Chapter 210: Star Luo's Elixir

The lights dimmed, and the spotlight at the center of the dance floor poured down like moonlight, enveloping the two of them.

Gu Yue Na's silver hair flew with her spin, refracting scattered glimmers under the lights. Huo Yuhao's arm steadily supported her waist, leading her through a breathtaking tilt—her body nearly parallel to the ground, supported only by his strong arm.

The music's rhythm suddenly quickened, and Gu Yue Na abruptly broke free of Huo Yuhao's lead, lightly tapping the ground to launch into the air, completing an elegant flip in midair. Her skirt bloomed like a night-blooming cereus, the light trails from the shattered diamonds leaving afterimages in the air. As she descended, she deliberately shifted her center of gravity, but Huo Yuhao caught her precisely at the moment she was about to lose balance.

His palm pressed against her bare back, a searing warmth passing where skin touched skin. Gu Yue Na leaned in close, their chests nearly touching, and she could clearly feel his accelerated heartbeat.

The guests' gasps were drowned out by the stirring music.

When the music reached its climax, Huo Yuhao suddenly exerted strength, lifting Gu Yue Na high into the air—

She stretched her body in the air, her silver hair cascading like a waterfall, her purple eyes brilliant as jewels under the lights. As she descended, Huo Yuhao caught her steadily, Gu Yue Na's arms winding around his neck, their noses nearly touching, breaths mingling.

The final note stopped abruptly, and the dance floor fell into a brief silence. Huo Yuhao held his finishing pose, gazing at the slightly flushed cheeks of the person in his arms. Gu Yue Na's long lashes trembled, her purple eyes shimmering with unspent light.

Huo Yuhao smiled faintly, his right hand resting at her waist as he set her down.

Gu Yue Na's silver hair glowed with a soft halo under the lights, a few strands having fallen across her delicate collarbone from the vigorous dance steps. Huo Yuhao's gaze involuntarily followed those silver threads, his fingers moving slightly to brush them away for her.

Because of this movement, Gu Yue Na looked at Huo Yuhao as if waking from a dream, but she did not move away, quietly gazing at his face so close at hand.

Huo Yuhao's fingers still lingered in her hair, his fingertips inadvertently touching her cool skin. Their breaths mingled, the surrounding clamor seeming to fade away, leaving only the reflections of each other in their eyes.

A strange glint flashed through Gu Yue Na's purple eyes, her red lips parting slightly as if she wanted to say something.

Just then, the surrounding applause and cheers grew increasingly fervent, Sima Lanxiao's voice coming through the Soul Guidance Amplifier: "Wonderful! This is absolutely the most perfect dance performance of the night!"

Gu Yue Na regained her senses, frowning slightly as she looked at this host, Sima Lanxiao suddenly shivering inexplicably, but he quickly adjusted his state and continued enthusiastically: "Please rest for a moment. After the final award list is tallied, both of you will receive Star Luo's specialty prizes."

Huo Yuhao keenly sensed Gu Yue Na's displeasure, his fingertip pressing lightly on her soft waist, "If you have something to say, we can talk slowly after the banquet ends."

"The mood is gone."

Gu Yue Na shook her head, but she did not continue her little tantrum, walking out of the dance floor together with Huo Yuhao.

Because of their performance, the subsequent dance seemed rather dull to everyone, only when Xie Xie and Tang Wulin appeared together did they bring a different kind of "surprise" to the scene.

The final award ceremony itself had nothing much to say, but the prizes left everyone somewhat surprised.

Dai Yun'er walked to the center of the stage to present the prizes, smiling as she said:

"Since Mr. Huo Yuhao and Miss Gu Yue Na are both excellent Soul Masters, I have decided to change the prize to Top-Grade Qian Kun Dan."

Some members of the Star Luo Delegation showed looks of astonishment upon hearing this.

