```
It was equivalent to placing one's life in the hands of another.
It represented the highest degree of recognition.
Without equal.
...
Standing behind Chen Qiu, Fat Long stood rooted to the spot, his mouth slowly gaping open in confusion and shock. Dammit, he had suspected the scholar was the State Preceptor, that the scholar's brother was the State Preceptor, he had even suspected that he himself might be the State Preceptor!
But he had never fucking suspected that Brother Qiu was the State Preceptor!
He had searched so many days for the State Preceptor, and all this time, the State Preceptor had been right beside him?!
But now was clearly not the time to ponder this, as everyone else had already knelt down. If they didn't kneel, it would seem as though others were kneeling to them instead. Just as Fat Long was about to tug at the scholar's sleeve to signal him to quickly kneel with him,
