Yan's Hostility

"Wu Ge, will they tell us?" Qian Gu Changkong asked nervously along the way.

In the junior spirit master academy division, merely invoking their names would make plenty of people show them respect. But this was the advanced spirit master academy division, where their names meant nothing.

Wu Qi shook his head. "Let's ask for as much information as we can."

The higher-ups in the hall had expressly forbidden seniors from revealing information about Death Grand Canyon to juniors, but they did not prohibit juniors from asking one another.

In recent years, the only people who had entered Death Grand Canyon, come out alive, and still remained in Spirit City were Hu Liena and the other two.

Moreover, Bibi Dong had never been one to follow the rules. She had surely told Hu Liena and the others quite a bit of information.

If they refused to tell them anything, they would be completely lost for a while after entering Death Grand Canyon. Once they figured out the situation, though, they could still carry out the mission.

At worst, they would waste some time.

But if they could finish their training early, why drag it out?

Inside the Simulated Training Field.

Yan hovered around Hu Liena at all times, causing her no small amount of frustration.

"Yan, aren't you training? Master has more missions for us later. If we mess them up, you know the consequences!"

Hu Liena's face was full of impatience.

Yan was like a clingy shadow. Whenever they carried out missions, he always found excuses to stay by her side.

Now that the mission was over and they had returned to the academy, he still refused to leave her alone.

Hu Liena naturally understood what he was thinking. Unfortunately, she cared about looks, and Yan's appearance was truly difficult to praise.

Xie Yue stood to the side and helplessly tugged at Yan. "Train first. You'll have plenty of time to spend with Nana later."

After being interrupted like this, Hu Liena lost all interest in training and turned to leave the training field.

If not for the life-and-death bond between her and Yan, she would have long since made him disappear from her sight.

"Nana, wait for me." Yan still wanted to chase after her.

Xie Yue pulled him back and sighed. "Nana is under a lot of pressure now that she has become Your Holiness the Pope's disciple. Can you stop causing trouble for her?"

Once Yan's voice faded outside the Simulated Training Field, Hu Liena felt as though the whole world had become peaceful.

She stretched lazily, and from the corner of her eye, noticed someone walking toward her in the distance.

Wu Qi was now twelve by nominal age. Thanks to his Soul Elder cultivation, he looked no different from a youth of sixteen or seventeen.

The distinctive aura of the Azure Luan Spirit added another touch of charm to his handsome face.

Hu Liena stared blankly. Aside from her brother, this was the first time she had seen such a handsome young man. That unique aura of his deeply attracted her.

Noticing her gaze, Wu Qi walked over and greeted her first. "Excuse me, are you Senior Hu Liena?"

Hu Liena answered distractedly, then asked, "Junior, are you new students? I don't think I've seen you before."

Qian Gu Changkong added, "Senior Hu Liena, we came to discuss something with you. Would this be convenient?"

For Wu Qi's sake, Hu Liena did not refuse their invitation. Instead, she responded warmly, "I have time, but not for too long. I still have training afterward."

As she spoke, she followed behind Wu Qi toward a pavilion within the academy.

At the entrance of the Simulated Training Field, Yan staggered out. When he saw Hu Liena leaving with Wu Qi and the others, he immediately became displeased. "Fuck, who the hell is this kid?! He dares steal Nana from me!"

He was furious.

Xie Yue had dragged him away to "teach him a lesson," only for someone to steal his girl while he was gone. Who was he supposed to complain to about that?

He had endured enough. Yan darkened his face and followed after them.

Xie Yue let out a long sigh. "Looks like today's training is ruined."

To keep Yan from doing something stupid, he could only follow as well.

All three of Hu Liena's group had gone to Death Grand Canyon. There was a reason Wu Qi had chosen her alone.

Xie Yue was steady and reliable, and since Wu Qi came from the Worship Hall, Xie Yue certainly would not say much.

As for Yan, he was nothing but an idiot. What was there to discuss with someone like that?

On the first day of becoming his disciple, Azure Luan Douluo had told him that those with talent but no brains were destined not to go far on the path of cultivation.

With Yan's temperament, if not for Hu Liena and Xie Yue helping him, he would have died long ago during his cultivation journey.

Yet this idiot was completely unaware of it and believed he could protect Hu Liena.

Hu Liena had plenty of flaws herself. When Spirit Hall was destroyed in the future, she would play a part in it as well.

But for now, Hu Liena had not yet become lovestruck and irrational, so she was still worth discussing proper business with.

Inside the pavilion, Wu Qi sat facing Hu Liena, while Qian Gu Changkong stood to one side.

No wonder he was suited to navigating society. Wu Qi had not wanted to bother with him at first, but since the man knew how to conduct himself, he tacitly allowed him to stay by his side.

Wu Qi did not beat around the bush and said bluntly, "Senior Hu Liena, we are about to enter Death Grand Canyon for training. We have heard of the Golden Generation's accomplishments and came here specifically to ask you about Death Grand Canyon."

Hu Liena was taken aback at first.

If someone from the Papal Hall was about to enter Death Grand Canyon for training, someone of her status would definitely have heard about it beforehand.

Yet there had been no word from the Papal Hall, which proved that they were not from the Papal Hall.

But they knew about the Golden Generation nomination, so their backgrounds had to be extraordinary.

Perhaps because of Wu Qi's looks, she did not feel repulsed. Instead, she asked about their identities. "Junior brothers, aren't you going to introduce yourselves?"

Qian Gu Changkong chuckled and replied, "Senior sister, my grandfather is Lord Qianjun. As for Wu Qi—Brother Wu is my Third Grandfather's disciple."

Hu Liena thought to herself, Just as expected.

She had long heard of the conflict between the Papal Hall and the Worship Hall.

As Bibi Dong's disciple, she naturally stood on the Papal Hall's side.

However, they were all juniors. There was no need, nor did she wish, to get involved in the grudges between their elders.

After pondering for a few seconds, she said, "As for Death Grand Canyon, you'd best discard all your current assumptions. That place is not what you think it is."

The dangers within Death Grand Canyon did not come from soul beasts or the environment, but from people!

A thousand years ago, it had been a place where Spirit Hall exiled criminals. Over time, numerous tribes had emerged within it.

Talents in those tribes with Innate Soul Power above rank seven would be directly pardoned and brought back to the continent.

The people of those tribes knew that Spirit Hall sent people in for training, and those talented trainees were their primary hunting targets.

As she spoke, Hu Liena swept her gaze around the area and lowered her voice. "Spirit Hall set a rule there: whoever kills a genius who enters for training can be pardoned and return to the continent."

"So you absolutely cannot reveal that you're going there for training. Otherwise, you'll face endless pursuit."

"That's all I can tell you. Analyze the specific situation based on the mission you draw, then respond accordingly."

Wu Qi was inwardly shocked.

What Hu Liena had said was definitely a secret known only to the upper ranks. His previous guess had indeed been correct.

"Thank you, Senior Sister. This is a gift from Brother Wu and me."

Grinning, Qian Gu Changkong took a small box from his Soul Tool.

Small boxes held great appeal for girls.

In the distance, Yan saw this and anxiously stomped his feet.

If one said he was stupid, he knew what kind of gift should be inside a small box given to a girl.

But if one said he was not stupid, his behavior truly resembled that of an idiot.

He charged over in a rage and cursed, "You two Pretty Boys, I'll fight you to the death!"