Chapter 115: Attack on the Holy Land

Xu Yang nodded, "No matter. Before I leave Daqi, I'll remove this thorn, the Heavenly Sword Holy Land, first! This way, the biggest hidden danger in the Northern Wilderness will be eliminated, and in the eyes of the Great Xia Dynasty, my Tianlan Sect will be their greatest reliance!"

Not long after the sect's affairs were settled, the Eighth Prince personally came to meet Xu Yang.

Before this, Xu Yang had been in the cave, looking after Bai Lianxue. The Eighth Prince had already visited several times but couldn't meet him. This time, Xu Yang finally couldn't avoid him.

"Greetings, Your Excellency! I've just received news that a conflict has arisen between the Tianlan Sect and the Heavenly Sword Holy Land. My Imperial Father immediately dispatched me with men to provide support!"

Indeed, three thousand Golden Armored soldiers were waiting outside the sect, though the timing of this support was rather telling.

Xu Yang naturally understood that the dynasty fundamentally dared not offend the Heavenly Sword Holy Land, and expecting their support was absolute nonsense. But now that they had this attitude, it indicated that the dynasty truly regarded the Tianlan Sect as its backing. This was not a bad thing; it showed that Xu Yang's previous efforts had borne fruit.

"Eighth Prince, might I ask if there is an important matter that brings you here personally?"

Xu Yang directly invited the Eighth Prince into the room and asked him bluntly.

"Indeed, I have come to request your assistance in destroying the Heavenly Sword Holy Land, thereby completely eradicating this hidden danger for Great Xia."

In fact, Xu Yang had more or less guessed the Eighth Prince's purpose for coming. Upon hearing this request, Xu Yang didn't appear particularly surprised.

"Destroy the Heavenly Sword Holy Land? That's no simple task. Why does the Eighth Prince believe I can accomplish it so easily?"

The Eighth Prince chuckled lightly, then pulled out a brocade box and handed it to Xu Yang.

Inside the box was a gleaming golden token.

"With this token, from now on, all cultivation sects within the Great Xia Dynasty's dominion will bow before the Tianlan Sect and pledge allegiance! The dynasty will provide ample tribute and resources to the Tianlan Sect monthly. Simply put, once the Heavenly Sword Holy Land is destroyed, the Tianlan lineage can take its place and attain a status revered by all paths!"

Xu Yang raised an eyebrow. "Is this your intention, Eighth Prince?"

"Of course not! This is my Imperial Father's will. Without his authorization, how would I dare to make such a request of you?"

Xu Yang chuckled, "If I agree to this request, Eighth Prince, do you not have any other intentions?"

"Hahaha! Has Your Excellency perhaps already guessed my thoughts? Indeed, I wish to accompany Your Excellency to eliminate these villains. I wonder if Your Excellency would permit..."

"That's simple. After all, among your three brothers, I owe you an unfulfilled favor, so let's use it now. From this point on, I, Xu Yang, will no longer owe anything to you three imperial brothers. On the other hand, your Great Xia Dynasty will always owe me a favor."

The Eighth Prince bowed and cupped his hands to Xu Yang in a show of deference to a teacher. "Your Excellency's profound capabilities are unparalleled throughout the ages within our borders. Once the Heavenly Sword Holy Land is destroyed, our dynasty will bow to your will, and the Tianlan Sect, along with you, shall become an eternal symbol of spirit!"

Xu Yang shook his head. "There's no need to flatter me. My only demand is that when I leave, if the Great Xia Dynasty stands, then the Tianlan Sect shall also stand! If you fail to ensure this, I, Xu Yang, will unleash a wrath that can topple cities!"

These words were not a threat to anyone; they were merely the purest expression of Xu Yang's intentions.

"Rest assured, the Great Xia Dynasty understands this fundamental principle."

...

Three days later, just before Xu Yang set off for the Heavenly Sword Holy Land, he personally visited the Imperial Palace to meet the Great Xia Emperor. He also took the Eighth Prince and three thousand Golden Armored soldiers with him, heading together towards the Heavenly Sword Holy Land.

"Your Majesty... are you truly at ease with Xu Yang taking the Eighth Prince? I fear he will confront the Fifth Prince in battle!"

The Imperial Consort showed a worried expression. Only the Great Xia Emperor remained calm.

"My three sons each have their own destiny and their own trials. After this battle, the border troubles in the Northern Wilderness will be completely eradicated, and my Great Xia Dynasty will endure for ten thousand years! Only with Xu Yang and the Tianlan Sect can the Great Xia Dynasty truly be solidified forever! Let us entrust the fate of my three sons to this person who will extend the destiny of the Great Xia Dynasty, for his judgment! Whichever of the three returns alive from the Northern Wilderness battlefield shall be the undisputed choice for Crown Prince."

...

Xu Yang didn't care about the future power struggles within the Great Xia Dynasty. However, since the Emperor was willing to let him be the one to judge the fate of the three princes, he might as well take on the role of an evaluator and see which prince truly possessed the destiny to inherit the throne.

More than a dozen spirit ships appeared majestically above the Heavenly Sword Holy Land. The tumultuous clouds swirled with an intense aura of killing.

Soon, from the Heavenly Sword Holy Land, fifteen Nascent Soul realm elders appeared simultaneously, leading thousands of sword cultivation disciples. They arrayed themselves across the thousand-mile plain outside the Holy Land, ready for confrontation.

Lingyao, by Xu Yang's side, quickly spotted her master, the Grand Elder. The Eighth Prince, too, immediately fixed his gaze on the Fifth Elder, who was clad in cultivation robes.

This battle was destined to determine the fates of many.

"Tianlan Sect's Xu Yang? An old monster with only Qi Refining realm cultivation, hehehe, I truly wish to cleave your body open and see what secrets it hides! You abducted my disciple, Lingyao, and now you're assaulting the gates of my Holy Land. This is simply too presumptuous."

The Grand Elder's profound voice resonated. It floated above the entire sky, reaching the ears of every person present.

"Presumptuous? That's not a word you are qualified to use. Before me, you are merely a child. Your disciple, Lingyao, has been taken as my disciple from this moment on. Old man, I've come today to retrieve what belongs to her."

The Grand Elder smiled coldly. "Lingyao lives as a person of my Holy Land and dies as a spirit of my Holy Land. It's not for an outsider like you to dictate her destiny!"

With words failing, let actions speak!

The Grand Elder soared into the sky. His entire being transformed into the outline of a vast, shining longsword that pierced the heavens.

Mid-stage Nascent Soul!

The Eighth Prince was greatly alarmed. Being only at the limit of the Heaven-Cave realm, an instinctive sense of oppression arose within him when he felt the might of a Nascent Soul realm expert, making him very uncomfortable and filling his heart with a sense of urgency.

Similarly, most of the Golden Armored warriors behind him were also affected. They could not withstand the Grand Elder's overwhelming might.

Until Xu Yang made his move. A breathtaking rainbow descended from the edge of the nine heavens. It formed an incredibly brilliant spiritual light above the clouds, enveloping all the warriors on his side and freeing them from the oppressive aura.

"Strike!"

The Grand Elder launched his first attack with a flick of his finger. This officially marked the beginning of the fated battle between Xu Yang and the Heavenly Sword Holy Land.

It should be known that after entering the Nascent Soul realm, there are significant differences between each stage.