This Is a Warning
Emperor Li Shiqing of the Cloud Mountain Empire frowned as he watched Zhang Yang enter the main hall.
He was furious. Was this never going to end?
Does he think it's his own palace?
Come and go as you please?
However, the Cloud Mountain Empire had been disciplined by the Azure Cloud Sect and was not as Dao Tian as the Cloud Soaring Empire.
Faced with this sudden situation, the palace hall fell into a deathly silence; no one dared to speak rashly.
Seeing the situation was turning sour, a high-ranking official standing in the front row had no choice but to step forward and ask, "What do you want to say?"
Zhang Yang walked to the front, glanced back at the crowd, and then turned to Emperor Li Shiqing: "I've come to tell you all that Emperor Cloud Soaring is dead! I killed him!"
Although he didn't kill him, he simply took the credit.
Emperor Li Shiqing stood up abruptly, staring intently at Zhang Yang, his face filled with shock.
The loyal officials of the court were so shocked that they couldn't help but gasp.
The usually elusive Eunuch Hong suddenly appeared in the main hall, standing beside the emperor, looking at Zhang Yang with a wary expression.
Having just killed Emperor Cloud Soaring, is he now coming to the Cloud Mountain Empire also to kill the emperor?
Li Shiqing also harbored the same suspicion that Zhang Yang had come to kill him; otherwise, why would he barge straight into the main hall, especially during the grand court assembly?
The minister standing at the front, though trembling with fear, still asked, "Are you here to tell us this news?"
Zhang Yang shifted his gaze from the emperor to the assembled ministers and slowly said, "Emperor Cloud Soaring decided to pledge allegiance to the Langya Sacred Land and take actions that would harm the Azure Cloud Continent, so I simply eliminated them all."
It won't be long before the royal Cloud Soaring Empire changes hands.
After this incident, I'm somewhat worried that the Cloud Mountain Empire is unaware of the implications.
If the Cloud Mountain Empire were to follow suit and pledge allegiance to a major sect on another continent, it would likely suffer the same fate as the Cloud Soaring Empire.
Therefore, I've come here with good intentions to remind you that if any sects from other continents ever come to persuade your Cloud Mountain Empire to submit to them, you should carefully consider the fate of the Cloud Soaring Empire."
The minister who had spoken hurriedly laughed and said, "We are all from the Azure Cloud Continent, and we would never make such a foolish decision. Your Majesty, we would never do such a thing. Am I right?"
He was reminding the emperor that it was time to make a statement!
Seeing that Zhang Yang hadn't come to kill him, Li Shiqing's heart immediately calmed down. He slowly sat down and said solemnly, "Grand Tutor Pang is right. My Cloud Mountain Empire will never betray the Azure Cloud Continent! Besides, our Cloud Mountain Empire's Flying Dragon Army has already cooperated with the Blue-Clad Brigade of the Azure Cloud Sect. How could we possibly do such a thing?"
Zhang Yang nodded slightly and said, "I am very glad that Your Majesty has such thoughts, because the other continents are not so kind to us. The reason they are trying to win you over is because they want to deal with my Azure Cloud Sect."
To put it bluntly, it was the Azure Cloud Sect that protected everyone, allowing us to stand here safely for this meeting.
You've probably all heard the rumor that the Azure Cloud Sect is suppressing Demon Lord, and I can tell you definitively that it's true.
We have suppressed these Demon Lords for thousands of years.
The Azure Cloud Sect has sacrificed generations of people for this.
We don't Seeking Greatness gratitude, but surely you shouldn't betray us?
Since someone has betrayed us, don't blame the Azure Cloud Sect for retaliating with the most ruthless attitude.
After a pause, Zhang Yang continued, "Our Azure Cloud Sect will not interfere in the internal affairs of the Cloud Mountain Empire's court. If you cannot manage the court well, someone will naturally come to overthrow you; this is the law of historical development."
However, if any cultivators bully you, or if you encounter Demon Beast that you cannot defeat, you can contact the Azure Cloud Sect, and we will help you resolve the issue."
After saying that, he ignored the attitude of the people from the Cloud Mountain Empire, turned around and left with his men.
Inside the palace, all was quiet; no one dared to speak out of turn.
