What was a Sword Holder?
Xu Qing muttered inwardly.
In the past, he didn't understand what it meant to be a Sword Holder. In fact, his original intention of becoming a Sword Holder wasn't driven by the desire to protect the human race.
After all, it was impossible for him, who had walked through the misery of the human world since he was young, to have much feelings for the human race.
His truest thought was that he hoped that he could survive and live a little better until he killed the crow and the eagle.
As for why he became a Sword Holder, firstly, the captain wanted to become a Sword Holder. Secondly, after he became a Sword Holder, he could have an additional layer of protection. Thirdly, he planned to use his right as a Sword Holder to find the crow's traces.
In fact, at critical moments, the identity of the Sword Holder would become his weapon to kill the crow.
These thoughts were actually selfish, but Xu Qing was not alone in having them. Whenever a new Sword Holder appeared in different provinces, they would also have similar thoughts.
Other than those who had lived in the Sword Holding Palace since they were young, it was impossible for cultivators from other places to have any grand ambition of protecting the human race.
However, following the Yinghuang Province's Sword Holder Ceremony and the heart inquisition, there were some changes.
However, it was only a little and didn't change much. It only allowed Xu Qing to understand the concept of a Sword Holder.
It was only when he arrived at the county capital that he saw Kong Xianglong, who was different from the others. He saw a few heaven's chosens who were hostile to him, but he could sense that they didn't have any ill intentions towards him. He also saw the stern, but clearly protective Palace Master.
He also experienced the oath of the Sword Holders and heard about the history of the human race.
It was impossible for all of this to leave no traces on his mind.
In the end, some of this settled in his heart.
And now, he saw another scene that caused his heart to stir.
That quasi-human youth with 120 magic apertures, the youth who yearned to become a Sword Holder, the youth who didn't reveal any information despite being tortured by the Holy Wave Race.
The other party recited the Sword Holder oath and smiled. Then, he closed his eyes and dissipated with the destroyed array formation.
Xu Qing didn't know this person and this was also the first time he had seen him. Moreover, Xu Qing had seen too many deaths. Hence, what caused waves in his heart wasn't the youth's death.
It was the other party's dream and choices.
This person could clearly have a better future but he chose this path of no return.
Xu Qing didn't quite understand, but he knew that deep down he actually did.
However, due to his guarded nature, he was not one to easily accept outsiders, let alone fully embrace them and keep them close to his heart.
Even now, it was still the same.
However, he knew that in his eyes, the Sword Holder had unknowingly become different.
He had more respect for them.
He might have no sense of belonging, but he respected Kong Xianglong's sincerity, the Palace Master's strictness, the oaths of the Sword Holder, and this youth who had passed away.
Hence, he cupped his fists and bowed deeply toward the place where the youth had disappeared.
The wind blew over at that moment, stirring up the dust created by the collapse of the array formation, dispersing the ashes of the youth. It also scattered the aura contained in the wish box on the ground in front of everyone.
This aura was a little special and carried the fragrance of osmanthus.
As Kong Xianglong walked towards the spot where the youth's ashes had scattered, his eyes brimmed with grief and indignation. When he reached there, he knelt down and scooped up a handful of soil from the ground. He then carefully placed it into a bottle before picking up the opened wish box.
"Our mission is completed." Kong Xianglong held the wish box and spoke softly with his back facing everyone.
Xu Qing remained silent and the others didn't speak either.
The mission to provide support had failed, but with the information obtained, regardless of whether it was successful or not, the mission was completed.
"Kid, you should return to the county capital. Help me hand this item to the field office," Kong Xianglong said in a low voice. He raised his right hand and gestured, sending the wish box hurtling towards Xu Qing, who deftly caught it.
As he held the wish box in his hand, the sweet fragrance of osmanthus inside became even more prominent.
"You guys can go back with Kid. I'm not in a good mood and am going to stroll around and relax alone."
