Ning Yan’s head felt like it was spinning as massive waves of shock swept through his entire body. He knew full well that all three of Qingqin’s heads had deep significance to the proud and arrogant bird.

The middle head was the source of his life essence. As for the right and left heads, they each represented something different. In fact, based on what Ning Yan knew, it should have been outright impossible for him to let Xu Qing stand on his right head. It had nothing to do with cultivation base, but rather, on the approval of Qingqin. He would only allow his lord and master to stand on his middle head. And neither Qingqin nor his ancestor had ever been in the habit of accepting a lord and master.

As for his left head, it would only accept his personal descendants there. If a member of any other species tried to stand there, the bird would take it as a huge insult, and would fight to the death to kill that person. When it came to his right head, Qingqin would only allow someone to stand there who he considered to be a dear friend and an equal. Years ago, the previous governor had been allowed to stand there.

Qingqin thinks of Xu Qing as a friend?

As Xu Qing stood on Qingqin’s right head, Ning Yan looked at him as if he were a deity. It wasn’t his first time looking at Xu Qing in that way. Back when he finally realized that the so-called Nightshade godchild was actually Xu Qing, he had felt similar levels of shock. It was the same right now. He was having a hard time even coming up with a theory. The best that he could imagine was that perhaps Qingqin worshiped the red moon, and thus viewed Xu Qing as a godchild.

But even if that’s true, why let him stand on the right head?

Ning Yan was truly at a loss.

Xu Qing was also at a loss. He had been preparing to use the red moon as a threat, only to have things turn out far better than he had ever thought possible. He didn’t even need to make the threat. The great bird Qingqin just immediately showed good will toward him. Although Xu Qing didn’t know all the details about what the bird’s three heads signified, it was obvious that the way he offered his head to him held deep meaning.

What’s going on…?

Before he could dig through his memories in the hopes of coming up with an explanation, Qingqin let loose a caw that shook heaven and earth. Then he dropped down fully from the clouds.

As the black clouds crumbled around it, and lightning surrounded him like a sea, the great bird was fully revealed.

3,000-meter heads. A 30,000-meter body. Completely magenta, with tiny wings. His feathers were messy and disheveled, but he emanated shocking fluctuations of godliness. After emerging from the clouds, he glided through the air and let loose a deafening cry that echoed out in all directions.

Xu Qing stood atop his right head, looking down at the lands below, a sensation swelling within him unlike anything he had ever experienced. Clasping hands, he bowed deeply toward the other two heads.

“Many thanks, Senior!”

Qingqin’s middle head looked at him and nodded. Then it released another deafening caw. This time, the caw didn’t seem aggressive at all, but rather, full of joy.

When Ning Yan saw all of that, a wild and almost completely unbelievable notion sprang up within him.

Don’t tell me that Qingqin showed up here, far away from his nest… because of Xu Qing? There’s no way that it’s been hiding in the clouds this entire time, and follows Xu Qing around whenever he’s in the county capital territory…. Hahaha, there’s absolutely no way. Is there?

Ning Yan’s own speculation struck him with fear. And yet, that theory seemed like the perfect explanation. Otherwise, what explanation could there be for how Qingqin had suddenly appeared the moment Xu Qing called out?

They know each other? No. They can’t know each other. But if they don’t, then why is all of this happening?

As Ning Yan’s thoughts went wild, Xu Qing suppressed his own suspicions about what was happening. Regardless of anything, now wasn’t the time to contemplate the matter. Although he had the feeling the palace lord had multiple plans underway to resolve the situation on the front lines, he still felt that it was important to get his mission done as quickly as possible. 𝙡𝓲𝙧𝒂.𝙘𝓸𝒎

“Senior Qingqin, please return to the county capital with me,” he said with clasped hands.

Qingqin nodded and turned to fly off. However, that was when Xu Qing remembered Ning Yan, and quickly mentioned him to Qingqin.

Qingqin looked down, his eyes glittering with revulsion. However, he still reached down and grabbed the shrieking Ning Yan with one of his claws. Then his wings flapped and he shot off like a lightning bolt.

The level of speed was so different from what Xu Qing was capable of that he felt he finally understood the idiom so close yet so far. They were very far away from the county capital, and yet Qingqin moved so quickly that everything blurred around them. After only enough time had passed for an incense stick to burn, the county capital was just up ahead.

It was speed that Xu Qing had never experienced before. Of course, the arrival of Qingqin caused a stir in the capital.

The spell formation flared to life, and the lieutenant governor flew up into the air. When he saw Qingqin, his expression flickered, and when he noticed Xu Qing on its right head, his jaw dropped. But only a moment later, he breathed a sigh of relief.

“Xu Qing, the city’s defenses are….” He trailed off without finishing his sentence, but his meaning was clear.

He couldn’t allow Qingqin to actually enter the city. That would be a breach of responsibility. He also didn’t ask Xu Qing about his relationship with Qingqin. Everyone had their secrets, and prying wouldn’t be helpful.

Xu Qing knew where the lieutenant governor was coming from, so he offered a very respectful explanation to Qingqin. The bird let loose a cry, then flew up into the clouds, where he would remain. Xu Qing dropped to the ground, clasped hands to the lieutenant governor, and entered the Swordsage Palace.

