Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 364 - Two Hundred Fifty-Five: Chess Player_2

Chapter 364: Chapter Two Hundred Fifty-Five: Chess Player_2

Li Zhaoyuan remained silent for a few moments before slowly rising to his feet.

Li Qingyan then called out to him:

"Second Brother, where are you planning to go?"

Li Zhaoyuan replied as if it were obvious:

"Naturally, I’m going to keep an eye on the situation at Northern Border City. If the Sects and the Barbarian Tribes start fighting, we’ll need first-hand intelligence."

A playful look appeared in Li Qingyan’s phoenix eyes:

"Second Brother, although your cultivation is high, if they really start fighting and the military formation consisting of hundreds of thousands of troops fully deploys, it won’t be difficult for the commanding officer to detect you amidst it. This trip is too risky; better not to go."

Facing Li Qingyan, Li Zhaoyuan exhaled and, folding his hands in salute, said:

"In that case, it’s better for this prince to stay by your side, Qingyan."

Li Qingyan smiled slightly, braced herself on her knees, and stood up, glancing at the soldiers around her who were resting and cultivating. Her voice was valiant and resounding as she said:

"Form the marching formation, and continue heading north towards Houting County."

The marching formation was a type of military formation, where the soldiers’ Origin Qi resonated and complemented each other, allowing for long-distance, rapid movement.

After the absence of noise, a procession of several hundred people treaded through the snow heading north.

As they neared the area close to Houting County, Li Qingyan suddenly furrowed her brows and called a stop to the marching soldiers:

"Stop."

The elite troops, who followed orders without question, immediately halted their advance on the snowy plains the moment her command was issued.

Li Qingyan’s red pupils peered through the vast falling snow, barely making out two figures standing on a nearby small hill.

Just as she was observing,

a voice accompanied by a coquettish laugh wafted through the two li of wind and snow, finding its way precisely into Li Qingyan’s ears:

"Prince Wu Yuan, our Changtian misses you so dearly that he has been waiting here especially for you."

Upon hearing this, Li Qingyan’s chest rose and fell slightly.

But the next moment,

Li Qingyan glanced at the soldiers behind her and said in a lowered voice:

"We’re about to reach Houting County. Everyone rest in place, form the Black Tortoise Formation, and await my order."

Having said that,

Li Qingyan looked again at Li Zhaoyuan who was accompanying her:

"Second Brother, I’ll have to trouble you to stay on guard around us, to prevent a surprise attack from the Barbarian Tribes’ Wolf Cavalry."

Li Zhaoyuan’s eyes also caught sight of the two figures on the distant hill and, after a moment of contemplation, he nodded:

"Alright, would you like someone to accompany you?"

Li Qingyan’s lips curled up slightly as she glanced sideways and countered:

"Second Brother, how could my Prince Consort ever wish to harm me?"

Without further ado,

Li Qingyan took a step forward, darting toward the distant hilltop as if she were an arrow released from its bow.

Within a moment, she had traversed the distance of two li.

Upon landing,

Xu Yuan stood with his back to her, gazing into the distance, while Lou Ji stood behind him, crossing her arms and chuckling:

"Your Highness has arrived, our Changtian has something to say to you, oh."

Looking at his figure, Li Qingyan’s chest rose and fell again. As she approached, she said with a smile:

"Oh? Prince Consort, do you have something to say to me?"

At these words, Xu Yuan slowly turned around.

In the midst of wind and snow, their eyes met for a moment.

Xu Yuan’s brow furrowed slightly as he shifted a step to the side, silently moving behind Lou Ji.

He... saw a flicker of the urge to punch someone in this bad woman’s eyes, Li Qingyan’s eyes.

Seeing this, Lou Ji laughed "giggle" and directly dragged Xu Yuan out from behind her.

"...."

Pushed in front of Li Qingyan, Xu Yuan looked at her closely set beautiful eyes and glanced back at Lou Ji.

Lou Ji crossed her arms, ready to sit back and enjoy the show.

With a sigh, Xu Yuan spoke helplessly:

"Sister, leave us for a while. It seems Qingyan must have something she wants to discuss with me alone."

"......."

Lou Ji scanned both of them, pouted, and while muttering miscellaneous things, her voluptuous figure disappeared into the wind and snow.

After Lou Ji left, silence fell between the two standing on the hilltop.

Xu Yuan looked at the woman in red before him, shook his head, and laughed:

"It seems, Qingyan, that you have quite a lot to say to me?"

"What do you think?"

The cold wind tossed Li Qingyan’s hair, and her red crystal-like eyes stared intently at the man in front of her. The smile at the corner of her mouth was somewhat dangerous.

After hearing that guy’s parting words, she had come to realize many things.

She had been played by him.

From the beginning, the entire situation at Northern Border City had been manipulated by him.

Under her gaze, Xu Yuan casually took a seat on the hill, then patted the spot next to him, indicating for Li Qingyan to sit as well.

But Li Qingyan remained still, quietly watching him.

Seeing this, Xu Yuan shook his head.

I miss Big Ice Lump on the fifth day of her absence.

After a pause, he went on to say reassuringly:

"Qingyan, I assume you’ve already noticed some clues, right? After all, even if Northern Border City falls, you still haven’t touched those things I left inside the northern city wall, have you?"

"Heh..."

Li Qingyan laughed scornfully, "Prince Consort... those things you left, do you think I dare to touch them? Without careful attention, even a First Grade expert could die there."

At her words, Xu Yuan went silent, then replied with a laugh:

"Sometimes, lifting floorboards is also an art."

"Art?"

Li Qingyan’s hair fluttered with the wind, catching flakes of white snow: "Whether it’s art, I do not know, but I do know that if those Source Crystals had been powering the Protective City Formation, Northern Border City wouldn’t have fallen by now."

"Yes, indeed it wouldn’t have fallen."

Xu Yuan nodded in agreement, then gazed at Li Qingyan and asked, "And then? How long could the city’s garrison troops hold out with that?"

"........"

Li Qingyan was silent.

The fundamental problem with the fall of Northern Border wasn’t a lack of energy for the Protective City Formation, but a shortage of troops, and the Sects’ elite troops’ attitude of unyielding indifference to allies in distress outside the city.