Purple Earth had an extraordinary meaning to the human race of the Nanhuang Continent.
Especially for the scavengers and mortals, Purple Earth symbolized imperial authority and privilege. Anyone who emerged from Purple Earth seemed to have a halo on their body, standing above the rest.
Their attire always appeared splendid and pristine.
It made one yearn for it.
Hence, being able to enter Purple Earth and stay there was the dream and pursuit of many people in the Nanhuang Continent.
However, it was a pity that those who could truly do it were extremely few.
All of this was because Purple Earth was originally the capital of the last human nation in the Nanhuang Continent.
Although the nation that shared the name with the legendary Purple Green Kingdom had perished, its eight major clans had persisted through time.
They represented the indigenous power of Nanhuang Continent, holding sway over governance and commanding the entire continent. They also maintained an old affiliation with the Phoenix, receiving its protection.
They rarely left Nanhuang Continent throughout their lives, and others were hesitant to provoke them.
In their perspective, the entirety of Nanhuang Continent, regardless of whether it was the Seven Blood Eyes, the Litu Sect, or the enigmatic True Words, ultimately all fell under the category of outsiders.
As a result, being closed-off, conservative, and proud became the defining characteristics of Purple Earth.
However, today, the mortals who lived in Purple Earth saw an unbelievable scene.
The eight great families were all mobilized.
Their direct descendants were all dressed gorgeously. They stood outside the eastern gate of Purple Earth and lined up in a long line.
All of them wore respectful expressions.
The patriarchs of the eight great families stood at the front with solemn expressions, and there were elders of their families beside them.
Everyone looked toward the east.
Even some elderly individuals, who had passed down their treasures and techniques to the younger generation and whose own cultivation had greatly declined, becoming so weak that they needed assistance to walk, appeared on the city walls, gazing into the sky from there.
They were waiting silently.
This scene was extremely rare in Purple Earth, which emphasized class.
There was basically nothing in the Nanhuang Continent that could make the eight great families of the sealed Purple Earth attend so grandly. Moreover, from the looks of it, this was only a welcoming ceremony.
Hence, this scene in the morning caused countless guesses to arise among the mortals of Purple Earth.
Outside the eastern gate, in the crowd of the eight great families, there were two people standing with the patriarchs.
Given their seniority, they would have never been able to stand here. However, today, they were specially allowed to appear here.
Hence, many gazes gathered on them. Even the patriarchs of the few families would occasionally glance at them from the corner of their eyes.
These two people were a man and a woman.
The man was handsome and there was a hint of gloominess between his brows.
The woman was beautiful and her face was filled with nervousness and anticipation. However, there was also some disbelief on her face.
They were Chen Feiyuan and Ting Yu.
What happened in Fenghai County a month ago was too shocking, so the Nanhuang Continent had also heard of it. The eight great families of Purple Earth naturally investigated this matter more clearly.
They knew that the identity and status of that edict bearer named Xu Qing soared into the sky after the calamity in the county capital ended.
In fact, they even investigated Xu Qing's background and knew that he was from the Nanhuang Continent.
As such, after they were told that Xu Qing was about to arrive, the eight great families attached great importance to this welcoming ceremony.
Though they were closed-off and conservative, it also depended on who they were facing. Within the boundaries of Nanhuang Continent, they could naturally display their arrogance, but when it came to Fenghai County, they dared not.
"Feiyuan, do you think Xu Qing… is still the same as him back then?" Ting Yu felt a little apprehensive as she spoke softly.
Grandmaster Bai's death was a huge blow to Ting Yu.
As she grew older, her personality also changed, becoming much more delicate. If it weren't for Chen Feiyuan's protection, she could have easily been used for political marriage.
"Ting Yu, forget what happened when we were young."
Chen Feiyuan spoke calmly, his voice naturally carrying a tinge of darkness. It wasn't intentional on his part; rather, it was a habit developed from growing up in a family marked by scheming and power struggles. In the battles for family influence, he had developed this habit.
"It would naturally be better if Xu Qing held on to the past, it's also normal if his personality has changed."
"Especially this time, his arrival and the prior notice… there's a deeper meaning behind this matter."
Chen Feiyuan's words made Ting Yu fall silent.
Just like that, time flowed by. An hour later, a cawing sound resounded through the sky. This sound echoed in all directions, causing the clouds and fog in the sky to surge.
Qingqin's huge body covered the sky. When the shadow fell and enveloped the Purple Earth, the figure of the great wing appeared in the sky and whistled over.
The aura was imposing, stirring up a strong wind that blew the clothes of the cultivators from the eight great families on the ground. Everyone's expressions instantly turned solemn as they looked at the sky.
Xu Qing and Daoist Sima walked out of the great wing together. The moment they arrived in front of the eastern gate of Purple Earth, everyone from the eight great families cupped their fists and bowed.
"Greetings, Edict Bearer Xu and Deacon Sima."
There was also the sound of a bell ringing out from Purple Earth. It also rang out 21 times, echoing in all directions to show grandness.
For the courtesy shown by others, Xu Qing had always responded in kind. Therefore, he exchanged pleasantries with the eight great families. He then turned his gaze to Chen Feiyuan and Tingyu, a smile appearing on his face as he spoke softly.
"Senior Brother Feiyuan, Senior Sister Ting Yu."
Ting Yu was very excited, while Chen Feiyuan was expressionless. However, he looked around many times with hidden vigilance.