Chapter 103: Cause and Effect Without Question

"Your Highness, if you seek a way to break this deadlock, I have no solution."

The Third Prince was taken aback.

He knew that if anyone in the entire Great Qi could help him, it was Xu Yang, who stood before him.

"Although I'm not sure who orchestrated this, it's essentially a no-win situation. How can Your Highness, being in the midst of it, possibly break free?"

With just a few words, Xu Yang enlightened the bewildered Third Prince.

"Are you suggesting I escape this situation? But as a prince, it's difficult to defy the Emperor's command. How could I possibly escape?"

Xu Yang chuckled softly. "The battle must certainly be fought. A victorious return will be a significant entry in Your Highness's achievements. Understand that a prince with military merits will undoubtedly be the candidate most favored by the army. In my view, a qualified heir must be able to inspire the army, control capable ministers, and protect the common people. Therefore, while this battle might be a dead end in the imperial court's eyes, for Great Xia, it will be the very tool that solidifies Your Highness's ascent to the throne."

Hearing this, the Third Prince laughed heartily, looking up at the sky. "Brilliant, truly brilliant! Your words have awakened me from a dream; my perspective was too narrow..."

Xu Yang shook his head. "From what I know, Your Highness comes from humble origins; your birth mother was never favored in the palace. You can't compare to the Fifth Prince, born of the Empress, or the Eighth Prince, born after ten months of pregnancy by the highly favored Concubine. You've experienced more, sacrificed more, and every step you've taken to reach this point has been fraught with peril. Sometimes, an overly deep obsession becomes a shackles. Only by learning to let go can you gain greater rewards."

The Third Prince had never heard such words in all his years, but they struck him like a revelation, completely transforming his perspective.

"In that case, I shall first win this battle!"

Xu Yang nodded with a smile. "The cultivation sects in the Northern Wilderness are deeply rooted and should not be underestimated. When does Your Highness plan to deploy troops?"

"Within seven days, 300,000 troops will march into the Northern Wilderness!"

"Very well! Within these seven days, I will sweep through all the major cultivation sects in the Northern Wilderness, paving the way for Your Highness. Consider this as repayment for your favor. As for your subsequent choices, that will depend on whether you are destined to be emperor. I, Xu, will not interfere further."

Without further ado, the Third Prince turned, gave Xu Yang a profound look, and then bowed respectfully to him.

"Your immense kindness, I will never forget!"

Swish...With a flash of light and shadow, Xu Yang vanished from before the Third Prince.

However, he did not immediately return to the Tianlan Sect. Instead, he soared directly towards the vast expanse of the Northern Wilderness.

There were hundreds of cultivation sects and forces, large and small, in the Northern Wilderness. Two-thirds of them maintained neutrality, while one-third were allied with the barbarian royal family and were bound to participate in the fight against the Great Xia imperial army.

These thirty-plus cultivation sects were Xu Yang's primary targets for annihilation.

Under the starry night...Atop the main peak of Gu Yue Hall, the third largest sect in the Northern Wilderness.A white-clad figure stood suspended in the air beneath the moon, like an immortal banished to the mortal realm, gazing calmly at the mountain peak.

"In ten breaths, the lineage of Gu Yue Hall will fall."

A mighty, unparalleled declaration swept down. On the main peak of the hall, hundreds of cultivators above the Golden Core realm, and countless disciples, appeared on the mountaintop, gazing at the solitary, proud figure amidst the stars and moon.

"Who dares speak such arrogance?"

"Guan Yun Jian."

Xu Yang concealed his face with the power of starlight, making it impossible for ordinary people to discern his features. They could only feel the overwhelming, kingly aura emanating from him as he stood atop the starlit clouds.

Hiding his identity was also to avoid putting any pressure on the Third Prince, and certainly not to let the Tianlan Sect bear any blame for his actions.

At this moment, Xu Yang was merely a swordsman, wielding his sword purely from his heart, unconcerned with karma.

"Guan Yun Jian? Why have I never heard of this person? Who exactly is he?"

"Hmph, to be so arrogant as to try and destroy our sect by himself, ridiculous!"

Various exclamations echoed from the main peak.

Yet, the ten-breath countdown in Xu Yang's mind never wavered.

Clang!!As his eyes, bright as the full moon, opened again, a sword hum resonated under the moon.

Countless sword edges slashed down from the air, flickering without warning in sync with Xu Yang's thoughts.

Innumerable long sword beams materialized from nothing and soared towards Gu Yue Hall's main peak.

"Not good, quick, get out of the way!!"

Situ Gu Yue, the hall master of Gu Yue Hall, reacted instantly, shouting for his subordinates to take cover.

However, facing such an overwhelmingly sharp sword array pouring down, most people lost their instinct to resist.

Rumble!!

Terrifying sword roars continued to erupt. Each time a sword beam struck, it unleashed a violent storm of blades, leaving a trail of slaughter and death in its wake.

"No!!""Damn it, who is this guy? We can't possibly fight him!""Who are you? Why are you slaughtering our Gu Yue Hall?"

...There was no response.Beneath the moon, only that exiled immortal-like figure, wielding the wind and moon to conjure thousands of sword beams, freely unleashed the power of the Heavenly Dao, punishing these pathetic ants.

The Way of Heaven: To stop killing through killing!!

Today's slaughter would pave the way for a more unhindered struggle on the battlefield seven days later.

Xu Yang was, in his own way, paving a bloody path for the Great Xia imperial dynasty into the Northern Wilderness.

This was the price he paid for the eternal prosperity of the Tianlan Sect: a promise, and ten thousand withered bones!

Rumble!!

With his final move, Xu Yang held two fingers aloft, and a brilliant, colossal aqua-blue sword beam blasted forth from the moon's glow.

With one sword strike, the Lone Moon became sorrow...The towering peak was utterly sliced down, collapsing. The entire lineage of Gu Yue Hall became a tomb that very night.

That night, the cool breeze carried an indescribable stillness in the air.

Xu Yang departed by soaring through the air, yet his unique name, Guan Yun, spread throughout the Northern Wilderness battlefield overnight.

Over the next six nights, more than thirty sect lineages, without exception, all met the same fate of being eliminated.

Everyone began to speak of a name: Guan Yun, the Sword Saint!

A man who always danced with his sword under the moon, a man who represented the nightmare of the entire Northern Wilderness cultivation world!!

...Seven days later, the Third Prince, clad in golden armor with 300,000 troops assembled behind him, finally showed a relieved smile upon receiving the documents confirming the collapse of the Northern Wilderness cultivation sects.

"You, sir, have indeed kept your promise! If I inherit Great Xia in the future, even if I must sacrifice myself, I will protect the Tianlan Sect for all eternity!!"

"To war!!"

Boom...Horn calls soared into the sky, and the twilight sun made the 300,000 golden armored soldiers gleam.

At that moment, the Third Prince's heart swelled with soaring battle intent. Likewise, Xu Yang's name was forever etched into his heart...

"What did you say?"

...Atop the distant Jianyin Mountain Peak in the Northern Wilderness.At the headquarters of the Heavenly Sword Sacred Land, one of the ten great sacred lands of the continent.Jian Kuang Wushi, the head elder responsible for affairs, suddenly had an extremely cold expression.