189: Chapter 189 Third Senior Sister's Advice!

"Xiao Yan, what are your thoughts?"

"Teacher, to be honest, I... I can't make up my mind myself."

"I've read some information about the Hidden Dragon Assembly and know of its cruelty. But as for how to choose specifically, I hope for your guidance, Teacher."

This was a major event involving gambles between different races, with an extremely high risk factor and filled with unknown opportunities.

With his current vision and experience, it was truly difficult to see the pros and cons clearly and weigh them thoroughly.

So Qin Yan hoped this elder could give him some more global and profound advice.

However, before Xiao Huo could speak, an eager voice from the side cut in:

"Haha, Little Junior Brother, you're asking the wrong person!"

Before Xiao Huo could open his mouth, Ye Hongxiao, who was standing to the side, cut in again with a grin.

She winked, looking a bit proud. "When it comes to understanding the Hidden Dragon Assembly, Teacher might actually not be as good as me!

You should be asking me instead!"

Qin Yan was stunned and looked at Teacher Xiao Huo.

Xiao Huo gave her an annoyed glare but did not speak to refute her.

He simply nodded to Qin Yan, essentially confirming Ye Hongxiao's words: "Your Third Senior Sister was one of the Human Prodigies five years ago and participated in the previous Hidden Dragon Assembly."

"Five years ago? She participated?"

Qin Yan and Lu Youyou were both startled, their gazes focusing on Ye Hongxiao simultaneously.

The Human Prodigies team for the Hidden Dragon Assembly five years ago had a terrifying mortality rate of eighty percent!

Being able to return alive from such a meat-grinder-like danger zone meant that her strength, luck, and mindset were absolutely among the best of her generation!

"Please guide me, Third Senior Sister."

Qin Yan immediately composed himself and asked respectfully.

Seeing her Little Junior Brother so humble, Ye Hongxiao also put away her playful look, and her expression became serious.

"First of all, Little Junior Brother, you must understand that the 'cruelty' of the Hidden Dragon Assembly described in the records is all true; in fact, experiencing it firsthand will only feel even worse."

"The Eternal Song Star Realm is vast beyond measure, with numerous races.

Among them are several overlords, such as the Elf Clan, Dragonborn, Mountain Giant Spirit, and powerful groups like the 'Lava Lizard Tribe' and 'Storm Winged People.' The top prodigies they cultivate have strength that absolutely cannot be underestimated.

They possess heritages, talents, and abilities vastly different from ours, some even strange and unpredictable.

In that environment, trust is a luxury, and death is the norm."

She listed the characteristics of several powerful races, stopping there: "If you decide to participate, Princess Anya will definitely provide more detailed information on these specifics, so I won't go into too much detail."

Changing the subject, Ye Hongxiao's tone became more encouraging: "However, setting aside the danger, I personally recommend that you participate!"

"Why?" Qin Yan asked instinctively.

"Because the rewards are high enough! High enough to be worth risking your life for!"

"In our year, although we suffered heavy casualties, the results we eventually achieved were quite good.

Afterward, among the rewards given by the Elf Clan, I personally received two portions of Rank 6 resources!

It was thanks to those two portions of resources, combined with the help scraped together by Teacher and my family, that I was able to truly achieve a 'perfect initiation' into my family's core cultivation technique, laying the foundation for my subsequent rapid breakthroughs."

"And the one who performed most outstandingly and made the greatest contribution in our year..."

"...even received a complete set of 'Grandmaster-level resources'! You should know what that means."

Qin Yan took a deep breath. Grandmaster-level resources!

That was a treasure enough to make countless Rank 6 peak experts fight to the death, and might even help one glimpse the mysteries of Rank 7!

Ye Hongxiao looked at Qin Yan, her tone sincere: "Little Junior Brother, you have excellent talent and a resilient character; what you lack is exactly this kind of top-tier resource support that can allow you to soar to the heavens.

If you can achieve good results in this Hidden Dragon Assembly, given the wealth of the Elf Clan, the rewards they give you will definitely only be more generous than what we received back then, not less!"

Finally, she added a more secretive reason: "Moreover, for the Elf Clan internally, this assembly is also an important stage involving succession rights and factional struggles.

If you perform well, not only will you receive material rewards, but you might also win Princess Anya's personal friendship and a favor!

A favor from a princess who is very likely to become the Elf Empress in the future... this hidden value is immeasurable."

Qin Yan listened quietly; his Third Senior Sister's words were like stones cast into the lake of his heart, stirring up ripples.

The pros and cons were laid out more clearly, and those enticing 'possibilities' were indeed full of attraction for him.

Although Teacher Xiao Huo glared at Ye Hongxiao, blaming her for speaking too boldly and potentially making someone impulsive, he also understood that what she said was basically the truth.

Qin Yan's path was destined to be different from Lu Youyou's.

For someone like him without a strong background, some risks might have to be taken.

Qin Yan fell into a long period of deep thought.

After a long while, Qin Yan looked up, his eyes regaining their clarity.

But he didn't make a decision immediately; instead, he asked a seemingly unrelated but crucial question:

"Teacher, Senior Brother, Senior Sister, I wonder how much you know about the cultivation techniques in the school's 'Secret Realm Tower'?"

Xiao Huo raised an eyebrow and asked in return, "What? Have you taken a fancy to the techniques of the Five Elements Sect?"

Qin Yan did not deny it and said frankly, "I am indeed considering it.

If you have a cultivation technique that is more powerful and suitable for me than the Five Elements Sect's heritage, and one that I have a hope of obtaining, I would naturally prioritize your guidance, Teacher.

If not... the Secret Realm Tower might be my best choice at the moment."

He only wanted to practice the most powerful cultivation techniques to pave the solidest path for the future.

During this time, he had organized the ways he could obtain cultivation techniques: first, granted by his master; second, through Secret Realm Tower challenges; and third, through exchanging astronomical amounts of academic credits (which he wasn't considering for now).

The Secret Realm Tower was undoubtedly the only way currently within his reach through which he might obtain a top-tier cultivation technique.

Hearing this, Xiao Huo was first stunned, then laughed in exasperation at Qin Yan's 'matter-of-fact' attitude of pursuing the strongest: "You little rascal, quite the bold tone! A technique more powerful than the Five Elements Sect's heritage?

I... don't have one here."

He paused, and seeing that Qin Yan was not discouraged but instead even more focused, he shook his head helplessly.

His tone turned serious: "However, Xiao Yan, I must remind you.

The cultivation difficulty of the Five Elements Sect's techniques is at a hellish level!

Not only does it require extremely high talent, comprehension, and perseverance from the practitioner, but it also needs massive amounts of specific resource support!"

"Furthermore," Xiao Huo emphasized, "since you have aspirations in the Dao of Alchemy, if you want to go further on this path in the future, it's best to prioritize fire-attribute or wood-attribute when choosing a cultivation technique.

Fire aids in pill formation, and wood contains vitality; this is of great benefit to an alchemist's fire control and perception of medicinal properties."