Chapter 494: This Tribe Should Be Destroyed

Ning Yan's mind buzzed, his thoughts churning like immense waves, transforming into a thunderous surge that reverberated throughout his entire being.

He knew that Qinglin's three heads were incredibly noble, and for such a proud creature, each head held immense significance.

The central head was its life essence, while the left and right heads carried different meanings. For Qinglin to lift Xu Qing with its right head was, in Ning Yan's understanding, an absolute impossibility.

This wasn't about cultivation level; it was about Qinglin's acknowledgment. Only its true master could be lifted by its main central head, and neither the current Qinglin nor its ancestors had ever recognized a master.

As for the left head, only its offspring were permitted there. An outsider stepping onto it would be a profound insult, inevitably leading to a fight to the death.

The right head, however, symbolized Qinglin's recognition of someone as an equal, much like a close friend among humans. The previous county governor, for instance, had stood there.

"Qinglin considers Xu Qing its friend?"

Ning Yan gasped, staring at Xu Qing, who stood upon Qinglin's right head, as if he were a divine being.

This wasn't the first time he'd viewed Xu Qing in such a light. His heart had been similarly overwhelmed after learning that Xu Qing was the so-called Black Heaven God Child.

And now, it was the same.

He simply couldn't fathom why this was happening. His first thought was that Qinglin had embraced the Red Moon faith and now considered Xu Qing a divine child.

"But even so, it shouldn't be the right head."

Ning Yan was utterly bewildered.

Xu Qing was equally bewildered. He had prepared to use the Red Moon as leverage, but events unfolded with unexpected smoothness. Before he could even issue a threat, the great bird Qinglin extended its goodwill.

At that moment, even though Xu Qing didn't know the specific meanings of Qinglin's three heads, the creature's act of actively lifting him made the significance of the scene unmistakably clear.

"How could this be...?"

Xu Qing's mind was a bit muddled, but before he could ponder the reason further, the great bird Qinglin let out a guttural roar. As the heavens and earth rumbled, its colossal body burst from the clouds.

The black clouds in the sky completely dissipated, and amidst the widespread lightning that resembled a thunderous pool, Qinglin's full body was revealed.

It had a head a thousand zhang long and a belly ten thousand zhang wide. Its body was purplish-red, yet its wings were remarkably small.

Its feathers appeared disheveled, yet an astonishing divine aura permeated the air around it, filling the heavens and earth.

After emerging from the clouds, it circled the sky. Wherever it went, the heavens and earth shifted, clouds surged in all directions, and piercing roars echoed through the firmament.

Standing on its right head, Xu Qing gazed down at the earth, an unprecedented sensation rising within him. He then took a deep breath and bowed solemnly to the other two heads.

"Thank you, Senior!"

The great bird Qinglin's central head lifted and nodded slightly towards Xu Qing, letting out a caw. Yet, it contained little ferocity, instead conveying a sense of contentment.

As he watched all this, an incredible thought suddenly arose in Ning Yan's dazed mind.

"Qinglin appeared here, not in its lair... could it be because of Xu Qing?"

"It couldn't have been hiding in the sky's clouds all this time, following Xu Qing as soon as he entered the county capital... Haha, that's impossible." Ning Yan was startled by his own speculation.

But soon, he realized this answer seemed to perfectly explain everything.

Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence that, so far from its lair, Qinglin appeared with Xu Qing's roar and agreed the moment he spoke?

"Do they know each other? No, they don't, but if not, how could this be?!" As Ning Yan's thoughts spiraled into complete disarray, Xu Qing also suppressed the myriad questions in his own mind.

Regardless, now was not the time for such contemplation. While he suspected the Palace Master had multiple ways to address the strained front line, Xu Qing knew his own mission needed to be completed as quickly as possible.

"Senior Qinglin, please return to the county capital with me," Xu Qing said, cupping his fists.

Qinglin nodded, about to take flight, when Xu Qing remembered Ning Yan and quickly informed the great bird.

Qinglin cast a sidelong glance, a flicker of distaste in its eyes. Still, it snatched Ning Yan with a claw amidst his pained cries, flapped its wings, and surged forward with the speed of thunder.

Its incredible speed made Xu Qing understand the meaning of "traveling a vast distance in a single step."

Although this location was clearly very far from the county capital, as Qinglin burst forth, the void blurred, the world twisted, and amidst a series of booming thunderclaps, the county capital came into view in mere moments, equivalent to the time it takes an incense stick to burn.

Xu Qing had never experienced such speed. As his mind reeled from the immense power, Qinglin's sudden appearance also garnered significant attention from the county capital.

As the county capital's defensive formations activated, the County Steward instantly appeared in mid-air. His expression changed as he looked at Qinglin, then he paused, noticing Xu Qing standing on its right head, before letting out a long breath of relief.

"Xu Qing, this concerns the county capital's defenses, so..." The County Steward didn't finish his sentence, nor did he inquire why Xu Qing was with Qinglin. He understood that everyone had secrets, and excessive probing was unnecessary.

However, his meaning was clear: he could not permit Qinglin to enter the county capital, as it was his duty to protect the city.

This was understandable. Xu Qing nodded and respectfully explained the situation to Qinglin. Qinglin then let out a roar and soared into the sky to rest among the clouds, while Xu Qing descended alone. After cupping his fists to the County Steward, he headed directly for the Sword-Holding Palace.

