The sun hung high in the sky, casting golden rays over Spirit City as Hu Liena made her way back to the Spirit Hall.
Normally, the academy would keep her occupied, but with Xuan Yan absent, everything felt unusually dull.
Ever since he entered her life, things had become much more interesting, and even his occasional aloofness made her days exciting.
But today, there was nothing but boredom 'He didn't come to Academy today to...'
She walked leisurely through the streets, lost in her thoughts, until suddenly—
ROOOAAARRRR!!!!
A majestic and deafening dragon roar shook the skies.
In an instant, a suffocating pressure descended upon the entire city.
Hu Liena's body stiffened, and before she could react, her knees buckled, and she collapsed onto the ground.
The streets, once bustling with activity, turned into a chaotic scene.
Every person, whether they were spirit masters or ordinary citizens, was forced to their knees under the terrifying pressure.
Some tried to resist, but it was futile.
Hu Liena's sharp eyes caught sight of two spirit masters who had activated their martial spirits in an attempt to withstand the force—but instead, their bodies trembled violently, and blood gushed from their mouths as they collapsed, gasping for air.
A sense of unease crept into her heart.
Those two men were Spirit Kings, far stronger than herself, yet they were struggling as if crushed beneath an invisible force.
And the who had a low variation of a dragon martial spirit collapsed on teh ground as blood gushed out of his mouth.
Then it struck her.
Dragon martial spirits…
Her breath hitched.
She knew that Xuan Yan possessed a dragon martial spirit.
She could see that the dragon martial spirit master is suffering more than the normal spirit master 'Huh.. is it teh Dragon roar?'
Her heart pounded against her ribs as she clenched her fists.
If even Spirit Kings with dragon martial spirits were vomiting blood under this pressure, what about Yan'er? He was only a Spirit Elder…
Panic surged through her veins.
She had to find him—she had to make sure he was safe.
But her body refused to move, as if pinned down by an invisible mountain.
Then, just as suddenly as it came, the pressure vanished.
The weight lifted, and her body was free once more.
Gasps of relief echoed through the streets as people slowly regained their composure, looking around in terror and confusion.
Hu Liena wasted no time. Ignoring the murmurs and shot to her feet and sprinted toward the Spirit Hall.
"Did a god descend?"
"Was it a divine beast?"
"I thought the world was ending…"
But Hu Liena had no interest in the rumors. The only thing on her mind was reaching Xuan Yan.
Arriving at the Spirit Hall, she made her way to the Supreme Pontiff's private residence—her teacher's quarters.
She knew that if something had happened to Xuan Yan, Bibi Dong would be the first to act.
Her footsteps echoed loudly in the halls as she rushed forward.
Finally, she reached his room. Without hesitation, she threw open the door... only to find it empty.
Her heart sank.
"Where is he?"
Then, she heard voices coming from a nearby room.
Her eyes widened. The teacher's room!
Without thinking, she sprinted toward the door.
But just as she reached for the doorknob, another delicate hand touched it at the exact same moment.
Hu Liena turned her head in surprise, only to find herself staring at a breathtakingly beautiful girl with golden-blonde hair.
The girl's face carried an air of nobility, and her violet eyes held a sharp presence.
For a brief moment, silence stretched between them.
Who was she?
Few minutes before-
In a secluded chamber deep within the Spirit Hall, Qian Renxue stood poised and her golden sword flashed through the air as she practiced the sword techniques Xuan Yan had taught her.
But despite her focus, her mind continued to wander... to a certain white-haired boy who had occupied her thoughts far too often lately.
A soft smile graced her lips as she recalled his serious yet adorable expressions, the way his golden eyes shimmered when he spoke, the slight arrogance in his tone whenever he sparred with her.
She had told her grandfather about him, and Qian Daoliu, intrigued by what he had heard, had agreed to meet him today.
She could only imagine his reaction upon seeing Xuan Yan's talent firsthand. He's going to be speechless when he sees Yan'er's spirit rings…
But then—
BOOM!
A sudden, earth-shaking roar erupted through the hall, so loud and powerful that the walls trembled.
Her body reacted before her mind could process what was happening. Her knees gave out, and she collapsed onto the ground.
W-what is this…?
An overwhelming force pressed down on her from all directions.
Her chest tightened, and for a moment, she felt as though her soul itself would be devoured.
Through the haze of pressure, she barely managed to lift her head. The roar… it had come from the direction of the Elder Hall.
