Xu Qing said nothing. He knew why Kong Xianglong felt so bleak and lonely.5

Back in Forbidden by the Immortal, Xu Qing himself had felt similarly upon hearing his Master’s analysis of the situation. Palace Lord Kong, the governor, and all of Sea-Sealing County were essentially game pieces in a huge game of Go. Everything leading up to Palace Lord Kong’s death on the battlefield made that abundantly clear.3

That said, the palace lord had lived a life of bravery and courage, and had been a “larger than life” figure. Dying in battle for the sake of humanity was something he’d done without a single regret. Apparently, he had already come to a conclusion about what was happening. But as long as he could guarantee the safety of his people, his family, his subordinates, and especially his grandson, and the fact that his death would not have an overall negative effect, then he had been more than happy to offer salvation to Sea-Sealing County.5

“As long as Sea-Sealing County lives, I won’t hesitate to sacrifice myself for it.”2

Xu Qing had thought back to Palace Lord Kong’s words many times, and pondered how decisive he had been in his final moments. [1]0

Sure enough, right after Palace Lord Kong died, an army...3