Chapter 844: Intervening

The closer he got to the center of the two individuals' imposing aura, the more oppressive Yun Yixuan felt the pressure become. However, he never gave up, continuously closing the distance. What he didn't expect was that at this very moment, Xu Yang had already arrived with a large contingent of people.

Just as Yun Yixuan was about ten meters away from the two powerful figures, Xu Yang suddenly shot into the air with lightning speed, plunging into the center of their battle. In a display of coming from behind to take the lead, he bypassed Yun Yixuan below and positioned himself directly between the two combatants.

"Sirs, please stop fighting!"

Xu Yang calmly pushed out his palms, directly separating the two combatants in front of Yun Yixuan, who was just a few meters away.

"Ayang, what in the world are you doing?!"

Xu Yang turned to Yun Yixuan with an innocent expression and said, "It was all a mistake, a complete misunderstanding. This isn't the territory of that guy called the Western Emperor at all. On our way here, we captured a few puppets under the Western Emperor, which helped us figure everything out. I quickly brought people to find you."

Little did Yun Yixuan know that Xu Yang had done it on purpose. He instantly spewed out a mouthful of old blood.

"I was making a wager with these two sirs! Of course, I knew they weren't the Western Emperor's people. I was about to retrieve the Seventh Prince's soul, but you suddenly interfered, making all my previous efforts go to waste!"

"Hahahaha!"

The middle-aged man with the golden spear burst into hearty laughter. He immediately told the Grey Girl nearby to release the Seventh Prince's soul. However, it wasn't to be given to Yun Yixuan, but to Xu Yang, who had stopped their sparring.

The Grey Girl didn't object. With a flick of her hand, the Seventh Prince's soul returned to Xu Yang's palm, and he sealed it within a portable magical artifact.

"It's surprising how outstanding your strength is, young man. You're far stronger than that imperial envoy. To be able to effortlessly enter our domain and separate our fight within the barrier without harm—your talent is truly astonishing!"

Watching the two seniors praise Xu Yang, Yun Yixuan's anger burned to its peak. After all that, he had essentially paved the way for Xu Yang's success.

"Well, since we can't determine a victor today, let's continue tomorrow. Young man, since you've found your opponent, you should depart quickly. Although you are invaders from the Northern Domain, our band of bandits does not seek trouble. As long as you don't bother us, we naturally won't make things difficult for you."

The man with the golden spear suddenly pulled out a map and handed it to Xu Yang.

"Take this map. Following its directions, you'll reach the foot of Qizong Mountain within two days. However, I want to warn you: the Western Emperor's power is truly immense. He commands eight formidable top assassins, each possessing unique skills, and it's said that two of them originate from other continents."

Xu Yang showed gratitude and nodded repeatedly.

"Thank you for your help. I can assure you that my people will not harm your bandit faction in any way."

"Hahahaha, young brother, you are straightforward. May you achieve swift success!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the two middle-aged men and the Grey Girl vanished into the plains. Their movement speed was no less than that of any Sky Martial Realm expert.

Xu Yang knew very well that the reason these people greeted him warmly while scoffing at Yun Yixuan was because Ling Yao had already made arrangements with this faction beforehand. According to the joint plan of Xu Yang and Ling Yao, this particular bandit faction—one of the three major bandit forces led by the Grey Girl's grandfather—was supposed to support Ling Yao and the various alliances. Despite their status as bandits, they maintained a good cooperative relationship with the Eastern Domain Alliance Army under Ling Yao's command.

The other two bandit factions, however, were truly heinous and the root of all evil!

Regardless of his position, Xu Yang felt it necessary to completely eradicate them. This time, he used Yun Yixuan's presence as an excuse, legitimizing his campaign to suppress the Eastern Domain's bandit forces under the Imperial Family's name. This not only aided Ling Yao's Eastern Domain Alliance Army but also appeased the Imperial Family, represented by Yun Yixuan. Additionally, he conveniently placed the blame for the Seventh Prince's earlier demise on the Western Emperor. What was originally a complex situation became much clearer thanks to Xu Yang's actions. All accusations were now aimed at the Western Emperor. As long as this most powerful bandit faction could be successfully suppressed, all other problems would be resolved.

"Sect Master, judging by their tone, that man called the Western Emperor is truly an extraordinary figure."

"Nonsense," Yun Yixuan scoffed, "The bandit force commanded by the Western Emperor alone is comparable to the other two major bandit groups combined! He is the largest bandit leader in the entire Eastern Domain."

Yun Yixuan sarcastically retorted to Old Tan, his voice clearly laced with resentment, still unable to recover from the recent experience.

"Brother Yixuan, don't overthink it," Xu Yang said. "Once we completely wipe out the Western Emperor's faction, I will hand over the Seventh Prince's soul and all other evidence to you! Before that, however, it would be best if you fought alongside me. Otherwise, with our small number facing the Western Emperor's faction, which outnumbers us dozens of times, it's hard to say who will win or lose."

Yun Yixuan sneered, "If not for the Imperial Family's mission, I wouldn't associate with someone like you even if it killed me!"

Xu Yang shrugged indifferently and continued on with his large force.

As the golden-speared middle-aged man had advised, the large force reached the border of Qizong Mountain in less than two days by following his map. However, as soon as they entered the area, the dense smell of blood in the air made the warriors very uncomfortable.

"My heavens, how can this be? It feels like we've entered a slaughterhouse. This bloody stench is truly nauseating!"

Yun Xiao shook her head helplessly. As someone who valued beauty, the last thing she wanted to see was such a gory scene.

"Something's wrong," Xu Yang immediately deduced. "This bloody scent seems to contain a special power that can interfere with our souls to some extent."

Xu Yang immediately realized something was amiss. He intended to lead the main force back several dozen miles to avoid the pervasive, peculiar bloody scent. However, before Yun Yixuan could agree to his request, an array of horrifying wails and howls erupted from all directions around the battlefield.

"Outsiders, what do you take Qizong Mountain for? Do you think you can just come and go as you please? Daring to trespass on Lord Western Emperor's territory... you truly have a death wish!"

Soon, the source of the voices, accompanied by a large group of ninjas in black combat suits, swiftly appeared on the battlefield.

"They're the legendary Dark Ninjas!"