When he arrived at the Secretariat Division, his eyes glittered. Having secured the help of Qingqin, he didn’t need to worry about obstacles posed by battle prowess. The first thing he focused on was to ask for a report about how the various nonhumans in Sea-Sealing County were responding to the call for supplies.

Details began flowing in, and Qing Qiu, who had been assigned to stay in the Swordsage Palace instead of going to the front lines, compiled them into a report for Xu Qing.

“There are a total of 57,841 different nonhuman species in Sea-Sealing County. Of those, seventy percent have responded to the call, thirty have not. Of those who responded, about half expressed willingness to provide supplies. The other half demanded compensation, generally between three to ten times the normal market price. The most egregious of them….”

Qing Qiu trailed off and looked hesitantly at Xu Qing.

Face completely expressionless, Xu Qing calmly said, “Continue.”

“The most egregious of them are species allied with the Demi-Immortals. Such species have demanded outrageous prices. Taking medicinal pills as an example, they’re asking a thousand spirit stones for medicinal pills that would normally only cost twenty spirit stones! For a magical device that normally costs a few tens of thousands of spirit stones, they’re demanding ten million. And when it comes to magical devices with battlefield applications, they’re being even stingier.

“The swordsages sent to confer with the Demi-Immortals were refused entry. The Demi-Immortals stated that in compliance with the palace lord’s request, they’ve sequestered themselves and don’t want to be disturbed.”

After finishing with the report, Qing Qiu stepped back. She had never felt more disgusted with nonhumans than she did right now.

In response to Qing Qiu’s report, Xu Qing’s eyes glittered coldly. As of now, he felt the same way as the palace lord, that the nonhumans in Sea-Sealing County were getting a lot more respect than they deserved. On the other hand, he could understand their stance. Humans were in decline as a species, and they couldn’t throw their weight around like they had in the past. Furthermore, for many years, the Holytides had been opposed to a fully united Sea-Sealing County. As a result, maintaining a delicate balance was the only way to avoid war. Unfortunately, there were obviously some things that couldn’t be avoided.

After thinking about the matter in silence for a moment, Xu Qing said, “Determine which species is demanding the most outrageous prices. I want all files relating to that species delivered to me. Also, find out how many times they’ve violated the law without repercussion, including all relevant details.”

With that, Xu Qing closed his eyes. It was still dark outside, and dawn had not yet come. It was also dark inside the Secretariat Division, making it seem like Xu Qing himself was part of the gloom.

When Qing Qiu looked at him, she could sense killing intent building within him. Nodding in affirmation, she hurried away to start compiling the information he wanted.

Half an incense stick of time later, as the light of dawn appeared on the horizon, she returned to the Secretariat Division with a jade slip that she handed to him.

With that, she provided a summary of the information. “The Fullspirit species is located to the northwest of the county capital in Enlightenment Prefecture, in the mountain highlands which bear the same name. They’re not a very large species, and they don’t organize into sects. Instead, they group themselves based on the ethnic composition of their species. Because they have four main ethnicities, they organize themselves into what they call the Four Branches.

“As a species, they’re very skilled in alchemy and equipment forging. They’re closely allied to the Tianyin Clan, which is one of the three great clans of the Demi-Immortals. The Tianyin Clan has eight subsidiary species that form the bulk of their subordinates, and the Fullspirits are one of them. Thanks to the treaty between humans and Demi-Immortals, the Fullspirits aren’t required to pay an annual tribute. They have complete autonomy in the 50,000-kilometer Enlightenment Highlands.

“During the past 800 years, the Four Branches have violated human laws 18,931 times. Of those, 1,300 were violations of Title 1 law, and as such, the law was enforced. But in all other instances, no action was taken.

“Furthermore, because of being so closely allied with the Demi-Immortals, this species refused to comply with the palace lord’s directive to send all Spirit Trove and Void Returning cultivators to war.”

Xu Qing’s face remained expressionless as he stood to leave.

Thinking back to everything that happened at the Ten Entrails Tree, she suddenly said, “Xu Qing, should we report this to the lieutenant governor and request forces from the county yamen to help?”

Xu Qing shook his head. As he stepped out of the Secretariat Division, the sun in the sky cast its brilliant light out, driving away all darkness.

“I’ll handle it myself,” he said coldly, then flew up into the air.

Rumbling sounds echoed out, and massive pressure weighed down onto the county capital as the great bird Qingqin appeared. The bird was so massive he blotted out the sun. As his shadow was cast over the city, Xu Qing stood on his right head. Squatting down, he gently rubbed the bird’s magenta skin.

“Senior,” he said quietly, “if you have some free time, I’d like to go to the Enlightenment Highlands and exterminate a species there. What do you say?”

“CAW!” replied Qingqin excitedly.

The sound was so intense it could pierce through metal and rock, and caused everything to tremble!

The scattered feathers on his small wings rippled as they flapped, causing a tempest to spring up around it. Pulsing with savagery, he flew off toward the northwest, moving with such incredible speed that he disappeared only a moment later.

The m𝑜st uptodate novels are published on 𝑙𝘳𝘦𝘢.𝒸𝑜𝘮