Long Yi bowed, "The Pavilion Mistress of Moon Shadow Pavilion said that two months ago, Lu Feibo was seen entering and exiting the Desert North Sand Mountain, searching for some medicinal herbs."
Desert North?!
Xiao Chi Zhan licked his lips, smiling coldly, "Do you know the specific location?"
"Not yet found. Your subordinate has dispatched more men to the Sand Mountain and will surely follow any clues."
The Sand Mountain was too vast, and Lu Feibo's whereabouts were unpredictable, making it extremely difficult for them to find her.
If not for the bounties placed on the major assassin organizations in the martial world, they wouldn't have known so quickly that she had appeared in the Desert North.
'Your Highness, can troops be dispatched to search?'
Although the martial world organizations had many channels, if Your Highness ordered troops to search, it would be faster.
"No, it must be an discreet inquiry."
That little fox was too cunning; he couldn't let her escape again.
Xue Ren also said, "It is a turbulent time, and the Desert North is in turmoil. If Your Highness were to send troops to the Desert North, it would surely incite conflict. A discreet inquiry is better."
Hearing this, Xiao Chi Zhan's crimson pupils slightly widened. Xue Ren was right. The Desert North was in a state of war. If she were alone in the Desert North, would something happen to her?
He unconsciously caressed the twin rings on his hand, and after a moment, said, "Xue Ren, convey my order: dispatch the Blood Corps immediately to the Desert North."
"Ah—"
The two were shocked by his words.
Li Qiong Yu happened to enter and also heard him.
"Xiao Chi Zhan, the Blood Corps are your shadows, kept in the Blood Domain to protect your safety. Sending them to the Desert North is making a mountain out of a molehill."
"What? Have you found Ye Luan's whereabouts? Is she in the Desert North?"
Xiao Chi Zhan's expression was cold. "This war has already begun and cannot be stopped. Once internal conflict breaks out in the Desert North, she will be in danger being there."
"If she went to the Desert North, she would simply find a small town to settle down. As long as the Desert North is not engulfed by the various nations, she, a commoner, will be fine. Your worries are superfluous."
Li Qiong Yu's flippant smile displeased Xiao Chi Zhan.
"Stop the nonsense."
"Did you hear? Go and do it!"
The violent voice startled Xue Ren, who immediately bowed, "Your subordinate obeys the order."
Li Qiong Yu scoffed, pouted, and sat down with his legs crossed, casually picking up a wine jar from the table and playing with it.
"If you knew this would happen, why did you do it in the first place? Look at this worthless appearance you have now."
Xiao Chi Zhan directly threw a wine jar at him, shutting him up.
"What's wrong with me? What did I do wrong? Wasn't I good to her? Why did she run away?"
Why wouldn't she stay by his side?!
"Your crazy love, your forceful taking, your imprisonment—who would like that?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a terrifying dead silence spread through the room.
The aura around him was chillingly cold.
"I'm crazy? Am I as crazy as Liu Rong Ruo? I, at least, am open and aboveboard, unlike him who schemed behind the scenes like a rat."
"Hahaha, you're right, that guy is the real lunatic, he's good at pretending." Saying this, Li Qiong Yu clicked his tongue and chuckled, "You should learn from him. If you pretended, maybe Ye Luan would like you."
Xiao Chi Zhan kicked away a stool and said menacingly, "I can't learn it."
"Look at your temper, you'll scare away young girls. Restrain yourself, find her, and treat her well. Don't lock her up like last time."
Xiao Chi Zhan's eyes narrowed. Thinking of her escaping again and again, he couldn't suppress the sinister rage in his eyes. He forcefully suppressed it and then asked,
"How is the construction of Bei Gong coming along? And Yun Shang Que?"
When Li Qiong Yu brought this up, he felt stifled.
"If you have so much money, give it to me to buy provisions. My purse is almost emptied by you, and you, on the other hand, spent all your money to coax women."
Bei Gong alone cost nearly seven million taels of silver, and then he insisted on building Yun Shang Que for Ye Luan, a waste of resources and manpower.
