This chapter's epigraph is from a poem called "Lightning Eye," which was written by a young man named Shu-Liang. The poem describes a lightning-eye, a lightning bolt that strikes a person in the eye and causes them to lose consciousness. The young man who wrote the poem, Shu-Lin, is shocked to learn that the lightning bolt is actually the king's armor. He is also shocked that the poison king is not even scratched. He also realizes that the king is a threat to the whole of the Seven Families because of his armor, and he decides that he must get rid of the king before the fight begins. He tells the young man that he is not sure whether the right call is being made, but he is certain that the war will soon break out between the seven families. Shu-Ling asks if he has made up his mind. He says that he has never been more sure of anything, and that he wishes that he could go back to the flower-rain tower and live a peaceful life.