Time passed. Three days went by in a flash. At dawn on the fourth day, Seventh Prince’s grand army broke camp and prepared to travel.6

Xu Qing, the Captain, and Kong Xianglong were all in the crowd.0

As the army left the defensive perimeter, Xu Qing looked over his shoulder in the direction of the distant western front. He had experienced many things in the past two months, and had seen far too much death. There were many other cultivators who were similarly looking to the west. Most were swordsages from Sea-Sealing County.3

Eventually, Xu Qing turned back around. High in the air, he could see several hundred black dragons gliding around a... four-clawed golden dragon.5

Only bits and pieces of the dragon’s massive frame were visible as it swirled through the clouds, but it gave off a sensation of holiness. Of course, there was little need to mention who sat on the imperial carriage atop the dragon. The people down below, including Xu Qing, were all familiar with that individual who was as respectable as the highest heavens, and was as far above them as the clouds were from the mud.0

It made Xu Qing think back to something one of the scholar teachers back in the slums had once said.0

“What are important people like...? It’s simple. They’re people who, if you’re in a crowd and you look up at them,...14