Chapter 746: Wind and Cloud Converge

The Imperial City's formation was activated into an investigative mode precisely when Xu Qing and his group arrived. While coincidence played a part, it was more likely, as Second Ox suggested, that this was a deliberate act. This was indeed the truth.

As Xu Qing and his group paused outside the Imperial City's formation, someone within the inner ring of the city sneered from a hidden location. Simultaneously, numerous other Imperial City factions watched on.

To these factions, Xu Qing and his companions from Fenghai County were unfamiliar, yet possessed an astonishing background. Their knowledge of them, however, was primarily derived from intelligence and information. They had never truly interacted with them. In this intricate and complex Imperial City, where true intentions are hard to discern, strangers should not be easily approached. Therefore, observation was the preferred course of action for most factions in the Imperial City at that moment. They were also eager to see others conduct the investigation, allowing them to gauge how to proceed in the future. After all, this world isn't black and white; positions and interests dictate the course of action, and the identities of friends and enemies can shift, much like masks worn by the heart. This transformation can be instantaneous or gradual, always adapting to what is needed. This holds true for humanity and countless other races alike, reflecting the complexity of human nature and a fundamental element of any society.

Amidst all this attention, Second Ox, standing outside the formation, smiled and turned to look at Xu Qing.

“Junior brother, what do you think?”

Xu Qing's expression remained calm as he looked at the formation ahead and spoke in a deep voice.

“If someone wants to see, then let them see.”

With that, Xu Qing stepped forward, walking towards the formation. He was highly confident in his purple crystal; neither the Ancient Spirit Emperor nor the Crimson Mother had ever detected it within him, so this formation was unlikely to either. And apart from the purple crystal, there was nothing Xu Qing needed to conceal.

As he walked, the moment his body stepped into the formation's range, the formation rippled, enveloping him, and the investigation... began. The moment this investigative power took effect, the formation instantly surged, emitting a brilliant blue light that enveloped all directions. Blue signified a certain level of enhancement in the formation's capabilities. Xu Qing could feel that the formation's change originated from his divine body; clearly, his physical form had significantly stimulated the formation.

Inside the Imperial City, the various factions watching intently grew thoughtful, and then, a slight ripple of alarm stirred within them. As Xu Qing moved forward and the investigation deepened, the grand formation covering the Imperial City changed color again, from blue to yellow. The formation hummed, enhancing once more!

This time, Xu Qing again sensed the origin: it was his divine repository, which, distorted by the formation, now materialized behind him. If that were all, it would have been acceptable; the yellow light from the formation, though not prevalent, was still within the bounds of what the Imperial City's elites and various factions could tolerate.

But in the blink of an eye, their composure shifted. A spherical object hanging from Xu Qing's waist, seemingly stimulated by the formation's scrutiny, began to float upward on its own, shining with brilliant light! Its levitation and burst of light immediately caused the Imperial City's formation to emit a sharp, urgent whistling, echoing everywhere and instantly seizing the attention of all observers. The formation's color changed from yellow to orange! That was a strong warning, signifying crisis and grave danger!

Princess Anhai, standing nearby, also showed a changing expression. Watching Xu Qing move into the formation, her mind churned.

“He indeed possesses the Sun of Dawn!”

But things were far from over. As Xu Qing took another step, the Crimson Mother's flesh and blood on his person, both from within his divine repository and his storage bag, erupted in a crimson glow. This blood-red light soared skyward, a divine aura enveloping the world, triggering the formation. At this moment, the formation fully erupted; amid violent churning, all the black towers vibrated, and the formation's light turned entirely red!

Red alert!

At this moment, all forces within the Imperial City grew solemn, and the hidden orchestrators behind this entire spectacle also became grave.

“Crimson Mother's flesh and blood!”

“Rumors claim he only assisted, that his direct involvement was nonsense, but judging by this, it's clearly not the case!”

“He not only participated in slaying the Crimson Mother but also obtained her flesh and blood!”

As the various factions reeled, the Crimson Mother's flesh and blood and the ancient sun were simultaneously stimulated, causing a noticeable tendency toward fusion between them. This tendency was far more complex than simple addition... So in the blink of an eye, the Imperial City's formation color directly changed from red to black!!

The entire Imperial City's ground trembled, and the core defenses of the human race fully activated at that moment. Ancient bells even began to chime throughout the city.

Dong... Dong... Dong...

Each ancient chime echoed through the heavens and earth, deeply unsettling all who heard them, and grew increasingly urgent. At this moment, all forces in the Imperial City were profoundly stirred. Moreover, terrifying auras erupted within the Imperial City, locking onto this location.

The Captain, too, was startled. All the members from Fenghai County grew solemn, and a murderous intent erupted among them. Li Yunshan's eyes gleamed with coldness, and Zi Xuan's phoenix eyes flickered with a faint glow as she gazed at the Ancient Emperor Star. The clouds on the Ancient Emperor Star at this moment showed an imperceptible sign of accelerating their flow.

Just as a catastrophe seemed imminent, the Captain suddenly spoke, his voice booming.

“Our Domain Lord of the Saintlan Domain has come here under imperial decree, yet you insult him with your formation and even force his inherent powers to erupt. What is the meaning of this?!”

“Do you intend to sever the Saintlan Domain from the Imperial Capital Domain, causing our human race to fracture? Such intentions... are truly heinous!”

