Steward Sun's expression instantly turned ugly. He looked at the battle-ready Sword Holders who were surrounding them like a pack of vicious wolves and then at the envoy of the Holy Wave Race beside him.
His expression changed and he complained inwardly.
In reality, he didn't want to come either. After all, bringing the Holy Wave Race to the Sword Holding Palace to capture the Sword Holders was already a ridiculous thing. However, the marquis had ordered him to make sure the envoy of the Holy Wave Race was satisfied. Hence, he could only grit his teeth fiercely at this moment, and his eyes revealed a ferocious glint.
"The marquis has ordered the capture of Kong Xianglong and the other four!"
Deacon Sima frowned. As for the black-clothed guard of the Holy Wave Race, the gloominess on his face faded a little. He smiled slightly and a deep glint flashed in the depths of his eyes.
This time, he had followed the clan's delegation team here. In reality, his main purpose wasn't to find trouble with Kong Xianglong and the others, but to observe the Yao family.
He had been observing the expressions of all the Yao family cultivators, and even used a secret technique to verify if they were putting on a show.
At that moment, the dozens of Yao family cultivators on the square were complaining inwardly when they heard Steward Sun. However, they had no choice but to move forward under this order. Their cultivation bases circulated wildly and their auras rose, wanting to rush toward Xu Qing and the others.
Just as a battle was about to occur, a cold snort rang out from the sky.
At the next instant, a force that shook heaven and earth descended from the sky like an avalanche, suppressing the surroundings.
The entire Discipline Hall shook violently and the hearts of the cultivators in the surroundings churned. The dozens of Yao family cultivators couldn't move at all, as though they were being pressed down by thousands of mountains.
Immediately after, a figure walked over from the sky.
This person was an old man. There were a thousand Dao threads circulating in his eyes. That was the manifestation of the first stage of Nihility, Shattering Thousand Dao.
He wore the Sword Holder Daoist robe. As he walked, the sky behind him distorted and countless illusory bodies appeared, surging into the depths of the sky, causing the entire Sword Holding Palace to tremble. That was the manifestation of the second stage of Nihility, Illusory and Truth Myriad Transformations.
Shortly after, the illusory scenes of space shattering appeared one after another in his surroundings. It was as though worlds would be born around him on their own. These worlds were like bubbles that formed in a short period of time before shattering.
That was… the sign of Nihility's third stage, Infinite Imagination!
However, there weren't many worlds around the old man. He hadn't truly stepped into the third stage and could only be said to have taken a step forward.
Even so, he was already extremely powerful, and with his appearance, the entire Sword Holding Palace fell silent.
Xu Qing immediately recognized that the other party was the Deputy Palace Master of the Sword Holding Palace who appeared when the Sword Holders swore the oath.
"Greetings, Deputy Palace Master!" Deacon Sima was the first to cup his fists and bow respectfully.
Xu Qing, Kong Xianglong, and the others also quickly cupped their fists. Very soon, all the Sword Holders in the surroundings greeted in unison.
"Greetings, Deputy Palace Master!"
The Deputy Palace Master was expressionless. He coldly looked at Steward Sun, whose expression had changed drastically, and calmly spoke.
Steward Sun's body trembled. He wanted to speak but didn't dare to. He could only lower his head and bow to the black-clothed guard of the Holy Wave Race before leaving rapidly with the trembling Yao family cultivators.
Ignoring the Yao Family, the Deputy Palace Master coldly looked at the Holy Wave Race cultivator.
"And you, you're an envoy, so I'll give you the time it takes for an incense stick to burn to escape as a gesture of our human race's etiquette. However, if you can't escape back to the Holy Wave in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, I'll kill you."
The expression of the black-clothed guard of the Holy Wave Race changed and he instantly flew out, heading straight for the teleportation array in the distance.
After doing this, the Deputy Palace Master looked at Xu Qing and the others and snorted coldly.
"The few of you are quite bold. On the orders of the Palace Master, the five of you are to be imprisoned in the Prison Department for a month!"
"Deacon Sima, escort them to the Prison Department!"
Xu Qing lowered his head. Shan He and the others sighed inwardly and also lowered their heads.
However, Kong Xianglong didn't tremble. He would only be afraid when facing the Palace Master. Now, he was only in a low mood, thinking that he still couldn't escape the prison in the end.
"I obey the decree!" Deacon Sima spoke solemnly.
He could naturally tell that the escort here meant guarding them on the way, in case the Holy Wave Race or the Yao family made a move.
"All of you, disperse. Don't make a fuss. Remember that you're Sword Holders!"
After the Deputy Palace Master finished speaking, he left with a cold expression.
Deacon Sima looked at Kong Xianglong and the others. He then walked over. After his gaze swept past them one by one, it landed on Xu Qing as he slowly spoke.
"I'm the deacon of the Sword Holding Palace before I am the cultivator of the Grand Affairs Immortal Sect." Outsiders had to ponder over Deacon Sima's words before they could understand the meaning.
However, as the person involved, Xu Qing immediately understood. Hence, he cupped his fists and bowed. However, he didn't believe everything and still needed to verify it.
"Let's go, I'll send you guys to the Prison Department." Deacon Sima walked ahead.
Kong Xianglong sighed at Xu Qing. As for Shan He and Wang Chen, they blinked and moved closer to Xu Qing before speaking in a low voice.
"Xu Qing, we are going to your house, we'll rely on you."
Xu Qing nodded silently. Everyone sighed and followed Deacon Sima out of the Sword Holding Palace.
While they were moving toward the Prison Department, in a circular altar building in the center of the county capital.
This altar was very large but the center was empty.
There were three palaces on it. They were black, red, and white. There were even more subsidiary halls in the surroundings. The buildings were tall and majestic.
The tops of the three main palaces were covered in different colored tiles. Their appearances were extraordinary and unique.
These buildings were mystical. They seemed to exist on the altar but in reality, they didn't.