236: Chapter 236 Ready to Depart!

It was Heavenly Dust, the number one prodigy of Xiguang Royal City, older brother of Di Chen, and disciple of an Eighth-Rank Grandmaster.

To his left was a young man dressed in an ice-blue brocade robe, with narrow, long eyes and a cold, stern demeanor.

He was the strongest prodigy from one of the two top territories, "Frostfall Snowfield" — Jiang Xuemian.

To the right was an elf draped in a light purple robe embroidered with flowing cloud patterns.

A faint, elusive smile always lingered at the corner of his mouth as he lounged lazily, toying with a crystal wine glass in his hand.

He was the contemporary leader of another top territory, "Cloudflow Summit" — Xue Ye.

These three were the most top-tier and highly anticipated prodigies from the territories under Her Highness Anya's command.

Although they came from different territories, they had developed a considerable private friendship due to their comparable strength and shared aspirations.

"Heavenly Dust, if you were to face that Qin Yan right now, how confident are you?"

Jiang Xuemian asked directly, as if merely bringing up an interesting topic in passing.

Heavenly Dust picked up a jade wine pot and elegantly poured himself half a cup of emerald wine, his movements graceful and composed.

He pondered briefly, then smiled faintly and said, "Over ninety-nine percent."

"Oh? So certain?"

Xue Ye raised an eyebrow, his smile deepening.

"Hmm, judging from his recent battles, especially the aura he displayed after his breakthrough today,

it's clear this person has devoted the vast majority of his energy and resources to cultivating Body Tempering Martial Arts.

Those forty-eight Spear Auras are indeed not to be underestimated, arguably one of the ultimate expressions of offensive power within the third rank."

Heavenly Dust shifted the topic slightly and continued, "However, every gain has its loss.

By focusing his efforts on body tempering and accumulating raw power, his mastery of 'technique,' particularly his proficiency in Spear Technique itself, appears relatively mediocre.

At the very least, what he has shown so far is merely at a 'serviceable' level, far from reaching the realm of a 'prodigy.'"

"Overall, while his overall strength is high-tier among the Third-Rank Peak, compared to us..."

Heavenly Dust shook his head gently, a gentle smile on his face, "he still falls short.

Of course, that's assuming he hasn't been deliberately hiding his true capabilities."

Jiang Xuemian said coldly, "If not for Her Highness's order, telling us core members to hold back for now and not expose our full strength too early, I would have gone to test his mettle days ago."

He picked up his wine cup and threw back his head, downing the Greenwood Condensed Dew wine in one gulp.

"Xuemian, patience,"

Xue Ye swirled the emerald liquid in his cup, his voice as gentle as a spring breeze brushing willow branches, "Her Highness has her reasons for this.

Having us preserve our strength and conceal our edge precisely indicates that in Her Highness's heart, we are more important than that Qin Yan... don't you think?"

His tone was teasing, but he had hit upon the key point.

Heavenly Dust also raised his cup in acknowledgment, smiling as he said, "Xue Ye speaks wisely.

Her Highness is considering the overall layout of the Hidden Dragon Assembly, and even plans further into the future.

We simply need to follow Her Highness's instructions and wait quietly for the right moment."

"True enough," Jiang Xuemian snorted coldly, though his expression softened slightly.

"Alright, let's set aside talk of Qin Yan for now,"

Heavenly Dust set down his cup, his gaze sweeping over his two companions. "Since we are gathered today, let's discuss the main topic.

This Hidden Dragon Assembly gathers stars from all corners.

It concerns not only our individual futures but also Her Highness Anya's prestige and her standing in Her Majesty the Empress's eyes.

We must give our all to achieve the best possible rankings."

Mentioning serious business, Jiang Xuemian and Xue Ye also adopted more serious expressions.

"Indeed," Xue Ye nodded. "Besides rankings, we must also secure the 'holy grail of life' for Her Highness."

"The holy grail of life..."

A glint flashed in Jiang Xuemian's eyes. "It is said to contain the life force of the first-generation Elven Empress. Such an opportunity absolutely must not fall into the hands of others, especially those under the command of the other royal heirs who bear ill will towards Her Highness."

"For Her Highness!"

"For the holy grail of life!"

The three of them drained their cups of strong wine in one go.

And at the same time, the vast, potent fluctuations of blood and qi they had deliberately restrained still inadvertently leaked out.

All three were unmistakably at the Third-Rank Peak!

Night.

Qin Yan concluded his day's cultivation.

Only after his aura had completely settled did he activate the personal terminal on his wrist.

A pale blue light screen projected into the air, a single unread message hovering upon it.

A light tap of his finger, and the message content unfolded:

"To all human members participating in the Hidden Dragon Assembly: Assemble promptly at the central square of the Martial Arts Estate at 8:00 AM tomorrow for a unified departure to the ancestral lands of the Elf Clan — the 'Eternal Forest.' Do not be late. Bring your personal belongings. — Su Zhiming"

The message was concise and clear, yet it invigorated Qin Yan's spirit.

A sharp, expectant light flashed through his eyes.

"Finally... time to depart."

He murmured to himself, looking up at the deep night sky outside the window.

Calculating the time, April 1st was the official commencement date of the Hidden Dragon Assembly.

Traveling from Xiguang City to the ancestral lands, plus making final preparations and adjustments, now was the perfect time to set out.

The long-awaited prologue was about to truly begin.

April 6th, early morning.

When Qin Yan stepped into the Martial Arts Estate once more, the scene before him was vastly different from usual.

The usually noisy, ring (ring)-filled combat areas were now empty and quiet.

In their place, on the central, most expansive square, was an atmosphere of solemn order.

Nearly six hundred Elf Prodigies stood neatly arranged in several square formations.

They wore various styles of practical attire or light armor, their auras condensed, expressions solemn.

Their eyes held a mix of gravity and subdued excitement for the events to come.

Even the weakest among them emitted the stable fluctuations of a third grade early stage.

Auras of third grade mid-stage and late-stage were everywhere, coalescing into a staggering, formidable presence.

These individuals were clearly the elites who had undergone Layer by layer (layer-by-layer) selection within Anya's territories and ultimately earned the right to participate in the Hidden Dragon Assembly.

They hailed from different regions and possessed different legacies.

Yet now, they were unified here, representing the strongest force of the younger generation under Her Highness Anya's command.

In contrast, the human prodigy contingent of only thirty, inserted on the flank of the elven formations, appeared rather insignificant and inconspicuous.

But whether it was Qin Yan, Leng Feng, Liu Ruyan, or Su Liuli and the others, all wore calm expressions, their backs straight.

Not the slightest bit disheartened by their numerical disadvantage, a firm light shone in each of their eyes instead.

The time pointed exactly to eight o'clock.

At that very moment, a soft green light lit up in the sky above the Martial Arts Arena without warning.

The light was not blinding, yet it carried a vast life force and the majesty of nature, instantly drawing everyone's gaze.

As the light receded, a graceful figure hovered in mid-air.

It was Her Highness Anya.

She wore robes with a silver-white base, exquisitely embroidered with dark green vines and star patterns.

Her silver-white hair, flowing like moonlight, was not tied up but cascaded naturally, fluttering gently with the subtle high-altitude breezes.

A few strands brushed past her exquisitely crafted face, as if carved by the hands of a deity herself.

Her eyebrows were like distant mountains tinged with azure, her eyes resembled a star-sunken jade lake, her nose bridge elegant and straight, her lips the pale hue of cherry blossoms.