saw the tomb overgrown with weeds, feeling sympathy, he recently spent money to have Jiang Feng’s tomb slightly renovated.

The tomb was paved with stone bricks.

Several masons followed the seams of the bricks, chiseling open the tomb, moving bricks aside, then slowly scooping out the dirt inside with shovels, excavating downwards.

Half an hour later.

Jiang Feng’s coffin appeared before them.

The coffin was somewhat soft, buried underground, extremely damp, emitting a smell that made people frown.

"Open the coffin!"

Xiao Ran commanded.

The masons entered the grave and effortlessly pried open the coffin with their tools, at that moment, a nauseating odor wafted from the coffin.

The person lying inside was already decayed.

But the clothes on the body were the ones Jiang Feng wore when he was placed in the coffin.

"Ugh!"

Bao Longwei took a closer look and almost vomited.

Even though he had witnessed scenes of rivers of blood, this kind of corpse, decayed beyond recognition and so close, was his first encounter.

He found it hard to endure.

However, Han Dong and Xiao Zhan seemed not to notice the stench as they both kept gazing at Jiang Feng’s remains, trying to find some trace.

Xiao Zhan took one look and determined that this person was not Jiang Feng.

Xiao Ran had already told him everything he knew about Jiang Feng, such as how Jiang Feng had managed to repel a First Grade Qi Refining Realm expert during the White Tiger Mountain incident.

It was suspected that he killed Jin Muchuan on Black Iron Mountain, almost causing Xiao Ran to be scared out of his wits.

Even if the killer of Jin Muchuan wasn’t him.

Jiang Feng’s strength was only at the First Grade Qi Refining Realm, and Xiao Zhan knew that the body of a First-Grade Martial Artist wouldn’t decay like this in such a short time.

Postnatal Martial Artist.

Essentially a Body Refining Martial Artist.

Ninth-Grade Skin Refining.

Eighth-Grade Bone Refining.

Seventh Grade Marrow Refining.

Sixth Grade Refining the Organs.

Fifth Grade Blood Refining.

Fourth Grade Essence Refining.

Third-Grade Refining Divinity.

Second Grade Refining Essence.

First Grade Qi Refining.

With each higher level, the body is upgraded.

Even upon reaching old age, the body of a Postnatal Martial Artist remains incomparable to ordinary people.

Even if passing away naturally from old age, with the diminished qi and blood of elderly cultivators, their bodies decay more slowly than average, not rotting within a year, sometimes lasting two or three years.

And Jiang Feng, when he died, was at the peak age of qi and blood.

Even if he had turned demonic and died with all his meridians severed, his body wouldn’t have decayed like this within a year or two. If this corpse’s owner was truly Jiang Feng,

the current state of decay should resemble someone five or six, or even ten years post-mortem.

Therefore, Xiao Zhan could tell at a glance that this person wasn’t Jiang Feng.

Similarly, Han Dong, Bao Longwei, Han Tieshan, and even Xiao Ran understood this reasoning, and the scene turned unusually silent.

Everyone held back from speaking.

"This is simply..."

Xiao Ran couldn’t hold back any longer.

"It is Jiang Feng indeed."

Xiao Zhan interrupted him.

Han Dong and the others were taken aback, finding it unbelievable.

"King Xiao, your insight is piercing. This is indeed Jiang Feng."

Han Tieshan thought for a moment and concurred.

"Quickly seal the coffin back up; let’s not disturb Commander Jiang."

Bao Longwei immediately ordered the stonemason to cover the coffin again.

The stonemason dutifully placed the softened coffin lid back on and sealed it with the stone cover.

"Let’s go back!"

Xiao Zhan began walking down the mountain.

Xiao Ran wanted to say more but held back, quickly catching up to Xiao Zhan.

At the foot of the mountain, he couldn’t hold back and asked, "That person is not Jiang Feng at all, why does father insist on saying it’s Jiang Feng?"

Xiao Zhan remained silent, turning to look at Xiao Ran.

Xiao Ran knew that every time Xiao Zhan wanted him to calmly think things over, he would give him that look, so he started contemplating. After a while, he exclaimed, "I understand now. Father never intended to prove that the person in the coffin wasn’t Jiang Feng. Opening the coffin for an autopsy was to prove to everyone personally that the one who killed the Second Prince was not Jiang Feng."

"If everyone believes that the one who killed the Second Prince was the Little Prison Chief of Zhenbei Prison, it wouldn’t benefit us father and son in the slightest and would bring a series of troubles instead."

Xiao Zhan nodded.

"You’re worried about me being implicated."

Xiao Ran was touched; he often spent time with Han Dong, frequently visiting Zhenbei Prison, and had interacted with Jiang Feng. If the world concluded that the one who killed the Second Prince was Jiang Feng, he wouldn’t escape the implications either.

"Things are not as simple as you think. From now on, you need to be even more cautious. It’s best to avoid any further interaction with Han Dong."

Xiao Zhan kept some words to himself.

He still couldn’t deduce from the corpse in the coffin not being Jiang Feng that the murderer of the Second Prince was Jiang Feng. However, he was certain that the world had changed.

Just now, when he visited the Imperial City to see the Emperor, he learned from the Emperor’s mouth that the Divine Sect was reopening today, with Eight Desolates Cultivators gathering in the Great Tang.

He wasn’t afraid of the Emperor’s reprimand.

But he feared the Divine Sect coming to find him.

He also knew that the Underground Palace would welcome its true owner, and until then, Dragon Capital would never be at peace.

Some things were unavoidable, even for him. He could only do his utmost to protect Xiao Ran from being affected.