Chapter 410: The Most Miserable God in History

Kong Xianglong's treatment was decent; he was held in Section D3. This section was on the first level, so there was ample light, and his cell had no other occupants.

Xu Qing learned upon inquiry that the first ten sections were reserved for their own people. Sword Holders who made mistakes were usually detained here, and Kong Xianglong was a frequent guest of the Correctional Department.

“It’s a shame this time was too sudden; I didn’t prepare any wine…” Inside his cell in Section D3, Kong Xianglong smacked his lips, looked pitifully at Xu Qing, and licked his lips again. He was truly craving it.

Xu Qing looked around, confirmed that only Kong Xianglong was held there, then took a flask of wine from his storage bag and passed it in. Kong Xianglong’s eyes lit up. He quickly grabbed it, opened it, took a large gulp, then burped, bursting into hearty laughter.

“What joy! Drinking it every day, I never thought much of it, but occasionally not having it, I truly miss it.”

“Xu Qing, have some with me.” Saying this, Kong Xianglong raised his flask, toasting Xu Qing through the bars.

Xu Qing formed a hand seal, and immediately the cell door of Section D3 locked from the inside. He then took out his own flask and also drank. Kong Xianglong was even happier. The two of them drank comfortably, taking turns, and during this time, Xu Qing also took out a few apples and handed them to Kong Xianglong. However, after eating one, Kong Xianglong found it bland, so he continued drinking. Xu Qing was fine, eating apples and drinking wine, but Kong Xianglong, having drunk, became more talkative than usual, chattering incessantly.

“I’ve stayed in all these sections on the first level. Sometimes I was lucky and wasn’t caught, sometimes I was unlucky and got reported. This time, I was even unluckier; I ran directly into the Palace Lord.” At the mention of the Palace Lord, Kong Xianglong sighed repeatedly.

“Oh, by the way, Xu Qing, what have you been busy with lately? Your cultivation seems on the verge of a breakthrough, but why haven’t you broken through yet? If you break through soon, we can take on some high-military-merit tasks together later.”

Xu Qing pondered for a moment. He remembered that Kong Xianglong also possessed an Emperor-level cultivation method and ten Heavenly Palaces, so he briefly explained his choice for his Fifth Heavenly Palace, intending to seek some advice.

“I have experience with this. Integrating an Emperor-level cultivation method into a Heavenly Palace is different from ordinary methods; it requires a specific ritual and a protector. I exchanged military merits for my Emperor-level cultivation method, and I also used military merits to ask a deacon to help as a protector. Anyway, that’s a bit vague. I’ll just show you.”

As Kong Xianglong spoke, he waved his right hand, and his body instantly became somewhat transparent, revealing his ten Heavenly Palaces clearly to Xu Qing. Six were beneath his life mist, and four were within it. Among the latter four, three Heavenly Palaces were formed by 'life lamps', radiating brilliant light, each with a unique and strange form, emitting astonishing fluctuations. The other Heavenly Palaces were also extraordinary, especially two of them which were particularly special.

One was coiled by a golden dragon, emitting golden light throughout, giving an extraordinary feeling. As Xu Qing observed, the golden dragon coiled upon it suddenly lifted its head, its eyes fixed intently on Xu Qing. At this moment, the Golden Crow behind Xu Qing also materialized, circling within Section D3, looking at the golden dragon. Their respective spiritual auras were drawn to each other, both carrying a sense of scrutiny.

The other Emperor-level Heavenly Palace was a Sword Palace, resembling the main hall of the Sword-holding Palace, emanating supreme sword might and an extremely sharp aura.

Xu Qing’s mind trembled when he saw this. He had only intended to ask for advice verbally, but he hadn't expected Kong Xianglong to completely open his Heavenly Palaces to him. One should know that Heavenly Palaces are a person’s secret domain, not easily revealed unless there is extreme trust. But with Kong Xianglong, there seemed to be no reservations; he simply revealed them for Xu Qing to see.

“Why are you stunned? Not only have you seen this, but Xiao He and Xiao Chen have seen it too.” Kong Xianglong laughed heartily. Although the shackles restricted his cultivation from emanating outwards, revealing his Sea of Consciousness and Heavenly Palaces was still possible.

“See? These are the Heavenly Palaces formed by my two Emperor-level cultivation methods. You must have also comprehended the Emperor’s Sword, right? I sensed its aura just now. When your Emperor’s Sword reaches the second stage, it can also be integrated to form a Sword Palace.” Kong Xianglong simply focused on revealing his two Emperor-level Heavenly Palaces, explaining them to Xu Qing so he could see more clearly.

Seeing Kong Xianglong’s Heavenly Palaces with his own eyes, Xu Qing was moved. His expression turned solemn, and he stood up to bow deeply to Kong Xianglong. “Thank you, Brother Kong.”

“Between brothers, there’s no need for thanks.” Kong Xianglong dissipated his Heavenly Palaces, took a large gulp of wine, and laughed. “Later, once you integrate your Emperor-level cultivation method and activate your Fifth Heavenly Palace, I’ll see if there are any equivalent tasks with high military merits I can call you for. Our outdoor operations department has many such tasks. Xiao He and Xiao Chen have told me multiple times to find a task like that, as they also need military merits to exchange for inheritances.”

Xu Qing thanked him earnestly and drank with Kong Xianglong for a while longer. When it was time to leave work, he didn't return to the Sword Pavilion but went to the south of the city to buy osmanthus cakes. He planned to return to the branch sect tonight to find Venerable Zixuan. His Fifth Heavenly Palace had fully materialized yesterday. Xu Qing intended to integrate the Golden Crow Refining All Spirits into it tonight, forming his first Emperor-level Heavenly Palace.

