King of Creation
Chapter 1785 - 1770: The Truth Behind Surviving the Crisis
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Previously on King of Creation...
The deadline for Grand Celestial Official Wu Yu's military order has run out, and the people of North Sea County are anxious as West Patrol Xio Qiangu arrives to arrest Ye Zhen and his officials. Just as Xio Qiangu orders their arrest, Ye Zhen stops him, claiming the order has been completed. To Xio Qiangu's disbelief, Ye Zhen presents a validated Military Order Receipt, forcing Xio Qiangu to contact Grand Celestial Headquarters for verification, which confirms the receipt's authenticity, leaving Xio Qiangu and his subordinate Wei Gang in shock.
"Speak, what exactly pertains to the Demon Clan?" Under Ye Zhen’s imposing Killing Qi, he also infused a sliver of the Illusion Technique’s power from Ling Qianbi’s All Living Beings Hundred Illusion Divine Ability. His intent was to seize this moment and compel Weis Gang to reveal a weakness.
But this Weis Gang proved to be far more perceptive than Ye Zhen had anticipated.
With a mere stomp of his foot, Killing Qi, no less potent than Ye Zhen’s, surged forth, shattering Ye Zhen’s own Qi. Weis Gang’s eyes were already clouded with gloom and a chilling cold.
"What else could it be? Our West Patrol dispatched a considerable contingent to search, yet not a single sign of a Demon Clan army was discovered. Furthermore, your Second Route Wind Patrol Envoy falls under the jurisdiction of our West Patrol. After supposedly detecting traces of the Demon Clan, you neglected to report to our West Patrol Office—what precisely is your motive?"
Weis Gang deftly concluded his previous statement, pivoting it into a direct question aimed squarely at Ye Zhen.
"What Lord Weis Staff Officer states is not incorrect. However, the directive I received for this operation was a Military Order from the Grand Celestial Official. My sole obligation is to report back to the Grand Celestial Official, which I have done. This is as it should be," Ye Zhen responded, maintaining a demeanor that was neither subservient nor defiant.
Weis Gang, however, had just narrowly escaped a critical juncture, having teetered on the brink of exposing himself.
"The Military Order Receipt indicates that your Second Route Wind Patrol Envoy has already vanquished the invading Demon Clan army. I wish to inspect the battlefield where this engagement took place, and I also demand to see the corpses of those Demon Clan members," the West Patrol Inspector’s gaze remained fixed on Ye Zhen, brimming with suspicion.
"The document I submitted was a Military Order. If Inspector Xio wishes for verification, you may proceed to the Heavenly Patrol Department Headquarters to check. Should you desire to inspect the battlefield and ascertain the details, you will need to present the Grand Celestial Official’s writ. Only then will I divulge everything I know without reservation!" Ye Zhen declared.
"You..."
Encountering an unyielding obstacle, Xio Qiangu was nearly choked by his own rising anger.
He intended to press further, but Weis Gang lightly grasped his sleeve, and Xio Qiangu understood his implication.
After a few moments, Xio Qiangu stomped his foot with considerable force in his frustration. "We are departing!" he declared, then led his entire retinue away from the Earl of North Sea’s Mansion, their exit far swifter than their arrival.
The assembled commoners, who had been observing the unfolding scene at the Earl of North Sea’s Mansion, witnessed the imposing group that had initially stormed in now retreating without having accomplished anything.
Moments later, a familiar guard emerged, disseminating the news that Ye Zhen had successfully fulfilled the Military Order and was unharmed.
Instantly, a resounding wave of cheers erupted from the crowd.
"Old Li, let's go, we're off for a drink!"
"Old Wang, my brothers, how about a few rounds together?"
"Come on, we're not heading home until we're thoroughly drunk tonight!"
...
Concurrently, Xio Qiangu of the West Patrol, having just departed the Earl's Mansion, was practically vibrating with rage.
This situation perfectly encapsulated the feeling of embarking with high spirits only to return utterly dejected.
What they had just experienced was precisely this: arriving full of ambition and leaving crestfallen.
"Weis Gang, what kind of disaster have you brought about? Did you not ensure everything was meticulously cleaned up? How did traces of the Demon Clan still surface, allowing them to complete the Military Order? How did you possibly bungle this so badly?"
Once they reached a secluded area, Xio Qiangu erected a Silent Barrier, and then, consumed by fury and disquiet, he unleashed a torrent of fierce accusations upon Weis Gang.
Xio Qiangu was incandescent with rage.
Their elaborate scheme had been in motion for a considerable duration, and they had meticulously selected the most opportune moment.
Yet, despite all their efforts, it had ultimately faltered at the final hurdle.
One should not be deceived by the fact that his trusted subordinate, Weis Gang, had managed the entire affair from inception to conclusion, assuming the role of the guide.
In his relentless pursuit to completely eradicate Ye Zhen, Inspector Xio Qiangu of the West Patrol had not only orchestrated a protracted conspiracy but had also poured an immense quantity of resources into its execution.
Firstly, concerning the expenditure of favors: to contend with Ye Zhen this time, Xio Qiangu had incurred a monumental debt of favor with an individual situated on the Human-Demon Battlefield.
Moreover, to establish contact with that specific Demon Clan army and ultimately facilitate their disappearance from the mortal realm, the Spirit Stones that Xio Qiangu preemptively invested amounted to a staggering sum, reaching a total of one million.
Subsequently, to ensure the absolute obliteration of the Demon Clan army’s corpses, leaving no trace whatsoever, he utilized fifteen thousand pieces of High Grade Attribute Fire Spirit Stones.
