Chapter 423: Lonely Walk Through the Dark Alley

"You!" Steward Sun of the Yao Residence immediately looked displeased. He gazed at the battle-hardened Sword Bearers surrounding them, who exuded a murderous aura like a pack of wolves, then glanced at the Saintly Ocean Clan envoy beside him.

His expression shifted, and he cursed inwardly. In truth, he hadn't wanted to come this time. Bringing the Saintly Ocean Clan to the Sword Bearing Palace to apprehend Sword Bearers was absurd in itself. However, the Marquis had ordered him to ensure the visiting Saintly Ocean Clan envoy was satisfied. Thus, at this moment, he could only grit his teeth, a fierce glint appearing in his eyes.

"The Marquis has commanded that Kong Xianglong and the other four be apprehended!"

Deacon Sima frowned. The Saintly Ocean Clan Black Clad Guard, whose sullen expression had eased slightly, gave a faint smile, a profound light flashing deep within his eyes. He had come with his clan's delegation this time, but bothering Kong Xianglong and the others was merely a pretense. His true mission was to observe the Yao family. From beginning to end, he had been scrutinizing the expressions of every Yao family cultivator, missing none, and even using secret techniques to verify if they were feigning their actions.

At that moment, the dozens of Yao family cultivators on the plaza also groaned inwardly upon hearing the command. Yet, under orders, they had no choice but to step forward, their cultivation exploding and aura rising, about to rush towards Xu Qing and the others. A rebellion seemed imminent, but just then, a cold snort echoed from the sky.

"What is this behavior!"

The next moment, a power that shook heaven and earth descended like an overwhelming tide, suppressing all directions. The entire Disciplinary Hall immediately trembled. The hearts of all cultivators present churned, and the dozens of Yao family cultivators, in particular, found themselves utterly immobilized, as if crushed by a thousand mountains.

Immediately after, a figure stepped forth from the sky. This was an old man, whose eyes reflected the operation of a thousand paths, a manifestation of the first stage of Reverting to Emptiness: Shattering Void and a Thousand Paths. He wore a Sword Bearer's robe. As he walked, the sky behind him twisted, and countless illusory figures appeared, surging into the depths of the firmament, causing the entire Sword Bearing Palace to tremble. This was a manifestation of the second stage of Reverting to Emptiness: Myriad Transformations of Illusion and Reality. As he approached, illusory scenes of spatial fragmentation appeared one after another around him. It was as if worlds spontaneously formed around him like bubbles, appearing and instantly shattering within a short time. This was... the mark of the third stage of Reverting to Emptiness: Myriad Thoughts of Creation!

However, the number of worlds around the elder was not many; he had not truly stepped into the third stage, but rather had just placed one foot in. Even so, he was immensely powerful and astonishing. His appearance instantly quieted the entire Sword Bearing Palace.

Xu Qing immediately recognized him as the Vice Palace Lord of the Sword Bearing Palace, who had appeared during the Sword Bearer's Oath.

"Greetings, Vice Palace Lord!" Deacon Sima was the first to cup his fists and bow respectfully. Xu Qing, Kong Xianglong, and the others also quickly cupped their fists. Soon, all the surrounding Sword Bearers bowed in unison.

"Greetings, Vice Palace Lord!"

The Vice Palace Lord was expressionless. He cast a cold gaze at Steward Sun of the Yao family, whose face had now turned pale, and spoke indifferently.

"Scram!"

Steward Sun's body trembled. He wanted to speak but dared not, so he bowed his head towards the Saintly Ocean Clan Black Clad Guard, then hastily departed with the trembling Yao family cultivators.

Ignoring the Yao family, the Vice Palace Lord turned his cold gaze towards the Saintly Ocean Clan.

"And you. You are an envoy, so I will grant you the time it takes for an incense stick to burn to flee, as a courtesy of our human race. But if you cannot return to Saintly Ocean within that time, I will cut you down."

The Saintly Ocean Clan Black Clad Guard's expression changed. He instantly shot out, heading straight for the distant teleportation array.

Having done this, the Vice Palace Lord looked at Xu Qing and the others again, letting out a cold snort. "You lot are quite bold. By the Palace Lord's command, the five of you are to be confined in the Penal Affairs Division for one month!"

"Deacon Sima, you are to personally escort them to the Penal Affairs Division!"

Xu Qing lowered his head. Shanhezi and the others sighed inwardly, also bowing their heads. However, Kong Xianglong was no longer trembling. He only feared the Palace Lord himself. At present, he was merely in low spirits, evidently feeling that despite fleeing for so long, he still couldn't escape imprisonment.

