Xu Qing also saw Yao Yunhui and frowned slightly. However, he was here with Fairy Zi Xuan today, so it wasn't convenient for him to say anything.
As they neared the pavilion, the gazes of the woman in palace clothes and the female cultivator in the Daoist robe landed on Xu Qing in unison.
Their gazes were filled with curiosity when they noticed that the two of them were under an oil-paper umbrella. They smiled, but didn't say anything.
Xu Qing fell silent. At the same time, he sensed the cultivation levels of the two women in the pavilion other than Yao Yunhui.
Just like Zi Xuan, a thousand Dao threads flowed in their eyes like starlight. They were at the first stage of Nihility.
While Xu Qing was observing, Zi Xuan's lotus-like footsteps had already moved slightly. She walked into the pavilion and smiled.
"Sister Feihe, Sister Shitao, long time no see."
The woman in palace clothes and the woman in Daoist robe smiled sweetly. The former smiled at Zi Xuan while the latter continued to size up Xu Qing. Her red lips parted slightly and a sweet laughter rang out.
"Sister Xuan, who is this little friend?"
"He's Xu Qing, the person I like." Zi Xuan was straightforward. As soon as she spoke, Xu Qing didn't know what to say.
He was a little overwhelmed.
Not only him, but the expressions of the woman in palace clothes and the Daoist-robed female cultivator also changed slightly. The spiritual glint in their eyes intensified.
Only Yao Yunhui was a little dazed when she heard this.
Zi Xuan's beautiful eyes swept past her two best friends and she smiled gently, indicating for Xu Qing to sit beside her. After that, she pointed at the Daoist-robed woman and smiled at Xu Qing.
"Xu Qing, this is younger sister Li, Li Shitao, one of the three deacons of the Observance Palace."
"This is elder sister Yao, Yao Feihe. She's Marquis Yao's younger sister."
From the start to the end, Zi Xuan didn't even glance at Yao Yunhui.
Xu Qing's heart was in a mess, and could only cup his fists in greeting.
Li Shitao blinked her beautiful eyes and covered her mouth as she laughed and teased Xu Qing.
"So you're Xu Qing. Do you know that you're the first person I've seen Sister Xuan introduce like this? Hurry up and tell us how you moved Sister Xuan so much."
Yao Feihe clearly had a more stable personality than Li Shitao. She didn't joke with Xu Qing but spoke in a gentle voice.
"Previously, I heard that Sister Zi Xuan's Alliance produced a peerless genius. From the looks of it today, he's even better than the rumors."
Zi Xuan's direct introduction caused the two women to be quite interested in Xu Qing. They didn't act like high-level cultivators but treated him as a peer. However, it was inevitable that they would joke around.
"A few days ago, we invited Sister Xuan but she kept on rejecting us, so this was the reason. You wanted to give us a surprise."
"Now that I think about it, a month ago, she asked us about the emperor-level cultivation art merging with the Heavenly Palace. I think it was also prepared for you, right?"
When Xu Qing heard this, he could only nod. His expression was solemn and uncomfortable.
Just Zi Xuan alone was enough to make him nervous. Now that he was facing her best friends' teasing, he, who wasn't good with words and had never had such an experience, didn't know how to deal with it.
The more he was like this, the more Sister Li felt joy in teasing him.
"Eh, little brother, why aren't you saying anything?"
"Aiya, Sister Xuan, your Xu Qing is so shy."
Realizing that Xu Qing didn't know what to say, Zi Xuan's beautiful eyes flickered.
"How have you been all these years? How is your relationship with Senior Brother Chen from the Primordial Lightning Lineage?"
"Don't mention him!" Li Shitao sighed and her gaze landed on Xu Qing again.
"Little brother, do you have any good friends by your side? Introduce one to me."
Xu Qing thought about it and nodded.
"I have a senior brother…"
When Zi Xuan heard this, she immediately coughed and changed the topic, glancing at Yao Yunhui.
"She is?"
