Chapter 412

The osmanthus cakes in the capital district were not cheap.

One portion of five pieces cost one spirit coin.

The reason for this seemed to be that some spirit herbs were put into the osmanthus cakes, and the osmanthus itself was said by the shopkeeper to have been transported from Linlanzhou.

So Xu Qing bought three portions.

While walking toward the branch sect, he started eating them.

It had to be said that the taste of the osmanthus cakes in the capital district was indeed good. When Xu Qing arrived at the branch sect, he had already finished his portion. He then took a deep breath and stepped into the branch sect.

Along the way, he saw several disciples of the Eight Sect Alliance. Every one of them was very respectful after noticing Xu Qing, and even Huang Yikun helplessly bowed to Xu Qing.

Xu Qing nodded and walked toward the A-Courtyard area of the branch sect.

Approaching here, he was slightly nervous. Whenever he thought of Immortal Zixuan, Xu Qing would feel a bit at a loss as to how to deal with her. It was really because the other party's cultivation base and various emotional changes were beyond Xu Qing's reach.

But he couldn't not go.

So Xu Qing took a deep breath, stepped into the A-Courtyard, and after passing through several courtyards, arrived at the courtyard area where the A-1 Room was located.

This was also a large courtyard with many rockeries, prosperous vegetation, and many maidservants.

Clearly, even in the capital district, Immortal Zixuan had requirements for the quality of her life.

When these maidservants saw Xu Qing, their eyes lit up. When they bowed, their expressions were full of curiosity. Until Xu Qing walked far away, they looked at Xu Qing's back and couldn't help but whisper to each other, occasionally with giggles.

It was just that neither Xu Qing nor they could see that there was also a little boy entering this courtyard with them. It stood curiously beside the group of maidservants, pricking up its ears to listen to their discussion.

And at this moment, Xu Qing had already arrived outside the A-1 Room. There, he straightened his expression, cupped his fists, and spoke in a low voice.

"Disciple Xu Qing requests to see Immortal Zixuan."

The room door opened slowly, and Immortal Zixuan's figure walked out from inside. She was tall and today was wearing a purple palace-style long dress, her black hair draped over her shoulders. She was noble and also carried an elegant air, like an otherworldly celestial being, exuding spiritual charm all over her body.

But her phoenix eyes carried a hint of coquettishness. The inclusion of this emotion made her beautiful face a bit more lively, as if a fairy had walked into the world.

Her appearance made even the dusk of the evening have a touch of rosy light, which reflected into Xu Qing's eyes, becoming an indelible reflection, deeper and clearer.

Zixuan walked in front of Xu Qing.

Seeing the paper bag Xu Qing was carrying, the coquettishness in her eyes melted into happiness.

"I was wondering why you came so late. So the little friend still remembers what I said."

"I would not dare to forget the senior's words." Xu Qing tried his best not to be so nervous and said solemnly. After speaking, he presented the osmanthus cakes in his hands with both hands.

Zixuan smiled and took them, just about to speak.

Xu Qing started to take out items from his storage bag one after another.

Mung bean cakes, immortal dew cakes, pineapple cakes, pea cakes, almond cakes, nine-layer cakes...

There were more than fifty kinds in total, two portions of each.

The maidservant on the side saw this scene and quickly stepped forward to take them with a tray. Soon, the pastries on the tray piled up into a small hill.

Zixuan was stunned and looked at Xu Qing strangely. The maidservant holding the tray was the same.

Xu Qing finished taking them all out, took a deep breath, and spoke earnestly to Immortal Zixuan.

"Disciple does not know what senior likes besides osmanthus cakes, so I bought everything I could find."

Xu Qing's words were sincere. He respected knowledge extremely highly and also knew that Immortal Zixuan would not only tell him how to integrate the Imperial-level technique into the Tiangong next, but also protect him.

He kept this kindness in his heart, which was why he spent time buying so many pastries; this was also the reason for coming late.

Upon hearing this, Zixuan's phoenix eyes landed on Xu Qing's eyes. After gazing for a moment, ripples rose in her heart. The displeasure of this period dissipated completely, and she turned to instruct the maidservant softly.

"Put these pastries into my room, be careful, don't scatter them."

The maidservant hurriedly agreed. After sending them into the room, she looked at Xu Qing and Zixuan, blinked, and left this place.