Kong Xianglong didn't turn around and calmly spoke.
"Okay, Brother Long, it's good for you to relax alone. Kid, you can go back. I have some personal matters to deal with, so I won't go with you," Shan He clenched his fist, with veins bulging on it, and suddenly spoke.
"What a coincidence. Me too. I'm going to make a trip to my old home, so I won't be going back for the time being." Wang Chen's expression was gloomy as he calmly spoke. After he finished speaking, he looked at the distant horizon.
"I'll accompany Brother Long." Night Spirit looked at Kong Xianglong with a determined gaze.
Xu Qing looked at them. After a few breaths of silence, he threw the wish box in his hand to a Sword Holder from the field office behind him. The other party caught it and wanted to say something but hesitated.
"I have a private matter to deal with. You guys can leave." Xu Qing was expressionless as he slowly spoke.
As soon as he finished speaking, Shan He, Wang Chen, and Night Spirit all looked over in unison with surprised expressions.
Kong Xianglong turned around and also looked at Xu Qing.
"Kid, you don't have to do this."
"I'll return the greeting." Xu Qing looked at Kong Xianglong and spoke seriously.
Kong Xianglong fell into silence. After a long while, he finally nodded and silently walked away into the distance.
The three of them quickly followed. The direction they were heading was the border of Fenghai County.
That was also the border of the Holy Wave Race.
Xu Qing also strode forward like an arrow leaving the bow, following the four of them.
He naturally knew what they were going to do.
It wasn't strange for Kong Xianglong to not abide by the rules when he went out on missions, let alone when he saw the miserable state of the youth. With his personality, he naturally couldn't take this lying down.
In addition, the cold voice left behind in the black-clothed guard's jade slip still echoed in Xu Qing's mind.
Xu Qing felt that since the other party had given a gift to the Sword Holders, they naturally had to return the favor. Only then would it be considered polite.
As the five of them quickly left, the Sword Holders from the field office stared at them in silence.
Their eyes were filled with envy and rueful emotions. However, in the end, they still chose to return after bowing to Xu Qing and the others.
Not all Sword Holders went against the rules.
They couldn't go because they had an even more important mission at this moment.
They would safely send this item back to the county capital.
This was their core mission.
Hence, after the Sword Holder's bow, the Sword Holders from the field office left in the night.
The cold wind at that moment carried the chill of the night, like a harbinger of death wielding a scythe and following Xu Qing and the others.
It whistled past them, blowing on their clothes and lifting strands of hair.
However, when it landed on their faces and seeped into their hearts, it wasn't as cold as the killing intent in their hearts.
Killing intent rose from each of them.
As their speed increased, it became increasingly intense.
This night was without the moon but the wind was strong. It was still a night of killing.
Their speed had already been unleashed to the extreme. From the moment Xu Qing chose to return the greeting, regardless of whether it was Shan He, Wang Chen, or Night Spirit, the way they looked at him changed completely.
It contained recognition and some other emotions.
Shan He's entire body emitted a blood mist. His entire person was enveloped in the fog, like a lump of bloody figure from the netherworld.
Night Spirit had transformed back into a demon. This time, she didn't transform into a green-faced malicious ghost but a scarlet-boned firebird that carried death.
Wang Chen kept his smoke clone and the coffin opened for the first time. A dwarf in luxurious robes walked out.
After smiling at Xu Qing, he licked his lips and his entire body emitted a chill. Wherever he passed, the ground would be frozen.
Kong Xianglong was surrounded by a golden dragon and his entire body emitted terrifying fluctuations. Every step he took covered thousands of feet and he looked extraordinarily mighty.
As for Xu Qing, he wasn't inferior to them.
The shadow shrouded his entire body as the physical strength of the seven palaces surged violently, and his speed was like lightning. He moved like the spirit of the night.
They sped through the dark night like five grim reapers, getting closer and closer to the black-clothed guards of the Holy Wave Race who were returning but hadn't left the Lin Lan Province.
