Chapter 472: A Change Unseen in Thousands of Years!

The sky was pitch black.

Only amidst the roaring of rolling thunder did streaks of lightning appear, tearing the black sky apart.

Icy rain fell continuously, drenching the land of Fenghai County.

Xu Qing gazed blankly in the direction of the Capital District, his heart surging with huge waves.

"County Governor, fallen..."

Regarding the County Governor, Xu Qing had only occasionally seen him a few times within the Sword-Wielding Palace, without any contact. His understanding of him mostly came from what he heard from others.

But he knew that the reason Fenghai County could still remain whole, not yet eroded and divided by the various methods of the Saint-Lan Clan, was largely due to the contributions of the successive County Governors.

As the County Governor for eight hundred years, while he had no achievements in opening up territory, he balanced internal and external affairs, working diligently, allowing Fenghai County to still be controlled by the human race, and the thirteen prefectures to still be complete. This was rare among the other six counties that had gradually lost their territory over the millennium.

And today, this old man had fallen.

Xu Qing did not know the specifics, nor did he know what had happened in the Capital District. At this moment, amidst his surging emotions, he thought of Immortal Zixuan, Kong Xianglong, and others.

So she immediately took out her command sword and sound-transmission jade slip. But before she could ask, the command sword and jade slip vibrated strongly at the same time, and countless pieces of information erupted within.

"Xu Qing, are you in the Criminal Prison Division! How are you!!"

"Xu Qing, the County Governor has fallen, without any warning, suddenly fallen, too sudden!"

"Xu Qing, where are you, the Criminal Prison Division has collapsed!!"

"Countless prisoners have escaped, the Capital District is in chaos!"

This information surged violently into his mind the moment Xu Qing's perception merged with the command sword and jade slip; it contained voice transmissions from Kong Xianglong, Shan Hezi, and others, as well as from some Sword Holders and Prison Division guards that Xu Qing recognized.

Xu Qing's body shook. A tremor rising from the bottom of his heart spread throughout his body at this moment, finally turning into a roar in his mind.

"Criminal Prison Division collapsed?" Xu Qing's heart churned with huge waves, somewhat incredulous. Holding the command sword, he immediately asked Kong Xianglong.

After receiving Xu Qing's reply, Kong Xianglong's voice carried grief and indignation, speaking rapidly.

"Xu Qing, the Criminal Prison Division exploded! Now the prisoners are escaping, too many, too many. Ding District, Bing District, Yi District... the Palace Master, the Vice Palace Master, and the Deacons are fighting the god's avatar imprisoned in the Criminal Prison Division, relying on the Capital District's taboo."

Xu Qing was just about to continue asking, when from the sound-transmission jade slip on the side, Immortal Zixuan's trembling voice came.

"Xu Qing, where... where are you? Are you okay... I am here at the Criminal Prison Division, I didn't find you..."

Immortal Zixuan's voice trembled. After hearing this, Xu Qing responded immediately. After knowing Xu Qing was safe, Immortal Zixuan was clearly relieved and was about to continue asking, but Xu Qing's heart was in chaos, and after a few hurried sentences, he immediately transmitted to Kong Xianglong.

"Brother Kong, currently..." Xu Qing's transmission hadn't finished when Kong Xianglong's voice came anxiously.

"Xu Qing, if you are not in the Capital District, find a place to hide immediately. Do not come back for now, wait a few days before returning."

"A large number of prisoners from the Criminal Prison Division have escaped. You are a foot soldier. Once you encounter them on the road, it will be incomparably dangerous. Also... something big has happened!"

"Just received news: a Saint-Lan Clan army has appeared at the border of Fenghai County. This is a premeditated act! Xu Qing, the war is about to begin!"

Kong Xianglong's voice was urgent, revealing determination as he spoke to the end.

Xu Qing's heart surged with waves. These things happened too fast. He could only calm down rapidly, took a deep breath, and without hesitation, flickered to escape into the ground, hiding his aura.

He knew very well that his location was not far from the Capital District. With his cultivation base, he could reach it in half an hour. So for the prisoners of the Criminal Prison Division, coming here wouldn't be too slow either.

