The moment this powerhouse spoke, the arrogance of several people was instantly suppressed.
"Elder Zhang, we all respect your esteemed reputation, but forgive our ignorance — we've never heard that you represent the imperial family."
"Indeed, the imperial family surnames Yan, while Elder Zhang surnames Zhang. How can we believe that you speak on behalf of the imperial family?"
The representatives of the three great sects spoke up one after another. Clearly, they held some deference toward the imperial family. But that didn't mean they feared just any representative of the imperial family.
When absolute profit was at stake, unless Emperor Yan himself were standing right here, there was almost no chance they would willingly surrender their interests before the imperial house.
Elder Zhang smiled faintly, as though the reaction of the three great sects was entirely within his expectations. His gaze drifted leisurely to the side, his eyes filled with deep meaning.
"So the three great sects only acknowledge the Yan imperial clan — very well, very well. Prince Zhao, since the three great sects' representatives have said as much, it would be remiss of you not to show yourself now!"
What?
The three great sects' representatives were all stunned. Not far from Elder Zhang's side, a refined-looking middle-aged man suddenly burst into laughter. "I didn't expect the three great sects to show such respect to the imperial family at a critical moment. In that case, it would be uncouth of this prince to continue concealing his identity."
The man drew a hand across his face in a startling transformation, and at the same time shook both arms, the outer layer of his clothing tearing away to reveal the splendid regalia of a prince.
Prince Zhao wore a long beard that lent him an air of tremendous dignity. His kingly aura was on full display, held back not in the slightest.
Prince Zhao was the Imperial Brother of the Emperor of the Red Cauldron Central Domain. His authority within the Central Domain was immense — he could be called the third most powerful figure in the imperial family.
Aside from a single ancestor of the imperial house, the Red Cauldron Emperor ranked first, and Prince Zhao's authority was second only to the Emperor's.
Most importantly, the Red Cauldron Central Domain placed great value on this Imperial Brother. Many matters of the jianghu were entrusted to Prince Zhao's management.
As a result, Prince Zhao enjoyed considerable prestige among the various great sects.
Of course, most crucially, Prince Zhao's martial talent was astonishing. In terms of cultivation, his personal strength was in no way inferior to the Red Cauldron Emperor's.
The difference was that Prince Zhao was far more passionate about the martial dao and harbored no interest whatsoever in the throne. His martial talent was extraordinary, and combined with the vast resources of the royal family, he appeared even more illustrious than the Emperor in the realm of martial cultivation.
As a result, virtually all matters related to military campaigns were handled by this Imperial Brother, Prince Zhao.
This gave Prince Zhao enormous prestige within the Red Cauldron Central Domain. In terms of both fame and influence, he even surpassed the sect masters of the great sects.
The last time they had hunted Jiang Chen, had Prince Zhao not been in closed-door cultivation, he would have personally overseen the pursuit. Given his status and responsibilities within the Red Cauldron Central Domain, it was naturally his duty.
When Prince Zhao revealed himself, the expressions of the three great sects' representatives changed drastically. The sects had only sent their senior leaders this time — their sect masters had not come in person.
Because the sect masters were absent, the three great sects were even more lacking in confidence when confronted by Prince Zhao.
In an instant, the three representatives were struck speechless, exchanging gloomy looks of mutual frustration.
"Gentlemen, this prince has come for the fortune of the Red Cauldron Central Domain. You all belong to sects within the Central Domain and should assist the royal house in unearthing these treasures — together we shall contribute to the restoration of the Red Cauldron Central Domain."
"Prince Zhao, you've hidden yourself a bit too well, haven't you?" The Sky Eagle Sect's representative said in an aggrieved tone, his voice tinged with bitterness. "If we had known that Your Highness yourself would be coming, why would we have bothered making this trip?"
"Treasures should be claimed by each according to their fortune. If Your Highness swallows the whole thing, surely we ought to at least get some scraps?"
The others had no standing to speak at all. At a time like this, only the three third-tier sects had any right to voice their opinions.
Prince Zhao laughed heartily. "Good. This prince will make it simple — if the treasure appears, as long as it belongs to the imperial family, all derivative treasures may be shared among you three great sects. As for other friends who participate, we shall see depending on the circumstances…"
Prince Zhao paused mid-sentence. "However, those who do not belong to the Red Cauldron Central Domain — my apologies. Matters here have nothing to do with you. Either stand by and watch like obedient bystanders, or leave this place immediately."
Prince Zhao's tone was domineering beyond measure, but after all, this was the territory of the Red Cauldron Central Domain. As a prince of the imperial house, he had every right to be.
The moment Prince Zhao spoke these words, the other imperial powerhouses all moved to stand at his side, bolstering his presence.
In an instant, the atmosphere on the scene grew extremely tense.
The three great sects' representatives exchanged glances, clearly still unwilling to concede. But with Prince Zhao present, unless their sect masters were on the scene, they simply didn't have the courage to openly resist him. If all three sects joined forces, perhaps there might be a sliver of hope.
But the authority of the Red Cauldron imperial house was right there before them. To openly defy the royal house — they truly couldn't muster the will to do so.
At this point, resisting the imperial family would mean completely burning bridges, fighting to the bitter end. The combined forces of the three great sects, pitted against the imperial faction, might hold some advantage.