If it was any other time, Yao Yunhui definitely wouldn't be so silent. However, today, her aunt called her here. She also didn't expect that her aunt, who even her father had to be polite to, was actually a close friend of Fairy Zi Xuan.
She sighed inwardly and suppressed her complicated feelings as she stood up and bowed to Zi Xuan.
"Yunhui greets Fairy Zi Xuan."
Zi Xuan nodded indifferently and looked at Yao Feihe.
"Sister Yao, what is the meaning of this?"
"Yunhui was rash in her actions before. I specially called her over today to apologize to you and Xu Qing."
Yao Feihe noticed that Zi Xuan's way of addressing her had changed. She knew that Zi Xuan didn't like it, so she explained softly.
Her original intention was to get her niece to apologize to Zi Xuan. Today, when she saw the other party introducing Xu Qing like this, she instantly understood all the reasons. Hence, her words also changed.
She was different from Li Shitao. Li Shitao had always had a lively personality and made friends with all kinds of people. However, as the younger sister of Marquis Yao, she cared a lot about the quality of her friends.
For example, although Zi Xuan's Alliance was in a remote place and couldn't be considered a large faction, regardless of intelligence or aptitude, she was a top-notch person. Such a person's future was ever-changing. You could never underestimate her because of her background. Perhaps with an opportunity, she would be able to reach a level that even you had to look up to.
This was especially so since she knew very well that her brother had sacrificed his reputation for Fenghai County and she couldn't tell anyone about this. Hence, although the Yao family seemed huge, they were actually unstable.
She couldn't let the Yao family continue to make enemies. This was also the fundamental reason why she wanted to turn hostility into friendship.
She also made the same judgment about Xu Qing. However, the other party hadn't truly grown up after all. She still had to observe how he would do in the future.
After she finished explaining, she looked at Yao Yunhui with a stern expression.
Yao Yunhui lowered her head. In reality, she no longer had the thought of scheming against Xu Qing. Instead, her feelings were getting more and more complicated. Seeing Xu Qing walking together with Fairy Zi Xuan today, especially with Fairy Zi Xuan's introduction, made her feel an inexplicable jealousy.
She also knew that this jealousy was inexplicable, but she couldn't control it.
When she heard her aunt's words, she bowed to Zi Xuan and Xu Qing.
"Yunhui is also a pitiful person. Her husband passed away early. It's not easy for a widow with a child." Yao Feihe looked at Zi Xuan and said softly.
Zi Xuan's expression was calm. She didn't agree or disagree. Instead, she chatted about the past with Yao Feihe and Li Shitao. Their laughter soon rang out through the pavilion.
As for Yao Yunhui, under her aunt's arrangement, she played the zither at the side. The tune coupled with the wind and rain exuded a different charm.
From the start to the end, Xu Qing didn't express his stance on this. He didn't know the true relationship between Fairy Zi Xuan and Marquis Yao's sister, so he couldn't reveal any inclinations on this matter.
In reality, to him, it didn't matter if he reconciled or not. It wouldn't affect his choice.
If there was a chance, he would still deal with the mother and son and end things once and for all.
At the thought of this, Xu Qing's gaze turned cold as he glanced at Yao Yunhui. Coincidentally, Yao Yunhui also lifted her head and looked at Xu Qing.
The instant their eyes met, Yao Yunhui instinctively avoided his gaze. The sound of the zither became slightly chaotic.
Xu Qing frowned and felt surprised. At the same time, he became vigilant.
He felt that the other party must have some ulterior motives, so the killing intent in his heart fluctuated slightly. However, he controlled it very well and didn't reveal it at all.
Just like that, as time flowed by, when dusk arrived, Zi Xuan ended her conversation with her two best friends and bade farewell.
Before she left, Li Shitao, who was also leaving, smiled at Xu Qing and continued to joke.
"Little brother, you said earlier that you will introduce me to your senior brother. I'll remember it."
Xu Qing looked at the other party seriously and nodded.
Li Shitao was satisfied. She waved at Zi Xuan and slowly walked away.
At that moment, the rain outside also stopped. On the way back to the branch sect, Zi Xuan and Xu Qing walked side by side and spoke slightly.