“My Natal Azure Dragon… I’ll let it step aside for now. I’ll use it next time!” Xu Qing inwardly observed the Azure Dragon coiled within his natal dharma aperture. Under the influence of his aura, the Azure Dragon also autonomously lifted its head, looking at Xu Qing.

“Next time, for sure!” Xu Qing muttered to himself, arriving at the south of the county capital, where he found the osmanthus cake shop.

Meanwhile, after Xu Qing left the Correctional Department, the Palace Lord, who was seated cross-legged in the hall on the eighty-ninth floor, opened his eyes, looked up, and frowned slightly, muttering coldly, “Drinking with prisoners in a jail cell—what kind of decorum is that?!”

“When the two of them were drinking just now, you pretended not to see anything. Now they’ve finished, one has left, and the other is sleeping. Who are you putting on this cold, feigned act for now, with your eyes open? For me?”

From the void behind the Palace Lord came a deep voice, and a colossal vertical pupil-like eye suddenly opened. Its pupil burned like fire, stirring a storm that swirled within this level. Mocked by the instrument spirit, the Palace Lord paid it no mind. He coldly withdrew his gaze, pondered for a moment, and slowly spoke.

“Since those two have agreed to go out… in my name, send a letter to the Yao family.”

“The content is still, ‘Yao Yunhui, are you courting death?’” The voice within the storm was colossal, like a booming bell, echoing continuously.

“Ten characters,” the Palace Lord said icily. “Xu Qing is this Palace Lord’s personal scribe.”

“To issue a decree for a Sword Holder a second time, doesn’t that go against your principles? Or is it because the bad luck on Xu Qing is gone? Oh, right, his bad luck suddenly vanished some time ago. Let me think, it seems to have disappeared after his second visit to Section D132.”

“How strange. His bad luck just vanished so suddenly. What happened when Xu Qing went to Section D132 for the second time over a month ago? Unfortunately, I don’t have the authority to see it. Ah, how frustrating! I’m an instrument spirit, but I don’t have access to Section D132.” Within the storm, a muffled sound roared like thunder.

“Otherwise, Yao Yunhui won’t understand,” the Palace Lord said calmly, ignoring the other party’s mention of Xu Qing’s bad luck and Section D132.

“A Sword Holder can die in battle, which is their ultimate destiny and also their glory. But they cannot die by the hand of a villain; that is a disgrace. As long as I am here, I will not accept this happening to any Sword Holder.”

The storm’s roar paused, then resumed its clamor. “Does that include Zhang Siyun? A secret message came from the Imperial Province Sword-holding Court, stating that a deity resides within Zhang Siyun. The Imperial Capital must have also learned of this through the Emperor’s divine statue, and some are very interested in him.”

The Palace Lord was silent, then shook his head after a moment. “As long as he is a Sword Holder, I will not allow him to be used as bait. I will find a way to deal with the deity within him!”

“What about Chen Erniu?” Within the storm, the voice suddenly grew stronger, laced with sharpness. “I don’t believe you haven’t noticed his problem. And if I’m not mistaken, I should have seen his previous life, but I can’t quite remember. How strange, why can’t I remember?” The voice within the storm was filled with vexation, finally transforming into a roar. Simultaneously, a roar also emanated from the deepest level of the Correctional Department’s abyss, seeming to respond, as if to overlap with the instrument spirit’s voice.

“I can’t remember, I can’t remember, I’ve forgotten… Who am I? I need to think carefully about who I am, I am…”

The Palace Lord’s expression remained unchanged. He slowly raised his right hand and gently pressed down through the air. With this press, all one hundred and seventy-seven levels of the Correctional Department vibrated simultaneously, emitting brilliant light that converged at the center of each level, which was also the exact center of the abyss. There, one hundred and seventy-seven enormous runes formed, simultaneously descending towards the bottom of the abyss. As rumbling sounds reverberated, the roars from the bottom of the abyss slowly weakened, eventually fading away.

The roar on the eighty-ninth floor also dissipated in sync, and the colossal vertical pupil behind the Palace Lord slowly closed. Just before it completely closed, confusion flickered within the vertical pupil, and a faint voice emerged: “Who am I… ”

“You are the instrument spirit of my Correctional Department!” the Palace Lord of the Sword-holding Palace stated in a deep voice.

Hearing this, the vertical pupil showed understanding and settled down. “Yes, I remember now, I am the instrument spirit, the instrument spirit of the Correctional Department. My mission is to suppress all prisoners.” The vertical pupil closed completely.

The Palace Lord of the Sword-holding Palace gazed at the closed vertical pupil, his brow furrowed, a shadow appearing on his face as he murmured inwardly. “袘 has been awakening a bit too frequently these past few years…”

At this moment, if anyone could peer into the Palace Lord’s mind, they would undoubtedly be terrified by the character ‘袘’. This was an appellation for a deity. Clearly, that vertical pupil was no mere instrument spirit of the Correctional Department at all. All along, the vertical pupil that conversed with the Palace Lord believed itself to be an instrument spirit, but in reality, 袘 was the sole reason why successive Palace Lords of the Sword-holding Palace guarded the Correctional Department. The true identity of 袘 was the last external avatar of an unknown deity slumbering within the Immortal Restriction!

Gazing at the closed vertical pupil, the Palace Lord of the Sword-holding Palace recalled the words spoken by the other party. “For 袘 to find him familiar, Chen Erniu must certainly have an issue. But the Emperor has acknowledged him and given him the opportunity to become a Sword Holder, so he is a Sword Holder. Sword Holders are my subordinates. My subordinates may die on the battlefield, but they shall not die from foul play!” The Palace Lord murmured inwardly; this was his principle.