The void trembled, and the Golden Light dimmed.
That Golden World Ship, once incomparably arrogant, now dragged its ruined hull toward the Bone Black Ship as cautiously as a mangy dog with a broken spine.
There was no cannon fire, no shouting.
Only a stooped figure stepped onto a shattered deck plank and crossed the void alone.
It was an old man.
His robes were luxurious, embroidered with intricate Golden Crow Patterns, but their hems were now stained with blood, and his crown sat askew.
He landed on the black ship's deck. The boots accustomed to walking on cloud brocade looked utterly out of place here, yet they bent without the slightest hesitation.
Thud.
His knees struck the bone plating with a crisp sound.
"Criminal subject Jin Xuan pays respects to Lord Chu."
The old man pressed his forehead to the ground and spread his hands open, palms upward.
This was a grand salute.
Behind him, countless eyes aboard the Golden World Ship stared fixedly at this scene through the portholes.
Just a few hours ago, they had still regarded Chu Qing as an uncivilized barbarian and this black ship as a filthy corpse-hauling cart.
Now, to survive, they had pushed out their most exalted Old Ancestor to kneel and beg for mercy.
Chu Qing sat upright on the White Bone Great Chair, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest.
Tap, tap, tap.
The rhythm was slow, every sound seeming to strike Jin Xuan directly in the chest.
Chu Qing said nothing. He merely looked down from above.
This was the so-called "orthodox civilization."
With the wind at their backs, they spoke of propriety, righteousness, honor, and hierarchy, wishing they could straighten their spines all the way to Heaven;
But against the wind, their knees were softer than anyone's, and their