Chapter 393: Purple Moon Heavenly Palace

The matter with the Eight Sects Alliance was smoothly resolved. In the compound's courtyard, the branch sect once again hosted a welcome banquet for Xu Qing and the others.

During the banquet, the captain was exceedingly pleased, exchanging toasts and becoming quite familiar with the Sword Holders. Most of them had heard about a Sword Holder from Yinghuang State whose radiance reached one zhang. From the captain's behavior that day, they all guessed who it was, but understanding the social dynamics, and with spirit stones to be gained and Chen Tinghao's enthusiastic introductions, they naturally didn't expose him. Their interactions were quite harmonious.

Zi Xuan did not participate in the banquet. Instead, she had someone send Xu Qing some pills. Each of these pills was her personal possession and extraordinarily precious. Though Xu Qing said nothing outwardly as he held the pills, his heart was not entirely calm. Being a man of few words, he didn't know what to say, so he could only express his thanks via spiritual transmission.

"Little friend, why have you become so polite?" Zi Xuan's voice, carrying a hint of allure, scratched at his mind like an itch through the transmission jade slip. "I'm in Room A-1. If you have any cultivation questions, you can secretly come find me." The last sentence in the jade slip made Xu Qing's heart skip a beat. He quietly put away the jade slip and calmed his mind.

Although his injuries were severe, he recovered quickly. After all, he had orchestrated them with his shadow, maintaining control. Compared to the numerous life-or-death crises he had faced before, his current injuries were merely minor. Thus, he naturally joined the banquet. Watching the captain exchanging toasts, Xu Qing asked Chen Tinghao, who was beside him, about Yao Yunhui.

"Human noble titles used to be hereditary, but after the current Human Emperor ascended the throne, the hereditary system was abolished. So, the current head of the Dao Mansion doesn't hold a Heavenly Marquis title," Chen Tinghao explained. "However, since their ancestor contributed greatly to humanity, both the Prefect and the Palace Master still address the head of the Yao family as Marquis. This Marquis has three children: two sons and one daughter. Yao Yunhui is the Marquis's youngest daughter." "Yao Yunhui was once a prominent figure in the Prefectural City. Her marriage to the Taishi Immortal Sect of your Yinghuang State years ago caused much discussion, as the Dao Mansion considered their statuses too disparate. Later, I heard her cultivation partner died young, leaving a son in the Taishi Immortal Sect, while she herself returned to the Yao family early." "This person has extensive connections in the Prefectural City, a distinguished background, and exquisite beauty. I've also heard she has some connection with Deacon Sima, who hails from the Taishi Immortal Sect within the Sword Holding Palace, and she herself is the director of the third division of the Law Enforcement Palace."

Chen Tinghao spoke earnestly as he introduced her to Xu Qing. "However, our Sword Holding Palace doesn't fear the Law Enforcement Palace, and Deacon Sima isn't someone who engages in favoritism or malpractice, so you don't need to worry. Furthermore... truthfully, no one really likes the Yao family."

Just as Chen Tinghao was about to pick up his wine cup, his cultivation partner glanced at him, making him a little awkward. He wanted to drink but dared not, so he cleared his throat and continued speaking to Xu Qing. "Our Sword Holding Palace's philosophy clashes with that of the Yao family." "Regarding the two major foreign races within the prefecture and the Saintly Lan Race, our Sword Holding Palace advocates deterrence, even at the cost of war. The Palace Master has repeatedly proposed clearing out Fenghai Prefecture and suppressing the Saintly Devil Race and the Near-Immortal Race." "The Yao family, however, vehemently opposes this, believing that conflict won't solve problems. They advocate for deep integration with foreign races. That's why the Yao family in the entire Prefectural City interacts most frequently with the Saintly Devils and Near-Immortals, even intermarrying with them. They've also visited the Saintly Lan Race multiple times, always appearing subservient."

Chen Tinghao's expression showed disdain. "I truly wonder if their Heavenly Marquis, if he knew about this, would crawl out of his coffin and slap these spineless descendants to death." As he spoke, Chen Tinghao couldn't resist picking up the wine flask and taking a large gulp. His cultivation partner saw him and shook her head helplessly, but the tenderness in her eyes was clearly visible.

