Chapter 471: Unprecedented Changes in Thousands of Years

The sky was pitch black. Only the streaks of lightning, appearing amidst the roaring thunder, tore through the dark heavens.

Cold rain continuously fell, drenching the land of Feng Hai County.

Xu Qing stared blankly in the direction of the county capital, his mind in turmoil. "The County Governor has fallen..."

Xu Qing had only occasionally seen the County Governor a few times in the Sword Holding Palace and had no direct contact with him. Most of what he knew about him came from others. Yet he knew that Feng Hai County remained intact, not having been eroded and divided by the Saintly Sea Race using various methods, largely thanks to the efforts of successive County Governors. This current County Governor, having presided over Feng Hai County for eight hundred years, despite not achieving any territorial expansion, had diligently maintained internal and external balance, ensuring that Feng Hai County remained under human control and its thirteen prefectures were still complete. This was a rare feat among the other six counties, which had gradually lost territory over the past millennium. And today, this old man had fallen.

Xu Qing didn't know the specifics, nor what exactly happened in the county capital. As his emotions fluctuated, he thought of Zi Xuan, Kong Xianglong, and others. He immediately took out his command token and voice transmission jade slip, but before he could even inquire, both the token and the jade slip vibrated intensely, overflowing with countless messages. "Xu Qing, are you at the Penal Department?! How are you?!" "Xu Qing, the County Governor has fallen, without any warning, so suddenly, it's too sudden!" "Xu Qing, where are you? The Penal Department has collapsed!!" "Countless prisoners have escaped, and the county capital is in chaos!"

The moment Xu Qing's consciousness connected with the command token and jade slip, these messages violently surged into his mind. They included transmissions from Kong Xianglong, Shan Hezi, and others, as well as some Sword Holders and Penal Department enforcers whom Xu Qing knew. Xu Qing's body trembled, and a shiver rising from the depths of his heart rapidly spread throughout his body, finally turning into a roaring sound in his mind. "The Penal Department collapsed?" Xu Qing's heart churned with disbelief. Holding his command token, he immediately inquired of Kong Xianglong.

After receiving Xu Qing's reply, Kong Xianglong's voice, filled with grief and indignation, quickly spoke. "Xu Qing, the Penal Department exploded! Prisoners are escaping now, too many of them. The Palace Masters, Deputy Palace Masters, and stewards of Districts D, C, and B are currently fighting the divine avatars imprisoned by the Penal Department, relying on the county capital's forbidden artifacts."

Just as Xu Qing was about to press for more details, Zi Xuan's trembling voice came from the voice transmission jade slip beside him. "Xu Qing, where are you? Are you alright? I'm here at the Penal Department, but I can't find you." Zi Xuan's voice trembled. Xu Qing immediately replied upon hearing it. After learning that Xu Qing was unharmed, Zi Xuan visibly sighed in relief and was about to continue asking, but Xu Qing's mind was in extreme turmoil. After a few hurried words, he immediately sent a message to Kong Xianglong. "Brother Kong, currently..." Before Xu Qing's message finished, Kong Xianglong's anxious voice came through. "Xu Qing, if you're not in the county capital, immediately find a place to hide. Don't come back yet. Wait a few days before returning." "Large numbers of Penal Department prisoners have escaped. You're an enforcer, and it will be incredibly dangerous if you encounter them on the road. Also, something big has happened!" "We just received news that the Saintly Sea Race army has appeared at the border of Feng Hai County. This was a premeditated act! Xu Qing, war is about to begin!" Kong Xianglong's voice was urgent, revealing determination as he spoke the last words.

Xu Qing's mind continued to churn. These events unfolded too quickly, so he could only quickly calm himself down, take a deep breath, and without hesitation, flash towards the ground, disappearing into the earth, his aura concealed. He knew very well that his current location was not far from the county capital. With his cultivation, he could reach it in half an hour, meaning it wouldn't take the Penal Department prisoners too long to arrive here either. Although most of the prisoners held by the Penal Department were weakened, once those from District C returned to the Ancient Vaste Continent, without the suppression of the Lesser World's Heavenly Dao, their combat power would instantly return to its formidable level. So Kong Xianglong was right; he needed to hide himself first and wait a few days for everything to stabilize before returning. That was the most correct choice.

