Chapter 697

With the submission of the Black Heaven race priest lineage, although the war of the entire Black Heaven race continued, this war that originally belonged to King Tianlan came to an end.

Half of the Black Spirit Domain was recovered and merged into the Shenglan Domain.

Part of the army withdrew, but some were stationed here to supervise the Black Heaven race priests.

Among the Black Heaven race priests, the Chief Priest, You Sang, would become the messenger of Xu Qing's god identity.

He worshipped Xu Qing fanatically and piously stated his mission.

In the future, he would build temples belonging to the Purple Moon in every state of this half-domain and develop the divine religion belonging to the Purple Moon.

He even planned to go to Shenglan, to Jiyue, and to other domains to build temples, propagate the doctrine, and increase believers.

And his status also changed, becoming the first Pope of the Purple Moon Divine Religion.

But it was only on the surface.

Among the Black Heaven race priests, there were actually many powerhouses, and there were once several who had reached the Spirit Repository.

But they were different from cultivators.

They did not cultivate the Dao, serving the gods for a lifetime, and their own strength mostly came from the gods' bestowal.

So the death of Red Mother made them weaker, as if they were exhausted in an instant, only able to barely maintain their vitality.

And Xu Qing's appearance brought hope to all this.

With Xu Qing's improvement, with the Purple Moon gradually changing from illusion to reality, the moment the Purple Moon completely turned into substance, those weak High Priests of the Black Heaven race would once again display their peak power of the past.

Xu Qing acquiesced to this matter and left the Black Spirit Domain.

But the immortal arts permeating here did not dissipate; it would continue to cover the sky of the Black Spirit Domain, turning into a sea of blood-colored clouds, to a certain extent covering the light and heat from the Sun of Dawn.

Allowing the Black Heaven race in this half-domain to recuperate.

However, the war actually continued; in the other half of the Black Spirit Domain and the Black Heaven Domain of the Black Heaven race, there were life-and-death battles at every moment.

But it had nothing to do with Xu Qing.

The Shenglan Domain was not responsible for the entire war of the Black Heaven race; they were just a link in this great war between the two races.

This link was the military order King Tianlan set for the Seventh Prince to stand firm in the Shenglan Domain; although he fell, the Shenglan Domain side still completed it perfectly.

From this moment on, the scope of the Shenglan Domain was greatly improved; Fenghai County truly drove the power of one and a half domains, and as the County Governor, Xu Qing's power was so great that it surpassed all County Governors.

Calling him a feudal lord was not an exaggeration.

Most importantly, Xu Qing had Xiang Ningyan by his side.

Xiang Ningyan's existence made Xu Qing stand on the side of justice, and all his actions had nothing to do with overstepping.

Even if King Tianlan fell, it was still the case.

Xiang Ningyan's standing out, his words, and his actions pushed all matters toward the struggle of the princes.

Although there were too many people who understood, sometimes, the significance of a fig leaf was not in itself, but in... it could not be lifted.

If it wasn't lifted, it was just a struggle between princes.

But if it was lifted, the Shenglan Domain, half of the Black Spirit Domain, and the Jiyue Domain, all of this would have to have sharp contradictions with the human race.

The price of this contradiction needed to be borne by the person who lifted the fig leaf.

And the Human Emperor did not want to lift it, and others... could not lift it either.

Everything, from beginning to end, was actually a game and balance between the two sides, just like the battle between cultivators, depending on whether it was worth it.

Therefore, half a month after the matter of the Black Spirit Domain ended, two imperial edicts from the Imperial Capital Domain were sent to the Shenglan Domain.

The first imperial edict was for Xu Qing!

"By the grace of the immortals, the Emperor of Profound War says: Since ancient times, the Ancestral Emperor's governance has relied on virtuous ministers; Dong Sheng has banquets, Jing Yun has the likes of Zhucheng, and Dao Shi has the likes of Meng Zhao Ling to continue."

"If the ministers are upright, the ruler is upright, and the world is governed; now I hear that Shenglan has a virtuous person, governing Fenghai, managing Shenglan, pacifying Black Spirit, guarding with peace, protecting the land of the human race, and fulfilling the responsibility of the territory."

"I value his heart, reward his virtue, and love his foundation; however, Shenglan is the place where the Ancient Emperor established his foundation, which can be called the national pulse, and its position is especially important. I summon the talented and virtuous Xu Qing to enter the Imperial Capital Domain; I will personally bestow upon him the opening of a government in the Imperial Academy to propagate the methods of governing officials. This is the decree."

The second imperial edict was for Xiang Ningyan; the wording within was obviously much simpler, and the meaning of reprimand was obvious.

"The Twelfth Son, Yan, is a stubborn and unruly person, restless in heart and body, privately fleeing the Imperial Capital, especially fond of acting recklessly; he should have been strictly guarded and not neglected."

"But considering he is young and his mother died early, I lacked discipline, which is my fault."

"Also considering he can assist in the governance of Shenglan and has a talented and virtuous person to teach him, he shall remain to observe his virtue."

"Return to the palace immediately, do not disobey in the slightest; if there is any gap in this journey, I will surely know, and at that time, I will execute you, and will never forgive."

In the County Governor's Mansion of Fenghai County, inside the pavilion, Xu Qing looked at the two imperial edicts in front of him, lost in thought.

Seventh Uncle and Marquis Yao were not here; only the Captain and Xiang Ningyan were with Xu Qing.

At this moment, the Captain was sitting there, eating a peach while looking at the two imperial edicts, making tsk-tsk sounds, and sweeping his gaze over the cautious Xiang Ningyan.