The banquet didn't last too long, concluding when the bright moon hung high. After Xu Qing and the captain saw them out of the branch sect, they walked together in the courtyard. The moonlight was brilliant, spilling at their feet, and a gentle breeze ruffled Xu Qing's and the captain's hair, also dispelling the scent of alcohol from their bodies.

"Little A-Qing, we've finally reached the Prefectural City!" the captain exclaimed joyfully, smiling as he took out an apple and took a big bite. Xu Qing looked up at the sky, at the statue of Ancient Emperor Xuanyou, and nodded.

"Remember what I told you back then? In this life, we'll journey together!" "The Prefectural City isn't our final destination; it's just our starting point." "Next, we need to establish ourselves firmly in the Sword Holding Palace. Then, little junior brother, once I'm familiar with this place, I'll take you to continue achieving great things!" "We're going to stir up the winds and clouds in Fenghai Prefecture and make the Saintly Lan Grand Domain change its name to the Stormy Prefecture because of our arrival!" The captain, rarely so ambitious, devoured the apple and took out an orange.

Xu Qing instinctively became wary, looking at the captain, who was acting differently than usual. "We also need everyone to know that, together, our radiance will exceed ten thousand zhang!" "And we must make everyone understand that we are true brothers, the kind who would stick by each other through thick and thin!" the captain said, secretly observing Xu Qing.

Xu Qing remained impassive and nodded. "Therefore, reporting in half a month is crucial. It concerns our choice of assignments; different departments have different military merits and responsibilities. Whether we can change the Saintly Lan and enable humanity to rise in the future depends on our start." The captain continued, speaking in an exaggerated manner, as if this assignment would determine the fate of humanity.

"And then?" Xu Qing asked calmly. He had heard Chen Tinghao say that the reporting date for the newly promoted Sword Holders was in half a month. "Then we need to operate, little junior brother. This requires money. And when we undertake great deeds later, we'll need to buy information, which also costs money. So... the compensation that old hag will give us later, cough, how about we split it fifty-fifty?"

"That's it?" Xu Qing asked, surprised, thinking it would be a much bigger deal. "No problem." Seeing Xu Qing agree so readily, and dismiss it as a small matter, the captain immediately became wary. He felt that Xu Qing seemed to have a broader perspective than himself, which made him alert. He secretly told himself to pay attention and also broaden his own outlook.

With a wave of his hand, the captain declared, "Little junior brother, I'll give you a ten percent discount on the eight million spirit stones you owe me!" Xu Qing ignored him and walked towards his residence. The captain chuckled happily, bid Xu Qing farewell, and returned to his own dwelling, which he had specifically chosen. It was concealed by rockeries and trees, preventing direct sunlight. The captain felt that a place where even the sun couldn't directly gaze was more befitting his status as a Sword Holder.

Xu Qing paid no mind to these details. Upon returning, he instinctively set up some arrangements around his residence before entering. He sat cross-legged, reflecting on the events of the past few days since arriving in the Prefectural City. Then, he took out a bamboo slip and carved Yao Yunhui's name onto it, listing it alongside Zhang Siyun's. The matter of Yao Yunhui was merely a small interlude in his arrival at the Prefectural City. After carving the name, Xu Qing pondered finding an opportune moment to quietly eliminate both her and her son.

"And there's Hong Nü, and Ning Yan too," Xu Qing muttered, glancing at the bamboo slip and frowning. "There are quite a few names not crossed off yet." Seeing so many uncrossed names, Xu Qing felt a bit uneasy. He looked up at the dark night outside and pondered for a moment. "I need to raise my cultivation quickly and eliminate them one by one as soon as possible." Xu Qing closed his eyes and began to cultivate.

