Special Expert of Beauty CEO-Chapter 1715 - 1719: Eerie (First Update)

The Palace of King Wu, night.

After the Xiao family brothers and Qin Tian left the Imperial City with a hundred thousand troops, King Wu lay on a rattan chair, his gaze deep, staring at the bright moon outside the window, lost in thought.

A man clad in black robes walked straight into King Wu's room.

He didn't knock nor made any sound, yet he walked right in, and King Wu, who always cared for appearances and authority, surprisingly didn't object.

The black-robed man had a beard and appeared to be in his forties or fifties, but his cultivation was far above the Longevity Realm, so his exact age was unknown.

The black-robed man approached King Wu and said, "The Xiao family brothers have left with a hundred thousand men."

Without turning his head, King Wu asked, "How many troops remain in the Imperial City?"

The black-robed man replied, "Besides the Tianyuan Guards, there are nine hundred thousand."

"Hmm..."

King Wu nodded meaningfully, contemplating something, then asked, "Since Qin Tian arrived in the Imperial City, how many times has the one at the Imperial Palace summoned him?"

The black-robed man thought for a moment and said, "Six times."

Upon hearing this, King Wu finally turned to look at the black-robed man, then pointed to the seat next to him and said, "Mr. Wu, you've worked hard lately, please sit."

Unexpectedly, King Wu treated Mr. Wu with such respect.

Mr. Wu was not polite either and sat down directly.

King Wu took a sip of tea and said, "The one in the Imperial Palace summoned Qin Tian six times. Do you know what they discussed each time?"

Mr. Wu shook his head, observing King Wu's frown.

Mr. Wu said, "The first time was Qin Tian's audience; it was their first meeting, presumably discussing trivial matters."

"At one point, Qin Tian went to the Spirit Path for cultivation, aided by the Fourteenth Prince. He visited the Imperial Palace upon returning from the Spirit Path."

"As for the remaining four times, I'm not quite sure. It's said the Ice Emperor summoned him alone, even dismissing his personal eunuchs."

Upon hearing this, King Wu took another sip of tea, then stared at Mr. Wu, smiling slyly, "Mr. Wu, four times, is it much?"

Mr. Wu smiled as well, "Much, yet not too much, it depends on how Your Highness sees it."

King Wu asked again, "Do you think this matter is possible?"

Mr. Wu shook his head, "Possible, yet unlikely; this also depends on Your Highness. However, thus far, apart from the suspicious fact that Qin Tian was not penalized after angrily killing Yang Jin, there are no incriminating clues."

King Wu rose from the rattan chair, and Mr. Wu followed suit.

Both gazed out the window, King Wu spoke quietly, "At any rate, we now find ourselves with no choice but to act."

Mr. Wu murmured in agreement, "My fate is mine to determine, not Heaven's."

...

The further the troops traveled West, the more desolate the terrain became. This was Qin Tian's first expedition westward within the Domain, and the surrounding mountains and valleys made him worry about potential ambushes.

Yet, witnessing the Xiao family brothers showing no signs of concern, as if certain that the Demon Clan wouldn't sneak an attack.

Qin Tian was puzzled, partly curious why His Majesty the Ice Emperor, a seasoned warrior, would agree to send the inexperienced Xiao family brothers to subdue the Demon Clan.

Moreover, shouldn't the Xiao family brothers have made their move against him by now? Yet, after two days, there's been no sign of activity.

"Young Master, are our directions incorrect?"

Du Qiuniang approached Qin Tian with a map, pointing at it, saying, "Shouldn't we be heading straight to where the Demon Clan invaded? Why does it feel like we're taking a detour?"

Upon looking, Qin Tian realized it might indeed be true.

Originally, they should already be over three thousand miles from the Imperial City, yet having taken the roundabout, they were only a little over a thousand miles away.

"I wonder what the Xiao family brothers are planning. I suspect they want to lead me to some secluded place before they act against me. Heh, I'm waiting for their move. I'm curious to see what they've got."

Qin Tian had roughly gauged the cultivation of Xiao Yunhu and Xiao Yunkui, both of them only possessing the Small Immortal Realm's cultivation: Xiao Yunhu at the Late Stage, Xiao Yunkui at the Middle Stage.

Qin Tian was confident he could handle them both single-handedly without any issues.

Dealing with two civil servants, he possessed this confidence, so at this moment, Qin Tian remained leisurely and unhurried.

That night, Qin Tian received news delivered by Xiao Zhuang's men: Southern Barbarians' invasion.

To be informed of Tianyuan Dynasty's circumstances and prevent Xiao Zhuang and others from encountering trouble, Qin Tian insisted on Xiao Zhuang's intelligence system keeping him informed; currently, Qin Tian received news that Xiao Zhuang and others are safe, but also new information of the Southern Barbarians' renewed invasion of the Tianyuan Dynasty.

The intelligence was simple, yet Qin Tian found it odd, hadn't the Southern Barbarians recently signed a peace treaty with the Tianyuan Dynasty? How could they invade after only a year or two?

Qin Tian drafted a letter for the messenger to deliver back, asking Xiao Zhuang to investigate the cause of the Southern Barbarians' invasion.

The next day, before Qin Tian's letter likely even reached Xiao Zhuang, Qin Tian received a new letter from Xiao Zhuang—

The Southern Barbarians' king led fifteen thousand troops in the invasion, King Wu dispatched twenty thousand to confront them.

"General Xiao orders the entire army to station in Da Lin City!"

"General Xiao orders the entire army to station in Da Lin City!"

Xiao Yunhu's messenger spread the instructions throughout the entire army.

"Da Lin City?"

Qin Tian was taken aback; without consulting the map, he knew Da Lin City was nearby, a rather unremarkable small city.

"Shouldn't we be swift marching to battle against the Demon Clan to drive them out? Why are we stationing here now, what is Xiao Yunkui aiming at? Could he truly have no grasp of military tactics?"

In curiosity, Qin Tian murmured to himself.

Du Qiuniang said, "Young Master, at this moment, stationing in Da Lin City, could Xiao Yunhu be preparing to act against you?"

"Aside from that reason, I can't imagine any other."

Qin Tian smirked wryly; then he said nothing more, leading his own two thousand troops directly as vanguard into Da Lin City.

Since you want to play, I shall accompany you, Qin Tian thought.

But what followed was peculiar; over the next two days, Xiao Yunhu neither acted against Qin Tian nor continued the march, leaving the ten thousand troops stationed in Da Lin City as if settling in.

Just as Qin Tian was mulling over the peculiarity, Xiao Zhuang's reply arrived: "Southern Barbarians' sudden invasion, no reason."

"No reason?"

Qin Tian widened his eyes, finding it increasingly odd.

Previously defeated, the Southern Barbarians couldn't have recovered their primordial energy, yet without warning, suddenly mobilized fifteen thousand troops in another massive invasion? How could it be possible!?