Chapter 1231: Inducing Others to Contribute

Up to the 300-li boundary, the entire Xuanyuan Imperial City was surrounded by extremely strict guard posts on all four sides, manned by the so-called Imperial City Guards.

Their military bearing was impeccable, and each Imperial City Guard post comprised several thousand strong. Every one of them wore heavy purple-bronze armor, appearing valiant and imposing.

It is worth noting that the leader of the Imperial City Guards, responsible for protecting the Xuanyuan Imperial City, was none other than the current First Prince. In other words, this contingent of Imperial City Guards was entirely under the First Prince's command.

Given the First Prince's nature, and with seven princes and marquises now heading to Xuanyuan Imperial City—excluding the Third Prince, already under the Fifth Prince's control, and the Fourth Prince, who resided in seclusion on Seven Peaks Mountain—a full five legions were now marching directly towards the Imperial City. As the First Prince was responsible for guarding this gateway outside Xuanyuan Imperial City, how could he so easily permit other forces to enter the city? As the young White Tiger had just pointed out, without an imperial decree, the Imperial City Guards under the First Prince had a legitimate duty to deny entry.

Allowing the forces of several princes and marquises to easily enter Xuanyuan Imperial City would constitute dereliction of duty for the First Prince. Given the First Prince's cautious nature, he would never shoulder such blame.

Without a doubt, it seemed both sides would have to resort to force to resolve this dispute, but this effectively kicked the problem back to the various princely and marquisate forces. Daring to engage the Imperial City Guards was a major offense in itself. Xu Yang's team and others would need to rack their brains to devise a clever and reasonable solution to this problem.

Xu Yang's party slowly approached the Imperial City Guard's station at the foot of the towering city wall. A large number of Imperial City Guards swarmed out, quickly fanning their formation to both sides and blocking Xu Yang's entire team.

"This is a vital post for the Imperial City Guards. How dare you, without an imperial decree, presume to trespass?" the purple-bronze armored centurion leading them spoke coldly. As soon as he finished, the thousand guards he commanded raised their weapons, pointing them horizontally at Xu Yang's team. While they had not yet unleashed a truly terrifying killing aura, the ready stances of these Imperial City Guard soldiers exuded an inexplicable sense of oppression.

"I say, there's no need for this. Let's talk things over. What's more, we are all friends of the Prince. Even as Imperial City Guards, do you dare to be so presumptuous in front of a Prince?"

Unexpectedly, the centurion before them burst into laughter. "We naturally respect the Fifth Prince, but the duty of the Imperial City Guards is to protect the absolute safety of Xuanyuan Imperial City. Without an order from His Majesty the Emperor, we cannot easily open the city gates for anyone."

The Fifth Prince stepped forward again and meticulously explained their purpose for entering the city to the general. However, the general seemed to listen attentively, yet what was said went in one ear and out the other. Even after the Martial King finished speaking, the general remained unmoved.

"We only act according to orders," the general stated. "As I said before, without an imperial decree, we cannot open the designated passage. Please turn back."

As soon as the general finished speaking, Xu Yang's expression darkened. "So you refuse a toast and prefer a penalty drink? You should clearly understand that your thousand-plus Imperial City Guards are no match for our power!"

However, the centurion's expression remained as calm as before: "Your strength is indeed formidable, and I have no confidence in stopping you. However, forcing your way in is completely different from us opening the gates and allowing you to enter. For those of us who serve the emperor and live off his bounty, orders are everything, far more important than our lives. If you deem it necessary, you can brandish your weapons at us at any time and then step over our corpses to enter the Imperial City."

Seeing the centurion's defiant demeanor, Xu Yang and the others felt a sudden sense of helplessness. Given the centurion's words, it was clear they would not yield an inch, even if it meant death. There was simply no room for negotiation. If they forced their way through, the blame would undoubtedly fall on the Fifth Prince, playing right into the First Prince's hands.

If the First Prince were to bring this matter before Emperor Yunlong, the Emperor would certainly not let the Fifth Prince's actions go unpunished. This was the rule within the Imperial Palace: everything had to be conducted according to proper procedures. If anyone crossed this line, they would be punished, even if they were the Emperor's most favored son. For rulers, unfair judgments were their greatest taboo.

"Very well, I will pass through this gate today no matter what," the Fifth Prince declared. "But I cannot bear to harm you, the Imperial City Guards. You are the most elite soldiers and most loyal warriors of my Yun family dynasty. As a Prince of the Yun family, how could I possibly attack you? In my opinion, we should choose a compromise or make a wager. That way, the losing side will be convinced. Although we are cultivators, you are true military soldiers. In this contest with you, we will absolutely not use any cultivation."

Upon hearing the Fifth Prince's words, the centurion before them was finally swayed, as expected. He knew very well that if they continued to stubbornly resist Xu Yang and his group, there could only be one outcome: the other party would force their way through, and his loyal soldiers would needlessly lose their lives. He also had no desire to antagonize the formidable individuals the Fifth Prince had brought. If there truly was a compromise to resolve the day's dispute, why not embrace it?

More importantly, hearing Xu Yang say this meant that he and his group could not display their power advantage as cultivators, effectively discarding their most prized asset. If the contest were to proceed from such a seemingly fair starting point, the Imperial City Guard's hand-picked elites might not necessarily lose to Xu Yang's team. Furthermore, the Imperial City Guard boasted talent reserves numbering in the thousands, possessing outstanding top-tier talent in every field. In contrast, Xu Yang's team looked like a motley crew of oddballs, especially the Eight Gates team, whose members were all strangely shaped. Considering all factors, even if this contest were to genuinely proceed, it wasn't certain that Xu Yang's side would definitely win.

Indeed, the centurion relaxed his stance, and a faint smile appeared on his face. "So tell me, how would this contest work? And what are the rules?"

Xu Yang glanced at the thousand elite Imperial City Guards and began, "Contests within the military are generally about footwork, arm strength, and combat ability."