Urban God of War: The Live-in Son-in-law-Chapter 397: Turmoil in the Northern Border Situation

After breakfast, Ye Feng and Hong Qingyan got into the domestic off-road vehicle with the license plate "North 00001" and headed out from the Northern Cloud Residence toward the Northwest.

No sooner had the car left the gate than the secret agents hidden in every corner scattered like birds and beasts, presumably in a hurry to return and make their reports.

Of course, the one with the quickest speed was the Great General’s Mansion. A grey-clad elder figure swept into the Inner Courtyard and straight into the study, and after a brief report, he pushed the door open and entered.

At this moment, Great General Duan Tian was sitting behind his desk, holding a copy of "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu. His unfocused eyes indicated he was deep in thought rather than reading the book.

After the grey-clad elder entered, he knelt down and reported, "Your Excellency, there’s movement at the Northern Cloud Residence: a car, two people!"

"Two people, which two people?" Duan Tian asked with a slight turn of his head, knowing from last night’s message that the situation at the Northern Border was uneasy. He had anticipated that the next move would likely involve action, so he expected that Northern King Ye Feng would certainly return. However, he hadn’t expected him to take his time and only set off this morning.

What surprised Duan Tian even more was that His Highness Northern King had dispatched several of his legion commanders and his guard team to rush back to the Northern Border last night. Ye Feng, however, journeyed alone this morning. That was something Duan Tian couldn’t fathom.

After all, given the current situation, Northern King Ye Feng had just won the Martial Dao competition and was the center of attention. There must be untold numbers of eyes watching him from the shadows right now, and no shortage of people out for his life. Yet, Ye Feng decided to travel alone.

"Northern King and his Princess Consort, just these two people!" said the grey-clad elder, pausing before adding, "Your Excellency, should we continue to follow them?"

"No need, pull our men back immediately."

Duan Tian abruptly waved his hand and said coldly, "Who would’ve thought, this Ye lad has such nerve, or perhaps the debacle at the Capital Region wasn’t enough of a lesson for him?"

"Do you mean to say, Your Excellency, that someone may make a move against this Northern King?" the grey-clad elder asked.

"Not may, but will!" Duan Tian sneered softly. "As the saying goes, the taller the tree, the more wind it catches. This kid has been too prominent lately—not to mention, just among the Nine Great Sects of Ancient Martial Arts alone, there are plenty who wish him dead."

Pondering, the elder said, "Given that, Your Excellency, the Northern King’s rapid rise suggests he’ll soon be competing with you. Why not take advantage..."

He was interrupted as Duan Tian abruptly barked, "You’d best get rid of that little scheme. Let me tell you, while it’s true that Northern King Ye Feng and I are competitors now, don’t forget our identities and the responsibilities we shoulder. Even if I end up at odds with him in all earnest, I would never stoop to underhanded tactics!"

Duan Tian continued, "Pass on my command, pull our men back immediately. We’re done with this matter. As for whether that Ye kid lives or dies afterwards, that’s not our concern anymore. Of course, as far as I’m concerned, I hope he kicks the bucket sooner rather than later, so he won’t be a thorn in my side when he returns to the imperial city!"

The grey-clad elder did not quite understand. With the increasing hostility between Northern King and the Great General, an opportunity had presented itself, and yet they weren’t taking it. Wasn’t this a wasted chance?

Of course, what each one considered differed greatly based on their perspective. While Great General Duan Tian desperately wished for Ye Feng to die at this moment, he would never take action himself. Rather than saying the Great General was honorable, it was more that he was protecting his reputation, not wanting to be faulted later when he would seek entry into the Utility Pavilion.

As the grey-clad elder just left the study, a guard hurried in, bowed, and said, "General, there are visitors at the gate asking to meet you."

"Who is it?" Duan Tian asked without looking up.

"They refused to reveal themselves, but judging by their attire and aura, they appear to be from the Mortal World. There are three of them in total, each at the Fourth Realm of the Divine Path – the Divine Communication Realm."

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"People from the Sects of Ancient Martial Arts, what do they want!" Duan Tian had to lay down his military treatise and get up, pondering before saying, "Lead them to the guest hall. Wait, invite them to my study instead."

The guest hall was a place of many ears and eyes, and obviously not the place for important and private conversations. The study, however, was different. Duan Tian had an inkling that the Sects of Ancient Martial Arts’ visit was of significant importance.

In reality, there weren’t just three visitors but five. As the Great General and a man of broad experience and countless encounters, he needed only one glance to identify the three elders as people from the Sects of Ancient Martial Arts. They were the Deputy Sect Masters or Vice Sect Leaders from the Confucian Sect of the Sacred Mansion, the Dao Sect, and the Underworld Sect.

Although Duan Tian, as the Great General and part of the Utility Pavilion, had few interactions with the Sects of Ancient Martial Arts, he couldn’t guess the reason for the visit of these three Sects’ high-ranking members.

