Xu Qing stopped in his tracks and looked at the command sword in his hand with a hint of contemplation.
This decree came very suddenly and mentioned no reason. As for the voice, it was a little familiar. After recalling carefully, he remembered that it belonged to Deacon Sima from the Grand Affairs Immortal Sect.
Xu Qing's gaze was deep. He thought of Zhang Siyun and the Yao family.
"Why is Deacon Sima looking for me?"
While Xu Qing was thinking, his sword vibrated again. This time, it was Kong Xianglong's voice transmission.
"Xu Qing, you also received the decree, right?"
"Yes." Xu Qing had a faint answer in his mind.
"Then there's no mistake. Little He, Little Chen, and the others also received it. Sigh, it should be the follow-up to our killing of the Holy Wave Race cultivators."
After knowing that Xu Qing had also received the decree, Kong Xianglong hurriedly ended the voice transmission. He was on his way to the Sword Holding Palace.
Xu Qing also left the Prison Department.
At that moment, the sky was enveloped in dusk, with the setting sun resembling red clouds that smeared across the sky. The afterglow scattered onto the ground, casting an eerie crimson hue, as if illuminating the land with blood.
Xu Qing took a glance at the sky before flying toward the Sword Holding Palace.
The status of a deacon was high and mighty in the Sword Holding Palace. Each of them had their own main responsibilities. Among them, Deacon Sima's responsibilities were mostly related to law enforcement and the discipline of the Sword Holder.
Hence, regardless of whether it was Kong Xianglong or Xu Qing, they couldn't ignore his order.
Before long, Xu Qing arrived at the Sword Holding Palace, still lost in thought on how to deal with the situation. As soon as he arrived, he saw Kong Xianglong and Night Spirit.
"Don't admit it no matter what!" Seeing Xu Qing flying over, Kong Xianglong immediately transmitted his voice.
Xu Qing nodded. Not long later, Shan He and Wang Chen also rushed over. Their expressions were gloomy and grim.
After arriving beside Xu Qing and Kong Xianglong, Shan He directly cursed.
"Brother Kong, Xu Qing, what is the Sword Holding Palace doing? Were we in the wrong?"
"Little He!" Kong Xianglong glared.
Shan He snorted and didn't speak anymore.
"We don't know what's going on yet. Come, let's not make Deacon Sima wait too long." Kong Xianglong slowly spoke and led the way.
Xu Qing thought about it and turned to look at the furious Shan He and Wang Chen's smoke clone. He then spoke softly.
"It might be better if more people see it."
Shan He and Wang Chen immediately understood and took out their jade slips. Night Spirit did the same.
Kong Xianglong didn't stop them but the large strides he took changed into small steps.
Just like that, the group of them stepped through the gate of the Sword Holding Palace. After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, they finally arrived at the Discipline Hall where Deacon Sima was.
Dozens of people were standing solemnly outside the Discipline Palace.
All of them had cold expressions and their cultivation levels weren't ordinary. Their clothes weren't the Daoist robes of the Sword Holding Palace but yellow. There was <anno data-annotation-id="ef6517a3-f0a7-48e5-aa47-300f443eb106">'道</anno>' embroidered on their sleeves.
Upon seeing Xu Qing and the others, the dozens of people present cast their gazes in their direction.
Kong Xianglong raised his eyebrows and refrained from speaking. He stood outside and cupped his fists toward the Discipline Hall in a respectful gesture.
"I, Kong Xianglong, am here in response to Deacon Sima's decree."
"They are cultivators of the Yao family." Wang Chen's smoke clone reminded Xu Qing softly. After that, like Kong Xianglong, he cupped his fists and spoke.
Xu Qing, Shan He, and Night Spirit also greeted.
As everyone spoke, a cold snort rang out from the Discipline Hall. After that, three people walked out of the hall.
The person in the middle was none other than Zhang Siyun's grandmaster, Deacon Sima.
On his left was an old man wearing the same Daoist robe as the Yao family's cultivators. However, his Spirit Repository cultivation base energy was extremely obvious. His eyes seemed to contain lightning, and he swept his gaze across Xu Qing and the others expressionlessly.
And to Deacon Sima's right, there was another one.
The instant they saw this person, the pupils of Xu Qing and the others narrowed.
This person wasn't a human.
He was from the Holy Wave Race.
