Chapter 353: Changing Heaven and Earth

The leader carefully examined the token, a hint of cunning flashing in his eyes, before he shifted his gaze to Xu Yang.

"Indeed, your token is genuine. But where does this claim of royal decree come from?"

Xu Yang sneered, "Is this how you perform your duties? You don't even recognize the Flame Kingdom prince's command token?"

"Hahaha! What a stroke of luck! We didn't even have to search; you delivered yourself right to us! Guards, seize all these rebels!"

Rebels?

Xu Yang was truly stunned. The Flame Kingdom prince's token couldn't be fake, so how had he suddenly become a rebel?

There was no time to ponder; the dozens of gate guards before them were no pushovers.

Xu Yang immediately leaped backward. He didn't rush to draw his Asura Divine Sword but instead tried to conceal his true abilities. Relying solely on his extraordinary agility and speed, he continuously employed illusions, snapping the necks of the gate guards one by one.

Wushuang and the others didn't even need to intervene; Xu Yang alone nearly eliminated all the powerful guards.

To be fair, these warriors guarding the Flame Kingdom's royal city gate were indeed formidable, at least several levels stronger than the guards of the Divine Kingdom.

However, their level was far too inferior in front of Xu Yang.

In no time, Xu Yang had completely dealt with dozens of guards. Only the man who was still holding the leader's token remained, staring in astonishment, seemingly unable to process what had just happened before his eyes.

"Now, you can earn yourself a chance to live by truthfully answering my questions. But I must warn you, if you utter a single lie, it will not escape my perception."

The guard broke into a cold sweat. Desperate to save himself, he knelt on one knee, clasped his hands, and dared not make another move.

"Please ask, my lord. I will tell you everything I know, holding nothing back!"

"Then tell me, what has happened to the owner of this token?"

"My lord, this token is indeed the command token of the Flame Kingdom's Third Prince. However, three months ago, there was internal turmoil in the Flame Kingdom. The old king mysteriously disappeared, and the Third Prince's lineage was completely eradicated. He is now imprisoned at the bottom of Wangyou Lake."

Wushuang and the others in the carriage behind him naturally heard every word clearly. They all exchanged glances, seemingly in disbelief.

"My goodness, the King of the Flame Kingdom is said to be one of the few masters of this age. How could he suddenly disappear? This is too strange!"

Though Wushuang was also puzzled, she was certain that the man outside was not lying. Otherwise, his soul fluctuations could not have escaped her powerful mental perception.

"In that case, we need to rethink our plan! We've already alerted them, and entering the palace rashly would only put us in greater danger."

Hearing Long Kun's suggestion, Wushuang and the others nodded in agreement.

"Alright, you won't die. Now, I'm giving you two hours to dispose of these bodies immediately, and then come alone to the forest twenty miles outside the city to find me. Remember, you only have one life; I hope you value it."

As Xu Yang spoke, he suddenly extended a finger and poked a vital acupoint on the guard's shoulder blade, sending a surge of black Asura energy into his meridians.

If the man harbored any malicious intent, the Asura energy deep within his meridians would instantly explode, taking his life.

The guard, having experienced Xu Yang's methods, knew that no one would joke with their life. He had no choice but to comply.

Soon, the guard captain personally cleared away all the bodies on the ground, then, taking the token, he arrived at the forest area.

This time, he saw the large group of teammates following Xu Yang; almost none of them were ordinary. Above the cloud peak, the Black Phoenix was also constantly circling.

"M-my lord, I'm here..."

The man was clearly flustered. Xu Yang chuckled softly and patted his shoulder. "Don't be afraid. Your only task now is to lead us to Wangyou Lake. I'm going to rescue the Third Prince."

The guard clearly hesitated.

"What's wrong? Is it because powerful individuals are guarding that place, and you fear losing your life?"

The guard nodded solemnly. "It's rumored that the one guarding Wangyou Lake is Tian Xiaojia, the current King's most trusted personal guard. He's a top archer of this era; anyone hit by his arrows is either dead or gravely wounded! Sir, are you truly planning to take such a risk?"

Xu Yang chuckled. "Don't worry, he won't live past today."

With a nonchalant pat on the man's shoulder, Xu Yang's imperious words emerged, completely stunning the fellow before him.

The group finally set off towards their destination. The so-called Wangyou Lake was a beautiful spot outside the Flame Kingdom's capital, originally a transformed moat. It had now become the new Flame Kingdom King's most frequent private retreat.

Normally, the guard named Tian Xiaojia was on duty there. According to the guard, the entrance where the Third Prince was imprisoned and the restrictive magical arrays secretly placed around it were deep beneath the lake's surface.

Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't be difficult to sneak down and open the entrance. But with Tian Xiaojia, a top archer, guarding and suppressing the area, ordinary intruders wouldn't dare approach.

Because the new King of the Flame Kingdom had issued an order that Tian Xiaojia could execute anyone who dared to approach the area without prior approval.

Even so, the guard could not stop Xu Yang's team. That evening, before nightfall, Xu Yang's team successfully arrived near Wangyou Lake, outside the royal city.

Perceiving no aura fluctuations whatsoever, Xu Yang didn't detect the presence of the supposed top archer. Undeterred, he brazenly released his powerful aura, allowing it to envelop the entire surface of Wangyou Lake.

"Heh, are you trying to play games with me, kid? Where in hell is there any aura of a top expert?"

The guard captain looked embarrassed. He certainly wouldn't dare deceive Xu Yang, yet no aura of a powerful individual had appeared in the pavilion in the center of Wangyou Lake.

"There's no reason... Normally, Tian Xiaojia never leaves his post unless the King arrives! Who knows what's going on now."

"Commander Si, you have brought foreign invaders to this vital location without authorization. You cannot escape death."

Suddenly, an incredibly cold voice descended, and the air seemed to solidify at that moment.

Xu Yang instinctively frowned, looking into the deep darkness. Indeed, at that moment, he sensed a very strong aura of danger.

"A top-tier expert, indeed."

*Whoosh!*

From an unknown direction, a cold arrow flew out, heading straight for the guard commander beside Xu Yang.

If Xu Yang hadn't been there, that arrow would have pierced the guard's skull instantly.

"Hmph, I haven't let him die. Who dares to take his life!"