Heaven Dou Empire, southeastern coast, Tulip City.
Tulip City was a small coastal city blessed with pleasant weather throughout the year and timely winds and rain. It had always been known for growing flowers, particularly tulips, which had given the city its name.
Tulip City was not particularly large, with a permanent population of around six hundred thousand. Vast estates outside the city cultivated flowers of every color. Merchant caravans from all corners of the land frequently passed through, hauling cartloads of flowers to other cities.
Clad in silver armor, Wang Sheng wore a tiger badge at his waist that marked him as a junior commander in the Heaven Dou Empire's army. Riding a tall black horse, he led nine soldiers on their daily patrol, inspecting the estates for possible thieves.
The sun was already high, and the weather was scorching.
Tulip City's climate was nothing like that of the inland regions. In Heaven Dou City, people would have long since put on two thick layers of padded clothing in autumn weather like this. But in Tulip City, where spring lingered all year, it was still as hot as spring or summer. After just one round of patrols, sweat had soaked a large patch beneath Wang Sheng's silver armor.
Finding shade beneath a large tree, Wang Sheng waved to his nine subordinates and said:
"Everyone, take a break."
Wang Sheng's nine subordinates were merely ordinary people. Their physical fitness could not compare to his as a rank-twenty-nine Soul Grandmaster. As lowly soldiers, they had no mounts, either. They had alternated between walking and running the whole way and were already panting with exhaustion.
Removing their silver helmets, they all took out their waterskins and gulped down water like cattle.
Wang Sheng leaned against the tree and stared blankly up at