The next morning, Cai Ming and the others sneak into the royal palace. Cai Ming uses the water route to get to the banquet hall, where he realizes that the water routes are connected to the palace entrances. He realizes that he and Cai Ming will have to send Cai Ming's dragon and his brother back to the emperor's palace, where they will be treated as prisoners. He tells the emperor that there are six remaining dragon fighters, two of whom are royal and two are nobles. He imprisons them as a precautionary measure, since he is sure that Cai Ming has his dragon well-guarded