Time passed. Four days later, the Law Enforcement Palace delivered the spirit stones, pills, three artifact fragments, and formation artifacts, signaling the conclusion of the matter. Xu Qing did not keep everything for himself; both the captain and the disciples who had gone to the Law Enforcement Palace to pick him up received a share. He also sent some to the five Peak Masters and Immortal Zi Xuan. The rest he kept. However, he did not distribute the Heavenly Palace Pills within the haul, choosing to keep them for himself.

These pills were quite potent. After consuming three, his fourth Heavenly Palace finally took shape within his body. As a rumbling sound echoed inside him, Xu Qing gazed at the fourth Heavenly Palace, shimmering with radiant light in his Sea of Consciousness. Anticipation rose in his heart, accompanied by contemplation. "Should it be the Destined Azure Dragon, or... the purple moon?" Xu Qing didn't ponder for long; his eyes revealed determination. "The Destined Azure Dragon can make way just this once."

With this thought, Xu Qing immediately focused all his strength to draw the purple moon from his Sea of Consciousness, allowing it to slowly merge into the fourth Heavenly Palace, eventually taking its place deep within the palace. The next moment, an incredibly close sense of connection emerged in his mind. Before this, he already had control over the purple moon, but it was too vast, making it difficult for him to activate, like a child trying to push a carriage. Now, however, with the connection provided by the fourth Heavenly Palace, this control became somewhat easier than before.

Xu Qing did not immediately attempt to use it. Instead, he closed his eyes to nurture it until ten days later, when his fourth Heavenly Palace was completely stable. Only then did he open his eyes. The moment his eyes opened, an intense purple light burst forth from them, engulfing everything around him in a sea of purple. The fourth Heavenly Palace also shimmered with brilliant purple light at this instant. As he watched the purple moon constantly flicker within, Xu Qing had a feeling that if he fully activated it, his entire being would instantly be permeated with his own divine aura – that is, exotic substance! This exotic substance could invade and influence all cultivators. If further amplified by the Poison Ban Pills, the power of this exotic substance, originating from him, would be even greater, and its concentration would also be higher, making its speed of invading all things astonishing.

"Am I cultivating the Dao, or am I cultivating divinity now..." Xu Qing murmured, looking at his third and fourth Heavenly Palaces, then at the Destined Azure Dragon, which kept yielding its position. "Currently, with the Emperor-level cultivation method, I possess the battle power of five palaces." "After merging with my shadow, I can unleash the pure physical strength of six palaces!" "And if I add the Poison Ban and the purple moon, I can even fight against a seven-palace cultivator, and I should be victorious!" Xu Qing's eyes gleamed. His current combat strength among ordinary Heavenly Palace Golden Cores was already at its absolute peak.

"No matter what I cultivate, increasing my combat power is the key!" Xu Qing muttered, calculating the time. There was only one night left until the reporting date for Sword Holders. Tomorrow morning would be the day. "I wonder where my assignment will be after reporting?" Xu Qing thought of Morning Glow Mountain and remembered Chen Tinghao telling him that reaching Morning Glow Mountain required a significant amount of military merit. "Military merit!" A sharp glint appeared in Xu Qing's eyes. After a moment, he closed them, concealing the sharpness, and quietly waited for time to pass.

The night passed. The next day, as the first rays of dawn appeared, Xu Qing stood up and calmly changed into the white Daoist robe of a Sword Holder, donning his cloak. Standing before his door, he took a deep breath, then raised his hand and pushed it open. The sunlight poured in from outside, streaming past Xu Qing, as if blending his figure into the light. The rays passing through his hair created a colorful shimmer. From a distance, he looked as if a fire was rising from him as he stood bathed in light. All the disciples passing by couldn't help but glance his way.

Immortal Zi Xuan stood on the second floor of her residence, watching Xu Qing, and a strange light couldn't help but appear in her eyes. Elsewhere in the branch sect's courtyard, not far from Xu Qing, in a residence concealed by rockeries and trees to prevent direct sunlight, the captain pushed open his door. He stretched, and just as he was about to step out, he saw Xu Qing standing in the light and paused, surprised. "It can be like that?" The captain looked back at his own dwelling, then at Xu Qing's, and suddenly felt that his residence was no longer befitting his status as a Sword Holder.