Dong...
Dong...
Dong...
The deep, resonant tolling of the Mourning Dragon Bell rang through the Divine Capital's night.
Throughout the Divine Capital, everyone stopped what they were doing and stood silently facing the Imperial Palace.
All the officials bowed their heads respectfully, silently counting the tolls of the Mourning Dragon Bell.
At the Night Guard Yamen, the Night Guards exchanged glances, then waited in silence.
One toll, two tolls, three tolls...
The seventh toll faded.
Beneath the great locust tree at the Night Guard Yamen, a commotion immediately broke out.
"According to our Great Qi Code, nine times five, forty-five tolls, mark an emperor's death; nine times three, twenty-seven tolls, an empress dowager's death; nine times two, eighteen tolls, an empress's or crown prince's death. An imperial prince receives seven, other princes five. Apart from the few honored with a place in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, no one else receives the Mourning Dragon Bell. So which imperial prince has passed away?"
"All the current imperial princes have cultivation. Surely none of them would pass away so soon."
"Wait, His Highness the Prince of Chu seems to have entered an Eerie Ground..."
Beneath the great locust tree, silence fell abruptly.
Under the Divine Capital's night sky, hidden currents surged...
Long saber in hand, Zheng Hui lowered his voice. "Wife, stay inside. I'll go out and find out what's happened."
"Isn't it just an imperial prince dying?"
"You don't understand. The Grand General King is an imperial prince, the Prince of Chu is an imperial prince, and so is the Prince of Jin. There are some younger imperial princes, too. Which one died makes a world of difference to the Qi Kingdom."
"What does it have to do with us?"
"If an ordinary imperial prince dies, it has nothing to do