During this time, they also communicated and clarified their battle plan. Although they didn't know the exact number of enemies, with their experience and understanding, they could easily allocate targets.
Finally, before dawn broke, at the moment when the night was the densest, they saw dozens of figures speeding ahead.
Each of them wore a black Daoist robe, and there were a total of over 60 of them!
Their speed wasn't particularly fast, suggesting that they were in good spirits after completing the mission. As they rushed forward, there were occasional bursts of laughter.
However, they were still quite vigilant. Almost at the instant Xu Qing and the others rushed over, these black-clothed guards immediately sensed them and looked in their direction.
However, it was useless to sense it.
Kong Xianglong was the first to rush over. He let out a low shout and directly charged in.
Xu Qing was the second. Like a bolt of black lightning, he directly collided with a black-clothed guard with five palaces. The black-clothed guard's flesh was badly mangled and could only let out a short cry before he stopped breathing.
As blood spurted out, Shan He and the other two also rushed over.
At this moment, a massacre erupted.
Furious shouts erupted from the black-clothed guards, and they immediately put up a resistance.
As a team that had entered deep into the human race's Fenghai County, their combat strength and experiences were naturally abundant.
Among them, there were more than 40 people with combat strength of five or six palaces and 12 with seven palaces.
Most of these seven palaces possessed emperor-level cultivation arts unique to the black-clothed guards.
As for the eight palaces, there were two of them.
These two individuals had not formed the Heavenly Palaces with five life fires, but had reached the limit of four fires which limited them to seven palaces. With the addition of an emperor-level cultivation art, they possessed the combat strength of eight palaces, making them quite extraordinary.
Other than them, there were three other leaders.
They were half-step Nascent Soul cultivators.
Such strength would be the backbone of any sect. However, to the Holy Wave Race, who occupied the Holy Wave Large Region, this was just a small team.
Coupled with the ones who had ambushed Xu Qing and the others earlier, it could be seen that not only did the Holy Wave Race's small teams have many members and experts, but their cultivation levels were also stronger.
After all… their Holy Wave Race was the ruler of the Holy Wave Large Region. The foundation formed by the people of a whole region caused them to have countless experts.
In comparison, a county was naturally inferior.
However, this time, the Sword Holder team was different from the ones they had encountered in the past!
At that moment, as the two sides collided, a massive battle broke out. The three half-step Nascent Soul cultivators charged towards Kong Xianglong while the two black-clothed guards with eight palaces were about to follow, when suddenly a coffin appeared and blocked their way. Dwarf Wang Chen appeared with a wicked smile on his face, and the Smoke Race's clone appeared beside him.
At the same time, Night Spirit appeared from the side and Shan He arrived as well. The three of them combined their efforts to engage in battle against the two black-clothed guards with eight palaces, buying time for Kong Xianglong and Xu Qing to make their moves.
The former was fighting against the three strongest half-step Nascent Soul cultivators here.
The latter was fighting against everyone other than these.
This was the allocation they had made on the way here.
At that time, Xu Qing had said something.
"I'm good at group battles."
Xu Qing took a deep breath and took out his dagger.
The Poison Restriction Pill in the Third Heavenly Palace in his body circulated fully.
Countless little black bugs spread out from Xu Qing's body, forming an astonishing black fog. They carried a terrifying aura and fatal poison that enveloped the surroundings.
This poison acted quickly.
As the black-clothed guards let out mournful cries, Xu Qing remained calm. He lowered his head slightly and charged towards the crowd.
There was also the black iron stick where the Diamond Sect's ancestor was. At this moment, it transformed into red lightning and rampaged.
Also, the eye of the shadow on Xu Qing's forehead rapidly blinked. It spread out and fused into the shadows of the surrounding black-clothed guards, beginning to devour them.
At this moment…
The nightmare descended.
