364: Chapter 364 Relationship!!

The camphor trees by the roadside remained lush and green, emitting a faint, refreshing fragrance;

Shouts of students pouring their sweat echoed from the training grounds; the glass curtain walls of the library reflected the glow of the setting sun...

Everything was so familiar, so ordinary, yet it gave Qin Yan an indescribable sense of warmth and preciousness.

This trip to the Eternal Song Star Realm had only lasted three months, but to him, it felt as if a very long time had passed.

He had witnessed a cruel world where myriad races stood tall and the weak were prey to the strong; he had experienced life-and-death struggles and schemes, gained power and resources, and witnessed the terror of higher-level experts and the vastness of the world.

"The path of a martial artist... is truly one of danger at every turn, startling with every step."

Qin Yan sighed emotionally in his heart.

Simply because humans took first and third place in the Hidden Dragon Assembly, and because it might involve the fall of two True King Descendants, it had attracted a series of assassinations on such a scale, even deploying three Ninth-Grade Venerables!

This level of "attention" was truly "overwhelming."

"However, thinking about it carefully, I might have been 'implicated' by Liu Ruyan."

Qin Yan pondered privately, "Although I took first place, at most I stole the spotlight and took the resources.

But Liu Ruyan actually killed Fire Lizard, the True King Descendant of the Fire Lizard Clan, with her own hands!

That is a true blood feud, the kind that only ends in death.

Those assassinations, especially those last three black-robed Venerables, that scorching aura and those Fire Lizard-shaped attacks...

The target was likely mainly Liu Ruyan; I was probably just caught in the crossfire."

Realizing this, Qin Yan completely understood why Liu Ruyan was being protected so closely by that Great Grandmaster from Longhua Martial University.

The two soon reached the fork in the road of the manor district.

"Qin Yan, I'm heading back first."

Qin Yan nodded.

The two parted ways, each heading toward their own detached manor.

After walking for a while, Qin Yan arrived in front of his manor.

The long-absent courtyard gate, the familiar garden, the familiar small building—everything was as it had been.

After entering the manor, Qin Yan did not rest but went straight to the third-floor training room.

With a thought, his long spear was already in his hand.

The spear's body was cold, and the touch was real.

Qin Yan slowly assumed a starting stance.

Immediately, the tip of the spear sliced through the air, letting out a faint and steady whistle.

He used this method to calm the last ripples in his heart after his return, while also... silently accumulating strength.

Half an afternoon, plus an entire night.

Inside the manor, there was only the sound of the long spear slicing through the air and the youth's steady, long breaths.

On the panel, the number in the [Skill Points] column quietly ticked up.

It increased by 2 points.

From 69 points, it became 710 points.

Eternal Song Star Realm, Xiguang City.

Inside the palace.

Princess Anya sat in the main seat.

Her teacher, Envoy An Miao Ming Xin, one of the nine envoys of the Elf Clan, occupied the head guest seat.

Opposite them was the free-spirited Vice Principal of Modu University of Martial Arts—Jiang Mingyue.

At this moment, she was leisurely leaning back in a rattan chair covered with soft animal skin.

She unceremoniously picked up the elven flower tea on the table and took a sip.

"Tsk, your Elf Clan's 'Moonlight Dew' still tastes the best—refreshing with a sweet aftertaste, and it can even calm the mind."

She smacked her lips and then set down the teacup.

Sitting up straight, she solemnly cupped her fists in a salute to Ming Xin. "This time, many thanks to Envoy An Miao for your assistance in saving our Human Prodigies from danger.

If you hadn't arrived in time and used thunderous methods to deter those petty people, the consequences would have been unthinkable.

Mingyue thanks Senior on behalf of Modu University of Martial Arts and our human race."

Ming Xin said in a gentle voice, "Mingyue, there is no need for such formality.

Several prodigies of your human race came at Anya's invitation and participated in the Hidden Dragon Assembly. Regardless of the outcome, they have already formed a karmic connection with my Elf Clan.

Furthermore, they performed excellently, winning honor and benefits for my clan.

Since I happened to be there and at the scene of the incident, it was only right and proper for me to step in and protect them."

She paused, her eyes, which seemed to contain galaxies, carefully sizing up Jiang Mingyue. A flash of realization and admiration crossed her eyes. "As for you, Mingyue... it's been a long time. It seems your recent travels have been quite fruitful.

Your aura is harmonious, and your divine light is restrained. You are probably only half a step away from the true Venerable Realm, aren't you?"

She directly pointed out Jiang Mingyue's current cultivation level—Half-step Ninth Rank!

Mentioning her own cultivation, Jiang Mingyue couldn't help but show a hearty smile from the bottom of her heart. She nodded and said, "Yes, I had some good luck and found some opportunities in an ancient ruin, and after several life-and-death trials, I finally touched that threshold.

However, compared to you, Envoy An Miao, I am still far off."

"Congratulations, Mingyue, on taking another step forward in your realm."

Anya spoke from the side, her emerald eyes filled with sincere congratulations. There was clearly a deep relationship between them.

"Anya, don't just talk about me."

Jiang Mingyue looked at Anya with a teasing glint in her eyes. "Haven't you also quietly broken through to the Eighth-Rank Grandmaster level?

And you're even progressing in both 'Qi Refinement' and 'Mental Energy' simultaneously!

Your foundation is much more solid than others of the same rank.

In terms of actual combat power, you're only a tiny bit behind me now."

As she spoke, she extended her thumb and index finger to indicate an extremely small distance, her eyes full of smiles.

Looking at this close friend of many years with a free and easy personality, Anya also shook her head and laughed. The atmosphere lightened considerably.

That's right, Jiang Mingyue was precisely the close friend she had met during her travels in the Myriad Heavens in her early years; they trusted each other and shared similar interests.

It precisely because of this friendship and trust that the Elf Clan territory under Anya's jurisdiction could maintain a long-term stable relationship of peace and cooperation with the human race.

She herself was even able to be a registered mentor at Modu University of Martial Arts, deepening the exchange between the two races.

The two shared a few laughs, and the atmosphere became much more relaxed.

After the pleasantries, Jiang Mingyue's smile faded, and her expression became serious and solemn. "Envoy An Miao, Mingyue came this time not only to catch up and give thanks but also to inquire about something. Since you acted to suppress those three Venerables, you must have... obtained some information from them?"

This was one of the core purposes of her trip—to find out the mastermind behind this attack!

Hearing this, the tranquil smile on Ming Xin's face also faded slightly.

"I have already performed a soul search on those three 'lizard' Venerables."

"There are three main factions that masterminded the attack this time," Ming Xin said slowly, her gaze first falling on Jiang Mingyue.

"The first is the Molten Lizard Clan.

They lost their True King Descendant, Fire Lizard. This action was both for revenge and to stifle the rising stars of the human race."

Jiang Mingyue nodded slightly; this was as expected.

"The second is the Dragon Descendant Clan."

Ming Xin continued, "Long Yin was suppressed by Qin Yan at the assembly, and his points were snatched by Liu Ruyan. The Dragon-Human Clan has always been arrogant. These events likely touched a sensitive nerve among some high-level members of the Dragon-Human Clan, who felt it necessary to suppress the morale of the human younger generation, or at least... leave some 'deep lessons'."

"They provided some of the intelligence and containment forces."