It was none other than the black-clothed guard from the Holy Wave Race who had shouted at Xu Qing and the others but didn't cross the border.
This person clearly had a certain status in the Holy Wave Race. His cultivation was also at the Spirit Repository. As his aura spread out, four powerful, secret repositories faintly appeared behind him.
He stood on Deacon Sima's right and coldly swept his gaze across Xu Qing and the others.
When he saw the Holy Wave Race in the Sword Holding Palace, Xu Qing felt that this was like a joke. While it was extremely ironic, he also noticed that Kong Xianglong and the others were all panting.
At this moment, Deacon Sima calmly spoke to the old man from the Yao family on the left.
"Steward Sun, they are here. You can ask them now."
The old man from the Yao family nodded. He first cupped his fists and bowed to Deacon Sima. After that, he turned his head and coldly looked at Xu Qing and the others. His expression was incomparably gloomy and his voice was murderous as he spoke in a deep voice.
"Such audacity!"
"Without even knowing the truth and for no reason, you cruelly tortured and killed the Holy Wave Race's envoy's followers who visited my Fenghai County!"
"You deserve death for destroying the diplomacy of our two races!"
Xu Qing frowned. There was something wrong with the other party's words. The main point wasn't killing, but not knowing the truth and having no reason.
This reprimand gave Xu Qing the feeling that the other party wanted them to give him the reason.
However… according to Xu Qing's secret training and understanding in the Sword Holding Palace, he was very clear that the matter of receiving the spy couldn't be said openly. The two races had an unspoken mutual understanding regarding the matters of spies.
However, if they said it openly, it would be a different matter, and would only cause trouble.
Also, their answers might allow the other party to find some clues.
Xu Qing fell into deep thought. Shan He and the others also quickly understood this logic. No one was stupid and no one spoke. Kong Xianglong even put on a confused expression.
"Torturing and killing the followers of the Holy Wave Race's envoy? Impossible. We've been cultivating during this period of time. Everyone can testify for each other."
The old man from the Yao family let out a cold snort, as though he couldn't be bothered to argue with Kong Xianglong. A respectful expression appeared on his face as he cupped his fists toward the Holy Wave Race cultivator.
"Fellow Daoist Chen, what do you think?"
The middle-aged black-clothed guard from the Holy Wave Race glanced at Xu Qing and the others. He suddenly smiled and turned to speak to Deacon Sima.
"Deacon Sima, the reason for this is actually because the envoy group discovered a spy with unknown origins on the way here. That kid stole an important item of our race."
"Hence, the envoy ordered for his arrest. However, in the end, not only did they not find the spy, but the followers of the envoy group were also cruelly killed by your Sword Holding Palace."
"Was the spy who stole the important item of my race sent by your Sword Holding Palace? He was deliberately sent to our place to steal the item? Our two races have been on good terms for generations. Is this the intention of your Sword Holding Palace, Fenghai County, or your human race?"
At this point, the eyes of the middle-aged black-clothed guard of the Holy Wave Race lit up. He raised his right hand and waved it. Immediately, a jade slip appeared, and an image flickered inside.
The image recorded the scene of Xu Qing and the others killing that half-step Nascent Soul cultivator and escaping. It also included what Kong Xianglong had said at the end.
A cold glint appeared in the eyes of Kong Xianglong and the others.
Xu Qing was expressionless but his gaze was equally cold.
Deacon Sima's expression didn't change at all. After glancing at the recording, he shook his head.
"My Sword Holding Palace never had such a decree or spies."
The old man from the Yao family said coldly.
"If there are no spies and they weren't on a mission, then what these people did was completely private. Killing Holy Wave Race cultivators in an attempt to cause a war between the two races is unforgivable!"
"Guards, detain them and send them to the Holy Wave Race to comfort those heroes who died tragically!"
As soon as the old man from the Yao family finished speaking, the dozens of Yao family cultivators on the square immediately circulated their cultivation bases and walked toward Xu Qing and the others.
A cold glint flashed in Xu Qing's eyes. Kong Xianglong lifted his head. The instant his gaze revealed hostility, rainbows suddenly appeared behind the square and whistled over.
The commotion was extremely great, causing the sound of air breaking to ring out as they headed straight for the square.
Following the rumbling sounds, numerous figures descended. They were all Sword Holders!
