282: Ming Dynasty needs King Wu

Once the sounds of flattery gradually subsided, Xu Chuanwei, the Old Ancestor of the Xu Family sitting below the State Preceptor, nodded in agreement and said, "The State Preceptor's words are wise! During this period, the northern battlefield has endured immense pressure. Every day, countless soldiers sacrifice themselves for the territory and people of Great Ming. However, their valiant fight is valuable; they have forcibly turned War Bear Country's surprise attack into a war of attrition! For every step the War Bear Country's army wants to advance, they must pay a heavy price! Regardless of whether their Martial King enters the fray, we will make them regret starting such a national-level war! The final victory will surely belong to us!!!"

"Clap clap clap clap... Good, good, good, good!!!" Xu Chuanwei's voice was powerful and resonant, and the scene erupted with thunderous applause and cheers... Xu Chuanwei nodded to those around him and continued, "Additionally, we have intercepted some information, all related to cult organizations within Great Ming. These cults are in collusion with foreign powers. The appearance of three Martial King powerhouses in those three countries is exactly what these cults wish to see!"

Tang Zhenyuan nodded and sighed softly, "For hundreds of years, our Blue Star has seemed peaceful, but in reality, undercurrents surge and dangers lurk everywhere. Foreign enemies never cease their desire to destroy us, and internal traitors try to fish in troubled waters. Everyone present must not lower their guard; we must remain vigilant at all times, giving our all until our dying breath!"

"Yes! Lord State Preceptor!!!" Everyone responded in unison, their expressions solemn.

Tang Zhenyuan continued, "Regarding another aspect of this matter, I believe this might just be the beginning. Currently, no country on Blue Star has witnessed the actual combat power of a Martial King level. Relying solely on a video of an island being created out of thin air in the middle of the ocean to prove this point is a bit too far-fetched. To be honest, with the strength of Brother Xu and myself, achieving this would not be difficult!"

"Clap clap clap clap... Good, good, good, good!!!" This time, the applause and cheers at the scene were even louder and lasted for a long time!

It could be said that Tang Zhenyuan's words served as a reassurance to everyone present. Regardless of whether what he said was true, everyone believed him from the bottom of their hearts because the State Preceptor never spoke falsely!

Tang Zhenyuan waited for the noise to subside slightly before continuing, "Therefore, if what these three countries say is true, they must provide more powerful evidence in the short term to prove their claims are not false. Otherwise, this is nothing more than a joke!"

"Indeed..."

"I told you so, these countries are always bragging and exaggerating!"

"The State Preceptor has truly hit the nail on the head!"

"I'm very curious now about how they intend to prove it. Is it by starting a war? Or by releasing another combat video? And who can prove the videos they release aren't faked?"

"Haha, their ability to fake things is legendary in history. They once identified a bag of laundry detergent as a chemical weapon and used it as a pretext to launch an invasion..."

"Exactly, exactly..."

Tang Zhenyuan's skepticism toward the news immediately ignited the enthusiasm of those present. They chimed in one after another, believing that those three countries were definitely faking it and bragging!

Some people without their own opinions cheered even louder in mindless support. To them, supporting the State Preceptor was politically correct; any praise was right, and there was no need for them to waste effort thinking for themselves... This situation often occurred in meetings of this level—going with the flow and supporting the arguments of authoritative figures to avoid making mistakes in public was the safest approach!

Whenever someone who liked to be unconventional appeared with independent thoughts and insights, especially if those insights contradicted authoritative figures, they would be viewed as a heretic and criticized, ultimately losing more than they gained!

Seeing that the situation was getting a bit out of control and seemed to be heading in the opposite direction, Prince Rui quickly spoke up, "State Preceptor, how likely do you think it is that they are faking? If they are indeed faking, is their purpose merely to put pressure on our Great Ming?"

Tang Zhenyuan waved his hand to signal for silence, then continued, "Your Highness, I did not say they are faking. I said they need more powerful evidence to prove their declaration! This declaration and the island-building video are just the beginning; the focus will surely be on the next step! Therefore, what we need to do is closely monitor their subsequent movements. If their next actions truly prove they possess combat power significantly higher than a Martial Commander, then it can be confirmed they truly have Martial King powerhouses. This would be an immense threat to our Great Ming. So, we must not sit idly by; we must take active measures. At the very least, we must ensure that when necessary, a Martial King powerhouse of our own can also appear in Great Ming!!!"

"Hiss—" A collective gasp of breath suddenly echoed through the meeting hall. Everyone stared at Tang Zhenyuan in stunned shock.

It could be said that Tang Zhenyuan's final sentence directly shocked everyone!

After a long while, Daoist Master Tianyi, the representative from Kunlun Academy, asked, "State Preceptor, could it be that our Great Ming already possesses a Martial King powerhouse?"

Tang Zhenyuan did not answer directly but instead said, "What I said just now was 'when necessary'!"

"This... if it really comes to that time, how will we prove ourselves?" Daoist Master Tianyi asked again.

"Hmph, regardless of how it is proven, someone must stand up to hold up the sky for our Great Ming Empire! I believe everyone here should understand my meaning. As for how specifically to do it, who will be responsible, and who will assist, I hope everyone present can provide a reasonable suggestion, rather than rushing into it when the time comes. That would lead to unnecessary loopholes, and it wouldn't look good if it were discovered..." After speaking, Tang Zhenyuan closed his eyes in contemplation and said no more.

However, everyone present was intelligent and understood the meaning behind Tang Zhenyuan's words. To put it bluntly, if Great Ming truly had a Martial King powerhouse, then they must step forward when the time came and stop hiding; they had to uphold Great Ming's facade, even if they had to carry this heavy burden until death! And if there was no such powerhouse, then Great Ming must artificially create one. No matter how it was done, the result must be achieved!

If they didn't have one, the consequences would be unimaginable—this was something everyone agreed upon.

Although not everyone in the hall was of one mind, most of their personal interests were tied to the Great Ming Empire. Even if some might sell out some of Great Ming's interests to gain help from foreign powers, the core of their interests remained in Great Ming, where they still needed to acquire money and resources. If Great Ming lacked a Martial King powerhouse for deterrence, these people would lose equality and fairness during negotiations with foreigners. They would be pressured into giving up more personal and national interests, and might even have their weaknesses exploited, forcing them to become the other party's servants. This was something very difficult for any powerhouse to accept, except for those with a deeply servile nature.

It could be said that no matter how the factions represented by those present fought internally, a Great Ming that appeared strong to the outside world was what every faction needed. This point was beyond doubt...