King of Creation Chapter 1670: 1655: The Onset of Hostility

“Your Majesty, Commander Ye isn't the only one investigating the infiltrated Soul Demon Sovereign—I've been chasing this lead too,” Inspector Xio Qiangu started.

“But as Your Majesty once directed me to back Ye Zhen, I told my subordinates to probe quietly, avoiding any alert to Commander Ye Wind Patrol, simply to test his skills!”

“Commander Ye proves himself remarkable, cautious, and reliable, always zeroing in on that Soul Demon Sovereign, but…”

The officials in Universe Hall strained to listen closely. Only a fool would swallow Inspector Xio's earlier flattery of Ye Zhen; the key point lurked in the 'but' to come.

“Yet, Commander Ye faltered because of his inexperience from youth, missing that vital edge of cunning! When the Soul Demon Sovereign reached Shahe City, he skipped an immediate sweep of the city's insides.

That's when my reports came in from below, and I commanded my men to patch that hole by rapidly checking out shady figures in Shahe City!”

“My team swiftly dug into it, questioning the background of Shahe City's garrison commander Gao Xiu. They uncovered that before his ascent, Gao Xiu peddled multiple specialties out of Demon Clan Territory.

Pressing further, my subordinates suspected Shahe City garrison commander Gao Xiu was most likely a Demon Clan puppet spy.

Exactly as my man prepared to dangle Gao Xiu as bait and flush out every Demon Clan infiltrator in the zone, a shadowy powerhouse silenced Gao Xiu.

Regrettably, the trail froze solid. The leak might have sparked fatal danger,” Inspector Xio stated, flicking a glance toward Princess Ji Yuan.

Princess Ji Yuan scoffed and strode ahead, demanding, “Inspector Xio, I've endured plenty of your drivel, but where does this tie into the matter before us?”

“Or do you aim to smear Commander Ye in His Majesty's presence for botched leadership and spilling secrets?” Princess Ji Yuan shot back fiercely.

“No, no, no—that's not my intent! Gao Xiu's elimination was chance but foreseeable amid the horde hunting the Soul Demon Sovereign; tipping off the foe was all too likely.”

“My point is this: intel from the Ghost Scouts and Spirit Scouts I command shows Gao Xiu linked to the Demon Clan before ever joining Tianming Marquis Country's forces, already twisted into their spy.”

“Viewed thus, Tianming Marquis Country and Ming Tang fell victim to this Demon Clan spy Gao Xiu as well.”

At that moment, Inspector Xio Qiangu proclaimed gravely, “As Western Patrol Inspector, I bear the obligation to lay all my probe results before His Majesty.”

“My briefing ends here. This intel stands solely for Your Majesty's eyes; whatever action follows rests wholly in Your Majesty's hands!” With a deep bow of respect, Inspector Xio Qiangu retreated to his place among the ranks.

From the Dragon Throne, Ren Venerate Emperor Ji Long betrayed no feeling, though a sharp eye would spot the worm-like throbbing of veins across his brow.

Ren Venerate Emperor Ji Long's rage burned clear.

Inspector Xio Qiangu hammered home that the intel was just advisory, the verdict purely His Majesty's divine call.

Still, Inspector Xio Qiangu made plain that dubious, treasonous Shahe City garrison commander Gao Xiu turned Demon Clan spy prior to Tianming Marquis Country military service.

Tianming Marquis Country emerges as victim here too.

Key fact: this intel sprang from Ye Zhen's own superior, Inspector Xio Qiangu.

In contrast, Inspector Xio Qiangu boasts higher rank in the Heavenly Patrol Department, loftier standing, rendering his claims profoundly persuasive.

Should anyone else—even Princess Ji Yuan—voice this, Ren Venerate Emperor Ji Long would wave it away, challenging their spy-craft credentials.

Inspector Xio Qiangu's declarations pack unique heft.

On top of that, Shahe City garrison commander Gao Xiu lies dead.

No words from the grave.

Hence, the facts hinge on Ye Zhen versus Inspector Xio Qiangu's accounts.

Ye Zhen clings to that Spirit Shadow as his vaunted foolproof evidence.

Inspector Xio Qiangu's post grants superior trust. Even under Ren Venerate Emperor Ji Long's deeper probe, he could summon hordes of investigators involved.

Xio Family's sway and dominance in Western Patrol runs deep.

That obsequious “how to handle it lies fully with Your Majesty's sacred judgment” from Inspector Xio Qiangu? Empty posturing.

The courtiers' groveling oaths of loyalty aren't products of idiocy.

If Ren Venerate Emperor Ji Long dismissed Inspector Xio Qiangu’s report and harshly punished Ming Tang together with the Tianming Marquis Country, the officials would strike back fiercely, labeling him a despot.

Dramatic outbursts of anger might even erupt, shaming the Emperor publicly.

Despite his lofty position in Great Zhou, he lacks the power to punish at whim.

Ye Zhen stayed quiet.

Ye Zhen understood perfectly that Inspector Xio Qiangu’s probe and proof amounted to total fabrication.

The Soul Demon Sovereign issue was nothing but a tale Ye Zhen invented out of thin air.

Still, Xio Qiangu picked up from Ye Zhen’s claims and built on them using Ye Zhen’s own evidence. Ye Zhen recognized the lie yet found no means to counter it.

All one could say is that these cunning figures grow sharper with each passing one.