Although the prisoners imprisoned in the Criminal Prison Division were mostly weak, once those in the Bing District returned to the Wanggu Continent, without the suppression of the small world's Heavenly Dao, their combat power would instantly return to their proper strength.

So Kong Xianglong was right. He needed to hide himself first, and returning after a few days when everything was stable was the most correct choice.

"Fenghai County is going to be in chaos." Deep underground, Xu Qing's eyes gradually revealed sharpness.

Until a long time later, he took out the jade slip, first transmitted to Ban Quanlu to inform him of all this, telling him to notify the Wood Spirit Clan to be on guard, and subsequently transmitted to the Captain.

But the Captain there still had no reply.

Xu Qing frowned, pondered for a moment, put away the sound-transmission jade slip, and sat cross-legged to calm the surging thoughts in his heart.

Time passed, and a day went by.

Xu Qing's command sword vibrated strongly, and the Palace Master's exhausted voice echoed within.

"Within the Capital District, all Sword-Wielders outside, upon receiving this notice, return immediately. Deadline is midnight tonight!"

"Inform you of three things."

"One, the County Governor has fallen."

"Two, the Criminal Prison Division prisoners have broken out of prison. You may take all means to protect your own safety on the way back."

"Two: Prison Division prisoners have escaped; you and the others may take any measures necessary to protect your own safety on the return journey."

"Sword-Wielders... the war has arrived."

Xu Qing silently put away the command sword, lowered his head to tidy up his storage bag, sensed his own state, and with cold sharpness rising in his eyes, flickered to escape the ground and rise into the sky.

It was noon at this moment. The sky was somewhat different from yesterday. One could see a huge net permeating the entire sky.

This net shone with crystal light, covering the sky and shrouding an endless range.

Waves of pressure emanated from this crystal net. Almost the moment Xu Qing appeared, the net in the sky flickered, as if recording him.

Xu Qing was thoughtful and sped toward the direction of the Capital District.

On the way, his vigilance and precaution were several times stronger than usual. Until he was about to approach the Capital District, he received Kong Xianglong's transmission.

In the transmission, Kong Xianglong informed Xu Qing that the chaos in the Capital District had been temporarily suppressed through the joint efforts of the three Upper Xuan Palace Masters and the County Chancellor. At the same time, due to the arrival of the war, the Sword-Wielding Palace Master, who was in charge of the war, would temporarily act as the County Governor and govern temporarily.

Two imperial edicts had been issued today.

One was to summon the Sword-Wielders to return, and the other was to seal the entire territory and fully activate the Capital District's taboo magic treasure.

The net in the sky was the Capital District's taboo magic treasure.

Xu Qing looked up at the crystal net, put away the command sword, and stepped into the air to move away. Not long after, the Capital District... was in sight.

The entire Capital District had changed drastically from when Xu Qing left.

The capital city floating in the sky appeared with a large number of cracks, looking riddled with holes, and the three Upper Xuan Palaces around it were also each incomplete.

And what was most shocking was the earth.

The huge pit where the Criminal Prison Division once was had now collapsed, and the cave entrance was blocked by countless broken stones.

Huge cracks, centered there, spread in all directions, shocking to the eye.

The entire Criminal Prison Division no longer existed.

Besides this, there were several times more Sword-Wielders and Capital District patrol cultivators than usual, dispersed in all directions, on high alert. Most of their expressions carried grief and indignation mixed with murderous intent.

Furthermore, there were foreign substances and residual magic technique fluctuations that had not been completely dispersed here, making many places look twisted and blurry.

Xu Qing's heart was low. As he approached, many patrolling Sword-Wielders became alert, and even more divine senses shrouded from all directions. Only after perceiving Xu Qing's identity did they slowly disperse.

Xu Qing was silent and walked toward the Criminal Prison Division.

At the blocked cave entrance, some foot soldiers of the Criminal Prison Division were casting spells, causing a narrow passage to be opened there. After perceiving Xu Qing's arrival, these foot soldiers turned their heads one after another.

