"—I knew it! I knew it! This kid hasn't even lived thirty years. How could he possibly have broken free from the way short-lived species think? How could he possibly consider matters so grand and far-reaching?!"
Yellow Calico Cat flattened its furry ears, looking as though even dealing with Zheng Qing would bring it bad luck.
Professor Yao, on the other hand, remained patient. Very kindly, he explained to the bewildered Young Legendary, "—What Mister Huang mentioned just now concerns the ultimate ownership of the Xuanhuang Great World. In fact, this is no longer a secret among the Alliance's upper ranks and the Legendary circle..."
He tapped his pipe. Even in the void, that habitual gesture carried a strangely calming rhythm. "...After the headmaster left, the several Great Worlds under his name automatically entered a sealed state, including the Xuanhuang Great World... Although the Alliance obtained temporary guardianship and administrative authority over that Great World under emergency provisions, in reality, there was almost nothing anyone could do with it... After the headmaster left, its outer crystal wall activated the highest level of automatic defense and concealment mechanisms. Without a particular key, no one could truly enter its core, much less manage or develop it effectively... The Ancient Ones might be able to enter without damaging the world's crystal wall, but..."
He gave a dry laugh and put the pipe in his mouth.
He did not finish the sentence.
Zheng Qing had no difficulty guessing what he meant—the Ancient Ones had their sights set on higher and more distant things. They would not lower themselves to fight over an opportunity meant for a group of Legendaries, or even Grand Wizards. Of course, on a deeper level, Old Yao knew that Zheng Qing possessed a book of laws, and that the Ancient