Xiao Chi Zhan said, "Don't flatter yourself. The war expenses were covered by the Ministry of War. The Bei Gong and Yun Shang Que I built used my private treasury. What does that have to do with you?"
"If you have so much money, give it to me to buy provisions. Building Bei Gong is one thing, but you insist on building Yun Shang Que, a celestial palace. Are you planning to bury her with jade and fragrant bones? Ye Luan isn't dead; you don't need to build this for her."
"I am willing to do it, and I insist on doing it."
Fine.
He had wasted his breath again. What a sin.
"Bei Gong occupies too much land; it will take at least a year or a half. Just wait. As for the Yun Shang Que you want to build, the materials haven't even been fully purchased."
Xiao Chi Zhan urged, "As soon as possible. Is Xie Bei Han still at the military camp?"
Li Qiong Yu replied, "He was not seen in yesterday's battle." He paused, "The war is critical, and he cannot be spared. Don't worry."
"He has close ties with Lu Feibo and will surely find her faster than us. Dispatch our people to watch him, and report immediately if there's any movement."
He didn't want to wait anymore; he desperately wanted to see her.
The mere thought of her potentially yielding under someone else's body made him want to kill!
She could only be his, and his alone!
She could only be his!
------
Desert North Military Camp.
Northern Qi and the Desert North joined forces, with hundreds of thousands of troops advancing towards Mohe. After several attacks on the pass city, this battle had been ongoing for more than half a month.
Yesterday, after the battle, they were forced into Chi Dao by Da Liang, and suffered heavy losses due to a trap.
The Desert North Abahai was enraged. During the morning council, he had a disagreement with Xie Bei Han, the Crown Prince of Northern Qi, leading to a halt in military operations.
Inside the military tent.
"Your Highness, General Yelü has sent a letter."
Xie Bei Han's face was grim. He leaned slightly on the couch, "Read it."
Huo Dao glanced at the letter and said, "Wu Lao Pass has been breached, and the Xiliang army has advanced all the way into Chaoling."
The tent fell silent for a moment.
"Xie Nan Chen, that good-for-nothing, has ruined my plans again."
Killing intent flashed across his sinister face. "Go and fetch Xu Qing."
"Yes."
Xu Qing arrived quickly, wearing a kasaya and holding prayer beads. His face, like a Greek sculpture, was deep and divine, and his aura was pure and abstinent, exuding a noble and refined demeanor.
"Your Highness."
Xie Bei Han sat up, his voice lazy and cold, "Go to Chaoling and kill the Fengyang General who is leading the Xiliang army."
Xu Qing's expression remained unchanged, "Since I entered the Buddhist gate, I have vowed not to commit any more killing."
"Xu Qing, since you have entered the secular world, those rules should be broken." He paused, then smiled coldly, "The killing committed by the Northern Army King in those years cannot be washed away in a lifetime."
Seeing that the man remained silent, his deep eyes, like ancient pools, showed no fluctuation.
Xie Bei Han changed his tone, "I do not wish for General Fengyang to have the opportunity to lead troops into battle again. Crippling his arm or breaking his leg, can you do that?"
Although his tone was calm, it was extremely firm. He was not asking for an opinion.
Xu Qing clasped his hands together, "I obey the Crown Prince's decree."
Seeing this, Xie Bei Han smiled, his beautiful phoenix eyes slightly upturned, looking devilishly charming.
"Have Jing Zhi's whereabouts been found?"
"The young lord is intentionally concealing it."
Upon hearing this, Xie Bei Han's smile gained a touch of warmth, "It seems my guess was correct, she is still alive."
"Also, tell Abahai to have his people search privately."
Huo Dao looked troubled, "Your Highness, the Desert North Abahai might not be willing to help with such a trivial matter."
Xie Bei Han ignored him, his sinister face showing a faint smile as he looked at the pure and abstinent Xu Qing.
"With Xu Qing's intervention, why would Abahai refuse to comply?"