Upon reaching the Records Department, a sharp glint appeared in Xu Qing's eyes. Having secured Qinglin's assistance, he now possessed the power to overcome any obstacles. Therefore, his first action upon returning was to inquire about the previous requisition of supplies from the foreign tribes outside Seahold County.

Soon, information began to pour in, and Qing Qiu, who had been tasked with remaining at the Sword-Holding Palace instead of being deployed to the battlefield, personally reported to Xu Qing.

"There are 57,841 foreign tribes within Seahold County. Seven-tenths have replied, while three-tenths have not responded."

"Among the responding tribes, half are willing to provide supplies at standard prices."

"The other half, however, quoted inflated prices, roughly three to ten times the normal rate, especially..."

At this point, Qing Qiu hesitated, looking at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing's expression remained impassive as he spoke calmly.

"Continue."

"Specifically, those tribes allied with the Near-Immortal clan demanded exorbitant prices. For instance, a healing elixir originally costing twenty spirit stones was priced at a thousand! As for artifacts that typically cost hundreds of thousands of spirit stones, they began at tens of millions."

"War artifacts were even more outrageous."

"Furthermore, the Sword-Holders sent to the Near-Immortal clan were denied entry. The Near-Immortal clan stated that they were adhering to the Palace Master's request to close their borders and asked not to be disturbed."

After Qing Qiu finished, she stood silently. She had never felt such profound disgust for these foreign tribes until now.

As he listened to Qing Qiu's report, a cold glint appeared in Xu Qing's eyes. His philosophy was, in fact, aligned with the Palace Master's: there was no real need for so many foreign tribes in Seahold County.

However, he also understood the human race's decline, which made it difficult to assert the dominance they once held in this era.

For many years, the Saint Wave clan had also not wished to see a completely unified Seahold County, thus this delicate balance was the only way to minimize war.

Yet, judging by the outcome, some things appeared inevitable.

After a brief silence, Xu Qing spoke calmly.

"Provide me with the information on the tribe with the most outrageous demands. Additionally, retrieve all records pertaining to this tribe, specifically looking for instances over the years where they violated regulations but the Sword-Holding Palace only documented, rather than acted upon, them for various reasons."

Having spoken, Xu Qing closed his eyes.

The sky outside was pitch black at that moment, the hour just before dawn.

The external darkness seeped into the Records Department, and Xu Qing, seated there, seemed to meld into the shadows.

Observing Xu Qing, Qing Qiu sensed a murderous intent brewing within him. She bowed her head in assent and immediately began gathering all the information Xu Qing required.

Half an incense stick's time later, as dawn approached, Qing Qiu returned to the Records Department and handed Xu Qing a jade slip.

The Mili Tribe, located in the mountainous region of Qiling Prefecture northwest of the county capital, is a small tribe. It is not divided into sects, but lives as a single clan with four branches, which they refer to as the Four Veins.

They specialize in refining elixirs and artifacts, and are affiliated with the Heavenly Sound family, one of the Near-Immortal clan's three major families. They are one of eight prominent tribes under them, enjoying certain terms of the alliance between the Near-Immortal clan and humanity, including exemption from annual tributes and autonomy over a hundred thousand li radius around the Qiling Mountains.

Over the past eight hundred years, the Four Veins of this tribe have been recorded violating human regulations 18,931 times. With the exception of over 1,300 cases involving first-tier violations that were forcibly dealt with, the remaining instances were left unaddressed.

"Furthermore, this tribe, emboldened by its alliance with the Near-Immortal clan, did not dispatch their Spirit Treasures to participate in the war as requested by the Palace Master," Qing Qiu added softly, glancing at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing's expression remained impassive as he rose and walked out.

"Xu Qing, should this matter be reported to the County Steward? Should we request assistance from the County Office?" Qing Qiu asked, recalling the scenes at the Ten Intestine Tree. Xu Qing shook his head.

The moment he stepped out of the Records Department, the morning sun rose in the sky, its brilliant rays rapidly dispelling the lingering darkness.

"I will handle this."

Under the sunlight, Xu Qing's face remained impassive, his voice chilling as he spoke. He then leaped into the air.

The sky rumbled, and an immense pressure descended. As countless residents of the county capital felt their hearts tremble, the colossal form of the great bird Qinglin appeared in the heavens.

It blotted out the sun and obscured the sky.

Its enormous shadow covered the morning sun, enveloping the county capital. Xu Qing stood on the great bird Qinglin's right head, squatted down, and gently stroked its purplish-red skin with his right hand as he spoke softly.

"Senior, if you're free, how about we make a trip to the Qiling Mountains and wipe out a tribe?"

"Caw!"

Upon hearing Xu Qing's words, Qinglin seemed somewhat excited. All three of its heads simultaneously lifted and roared skyward.

Its roar pierced metal and shattered stone, shaking the clouds and astounding both heaven and earth!

Its sparsely feathered wings flapped violently at that moment, conjuring a colossal storm that connected heaven and earth. As it roared across the cardinal directions, it also radiated an intense aura of ferocity.

Its massive body swayed as it shot directly towards the northwest.

With astonishing speed, it created a sharp tearing sound as it vanished from sight in the blink of an eye.