```
In mid-air.
The Second Elder stopped in his tracks, his ink-like black hands reaching out from his sleeves, a trace of confusion in his aged eyes.
What had he just heard?
An Illusion Technique?
Was Yan Chu really willing to let him take away the Qingmu Secret Realm?
"What you just said..."
The Second Elder Shen Zhi's tone was uncertain, and he even seemed a bit dazed.
It wasn't his fault, really, as the Old Dean's recent declaration, "Take it then!" had taken him by complete surprise.
"I, cough cough... said, you want the Qingmu Secret Realm, don't you? Then take it."
The Old Dean wasn't pretending to be the good guy anymore.
After a few hearty coughs, he repeated what he had said earlier.
"Teacher..."
"Shut up, you cough cough... cough, it's not your place to speak!"
Lan Junyan opened her mouth helplessly at the Old Dean's decision, seemingly wanting to say something, but she was immediately scolded into silence.
The Second Elder still hesitated.