Chapter 1183: Royal Family Secret

"You should be very clear about why I'm here this time. Hand over the Diligence King Order, specifically the one held by the Third Boss. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind refining all four of you little devils into a pile of bones in the shortest time possible."

Xu Yang was never one for empty threats. Once he identified an opponent, he would pursue them to the ends of the earth to utterly destroy them. Conversely, if something wasn't a deep-seated obsession of his, no matter how much others pressured him, he would never easily comply.

The Fifth Prince's psychological distress had reached its peak. Not only had he lost his kingdom and his kin, but he had also so quickly become Xu Yang's prisoner, without even perceiving Xu Yang's movements. Perhaps this was the fundamental difference between them.

The Fifth Prince finally chose to decisively give up. He shook his head helplessly and turned to face Xu Yang, his gaze now containing less hostility and wariness, and more sincere admiration.

"Alright, alright, I admit defeat this time. I promise to fulfill your request: I will find an opportunity to represent the royal family and acknowledge the ancient heritage of the Deik clan to the entire Yingzhou Continent. I will also submit a memorial to His Majesty the Emperor, posthumously bestowing a series of honors upon the Deik clan."

Everyone understood clearly that no matter how the Fifth Prince tried to compensate for the central royal family's past transgressions against the Deik clan, the damage caused was irreparable. Nevertheless, this gesture at least offered a sense of closure for the lingering obsession in the hearts of the Eight Gates lineage. It also, to some extent, provided them with the respect they deserved.

"Very good. The past grievances and conflicts between the Deik clan and your central royal family can now be considered settled. So, next, we can discuss matters between us."

As soon as Xu Yang spoke, the Fifth Prince immediately understood his intent. He finally shook his head helplessly, turned, and led Xu Yang directly towards the deepest part of the great hall. Along the way, the Fifth Prince directly called all the guards out of the hall. In an instant, the vast hall was left with only him and Xu Yang.

The Fifth Prince approached the elevated Dragon Throne and gently wiped its edge. A creaking sound echoed, and an opening to an underground secret passage, connected to the great hall, appeared. It surprised Xu Yang that a Dragon Throne would even exist within this Brocade Villa.

"It seems none of you Seven Princes truly have an 'absolutely innocent' lineage! The Third Prince always appeared to be indifferent to worldly affairs, yet who would have thought that such startling ambition lay hidden within this Brocade Villa!"

The Fifth Prince scoffed, "What else could be done? He doesn't possess strong enough cultivation power, so he can only use power derived from mundane affairs to defend his survival.

"Being born into the royal family is perhaps truly a tragedy for our lives. I would rather live each day as freely as you do, doing whatever I please.

"But you must understand, if we were to decline amidst the conflicts between the Seven Princes, then for us, perhaps even the most basic conditions for survival couldn't be met. We would face endless, relentless pursuit, and merciless slaughter from our own kin would accompany us throughout our lives!"

To be honest, Xu Yang had not fully considered this point before. After all, his immense power placed him at the pinnacle of any world system, making it difficult for him to understand the situation and mindset of a cultivator who lacks the ability to protect themselves yet must face unimaginable, terrifying pressure.

Perhaps it was in that very moment, a fleeting thought, that Xu Yang changed his mind. He would not use his power to harm the Fifth Prince. As for the fates of the other princes, Xu Yang no longer wished to intervene as a dominant force. As long as he could smoothly obtain the seven Diligence King Orders, he would keep far away from royal affairs.

After the secret passage opened, Xu Yang followed closely behind the Fifth Prince. As for the rest of the Eight Gates team, they did not enter the spacious hall with them. Xu Yang had already sent a soul message to Xiao Hua and the others when he entered, instructing them to guard outside.

After passing through layer after layer of dark underground caverns, Xu Yang was led by the Fifth Prince to a gilded portal. It was clear that this place held a completely different status from the other caves, not only because of the glittering golden gate but also due to the incredibly dense aura of array seals upon it, which immediately caught Xu Yang's attention.

"Are you telling me you imprisoned the Third Prince in a place like this? It's so dark and damp, and he's injured. If he stays here for too long, it might cause irreversible damage to his life essence."

The Fifth Prince gently shook his head. But the moment he opened the golden gate before them, everything in the depths of the cavern flooded into Xu Yang's view.

It turned out the true secret was hidden within this cavern. It was an incredibly exquisite, blood-stained pond. The entire area around the massive pond was sealed off by an elaborate main entrance. And at each of the seven positions around the blood pool, a very finely carved dragon head was present.

Xu Yang's eyesight was incredibly sharp; he immediately saw that two of the dragon heads were already activated and glowing brightly. He could also clearly discern that the carving style of these dragon head array cores and their central patterns perfectly matched the dragon script on the Diligence King Order. "Tell me everything you want to say, including your next plan."

The Fifth Prince immediately smiled. "Interacting with someone as incredibly intelligent as you is a pleasure. I brought you here to share my most important secret, seeking a partnership with you. I know you have your own matters to attend to, and I don't intend to pry. With your power, it won't be long before you stand at the very pinnacle of the entire Yingzhou Continent. And when that time comes, I hope to be the one who takes over control of this continent from the Emperor of the central royal family."

Xu Yang did not immediately dismiss the Fifth Prince's idea. He quietly stroked his chin, then asked in return, "Ambition isn't a bad thing. Tell me your terms. If they are compelling enough, I can fulfill your request."

The Fifth Prince burst out laughing upon hearing this. "Simply by the fact that I can help you find all seven Diligence King Orders, and I can immediately tell you the most crucial royal secret hidden within them. In fact, this vital secret lies within us, the Seven Princes."