Chapter 1807: The Presence of the Eighth Sovereign

"Before I personally strike you down, do you have any last words for us, or for this world? Once you've spoken for the final time, I will completely strip you of your right to exist. This is your destiny; since you chose to help guard the Master's secret, this outcome cannot be changed by anyone."

Xu Yang, at this moment, was clearly addressing the giant water lizard before him, speaking with the tone of a god judging all beings. However, the creature seemed to pay no mind to Xu Yang's lofty demeanor.

Although the lizard knew its strength was far from matching Xu Yang's, it maintained a transcendent composure, even in the face of death.

"I'm afraid I'll disappoint you," the water lizard replied. "I have nothing I wish to leave behind for this world, as I am filled with hatred for it, including its inhabitants, and especially you. I resent that I lack the power to kill you and avenge my companion, but I am secretly pleased to share the same fate as him. Perhaps this is the only thing I can do for him."

The ancient evil beast, the water lizard, seemed to soften slightly before its demise. The fierce malevolence and evil that once sought to devour everything had vanished from its eyes. Now, it merely looked like a warrior intent on defending its bond of friendship.

However, since it refused to reveal the secret it guarded, Xu Yang absolutely could not offer it an alternative outcome.

Standing with the will of the Supreme God made it Xu Yang's enemy, and Xu Yang was never merciful when dealing with his opponents.

"It's time to end this," Xu Yang declared.

As Xu Yang's words faded, he pressed his palms together. Behind him, the immense 'Cold Spring Master Divine Weapon' emitted an incredibly brilliant blue light, once again illuminating the dim night sky.

The moment the sword brutally struck down, all water-attributed energy in the surrounding space instantly froze. The last portion of water-attributed power that the giant water lizard could rely on also instantly lost its original effectiveness.

Once completely frozen, its inherent water power ironically became a suppressing force, the final undoing of the giant water lizard. As the saying goes, water can float a boat, but it can also capsize it. Wielding water-attributed power before Xu Yang was tantamount to self-destruction.

Only at the very last moment did the water lizard finally understand that Xu Yang could so easily freeze its most proficient water-attributed power. It wasn't just because he wielded a Master Divine Sword capable of emitting ice-attributed energy, but because Xu Yang himself possessed the innate ability to control water-attributed power.

It was for this very reason that when confronting opponents with water-attributed power, Xu Yang's Sea God Domain often subtly influenced and affected them.

This allowed the frost power he unleashed to suppress water-attributed power even more perfectly.

Consequently, the giant water lizard was utterly defeated, having no right to resist Xu Yang in the slightest.

To fulfill the creature's last wish, Xu Yang finally unleashed his Sea God Totem just as the giant water lizard was on its last breath.

In that instant, the water lizard immediately felt the dense source of water-attributed power around it separate from its body.

It became a plaything, manipulated by Xu Yang in his palm.

"So that's how it is," the water lizard rasped. "I am truly convinced of my defeat now. You actually possess such a powerful domain for controlling water-attributed power. It seems encountering you was my destined calamity. However, regrettably, I will absolutely not reveal the secret you wish to know. Don't waste your time on me."

The water lizard was indeed a formidable character. As soon as it finished speaking, it decisively shattered its own soul world, not intending to leave even a trace of soul memory for Xu Yang.

Even though Xu Yang intervened promptly to try and stop this action, the life force still remained within the water lizard's own body. At the moment of its defeat, while its body completely lost control and was seized by Xu Yang, its soul was not immediately captured.

It was in that fleeting instant, as the water lizard's soul world completely collapsed, that Xu Yang knew he likely wouldn't get his wish this time.

However, just as the water lizard's body dissipated into a shimmering halo of light, its physical form became fragmented, yet it left behind a special object glowing with purple light, suspended where its body had vanished.

"Boss, look," Long Kun exclaimed, "it seems we're not empty-handed after all."

Long Kun excitedly rushed over immediately, clutching the brilliant purple object in his hand, and presented it to Xu Yang.

With Long Kun's strength, he couldn't possibly discern the secrets contained within this purple glowing object. However, when Xu Yang reached out and held the purple rectangular crystal in his hand, a familiar sensation flowed through his mind in that instant.

Xu Yang was no stranger to that feeling; it was the very aura pulsation he had felt when the Eighth Human Emperor had previously released a soul sound to him. Xu Yang was almost certain that the aura of the Eighth Human Emperor was contained within this crystal.

However, no matter how much dense spiritual energy Xu Yang released, he could not penetrate the interior of this crystal.

"Strange," Xu Yang murmured, "why can't my spiritual energy resonate with the aura inside this crystal?"

Xu Yang's spiritual energy strength was beyond doubt. The fact that he didn't achieve the desired effect meant there was only one possibility.

That was, this crystal was completely different from other energy bodies encountered in the Ancient Martial Divine Path. Xu Yang also deeply suspected that it sealed the aura of more than just the Eighth Human Emperor.

What secrets it truly held remained like an incomplete puzzle, with more clues awaiting Xu Yang's team to uncover.

He weighed the crystal in his palm and observed it carefully for a long time, finally shaking his head helplessly.

"You two don't need to look; there are no fluctuations at all," Xu Yang stated. "But since this object was guarded by that water lizard with its life, it must contain a crucial secret. I hope we can use this later. At least, the aura released by the Eighth Human Emperor cannot be mistaken."

Long Kun and Qing Ya exchanged glances, both nodding repeatedly in agreement with Xu Yang's assessment.

"Boss," Long Kun said, "everything here is finished. All the life-force devouring effects around us have disappeared. What was once one of the three forbidden zones will likely become two starting today."