350: Chapter 35, Third Place!

Melodious cries and applause erupted from the Fox Clan area.

“Ninety-eighth place, Icefield Bear Clan, Xiong San!”

The phantom of a burly, majestic giant bear radiating a piercing chill emerged.

The Icefield Bear Clan area let out a dull yet excited low roar.

The old woman's voice remained steady and unhurried as she continued reading the names in order.

With the announcement of each name, a commotion of varying intensity—cheers, gasps of wonder, or sighs of regret—would ripple through the corresponding racial area.

The top one hundred!

This was the true elite stratum of the Hidden Dragon Assembly!

According to the patterns of previous assemblies, the points earned by the prodigies who broke into the top hundred often created a massive chasm between them and those outside the top hundred.

Typically, if a race had a prodigy who could break into the top hundred, or even achieve a high rank, then that race's overall ranking in the Hidden Dragon Assembly would not be too low either.

This could lead to a significant boost in subsequent resource allocation and their voice in affairs!

Rankings were not just about personal glory; they affected the interests and future of the races behind them!

As the rankings were revealed one by one, the atmosphere in the plaza grew increasingly heated and tense.

Countless gazes were fixed intently on the remaining, increasingly brilliant light orbs in the sky, especially the few at the very top that shone as brightly as miniature suns.

The Elf old woman's aged yet clear voice continued to echo over the plaza where the myriad races were gathered, like the sound of an ancient bell.

Names symbolizing glory and strength were called out, accompanied by the shattering of light orbs and the appearance of figures, while the reactions of the various races below ebbed and flowed like the tide.

Finally, as the dust settled for ninety-first through eleventh place, the atmosphere in the plaza was pushed to a new height.

All eyes, whether filled with anticipation, tension, curiosity, or frustration, were locked onto the final ten light orbs in the sky, which radiated the most brilliant light like stars surrounding a moon.

The old woman paused slightly, her withered finger pointing toward the tenth light orb.

“Tenth place—” Her voice seemed to take on a hint of solemnity, “Dragonman Clan, Long Long!”

The light orb exploded, revealing the figure of a youth clad in dragon-scale armor, with twin horns on his forehead and a defiant look in his eyes.

“Ninth place, Blood Clan—Xue Liuli!”

The ninth light orb shattered, revealing the phantom of a woman with a graceful figure and exquisite beauty.

She had cascading dark red hair and skin so pale it was nearly transparent.

Her eyes were like the finest rubies, swirling with a mysterious and slightly eerie luster.

A faint, captivating smile that could enchant all living beings played at the corners of her mouth.

Her beauty carried a heart-stopping charm and an aura of danger.

The Blood Clan!

And a top Blood Clan prodigy ranked in the top ten at that!

The moment Qin Yan heard the name 'Xue Liuli,' his pupils suddenly constricted!

He whipped his head around, his gaze like lightning as it shot toward the person standing not far from Anya—Su Liuli!

Su Liuli seemed to have expected this. Facing Qin Yan’s razor-sharp gaze, she didn't dodge. Instead, she met his eyes, her lips curving into a seductive smile, and then she gave a nearly imperceptible nod.

It was her!

At this moment, many of the doubts in Qin Yan's heart were instantly resolved!

Why was she like a fish in water within the Blood River Secret Realm, easily condensing a supreme grade blood pill?

Why was she able to obtain the legacy of the ancient Blood Path giant 'Blood Absolute' as if it were tailor-made for her?

Why did the aura she occasionally revealed carry an indescribable eeriness?

Everything had an answer—Su Liuli was of the Blood Clan!

And her status within the Blood Clan was by no means simple!

It wasn't just Qin Yan; the faces of the other Human Prodigies standing nearby, such as Li Mu, also turned extremely ugly the moment they learned Su Liuli was actually from the Blood Clan, and fury ignited in their eyes.

The Human Race and the Blood Realm were mortal enemies!

Over the long ages, countless brutal wars had broken out between the two sides over resources, territory, ideologies, and even survival space.

Every year on the battlefield, the blood of warriors from both races could form rivers, and the number of fallen experts was beyond counting.

And now, the pride of their human team was actually a Blood Clan member in disguise?

Qin Yan shifted his gaze from Su Liuli—or more accurately, Xue Liuli—to Anya.

He didn't believe that with Anya's wisdom and intelligence-gathering capabilities, she wouldn't know Xue Liuli's true identity.

Since she knew, why did she still recruit her and even let her mingle with the Human Prodigies?

Anya clearly felt the sudden rise in oppressive atmosphere beside her and the questioning gazes from Qin Yan and the others.

Her expression remained unchanged as she gently raised a jade-like hand and pressed it down through the air.

A soft yet irresistibly powerful invisible force field quietly diffused.

In an instant, it smoothed over the uncontrolled surging blood and killing intent around Qin Yan and the others, like a spring breeze dispelling a winter chill.

Her melodious voice followed, reaching the ears of the several Human Prodigies behind her calmly and clearly: “Be quiet.”

Just two words, yet they carried the authority of a Princess and the power to soothe the heart.

She turned her head slightly, her gaze sweeping over the varying expressions of Qin Yan, Liu Ruyan, and the others, and continued: “Liuli is indeed of Blood Clan origin; there is no doubt about that.

But the ‘Crimson Moon Empire’ she belongs to is not the warmongering faction you know that is in a state of total war with the Human Race.

They have long had dealings with my Elf Clan and are not mortal enemies of the humans.”

She paused, her gaze finally landing on Qin Yan as she added, “Regarding Liuli’s true identity, your Dean Su Zhiming was aware of it from the very beginning.

This was not a deception, but an arrangement based on a specific cooperation.”

Her explanation was short and powerful. It admitted the facts, clarified that Xue Liuli was not in the enemy camp, and even brought up Su Zhiming as an endorsement, temporarily calming the most intense emotions of Qin Yan and the others.

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

What Anya said was not without merit; the Blood Clan was not a monolith either.

Currently standing in the ancestral land of the Elf Clan under the watchful eyes of myriad races, it was indeed not the time to ask for details.

He looked up again, refocusing his gaze on the sky.

The unveiling of the ranking continued.

“Eighth place—Storm Winged People, Feng Ling!”

The phantom of a young girl with green wings on her back and small cyclones swirling around her appeared.

“Seventh place—Icefield Bear Clan, Bing Kai!”

The phantom was a giant bear warrior covered in thick ice armor, looking like a moving mountain of ice.

“Sixth place—Storm Winged People, Feng Ling!”

Another top prodigy of the Storm Winged People; his phantom’s aura was exceptionally elegant and extraordinary.

“Fifth place—Elf Clan, An Ling!”

The phantom of a female elf with a gentle temperament and holding a bow and arrow triggered a wave of cheers from within the Elf Clan.

“Fourth place—Mountain Giant Spirit Clan, Yan Xin!”

The phantom was a ten-meter-tall giant composed of rock and light, radiating an aura as steady as the earth.

As she reached fourth place, the old woman's voice paused once more.

At this moment, the expressions of the overlord races from all sides below were varied.

After a brief pause, the old woman's gaze turned toward the three largest and most intensely glowing light orbs in the sky, which hung at the highest point like three green suns.

“Third place—”

(Thanks to 'Borrowing a Boat to Go to Sea' for the 'Burst of Flowers' gift~)