Chapter 212: Waiting for the Hare at the Tree Stump

The newcomers meant trouble.

Xu Yang instinctively stepped forward, shielding the Empress behind him. He had noticed that among the dozen or so people, the three leaders were emitting spiritual energy fluctuations! The only individuals in Sangshui City who could bypass the spirit-nullifying formation were direct descendants of the City Lord's Mansion, the city's so-called enforcers.

"Retreat." Xu Yang's single, forceful word prompted the Empress to immediately pull back without hesitation. However, before they could get far, Xu Yang and the Empress were cornered by two groups of people into a nearby alley. This move diverted them from the passing pedestrians but also completely sealed them within the narrow lane.

"Empress Han Yue, Xue Qinghan, such a grand scheme could only be yours. I can't imagine anyone else. Alliance Leader Feng's judgment was indeed correct; you two truly chose to depart from Sangshui City to search for the Taotie in the East Sea. It seems our waiting game has paid off this time."

The leader was Zhu Bichu, one of the North Jin Sword Alliance's cronies. He was a peak Soul Transformation stage expert, but within the spirit-nullifying formation, his power was restricted to the peak Nascent Soul stage.

"Hmph, since you've discovered me, there's no need for me to pretend. If you're brave enough, call out Feng Xiu. Do you really think a group of trash like you can be insolent in front of me?"

Xue Qinghan immediately displayed her imperial authority, but the man named Zhu seemed unimpressed.

"Hmph, Empress, you seem to have forgotten that this is Sangshui City. Even if you were a celestial king, you'd still have to abide by Sangshui City's rules here! It's your misfortune that we've caught you!"

"Attack!" The dozen or so martial artists behind him drew their short knives and lunged at Xu Yang and Xue Qinghan.

Martial artists typically relied on rigorous physical training and close-combat skills. Even without spiritual energy or martial arts techniques, they could demonstrate considerable strength.

With her spiritual energy restricted, the Empress's power was severely limited. Xu Yang, however, could still exert some influence due to his profound understanding of the 'Path of Proximity'.

"Since you're all lackeys of North Jin, don't blame me for being merciless."

Stomping his foot forcefully, Xu Yang pushed his hands forward. A dragon's roar, powerful enough to uproot mountains, echoed as a dragon soul seemed to surge towards the end of the alley. A ferocious killing intent fully erupted, striking the group of thugs charging towards him.

"Damn it, what's going on? This guy can still use martial techniques!" The crowd was completely stunned; it was too late to retreat.

The dragon-shaped energy wave was incredibly fierce, instantly tearing apart the frontline thugs who relied on their hardened bodies. The next second, Xu Yang launched himself into the air with a single step, charging directly at the leader named Zhu.

The entire process lasted only a few seconds, yet the Empress behind him was once again astonished by Xu Yang, the man who consistently created miracles!

Whether it was the domineering Dragon Roar Palm just moments ago or his imposing figure as he shielded her, both left an indelible impression on the Empress.

It was important to note that Xue Qinghan had had very little contact with men since childhood. Her master, the previous Empress, had meticulously crafted what was arguably the world's most perfect cultivation plan for her, guiding her growth to reach her current heights. However, this also destined her life to be less than exciting, despite possessing everything the world could offer: power, status, beauty, strength... Yet, ultimately, she was not a happy person and had never experienced the feeling of being protected by a man.

In fact, she generally resisted contact with men, which was the fundamental reason she cultivated the Pure Yang martial arts.

Until she met Xu Yang, the icy temperature in her heart, formed by millennia of unyielding ice, seemed to begin to rise little by little...

The combined force of over twenty individuals proved to be as fragile as straw before Xu Yang.

In reality, Xu Yang's Dragon Roar Palm earlier was a pure palm wind, powered by the soul of a guardian dragon, with no spiritual energy released. It was merely a more advanced form of physical hardening. However, having cultivated for a hundred thousand years, Xu Yang's physical strength and combat experience were simply incomparable to these individuals.

Soon, more than twenty corpses littered the alley's depths. Only the man named Zhu remained, his limbs crippled by Xu Yang, and he was thrown like a dead dog at the Empress's feet, lying there motionless and daring not to stir.

"Answer three questions, and you'll have a chance to live. First, are there any of Feng Xiu's people stationed at the docks? Including on the ships of different specifications?"

"Yes! Alliance Leader Feng and the City Lord's Mansion seem to have a secret agreement. They sent us to infiltrate Sangshui to wait for you to take the bait. There are Sword Alliance supervisors at all four levels of sea permit checkpoints: white, yellow, blue, and purple. Orange permits represent the highest-grade sea-going teams, with only two ships departing each week, and each ship only having ten slots. Therefore, no sentries were placed for these, because the conditions for exchanging an orange sea permit are quite stringent, and there's a weekly limit on how many can be exchanged. Through normal channels, you wouldn't be able to acquire one quickly."

Xu Yang exchanged a glance with the Empress, knowing the man wouldn't dare lie.

"Second question: Why can you, to some extent, disregard the restrictions of the spirit-nullifying formation and use some spiritual energy?"

Old Zhu reluctantly replied, "This spirit-nullifying formation is actually a type of curse mark. If you know the incantation to dispel the curse, you can break the mark. But I'm only a spy sent by Alliance Leader Feng, and the incantation I know can only release half of my true strength."

"I see..." Xu Yang was pleased with the clues the man provided.

"Last question: How far into the East Sea can an orange-level ship travel?"

"There's no limit. In fact, on the highest-grade ships, there are no crew members. Ten passengers take turns piloting the vessel, disembarking themselves once they reach their desired location. If you're not afraid of death, you can also disembark early along the way. You must understand that while the East Sea is considered a celestial land in legends, it is fraught with danger. There are countless sea beasts of all kinds, capable of attacking at any moment. The ship itself is equipped with a formation that provides some aura concealment. If you leave the ship and fly over the sea on your own, you risk encountering attacks at any time."

At this point, Old Zhu's usefulness was almost exhausted. Xu Yang patted Old Zhu's shoulder in an encouraging manner, saying, "You've been very thorough. I'll spare your life."

The Empress seemed about to say something but held back. Suddenly, she saw Xu Yang place a palm on the man's head, transmitting a powerful spiritual force. He was performing an incredibly potent soul retrieval technique.

It was at this moment that the Empress truly realized the depth of Xu Yang's power. Even with her formidable spiritual strength, she wouldn't dare attempt such a technique lightly.

"I've found the method to dispel the curse mark."