Her eyes widened in realization.
"Yan…?"
Was this him?
Her breath came in short, uneven gasps.
Then, as suddenly as it came, the pressure vanished.
Qian Renxue collapsed onto her hands, sweat trickling down her forehead.
Her body trembled slightly as she tried to recover from the aftershock.
But there was no time to dwell on what had just happened.
She had to see him.
Without hesitation, she bolted out of the room, making her way to the Elder Hall as fast as her legs would carry her.
When she arrived, the sight before her stole the breath from her lungs.
The entire hall was destroyed.
The once grand chamber now lay in ruins.
The ground was cracked, the walls crumbled, and the heavy wooden chairs had been reduced to splinters.
The Seven Worships stood frozen in place, their faces still pale with terror.
Even Qian Daoliu—the man she had always seen as unshakable... was staring blankly into the distance, as if his mind had yet to process what had transpired.
In one corner, Crocodile Douluo was still on his knees, blood staining the edges of his lips.
His body trembled as he gritted his teeth, eyes filled with disbelief.
Qian Renxue's heart pounded.
"Just what happened here…?"
She rushed forward, stopping in front of her grandfather.
"Grandpa!" she called urgently. "What happened here? Where is he?"
Qian Daoliu blinked, finally snapping out of his daze.
When his gaze landed on her, it was unfocused, as if he was still trying to comprehend reality.
"X-Xue'er…" he stammered. "What are you doing here…?"
She frowned. "I should be asking you that! What in the world happened here? Where is Yan"
Qian Daoliu hesitated before glancing around the room. "He… He was here just now, but… Bibi Dong took him away."
Her eyes narrowed. Mother…?
Without another word, she turned on her heel and dashed out of the ruined hall. If Bibi Dong had taken him, there was only one place he could be.
Qian Renxue's hurried footsteps echoed through the halls as she ascended the stairs leading to Bibi Dong's private chambers.
She had to see him. She had to know that he was alright.
Just as she reached for the door handle, another hand brushed against her fingers.
Her violet eyes snapped to the side, locking onto a pair of sharp golden ones.
Hu Liena stood beside her, reaching for the door knob.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Their hands still rested against the doorknob and both of them were not willing to pull back.
A silent challenge passed between them.
Then, as if remembering why they had come, both girls simultaneously turned their attention back to the door and pushed it open together.
However, the sight that greeted them inside left them both momentarily stunned.
What the-
Xuan Yan was now lying on the bed, resting on Bibi Dng's lap.
But this was not the Xuan Yan they had known before.
Gone was the boyish charm and the childish features.
Instead, before them lay a breathtakingly handsome youth with long white hair and his golden eyes, now carried an additional silver hue.
Neither girl could move.
Hu Liena, who had always found Xuan Yan adorable, had imagined that he would grow into a handsome man,
but this was beyond anything she had ever expected.
The sight of his handsome face sent an involuntary heat rushing to her face.
Qian Renxue, meanwhile, had already found him beautiful before... but now? Now, he was exquisite.
The loss of his youthful innocence had only refined his looks, turning him into a masterpiece that no sculptor could ever hope to replicate.
(A/N: The glazing)
Bibi Dong braised her head to look at both of them.
Xuan Yan's golden eyes swept over them, and he blinked in mild surprise.
"Xue, Sister Nana, what are you doing here?"
His voice was as gentle as before, yet now it carried a deeper, richer timbre.
Both girls flinched slightly, but for very different reasons.
Hu Liena's eyes flickered to Qian Renxue, realization dawning in her mind. So this is Qian Renxue?
She had heard rumors of the Supreme Pontiff's daughter, but they had never met until now.
If Xuan Yan knew her personally, it meant they had been in contact for some time.
But what unsettled her even more was the fact that he had called her name second.
Did he value this Xue more than me?
The thought sent an irrational wave of annoyance through her.
At the same time, Qian Renxue looked at the girl beside her. So this is Nana?
She had heard about her before. Bibi Dong's first disciple. A prodigy in her own right.
From what she had gathered, this girl spent most of her time around Xuan Yan.
And yet, despite that, he had still called her name first.
A slow smirk tugged at the corners of Qian Renxue's lips.
So, in the end, I am still more important to him.
The air in the room grew tense as both girls subtly squared their shoulders.
Their eyes met again... this time not in confusion, but in challenge.
Xuan Yan: -_-
He could only stare at them blankly