Only after Zhang Yang had disappeared for a long time did Li Shiqing seem to come back to his senses and order, "The matter just now shall be handled according to the agreed result. Court adjourned!"
He simply couldn't continue the court session.
He turned and left.
Many ministers also left with complicated expressions.
Zhang Yang, along with his men, returned to the Azure Cloud Sect.
Upon returning to the Azure Cloud Sect, Zhang Yang immediately reached out to Azure Cloud Master: "Master, where is my Soul-Suppressing Banner?"
Azure Cloud Master shook his head helplessly and handed over the Soul-Suppressing Banner: "You already have so many Spirit Artifacts!"
"If it weren't for me, we wouldn't have been able to get the Soul-Suppressing Banner back, so what's wrong with giving it to me?" Zhang Yang excitedly accepted the Soul-Suppressing Banner. "Senior, welcome back to the sect. Don't worry, I will definitely find you a successor who can cultivate the Chaotic Soul Art, and I guarantee you will be satisfied."
"But until I find a successor, how about you follow me, senior?"
The Soul-Suppressing Banner showed no reaction whatsoever; it remained completely unmoved.
Azure Cloud Master's Divine Sense was also communicating with the Soul-Suppressing Banner: "This kid is the Future of the Azure Cloud Sect, and his existence is crucial to the Azure Cloud Sect. I'm not worried about anything else, but I'm afraid someone will damage his Divine Soul, leaving me no time to act. Therefore, I want you to protect him for a period of time."
As a cultivator in the Tribulation Transcendence Realm, and a very powerful one at that, his perception of Divine Sense was naturally extremely strong.
However, even he couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't make mistakes sometimes.
As for the Divine Sense cultivators at the Primordial Spirit Realm and above, sometimes even if they detect something, they don't have time to defend against it, let alone when they don't detect it at all.
Therefore, Azure Cloud Master stepped in to help Zhang Yang persuade the Soul-Suppressing Banner.
However, the Soul-Suppressing Banner still did not react, clearly indicating that it did not approve of Zhang Yang's actions.
Faced with this situation, Azure Cloud Master was helpless.
He could indeed subdue the Soul-Suppressing Banner, but if the Soul-Suppressing Banner truly refused to acknowledge Zhang Yang as its master, was he supposed to simply obliterate Soul-Suppressing Banner spirit?
So he simply handed the Soul-Suppressing Banner to Zhang Yang: "Take care of it yourself!"
Since the Immortal Immortal-Refining Cauldron was persuaded to recognize a master back then, the Soul-Suppressing Banner should be able to as well.
Zhang Yang could tell that the Soul-Suppressing Banner was unwilling to acknowledge him as its master, so he took the Soul-Suppressing Banner and put it away. Clearly, now was not the time to persuade him.
Besides, this can't be rushed.
"Master, thank you for sending my Eldest Senior Brother to fetch me!" Situ Mingyue then stepped forward to pay her respects.
Azure Cloud Master said with a smile, "Great news! I didn't expect that when your Eldest Senior Brother went to pick you up, he actually retrieved the Soul-Suppressing Banner."
This is what he is most satisfied with.
He looked at Zhang Yang and said, "There's not much time left in the Prodigy Battlefield; you should continue your cultivation."
"Yes!" Zhang Yang nodded. He was sent back into the Formation Space to continue absorbing Demonic Dao Power and Devil Qi.
After seeing Zhang Yang off, Azure Cloud Master instructed Situ Mingyue, "You should also go and cultivate diligently. As a cultivator, don't forget the pursuit of the Great Dao!"
"Yes, Master!" Situ Mingyue nodded emphatically, finally feeling that her master valued her.
Then, she took her leave and went back to cultivate in seclusion.
After everyone had left, Azure Cloud Master looked at Cang Song and said calmly, "I acknowledge your bet with Zhang Yang!"
"Senior, you think highly of Zhang Yang?" Cang Song asked in surprise.
In his view, if Zhang Yang wasn't certain of victory, how could Azure Cloud Master have agreed?
Azure Cloud Master smiled faintly, "If he dies on the Prodigy Battlefield, I will really open the Azure Sky Ultimate Cloud Formation to take revenge on your major sects! What does it matter if I let you leave then?"
If Zhang Yang is gone, the Demon Lord of the Azure Cloud Sect will be impossible to deal with completely.
At that point, what will he care about?