Chapter 1236: Epic Arrow

As Xu Yang's arrow finally left the taut bowstring, it vanished in an instant. When it reappeared, it was a golden beam of light, streaking out of the black vortex above the void. Like a golden meteor from beyond the heavens, it shot directly towards the helmet, aiming just above the Peacock Feather.

The golden light illuminated the entire void battlefield, causing everyone nearby to instinctively hold their breath. In that critical moment, all eyes were fixed on the shimmering golden beam.

Everyone yearned to witness a true miracle, and Xu Yang did not disappoint. The arrow came to a sudden, precise stop just above the Peacock Feather on the helmet.

Unbeknownst to them, Xu Yang had employed a subtle technique at that instant. He opened his 'iron box,' effectively freezing the laws of time and space within a specific area.

When the laws of time and space in the vicinity returned to their original order, all the power in the arrow had dissipated. It gently touched a spot an inch above the Peacock Feather, leaving the helmet completely unharmed. What truly astonished everyone was that the freezing power, previously covering the surface of the massive rock, had been entirely melted by the arrow's force.

The Centurion was utterly dumbfounded. From a distance, he had clearly seen the arrow, presumably, lodged vertically above the Peacock Feather.

His heart pounded wildly. Simultaneously, he summoned his men on flying mounts to immediately retrieve the helmet from the giant rock atop the mountain, ensuring it remained untouched.

In front of all the City Guard warriors, he then removed the helmet once more.

To their astonishment, the arrow's tip, forged purely from refined iron, had been melted by an incredibly powerful force.

The molten iron had firmly adhered to the area just above the Peacock Feather, causing the arrowhead to stick to it and preventing the arrow from detaching.

When the Centurion, in front of everyone, finally separated the Peacock Feather from the arrow, he discovered that the helmet was still perfectly intact. With an expression of profound disbelief and shock, the Centurion placed the helmet back on his head, appearing utterly dazed.

A moment later, the Centurion personally dismounted and, in front of all the City Guards, approached Xu Yang. He respectfully lowered his proud head, offering Xu Yang the highest military salute.

It was well known that these City Guard warriors only ever knelt on one knee before Emperor Yunlong. At any other time, even the Seven Regional Princes would struggle to elicit a respectful nod from a military officer of the Centurion's standing.

Yet, on this occasion, the Centurion was willing to offer Xu Yang such a profound and revered military salute. At that very moment, all the surrounding City Guard warriors, alongside the Centurion, performed the same gesture towards Xu Yang. In an instant, a solemn atmosphere enveloped the scene, profoundly shaking everyone in the Eight Gates team, including the Prince.

"My goodness, that arrow was truly incredible!" exclaimed the Prince. "Xu Yang has genuinely created a miracle and earned the respect of the entire City Guard!"

The Prince was repeatedly astonished; he even began to suspect that Xu Yang's power had surpassed that of his own father, Emperor Yunlong. The man outwardly proclaimed as the strongest on the entire continent, standing at its pinnacle, might not even be Xu Yang's equal. As for Xu Yang himself, his expression remained perfectly serene from start to finish.

"Sir, there's no need for such formality," Xu Yang replied. "I merely employed a few minor cultivation techniques. If we were truly to compete in mounted archery, I'm afraid I wouldn't be your match."

Xu Yang, despite having gained the upper hand, played humble, amusing the Centurion with his modesty.

"Don't try to comfort me," the Centurion chuckled. "With your strength, you could probably crush thousands of us with just one finger. Regardless, your esteemed self proposed such a fair method to resolve this matter, sparing the lives of my brothers. I must, therefore, express my respect to you on their behalf. Fifth Prince, you may now pass."

As the Centurion finished speaking, he waved a hand behind him. This time, not a single City Guard warrior remained to block Xu Yang's team.

Xu Yang's team, with the utmost pride, strode confidently past the City Guard's barrier, finally traversing this core fortress that served as the gateway to the heart of Xuanyuan Imperial City.

Upon entering, they had theoretically stepped into the heartland of the Central Region's Imperial Family, the Xuanyuan Imperial City. It could be said that everything Xu Yang and his companions would encounter from this point onward would, in theory, constitute the core forces directly under Emperor Yunlong's command.

Even the First Prince, with all his pervasive influence within the palace, held no authority over the individuals Xu Yang and his group were about to encounter.

Within just a few hours, Xu Yang's team traveled unhindered, quickly covering the three hundred *li* to arrive at the base of Xuanyuan Imperial City's incredibly magnificent walls.

"My heavens, is this the legendary Xuanyuan Imperial City?" exclaimed Big Crab. "It's incredibly grand! These walls must be hundreds of meters high; even ordinary cultivators would struggle to scale them."

Hearing Big Crab's exclamation, Xu Yang nodded with a grave expression. "Indeed. Not only do the city walls reach into the clouds, but every brick on their surface appears to be embedded with an incredibly powerful protective formation. Their resilience far surpasses what is visible on the surface."

Hearing Xu Yang's explanation, everyone gasped in unison. It was no wonder the Central Region Imperial Family had endured for tens of thousands of years across the entire Yingzhou Continent. This profound foundation, evident in the very walls themselves, made one wonder what colossal power would be needed to breach such a fortress!

After listening to the Eight Gates team's exclamations, the Fifth Prince, however, seemed to hold a different perspective. "No matter how high or tough city walls may be, they cannot withstand the internal decay of an imperial dynasty. Although my imperial father was exceptionally brilliant, a true prodigy in his youth, ever since he assumed the throne and coupled with his immensely powerful cultivation, almost no one on the entire continent can rival him. However, this very fact has led to an infinitely suppressed state of development for the entire dynasty. Because he alone wields nearly all power, and no one can challenge his position, the cycle of healthy competition has naturally been lost. Everyone has come to view him as a lofty and unchallengeable god, and he himself long ago lost the magnificent demeanor he displayed when he first ascended the throne. His mind is consumed by a single thought: how to further consolidate his power. He desires eternal control over the destiny of all beings on this continent. How could this possibly be the mindset of a benevolent monarch?"

Hearing the Prince's words, everyone's eyes were opened. Their perspectives, after all, had been somewhat limited; not being native nobles of the Imperial City, they could not truly fathom the intensity of the internal palace struggles.

Indeed, the current Emperor Yunlong, even when dealing with his own sons, would never show any favoritism. Should any lineage of princes dare to defy his will or harbor disloyal thoughts, Emperor Yunlong would deliver a fatal blow without hesitation.

Even the Fifth Prince, who had walked on thin ice and secretly developed his influence for so many years, still had to carefully prostrate himself before Emperor Yunlong.