She felt that it was not suitable for her to be here at this moment.

Not paying attention to the maidservant, Immortal Zixuan raised the corners of her mouth, blooming with a gentle smile on her flawless face. With a wave of her hand, everything around changed: the bluestone slabs became grass, the rockeries became large mountains, the flowers and plants became large trees, and a pavilion also appeared on the side.

"Xu Qing, come."

Zixuan walked into the pavilion and sat there. At this moment, a gentle breeze blew, lifting her black hair and blowing her dress to cling to her body, highlighting the unique curved curves of the woman when she sat down, making them extremely clear.

On her, it was even more perfect.

Xu Qing hesitated, stepped forward, and sat opposite Zixuan.

Sitting here, he could see more clearly, and there was a familiar fragrance permeating his nose.

That fragrance smelled very good.

And he could only sit here because the stone stool was here.

"Tell me about your time in the Prison Department for the past month or so." Zixuan placed one hand on the stone table beside her, resting her chin on it, her eyelashes trembling slightly as she looked at Xu Qing.

At this moment, she was no longer the mature and elegant person who walked out of the room at the beginning, nor was she the gentle and dignified person who saw the osmanthus cakes, but carried some girlishness, and her appearance couldn't tell her age at all; she was breathtakingly beautiful.

Xu Qing had experienced this kind of style transformation several times before, but he still couldn't handle it. He admitted... this Immortal Zixuan in front of him exuded an astonishing attraction all over her body.

This attraction made him unable to feel even the slightest bit of malice; everything about the other party could only make him feel good.

So Xu Qing tried his best to calm his emotions and spoke softly about his story in the Prison Department, including his acquaintance with Kong Xianglong, his views on the Palace Master's lack of human touch, and so on.

Everything was very simple, but neither he nor Zixuan noticed that not far outside the pavilion, a little boy was squatting there, looking at them curiously.

It tilted its little head, its expression filled with some confusion, and it examined Zixuan carefully, as if judging whether the other party had any malice.

Its first feeling was that the other party had no malice, but it felt that she seemed to have some possessiveness, so it didn't dare to get too close.

This made it a bit distressed, so it simply sat down and stopped paying attention.

Zixuan looked at Xu Qing, listening carefully to every word he said. Until the bright moon hung high, Xu Qing finished talking about his appointment, and Zixuan's expression carried gentleness as she spoke softly.

"I can hear it—you are... a bit lost regarding the Sword Holders."

Xu Qing raised his head to look at Zixuan.

"It is very difficult for you to accept such an organization, and you haven't encountered similar things, so you question and doubt in your heart, and then instinctively want to stay away for self-protection because you don't want to have attachments."

Zixuan smiled gently.

"You can act according to your own heart, don't think too much, and continue to observe calmly. When you have respect for this organization and the people in it, and then rise to reverence, you might have the answer."

Xu Qing's heart was shaken, lost in thought, and then he stood up and bowed to Zixuan.

"Little friend, close your eyes."

After Xu Qing hesitated for a moment, he closed his eyes.

The moment his eyes closed, Zixuan leaned toward Xu Qing gently.

Xu Qing's breathing became slightly rapid. He felt the fragrance become thick at this moment, as if a breath was falling on his face.

Just as he wanted to open his eyes, Zixuan's finger tapped lightly on his brow.

A voice that was both lively and seductive echoed in his ears.

"Little friend, your heart must be calm. Imagine your Fifth Tiangong becoming it. You might have seen it, but I don't know if what you saw was this clear..."

Following Zixuan's voice, a picture appeared in Xu Qing's eyes—it was a dragon chariot!

In the deep sea, a dragon chariot pulled by giants.

It was also the sun's carriage.

"This is the way to integrate the Imperial-level technique. Every Imperial-level technique integrated into the Tiangong is different. Jin Wu Refining Ten Thousand Spirits... requires a dragon chariot."

Xu Qing's heart was shaken, and he suddenly understood. Although the dragon chariot that appeared in his mind was very clear, it was ultimately still lacking a little bit.

Because Xu Qing had truly stepped onto that dragon chariot.

He had even existed there for a longer time than ordinary people, which was why he had obtained the complete inheritance of the Jin Wu Refining Ten Thousand Spirits.

But this picture also had a crucial role; he could combine it with the dragon chariot in Xu Qing's memory, making this memory clearer and making the dragon chariot clearer in Xu Qing's perception.

