240: Chapter 24 The World Tree!

This meant that, according to the known intelligence assessment,

not counting any potential dark horses that might be hidden, the prodigies who were explicitly assessed to be stronger than Heavenly Dust numbered only ninety-six!

One must know, just under Her Highness Anya's banner alone, there were six hundred Elf Clan prodigies participating in this grand assembly.

The total number of prodigies from the entire Elf Clan participating was likely close to ten thousand.

And looking across the entire Eternal Song Star Realm, hundreds of races and countless factions had gathered here.

Ultimately, the number of young geniuses who managed to secure an entry ticket had accumulated to a staggering figure, likely reaching hundreds of thousands!

To rank within the top hundred among these hundreds of thousands of geniuses was already to be among the elite, one in ten thousand.

That Heavenly Dust could rank ninety-seventh spoke volumes about his caliber.

After finishing the entire list, Qin Yan closed his personal terminal.

He didn't feel discouraged; instead, he felt a sense of clarity, as if the fog had lifted, revealing the path ahead.

Only by knowing the height of the mountain can one climb it with greater purpose.

Afterwards, he pulled up the document titled 'Canglin Ancient Peak Region Brief Map and High-Risk Zone Markings' and began studying it carefully.

The map marked known relatively safe zones, common resource points, explored dangerous areas, and several regions historically known for more frequent Evil Spirit activity.

Having digested the intelligence, Qin Yan picked up the long spear leaning beside him and walked to a relatively open patch of silver moss at the edge of the human area. There, he began practicing his Spear Technique.

Spear shadows danced wildly. Forty-eight faint golden Spear Auras flowed with the movements of his spear. Occasionally, a flash of crimson light would vanish from the spear tip, radiating a heart-palpitating sharpness.

It wasn't just Qin Yan. In the camp, after processing the impact of the rankings, the other Human Prodigies also sprang into action.

Some trained alone; others gathered in small groups to spar or discuss. The air was thick with a tense, focused atmosphere.

The Elf Clan camp not far away was much the same.

In fact, it was even more fervent. Shouts, elemental fluctuations, and the clashing of weapons rose and fell in succession.

From the direction of other race gathering points in the distance, faint rumbles of energy or strange cries could be heard from time to time. Clearly, everyone was making their final sprint and preparations.

Time quietly slipped away within this tense and substantial atmosphere of preparation.

During this period, under the guidance of Dean Su Zhiming, Qin Yan and the others also had brief contact and introductions with some of the Elf Clan team leaders under Anya's command, as well as some of the stronger Elf prodigies.

...

April 10th, dawn.

Just as the sunlight pierced the lingering spiritual mist above the Eternal Forest,

the gathering areas of all races along the edge of the entire Eternal Forest erupted into a frenzy.

Horns blared long notes, banners fluttered.

Her Highness Anya's contingent, along with several other massive Elf Clan groups, formed a mighty torrent that marched out of the camp in a grand procession, advancing towards the entrance of the Canglin Ancient Peak.

Their steps were uniform, their advance silent.

Only the soft rustling of feet treading on moss and leaf-covered forest ground, and the occasional faint sounds of other racial groups moving in the distance, could be heard.

One hour later, the procession passed through the final stretch of relatively sparse giant trees, and the view suddenly opened up before them.

They arrived at an indescribably vast, sacred woodland clearing.

And the most eye-catching feature was at the center of this woodland: a towering, sky-piercing giant tree that seemed to hold up the very heavens!

No, it could no longer be simply called a 'tree'.

Its trunk was a deep bronze color, likely over a kilometer in diameter. The patterns on its bark were ancient and powerful, resembling the folds of mountains or coiled dragons.

The trunk shot straight upwards, piercing the clouds. Straining one's eyes to look up, one could only see it vanish into the ethereal spiritual clouds at an extreme height.

The breadth of its canopy was impossible to gauge with the eye. One could only sense a vast, boundless expanse of life-giving green and star-like points of light faintly swirling above.

The life aura it emitted was as vast as an ocean, yet gentle and serene.

Merely approaching it brought a sense of peace to the mind and vitality to the blood.

This was one of the Elf Clan's sacred objects: the world tree!

And at this moment, the scene around the ancient tree was even more awe-inspiring.

Teams from various factions across the Eternal Song Star Realm, of diverse and strange forms, had already gathered here, distinctly separated.

Qin Yan's gaze was immediately drawn to those foreign figures of varied forms and imposing auras.

Not far to the left, one group stood out particularly.

They were generally over three meters tall, with some individuals nearing four meters.

Their skin had the appearance of stone: grayish-white, bluish-black, or earthy yellow.

Their features were rugged, their eyes often amber or dark gold. Many had bony structures on their heads resembling stone spikes or horns.

They were none other than one of the seven overlord races—the Mountain Giant Spirits! Merely standing still, they gave off an immovable, earth-bound sense of solidity.

To the right and ahead, another group appeared elegant yet dangerous.

They had slender, athletic builds, generally taller and more lithe than Elves.

Their most distinctive feature was the pair (or two pairs) of broad, powerful wings on their backs.

Their feathers varied in color, primarily blue, white, and silver. Their faces were handsome or coldly beautiful, with eyes as sharp as an eagle's.

Storm Winged People!

An intangible flow of air seemed to swirl around them, giving the impression they could ride the wind and travel a thousand miles in an instant.

And further away, in an area deliberately left clear, figures lurched that caused the very air to shimmer and warp with heat.

They possessed humanoid torsos and limbs, but were covered in fine or coarse scales ranging from dark red to fiery gold.

Their heads were more akin to lizards or dragons, with cold vertical pupils and faint sparks visible in their mouths.

Strong, powerful tails trailed behind them.

Lava Lizardmen!

Besides these, there were many more races of bizarre shapes and diverse auras: groups of Phoenix Descendants wreathed in faint flames;

semi-transparent Elemental Water Spirits that seemed condensed from rippling water;

the Icefield Bear Clan, with snow-white fur, burly bear-like builds, and an aura of chill...

and even some utterly bizarre lifeforms beyond Qin Yan's comprehension, with forms difficult to describe...

At a single glance, they stretched densely, a boundless sea!

Hundreds of thousands of geniuses had gathered here. The sheer variety of races and their immense numbers composed a fantastical, majestic, and epic tableau.

A mix of powerful auras and vastly different energy fluctuations mingled together, forming an intangible torrent that assailed everyone's mind.

Many of the Human Prodigies witnessing such a spectacle for the first time, including Qin Yan,

had slightly pale faces. Their minds wavered, feeling their own insignificance within such a grand and magnificent scene.

And at this very moment, as ten thousand races gathered and the atmosphere reached its peak,

an elderly Elf in a simple, ancient robe of dark green, holding a gnarled wooden staff,

slowly descended from a branch of the world tree, finally coming to a halt, suspended at the central height of the ancient tree's main trunk.

His beard and hair were white as snow, yet his complexion was as ruddy as a baby's. When his eyes opened and closed, it seemed as if stars were born and died within them.

A vibrant green halo of life energy naturally swirled around him.

Countless tiny, emerald-green vine phantoms slowly grew, coiled, and dissipated around his body in an endless cycle.