Chapter 423: Those Who Come Are Not Well-Intentioned

Xu Qing's footsteps paused. He lowered his head to look at the command sword in his hand, a thoughtful look appearing in his eyes.

This imperial decree had come very suddenly, without stating any reason. As for the voice, he found it somewhat familiar; after careful recollection, he realized it was the Deacon Prince Sima who hailed from the Taisi Immortal Gate.

Xu Qing's gaze was profound. He thought of Zhang Siyun, and from there, he thought of the Yao family, causing his vigilance to rise.

"What business could Deacon Prince Sima have with me?"

As Xu Qing pondered, his command sword vibrated again. This time, it was a voice transmission from Kong Xianglong.

"Xu Qing, you received the imperial decree too, right?"

"I received it." Xu Qing was lost in thought, an answer faintly forming in his heart.

"Then that's correct. Xiao He and Xiao Chen received it too. Sigh, this must be the aftermath of us killing the Sheng Lan tribe members earlier."

Upon learning that Xu Qing had also received the decree, Kong Xianglong hurriedly ended the transmission; he was already on his way to the Sword-Holding Palace.

Xu Qing pondered for a moment, then left the Prison Division.

At this moment, the sky was at dusk. The evening glow seemed like rouge smeared across the firmament, and with the help of the afterglow spilling onto the earth, it seemed as if it wanted to stain the land with a blood-red hue.

Xu Qing looked up, his body leaping into the air as he flew toward the Sword-Holding Palace.

The status of a deacon was one of high authority within the Sword-Holding Palace, with each having primary responsibilities. Most of the matters Deacon Prince Sima was in charge of were related to law enforcement, which also included the discipline within the Sword-Holders.

Therefore, neither Kong Xianglong nor Xu Qing could ignore his decree.

It did not take long. While Xu Qing was contemplating how to respond, he arrived at the Sword-Holding Palace. As soon as he arrived, he saw the figures of Kong Xianglong and Ye Ling.

"We will absolutely not admit to it!" Seeing Xu Qing fly over, Kong Xianglong immediately sent a voice transmission.

Xu Qing nodded. Not long after, Shan Hezi and Wang Chen also arrived. Their expressions were gloomy and somewhat unsightly.

After coming to Xu Qing and Kong Xianglong's side, Shan Hezi started cursing directly.

"Big Brother Kong, Xu Qing, what is the Sword-Holding Palace trying to do? Ah? Did we do something wrong?"

"Xiao He!" Kong Xianglong's eyes widened.

Shan Hezi snorted and stopped speaking.

"Whether things are as we think is still unknown. Let's go; don't let Deacon Prince Sima wait too long." Kong Xianglong spoke slowly and walked forward first.

Xu Qing thought for a moment, then turned his head to look at the restrained anger of Shan Hezi and Wang Chen's Yanmiao avatar, speaking softly.

"Perhaps it is better if more people see."

Shan Hezi and Wang Chen immediately understood and each took out a jade slip. Ye Ling did the same.

Kong Xianglong did not stop them, but the long strides he was taking changed into small steps.

Just like that, the group stepped into the gates of the Sword-Holding Palace. After walking for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, they finally arrived at the Discipline Palace where Deacon Prince Sima was located.

There were dozens of people currently standing solemnly outside the Discipline Palace.

Each of them had a cold expression and impressive cultivation. Their attire was not the Daoist robes of the Sword-Holding Palace, but yellow ones, with the word 'Dao' embroidered on the cuffs.

Upon seeing Xu Qing and the others, these dozens of people swept their gazes over.

Kong Xianglong raised his eyebrows, held back from speaking, and stood outside the Discipline Hall, cupping his fists toward the main hall.

"Subordinate Kong Xianglong, here in response to Deacon Prince Sima's decree."

"They are cultivators of the Yao family." Wang Chen's Yanmiao avatar whispered a reminder to Xu Qing, then, like Kong Xianglong, cupped his fists and spoke.

Xu Qing, Shan Hezi, and Ye Ling also paid their respects one after another.

Following everyone's words, a cold snort came from within the Discipline Hall, and then three people walked out.

The person in the middle was none other than Zhang Siyun's grandmaster, Deacon Prince Sima.

To his left was an old man wearing the same Daoist robes as the Yao family cultivators, but the fluctuations of his Spirit Treasury were extremely obvious. His eyes seemed to contain lightning, and he was expressionless as he swept his gaze over Xu Qing and the others.

And to Deacon Prince Sima's right, there was one more person.

The moment they saw this person, the pupils of Xu Qing and the others constricted.

This person was not of the human race.

He was of the Sheng Lan tribe.

