Afternoon.
The clear skies of the past several days had sent the temperature steadily climbing. The ground burned, and scorching heat filled the air, as though midsummer had arrived.
Beside the official road outside the Royal Capital.
Several shaded stalls stood.
This spot was still five li from the city entrance.
Some merchants and travelers coming and going from the Royal Capital chose to stop here briefly and recover their strength.
"Brother Wang, I heard heavenly soldiers and generals descended two days ago to arrest Jiang Ning, the Luo River King, in the Royal Capital. You were in the capital before, weren't you? Is it really true?"
"It is!"
"It is?"
"Yes! But it wasn't as outrageous as the rumors claim. There weren't any heavenly soldiers and generals descending in force. Only two heavenly soldiers appeared at Lishui Palace to arrest Jiang Ning, the Luo River King."
"Brother Wang, what happened in the end?" the man asked eagerly.
"The Luo River King fled the Royal Capital that day. There's been no word of him since!"
"Brother Wang, even heavenly soldiers from the myths have appeared. Do you think immortals really exist in this world?"
"Who knows?" The man shook his head, then sighed. "Even if immortals really exist, they have nothing to do with little people like us!"
"..."
Inside the tea stall, Jiang Ning drank the last mouthful of his cool tea, then rose.
He had already heard far too many conversations like this.
On a whim, he had stepped into this tea stall outside the Royal Capital and ordered a pot of cool tea.
He had barely sat down before hearing people at several neighboring tables discussing him.
Nearly every topic concerning him revolved around the appearance of those two heavenly soldiers two days earlier.
That day, far