A month after the banned-book campaign, few people openly mentioned those two books anymore. Only the occasional private discussion remained.
Those who had not kept copies of the two books were bitterly regretful, while those who had preserved them through the banned-book campaign kept silent, quietly waiting for the storm to pass.
In the Side Hall of Yonghe Hall within He'an City's royal palace, the Human King sat alone in the seat of honor and asked in a grave voice, "Still no sign of him?"
Someone immediately replied, "Reporting to the Grand Elder, the latest news is that he has not been found. This 'Passerby' seems to have vanished into thin air. It is highly likely that he is wandering the Wilderness."
The Human King let out a long breath and gave a slight wave of his hand. The man withdrew.
By then, nearly two months had passed since the Elder Round Table Conference. Half a month earlier, the other eight Elders, having waited in vain, had already returned to their respective main cities.
The Human King simply sat quietly upon his throne, no one knew what he was thinking. He murmured, "'Passerby'... Path of the Warrior... Complete Explanation of Runes... Blessing or calamity..."
Yet the Human King knew in his heart that for the entire Human Race, it was a blessing! But for the great families that made up the ruling class, it was a calamity! And he represented both the interests of the Human Race and those of the great families. How was he supposed to choose?
After all, he was a powerhouse raised within the Human Race's old system. Deep down, he was bound to favor upholding that old system. A person's upbringing and understanding determined such things; they were difficult to change.
The upheaval stirred by