It was precisely that middle-aged Black-Clad Guard of the Sheng Lan tribe who had roared in anger after the slaughter that day but ultimately did not cross the border.

This person clearly held a certain status within the Sheng Lan tribe. His cultivation was also at the Spirit Treasury realm, and as his aura spread, four secret treasures faintly appeared behind him, his momentum extremely strong.

He stood to Deacon Prince Sima's right, coldly sweeping his gaze over Xu Qing and the others.

Seeing a Sheng Lan tribesman in the Sword-Holding Palace, Xu Qing felt this was like a joke. While finding it extremely ironic, he also noticed that Kong Xianglong and the others were all breathing rapidly.

Just then, Deacon Prince Sima spoke indifferently to the Yao family old man on his left, his voice transmitting out.

"Steward Sun, everyone is here. You may begin your questioning."

The Yao family old man nodded upon hearing this. He first bowed to Deacon Prince Sima, then turned his head to look coldly at Xu Qing and the others. His expression was incomparably gloomy, and his voice was filled with murderous intent as he spoke in a deep voice.

"You have such great audacity!"

"To actually, without rhyme or reason, and without any cause, cruelly torture and kill the envoys and attendants of the Sheng Lan tribe who were visiting our Fenghai County!"

"To destroy the diplomacy between our two races in such a way, your crimes deserve death!"

Xu Qing frowned slightly. There was a problem with the other party's words; the focus was not on the killing, but on the "without rhyme or reason" and "without any cause."

This method of reprimand gave Xu Qing the feeling that the other party wanted them to state the reason themselves.

But... according to the secret training and understanding Xu Qing had received in the Sword-Holding Palace, he knew very well that the matter of receiving undercover agents could not be spoken of in the open. The undercover agents between the two races were an unspoken understanding that both sides possessed.

But if it were spoken of in the open, it would be different; they would be seized upon by this point to launch an attack.

Furthermore, their answers might also be used by the other party to uncover some clues.

Xu Qing was lost in thought, and Shan Hezi and the others quickly realized this logic as well. Everyone was not stupid; no one spoke, and Kong Xianglong even put on a look of bewilderment.

"Torture and kill the Sheng Lan tribe envoys and attendants? That's impossible. We have been cultivating this entire time; everyone can testify for each other."

The Yao family old man snorted coldly, seemingly too lazy to argue with a child like Kong Xianglong, so a respectful look appeared on his face as he cupped his fists toward the Sheng Lan tribe cultivator.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, what do you think?"

The middle-aged Black-Clad Guard of the Sheng Lan tribe glanced at Xu Qing and the others upon hearing this, then suddenly smiled and turned to speak to Deacon Prince Sima beside him.

"Deacon Prince Sima, the reason for this matter is actually that on the way here, our Sheng Lan tribe envoy discovered that there was an undercover agent of unknown origin in the delegation, and this person stole important items from our tribe."

"Thus, the envoy ordered a wanted notice to capture them, but in the end, not only was the undercover agent not found, but the envoy's attendants were also ambushed and cruelly killed by your Sword-Holding Palace."

"Could it be that the undercover agent who stole our tribe's important items was sent by your Sword-Holding Palace? Did they come to our place to steal on purpose? Our two races have been on friendly terms for generations; is such behavior the intention of your Sword-Holding Palace, or the intention of Fenghai County, or perhaps the instruction of your human race?"

Speaking to this point, the middle-aged Black-Clad Guard of the Sheng Lan tribe revealed a sharp glint in his eyes. He raised his right hand and waved it, and immediately a jade slip appeared, with a scene shining within it.

In the scene, it was exactly the moment Xu Qing and the others killed that half-step Nascent Soul and fled, and it also included the three sentences Kong Xianglong said at the end, very clearly.

Cold glints appeared in the eyes of Kong Xianglong and the others.

Xu Qing was expressionless, but his gaze was equally cold.

Deacon Prince Sima's expression had not changed from beginning to end. At this moment, after glancing at the scene in the jade slip, he shook his head.

"My Sword-Holding Palace has never had such an order, nor has there ever been any undercover agent."

The Yao family old man on the side spoke with a cold voice upon hearing this.

"If there is no undercover agent, and it was not to carry out a reception mission, then the actions of these few people were entirely private behavior. And to torture and kill Sheng Lan tribe cultivators, attempting to incite a war between the two races—these people are unforgivable!"

"Men, take them down and send them to the Sheng Lan tribe to console the heroic spirits of those who died tragically in the friendly nation!"

As soon as the Yao family old man's words fell, the dozens of Yao family cultivators on the square immediately unleashed their cultivation and walked toward Xu Qing and the others.

