"What?"

"You, you're here to participate in this competition too?"

Red Leaf couldn't help but laugh at his expression: "Why are you so scared?"

"Am I?"

"Oh? So you're saying not replying to my messages before was intentional?"

Fang Hong quickly shook his head.

"Alright, I won't argue with you," Red Leaf said with a smile, "I'll see you in the arena later."

She raised her hand and made a throat-cutting gesture towards Fang Hong — implying that she would give him a hard time later.

As the contestants were not allowed to communicate much during the competition, the staff had already come over to indicate that both sides should leave. Fang Hong watched as the group disappeared into the crowd, then turned back somewhat awkwardly to Liuli Yue and said:

"Well... actually, not all of them are from the Silver Forest Spear."

"Really, you see, isn't Red Leaf your old rival? As long as you think that way, your real opponent is Tabopolis..."

Liuli Yue looked at him as if he were an idiot and replied:

"Remember that."

"What?"

"I'm a pigeon."

Fang Hong nearly fell to the ground upon hearing this.

However, after several teams entered the arena one after another, the competition finally entered the final preparation stage. The officials on stage first introduced the personnel from each side, and when Rolin was introduced, a wave of cheers erupted across the plaza.

Then the Old Speaker took the stage, slowly introducing the history of alchemy in the Southern Region in a way that nearly put everyone to sleep. But halfway through, he suddenly changed the topic: "I suppose you are all curious, why has Elfendo changed the format of this final competition?"

"As we all know, there is a long history of holding this selection before the main event of the Continental League in Colin Ishurian. It's aimed at selecting talent for the main event and filling gaps—"

"And the reason we are involving the teams from the main event in this final is to showcase the style of Southern Region Alchemists, and simultaneously, it is the Elfendo Council's wish to contribute to the Alchemy Realm in Colin Ishurian."

"Therefore, I announce," he paused and then slowly spoke: "the winner of this competition will have a chance to enter the Heart of the Elfendo Spire."

When the Old Speaker said this.

It was like a gentle breeze swept across the plaza, making the entire plaza fall silent.

"What did he say?"

"The Heart of the Elfendo Spire?"

Everyone was talking about it, and most had a look of disbelief on their faces.

However, the majority of the discussion was from the locals of the Southern Region; as for the guests from the North, most were bewildered. Fang Hong couldn't help but turn around and ask, "Who knows what the Heart of the Elfendo Spire is?"

Everyone shook their heads.

But suddenly, he received a message — it was from Hilveld, with just one sentence: "Ade, you must win, find a way to get into the Heart of the Spire."

Fang Hong was stunned for a moment, about to ask the noble lady what the Heart of the Spire was. But at that moment, a nearby silently soul fingerprint took a light breath and spoke: "The Heart of the Spire is the most central area of Elfendo."

"Elfendo's most central area? What's the benefit of getting in there?" Hawk-Beak Bean asked upon hearing it.

"I heard there's an Ice Longstone stored there," soul fingerprint replied softly, as she spoke, she looked up towards the towering spire at the end of the plaza, her gaze reaching the clouds: "That is not only the power core of Elfendo, but also the core of the entire city of Fanric—"

"Typically, Elfendo's Alchemists would never let outsiders enter it," she turned back and said, "That Ice Longstone is not just a magic core, it is also a reservoir, holding the life-long efforts and knowledge of the first ten generations of Elfendo's founders."

"It is even said that the knowledge inside is related to the Silver Tower, but no one has ever confirmed that. But regardless, anyone who enters and gains a unique piece of knowledge or skill from the Ice Longstone can benefit immensely."

"With so much knowledge," Hawk-Beak Bean asked, "wouldn't Elfendo's Alchemists use it for themselves?"

But soul fingerprint shook her head: "The Ice Longstone is not easily accessed, it requires a lot of human and material resources to open — and as they said, there's only a chance of entering it. Gaining the recognition of the Heart of the Spire is not easy."

Fang Hong understood why Hilveld was anxious to send him such a message; it was a treasure of the Elfendo Council and was related to the Silver Tower, perhaps holding information about the Fairy Dragon Knights.

Moreover, the Silver Tower is also linked to Miss Tata, so he had to give it a try no matter what.

However, he suddenly thought of something and quietly sent a message back: "Was this also your arrangement?"

The other side quickly replied: "No, I asked Master Ande, it was Pudra's suggestion."

Fang Hong frowned upon hearing this.

After the Old Speaker made this announcement, he stopped saying anything shocking, simply raising his hand to indicate the official start of the competition.

Then each team began the draw for the order of topics — so-called draw actually meant drawing the order only. The members of Ragnarok arranged for Hawk-Beak Bean, who claimed to have the best luck, to draw the lots, ending up with the third choice of topic, not too good, but not too bad either.

The first choice was the team from the Ancient Tower, the second was the Golande Artisan's General Guild, while the Shadow Throne and the local Elfendo team seemed unlucky, taking fourth and fifth place.

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