Leaving the public market area, Xu Qing walked through the night and thought back to the encounter with the other disciples.

One of them was one of the First Peak’s highnesses, though I’m not sure which one. 

Though they had taken precautions to conceal their auras, Xu Qing had still been able to sense a sword energy on them that reminded him of Wu Jianwu. To any other person, that aura would have been difficult to identify. But Xu Qing had chased Wu Jianwu for days on end, and thanks to all the techniques he had used, was very familiar with his aura. That same sense had come across strongly just now, so Xu Qing was certain of his assessment.

The war is still going on, but they’re out here...?

Xu Qing thought back to what the Captain had told him, and also the rumors he’d heard earlier about the Seven Sect Coalition interfering with the war. He already had some speculations of his own about what was going on.

It seems the war really is about to end.

He had been waiting for a long time for this. After all, he had a lot of battle accomplishments that would earn him rewards after the official conclusion of the war.

Truth be told, he felt poor right now. He had just earned a nice sum of spirit stones,...