A cold glint flashed in Xu Qing's eyes. Kong Xianglong suddenly raised his head, and the moment a malicious look appeared in his eyes, streaks of long rainbows suddenly appeared behind the square, whistling over.

The momentum was immense, setting off the sound of breaking through the air as they headed straight for the square.

As a rumbling sound rang out, one figure after another descended in an instant—they were all Sword-Holders!

Sword-Holders from the past generations of the Eight Sect Alliance.

Over the years, most of the Sword-Holders of the Eight Sect Alliance had been arranged to serve in outer prefectures, but those who remained in the capital today had all arrived.

On the way here earlier, Xu Qing had already sent them a voice transmission.

At this moment, as they descended, these Sword-Holders of the Eight Sect Alliance each unleashed their malevolent aura, guarding Xu Qing and the others, looking at the Yao family members with sneers and contempt.

"Interesting, arresting Sword-Holders in our Sword-Holding Palace?"

"Come, come, come, take your grandfathers away and send us to the Sheng Lan tribe!"

"Console the heroic spirits of the Sheng Lan tribe?"

"I'll poke your mother's head!"

Amidst their words, these Sword-Holders all operated their cultivation, their momentum soaring into the sky, filled with murderous intent.

The Yao family cultivators' footsteps paused.

Yao family Steward Sun snorted coldly and was just about to speak, but just then, whistling sounds rose again from afar!

Another group of Sword-Holders set off sharp sounds of breaking through the air and rushed over rapidly.

There were a full hundred of them, each with a monstrous malevolent aura. They were all from the Taigu Thunder Pulse and had rushed over rapidly after receiving Wang Chen's notification.

At this moment, as they approached, thunder rumbled, shaking the heavens and the earth.

Chen Tinghao was also among them, sneering and roaring in mid-air.

"Who dares to touch my Sword-Holders!"

Other Sword-Holders of the Taigu Thunder Pulse were also scolding one after another.

"So what if we killed a Sheng Lan tribesman? What of it? I've even eaten one!"

"Yao family, do you still want your faces!"

Seeing this scene, all the Yao family cultivators felt their minds shake.

But this was not the end. In an instant, whistling sounds rose again within the Sword-Holding Palace!

Some Sword-Holders from the Grand Void Transformation Demon Sect and the Blood Cold Gate also arrived rapidly. There were many of them, a full several hundred, their momentum like a rainbow.

Among them, the Sword-Holders of the Grand Void Transformation Demon Sect had already transformed into demons, forming large demon bodies one after another, like a dance of demons, causing the heavens and earth to change color.

The Blood Cold Gate also unleashed monstrous blood energy, with rumbling sounds from all directions, wind and clouds surging, and even colder voices transmitted out, echoing in all directions.

"Not living as proper humans, insisting on acting like dogs!"

"Calling you dogs is an insult to dogs!"

"Beasts worse than pigs and dogs!"

"Let's see, who dares to touch our Sword-Holders!"

With the gathering of many parties, nearly a thousand Sword-Holders had a majestic momentum that resounded through the clouds, surrounding this place tightly, staring at the Yao family and the Sheng Lan tribe with thick blood-red malevolent intent.

The murderous intent was intense, piercing through the sky, shaking the earth.

It seemed that as long as the Yao family dared to make the slightest move, they would all erupt, crushing everything, leaving none behind.

Facing such malevolent aura, the expressions of the Yao family cultivators changed completely.

Especially since further away, there were actually still figures of murderous Sword-Holders rapidly approaching, making the number of Sword-Holders here grow more and more.

The Yao family steward standing beside Deacon Prince Sima, seeing all this, could not help but feel his mind shake violently, his breathing becoming slightly rapid, and his eyes also constricted.

A mutiny seemed about to occur.

"Deacon Prince Sima!" The Yao family steward suddenly turned his head to look at Deacon Prince Sima, and the Sheng Lan tribe Black-Clad Guard beside him also had an incomparably gloomy expression.

Deacon Prince Sima's expression still did not change at all. At this moment, he spoke with a smile that did not reach his eyes.

"Steward Sun, I called them here for the sake of the Yao Mansion. You have finished your questioning, and you have heard their answers."

"Everything is very clear. The undercover agent was not sent by us, and the Sheng Lan tribe envoys and attendants were not killed by us. As for that thing called the recording jade slip, I can make many of them; if you like, I'll send you some later."

Deacon Prince Sima stroked his beard, smiled slightly, and spoke softly.

"As for etiquette, my Sword-Holding Palace has done its part, but your Yao family is a bit ignorant, speaking like this within my Sword-Holding Palace."

"You said the wrong things and incited the public anger of the Sword-Holding Palace. In this matter, I cannot help you either."