Chapter 1936: Third Piece of the Purple Jade Crystal

Xu Yang revealed a satisfied smile, his promises to the old emperor now completely fulfilled.

The old emperor naturally did not neglect Xu Yang, first bestowing titles and promotions upon everyone in Xu Yang's team who had contributed to the battle. Although these powerful cultivators cared little for such worldly distinctions, these titles would significantly facilitate their activities anywhere within the empire. Furthermore, Xu Yang also needed to gather immense faith power from the myriad beings within the empire. This accumulation would enable the old emperor to establish statues dedicated to Xu Yang in the future, as Xu Yang required a sufficiently revered status in the eyes of the common people to fulfill his objectives.

In addition, the old emperor had thoroughly scoured every corner of the palace, both inside and out, in the shortest possible time, yet the third purple jade crystal remained elusive. Xu Yang, too, grew increasingly anxious. Every additional day spent here meant thousands of martial artists would perish on the main battlefield at the empire's border. He had to make haste.

In sheer desperation, Xu Yang re-entered the underground prison—the very location where he had personally killed the priest—hoping to find new clues and make a discovery. Upon re-entering the depths of the prison, the space felt remarkably empty, as Xu Yang had already cleared out the special rock materials from the outer areas. The only thing that stood out was the stone throne, the very one the priest had always remained close to.

Previously, Xu Yang's attention had been diverted elsewhere, causing him to overlook the throne. Now, upon his return, Xu Yang sensed something distinct about it. He extended his right hand, and a potent devouring force instantly erupted from his palm, drawing the meter-tall stone directly towards him. With an unhesitating palm strike, the stone shattered instantly. As the throne's original form disintegrated outwards, an extraordinarily brilliant light truly emerged from within the statue. Xu Yang fixed his gaze upon it: was this not the third purple jade crystal he had tirelessly sought in vain?

Xu Yang finally burst into laughter, feeling fortunate for his ingenious approach. Had this thought not occurred to him, he might have been delayed indefinitely in the imperial capital. Clutching the purple jade crystal in his palm, Xu Yang attempted to infuse it with powerful life force once more to awaken it, yet no significant change occurred. However, when Xu Yang placed the other two purple jade crystals alongside this third one, they produced a powerful resonance with each other. The two terrifying, diametrically opposed forces sealed within also appeared to grow more restless as the three stones converged.

From this, Xu Yang could almost certainly deduce that what was sealed within these stones was the ultimate clue to finding the Supreme God's will. Furthermore, the other power suppressing the Supreme God's will might well be the Eighth Human Emperor, hidden within a specific region of the Ancient Martial God Path. At present, however, these were merely Xu Yang's conjectures, and he lacked definitive evidence to prove his deductions. But such details no longer seemed important.

His immediate task was to lead his team to the imperial border battlefield. To ensure maximum convenience for Xu Yang's subsequent actions, the old emperor truly went to great lengths, personally bestowing upon Xu Yang his most prized True Dragon Gold Medallion as a token of gratitude for reviving the Empress. It was widely known that holding this gold medallion granted Xu Yang and his team imperial-level treatment anywhere in the empire, as if the old emperor himself were present. Furthermore, this medallion also allowed for the mobilization of a certain number of border troops, providing Xu Yang with the essential resources for his future endeavors at the frontier.

After all post-event matters within the palace were settled, Xu Yang reassembled his team there. The old emperor, now once again robed in dragon attire, and the empress, clad in her phoenix robe beside him, personally welcomed the group.

"Your Majesty, all good things must come to an end. Our journey, supporting each other and working hand in hand to clear the internal obstacles within the empire, has been the fruit of our collective efforts. Our impact in the imperial capital is now minimal. Please permit us to depart immediately for the empire's border; that battlefield still requires our presence."

The old emperor made no further inquiries. He was fully aware of what Xu Yang and his team had accomplished and held complete trust in them. He simply nodded gently and waved his hand. The attendant guard captain immediately presented a collection of necessary provisions, treating it as a farewell gesture for Xu Yang's team.

Notably, several Grand Elders of the Changyun Tianzong, including Lan Ling'er, did not immediately return to their sect after departing the imperial capital. Instead, they made a spontaneous decision to assist Xu Yang's team and embark on a significant mission at the empire's border.

After they proposed this idea, Xu Yang looked earnestly at Lan Ling'er and the others, then spoke with a smile. "Are you truly certain? The battlefield at the empire's border promises to be even more perilous than anything we've encountered thus far. At the border, the disciples of the dark forces are hatching an even more dreadful conspiracy. Should a large-scale conflict erupt there, it would be exceedingly difficult for me to continue protecting you, even if I wished to."

Hearing Xu Yang's words, the others merely chuckled dismissively. "Sir Xu Yang, your immense power seems to have led you to overlook our significance. Do not forget, we are all formidable Martial God-level cultivators. Even if the dark force disciples deploy countless war puppets, they are no match for our raw strength. With the seven of us at the border, we can certainly help alleviate a considerable amount of pressure for you."

Nangong and the others sincerely voiced their agreement with Lan Ling'er. "After all, Lan Ling'er is the young mistress of the Changyun Tianzong and its future sect leader. As long as she makes the decisions for the Elder Council, these elders are more than willing to pledge their lives to Xu Yang."

Seeing everyone's high spirits, Xu Yang decided not to decline further. Having such powerful martial artists volunteer their aid was an immense benefit, both for Xu Yang personally and for the entire empire.

"Very well, since you are so willing, I will not force you to stop. However, let me be clear: this is not a journey, but a true life-and-death struggle. There will be no benefits for those who follow me! You will only be used as mere laborers!"