They had thought it was just an ordinary Star Luo specialty, never expecting it to actually be Top-Grade Qian Kun Dan. Le Zhengyu saw everyone's surprised expressions and felt a trace of confusion, asking his dance partner beside him: "In Star Luo, are elixirs very rare?"

Those present were all elites of the two nations; a few elixirs—was it really necessary to make such a fuss?

Or was Star Luo far behind the Douluo Federation in terms of elixirs?

This Star Luo female student seemed to be the type who knew her stuff. She shook her head slightly, "You don't understand the value of Qian Kun Dan. It's different from ordinary elixirs."

Seeing Le Zhengyu's dismissive expression, she took a deep breath and said in a deep voice: "Qian Kun Dan can increase the age of Soul Rings, and unlike the Spirit Pagoda's Spirit Ascension Platform, it can not only increase the Soul Ring age provided by the Soul Spirit, but also increase the Soul Ring age hunted from Soul Beasts!"

Le Zhengyu then showed a doubtful expression.

Increase the age of hunted Soul Rings? Isn't that the domain of gods?

Because their family descended from the Spirit Hall lineage, there were many records about gods in their family, such as Divine Trials being able to increase Soul Ring age.

Therefore, in Le Zhengyu's and his family's view, the Spirit Pagoda being able to create a place like the Spirit Ascension Platform was simply inconceivable.

But now hearing his dance partner's words, Star Luo also had similar methods? And even more outstanding?

Such a thought flashed through Le Zhengyu's mind for an instant, then was rejected by him.

Anyone could notice that Star Luo Federation's attitude toward the Spirit Pagoda was not ordinary; from them changing the prizes for Huo Yuhao and the other person this time, it could be seen that they were trying to curry favor with the Spirit Pagoda.

If Qian Kun Dan had no flaws and was truly better than the Spirit Ascension Platform, they should be more reserved.

Indeed, the Star Luo student continued: "Qian Kun Dan, which family refined it specifically, I do not know. But you only need to know that Top-Grade Qian Kun Dan can increase Soul Ring age by a thousand years to understand its value. However, this kind of elixir is too precious and basically does not circulate from above."

"Even the medicine residue left from refining it is priceless in Star Luo, because those residues still have some efficacy."

This was also the reason they were shocked after learning about the Spirit Ascension Platform.

Although the entry threshold for the Spirit Ascension Platform was not low, even with the price paid by Donghai Academy, they could let their students enter it, showing the threshold was not too high.

But their Star Luo's threshold for obtaining Qian Kun Dan was much higher than the Spirit Ascension Platform; only top students of Monster Academy could probably obtain it. And they couldn't obtain much; she had never heard of a situation like Huo Yuhao directly turning his First Spirit Soul into a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Spirit...

Compared to the Star Luo Delegation members who longed for this thing, Huo Yuhao narrowed his eyes the moment he received the elixir, carefully examining it, and secretly sighed.

Although he had long considered Star Luo's current state in the worst-case scenario, when he actually saw the facts, he still found it hard to remain calm.

If the Star Luo high-ranking officials were allowing such elixir refining methods to flow into the market while knowing about them, to what degree had they fallen?

Huo Yuhao did not show his emotions on his face; after putting away the elixir without a trace of emotion, he chatted for a while with Dai Yun'er, who had finally found a chance to talk to him, declined her invitation for an in-depth talk, and took Gu Yue Na back to where the Titled Douluo of Souls and the others were.

Under the puzzled gazes of the Amorous Douluo and others, Huo Yuhao silently deployed his Domain, took out that Qian Kun Dan, and handed it to the Titled Douluo of Souls, "Your Excellency, what does this thing look like to you?"

"Listening to the discussions around, it seems to be an elixir similar to Spirit Ascension Pill."

The Titled Douluo of Souls smiled as he took it, but at the moment his palm touched the elixir, his expression suddenly sank, and a suppressed atmosphere enveloped the surroundings.

End of Chapter