181: Chapter 181 Monkey Wine!

Qin Yan took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart.

He knew that although Lu Youyou loved to play around sometimes, she was never someone who spoke without purpose.

Especially on matters involving potential danger.

Her willingness to tell him such secret rumors meant she truly regarded him as a junior brother who needed care and reminders.

He turned his head, looked into Lu Youyou's concerned eyes, nodded solemnly, and said in a deep voice, "I understand. Thank you for the reminder, Senior Sister... I will keep this in mind."

He accepted this favor.

He firmly engraved the keywords "Liu Ruyan," "split personality," "Old Chancellor of Longhua Martial University," and "strength changes" into the depths of his heart.

The world was far broader and more complex than what he could currently see.

On the path of martial arts, besides the opponents and tempering on the surface, one also needed to be vigilant against these secrets and abnormalities hidden beneath the undercurrents.

Seeing that he had taken it to heart, Lu Youyou finally breathed a sigh of relief.

A smile bloomed on her face again as she gently patted his arm. "Alright, it's good that you know!"

Let's go, I'll take you to try those new small cakes over there; the taste is superb!"

She skillfully changed the subject, dispersing the heavy atmosphere brought by the slightly somber whispers from earlier.

Qin Yan smiled cooperatively, letting Lu Youyou pull him toward the dining area.

But from the corner of his eye, he still inadvertently glanced at that striking red figure in the distant crowd.

Liu Ruyan seemed to be chatting and laughing with several captains from other martial arts universities, her smiles charming and her eyes bright.

She attracted the gazes of many men.

Beneath this bright and moving shell, what kind of complex and dangerous secret was hidden?

The gathering continued, with laughter and chatter ringing incessantly.

However, in Qin Yan's heart, this small gathering tonight had added an indescribable underlying tone of recognition regarding the deeper complexities of this world, beyond the surface-level exchange and relaxation.

Meanwhile, at the Grand Pavilion Hotel, thirty-fourth floor.

The atmosphere here was completely different from the relaxed socializing and clinking of glasses downstairs.

Inside the huge circular conference hall, the lights were adjusted to a soft yet bright setting.

Beside the long conference table sat leading mentors or high-level school representatives from various top martial arts universities.

Most of them looked serious, their brows carrying traces of thought and weighing of options.

An invisible pressure permeated the air, along with a faint, clear, and refreshing scent of vegetation.

The focus of everyone's gaze fell on the woman dressed in an elegant green dress at the head of the long table—Anya.

She still sat there quietly, playing with a lush green vine pen that looked like a living creature, her expression peaceful.

But as those emerald-like eyes slowly scanned every mentor present, it made many people's hearts tremble slightly, as if their souls were being gently brushed by an invisible power.

"Princess Anya."

The freshman mentor from Jingdu University of Martial Arts broke the silence, his tone respectful and cautious. "The matter of the Hidden Dragon Assembly is of great importance, involving the future planning and safety of the students, and even more so the core cultivation strategies of each school."

With only us here, it is truly difficult to make an immediate decision.

We ask Your Highness to be lenient for a few days, until we return to our schools and discuss in detail with the deans of each college before giving you a clear answer."

As soon as he finished speaking, representatives from other martial arts universities immediately chimed in.

"Indeed."

A dark-faced mentor from Beicang Martial Arts University said in a deep voice, "The competition of the Hidden Dragon Assembly is so fierce and the risks so great that it far exceeds ordinary Exchange Competitions. Our school cannot but be cautious about this."

We ask for Your Highness's understanding."

"Princess Anya's sincere invitation is deeply appreciated. It is not that we are making excuses, but the matter is truly of great consequence..."

"Matters involving the Elf Clan's territory..."

For a moment, various direct or tactful excuses echoed softly in the room.

These mentors were not ungrateful, and they well knew the weight represented by Princess Anya's personal invitation and the huge opportunities it might contain.

But the casualty rate of the Hidden Dragon Assembly was simply too high.

Every martial arts university regarded the talents they cultivated as precious treasures.

Especially these outstanding individuals who had just emerged in the Exchange Competition; they were the hope of the future.

Many mentors were unwilling to let the talents they had nurtured fight for the internal struggles of the Elf Clan.

Anya listened quietly, her peaceful face showing not a single ripple due to these excuses.

Only when the voices gradually died down did she open her vermilion lips, her voice ethereal and pleasant. "It is no matter. I understand your concerns."

There is still some time before the Hidden Dragon Assembly begins. Mentioning it today is also in the hope that you will be aware of it and make considerations early.

You may all return and discuss it in detail with your schools, and then give me an answer."

She indeed understood.

The Elf Clan was not a bloodthirsty or bellicose race, and she herself advocated nature and balance.

Forced coercion was not her style, nor did it align with the friendly relations she had established with the human race, especially with Modu University of Martial Arts.

In fact, she was already quite satisfied that some of the martial arts universities, especially Modu University of Martial Arts, had clearly expressed support or a willingness to consider it deeply today.

An important spatial intersection between the Elf Clan and Blue Star happened to be located in the Modu region.

And the Elf Clan territory corresponding to that intersection was precisely Anya's direct domain.

It was because of this geographical and jurisdictional proximity that she had the opportunity for deep contact with the human race, especially Modu University of Martial Arts.

After the initial probing and exchanges, she discovered that although the human martial arts civilization's history was not as long as the Elf Clan's, it was full of vitality and amazing creativity.

Powerful individuals emerged in succession within the race.

The two sides were not naturally hostile; instead, they had commonalities in many philosophies.

Over time, with her wisdom and sincerity, the relationship with the human race was handled very harmoniously.

In particular, she had even forged a deep friendship with a Vice Chancellor of Modu University of Martial Arts.

This was why she could freely enter and leave Modu University of Martial Arts, and even occasionally play the role of a guest mentor for fun.

"Thank you for your understanding, Princess Anya!"

Hearing this, many mentors felt a sense of relief.

Facing this Princess of the Elf Clan with unfathomable strength and a venerable background, they were under no small pressure.

The fact that the other party could be so reasonable and not use her power to pressure them greatly increased their favorable impression of her.

Anya smiled slightly, no longer discussing official business, and instead elegantly raised the wine glass in front of her.

The liquid in the glass was no ordinary wine; it presented a magnificent amber gold color, and with a slight ripple, it emitted an extremely rich and mellow fragrance, interwoven with fresh fruitwood and various flowers.

Just taking a sniff made one feel refreshed, and their blood and qi seemed to become a bit more active.

"This is one of my Elf Clan's specialties, the First Cry of the Dawn Forest, which can also be called 'Monkey Wine'."