The battle subsided.

The beast tide crisis was averted. Fang Yang had successfully rescued Xuezhi, Lin Tianxue, and the other two.

At that moment, Fang Yang tapped his foot lightly, appearing on the warship’s deck as if by teleportation, and nodded to the four of them.

Fang Yang asked, "What did you guys do? How did you end up getting besieged by a beast tide led by the Swordfish Ten Thousand Beasts King?"

Hearing this, the four of them looked dazed and confused.

Xuezhi’s starry eyes blinked. "We don’t know what happened either..."

It wasn’t just Fang Yang who was curious; they themselves were utterly baffled.

They had always been careful and cautious, never provoking powerful Fierce Beasts. That’s why they were so furious when the Swordfish Ten Thousand Beasts King led its horde to attack them.

Fang Yang raised a questioning eyebrow.

He could sense that the four of them weren’t lying.

’But if they aren’t lying, then this is strange. Surely the Swordfish Ten Thousand Beasts King didn’t just decide it didn’t like the look of them and came looking for trouble.’

So, Fang Yang narrowed his eyes, relaxed his mind, and silently observed the four of them. He didn’t even spare their battle pets.

Finally, using the Swordfish Ten Thousand Beasts King’s sword-horn, he discovered a clue.

On Cyan Aura’s Purple Gold Electric Python, there was a tiny trace of Sword Dao Resonance.

And this trace of Sword Dao Resonance, while originating from the Swordfish Ten Thousand Beasts King, possessed a quality far surpassing it. This was the domain of the Saint Realm!

"Cyan Aura, tell your battle pet not to move," Fang Yang ordered.

Hearing this, Cyan Aura immediately stopped his Purple Gold Electric Python.

The next moment, Fang Yang took out the Wenshan Pen. He sketched, infused, and rendered the small trace of Sword Dao Resonance on the Purple Gold Electric Python.

WHOOSH! A radiance suddenly appeared in the void, and a phantom image gradually materialized.

Deep on the vast ocean floor, a sharp, majestic-looking swordfish slowly appeared.

Its entire body was streamlined, as if forged from frosted silver—dazzling, radiant, and exuding an exceptional sharpness, like a peerless divine sword!

This was a beast of slaughter. Its frosted silver body was covered in dense dragon scales and suffused with Sword Qi. A mere glance was enough to make one’s heart tremble with fear.

A desolate beast, the Celestial Sword Dragonfish!

"Damn it, damn it..."

Seeing this, the exceptionally clever Lin Tianxue’s willow-like brows shot up. She instantly understood that someone had framed them to draw disaster their way.

The others were no fools either. They quickly realized what had happened, and their expressions grew darker and darker.

Someone had stolen the Celestial Sword Dragonfish cub from the swordfish school, then planted the evidence on them to make them bear the wrath of the Swordfish Ten Thousand Beasts King!

"Minghai Nanyu, Muri Guanglong, or Heilou Wu?"

At this moment, Cyan Aura and Lin Tianxue gritted their teeth in fury, especially Cyan Aura.

Xuezhi took a deep breath, walked up to Fang Yang, and said gratefully:

"Brother Fang Yang, thank you for stepping in.

If you need anything in the future, just call on me. I would go through fire and water for you.

These are all my Merit Points. Please take them for now."

The other three also stepped forward, thanking him and offering their Merit Points to Fang Yang.

They knew that as soon as they were out of the Roaring Dragon Assessment, they could find out from their family elders who was scheming against them!

This matter was far from over!

Through his conversation with them, Fang Yang also learned, to his surprise, that Lin Yan had fallen.

Furthermore, he found out that Minghai Nanyu had first been hunted by two Blood Shark Ten Thousand Beasts Kings, and then by Black Tower City and Muri Guanglong.

It was also worth noting that the Qingyuan Water Lotus seed had been destroyed in the process.

’The Qingyuan Water Lotus seed... A scare, but no real danger... Minghai Nanyu lost his companions and was hunted relentlessly...’

At this moment, Fang Yang stood on the deck, heading to the Wujiang River with Xuezhi, Mo Ran, and the other two, from where they would proceed to Peach Blossom Island.

Meanwhile, he was silently contemplating the "moderately auspicious" fortune slip:

[Moderately Auspicious Slip: At sunrise, passing through the eastern ocean of the Frost-Condensing Phantom Sea, one may obtain a Tier Four opportunity. Though there will be storms, there is no danger and no future trouble. Auspicious.]

