"You want to grind the Purple Moon Sect into dust?" The prince repeated, and then, as if he had suddenly understood something, his face turned crimson as he clenched his teeth and the veins in his neck bulged. "You killed our father, turned our closest allies into abominations, and ruined our empire. All because you're bitter that the Purple Moon Sect rejected you as a disciple?"

Liu Xing's eyebrow rose. Surely, that was not the reason Yang Lihuo did all of this?

"They wouldn't recognize greatness if it struck them in the face, and I'm not bitter!" Yang Lihuo's voice crackled through the communication orb. "As I said, you cannot comprehend my plan. Not that it matters; even if you understood it, you couldn't stop me. I admit, I'm surprised you managed to decimate half of Wei Yi's creations, but we've already been compensated for that loss, so it's all right."

"What do you mean?" the prince demanded.

Yang Lihuo's laughter erupted through the orb, an ugly sound that grated through the air like rusted metal. Liu Xing felt insulted by its mocking tone.

"You know exactly what I mean."

The prince's teeth ground together, and even Liu Xing understood what Yang Lihuo meant.

They had lost Elder Yang Zhaoyan.

The communication orbs in Yang Lihuo's possession were evidence enough; the elder had been captured or killed. Worse still, he might have already been transformed into one of those abominations. This was the worst possible development. Elder Yang Zhaoyan had been their strongest cultivator. Losing him was like a sailing ship losing its sails in the middle of the ocean.

"I'll tell you one thing, Jinyan," Yang Lihuo continued, savoring each word. "The elder is under Wei Yi's control now, and they're modifying the Royal Barrier as we speak. But the main event won't begin for several hours."

"What are you saying?" The prince's voice was tight with barely contained rage.

Liu Xing could hear the smirk in Yang Lihuo's voice. "I'm inviting you, my dear elder brother, to witness my rebirth!"

The communication orb's glow suddenly vanished and the connection severed.

"That bastard!" The prince hurled the orb to the ground, shattering it into countless pieces. Still unsatisfied, he began stomping on the fragments as if they were responsible for his father's death. Liu Xing understood Prince Yang Jinyan's anger, but he forced himself to take a deep breath and think logically as he surveyed the group. Some were clenching their fists, while others were staring at the castle with hatred in their eyes. But underneath their expressions, Liu Xing could see fear. A man with a recently healed wound stood pale, his eyes darting as if looking for a way out. The prince's retainer watched him with concern, while many of the clan members exchanged glances.

Liu Xing stepped forward and placed a hand on the prince's shoulder. "That's enough. The orb is nothing but dust now."

The prince whirled to face him, his complexion still crimson, veins prominent on his neck and temples, teeth grinding. His hands were clenched into fists, and for a moment Liu Xing thought he might lash out. Instead, the prince drew a deep breath and reined in his emotions.

"It seems I allowed my composure to slip before you. My apologies for such an unworthy display."

"Don't concern yourself with it. I understand your feelings. It's not just you who's angry," Liu Xing gestured to the group, "we all are. Your younger brother is truly insufferable."

"He has always been smarter than me, especially in cultivation. But sometimes he does something so monumentally stupid that I wonder what's wrong with his head."

Liu Xing suspected that Yang Lihuo's rejection from the Purple Moon Sect was not the only reason for his betrayal. Humans were complex creatures, driven by countless emotions and motivations. There were likely numerous factors that had driven Yang Lihuo to this point; the sect's rejection probably had merely been the final thread to snap.

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"Let's focus on what matters right now," Liu Xing said. "What do we need to do?"

The prince considered for a moment before turning his head. "Hong'er, check the barrier. Confirm whether we're trapped."

The woman nodded and rushed toward the orange wall near the flower hills. She returned after a while, her grim expression answering their question before she shook her head.

They were truly trapped.

"We have only two choices," the prince said, his expression now as calm as still water, as if his earlier anger had been merely an act. Liu Xing understood he was merely projecting confidence, creating an illusion of control. Even knowing the prince was likely as terrified as everyone else, the show of composure was oddly reassuring.

"Either we fight them," he pointed at the third army, "or we head toward the Emperors' Tomb and save Elder Yang Zhaoyan," he gestured toward the golden castle. "There's also the option of doing nothing, but I know none of you would choose that. So, two choices. What do you all want?"

"I want to fight." The voice came from behind them.

Liu Xing turned to see a young-looking man with scrawny arms and a lanky build. Despite his youthful appearance, he was a Core Splitting cultivator; Liu Xing would not have been surprised if he was over eighty.

"I want to win," said Hong'er, taking her place beside the prince.

Similar declarations echoed around them; they wanted victory, survival, revenge, to reclaim the empire, to punish the betrayers. Their eyes burned with resolve.

"What do you want, Liu Xing?" the prince asked.

Liu Xing understood why he had been singled out. His opinion carried more weight within this group than the rest of the Yang clan combined. And so, he pinched his chin, considering their options. Should they fight an army or enter the Emperor's Tomb to save Elder Yang Zhaoyan? At first, the second option seemed better. After all, Lihuo merely stated that they had captured the Elder, who was now under the control of Wei Yi. If they succeeded in freeing him, he might be able to help them. He was the one who deployed the Royal Barrier under Wei Yi's control, after all, and so, freeing him could delay the impending sacrifice—or rather, Yang Lihuo's rebirth. However, Yang Lihuo and Wei Yi were likely there with Sun Refining realm abominations under Wei Yi's control. In that case, facing an army of Core Splitting realm abominations seemed like the safer choice. However, choosing that path would mean abandoning Elder Yang Zhaoyan and allowing Yang Lihuo and Wei Yi to go unchallenged.

"Prince, do you have any talismans that might help our situation?" Liu Xing asked.

"Several," he nodded.

"Anything that could help your people move undetected?"

"Unfortunately not, at least not on the scale we'd need."

"I see." Liu Xing wrestled with the decision, weighing their options. Neither choice seemed better than the other. He was even entertaining the idiotic notion of trying to do both when a thought popped into his head.

He turned around, climbed onto an intact building, and lay flat on its roof. Enhancing his vision, he sharpened his focus until he could clearly see the abominations marching toward the golden castle. From this distance, they resembled a colorful river that was flowing steadily.

"Have you thought of something?"

The prince lay beside him, and Liu Xing nodded. "Remember what I told you about those spirit beasts?" As he spoke, he watched the countless abominations with their vibrant skin and varied ears walking on snake limbs. They laughed, cackled, smiled, and smirked while flying worms buzzed around them like bees.

"They're dangerous. They can split themselves and steal bloodlines," the Prince said.

"Yes, and they're exceptional fighters. Partly because they can choose which bloodlines give them the greatest advantage and adjust their fighting style. But to do that, they need to think and be creative. I'd say they're closer to humans than spirit beasts."

Beyond their raw cultivation power, those abominations were dangerous because they could think and fully utilize their stolen bloodlines. This set them apart from the first and second armies he had fought, which had been nearly mindless. Those armies only showed coordinated movement when their general appeared, and even then, their reactions had been sluggish. That sluggishness had been key to Liu Xing's victory.

He explained this observation to the prince.

"I follow your train of thought," the prince said, "but I'm not sure I fully grasp your meaning."

"It's actually quite simple," Liu Xing replied. "Those abominations are formidable, but only when they can think for themselves. Since Wei Yi likely created them, there's a strong chance he can control them. But that control comes at a cost to their minds."

The prince paused, then his eyes widened. "So, when Wei Yi controls them, they're weaker?"

"Exactly."

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