Chapter 1197: United in Hatred

"Haha, if my judgment is correct, this must be a completely new realm of swordsmanship, unprecedented and likely never to be surpassed. After all, perfectly combining physical strength with a truly wild, extreme whirlwind of sword energy is akin to merging a person's physical body with the essence of a sword. Such a cultivation method is simply beyond the imagination of ordinary people. Regular individuals wouldn't even be able to withstand the pressure of staying on the highest platform for an extended period, let alone entering this blood pool. Yet, A'Yang can not only endure this terrifying destructive power but also draw it into his body, cultivating the truly unparalleled Limitless Sword Physique! From this day forward, I imagine all swordsmen, lords and commoners alike, will have to acknowledge A'Yang's supremacy in the way of the sword."

Xiaohua murmured a few words, her voice audible only to the members of the Eight Gates team beside her. As expected, these old comrades from the Eight Gates team grew increasingly excited. They made no attempt to hide their emotions, all beginning to gesticulate wildly and shout enthusiastically.

"Boss, you really need to be careful!" someone called out. "If you accidentally demolish the Sword Sect's Sword Abode, our brothers will be in big trouble!"

No sooner had A'Wen finished speaking than Old Crow and Old Crab, standing nearby, began to scold him. The brothers' banter completely shattered the dignity of the Sword Sect lineage. They were clearly using sarcasm, simultaneously belittling the Sword Sect's glory while celebrating Xu Yang's emergence as a new king. "Haha, in my opinion, this mere Sword Sect is nothing special. It can't even contain the power of our boss alone, yet they still dare to speak of 'Challenging the Sword'? Little do they know, a true top-tier swordsman like our boss is a god-like existence in the way of the sword, far beyond what this insignificant Sword Sect's heritage can match. Boss, if you truly disdain the Sword Sect's legacy, why not just destroy it entirely? From today onward, you will be revered as the supreme authority in the long history of swordsmanship on Yingzhou Continent, and there will be no need for the name 'Sword Sect' any longer!"

The members of the Eight Gates team, standing behind the Lord, began to openly attack, showing no respect for the Sword Sect lineage whatsoever. The scene quickly descended into considerable commotion due to the unruly actions of these individuals from the Eight Gates team.

"This is outrageous!" the Fourth Prince finally exclaimed, losing his composure. "Fifth Brother, we share a deep fraternal bond, but I truly never imagined that on this most significant day for my Sword Sect, you would present me with such a 'surprising' grand gift! Bringing these disreputable characters to cause trouble here – is this what you consider brotherly conduct as my own flesh and blood?"

The Fourth Prince was clearly losing his temper. He began to challenge the Fifth Prince, attempting to occupy the moral high ground and condemn him, while also seeking the support of the other princes. The Fourth Prince's coordinated move, especially from his self-proclaimed moral high ground, was clearly intended to rally the other princes to view the Fifth Prince as a common enemy. He aimed to leverage his brothers' collective power to rescue the Sword Sect from today's catastrophe.

However, little did he know, the other princes were far too astute to get involved in this muddy dispute. Originally, they wouldn't have minded using the Fourth Prince's name to collectively put down the Fifth Prince. But now, witnessing the incredible power unleashed by the person named Xu Yang in the blood pool, everyone was astonished. The princes, deterred by Xu Yang's immensely powerful display, remained hesitant and made no moves, choosing instead to observe from the sidelines.

"Hahaha!" the Fifth Prince retorted. "Fourth Brother, I still clearly remember how, when Father Emperor demoted me from the imperial court, you constantly whispered malicious words, almost costing me even my title as the Fifth Prince. In the end, you personally led people to drive me out of the imperial city. This 'friendship' has been etched in my heart every moment of these past years. Since things have come to this, I have nothing to hide. To tell you the truth, I brought these brothers here today precisely to ruin your event and destroy your Sword Sect. What can you do about it? Do you really think we brothers are fools? You secretly manipulated the sword energy in the Sword Pool, intending for Seventh Brother to perish during the Sword Challenge! If my brother A'Yang hadn't intervened in time, Seventh Brother would have already met his demise, killed by your own hand, my sweet-mouthed, treacherous Fourth Brother!" As the Fifth Prince brought this up, the Seventh Prince's faction immediately stirred. The Seventh Prince had already suspected the Fourth Prince's foul play but lacked proof, and given his current strength, he couldn't directly confront the Fourth Prince, so he had chosen to endure in silence. However, now that the Fifth Prince had openly raised the issue, the Seventh Prince saw no further need for restraint and stepped forward to declare his stance.

"Seventh Brother may be slow-witted, but thankfully, Fifth Brother sees clearly. Since Fourth Brother is sincerely an enemy to me, then for my own protection, I, your Seventh Brother, can only choose to stand with Fifth Brother. If Fifth Brother's faction insists on taking action against the Sword Sect today, I will certainly offer my full support! I truly never expected that, though we are born of the same root, why must we torment each other so cruelly? Fourth Brother, you actually used the heritage of your own Sword Sect lineage against your own flesh and blood first? How can such a heartless and unrighteous person speak of benevolence and righteousness in front of his brothers!"

Witnessing the Fifth and Seventh Princes uniting against their common enemy, the Sixth Prince, standing not far away, let out a cold snort. He stepped forward and spoke clearly to the Seventh Prince, who had just announced his allegiance.

"Seventh Brother, you are the youngest among us seven brothers. Do not be deceived by appearances! Fifth Brother is the one harboring malicious intentions. Do you know why Third Brother is not here today? It's because his Brocade Villa has been taken over by Fifth Brother. If my judgment is correct, Third Brother has already been imprisoned by that scheming fellow!"

The Sixth Prince's sudden accusation against the Fifth Prince was unexpected, as the Sixth Prince had always been known for his cautious approach, preferring to protect himself. Previously, any actions he took were always under the guise of the Third Prince's name. However, at this crucial moment, he chose to side with the Third Prince. Just after the Seventh Prince had declared his allegiance, his resolve wavered once again upon hearing the Sixth Prince's words. The other princes, meanwhile, continued to maintain their wait-and-see attitude.

"Sixth Brother, you're overthinking it!" Suddenly, at this critical juncture, a slightly calm voice emerged, drawing the attention of all onlookers around the Sword Abode. The speaker slowly stepped out from the crowd. Dressed in a simple white robe, he exuded an exceptionally refined demeanor. It was none other than the Third Prince himself!