Xiao Qianjun quickly replied.
"Understood."
The Sixth Ancestor nodded, his voice grim.
"Such traitors must be interrogated thoroughly."
"He has served in court for so many years. We must find out how much intelligence and supplies he secretly provided to the Holy Demon God Sect, and who else was involved."
"Not one of them is to be spared!"
Xiao Qianjun cupped his fists firmly.
"This subordinate understands!"
After speaking, the Sixth Ancestor turned to Lin Changqing.
The anger on his face vanished in an instant, replaced by deep gratitude.
"Prince Wu'an, we owe you a great deal for your help tonight."
His voice was utterly sincere.
"These traitors have been lurking in the Capital City for a long time. The Demon Suppressing Division investigated countless times without finding a single lead. If you hadn't uncovered this hideout, who knows what calamity they might have caused down the road?"
"On behalf of the Great Yu Dynasty, I thank you, Prince Wu'an."
As he spoke, he bowed deeply to Lin Changqing.
Lin Changqing waved a hand, his tone calm.
"It was nothing."
"Boundless Saint Emperor, there's no need for such courtesy. Since I accepted Great Yu's title, this is simply my duty."
The Sixth Ancestor straightened.
Looking at Lin Changqing's composed face, he couldn't help but feel even more moved.
This Prince Wu'an possessed heaven-shaking strength, yet he was also so humble.
The Great Yu Dynasty was truly blessed to have won over such a formidable expert!
Lin Changqing paid no mind to the Sixth Ancestor's feelings.
He was waiting.
The system still hadn't announced that the mission was complete.
He glanced at the remaining cultists sprawled across the ground and furrowed his brow slightly.
Did he have to deal with these people too before the sect could be considered completely wiped out?
Lin Changqing looked at Xiao Qianjun and asked,
"Chief Xiao, do you still need to take these ants back for questioning?"
"If not, I'll kill them while I'm at it."
Xiao Qianjun let out a bitter laugh.
"Prince Wu'an, to be honest, I already had those eight people interrogated."
"Just as we suspected, we couldn't get anything out of them."
He shook his head, his voice full of helplessness.
"Restrictions had been planted deep in their souls. The moment they tried to reveal anything important, the restrictions would trigger, and their souls would be extinguished on the spot. There was no time to save them."
"These people most likely have the same restrictions planted inside them."
Xiao Qianjun looked at the cultists sprawled on the ground, his gaze turning colder.
"If we can't get anything out of them, there's no need to trouble Prince Wu'an."
"These people are a menace if left alive. I must ask you to deal with all of them."
Lin Changqing nodded.
He raised his right hand and gave the remaining cultists a casual wave.
Hearing Xiao Qianjun's words, the cultists knew they were doomed.
A few of the strongest among them bared the savage gleam of beasts in their eyes and struggled to their feet.
"Damn it! Let's take them down with us!"
One of the Eighth-Rank Grandmasters roared as his Spiritual Power began to swell wildly.
He was about to unleash a self-destruction technique—one that caused excruciating pain. Even if he died, he would drag a few others down with him!
But then—
Lin Changqing's will descended.
An invisible force crashed down from above, like a mountain weighing ten thousand jun crushing everything beneath it.
"Boom!"
The bodies of every remaining cultist were crushed apart by that force!
Their flesh turned to dust, and not a fragment of bone remained.
Their surging Spiritual Power was completely erased before it could even be released.
In an instant,
nearly a hundred remaining cultists were dead.
The air around them fell silent for a moment.
Then,
the long-awaited system notification finally rang out in Lin Changqing's mind.
["Ding! Random mission complete: Wipe out the Holy Demon God Sect branch hideout in the Capital City (1/1)."] ["Reward: Early Martial Saint Stage mount—Golden Firmament Holy Qilin."] ["Golden Firmament Holy Qilin: A descendant of an ancient Pureblood Qilin, its entire body covered in golden scales, with golden thunder beneath its four hooves. It can travel tens of thousands of miles in a single day. Current cultivation: Early Martial Saint Stage. Its soul is bound to the host and it is absolutely loyal. If the host falls, the mount will perish; its cultivation will automatically rise as the host grows stronger."] ["Would the host like to claim it now?"]
Lin Changqing's eyes lit up.
At last! This was the moment he'd been waiting for!
He silently spoke in his mind.
"Claim it now."
The instant the thought crossed his mind,
a vast golden radiance suddenly burst across the night sky above the Capital City. The light didn't come from a single point; it covered the entire firmament!
The golden radiance tore through the darkness and enveloped the entire Capital City.
The sudden light illuminated every street and alley, turning night into day.
In the Imperial Palace,
Su Gan sprang up from the dragon throne and hurried out of the Imperial Study.
He looked up at the sky, his pupils suddenly dilating.
"What is this?!"
The citizens of the city also leaned out of their windows one after another.
The warriors confined to their homes all stepped into their courtyards.
Everyone witnessed a sight they would never forget.
Amid the golden sky, a massive golden figure descended from above.
It was a Qilin!
Its entire body was covered in golden scales. Each one looked as if it had been forged from pure gold, gleaming brilliantly in the radiance.
Golden thunder flashed beneath its four hooves. Each step sent a burst of golden lightning crackling through the night sky.
Its head was held high, and its eyes were like two burning golden suns, brimming with divine light.
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Its mane streamed through the wind like flowing fire, leaving a long golden trail behind it.
The aura of an Early Martial Saint Stage rose from its body, vast and sacred.
It was nothing like the aura of demons. It carried heavenly majesty that made people want to bow in reverence.
"A Qilin! It's a Qilin!"
Someone in the city shouted, and the whole Capital City erupted.