"These two are my good friends in the county capital. Li Shitao seems to have a lively personality but she's actually quite scheming. However, she's responsible and can be trusted at critical moments."
"As for Yao Feihe, her ambition is far-reaching and not something Fenghai County can hold, and she doesn't have many friends. Although she has a utilitarian heart, she has her own principles. Today, she took the initiative to call Yao Yunhui over to reconcile. You don't have to worry about this. Just act according to your principles."
Xu Qing nodded. This was also what he was thinking.
Zi Xuan didn't speak anymore. Her footsteps were brisk, indicating her good mood.
Xu Qing followed beside her. Under the moonlight, their shadows stretched behind them until they arrived at the entrance of the branch sect.
There was a chill in the wind. That was the scent of winter approaching.
"Winter is coming. The autumn rain passed so quickly…" Zi Xuan turned around and her bright eyes reflected the moonlight. Under the moonlight, she was exceptionally beautiful.
She gently helped Xu Qing tidy his clothes that were blown by the wind. She then smiled gently as Xu Qing's body stiffened.
"Xu Qing, you have to progress faster…"
She spoke softly and cast a deep glance at Xu Qing. After that, she turned and walked into the branch sect. Her graceful back view and the purple dress gradually moved away, and the fragrance was no longer there.
The maidservants who followed behind also bowed to Xu Qing and followed.
Xu Qing stood in front of the branch sect and looked at the departing Zi Xuan. The other party's last words echoed in his mind.
After a long time, he nodded, cupped his fists, and bowed before turning to leave.
He didn't return to the Sword Pavilion but accepted missions to earn military contributions.
In the next few days, Xu Qing worked hard to accumulate military contributions. The daily missions that gave the most military contributions were none other than capturing wanted criminals. Hence, Xu Qing remembered most of the wanted criminals. He had a deep impression of one of them.
This was because this wanted criminal had a nickname. Just like him, he was also known as Kid.
Seven days later, after accumulating his military contributions to a certain extent, Xu Qing went to the ninth floor of the Prison Department. There, he used his considerable military contributions to apply for the guardian assessment of Area D1.
This assessment was also the only way for Area D Pawns to advance to Area C.
Only by suppressing the criminals in Area D1 could one advance to Area C and have the qualifications to head to the floors below 89th.
To the Prison Department, Area D and Area C were completely different places.
The latter was mysterious and profound. The Pawns there were even more savage. Most of their cultivation levels were in the Nascent Soul realm. Any one of their identities and statuses surpassed the Pawns of Area D by a great extent.
Becoming a Pawn in Area C was one of the things that all the Pawns in Area D yearned for the most.
Hence, Xu Qing's application immediately attracted the attention of the Pawns from Area D.
Just like that, under the gazes of many Pawns from Area D, Xu Qing stepped into Area D1, which was located on the 88th floor!
Two hours later, as the cell gate of Area D1 opened, a figure covered in blood staggered out step by step.
It was Xu Qing.
He was slightly out of breath and one of his legs was crippled. The path behind him was stained with a long trail of blood.
His arms were also dislocated and there were many parts where he suffered serious injuries.
The injuries were so deep that his bones could be seen, especially his back. There was a huge wound from the back of his neck to his waist.
There was also a wound that connected from his forehead to the right corner of his mouth. His flesh was exposed and blood still dripped from there.
The people imprisoned in Area D1 were all Golden Cores with nine palaces.
Although many years of suppression had caused them to be extremely weak, every one of them was once a heaven's chosen of their respective races. Even though Xu Qing had activated the Poison Restriction fully, the price he had to pay wasn't small.
At that moment, when he walked out, Xu Qing spat out a piece of flesh he had bitten off. He then grinned at everyone who was waiting outside.
"They're all dead."
Behind him, inside the open gate of D1's cell, the ground was covered in so much blood that it looked like a pool of blood. There were no corpses inside.
Due to the Poison Restriction Pill, all the corpses melted into a part of the blood pool.
