The Xuan Emperor sighed. Once Ning Chen had made up his mind, there was no point trying to talk him out of it.

"You brat. If you're off on the eastern campaign, then it's time this emperor set out too."

Ning Chen pointed to Xie Siyu and Hua Linglong. "Father Emperor, I told you before I'd send two people along to protect you. These are the two.

You've met Xie Siyu, Father Emperor. He's the Eldest Brother of the Ghost-Shadow Sect.

The other is the young mistress of Mirror Moon Fort. Her name is Hua Linglong."

Xie Siyu dropped to his knees with a thud. "This humble commoner Xie Siyu greets the Emperor Emeritus!"

Hua Linglong glanced at Xie Siyu and knelt too, calling out, "This commoner woman Hua Linglong pays her respects to the Emperor Emeritus."

Ning Chen stared, dumbfounded.

Xie Siyu had knelt. That was unbelievable.

It was the first time he'd ever seen Xie Siyu kneel.

The Xuan Emperor smiled. "Get up, quickly. No need for ceremony!"

Xie Siyu and Hua Linglong rose.

Ning Chen asked, full of curiosity, "Brother Xie, you actually knelt? Is the Emperor Emeritus really that charismatic?"

Then he said to the Xuan Emperor, "Father Emperor, this sect brother of mine would rather break than bend. I've never seen him kneel to anyone."

The Xuan Emperor smiled. "Is that so?"

Ning Chen nodded and looked at Xie Siyu, puzzled.

Xie Siyu kept up his cool-guy act. "Because he's a good emperor. And most of all, he's good to you."

Ning Chen was taken aback. So that was why.

The Xuan Emperor, though, was delighted and roared with laughter. "This sect brother of yours has real character."

Ning Chen laughed. "He's got character, all right. Please bear with him from now on, Father Emperor."

Ning Chen stayed until evening before leaving the palace.

He was about to march off to war, and the Xuan Emperor was about to set out on his travels. Father and son didn't have many days left together.

Ning Chen was wounded and in no shape to give the An…