In He'an City, within the royal palace's main hall, Yonghe Hall, a magnificent round table with nine seats stood at the center. Together with the grand and imposing hall, it exuded supreme nobility, majesty, solemnity, and dignity.
Nine people dressed in luxurious yet formal attire sat around it—eight men and one woman. Before each of them lay two books: Path of the Warrior and Complete Explanation of Runes.
At the head seat sat an old man in a red-and-gold high-collared Beast Pattern robe. His face was deeply lined, his hair completely white, yet Divine Light still flashed from his eyes.
He was the Lord of He'an City, the Grand Elder, the Human King, an Ancestor Warrior, and the strongest of the Human Race.
The Human King spoke. "Everyone, speak."
At that moment, a burly man in gold-patterned armor and a blue cloak rose to his feet. His beard and hair bristled, and his voice boomed like a great bell. "Human King, this violates the rules. No matter who this 'Passerby' is, he needed our approval before spreading such things."
This burly man in gold-patterned armor was the Lord of Tufang City, the Fifth Elder, an Ancestor Warrior.
The Third Elder stroked his grizzled short beard and nodded. "That's right. Since ancient times, anything above Grandmaster has been a taboo that cannot be freely circulated. Yet these two books spread it so casually. This is an act that shakes the foundation of the Nine Cities."
The Seventh Elder's gaunt face was covered in smiles and wrinkles. He chuckled. "I, for one, think this 'Passerby' is a genius whose brilliance shakes the ages. These two books are simply inconceivable."
The Fifth Elder glared with round eyes, spittle flying everywhere. "Bullshit! What kind of genius is he? The nine of us here each