And the other two men were not from the Xuanyuan Nation—one was a shaman from the Snow Wolf Country, and the other was a martial artist from Fusang. Both were dressed in luxurious clothes and exuded a long and strong aura, clearly possessing high levels of cultivation.

It seemed these two powerhouses from the Snow Wolf Country and Fusang had come together with people from the Three Great Ancient Clans. Duan Tian couldn’t fathom when the Sects of Ancient Martial Arts had started to mingle with people from the Snow Wolf Country and Fusang.

"Please take a seat. May I know the purpose of your visit? As a man from the military, I would appreciate a direct approach," Duan Tian said, settling back in front of his desk.

The Deputy Mansion Lord from the Holy Mansion of the Confucian Sect said with a smile, "I’ve long heard of Great General Duan Tian’s reputation. Seeing you today indeed proves that your fame is well-deserved, truly formidable!"

Seeing that Duan Tian did not respond, he immediately realized that the other was a straightforward person and got straight to the point, "As such, I presume the Great General is aware that Northern Cloud Residence has just left. If my conjecture is correct, they are likely preparing to return to the Northern Border."

Duan Tian laughed and said, "I’m surprised that people from the Sects of Ancient Martial Arts show such concern for the affairs of the mortal world. This truly is unexpected to this general."

The Deputy Mansion Lord from the Confucian Sect replied with a smile, "Normally, we do not intervene in mundane affairs but when it concerns Northern King Ye Feng, we cannot disregard it."

At this point, with a serious tone, the Deputy Mansion Lord said, "Let’s not beat around the bush. I’ll be straightforward—we all know that this so-called Northern King has risen to prominence, even seemingly surpassing you, Great General, in some respects. Don’t you have any thoughts about this?"

Duan Tian chuckled and replied, "What could I possibly think? Northern King Ye Feng’s growing reputation is a result of his true strength. He deserves it, and I wholeheartedly recognize it."

Without clear knowledge of their intentions, Duan Tian kept the conversation light, a common tactic in such discussions, always keeping his true thoughts obscure.

The Deputy Mansion Lord from the Sacred Mansion ceased speaking, unable to grasp Duan Tian’s mindset, so he turned to look at the others.

The Deputy Sect Master from the Dao Sect gave a slight smile. Suddenly, he flipped his hand over, revealing an exquisitely ancient brocade box in his palm. With a flick of his finger, the box opened, displaying a small silver sword within.

The temperature in the study room dropped instantly, and everyone felt a bone-chilling coldness, even causing goosebumps. Duan Tian’s gaze sharpened, immediately recognizing that this sword was no ordinary object.

With a smile, the Deputy Sect Master from the Dao Sect said, "This is a Half-Spirit Artifact, a truly rare treasure. I wonder, does the Great General fancy it?"

While Duan Tian was certainly tempted, he maintained his composure and said, "State your intentions."

At that moment, the shaman from the Snow Wolf Country spoke in broken Chinese, "I believe the Great General has already received the news that my Snow Wolf Country is planning to move against the Northern Border, joined by Fusang and the Western Nations, and this time even by people from the Sects of Ancient Martial Arts."

At this point, the martial artist from Fusang spoke gravely, "We only have one request. If the Northern Border cannot hold and seeks assistance from you, we simply hope that the Great General will find an excuse to hold your forces back and do nothing."

"That won’t do!" Great General Duan Tian immediately refused, but his eyes were still drawn to the Spirit Sword in the brocade box; it was apparent to everyone that he coveted it.

After some thought, Duan Tian said, "I am after all a Great General of a nation, such actions are not befitting. However, I am stationed in the Central Plains Land and not inclined to take action lightly, for any movement on my part could jeopardize the safety of the Capital."

As he spoke, it seemed that Duan Tian felt the others did not fully grasp his hint, so he added somewhat exasperatedly, "If you wish for me to abstain from intervening, there has to be a believable excuse. Otherwise, it would be indefensible both morally and in the court of public opinion. Do you understand?"

With that, the others understood. The shaman from the Snow Wolf Country immediately said, "If that’s the case, we will divert a separate force to feign an attack on your nation’s Capital, giving you a reason to hold back and not come to the rescue."

The Fusang powerhouse added, "This plan is good; we have indeed learned something."

Duan Tian then burst into laughter, "I’ve said nothing, and I know nothing. Leave the brocade box here and go on your way. Remember, leave through the back door!"

Now that an agreement had been reached, there was no need for anyone to linger. All five stood to leave; however, to Duan Tian’s surprise, although there were clearly five people before, as they left his study, they became just three. The shaman from the Snow Wolf Country and the powerhouse from Fusang disappeared without a trace, not even leaving a sound or presence that he could detect.

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"All the better," Duan Tian thought silently, realizing that a visit from the Snow Wolf Country and Fusang powerhouses, especially at such a pivotal moment, could lead to unwanted trouble if noticed by those with ulterior motives. However, he immediately turned towards the brocade box and joyfully took the Spirit Sword from within.