The next instant, Xu Qing's body shook violently. The stone stool he was sitting on turned into a meditation cushion, the pavilion turned into a pagoda, guarding him inside.

The grass around turned into countless little people, each with a solemn expression, facing away from Xu Qing, facing the distance, swearing to protect him to the death.

And those large mountains became giants; after standing up from the ground, they exuded vast might.

The large trees were the same.

Everything here, at this moment, directly became the best shelter prepared by Zixuan for Xu Qing. Although the possibility of an accident was minimal, she was still not at ease.

So she sat cross-legged beside Xu Qing herself, guarding him personally.

Just like this, Xu Qing's breakthrough began.

His Fifth Tiangong changed its appearance first, gradually turning into the shape of a dragon chariot. At this time, the picture in his mind that Zixuan had spent quite a price to exchange for, as well as the memory of the dragon chariot he had personally experienced, played a key role.

His Fifth Tiangong changed rapidly and finally completely turned into a dragon chariot, and it was even more real than that painting, exuding an astonishing aura.

Perceiving his own Fifth Tiangong, Xu Qing felt a flash of inspiration and spoke softly.

"Jin Wu returns to the chariot, the moon sets and travels!"

The totem on Xu Qing's back flashed suddenly. The Jin Wu manifested and flew straight into the sky, spreading its wings in the firmament and making a happy cry. After circling the eight directions several times, it flew straight toward Xu Qing.

It fell instantly, rushing directly into Xu Qing's body along the heavenly spirit, flying into the sea of consciousness, flying into the dragon chariot transformed by the Fifth Tiangong. After reaching the depths, the Jin Wu's light shone, and it actually turned into a blurry young figure.

The appearance of the youth was exactly Xu Qing's appearance.

He wore a black-gold imperial robe, an imperial crown of the same color on his head, full of nobility, containing might, and sat in the dragon chariot transformed by the Fifth Tiangong.

The Fifth Tiangong flashed with seven-colored fire in an instant, manifesting as the shadow of a Jin Wu outside.

While booming in all directions, the power of the Jin Wu Refining Ten Thousand Spirits also soared. Its tail, from the previous nineteen, more than doubled, becoming forty-two.

Looking at the tail, Xu Qing suddenly had an enlightenment.

After a hundred tails, the Jin Wu Refining Ten Thousand Spirits could be promoted to the third stage!

Xu Qing's eyes opened suddenly, and everything around disappeared—the pagoda, the little people, and the giants in the distance all disappeared without a trace the moment he opened his eyes.

Here was the courtyard outside the A-1 Room. Xu Qing was sitting cross-legged on the ground. When he looked up, he saw Zixuan's back at the door.

"The sky is already bright. Are you not going to be on duty today?" Zixuan stood in the door, turned around, and looked at Xu Qing with a smile.

The firmament was already dim and bright; a night had passed.

Xu Qing looked at Zixuan, gratitude appearing in his eyes. He stood up, cupped his fists, and bowed deeply.

"Thank you..."

"Don't call me senior, call me by my name." Zixuan said softly.

Xu Qing hesitated.

"Thank you, Zixuan."

"Why does it sound so strange..." Zixuan shook her head helplessly.

"Come, I'll teach you. You have to say, 'Zixuan, thank you,' and the voice should be softer." Zixuan looked at Xu Qing, her expression showing some expectation.

Xu Qing was silent, then spoke softly.

"Zixuan, thank you."

Hearing this sentence, Zixuan's eyes were very bright, the corners of her mouth curled up, revealing a beautiful smile, and she nodded slightly, speaking softly as well.

"Xu Qing, you're welcome."

The atmosphere, following these two sentences from the two of them, became a bit different outside the A-1 Room.

After a long while, Xu Qing took a deep breath and bowed again.

"Disciple will take his leave first."

As Xu Qing spoke, he walked outward. Until he was about to leave the A-1 courtyard, Zixuan's lazy and seductive voice came from behind him.

"In a while, accompany me to meet a few of my best friends in the capital district. This is the second thing you promised me."

Zixuan's voice was coquettish and carried a touch of charm, soft and mixed with a touch of allure, like the cry of an oriole or the song of a phoenix, yet gentle and soft.

It possessed a wonderful power that could permeate the heart, turn into the water of the soul, and gradually warm up.