Chapter 833: Large-scale Search

Shortly after Xu Yang issued his orders, Elder Tan and his five Heavenly Kings immediately mobilized 50,000 elite beast warriors. They positioned their forces fifteen miles outside the city, ready to advance into the border regions of the Northeast Two Domains at any moment.

However, just as the army was poised to depart, the situation Xu Yang had previously anticipated finally materialized.

Outside the main city, a squadron of golden-armored cavalry arrived, bearing an imperial edict. They were authorized to assume full command of all military operations to quell the border disturbances in the Eastern Domain.

It was clear to any discerning observer that these were imperial spies, dispatched specifically to monitor Xu Yang and his faction. Under the guise of assisting in the eradication of the Eastern Domain bandits, they were tasked with overseeing all movements of Xu Yang's Sacred Flame Alliance, effectively stripping him of his primary command in the name of imperial authority.

When Xu Yang and his companions rode out of the city to meet them, Yun Xiao's expression immediately soured upon seeing the leader of the contingent.

"This is Yun Yixuan, the Deputy Commander of His Majesty's Imperial Guard, and the fourth-ranked Heavenly Martial Artist among the five strongest masters in the Central Domain!"

"Oh? Is he also a member of the Yun family?" Xu Yang couldn't help but quietly ask Yun Xiao.

"No, granting surnames to skilled officials is a common tactic for the imperial family to win popular support. His original surname is Hong, and I'm unsure of his specific lineage. The five great masters are all very mysterious; I only know of his existence and none of his other details. In short, you need to be careful. This man has the authority to act on behalf of the imperial family without prior approval, which means he's no simple character."

Xu Yang chuckled softly, "Don't worry. At least for now, we cannot make an enemy of him. We've just eliminated the Seventh Prince. If we can appease this fellow, it will silence the imperial family. Far from being our adversary, he should become a tool for us to clear our name."

After the two exchanged thoughts mentally, Yun Yixuan dismounted his horse and approached Xu Yang, giving him a penetrating look.

"You are A Yang, leader of the Northern Domain Sacred Flame Alliance, aren't you? You should already be well aware of my purpose: to assume full command of the 50,000 troops sent to conquer the Eastern Domain, along with the 10,000 elite golden-armored soldiers I brought myself.

My objective this time is very clear: to uncover which reckless faction of bandits dared to lay hands on the Seventh Prince. Naturally, if there are any other undisclosed reasons, I will certainly investigate those as well."

Yun Yixuan's words were clearly loaded with veiled meaning, subtly hinting at Xu Yang. However, Xu Yang had encountered countless such situations. Without concrete evidence, any judgments the other party made would be utterly meaningless.

"With the Imperial Envoy personally present, we in the Northern Domain naturally dare not overstep. Since everyone has arrived, let's proceed immediately."

"Wait, before we depart, I must first inspect the supply depot."

The moment Yun Yixuan uttered these words, the five Heavenly Kings of the Sacred Flame Divine Sect exchanged shocked glances.

Elder Tan stepped forward, looking somewhat awkward. "Special Envoy Yun, I'm afraid that might not be very convenient. The Sacred Flame Alliance's private treasury is never open to outsiders. Aside from our Sect Master, not even we, the five Heavenly Kings, possess such authority."

Yun Yixuan raised his hand, aiming a slap at Elder Tan's face.

However, just before his strike could land, Xu Yang calmly reached out and seized Yun Yixuan's wrist.

The instant this action occurred, all the warriors from both armies simultaneously drew their weapons from their waists. Their movements were perfectly synchronized, and their blades gleamed menacingly.

"What are you doing? Are you trying to rebel?" Yun Yixuan countered with a light chuckle, appearing to jest. Unbeknownst to them, however, the power gathering in his palm was anything but ambiguous. Had Xu Yang not intervened, that slap would have critically wounded Elder Tan, if not killed him.

"Although you are an Imperial Envoy, that does not grant you the right to punish my people in my presence. They are not merely citizens of this city; they are also disciples of my Sacred Flame Divine Sect, my personal students. If you strike my disciples, you must surely consult me, their master, first?"

Xu Yang's explanation was flawless, leaving his opponent no room for rebuttal.

Yun Yixuan nodded, a look of indignation on his face, but nevertheless lowered his arm, which finally eased the tense standoff between the two parties.

"Inspecting the inventory is your prerogative as an Imperial Envoy. It's not just about checking accounts; even if you were to become the Alliance Leader of the Northern Domain, it would be beyond reproach. However, if you recklessly harm my people, even if it were your Emperor himself coming to the Northern Domain, I would not stand idly by."

Xu Yang's clear declaration of his stance genuinely warmed the hearts of the tens of thousands of his own enforcement warriors standing behind him.

In this day and age, a leader who protects his subordinates so fiercely is truly a rare sight.

"Search thoroughly, search meticulously!"

"Understood!"

The golden-armored warriors carried out their duties diligently, practically turning Xu Yang's main city's private treasury inside out. Yet, they found nothing of value, including, of course, the spoils of war confiscated from the Seventh Prince's soldiers.

Unbeknownst to them, Xu Yang had long before arranged for Elder Tan to send that batch of equipment to the Divine Capital Auction House. There, it had been secretly processed by the most professional team, leaving absolutely no trace.

Now, the Divine Capital faction had become Xu Yang's most trusted secret laundering service. All spoils of war and equipment acquired from victories were uniformly sent by Xu Yang to the Divine Capital Alliance for disposal, ensuring complete security. The two factions were now truly bound together.

Yun Yixuan spent three full days investigating, meticulously searching nearly every suspicious location in the Northern Domain, including the Divine Capital Alliance. However, the final results left him somewhat exasperated; there was not a single shred of evidence to suggest that Xu Yang had been involved in the attack on the Seventh Prince.

"Well, Special Envoy Yun? Are you satisfied with your investigation? I'm not clear what you're investigating, nor do I wish to inquire. However, you'd best not waste too much of my time. Civilians are perishing daily at the hands of bandits along the border of the Northeast Two Domains."

Yun Yixuan nodded with a light chuckle. "Very well, then let us depart tomorrow. It seems no matter how much further I investigate, I am unlikely to obtain a satisfactory result."

Xu Yang sneered, looking at Yun Yixuan. "If you had already decided in your mind that I was responsible, you could have simply taken your men back to the Central Domain. The imperial family would surely believe you, not an 'unruly' character like me, wouldn't they?"

Xu Yang's words were, in fact, a subtle hint to Yun Yixuan. Xu Yang had long discerned that this man had arrived not solely for an imperial mission, but very likely harbored other undisclosed objectives.

"Heh heh, Sir A Yang is indeed forthright. To be honest with you, I came to the Northern Domain this time because I received a secret report: foreign powerhouses from the Desolate Reaches have entered the Northern Domain. That is why such a large contingent was dispatched to investigate. Eliminating the Eastern Domain bandits is not my primary mission. The imperial family has issued an order that once a visitor from the Desolate Reaches is found, they must be brought back to the Central Domain. This is the rule!"