Chapter 683: Past and Present in This Prefecture

In spring there are a hundred flowers, in autumn there is the moon; in summer there is a cool breeze, and in winter there is snow!

This saying is inherently excellent, a description of beautiful things, yet at this moment, under the sunlight outside the Prison Bureau, it seems to grow ordinary. Only the smile of that beauty in a plain robe, with dimples embedded in her cheeks, could be the most beautiful scene in heaven and earth.

Immortal Zixuan could not help but smile.

In this smile, her face flushed slightly like a blooming peony, and deep within her eyes, a gentle flame appeared. After looking deeply at Xu Qing, she walked gracefully toward the front.

Until she had walked seven or eight steps, Immortal Zixuan suddenly turned around and gazed at Xu Qing. "Xu Qing, you've learned to be bad!"

Xu Qing was silent, not knowing what to say for a moment.

Looking at Xu Qing's appearance, Immortal Zixuan's eyes, clear as jade waves, overflowed with warmth. The corners of her mouth gradually curved into a perfect crescent, the emotions contained within driving away all haze, making her state of mind clear.

This change in her heart spread throughout her body, causing her elegant and noble temperament to rise once more in Immortal Zixuan.

It was a beauty that made one feel inferior and afraid to profane in her presence, a state of soul where calmness and liveliness merged.

It was a charm that made it impossible not to be drawn in by the soul, and it was also the Immortal Immortal Zixuan in Xu Qing's memories.

"What are you still standing there for!"

Xu Qing's heartbeat suddenly accelerated again. Instinctively, he lifted his feet and silently came to Immortal Zixuan's side. Amidst Immortal Zixuan's smile, the two walked toward the Prefecture Capital.

Whether it was the breeze brushing their faces or the fluctuation of their state of mind, Immortal Zixuan's dark hair fluttered behind her graceful figure.

As they moved forward, a few strands intertwined with Xu Qing's ponytail, swaying together in the wind.

Immortal Zixuan's soft voice drifted along, "Xu Qing, I do not remember my past life. Even after experiencing that scene before, I don't have many memories. So, I do not know if I was the daughter of the Ancient Emperor Xuanyou or the wick of that blue lamp."

"If I could choose, I would hope it is the latter."

"So, let us define everything we heard and saw before just like this, alright?"

"And I can also sense that the lamp is very, very far away from us. That direction should be the Imperial Capital Domain of the human race."

"In the future, I will take it back."

"I will help you," Xu Qing's voice echoed, low and deep.

Time passed slowly like this. In the following half-month, Xu Qing was very busy.

Although he had his previous experience as a Sword Holder and the help of Seventh Master, Yao Hou, and others, the Fenghai Prefecture was too large. As the Prefecture Overseer, there were too many things that needed to be done, and many places where Xu Qing needed to learn.

Thus, during this half-month, Xu Qing spent most of his time immersed in handling official business, as well as reports from various parties.

At this moment, inside the Overseer's Mansion, after the Palace Master of the Administration Palace and the attendants he brought had just finished reporting and taken their leave, Xu Qing picked up his teacup. He had only taken one sip when a Sword Holder came to seek instructions.

"The Palace Master of the Law Palace requests an audience."

Xu Qing gathered his thoughts and walked out personally to welcome her.

Under the afternoon sun, the Palace Master of the Law Palace appeared in Xu Qing's sight, accompanied by a female Sword Holder.

The current Palace Master of the Law Palace was the former Deputy Palace Master. She was an old woman with an ordinary appearance, possessing a firm and meticulous character.

Xu Qing had met her before but was not familiar with her. However, the moment he saw her, he could not help but have the image of the former Palace Master of the Law Palace appear in his mind.

The former Palace Master had died in battle alongside the Palace Master of the Administration Palace. Their remains were made into puppets by Bai Xiaozhuo. After experiencing the Fenghai Catastrophe, the souls of those two puppets were released. They were willing to continue guarding the Fenghai Prefecture in the state of puppets as the foundation of every prefecture.

Xu Qing felt moved in his heart, his expression unchanging as he bowed to the approaching Palace Master of the Law Palace.

Even though his own cultivation base was only at the Spirit Aperture Realm, as the Prefecture Overseer, this bow represented sufficient respect to the Palace Master of the Law Palace. Seeing this, she walked quickly a few steps and bowed in return.

"Greetings, Prefecture Overseer."

"Please," Xu Qing said politely. The moment he walked into the main hall and sat down, a touch of majesty and composure naturally appeared on him, his gaze carrying inherent divine might.

This was the nobility of being a Prefecture Overseer, but not everyone could possess it, yet it was on Xu Qing.

One could not see too many deliberate components.

He sat there, everything natural and unforced. Xu Qing was naturally not born with it; the reason he was like this was due to the cognition and gains brought to him by his trip to the Jiyue Great City, and his experience of contacting multiple Gods, which few could match. Not to mention the matter of saving them, his participation in the God-Child Battle as the Master of the Reverse Moon Hall, and the battle against the Red Mother!

How could one who had seen Gods not possess composure?

The Palace Master of the Law Palace was also surprised in her heart. This was her first time meeting Xu Qing alone. Originally, there were some changes in her heart, but now, seeing Xu Qing's calmness, she was thoughtful, suppressing all her thoughts, and reported on the work of the Law Palace in a deep voice.

Xu Qing listened very carefully. Until a long time later, when the Palace Master of the Law Palace finished her report, Xu Qing had a more thorough understanding of the Law Palace.

"Prefecture Overseer, please review the list of new recruits," the Palace Master of the Law Palace said, then looked at the woman beside her.

This woman was none other than Yao Yunhui.