He now understood. For him, the fortune meant a scare but no real danger, but for others—especially those with cultivation weaker than his—it could be a great misfortune!

...

「Peach Blossom Island」

Falling petals scattered everywhere, and flowers bloomed in dense clusters.

"It’s been many days, Brother Loucheng. Your divine bearing is truly exceptional. To think you could beat Minghai Nanyu into such a sorry retreat! I imagine you’ll soon be leaping to a high position on the Earth Ranking..." Muri Guanglong said with a smile, cupping his hands to congratulate Black Tower City.

Muri Guanglong was the biological younger brother of Muri Guang Huang and possessed a Grade-A Ink Flood Dragon Spirit Body.

He had a strong build and a handsome face, with a dragon marking between his brows that made him look exceptionally heroic and martial.

But unlike his sister’s incomparably domineering personality, he was more restrained and level-headed.

For example, the scheme that had put Cyan Aura, Lin Tianxue, and the others in peril was his handiwork.

He was the one who possessed the desolate beast cub: the [Celestial Sword Dragonfish]!

Right now, he was secretly fanning the flames, egging Heilou Wu on to suppress Fang Yang after he was done with Minghai Nanyu.

Every rank on the Earth Ranking and Human Ranking involved extremely high stakes.

And in this Roaring Dragon Assessment, the person Muri Guanglong was most wary of was Fang Yang!

Although Black Tower City was the Hei family’s most promising rising star after Hei Liwu, Muri Guanglong, to be honest, didn’t really see him as a threat.

’What threat could a mere brute pose to me?’

"A high position on the Earth Ranking?"

Black Tower City stroked his chin, seemingly in thought.

After a long moment, he abruptly grabbed the crimson spear by his side and made his decision.

"Alright, I’m going to crush Fang Yang and keep making a name for myself!"

Black Tower City stood up and decisively set out, heading straight for the Wujiang River area.

He had already beaten Minghai Nanyu like a drowning dog. No matter how capable Fang Yang was, he couldn’t be that much more powerful.

Besides, if he didn’t suppress Fang Yang while his cultivation was still relatively low, he’d never get another chance once it got higher.

’First Martial King? I’m here to beat up First Martial Kings!’

As Muri Guanglong watched the swaggering Black Tower City leave, the corner of his mouth secretly curled. ’You simpleton. When you and Fang Yang are both crippled from fighting each other, that’s when I’ll truly make my name.’

The next moment, Muri Guanglong tapped his foot lightly on the grass. His body shot into the air like an ink flood dragon, following after Black Tower City.

...

「Wujiang River」

The river surged and churned.

The mountains towering on both banks seemed small amidst the vast, churning waves.

It was as if the Wujiang River could destroy peaks and tear everything asunder at any moment, bringing a god’s wrath upon the living and inspiring awe-filled terror in all who beheld it.

At this moment, Heilou Wu was lying on his side on a mountain rock, silently waiting for Fang Yang’s arrival.

Nearby, Muri Guanglong was reviewing his plan over and over again.

To reiterate: in the Thunder Saint Academy, good people don’t die, and bad people don’t die. Only idiots die!

Therefore, Muri Guanglong felt no shame about his scheme.

’Cunning is a part of strength, too!’

"He’s here." Heilou Wu’s eyes snapped open as he looked down at the warship in the river below.

With a single glance, he spotted Fang Yang.

At the same time, as if sensing something, Fang Yang’s indifferent eyes looked up at him.

BOOM—

Under Muri Guanglong’s expectant gaze, Black Tower City shot into the sky. He unleashed his full power, transforming into a bolt of blood-red lightning, and desperately fled back toward Peach Blossom Island.

Fang Yang was baffled.

Muri Guanglong was baffled.

Cyan Aura, Lin Tianxue, and the others were baffled.

This scene left everyone bewildered, and even the four Saints high up in the sky fell silent.

Black Tower City paid no mind to the others; he was focused solely on escaping.

There were some advantages to not being the sharpest tool in the shed, namely, that his instinct for life and death was far superior to an ordinary person’s.

The moment his eyes met Fang Yang’s, Black Tower City had instantly determined that if they were to fight, Fang Yang would wipe the floor with him!

Fang Yang, after all, was no Nanyu.