Three Thousand Construction Crew

Zhang Yang looked at the three thousand Flying Dragon Army soldiers. Leaving this group here with nothing to do, while still having to assign people to watch them, was simply a waste.

Meanwhile, Azure Cloud Sect had gained many new disciples, and there was plenty of construction work to be done.

Weren't these three thousand Flying Dragon Army soldiers the ready-made construction crew?

"Martial Uncles, none of you can rest these next few days. Keep a full watch over Azure Cloud Sect. If any of them show the slightest abnormality, kill them immediately." Pointing at the Flying Dragon Army, Zhang Yang spoke with killing intent. "At the first sign of movement, act at once. Show no mercy."

Ling Yunzi cast the Flying Dragon Army a cold glance. "I alone can keep watch over them. There is no need for everyone."

Zhang Yang shook his head. "I'm planning to split them up and have them do some work for us."

"Huh?" Biling Zi and the others were somewhat stunned.

Though these people were enemies, simply taking them captive was enough. Making them work seemed a little excessive, didn't it?

Zhang Yang spoke with righteous conviction. "I'm hiring them as workers, not making them work for nothing. Don't worry—once the project is finished, I'll settle their wages with them. Besides, the living conditions of Azure Cloud Sect's disciples are truly too poor. This is the perfect opportunity to carry out some proper construction. Oh, and if you Martial Uncles need anything, you can have them help as well."

The disciples from before had built houses for one another under Zhang Yang's arrangements.

But from Zhang Yang's perspective, they were nothing more than "construction shacks."

He had not had the energy to deal with it before, and with certain problems still remaining among those disciples, he had simply decided to wait until the dust settled.

But now that a construction crew had practically delivered itself to his doorstep, wouldn't it be wasteful not to use them?

He walked up to the construction crew... the Flying Dragon Army, and said calmly to the Third Prince, "There are some matters I need to discuss with you."

"What do you want to discuss?" The Third Prince looked at Zhang Yang with a smile.

When he had been threatened, the Third Prince had appeared utterly miserable. But now that he had calmed down, his intelligence had once more seized the high ground, and he naturally exuded the bearing of imperial nobility.

He knew perfectly well that he absolutely could not provoke Zhang Yang now.

From every sign, Zhang Yang held considerable status within Azure Cloud Sect.

No matter how much hatred he felt in his heart, he would have to wait until he returned to the imperial capital.

He possessed at least that much patience.

Zhang Yang pointed at the Flying Dragon Army. "As the construction foreman, lead them in working for me. I need eighty-seven courtyards repaired... and I also need a large residence built."

The Third Prince, who considered his patience excellent, froze on the spot.

He was a prince!

Zhang Yang lowered his voice and said disdainfully, "With brains like yours, you still want to play power politics? This is the best chance to win the Flying Dragon Army's hearts, understand? From that alone, you should be thanking me."

The Third Prince's expression changed. Raised in the palace, he had absorbed the ways of power politics through constant exposure and had grasped them without a teacher.

With Zhang Yang's reminder, he understood in an instant.

He lowered his voice as well. "You've made my status plummet, and I'm supposed to thank you? You're making me dig dirt for you, and I'm supposed to thank you? Also, why help me?"

Zhang Yang sat cross-legged before the Third Prince and gave him a disdainful glance. "When you speak, you'd better consider who you're speaking to. Doesn't all that 'this prince' business only widen the distance between us? In this situation, do you think widening that distance benefits you?"

The Third Prince's face flushed scarlet, and anger surged in his heart. He really wanted to hit someone.

"Speak. What exactly do you want to say to... me?" The Third Prince kept a straight face.

"My name is Zhang Yang. And you?"

"This prince... Li Xiaojie!"

"Miss Li?" Zhang Yang burst out laughing, then quickly waved his hands. "Sorry, I'm not a professional. I really couldn't hold it in..."

The Third Prince was completely dumbfounded.

He had never expected his name to be mocked like that. And what nonsense was this guy even spouting? He understood every word, so why could he not understand what it meant?

Seeing the Third Prince's stiff expression and his silence, Zhang Yang hurriedly said, "Sorry, I was rude just now. Let's start over. Do you cultivate?"

"No. The Emperor cannot cultivate." The Third Prince answered with a stiff face.

"Why?" Zhang Yang asked in return.

The Third Prince shook his head. "I don't know the specific reason. I only know that if an Emperor cultivates and reaches the Golden Core Realm, he will die. The Imperial Preceptor once said it was a restriction of the Heavenly Dao, but I don't know whether that is true."

"So you want to fight for the throne?"

The Third Prince glanced at Zhang Yang, hesitated for a moment, then said, "Born into the imperial family, who wouldn't want to fight for it?"

He felt there was nothing he could not say about that. It was plain for all to see. Even if he denied it, would his other brothers believe him?

"How confident are you?" Zhang Yang continued asking.

The Third Prince could not help frowning. "What exactly are you trying to do? Do you know that we are enemies now... Though you captured me, you'll have to let me go sooner or later."

Zhang Yang raised his brows. "Are you so certain the Emperor will redeem you?"

"For the imperial family's dignity, Father Emperor will certainly try. But once the price exceeds his bottom line, he will not agree. Still, with this Flying Dragon Army here, things are different." The Third Prince spoke calmly. "The Empire has invested far too many resources into this Flying Dragon Army. It will absolutely not abandon them. If you truly had killed them back then, Father Emperor would certainly have been heartbroken, but perhaps he would have forgotten them in the blink of an eye. I have to say, keeping the Flying Dragon Army alive has indeed made things difficult for Father Emperor."

Zhang Yang smiled. "Heaven cherishes life. How could one kill so casually?"

The Third Prince did not believe a single word. He still could not figure out what Zhang Yang was trying to do, so he simply remained silent and waited for Zhang Yang to continue.

"I'll help you fight for the throne, and you'll lead them in digging dirt for me. Do you think that is a fair deal?"

The Third Prince's heart pounded violently. Through this battle, he had seen how terrifying Azure Cloud Sect truly was. If Azure Cloud Sect helped him, wouldn't he have the greatest chance?

Before he could speak, Azure Cloud Master's voice sounded by Zhang Yang's ear. "Brat, we do not interfere in imperial affairs."

"Master, rest assured, Azure Cloud Sect will not appear." Zhang Yang explained first, then said seriously, "Since Azure Cloud Sect is going to change, it definitely cannot remain the same as before. Even if we do not interfere in imperial affairs, it is inevitable that we will deal with them. This time, we achieved a great victory against the Cloud Mountain Empire, but if we do not resolve the trouble that follows, it will still be detrimental to Azure Cloud Sect."

"Handle it as you see fit!" Azure Cloud Master's voice vanished.

Zhang Yang looked earnestly at the Third Prince. "After you return, announce that you are cultivating immortality!"

The Third Prince was startled. "What?"

He immediately reacted. "Pretend?"

Zhang Yang shot him a sidelong glance. "Of course we're doing it for real."

The Third Prince's gaze dimmed as he stared at Zhang Yang without speaking.

This was the method by which Zhang Yang would help him fight for the throne?

Zhang Yang looked at the Third Prince and shook his head regretfully. "With wisdom like yours, what power politics are you playing? I'll teach you what it means to retreat in order to advance, to borrow a road to conquer Guo, and to secretly cross at Chencang."

He felt that if someone like this had been born into the imperial palace of that history, he would not have lived to adulthood.