She was now an attendant of the Law Palace and was deeply valued by the Palace Master, so she accompanied the other party here to pay respects to the Prefecture Overseer. Throughout the process, she was very nervous and had complex feelings.

On one hand, it was because she was not a stranger to Xu Qing; in fact, the first conflict Xu Qing had upon arriving in Fenghai Prefecture was caused by her. But things were unpredictable; she never dreamed that subsequent events in Fenghai Prefecture would cause Xu Qing to soar into the sky, reaching a level she could only look up to.

At the same time, regarding the complexity of Xu Qing, she also had infinite waves in her heart.

It was truly because she herself did not know why, but every time she thought of Xu Qing, she could not help but think more about his changes.

These years, it had long been deeply rooted.

At this moment, after hearing the Palace Master's words, Yao Yunhui took a deep breath, trying hard to suppress the fluctuations in her heart, and respectfully stepped forward, handing a jade slip to Xu Qing with both hands.

Xu Qing looked up, his gaze falling on Yao Yunhui.

Today, Yao Yunhui had clearly prepared her makeup. A beautiful cascade of black hair flowed down like a waterfall; her curved willow eyebrows, delicate nose, and pink cheeks were slightly flushed, and her cherry-like lips were all revealing temptation.

Her flower-like oval face was as clear as jade, her tender snow-white skin like ice and snow, yet her expression was serious.

The serious and fair black-and-white Daoist robe of the Law Palace added a touch of solemnity, but the robe, which was slightly too large, made her figure hard to conceal, giving it a forbidden beauty.

But Xu Qing was unmoved, raising his hand to take the jade slip and scanning it with his spiritual sense to check.

Yao Yunhui's heart was even more complex. Looking at Xu Qing before her, her mind was a bit chaotic.

Xu Qing did not understand her worries; he was currently focused on the list in the jade slip. This list contained the cultivators who had joined the Law Palace in the past few years.

Every month, thirty people were fixed, coming from various sects. There were also some cultivated by the Law Palace. The three palaces of Fenghai Prefecture currently had autonomy in recruitment, but the final decision still had to be reviewed by the Prefecture Overseer.

After scanning it once, Xu Qing was about to put it down, but soon he gave a soft "eh" in his heart, noticing that one year ago, in one month, the number of disciples who joined the Law Palace was not thirty, but twenty-nine. Among them, there was a name Xu Qing was familiar with: Ding Xue.

"One person was missing last July?" Xu Qing looked up at Yao Yunhui. Upon hearing this, Yao Yunhui quickly put away the complexity in her heart and recalled it. She remembered that there were people from the Seven Blood Eyes in the record, so she understood the reason for Xu Qing's inquiry.

It was just that the more she thought about the missing person, the more peculiar her expression became, and she spoke in a low voice.

"Prefecture Overseer, last July, there were originally thirty people. Among them, there was a person named Zhao Zhongheng. This person could have passed, but because he was in the same department as a female cultivator named Ding Xue, he openly bribed the supervisor, but failed."

This matter was reported by that Ding Xue, and consequently, Zhao Zhongheng was disqualified and was still in the assessment period.

Xu Qing shook his head; he had thought of Zhao Zhongheng when he saw Ding Xue's name earlier.

At this moment, hearing the reason, it turned out to be reported by Ding Xue.

Xu Qing was full of sympathy for Zhao Zhongheng, but he naturally would not do such a thing, so he handed the jade slip back to Yao Yunhui.

After talking with the Palace Master of the Law Palace for a while, the Palace Master of the Law Palace stood up and left.

Xu Qing sent her out personally. After Yao Yunhui, who was following the Palace Master of the Law Palace, walked far away outside the main hall, she could not help but look back at the direction of the main hall.

Xu Qing's slender figure stood there, reflecting against the blue sky, turning into eternity in her eyes.

In the following days, Xu Qing's work finally decreased a bit, and he finally had time to reminisce with old friends.

The first one he went to see was Zhang San. With the bustle and prosperity of the Prefecture Capital, Zhang San, who possessed a business mind, naturally would not fail to come. In these few years, with the help of the Seven Blood Eyes' prestige, he had opened several flying ship shops in this Prefecture Capital.

The Seven Blood Eyes' flying ships had long been improved, divided into two versions: one for their own disciples to cultivate, and the other sold to outsiders as magic treasures.

Because of the status of Seventh Master and Xu Qing, the sales of the Seven Blood Eyes' flying ships in the Prefecture Capital and other prefectures were quite impressive.

Therefore, the shops in this Prefecture Capital were also very popular.

Zhang San was extremely excited about Xu Qing's arrival. Of course, he could not help but be a bit reserved, welcoming Xu Qing to the backyard.

Until after some reminiscing, Zhang San's reserve eased a little.

But his smile could not dissipate; in truth, he had woken up laughing from his dreams for the past half-month.

The investment from back then had long since skyrocketed in value.

"Senior Brother Xu Qing, Captain came a few days ago, then left later, and he was with a great beauty!"

Zhang San rubbed his hands and spoke in a low voice.

Xu Qing smiled. During this period, the Captain was nowhere to be seen, and he could guess with his toes that the other party must be with Li Shitao.

It must be very pleasant.

And seeing Zhang San's appearance, Xu Qing simply squatted beside the other party as he did back then. Zhang San's body shook, looking at Xu Qing, then took out his tobacco pouch and took a deep puff, exhaling smoke, feeling deeply moved.

Vaguely, it seemed that in this smoke, he saw the young boy who followed the Captain carefully back in the Seven Blood Eyes.

Unthinkable, truly unthinkable. ===== CHAPTER 684 =====