"I obey your command!" Upon hearing this, Deacon Sima's expression turned solemn, and he spoke gravely. He naturally understood that this "escort" was more about protection, to prevent any foul play from the Saintly Ocean Clan or the Yao family.

"Everyone, disperse. Stop making such a racket. Remember, you are Sword Bearers!"

After speaking, the Vice Palace Lord departed with a cold expression.

Deacon Sima lifted his head, looked at Kong Xianglong and the others, and walked over. After his gaze swept over each of them, it settled on Xu Qing, and he slowly spoke. "I am first and foremost a Deacon of the Sword Bearing Palace, and only secondarily a cultivator of the Taishi Immortal Sect." Outsiders would need to ponder Deacon Sima's words to grasp their full meaning. But as a direct recipient, Xu Qing immediately understood. He cupped his fists and bowed, though he didn't fully believe it in his heart and still needed to verify.

"Let's go. I will escort you to the Penal Affairs Division." Deacon Sima led the way.

Kong Xianglong sighed at Xu Qing. Shanhezi and Wang Chen, however, blinked, moved closer to Xu Qing, and spoke in a low voice. "Xu Qing, getting back to your place depends on you."

Xu Qing nodded silently. Everyone sighed to themselves and followed behind Deacon Sima, leaving the Sword Bearing Palace.

As they made their way to the Penal Affairs Division, below the center of the commandery capital, there was a circular altar-like structure. This altar was vast, yet empty in the middle. Within it were three main halls—black, red, and white—surrounded by numerous smaller halls, towering pavilions, and majestic structures. The roofs of the three main palaces were covered with different colored tiles, giving them an extraordinary and unique appearance.

This place was peculiar; it seemed to exist within the altar, yet it didn't truly. Because when standing in this palace complex and looking out, one didn't see the commandery capital, but rather a void, emptiness. Only this palace complex existed within the void.

At this moment, in the central white hall, there were three people. Two were seated, playing chess, while one stood in the middle, gazing at the board. The one playing chess was none other than the Palace Lord of the Sword Bearing Palace. Opposite him sat a middle-aged scholar in a brocade robe. This person had fair skin and a subtle effeminate air. He was smiling as he picked up a black piece and placed it on the board, even poking the piece with his finger.

"Palace Lord, your attacks are too fierce. Be careful not to become a 'flying dragon that soars too high to return'."

"Someone in the Sword Bearing Palace just said something accurately," the Palace Lord said indifferently, looking at the chessboard.

"What was it?" the brocade-robed scholar asked with a smile.

"Marquis, poke your mother's head!" The Palace Lord was expressionless, looking up with a cold stare at the brocade-robed scholar.

This brocade-robed scholar was indeed the Yao family head, the current Marquis Yao. Hearing this, he showed no anger; instead, he laughed, then stood up and cupped his fists in a bow to the person watching their game. "Commander, the game is settled, no need to continue. The chief envoy of the Saintly Ocean Clan has arrived. Yao will take his leave now to receive them." With that, Marquis Yao departed, his retreating figure appearing somewhat bleak and lonely in the dark void.

The person watching the chess game was an old man in a coarse cloth robe. He appeared unremarkable, with a gentle expression, devoid of any pressure or imposing aura. Upon hearing this, he nodded with a smile. He was none other than the Commander of Fenghai Commandery.

"Commander, I still don't trust him," the Palace Lord said calmly, watching the departing Marquis Yao.

"Brother Liang Xiu," the Commander chuckled, sat opposite the Palace Lord, and quietly began tidying the chessboard. "I know you deliberately arranged the chess game to show the 'soaring dragon' formation, intending to warn Yao Tianyan not to let this charade become reality, ultimately turning into a soaring dragon that cannot return. But you specialize in fierce attacks, while Brother Tianyan excels at forming alliances and coordinating strategies. For us to appear at odds, like fire and water, is precisely the top-secret plan we three jointly devised back then.

"Over the years, outsiders have constantly reviled the Yao family, calling them shameless, foolish, traitors to their race, saying they intermarry with foreign tribes, that they are arrogant and overbearing, and that their entire clan is worse than pigs and dogs. Within the Yao family, only a handful know of this strategy, and even those who do cannot speak of it, only enduring all this suffering. Yao Tianyan... once a celebrated scholar renowned throughout the Imperial Capital Region, a proud and exceptional talent, is now willing to bear this infamy. His suffering is greater than yours. All of this is due to my incompetence, due to Fenghai Commandery's precarious state, and due to the decline of our human race. We had no choice but to enact such a strategy."