A sharp glint gradually appeared in Xu Qing's eyes. After a long while, he took out his jade slip and first sent a message to the old man from Banquan Road, informing him of everything and telling him to warn the Wood Spirit Race to be vigilant. Then he sent a message to the captain. But there was still no reply from the captain. Xu Qing frowned. After pondering, he sent a message to Qing Qiu, also without success. Xu Qing sighed softly, put away his voice transmission jade slip, and sat cross-legged to calm his turbulent thoughts.

Time flowed on, and a day passed. Xu Qing's command token vibrated intensely, and the weary voice of the Palace Master echoed within it. "All Sword Holders outside the county capital's jurisdiction, return immediately upon receiving this announcement. Deadline is midnight tonight!" "I inform you of three matters." "One, the County Governor has fallen." "Two, Penal Department prisoners have escaped. You may use all means to protect your safety on your way back." "Three, the Saintly Sea Race is invading our Feng Hai County. Their army is pressing forward. According to intelligence, the Saintly Sea Race's Ancestral Emperor has awakened and ordered the entire race to initiate war." "Sword Holders... war has arrived."

Xu Qing silently put away his command token, lowered his head to tidy his storage bag, sensed his own condition, and a cold glint appeared in his eyes. With a flash, he emerged from the earth and ascended into the sky. It was midday, and the sky was somewhat different from yesterday. A vast net could be seen spreading across the entire firmament. This net shimmered with crystalline light, covering the sky and encompassing an endless expanse. Waves of pressure emanated from this crystalline net. Almost the instant Xu Qing appeared, the net in the sky flickered, as if recording his presence. Xu Qing, deep in thought, sped towards the county capital.

Along the way, his vigilance and caution were even stronger than usual. Just as he was about to approach the county capital, he received a message from Kong Xianglong. In the message, Kong Xianglong informed Xu Qing that the chaos in the county capital had been temporarily quelled through the combined efforts of the three Grand Profound Palace Masters and the County Administrator. At the same time, due to the arrival of war, the Palace Master of the Sword Holding Palace, who oversaw military affairs, would temporarily assume the role of County Governor and act as interim administrator. Two decrees had already been issued today. One was to summon the Sword Holders to return, and the other was a complete lockdown of the entire region and the full activation of the county capital's forbidden magical artifacts. The great net in the sky was the county capital's forbidden magical artifact. Xu Qing looked up at the crystalline net in the distance, put away his command token, and soared away through the air. Not long after, the county capital came into view.

The entire county capital had drastically changed from how it looked when Xu Qing left. The floating capital city in the sky showed extensive cracks, appearing riddled with holes. The three Grand Profound Palaces surrounding it also bore various degrees of damage. But the most shocking sight was the ground. The deep pit where the Penal Department once stood had now collapsed, its entrance blocked by countless rubble. Enormous fissures radiated from that center, spreading in all directions, a terrifying sight. The entire Penal Department no longer existed. In addition, several times more Sword Holders and county capital patrol cultivators than usual were dispersed in all directions, on high alert, their expressions mostly a blend of grief and grimness. Furthermore, abnormal substances and residual spell fluctuations had not been completely dispelled from the area, making many places appear distorted and blurred. Xu Qing's heart sank. As he approached, many patrolling Sword Holders came forward cautiously, and some divine senses enveloped him from all directions, only slowly dissipating after recognizing Xu Qing's identity.

