After all, Hongze had been cut off from the outside world for a great many years. Even with the blockade gone, reestablishing ties with the world beyond wasn't going to happen in two or three days.

Fortunately, the old man of the East Dragon Palace had left a road behind for Hongze's living beings.

And he had proven how reliable it was with his life.

His plan had failed in the end, but the jade envelope had really reached heaven.

If it could carry a letter, it could carry a person.

“My royal father may not have been ruthless enough, but he was a decent man.”

Ziyang came down out of the sky onto a yellow dirt path. An oddly dressed old man was waiting by the roadside, holding a horse cart by the reins. He had been there a long time.

Oddly dressed, because he was plainly well on in years, his hair and beard gone white, and yet he wore a bright red robe, had his hair done up in two little buns, and had even rouged his cheeks. He was dressed, head to toe, like a small child.

“This senior is a page boy in the Earth God's service. He and my royal father were friends who'd been through life and death together.”

Ziyang traded pleasantries with the old man for a long while before turning to introduce Shen Yi. Then he said to the old man, “This is an old friend of mine. He's going to the Divine Dynasty to look for a post.”

The old page boy squeezed out a smile and nodded. He asked nothing about Hongze.

There was nothing to ask. If the plan had failed, the one coming to see him now would not be Perfected Master Zixuan's son but the heavenly soldiers Shi Ren had called down to settle accounts.

He gave the reins a tug and motioned the two of them into the cart.

“Thank you for your trouble, Senior.”

Shen Yi nodded politely in return, then looked at the plain cart in front of him and hesitated for a…