Above the Royal Capital.
A long black-and-white rainbow appeared. One moment, it was on the horizon; the next, it was above the Royal Capital, descending into Lishui Palace.
Within the palace, the guards and maids saw the black-and-white rainbow streak across the sky and descend onto the central island. They immediately withdrew their gazes.
They knew this black-and-white radiance was the palace master's signature means of travel. Their prince had returned from another trip.
"How brazen!" In a princely residence in the Royal Capital, a prince watched the rainbow cut across the sky and spoke.
"He achieved success young. He is now the Martial Dao expert ranked Second Under Heaven, a rising star at court, and a man who helped raise the dragon to the throne!" Someone beside the prince picked up the conversation.
Elsewhere.
Jiang Ning landed on the island's waterside pavilion. Looking at the shimmering lake before him, he fell into thought.
The conversation in the Martial Saint Grotto-Heaven still lingered in his mind.
The flesh was boundless, the spirit unfettered!
That treasure lay hidden in the deepest reaches of the human body, yet could not be expressed in words.
Once spoken of, it could never be found again.
Though he had not fully grasped the deeper meaning of the Martial Saint's words, his direction was now clear.
He would keep tempering his body and elevating his spirit. One day, he would touch that level through his own strength.
Just then, he looked into the distance, toward the only bridge leading to the island.
A middle-aged man in blue robes, with a lean face, was walking briskly toward him across the bridge.
Noticing Jiang Ning's gaze, the middle-aged man immediately quickened his pace. With a movement of his body, he swept over like a breeze.
Jiang Ning remembered