The Palace Lord of the Sword Bearing Palace fell silent. After a long moment, he looked up into the distance and spoke in a low voice. "Commander, there's no need to belittle yourself. If not for your meticulous efforts, Fenghai Commandery, isolated from humanity and situated within the Saintly Ocean Region, would likely have been devoured by the Saintly Ocean Clan long ago. I understand the principles you speak of, and I know his difficulties and his sacrifices. But I worry that some within the Yao family, as they walk this path, might truly become a group of 'soaring dragons that cannot return'. Even if their leader holds humanity in their heart, they might be unable to turn back, forced to forget their original intentions, just like the former Grand Duke of Saintly Ocean."

The Commander fell silent. After a long time, he spoke softly. "Even you, as an insider, harbor doubts. This indicates that he is not far from completely deceiving the Saintly Ocean Clan."

By now, dusk had passed, and the sky was dim. Fortunately, a bright moon hung in the sky, casting its light upon the world, and upon the deep pit outside the Penal Affairs Division. After escorting Xu Qing and his group here, Deacon Sima departed.

Kong Xianglong sighed, looking at the familiar Penal Affairs Division. Shanhezi and the others were also crestfallen. Only Xu Qing walked ahead, greeting the few jailers who came to receive them, watching as they sternly put shackles on Shanhezi and the others. But he... had none. In fact, a familiar jailer even handed Xu Qing a set of shackles and asked him for help. So, Kong Xianglong's shackles were personally put on by Xu Qing.

"Indeed, it's different..." Kong Xianglong and the others watched this scene with wide eyes, noticing that the jailers had smiles on their faces when speaking with Xu Qing, treating him like one of their own. But towards them, they were expressionless. Thus, everyone looked envious.

Old Li was also among the jailers. After glancing at Kong Xianglong and the others, he spoke softly to Xu Qing. "We heard about what happened with you all outside the Disciplinary Hall today. Come, your cells are ready." Old Li said, winking at Xu Qing, and led the way.

And so, Xu Qing and his group escorted the four, including Kong Xianglong, into the Penal Affairs Division. They walked all the way to Sector Ding-10. The moment Xu Qing pushed open the cell door, he saw the arrangements inside and smiled faintly. Although Sector Ding-10 was still a prison cell, it contained a full thirty jars of wine, and plenty of food that would normally require spirit stones to buy outside. They had even specifically renovated five cells, placing meditation cushions inside for sitting cross-legged. Although still basic, it was far superior to what ordinary prisoners received.

Upon seeing this, Kong Xianglong and the others also brightened up, looking at the stern-faced jailers. Old Li spoke indifferently. "We heard about your matter. You are being punished with confinement, and as jailers, we naturally have to guard you. But as fellow Sword Bearers, everyone agrees that you handled it splendidly. You were right to kill them! You can treat this place like your own home. Consider this month a period of rest. If you need anything, tell Xu Qing. Xu Qing, you can't neglect your post at Ding-132. You can open the cell door yourself. Don't forget to report for duty later."

After speaking, Old Li and the others looked at Xu Qing and his companions with solemn expressions. "Finally, we must say it again: you killed them well!" With that, all the jailers present simultaneously drew their command swords and performed the Sword Bearer's salute towards Xu Qing and the others.

After the salute, the jailers turned and departed. Sector Ding-10 immediately fell silent.

Xu Qing quietly walked to the wine jars. With a wave of his hand, four jars flew towards Kong Xianglong and the others. After each caught one, they looked at each other and all laughed.

"Cheers!" Kong Xianglong's laughter grew louder as he picked up a jar and took a large swig. Xu Qing also smiled and took a large swig. Afterwards, he helped everyone remove their shackles. These were merely for show outside; they were unnecessary here.

Time passed like this. The five of them confined together felt as if they had returned to that day when they killed the Saintly Ocean Clan Black Clad Guard and lay freely on the plains. And now, they were no longer strangers to each other, so their conversations were plentiful. Shanhezi and Wang Chen often bickered. Ye Ling stayed by Kong Xianglong's side daily; her affection for him was apparent even to a blind person.

As for Xu Qing, he would occasionally leave his cell to visit Ding-132. Aside from being unable to leave the Penal Affairs Division or undertake missions, nothing else changed for Xu Qing in his daily routine. Each time Xu Qing left Sector Ding-10, he did so with a clear conscience. As the garrison leader of Ding-132, he couldn't just ignore Ding-132; that would be dereliction of duty. Xu Qing felt he absolutely could not commit dereliction of duty.

Time flew by, and half a month passed. For mortals, being confined for half a month might be boring, but for cultivators, a single session of secluded cultivation could last longer. Especially with wine and food, and the occasional laughter among themselves, their days passed quite pleasantly.

Until this day, when Xu Qing returned from duty. The moment he stepped into Sector Ding-10, he felt something was off. Sector Ding-10 was too quiet today.