The county capital in the morning was filled with gentle sunlight. Different from the Seven Blood Eyes, the people here smiled more.
It was also different from the Eight Sects Alliance. There were fewer anomalous substances in the county capital. Moreover, there was no humidity, coldness, or fishy smell from the Forbidden Sea.
It was the same for people's clothes.
Regardless of whether it was the commoners who woke up early for work or the shopkeepers, they wore much better clothes.
The main thing was color.
In the cities of the Nanhuang Continent, the clothes of the mortals were monotonous. There was not much change even in the Eight Sects Alliance.
In this county capital, however, everyone wore colorful clothes which gave off a feeling of liveliness.
Because it was still early to report, Xu Qing and the captain didn't choose to fly. Instead, they walked at a moderate pace.
Xu Qing had been in closed-door cultivation for half a month and didn't go out. He planned to take this opportunity to familiarize himself with the environment.
He looked at the long street that was gradually becoming lively in the surroundings. After a long time, he looked at the sky.
At that moment, there were many Sword Holders heading to the Sword Holding Palace. Their clothes were uniform, so it was hard to tell if they were the new batch. However, the energy fluctuations from each of them were extraordinary.
Xu Qing wasn't surprised. After all, this was the county capital. The outstanding talents from the various provinces were gathered here, so there were naturally many experts.
"Master said that a great era has arrived, so heaven's chosens are appearing frequently. The number of new Sword Holders from the various provinces this time are different from usual." The captain was beside Xu Qing, eating an apple as he looked at the sky.
"However, Little Qing, you don't have to worry about being unfamiliar. I, your eldest senior brother, am extremely reliable in my actions. During this period of time, I've already spent a lot of money to buy information and know the new heaven's chosens from the various provinces like the back of my hand. I even know a lot about the three sects, one family, and the two major nonhuman races."
The captain's expression was smug, as though his spirit stones were all spent on good information.
Xu Qing nodded. Just like how he liked to observe the environment in a new place, the captain liked to obtain information about the new place.
"It's a pity that the Sword Holding Palace isn't selling posts." At the thought of the posts, the captain sighed with some regret.
Xu Qing glanced at the captain but remained quiet.
The captain looked depressed as he fiercely took a bite of the apple.
"This Sword Holding Palace is good in everything but it's a little unreasonable."
Due to the fact that he only got ten feet light, the captain wasn't confident about getting a good post.
During this period of time when Xu Qing was cultivating, he had gone out many times to find Chen Tinghao to inquire about any hidden things about this. He originally wanted to give him some gifts for a good post.
However, after asking around, he discovered that such a thing was impossible. The Sword Holding Palace was different from other places and was extremely strict about this. All posts were appointed by the higher-ups and there were also assessments.
Seeing that the captain was depressed, Xu Qing was about to say something. However, at that moment, he suddenly looked into the distance and his expression changed slightly.
The captain also looked over.
In the sky, a group of special cultivators was whistling over.
Their clothes were different from the human race's. Although they were still Daoist robes, they weren't loose but were tight fitting.
Moreover, the upper part of the robe was woven with golden threads and the lower part was wrapped in silver threads.
It looked a little strange. The energy fluctuations these people gave off were astonishing and their appearances were even more special.
There were men and women among them, but regardless of which of them it was, their exposed skin was snow-white. Moreover, it was the same for their brows and hair. Even their pupils were the same, giving off a feeling of holiness.
The sunlight shone on their gold and silver Daoist robes, refracting a resplendent light, adding a hint of splendor and arrogance to them.
"Quasi-Immortal Race?" The captain revealed a curious expression. This was also the first time he had seen cultivators of this race.
Xu Qing sized them up.
These cultivators were indeed not humans. This was because other than their white hair and eyes, they also had white wings on their backs. Their features were exactly the same as the Quasi-Immortal Race of the two great nonhuman races in Fenghai County that Chen Tinghao had introduced back then.
What made Xu Qing solemn was an extremely special existence among these Quasi-Immortal cultivators.