No one spoke. Their expressions were cold, like ferocious beasts waiting to devour people, looking at the same kind walking over.

Xu Qing walked over silently. Looking at the opened crack, he stepped in, walked along the passage into the depths. The original prison cells were now broken walls and ruins.

Looking at these, Xu Qing's eyes revealed coldness, until he walked to the prison cell where Ding Yisaner once was.

Ding Yisaner's gate had been shattered into pieces. Half of the area inside was crushed by huge stones, and the remaining prison cells were all shattered. The prisoners inside had all disappeared.

Along with them, the little boy had also disappeared.

He was gone.

Xu Qing was silent. He walked to a corner, where he saw a small mountain composed of bamboo slip fragments.

Within each bamboo slip, similar content was recorded.

After a long while, Xu Qing left, taking away those bamboo slip fragments, and went to the former eighty-ninth floor.

In this Bing District, Xu Qing looked at the shattered murals around him. The small world... had collapsed.

"You're here."

A hoarse voice came from beside the collapsed broken stones in the distance.

In the dimness, Ghost Hand, covered in wounds, sat there. All around were scattered wine jars. He was still holding one in his hand, looking at Xu Qing at this moment, and laughed miserably.

"They all ran, ran clean."

"I killed quite a few, but I couldn't kill them all..."

Xu Qing walked over, looking at Ghost Hand, who was severely injured and whose cultivation foundation had even cracked. Feeling the thick intent of death permeating the other party, he silently took out some elixirs and placed them to the side.

"Old man, I can't die yet. Xu Qing, do you have wine?" Ghost Hand threw the empty jar in his hand onto the ground, emitting a series of sounds.

Xu Qing nodded, took out a jar from his storage bag, and handed it over.

Ghost Hand raised his trembling hand, took it, and drank a large mouthful. Subsequently, he coughed violently. After an abnormal red cloud rose on his complexion, he panted, looked at the shattered murals, and muttered softly.

"How could I die easily? Xu Qing, do you know? I have a sword that I have nurtured for several hundred years," he muttered, his voice firm. "But I didn't strike it before... too many escaped. This sword of mine can only kill one, and I didn't want to waste it like that."

"This was prepared for guarding the Bing District. I want to strike it on that beast who destroyed the Criminal Prison Division..."

"Before I strike it, I won't die." Ghost Hand muttered, his voice firm.

Xu Qing was silent, bowed with cupped fists, and amidst the complexity in his heart, left this place.

Xu Qing was silent, bowed his fists in a salute, and with a complex heart, left this place.

Looking out, this place was all white.

It was not covered in ice and snow, but sand and gravel.

Each grain contained thick spiritual energy. Even more, in the four directions of this plain, there existed countless human-shaped statues, emitting an ancient aura.

Every single grain contained dense spiritual energy, and furthermore, in the four directions of this plain, there existed countless humanoid statues, emitting an ancient aura.

Now, as time passed, all the cultivators of the legions had turned into statues, standing on this white plain. Looking from afar, at this moment, they ironically gave people a sense of holiness.

And the source of this holiness was a white temple within the only plain.

And the source of this sanctity was a white temple within the only plain.

At this time, outside the temple, there were four tall figures kneeling there, motionless.

At this moment, outside the temple, four tall figures were kneeling there, motionless.

"Ancestors, we have acted according to the plan." The Emperor of Tianfeng spoke respectfully.

"Ancestors, the Red Spirit army has entered Fenghai County. In addition, regarding the matter of the Black Heaven God Child, some clues have also been found. Please make a decision." Beside the Tianfeng Emperor, the Red Spirit Emperor spoke in a deep voice.

The temple was quiet. Until a long time later, a vicissitudinous voice seemed to come from the long river of ancient time, echoing over the white plain.

"Put the matter of the God Child aside for now, everything takes the big picture as the priority!"

"Respect the Ancestral Emperor's imperial edict!" Outside the temple, the four emperors lowered their heads and bowed respectfully. ===== CHAPTER 473 =====

"Respect the Ancestral Emperor's decree!" Outside the temple, the four emperors lowered their heads and bowed respectfully.