Their intrinsic value was astronomical—equivalent to fifteen million High Grade Spiritual Stones—representing nearly a third of the Xio Family’s entire reserves of Fire Attribute Spirit Stones.
All things considered, disregarding the intangible favor, the total financial outlay exceeded twenty million High Grade Spiritual Stones!
This price could only be described as colossal.
Yet, the anomaly was that Ye Zhen was now walking about as if nothing had transpired.
Not only was Xio Qiangu incensed, but Weis Gang felt as though an icy deluge had drenched him, chilling him to the very bone.
Initially, with Ye Zhen dealt with, his son would have seized the chance to achieve another monumental feat. It wasn't just about receiving the title of Marquis; he might have even been granted a dominion like North Sea County for his family's ancestral seat!
One must realize that when Weis Gang had set out to apprehend Ye Zhen from the Earl’s Mansion, North Sea County was already considered the ancestral domain of the Weis Family in his mind.
But now, all their endeavors amounted to nothing, like attempting to bail out a sinking ship with a sieve—a complete and utter futility, a daytime delusion.
To speak nothing of a dominion, even the great accomplishment his son was meant to secure was now hanging precariously in the balance.
"My lord, I swear I made that Demon Clan army vanish entirely! The other ten house guards witnessed it with their own eyes." Weis Gang stammered, profuse sweat beading on his forehead.
Should he lose Xio Qiangu’s favor, his downfall would be absolute.
"Fear not, I am not questioning your account." Xio Qiangu offered a placating word to Weis Gang.
The house guards dispatched to aid Weis Gang were all under Xio Qiangu’s command through a clandestine technique; their loyalty was unquestionable.
Immediately upon their return, Xio Qiangu had interrogated those ten individuals exhaustively, confirming that Weis Gang had indeed annihilated the Demon Clan contingent with ruthless efficiency.
The crux of the issue remained: from whence did Ye Zhen procure over a thousand Demon Clan heads?
This was explicitly documented in the Military Order Receipt issued by the Grand Celestial Official’s Mansion. The signatories who confirmed the verification were not solely from the Grand Celestial Official’s Mansion but also included representatives from the Military Department and the Ministry of Justice, attesting to the authenticity of the freshly severed Demon Clan heads.
Thus, the perplexing question lingered: where did Ye Zhen obtain his overwhelming hoard of over a thousand Demon Clan heads?
"This... your subordinate is also unaware of this matter! However, since they have been certified by the Military Department, the Grand Celestial Official’s Mansion, and the Ministry of Justice, they are undoubtedly genuine.
On this matter, even the Nine-Five Supreme himself could not conjure such a deception!"
At this juncture, Weis Gang’s expression faltered. "Your subordinate suspects that this Ye Zhen might harbor some clandestine affiliation with the Demon Clan."
"Oh?"
"It appears we have gravely underestimated this young whelp."
"Investigate!"
"Spare no expense; we must unearth any intelligence pertaining to this."
"I refuse to believe—that someone of my stature could be thwarted by a mere insignificant brat!" As he vented his fury, Xio Qiangu’s nose seemed to twitch with pure rage.
...
Within the confines of the Earl of North Sea’s Mansion, Gu Tieqi, Liuu Feng, Fengg Jiumo, Niu Er, Qiao Hong, Tang Biao, and the others clustered around Ye Zhen, posing the very same inquiry.
How, they questioned, had Ye Zhen managed to locate the invading Demon Clan army of over a thousand soldiers in a mere single day and then proceed to silently eradicate them, thus fulfilling the Grand Celestial Official’s Military Order?
Ye Zhen’s sole explanation was this: for this undertaking, he had incurred a tremendous cost to enlist the aid of a formidable entity skilled in the art of Prediction, who then pinpointed the encroaching Demon Clan forces, enabling their encirclement and subsequent annihilation.
As for this exceptionally potent practitioner of Prediction Skill, they were unwilling to have their identity disclosed by Ye Zhen.
With Ye Zhen’s declaration, regardless of the immense curiosity simmering within Liuu Feng, Gu Tieqi, and the rest, they could do naught but let the matter rest.
Of course, the actual truth of the situation diverged from this narrative.
The genuine reason was that the actual circumstances surrounding this feat were unspeakable, compelling Ye Zhen to fabricate such a plausible account for his subordinates.
Nevertheless, there was one individual whose persistent questioning Ye Zhen could not so easily dismiss.
"Brother Ye, please, just tell me, alright? How did you precisely obtain those more than a thousand Demon Clan heads?" Princess Changle implored, tugging at Ye Zhen’s sleeve, her insistence unwavering.
"And you are forbidden from using the same evasive answer you gave Gu Tieqi and the others just now," Princess Changle added preemptively.
"Uh..."
"Brother Ye, you do not even trust me..." Princess Changle’s eyes began to glisten with unshed tears. "Do not fret, I solemnly vow not to breathe a word of this to anyone."
"Very well, you have prevailed."
Ye Zhen cast a supremely cautious glance around their surroundings, refraining from vocalizing his words. Instead, he employed Divine Soul Telecommunication to convey the unvarnished truth of his survival to Princess Changle.
"Changle, do you recall those two formidable Demon Clan experts whom we subdued within the Demon Clan Territory?" Ye Zhen inquired.
Princess Changle's eyes widened slightly in astonishment. "Brother Ye, are you implying that Great Demon Master Yue Dao of the Moon Demon Clan and Lord Longnu of the Bull Demon Clan provided their assistance?"
Upon hearing this, Ye Zhen confirmed with a nod. "Precisely."
"However, they reside so far away, how could those two possibly lend a hand?" Princess Changle remained thoroughly bewildered.