They were the Sword Holders of the Eight Sects Alliance.
Over the years, most of the Sword Holders of the Eight Sects Alliance had been arranged to work in other provinces. However, the ones who were currently in the county capital had all arrived.
Previously, on the way, Xu Qing had sent them a voice transmission.
As they descended, these Sword Holders of the Eight Sects Alliance spread out their baleful auras and guarded Xu Qing and the others. They then looked at the Yao family members with sinister smiles and disdain.
"Interesting. Capturing the Sword Holder in our Sword Holding Palace?"
"Come, come, come, take your <anno data-annotation-id="6e6e0ac2-050e-4f06-9ccb-2e1336263322">grandfather</anno> to the Holy Wave Race as well!"
"To comfort the heroic spirits of the Holy Wave Race?"
"F*cking b*stards!"
As they spoke, these Sword Holders circulated their cultivation bases and their auras soared into the sky, filled with killing intent.
The Yao family cultivators stopped in their tracks.
Steward Sun of the Yao family snorted coldly. Just as he was about to speak, whistling sounds rang out in the distance again!
Another group of Sword Holders whistled through the air and rushed over.
There were a hundred or so in this group, and all of them emitted monstrous murderous auras. They were all from the Primordial Lightning Lineage. After receiving Wang Chen's notice, they quickly rushed over.
As they got closer, thunder rumbled, shaking the heavens and the earth.
Chen Tinghao was among them. He sneered and growled.
"Who dares to touch my Sword Holder!"
The other Sword Holders of the Primordial Lightning Lineage also cursed one after another.
"So what if we killed the Holy Wave Race? So what? I've even eaten them before!"
"Yao family, do you still have any shame?!"
Seeing this scene, the hearts of all the Yao family cultivators trembled.
However, all of this wasn't over. In an instant, whistling sounds rang out from afar again!
Sword Holders from the Great Void Demon Transformation Sect and the Blood Frost Sect also arrived rapidly. There were hundreds of them and their auras were imposing.
The Sword Holders of the Great Void Demon Transformation Sect had already transformed into demons, filling the sky with their large bodies. They were like a group of demons dancing wildly, and even the color of the world seemed to change.
The Blood Frost Sect also emitted monstrous blood qi. Rumbling sounds rang out in all directions, and wind and clouds surged. Cold voices rang out, echoing in all directions.
"Insisting on being a dog instead of a human!"
"Calling you dogs is an insult to dogs!"
"B*stards who are worse than pigs and dogs!"
"Let's see who dares to touch our Sword Holder!"
Nearly a thousand Sword Holders' majestic auras resounded through the clouds and surrounded this place. They stared at the Yao family and the Holy Wave Race cultivator with dense bloodlust.
The killing intent was so intense that it caused the heavens and the earth to tremble.
It was as though as long as the Yao family dared to make a move at all, they would destroy everything, leaving no one alive.
Facing such a baleful aura, the expressions of the Yao family's cultivators changed drastically.
This was especially so when there were still many murderous Sword Holders approaching rapidly from afar.
When Steward Sun saw all of this, his heart trembled intensely. His breathing became slightly hurried and his eyes narrowed.
A mutiny seemed to be about to happen.
"Deacon Sima!" Steward Sun suddenly turned his head to look at Deacon Sima. The expression of the black-clothed guard of the Holy Wave Race at the side was also extremely gloomy.
Deacon Sima's expression still didn't change. He spoke with a fake smile.
"Manager Sun, I called them over for the sake of the Yao Residence. You've finished asking them and you heard their answers."
"Everything is very clear. We didn't send the spy, nor did we kill the followers of the Holy Wave Race's envoy. As for the recording jade slip, I can forge a lot of it. If you like it, I'll give you some later."
Deacon Sima stroked his beard and smiled as he spoke softly.
"I have done my part, but your Yao family is a little insensitive to speak like this in my Sword Holding Palace."
"You said the wrong thing and incited the public anger of the Sword Holding Palace. Even I can't help you with this."
<annotations style="display: none;"><ol class="tinymce-annotation-container"><li data-annotation-id="ef6517a3-f0a7-48e5-aa47-300f443eb106">Dao</li><li data-annotation-id="6e6e0ac2-050e-4f06-9ccb-2e1336263322">He is talking about himself.</li></ol></annotations>",