The hidden orchestrators behind this entire scheme blanched. While they had indeed intended to probe Xu Qing, the results of the investigation made them realize the gravity of the situation was far beyond their expectations. It was too massive for them to handle. They merely intended to give Xu Qing a warning, not to unleash a full-blown storm. Yet, the situation had escalated to near-uncontrollable levels in an instant, a price they could not afford. A black alert signifies a crisis of almost extreme proportions. Furthermore, everyone could see that the dangerous phenomena around Xu Qing were stimulated by the formation, not actively unleashed by him.

Thus, in the next instant, their actions were immediately halted and reprimanded by multiple factions in various ways. The Faction of Enforcement, responsible for the formation, intervened, causing the Imperial City's grand formation to fluctuate, reduce its power level, and lessen its stimulation. This process was completed swiftly. Within moments, the formation enveloping Xu Qing returned to its normal state, ceasing its investigation and becoming gentle.

Meanwhile, the Captain, Li Yunshan, and Zi Xuan quickly approached Xu Qing, who stood there with closed eyes. They formed hand seals around him, aiding in the suppression.

Under the close attention of all forces, a moment later, Xu Qing opened his eyes. The fusion of the Crimson Mother's flesh and blood with the ancient sun on his body was finally prevented.

The Captain took a deep breath, looked at Xu Qing, and let out a bitter laugh. He couldn't quite tell if Xu Qing had genuinely been about to fuse or if he had merely intended to intimidate them. Regardless, he had sensed that level of madness, and so had all the various forces within the Imperial Capital Domain.

Zi Xuan said nothing more, helped Xu Qing straighten his clothes, and looked into his eyes, her expression gentle yet firm. Xu Qing smiled, nodded to Zi Xuan, then glanced at the Captain, winked, and then walked forward.

The now-gentle formation parted its barrier before him, allowing Xu Qing and the Fenghai County contingent to smoothly enter. The moment his feet touched the Imperial City's ground, Xu Qing gazed into the distance. Before him was a grand avenue of white jade. There were thousands of such grand avenues within the inner ring, gleaming brilliantly like rays of sunlight and connecting to all urban areas. In the distant urban areas, countless buildings could be seen: red-roofed and white-bricked, varying in size. Though ancient, they exuded grandeur, their overall style imparting a sense of majesty. The pavilions scattered among them, five-cornered and three-storied, were even more distinctive. Exquisite and elegant details, combined with a solemn and dignified style, were spread across this circular land, forming humanity's foremost magnificent city.

Within the city, a prominent building stood out in the distance: an octagonal tower, constructed entirely of white wood. It soared into the clouds like a Heavenly Temple, its height even surpassing some of the statues at the edge of the land. Its apex was shrouded in clouds and swirling mist, where a pavilion was faintly visible, surrounded by soaring dragon beasts, exuding an auspicious aura.

“That is the Stargazer's Tower, where the Grand Preceptor resides,” Princess Anhai said softly. She took a deep breath, composed herself, and came to Xu Qing's side, noticing his gaze. “The Grand Preceptor is mysterious; normally, he doesn't see anyone unless summoned by Father Emperor. Even I have only seen his back.”

Xu Qing gazed at the Stargazer's Tower and nodded.

“Outside the Imperial Palace within the Imperial City, there are ten palaces: the Five Palaces of Upper Mystery and the Five Palaces of Lower Mystery,” she continued. “This is an ancient system. Generally, in enclaves, the Five Palaces of Upper Mystery only include the Sword Bearer, the Law Overseer, and the Executor. However, in the Imperial City, there are also the Special Missions Palace, responsible for diplomacy and special affairs, and finally, the Creation Palace, which specializes in studying immortal arts and divine beings. Any one of the Five Palaces of Upper Mystery is a pillar of the human race, upholding humanity's dignity in the outside world. As for the Five Palaces of Lower Mystery, they are mostly focused on internal affairs: the Palace of Spiritual Governance, the Palace of Stability, the Palace of Official Affairs, the Palace of Education, and the Palace of Ten Thousand Peoples.”

As Princess Anhai introduced them, Xu Qing's gaze returned from the Stargazer's Tower, looking into the distance. At the far end of the urban area, a magnificent rainbow-paved road could be seen. It astonishingly spanned the inner ring mid-air, traversed the void, and led to the Ancient Emperor Star. At the very end of this road, close to the Ancient Emperor Star, a vast Imperial Palace conspicuously stood on the rainbow. This Imperial Palace appeared to float in the void, looking grand and majestic. It shimmered with golden light, revealing carved beams and painted pillars, with jade palaces and towering structures inside. Numerous halls rose and fell in intricate patterns, resembling a colossal formation. From a distance, it looked like the grand gate of the Ancient Emperor Star! Because of the great distance and the overwhelming aura of the Ancient Emperor Star, the palace's inherent grandeur merged with the star's presence, making it hard to discern independently, yet this fusion also lent it an awe-inspiring power.

And just as Princess Anhai was describing, and Xu Qing looked towards the Imperial Palace, a gaze from within the palace, almost imperceptibly, landed on Xu Qing. Then the gaze shifted, looking at Zi Xuan. After a long while, the gaze retracted.

At the same time, inside the towering Stargazer's Tower in the capital, the Grand Preceptor, dressed in a purple robe with long purple hair flowing over his shoulders, stood there, allowing the wind to stir his garments. His expression was gentle as he gazed down at the earth, a slight smile playing on his lips.

“My brother, you have finally arrived.”

Meanwhile, in a lavish, opulent pleasure quarter of the capital, where sounds of revelry echoed, deep within a shrine room, an altar was enshrined. Inside, there was a clay fox... At this moment, the clay fox swayed slightly, its nose twitching gently.

“The scent of that stinky little brother's prime essence…”