It was a figure in black armor.
The other party also had wings but they were black. Their face was covered by a mask so their appearance couldn't be seen clearly. Their drifting hair was also black.
The aura on their body clearly surpassed that of other Quasi-Immortals. Moreover, they even emitted anomalous substances.
There was no liveliness in their eyes, like a puppet.
"That black-colored one should be the famous immortal puppet of the Quasi-Immortal Race." The information the captain bought was useful at this moment.
"Immortal puppet?" Xu Qing asked.
"That's right. This Quasi-Immortal Race is good at making puppets, especially the black immortal puppet. It's a battle puppet unique to their race. The method of making it is unknown but I heard that it's quite powerful."
The captain spoke in a low voice.
Xu Qing fell into deep thought as he watched the group of Quasi-Immortals head to the core area of the capital, gradually disappearing without a trace.
The feeling that the immortal puppet gave him was similar to that of a deviant ghost but also somewhat different.
Xu Qing was a little far away, so he couldn't make a proper judgment.
The two of them retracted their gazes and continued forward. They observed their surroundings along the way and saw some disciples from the three major sects. They also saw many cultivators of the Holy Demon Race.
The Quasi-Immortal Race liked to stay in their ancestral lands in the county capital and rarely went out to interact with other races.
As for the Holy Demon Race, they liked doing business.
More than 40% of the shops in the county capital were opened by the Holy Demon Race.
The Holy Demon Race's body was burly and was more than 20 feet tall, like a small giant.
Other than the normal face, there was also a face at the back of their heads. When they spoke, their faces would occasionally rotate and change. Those who weren't familiar with them would feel very uncomfortable when they saw it.
This was especially when some of the Holy Demon Race had both male and female faces. There were no obvious gender characteristics on their bodies, so it was very difficult to distinguish their gender.
Xu Qing couldn't help but take a few more glances at this strange race.
It was only when it was close to the reporting time that the two of them flew toward the Sword Holding Palace.
When they arrived, there were already some people waiting outside the Sword Holding Palace.
These were all new Sword Holders from the various provinces. There were young men and women, and most of them had arrived at the county capital very early.
The number of new Sword Holders from the various provinces of Fenghai County varied. The highest number a province gave out was seven to eight spots, and the lowest was three spots like the Yinghuang Province.
At that moment, there were more than 30 people here. They spread out and some were in groups of three to five. They were all waiting.
Xu Qing even saw Qing Qiu in the crowd.
The other party wasn't alone. Beside her was an ordinary-looking young girl who was holding something.
"I almost didn't recognize you without the red clothes. Isn't this Qing Qiu? I think you can wear the red clothes inside. Only then will you match that large scythe."
The captain smiled and greeted her. His gaze swept past the young girl beside Qing Qiu and took a few more glances at the item in her hand.
Qing Qiu had set off earlier than the Eight Sects Alliance and arrived at the county capital a few months earlier than Xu Qing and the others. Hence, she made some acquaintances.
The young girl standing beside her was one of them.
The two of them had some similarities. One had an aura that forbade living to get close and had cold eyes under the mask.
The other one was holding some melon seeds in her hand. Every one of the seeds emitted divine fluctuations. Upon closer inspection, they seemed to be formed from flesh.
She kept eating, her mouth filled with blood and her expression cold.
After hearing the captain's words, the young girl lifted her head and glanced at the captain.
"Sister Qing Qiu, you know them. One of them is Xu Qing, right?" the young girl asked.
"That's right, two fools," Qing Qiu said calmly. The evil ghost on the scythe on her shoulder was rapidly chanting in her mind.
'Mad Dog is here. For some reason, he's clearly talking normally but I can't help but want to beat him up. The others are all Sword Holders and this one is a b*stard. We can find an opportunity to perish together with him and eliminate the evil for the Sword Holders!'
'As for Ghost Hand, let's not provoke him. He's not easy to deal with. Perishing together with him isn't a good choice…'
'Don't be rash.'
Qing Qiu was already used to the babbling of the evil ghost. At this moment, she was expressionless and allowed the other party to nag.