"Good heavens! It's the legendary Qilin!"
"It's not a mixed-blood descendant! It's pureblood! A Pureblood Qilin!"
Across the entire Heavenly Martial Continent,
Qilins were rare, but they weren't completely unheard of.
But those were all mixed-blood descendants, their blood diluted over countless generations.
Pureblood Qilins had been extinct for tens of thousands of years!
They could be glimpsed only in ancient texts and murals.
Yet now, a living Pureblood Qilin had appeared before everyone's eyes.
The Sixth Ancestor's expression changed drastically as he watched the Golden Qilin descend from the sky.
He had lived for over two thousand three hundred years and seen countless rare beasts, but he had only ever read descriptions of Pureblood Qilins in ancient texts!
Qilins were auspicious beasts, symbols of good fortune, and beings of terrifying power.
Ancient texts recorded that Pureblood Qilins in the primordial age possessed Grandmaster-level strength as soon as they reached adulthood.
Yet the aura of this Qilin... was unmistakably that of an Early Martial Saint!
It had suddenly appeared over the Capital City. Whether it was friend or foe remained unknown.
"Could this be another scheme by the Holy Demon God Sect? Have they really managed to summon even a Pureblood Qilin?"
The Sixth Ancestor furrowed his brows, already circulating his Spiritual Power.
Xiao Qianjun and the other two had even drawn their weapons.
Whether or not it was an auspicious beast, they couldn't allow any unexpected danger to arise!
Lin Changqing, who knew what was happening, raised a hand to show them there was no need to panic.
"Don't worry."
His voice was calm.
"This Qilin means no harm."
The Sixth Ancestor froze for a moment, then turned to Lin Changqing.
Lin Changqing wore a faint smile, his gaze calm as he watched the Golden Qilin descend.
Even he hadn't expected such a commotion.
The Golden Firmament Holy Qilin galloped down from the sky, golden thunder beneath its four hooves.
It moved at incredible speed, leaving a long golden afterimage in its wake.
In the blink of an eye, it reached the sky above the alley where Lin Changqing stood.
Then it stopped in midair.
Its massive body slowly descended into the alley, its four hooves landing on the bluestone paving as golden thunder crackled beneath them.
Up close, the Qilin looked even more majestic.
Standing upright, it was a full two zhang tall, towering over the surrounding houses.
Its golden scales shimmered softly in the moonlight, each one like a finely polished work of art.
It lowered its head and brought its massive face close to Lin Changqing.
There wasn't a trace of ferocity in its golden eyes. Instead, they brimmed with affection.
It stuck out its tongue and licked the back of Lin Changqing's hand.
Its tongue was as broad as a palm-leaf fan, yet its touch was as gentle as a little dog's.
Then it lowered its head again, softly rubbing it against Lin Changqing's shoulder as a low rumbling sound rose from its throat.
Like a big cat nuzzling its master.
Finally, it bent its front legs and pushed Lin Changqing toward its back with its head.
The message was clear: climb on.
Everyone watching was stunned by the sight.
A legendary Pureblood Qilin, an extraordinary auspicious beast at the Early Martial Saint Stage, was acting like a little dog and fawning over Prince Wu'an?
And it was even offering to be his mount?
The Sixth Ancestor was the first to recover, his beard trembling.
"Congratulations, Prince Wu'an!"
His voice was noticeably louder than before, and his face shone with delight.
"The Qilin is an auspicious beast from the primordial age, a symbol of good fortune. Ancient texts say that Pureblood Qilins submit only to those truly chosen by heaven!"
"This Pureblood Qilin has descended of its own accord and willingly become Prince Wu'an's mount. This is heaven's will! Heaven favors Prince Wu'an—and it favors our Great Yu!"
The more he spoke, the more excited he grew, until his voice was trembling.
"Today, the Qilin has descended and acknowledged Prince Wu'an as its master. Once word spreads across the land, even the demons will tremble in fear! The fortune of our Great Yu will surely flourish!"
Xiao Qianjun had also come to his senses.
His eyes were wide as he watched the Qilin rubbing its head against Lin Changqing's shoulder.
His thoughts churned like a storm-tossed sea.
Who exactly was this Prince Wu'an?
He had broken through to Martial Saint Peak at twenty—that was one thing. He had slain a Martial Saint of the same rank with a single sword—that was another.
Now even a legendary Pureblood Qilin had come to offer itself as his mount?
Was he even human?
At the same time,
the citizens and warriors throughout the Capital City had all witnessed what happened.
They had seen the Golden Qilin descend from the sky and land in the western part of the city.
Then they saw the Qilin lower itself and let a young man in black robes climb onto its back.
"It's Prince Wu'an! The Qilin has recognized Prince Wu'an as its master!"
"Heaven has sent us an auspicious omen! Heaven bless Great Yu!"
"Long live Prince Wu'an!"
The people in the city fell to their knees one after another, worshipping toward the western part of the city.
Cheers surged in from every direction, converging into a mighty wave in the night. The entire Capital City was immersed in an almost feverish atmosphere.
Meanwhile, in the alley,
Lin Changqing reached out and stroked Golden Firmament Holy Qilin's head. Its fur felt as warm and smooth as jade.
Golden Firmament Holy Qilin let out another low purr, its tail wagging happily from side to side.
It was no different from a big dog.
"From now on, I'll call you Golden Radiance."
Lin Changqing swung onto the Qilin's back in one swift, practiced motion.
From atop the Qilin, his view opened up at once.
He could see the people in the distance bowing to him, and the lights throughout the city flickering back to life.
He could also see Sixth Ancestor and the others standing below, their faces etched with shock.
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