Xu Qing remained silent, walking towards the Penal Department. At the blocked entrance, some Penal Department enforcers were casting spells, creating a narrow passage. Upon noticing Xu Qing's arrival, these enforcers turned their heads. No one spoke. Their expressions were chilling, like ferocious beasts ready to devour, watching their approaching comrade. Xu Qing silently walked over, gazing at the opened crevice, then stepped in, following the passage deeper. The surrounding cells, once intact, were now broken walls and rubble. As he looked at these, a cold glint appeared in Xu Qing's eyes, until he reached the cell that once housed inmate D-132.

All the cages there were shattered, and the prisoners inside had completely vanished. The little boy had also disappeared. He was gone. Xu Qing was silent. He walked to a corner, where he saw a small pile of bamboo slip fragments. Each bamboo slip within recorded similar content. After a while, Xu Qing left, taking the bamboo slip fragments with him, and went to what used to be the eighty-ninth floor. In this District C, Xu Qing looked at the shattered murals around him; the Lesser World had collapsed.

"You're here." A hoarse voice came from beside the collapsed rubble in the distance. In the gloom, Ghost Hand sat there, covered in wounds. Scattered wine pots lay all around him, and he still held one in his hand. Looking at Xu Qing, he gave a bitter laugh. "They all ran, completely gone." "I killed a few, but I couldn't kill them all."

Xu Qing walked over, looking at Ghost Hand, who was critically injured, even with his cultivation foundation shattered. Sensing the strong aura of death emanating from him, he silently took out some medicinal pills and placed them beside him. "This old man isn't going to die yet. Xu Qing, do you have any wine?" Ghost Hand threw the empty pot in his hand onto the ground, producing a series of clattering sounds. Xu Qing nodded, took out a pot from his storage bag, and handed it over. Ghost Hand raised a trembling hand, took the pot, and drank a large gulp. Then he coughed violently. After an abnormal flush of red spread across his face, he gasped for breath, gazed at the shattered murals, and muttered softly. "How could I die so easily? Xu Qing, do you know, I have a sword that I've nurtured for hundreds of years. But I didn't strike down too many of those who escaped before. My sword can only strike one, and I don't want to waste it like that." "This was prepared for protecting District C. I want to strike the beast who destroyed the Penal Department..." "Until I strike it down, I won't die." Ghost Hand muttered, his voice firm. Xu Qing remained silent, clasped his fists in a bow, and left the place with a complex heart.

Meanwhile, in the Saintly Sea Grand Domain, far from Feng Hai County, there was a particularly unique plain. It belonged to no county, located at the very center of the Saintly Sea Grand Domain, serving as the sacred land of the entire Saintly Sea Race. Looking around, the area was entirely white. Not covered in ice and snow, but sand and gravel. Every single grain contained dense spiritual energy. Furthermore, countless humanoid statues stood at the four corners of this plain, exuding an ancient aura. They were the personal guard legion of the Saintly Sea Grand Duke, who betrayed humanity years ago. Now, with the passage of time, all the cultivators of the legion had turned into statues, standing on this white plain. From afar, they ironically gave off a sense of sanctity. And the source of this sanctity was the sole white temple within the plain. This was the ancestral temple of the Saintly Sea Race, and also the resting place of their Ancestral Emperor.

At this moment, outside the temple, four tall figures knelt motionless. All four of them were dressed in imperial robes and wore imperial crowns. They were the Emperors of the four great dynasties of the Saintly Sea Race, and among them was the Emperor of Heavenly Wind. "Ancestor, we have acted according to the plan," the Emperor of Heavenly Wind spoke respectfully. "Ancestor, the Red Spirit army has entered Feng Hai County. Additionally, regarding the matter of the Dark Sky Divine Son, we have now found some clues. We await your decision," the Red Spirit Emperor said in a deep voice from beside the Emperor of Heavenly Wind. The temple remained silent. After a long while, an ancient voice, as if emerging from the long river of time, echoed over the white plain. "Set aside the matter of the Divine Son for now. The great endeavor takes precedence!" "We obey the Ancestral Emperor's decree!" Outside the temple, the four Emperors bowed their heads respectfully.