At the same time, the captain also transmitted his voice to Xu Qing.
"Do you see the person beside Qing Qiu?"
"This woman isn't simple. She doesn't have a name and everyone calls her Night Spirit. It's said that the melon seeds in her hand are a type of divine flesh that is extremely beneficial to the nourishment of the body. However, it seems like she can never finish eating them. Some people suspect that this item might be a part of her body!"
"The information introduced a lot of things about this woman. She lived in an abyss in the forbidden zone since she was young. Many years ago, an ancestor of the Great Void Demon Transformation Sect encountered her and brought her back to the sect to nurture her. This woman has a cold personality. It's said that she can transform into a greater demon!"
Xu Qing listened to the captain's words and glanced at the young girl eating the fleshy melon seeds. After that, he shifted his gaze to a corner in the distance where a youth was meditating with his eyes closed.
When he arrived earlier, he had looked around. Other than the bizarre aura of the young girl, this youth also gave him a sense of danger.
"That person's name is Shan He." The captain noticed Xu Qing's gaze and introduced.
"This is also an extraordinary heaven's chosen. He comes from the Blood Frost Sect of the three great sects. His family is a large force in the Blood Frost Sect. I heard that as soon as he was born, he had a birthmark with the pattern of mountains and rivers on his body, so he was given the Dao name 'Shan He' by Blood Frost's ancestor."
"This person has astonishing talents and possesses two emperor-level cultivation arts!"
As the captain spoke, the youth who was meditating opened his eyes and coldly looked at Xu Qing.
Clearly, when Xu Qing sensed these people, they also sensed the pressure from Xu Qing.
Both sides looked at each other. The moment they retracted their gazes, something flew over from the distant sky.
It was a black wooden coffin.
On it lay a youth wearing the Sword Holder's Daoist robe but it was covered in wrinkles.
His eyes were hazy as he yawned, looking like he hadn't woken up yet.
However, his appearance caused most of the Sword Holders here to be vigilant. Xu Qing also sensed danger.
"This person should be Wang Chen, who is said to be the closest to having Primordial Lightning Physique in this generation of Primordial Lightning Lineage."
"Interesting. I can sense some aura of a seal from him. Little Qing, that one outside isn't this person's main body. It's the one in the coffin."
Xu Qing nodded as a dark glint appeared in his eyes. He could sense the fluctuations of a life lantern from the coffin.
After walking out of the Nanhuang Continent, experiencing the Yinghuang Province, and coming all the way to the county capital, he had gained more experience and knowledge. He also saw more life lanterns.
Although life lanterns were rare, it was only relatively speaking. The stronger one was and the more powerful they were, the more impossible it was for them to lack life lanterns.
"There are many experts." Xu Qing mumbled inwardly. Regardless of whether it was Night Spirit, Shan He, or this Wang Chen, they all gave a feeling of power.
Although the auras of the other new Sword Holders in the surroundings weren't as strong as these three, all of them were extraordinary.
Xu Qing knew that he couldn't underestimate them just because their auras were a little weak. He wasn't the only one in this world who understood the principle of hiding his trump cards.
Anyone who had experienced life and death knew how to use their trump cards. Unless it was a critical moment, they would rarely take the initiative to reveal them.
"Although these three are strong, Little Qing, there's a monster among the new Sword Holders this time!" The captain sighed and Xu Qing was moved.
To be able to make the captain say the term 'monster', this person… must not be simple.
Just as he was about to ask, an astonishing aura rumbled over from afar.
The strength of the aura caused the expressions of everyone here to change.
Night Spirit stopped eating the melon seeds and quickly wiped the blood from the corners of her mouth. The coldness on her face turned into obedience and admiration.
Shan He stood up from his cross-legged position with a fanatical expression.
Wang Chen immediately got up from the coffin and instinctively tidied his clothes, looking ingratiatingly at the source of the aura.
At the same time, as the aura arrived, a heroic voice rang out from the sky.
"Who is Xu Qing?"
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