Chapter 1602: God's Messenger

“Very well, since I have decided to seize this opportunity to wipe out the Barbarian Empire, I must reveal my true trump cards and end this war as early as possible. Otherwise, if it drags on, those ruthless beasts will be more than our mortal bodies can withstand. Issue my decree: summon the Twelve Emissaries of the Gods to an immediate audience.”

Before long, twelve cultivators, clad in silver robes and with their faces concealed, appeared inside the tent. Their features were indistinguishable, but the aura emanating from each of them was far more powerful than that of any other cultivator previously seen in this Second Temple World.

Little did they know, these twelve silver-robed cultivators were the Brilliant Empire's most formidable hidden strength. This was because the Twelve Emissaries of the Gods shared a common past: they had all once served the Temple.

The Temple, without a doubt, was the nexus of the world's faith and the only place where traces of the Supreme Grand Master, who wove this illusory Second Temple World, could be found.

Naturally, this was also the ultimate objective of this expedition to conquer the Second Temple World. Engaging these individuals would undoubtedly yield crucial clues regarding the Temple's exact location. Furthermore, the power possessed by these twelve was far beyond anything Xu Yang's other opponents could muster.

“What are your commands, Your Majesty?”

The Emperor of the Brilliant Empire regained his confident demeanor. He slowly rose from his throne and, with a smile, looked at the twelve immensely powerful figures before him.

“There’s no need for me to elaborate on your standing within the Brilliant Empire. This is your moment to prove your worth. Should this war prove successful, the promises I made previously will certainly be fulfilled. A substantial sum will be allocated to help you construct statues of the Twelve Emissaries within the Temple, allowing you to draw a portion of the faith power for life and further advance your cultivation and strength.”

As expected, the Emperor of the Brilliant Empire's words proved the most compelling. The twelve powerful Emissaries of the Gods before him acted in unison, bowing respectfully to the seemingly confident Emperor.

“Rest assured, Your Majesty. With the twelve of us, siblings, acting together and protected by the Temple’s grace, no force in the Second Temple World can withstand our might. However, before we act, I must request a special dispensation from Your Majesty. Without it, the twelve of us cannot unleash our full power.”

“What is it you request, Emissaries?”

The Emperor of the Brilliant Empire's eyes gleamed with an unusual light as he fixed his gaze on the leading Emissary of the Gods and posed his question.

The leader of the Twelve Emissaries of the Gods, who was relatively older, smiled slightly and began.

“On the battlefield, swords are blind and techniques are merciless. Moreover, what we face this time are not merely the inferior barbarians of the Barbarian Empire. Our most crucial opponents are those foreign invaders; their power is unfathomable, and the beast army led by that human leader is truly ferocious. If hostilities commence, no one can predict what will happen on the battlefield. The decree I request from Your Majesty is permission to activate forbidden formations when necessary. Of course, the deployment of forbidden techniques will inevitably have widespread destructive consequences, which might cause some of our own soldiers to suffer backlash. I am uncertain if the twelve of us possess such authority.”

As expected, no sooner had the leader posed this question than over twenty senior generals within the tent began to object, each kneeling on one knee, urging the Brilliant Empire's Emperor, the supreme commander of this war, to reject the decree.

The atmosphere instantly became awkward. After a moment of contemplation, the Emperor of the Brilliant Empire finally decided to stake his hopes on the Twelve Emissaries of the Gods. After all, their identities were truly exceptional, and they were the only ones of their caliber accessible to him. They were the sole individuals who could contact the most powerful ruler of this world. Therefore, the names of the Twelve Emissaries were the most reassuring trump card for the Brilliant Empire's Emperor. This time, he finally nodded.

“All leaders, cease your objections. My decision is final. Once on the battlefield, the Twelve Emissaries of the Gods have the authority to command any one of you. As long as ultimate victory in the war is secured, no matter the cost they incur, it shall be borne.”

After further thought, the Emperor of the Brilliant Empire made a move that astonished all the generals: he handed his imperial token directly to the leader of the Twelve Emissaries.

“Now you can rest assured, can’t you? Listen carefully to my command: I demand an outcome to this war that I wish to see. Only success is permitted; failure is not an option. Even if you fight to the last soldier, as long as you annihilate all the enemy’s fighting power and secure the vast territory of the Brilliant Empire, then any price, no matter how great, will be worthwhile.”

The Emperor of the Brilliant Empire was truly resolute. In fact, his willingness to pay such a hefty price stemmed from being appointed the leader of the imperial coalition. Furthermore, having the Twelve Emissaries as his most powerful trump card, he, as the ruler of the second largest empire in the entire Temple world, possessed the only potent weapon capable of surpassing the Black Armored Empire.

His original intention was to use this opportunity to mobilize the coalition forces and directly annex the Barbarian Empire's territory for himself; in reality, he harbored selfish motives. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for the two great empires to cooperate with such unity in this joint operation.

Upon receiving the Emperor's grand decree, the Twelve Emissaries hesitated no longer. They instantly transformed into twelve streaks of light and vanished from their positions.

Little did the Emperor know that after he issued such a command, the dozens of top generals beneath his tent had already become alienated from him. They could no longer unite millions of troops and allow this man to squander them.

Especially the generals from the Black Armored Empire within the coalition—they had already received specific instructions from their own Emperor upon their arrival. How could they possibly fight desperately and recklessly for the Brilliant Empire's Emperor on this battlefield?

As for Xu Yang's team, the only key to victory in this war was to defeat these twelve powerful, top-tier cultivators. When the twelve streaks of light hovered in the void and confronted Xu Yang's faction, Xu Yang quickly realized that the strength of these twelve individuals had almost reached the peak of Kunlun Immortals, just short of entering the Boundless Realm.