Just as Dong Yan Cuo was about to speak, a sharp clattering sound reached their ears.

  Both of them turned their heads nervously and saw the Moon Sovereign standing at the entrance of the study. He was so shocked that the cup in his hand had fallen, shattering on the ground.

  Unbeknownst to them, they had already arrived at the Moon Sovereign’s study!

  "Ahem, I saw nothing. Please, carry on," the Moon Sovereign coughed awkwardly, turning his head away as if he hadn’t seen anything.

  Nan Gong Huan pushed Dong Yan Cuo’s face away and slapped his hand off her waist, steadying her racing heart. She walked up to the Moon Sovereign.

  Behind her, Dong Yan Cuo wore the expression of a resentful wife, but he quickly pulled himself together.

  His good roommate had said that the most important thing in situations like this was persistence! Never give up!

  He naturally followed Nan Gong Huan, standing tall and exuding an air of aloofness, his noble demeanor a stark contrast to his earlier innocent self.

  But his eyes couldn’t help but steal glances at Nan Gong Huan, like a young boy experiencing his first crush.

  "Senior, you invited me earlier. May I ask what the matter is?" Nan Gong Huan clasped her hands respectfully.

  "Come in and talk," the Moon Sovereign waved her in, brushing off the awkwardness.

  However, Dong Yan Cuo was stopped by the Moon Sovereign, "I need to speak with her alone."

  Dong Yan Cuo could only step back outside the study, watching as the door slowly closed.

  "Hey, Ah Cuo~" a soft call came from behind. Dong Yan Cuo turned to see Xie Zhishang peeking his head out from the courtyard.

  "How did it go? Did you succeed?" Xie Zhishang asked with a mischievous grin.

  Dong Yan Cuo walked over to him and shook his head, "She blocked it with her hand."

  "Failing the first time is no big deal. Let me teach you another trick..." Xie Zhishang beckoned him closer, and the two of them began whispering again.

  Inside the study.

  "Please, sit. No need to be formal," the Moon Sovereign said casually, pouring her a cup of tea before returning to his seat.

  His gaze was deep, and he let out a long sigh, his brows furrowed with unshakable worry.

  "You’ve just arrived at the academy these past few days, right? Are you settling in well?" the Moon Sovereign made small talk.

  "I’m doing fine," Nan Gong Huan noticed his heavy heart and took out the brow bone he had given her earlier, rubbing it in her hand as she tried to guess what was troubling him.

  "Senior Moon Sovereign, did you come to me because of this?" Nan Gong Huan said bluntly, holding up the brow bone, which emitted a soft, pale glow.

  The Moon Sovereign looked at the brow bone, his gaze steadying. He pursed his lips and said solemnly, "Yes, that’s right. I’ll get straight to the point. It seems you’re quite familiar with the Earth Spirit Clan, or perhaps... you are one of them."

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  He spoke the last sentence very slowly.

  Nan Gong Huan remained silent, quietly observing to gauge the Moon Sovereign’s attitude toward the Earth Spirit Clan.

  "Don’t worry, I won’t harm you. Do you know about the Blood God Temple?" the Moon Sovereign suddenly changed the subject, a flash of hatred in his eyes that Nan Gong Huan caught.

  The Blood God Temple?

  Nan Gong Huan’s eyes narrowed, and she nodded, "I encountered members of the Blood God Temple not long ago in a snowy mountain. They seem to be a very peculiar organization."

  Seeing that Nan Gong Huan had encountered them, the Moon Sovereign grew more anxious and quickly asked, "Did you come into conflict with them?"

  "Well... I killed them all," Nan Gong Huan admitted frankly. It seemed the Moon Sovereign harbored a deep dislike for the Blood God Temple.

  The Moon Sovereign let out a slight sigh of relief, "It’s good that you’re unharmed."

  He began to explain, "The Blood God Temple is a sinister and evil organization that has existed for thousands of years without being eradicated. Their goal is to obtain the power of bloodlines by drinking the blood of spirit beasts or special races. They use this to cultivate, and their rate of advancement is at least three times faster than that of ordinary cultivators."

  "The rarer and more powerful the bloodline, the greater the boost it provides them. As a result, they began slaughtering spirit beasts and special races to obtain their blood. The Earth Spirit Clan is one of their targets," the Moon Sovereign gave Nan Gong Huan a complicated look.

  These words struck a chord with Elder Ling inside the spatial ring. His expression darkened, but he remained silent, listening as the Moon Sovereign continued.

  "Although they gained immense power, the side effects soon followed. Consuming too much and too varied blood caused them to lose their minds, turning them into mindless beasts of slaughter. However..."

  He paused here, his gaze shifting as he looked at Nan Gong Huan.

  Then, as if after a fierce internal struggle, he said, "But they discovered that the blood of the Earth Spirit Clan not only granted them even greater power but also eliminated all the previous side effects. Thus, they launched a full-scale hunt against the Earth Spirit Clan."

  Nan Gong Huan’s heart trembled. She had asked Elder Ling about the Earth Spirit Clan before, but he had never given her a direct answer. She hadn’t expected such a cruel truth to be hidden behind it!

  The Moon Sovereign frowned and let out a long sigh, "The Earth Spirit Clan was perhaps the most cohesive race I’ve ever seen. To spare their people from suffering, they chose to sacrifice themselves as a whole, disappearing from the annals of history."

  "Then... how did you find me? Why did you seek me out?" Nan Gong Huan was curious about this. Could it be that he was drawn by the Ziwei Star?

  "I’ve studied many races, and during my research on the Earth Spirit Clan, I came to the Fengxuan Empire to investigate their ruins. I learned that their unique cultivation method involved absorbing natural energy through their spiritual platforms."

  "I also discovered that there was a star in the sky representing them, the Earth Spirit Star. Coincidentally, not long ago, it experienced a strange stellar storm. That’s when I knew their bloodline had not been completely extinguished. At the same time, I noticed that the Ziwei Star also disappeared after the stellar storm, so I followed the Ziwei Star and found you," the Moon Sovereign’s eyes suddenly burned with intensity.

  He looked at her with concern, not with a predatory gaze, but with eyes moistened by hope.

  "You’ve built a spiritual platform, not a spiritual root, haven’t you? A descendant of the Earth Spirit Clan," he said with certainty.

  Nan Gong Huan admitted openly, "Yes, I cultivate with a spiritual platform, but I’m not a complete descendant of the Earth Spirit Clan. I’ve only practiced their cultivation technique."

  "No, the origin of the Earth Spirit Clan lies in their unique cultivation technique. Once you’ve built a spiritual platform, it will gradually transform your bloodline. In just a year, you’ll fully transform into a pure Earth Spirit clansman."

  This surprised Nan Gong Huan, but judging by Elder Ling’s appearance, the Earth Spirit Clan didn’t look much different from humans. They didn’t grow strange horns or tails; only her power would become more pure.

  Elder Ling also snorted, "The Earth Spirit Clan’s bloodline is superior! So-called sacred or divine bodies are nothing in comparison!"

  At this point, the Moon Sovereign revealed his purpose, "I’d like to ask for your help. You can make any request, as long as it’s within my power."

  His gaze turned fervent, filled with unwavering determination.

  "Please, go ahead. But it must be something within my capabilities," Nan Gong Huan looked at him seriously, guessing that it likely had something to do with the Earth Spirit Clan’s bloodline.