Decision

The five great experts at Xia Yang's side were all Shadow Guards handpicked by the imperial clan from respectable families and trained from childhood.

From the age of five, each had undergone Foundation Cultivation, using pills, needles, and other methods to extend and develop their potential.

The martial arts they cultivated came from secret manuals collected by the imperial clan. Their masters were all seasoned powerhouses, and the imperial clan provided every resource needed for cultivation.

Beyond their formidable martial arts, they were all fiercely loyal to the imperial clan.

To put it bluntly, if Xia Yang gave the order for them to slit their own throats at once, they would obey without even batting an eye.

After constant tempering, strengthening, and selection, they had ultimately formed a corps of Shadow Guards that obeyed only the orders of the Great Xia Emperor.

Every one of them was a supreme expert of the martial world, with none among them weak, comparable to the elders of top sects and aristocratic families.

Compared with Xia Hong, who still had to use poison to control the Ruyi Tower experts under him,

the Great Xia imperial clan possessed true deep-rooted strength, beyond anyone's reach.

Duàn Yì gripped the Dragon Abyss Sword. His sword intent was deeply concealed, his schemes smooth and complete; as he was gradually honed, his edge grew ever sharper.

Within his mind, he visualized a still lake, untouched by ripples, its surface reflecting every last detail of the surroundings.

Meanwhile, the experts positioned around the tavern were like adamantine chains, binding him tightly within their grasp.

Clearly, not only had these experts reached the pinnacle of cultivation, but their Qi Auras intertwined and overlapped, their coordination seamless. They might even have mastered a Combined Attack Formation. They absolutely could not be taken