The Scarlet Empire!

Her bearing was composed, her eyes bright.

Qin Yan looked at her outstretched hand and fell silent for a moment.

In the end, his expression remained calm as he extended his right hand.

"Human Clan, Magic Capital Martial University—Qin Yan."

Their hands clasped, then parted immediately. Xue Liu Li's hand was cool and soft.

The corners of Xue Liu Li's red lips lifted slightly. She seemed reasonably satisfied with Qin Yan's response.

She then turned her delicate hand over. Light flashed in her palm, and a small, exquisite ornament appeared.

It was a bell about the size of a thumb, dark red all over, as though carved from the purest blood jade.

"This is the Bloodsound Bell."

Xue Liu Li offered the bell to Qin Yan and explained, "If you ever have the chance to visit the Blood Realm, just infuse it with a trace of your vital blood energy and shake it. No matter how far apart we are, we'll be able to speak through it."

She paused, her tone carrying an unmistakable seriousness. "After I enter the refining pool today, I'll leave the Eversong Star Realm with the elders of my clan and return to the Blood Realm.

"Take it."

Qin Yan looked at the blood-colored bell but did not reach for it immediately. Instead, he shook his head. "Thank you for the offer, but I think... I probably won't have any use for it."

He felt that the chances of his visiting the Blood Realm were vanishingly small. In fact, deliberately avoiding further entanglement with her seemed the wiser course.

"Really? I wouldn't be so sure."

Xue Liu Li seemed to have expected this. Rather than withdraw her hand, she blinked, a teasing note entering her voice. "Qin Yan, do you still remember... Zhang Bei?"

"Zhang Bei?"