"Little Ningzi, your father is actually quite good to you; this first scolds you, then says it's his fault..."

"This is helping you take the blame for King Tianlan's matter."

"But your father is indeed ruthless to you; the severity of that last sentence has already overflowed from the text. If you make even a slight mistake on the road, he will execute you."

Xiang Ningyan looked at the Captain with a flattering expression, then secretly glanced at Xu Qing and spoke in a low voice.

"Captain, don't joke with me; my father... isn't that good to me. He's doing this for the sake of the Boss; he can't do anything to me, so that's why he said that."

"In my heart, there is only the Boss and the Captain; I don't care about others."

"I've already thought about it; I won't go to that Imperial Capital Domain, but if the Boss and the Captain want to go, Little Ningzi will not say a word and will follow immediately."

The Captain laughed, went up, hugged Xiang Ningyan's neck, took an apple from his bosom, and put it in Xiang Ningyan's hand.

Xiang Ningyan's expression immediately showed excitement, holding the apple, looking at the Captain with emotion.

The two looked at each other, and for a moment, it seemed as if their souls had merged, becoming good brothers.

Xu Qing glanced at them and didn't expose them.

Regarding the Human Emperor's summons, he knew that no matter what, he had to make a trip.

Otherwise, the stance of the Shenglan Domain would ultimately be incorrect.

And... the green lamp on Immortal Zixuan, according to Immortal Zixuan's sensing, was also in the Human Domain.

Reasonably and emotionally, he had to make a trip.

And he also really wanted to know what the Imperial Capital, the core of the human race, looked like, and what kind of geniuses and scenery existed there.

Besides... he already knew about the Seventh Prince's escape; regarding this hidden danger, Xu Qing harbored killing intent in his heart.

For the old Palace Master of the Sword-Holding Palace, and also for the Seventh Prince's past actions, all of this needed a conclusion.

"Also, the Great Emperor is also there..."

Xu Qing murmured in his heart, looking up toward the direction of the Sword-Holding Department in Yinghuang State; he always remembered the majestic figure of the Great Emperor he saw in the Sword-Holder's heart-questioning ceremony.

"Go and pay a visit."

A decisive look appeared in Xu Qing's eyes, but he knew very well that this trip to the Imperial Capital Domain would be a long journey, the road was far, and the next time he returned might be after some time.

So before leaving, he decided to make a trip to the Nanhuang Continent.

Master Bai, he wanted to sweep the grave, and the same went for the Lei Team.

And there was also Huang Yan.

There were some things Xu Qing already had the answer to in his heart, so he wanted to make a trip to the Huang Forbidden Area and have an open chat with an old friend. Just as he was thinking, a voice came from his heart.

"Master, rest assured, this time we go to the Imperial Capital Domain, You Lingzi will definitely protect Master's health; if anyone is blind and dares to harbor ill intentions toward Master, I will definitely turn them into a ghost!"

The words were firm and decisive, revealing arrogance; it was the ancestor of the Jin Gang Sect.

When this voice echoed in Xu Qing's heart, the ancestor of the Jin Gang Sect flew out from the side, buzzing, circling around Xu Qing, emitting a brilliant light, constantly showing his ability, looking at first glance as if he was definitely not ordinary.

Xu Qing's gaze fell on the ancestor of the Jin Gang Sect.

A few days ago, Seventh Uncle gave the refined fishbone iron sign to Xu Qing.

Its power, compared to the past, had been reborn, having a qualitative leap, and it even emitted an ancient aura.

And the original iron sign was just an ordinary item, at most a heavy treasure; having the ancestor of the Jin Gang Sect become the artifact spirit made it sublimated, and after experiencing the thunder tribulation, its power greatly increased.

But the material was ultimately ordinary.

Until the integration of the Immortal Forbidden fishbone, it fundamentally changed, and with the addition of Red Mother's flesh and blood, combined with Seventh Uncle's special ancient techniques, this treasure was finally refined to an astonishing degree.

Its appearance changed even more; it was no longer a thin stick, but like a demon-subduing pestle, with a thin and long tip, a slightly thicker end, pitch-black color, emitting a cold aura, sealing the surrounding void, and also having a gorgeous light, shining on its own.

Especially at the end, there were three head carvings, one was the Immortal Forbidden God, one was Red Mother, and the last one was the face of the ancestor of the Jin Gang Sect.

The first two had their eyes closed, divine power restrained, only the third head had a flattering face, which was very uncoordinated with the whole.

Gazing at the ancestor of the Jin Gang Sect floating in front of him, Xu Qing thought of what his Master said when he gave him this item a few days ago.

"Fourth, this item uses the Immortal Forbidden God as the bone, Red Mother's spirit as the flesh, only the artifact soul is a bit worse, but considering it's a bit silly, it's barely okay. To a certain extent, this is basically a divine embryo."

"And it was forged by me using the Xia Immortal method recorded in ancient books, so I call this item an Immortal Artifact!"

"You must remember one thing, the greatest display of an Immortal Artifact is the terrifying power produced the moment it self-destructs."

"And this artifact spirit is very silly and easy to fool; you should grasp it well when you use it later, it's best to let it self-destruct itself, so the power is better."

This remark, at that time, the ancestor of the Jin Gang Sect on the side could not hear.

At this moment, he naturally didn't know, and was still speaking arrogantly there.

"Even if it's a little fart shadow, it's the same; if it dares to continue to rebel, I, the ancestor, will definitely poke a thousand holes in it, letting it know who is the second!"

Xu Qing was silent, and after thinking about it, he sent an appreciative look.

The ancestor of the Jin Gang Sect was immediately excited.