Chapter 1387: Methods to Combat Catastrophe

After hearing what you've said, I can almost certainly conclude that the ultimate boss behind this catastrophe, the one we're about to face, must be your imperial mother. I previously thought she was just an approachable old lady, but now I see she's the crucial figure who can truly alter the fate of Yingzhou Continent. It seems someone capable of becoming the consort of Emperor Yunlong should never be underestimated."

The Fourth Prince sneered, "Even though your power is immense, my imperial mother has already absorbed two centuries of starlight energy's essence. Even if you eliminate me today, she has the means to revive me using the lineage of starlight power. This applies not only to me but also to the other shadow warriors. As long as starlight power endures, our lineage will never run dry. I have revealed all my trump cards to you. I just want to see if you can truly end this cataclysm, or if the entire Yingzhou Continent will bow before my mother and me. If you are as strong as you believe, then end this game as the victor."

The Fourth Prince had indeed developed an unyielding and defiant nature, or perhaps he was always like this, merely concealing his true sharp edge under the protection of the Sword Sect and his imperial status. Now, as a prince, he had become utterly uninhibited, no longer needing to consider anything further. Even when facing Xu Yang, he didn't feel the need to adopt a submissive posture. Since the ultimate outcome of all this was beyond his influence, why not bid farewell to this world with pride?

After speaking, the Fourth Prince used starlight power to incinerate his physical body, leaving behind only a faint starlight trace—the crystallization of his soul's essence. Unbeknownst to him, the moment Xu Yang observed the starlight speck formed by his soul, Xu Yang seemed to gain a new understanding and insight into the civilization and lineage of starlight power deep within himself.

"Perhaps I've been overthinking things," Xu Yang mused, shaking his head gently. "The most primitive and fundamental methods might be enough to quell this catastrophe." He chose not to dwell on it, retrieved the starlight-like soul essence of the Fourth Prince, and immediately moved to his next destination. He eventually returned to Splendid Manor and activated the formation totem previously left there by the Fifth Prince.

As the remaining few lighthouses illuminated, the bloodlines of all seven princes left by Emperor Yunlong converged through the formation. As expected, the starlight power, which had previously shown no change, underwent a qualitative transformation after these seven bloodlines merged. It finally gave birth to a completely new, star-like aura of light, which spread out before Xu Yang's eyes.

"Heh heh, it seems my judgment was correct," Xu Yang chuckled. "Emperor Yunlong indeed hid his greatest secret within the bloodlines of these seven sons. Or perhaps he wasn't as tyrannical and cruel as imagined; he still preserved the lineage of starlight power through special means. When the bloodlines of these seven children merge, they can awaken the true essence of starlight power's legacy. Although the intensity and purity of this legacy cannot compare to Emperor Yunlong's own bloodline, nor to the pure power controlled by the Fourth Prince's birth mother in the Treasure Land, for Xu Yang, gaining this insight is already the greatest reward from his visit to Splendid Manor."

"No matter how strong the Yin Sha power is, it can be countered by the laws of light. However, starlight power inherently suppresses the laws of light. I must create the perfect environment to unleash the most complete laws of the God of Light, essentially establishing a divine domain, to thoroughly suppress the legacy power left in the Treasure Land."

This goal, however, was easier said than done; its realization presented immense difficulty. It meant he would need to find a way to isolate certain areas of the Treasure Land battlefield, completely severing them from the inherent law restrictions of Yingzhou Continent. Otherwise, his laws of the God of Light would inadvertently destroy all living beings across the entire continent.

Xu Yang felt this keenly, as the laws of the God of Light were already comparable in intensity to primal grand-world laws like space-time laws. If unleashed in their full power, they were far beyond what the inherent laws of Yingzhou Continent could withstand. Therefore, if Xu Yang were to unleash the most perfect laws of the God of Light anywhere within Yingzhou Continent, he would undoubtedly refine the entire continent, transforming it back to its most primitive state from hundreds of thousands of years ago.

Even a Sword Immortal's direct intervention would likely be insufficient to stop Xu Yang, operating at full power, from destroying this world. This became Xu Yang's greatest concern: how to segment the battlefield and avoid being limited by space-time laws while suppressing the shadow spirits. This was Xu Yang's most significant challenge at the moment. "It seems I shouldn't overthink this for now.

First, I'll collect and preserve this concentrated bloodline imbued with starlight power. Then, I'll return to Xuanyuan Imperial City and rendezvous with the major branch factions of the continent. Together, we'll brainstorm how to use this starlight bloodline essence to locate the Treasure Land. Until that objective is achieved, everything else is just empty talk."

With this conviction, Xu Yang became more at ease. He knew clearly that while catastrophe was imminent, it wasn't something that could be resolved in haste. Furthermore, the Fourth Prince's imperial mother would also need time to release the corresponding seals in the Treasure Land.

There was still ample time for Xu Yang's team to prepare. As long as the outcome met Xu Yang and his companions' expectations, any hardship or twists in the process would be worthwhile.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye. After leaving the Sword Sect, Xu Yang traveled through various regions of Yingzhou Continent but made no significant breakthroughs, still finding no clues regarding the exact location of the Treasure Land.

On the last day of his journey, Xu Yang returned to the outskirts of Xuanyuan Imperial City. There, he finally reunited with all his comrades who had fought alongside him. Nearly every warrior who had assisted Xu Yang and joined his team during the campaigns across the five major domains of Yingzhou Continent appeared outside the gates of Xuanyuan Imperial City. This filled Xu Yang with great comfort. "Thank you all for your support," he said. "I never imagined I had such influence. My brothers-in-arms who fought by my side, I am truly touched by your presence."

"Hahaha, Boss, you're being too formal," one of them laughed. "We're all brothers. Even if it were just for your personal matters, you'd still command this influence. What's more, this time we're fighting for the future of the entire Yingzhou Continent, and we wouldn't have it any other way."