Chapter 880: New Blood

There have been rumors circulating about the prince who arrived from the Central Domain royal family. Why did he suddenly 'ascend like a dragon'? How can we explain all of this?

Sabretooth sighed softly. "The Western Emperor you refer to was the last and only direct royal bloodline of the Western Desolation Dynasty. This means he was the sole descendant on the entire Yingzhou Continent to possess divine blood, making him virtually a symbol of immortality within the continent's framework."

"So what exactly is this talk of 'ascending and transforming into a dragon'? If he possessed divine blood, the Western Emperor should have been among the most powerful beings. Why then was he defeated by the prince from the Central Domain royal family?"

Sabretooth shook his head, dismissing the Queen of Spades's established understanding.

"You have a fundamental misunderstanding," Sabretooth explained. "Immortality refers to vitality, not to the Western Emperor's combat prowess. An enemy could completely overwhelm him with superior combat power and then forcibly absorb his life force. This is precisely what turned him into the mummified state you see now. Immortality only ensured his body remained indestructible, but his life force and soul have been utterly drained. Without finding that prince from all those years ago, the Western Emperor can never be resurrected."

"As for the so-called 'ascending like a dragon,' I believe it was simply a ruse he used to deceive the world. Many had already noticed his arrival to find the Western Emperor and enter the unknown domain. If he hadn't employed a special method to mislead people, it would have caused him considerable trouble in the future. If my assessment is correct, that prince is now likely concealed within an unknown region of the Yingzhou Continent. There's no doubt that once he reappears in this world, he will be the strongest on the entire continent."

"There's also something else I must make clear: though the ancient jade is fractured into four pieces, you can find the remaining three through your own efforts. However, to perfectly fuse these four broken pieces into a flawless state, and thereby unleash its original power to open the Path to Heaven, is no easy feat—it's like trying to mend a broken mirror. To restore the shattered ancient jade to its perfect condition, you must acquire the immortal power from within the Western Emperor. Only the immortal power passed down by the Western Desolation Dynasty can truly facilitate the complete revival of that ancient jade."

Only then did Xu Yang fully comprehend. After all the discussion, it became clear that the mysterious prince from years ago was ultimately the crucial individual Xu Yang needed to find.

Xu Yang turned to the Queen of Spades. "Do you know who that person truly is?"

The Queen of Spades shook her head helplessly. "After that incident, the Central Domain royal family remained tight-lipped and issued a strict prohibition. Anyone who dared to comment on the matter would face the complete eradication of their entire clan. For a period, leaders of various domain powers were utterly terrified, not daring to even inquire about the news."

"Over the years, perhaps only a few top factions in our Eastern Domain have not given up. After all, with the Western Desolation Tomb under our watch, who could truly find peace of mind?"

After hearing the Queen of Spades, Xu Yang nodded gently. "Very well. Since our subsequent goals and path are now clear, there's no need to waste any more time here. From this moment, if you are willing to join my Sacred Flame Divine Sect, I can consider bringing you along when I collect all the ancient jade fragments, fuse the complete jade, and open the Path to Heaven."

A glimmer of elfin light shone in the Queen of Spades's eyes. She had initially prepared herself to be Xu Yang's adversary, as the ancient jade's allure was immense for any top-tier expert in the Eastern Domain. Even without its ability to open the Path to Heaven, the power inherent in each piece of ancient jade was boundless. However, now that she had encountered Xu Yang firsthand and learned of his secrets and origins, the Queen of Spades increasingly felt that "A-Yang" was truly an individual of unimaginable potential, blessed with immense destiny. Even if the ancient jade were hers, she knew she could not wield it to its full extent. Compared to stepping onto the Path to Heaven and encountering god-like beings in truly supreme realms, the Queen of Spades clearly understood that the current immediate benefits were utterly negligible.

"I can agree to that. But I also hope you remember your promise to me today: when the Path to Heaven opens, I must be among those who follow you."

The Queen of Spades suddenly smiled knowingly at Xu Yang, raising her little finger. "I believe you are a man of your word, someone who honors commitments. We don't need to sign a contract. From this day forward, whenever your Sacred Flame Divine Sect issues a command, and there is a need for the Queen of Spades, we will devote all our efforts and wholeheartedly follow your lead."

With the Queen of Spades's promise, Xu Yang finally felt content.

This journey to the Western Desolation Tomb not only secured him the support of the Great Dog and Winter Goddess factions but also gained him the formidable alliance of the Queen of Spades, one of the three great bandit groups of the Eastern Domain. It's safe to say that Xu Yang's influence across the entire Eastern Domain has now soared, enabling him to almost rival a dozen allied factions.

"What are your plans now?"

The Queen of Spades suddenly asked Xu Yang, who promptly gave a clear answer. "It's simple: I'll take the Western Emperor's Coffin. Don't you agree that these desolate ruins offer an excellent place for cultivation? Although they appear dilapidated, this space holds incredibly rich conditions for spiritual practice. If our warriors train here, their strength will undoubtedly increase day by day. Furthermore, this location can serve as a crucial hiding place, as outsiders cannot easily intervene. The jade-bone artifact in my hand is the perfect key to it."

After hearing Xu Yang's analysis, the Queen of Spades grew more convinced of his reasoning and quickly gave him a thumbs-up.

"I say, you two are having quite the discussion here. How about including me?"

Just then, the grey-robed elder, who had caught up, approached them, panting, drawing simultaneous glances from both Xu Yang and the Queen of Spades. Upon seeing the old man, they exchanged a look of resignation.

"I'm sorry, but although you are one of the leaders of the three great bandit factions in the Eastern Domain, you are not as trustworthy as the Queen of Spades when it comes to promises. I have no desire to collaborate with you unless you can offer sufficient leverage. If you fail to impress me, then I regret to inform you that not only will you not become my partner, but you will also become a casualty of my sword."

Xu Yang showed no politeness toward the old man. After all, it was he who had previously orchestrated schemes, using the Qizong Mountain Seven Emperors' stronghold as a means to gradually lead Xu Yang to open the Western Emperor's Tomb. Xu Yang owed him nothing.

The old man had just overheard the collaborative agreement between Xu Yang and the Queen of Spades and was eager to join Xu Yang's team, hoping to gain a share of the benefits. However, it now seemed that he would need to offer substantial leverage to persuade Xu Yang.

"While I may not have any immediate leverage, I do have a proposal. The exact locations of the other three parts of this ancient jade are currently unknown. If they are within the Eastern Domain, that's manageable, but if they are in the Western Domain, Southern Domain, or even in the hands of the Central Domain royal family, acquiring them will be exceedingly difficult. Your Excellency has only recently arrived in the Eastern Domain. I suggest establishing a branch of the Sacred Flame Divine Sect here. This would allow you to issue commands to us remotely, even if you depart later, and to mobilize all resources from the Eastern Domain at any time. I, for my part, am willing to serve as a vanguard for this Eastern Domain branch, rallying all Eastern Domain bandits to obey your commands."