Ye Zhen figured his proof had pinned Ming Tang and the Tianming Marquis Country into a corner, but to his shock, Inspector Xio Qiangu and Princess Ji Yuan teamed up seamlessly, slashing the impact of Ye Zhen’s rock-solid evidence by seventy to eighty percent and yanking Ming Tang and the Tianming Marquis Country from the edge of doom.

“The Tianming Marquis Country not being internally overrun by the Demon Clan is a great relief to me; however, this incident serves as a wake-up call for our Great Zhou Dynasty.

We must always be on guard against the infiltration and penetration of the Demon Clan!

While the Tianming Marquis Country and its Heir Ming Tang are also victims in this case, they cannot evade the responsibility of negligence! Appointing a Marshal of the army without careful investigation is indeed too careless.

Demotion by one rank, a hundred lashes of the Dragon Whip as a warning!” Ren Venerate Emperor Ji Long decreed.

Hearing this, Ming Tang let out a long breath at last, dodging disaster by a hair. With his tension easing, he sensed his clothes clinging wet and utterly miserable.

Just earlier, terror had soaked him in icy sweat.

Inspector Xio Qiangu and Princess Ji Yuan shared a grin, triumph gleaming briefly in their gazes.

The thrill of flipping the skies with a hand wave and commanding the storms felt incredibly exhilarating. Even the Emperor upon his Dragon Throne faced a defeat and yielded only due to their combined pressure.

Yet before their victory joy could fully bloom, Ren Venerate Emperor Ji Long spoke once more, “Though this incident serves as a small punishment and great warning for the Tianming Marquis Country, the matter of the Demon Clan spies lurking must be handled with utmost caution and care, not to be taken lightly.

Issue my decree, instructing the Southern Patrol to conduct a detailed investigation within their jurisdiction, especially in the Tianming Marquis Country, where Demon Clan spies have been active. A meticulous search and investigation must be undertaken,

from minor officials of eight or nine in rank to the current Prime Minister and Grand Marshals, as well as eunuchs and the leaders of the Imperial Guard within the Tianming Marquis Palace—all must be thoroughly scrutinized to prevent any other Demon Clan spies from lurking!”

“This old servant receives the decree, I will convey it to the Southern Patrol at once!” Yu Chaoen’s voice sounded.

Princess Ji Yuan and Inspector Xio Qiangu’s faces drained of color, twisting into grim masks instantly.

Ming Tang, fresh from skirting catastrophe, froze at first, then offered only a wry smile.

Ren Venerate Emperor Ji Long’s decree seemed harmless at first glance, yet the trouble lay in the Heavenly Patrol Department’s scrutiny—calling you in for questions counts as probing, holding you for ten days or half a month under interrogation still qualifies as probing.

Especially enforcing an Imperial Decree inside the Marquis Country, where the Heavenly Patrol Department operates without restraint.

Given the Southern Patrol’s unwavering devotion to the Royal Family, they would carry out Ren Venerate Emperor’s order fully and without mercy. On this front, even Princess Ji Yuan and her allies stood helpless.

The sole option remaining was leaning on the Heavenly Temple to curb the Southern Patrol’s excesses.

Nevertheless, over the coming two or three years, the Tianming Marquis Country could plunge into turmoil, finding no respite.

The Southern Patrol could exploit the chance to purge several skilled officials and commanders from the Tianming Marquis Country, a routine occurrence.

To put it bluntly, this vital asset of the Tianming Marquis Country, now under the Heavenly Temple’s sway, wouldn’t just halt progress for the next two to three or even five to six years—it was bound to slide backward.

Thanks to this decree, the Tianming Marquis Country would suffer grave damage, plunging its internal affairs into utter disorder.

Plans for any further expansion have become utterly impossible.

Ming Tang, Inspector Xio Qiangu, Princess Ji Yuan, Baili Fei, Mu Xu, and Zhen Yan had all grasped this harsh truth, causing their faces to darken with extreme severity.

For Ming Tang himself, after barely surviving a deadly crisis, what else was left for him to voice?

Against the backdrop of the entire Tianming Marquis Country facing total destruction and plunging into chaos, his personal ordeal seemed trivial by comparison.

Seated upon the Dragon Throne, Ren Venerate Emperor Ji Long's gaze brimmed with icy chill. As the Nine-Five Supreme, a mere defeat in court wouldn't prevent him from seizing power anew elsewhere.

Yet as a Nine Kings Supreme, he nurses grudges fiercely!

Once today's court session ends, he plans to issue a covert decree to the Southern Patrol: shatter the Tianming Marquis Country through every conceivable method, harassing and undermining them at every turn.

Actions such as deliberately ensnaring them, accusing esteemed ministers from the Tianming Marquis Country of being Demon Clan infiltrators, or slipping agents into their midst—all these remain perfectly viable.

The Southern Patrol handles such schemes with far greater expertise than even Ren Venerate Emperor Ji Long possesses.

Princess Ji Yuan, Baili Fei, Mu Xu, Zhen Yan, and the others traded glances, a shared glint of despair shining in their eyes.

On this front, they've reached the end of their rope; the most they could claim is that preserving the Tianming Marquis Country was a feat in itself.

The very next instant, the Moon Hall Master halted briefly, his red scepter radiating a gentle glow, as he advanced steadily toward the heart of the Universe Hall.

Ye Zhen’s pupils abruptly shrank; the Heavenly Temple’s trial had finally arrived!