Sunset County.

In the sky above, a Flying Boat shaped like a swordfish was slowly descending.

Inside a room on the Flying Boat, Fang Yang was casting a spell, silently gazing down at the land below.

From his high vantage point, the county seat was laid out in an orderly and beautiful fashion.

Along the streets, people bustled about like black ants, moving through the vast city.

Just then, down on the ground, the Governor of Sunset County stood with his subordinates, quietly awaiting the arrival of Fang Yang and his entourage.

BOOM—

With the sound of a heavy landing, the Flying Boat came to a steady stop on the ground.

The local officials, led by the Governor of Sunset County, hurried forward at a near-jog to welcome Fang Yang and the others.

"Welcome, Emissary!"

The perfectly synchronized cry echoed through the area, startling a flock of birds into flight.

At this moment, every one of their faces wore a fawning expression.

If the local citizens were to see this, they would surely be dumbfounded, their eyes wide with disbelief.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, a speck of crimson-violet light flickered in the air, transforming into a cloud of mist and stirring a gentle breeze.

The wind fed the fire’s might, and the fire amplified the wind’s power.

A figure in a black and white Daoist robe emerged elegantly from within.

It was Fang Yang!

"Hn," Fang Yang grunted indifferently.

His gaze was sharp, his face handsome, and his posture was ramrod straight, like a spear or a sword.

Though his expression was cold, it added a certain wicked charm to his aura.

The entire crowd fell silent at the sight of him.

’Look at that bearing and style... I fear we’ve received a truly top-tier figure!’ The Governor of Sunset County and the other officials were all filled with silent admiration.

They were all shrewd old foxes who had received many emissaries over the years.

But even with their discerning eyes, they had to admit that among all the emissaries they had met, Fang Yang’s charisma was supreme!

Afterward, led by their hosts, Fang Yang and his group proceeded to a welcome banquet.

The Commandery Governor’s Mansion.

The Rear Courtyard.

"Brother, are you saying this emissary is like a legendary immortal who descended to the mortal world?"

The Governor’s daughter, named Ya’Er, didn’t believe her brother’s words in the slightest.

As her eyes darted about, a plan quickly formed in her mind.

She just had to see for herself what kind of person her brother would praise as a descended immortal.

To that end, she specially disguised herself, slipped out of her boudoir, and hurried to the front courtyard.

The moment she arrived, her gaze was involuntarily drawn to the center of the courtyard, where she saw that handsome, elegant figure.

With just a single, fleeting glance, she couldn’t help but hold her breath, her heart and soul captivated.

Only after a long moment did she slowly come back to her senses.

’He’s different. Truly different.’

’Whether it was his life force, as vibrant as the morning sun, or his breathtakingly stunning figure, he was anything but ordinary.’

’Even Duke Xu of the northern city, renowned for his beauty, probably can’t compare to this man in the slightest!’

It was a feeling, a profound and mysterious feeling.

’That’s a girl, right?’ On the other side, Fang Yang spared her a single glance before turning his attention away.

...

After the banquet, Fang Yang was led by the Governor’s son to the Shuqing Pavilion.

He was on his way to visit a senior Great Cultivator known as ’Layman Shuqing’.

This Layman Shuqing was a Tier Seven Great Cultivator.

He was a ruthless man!

During his years of cultivation at the Thunder Saint Academy, he had never once made it onto the Heaven, Earth, or Human Rankings.

It wasn’t that he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing; he truly lacked the strength.

But just as he was approaching his hundredth birthday, he burned his bridges and resolved to venture alone into the Desolate Realm, to fight for a brighter future.

He swore he would not return home until the day he became a Saint.

In the end, he succeeded and became a Saint.

And the one person before him who possessed such great determination was named Fang Nian—Carp Eagle Fang Nian!

In fact, Layman Shuqing’s actions were inspired by the deeds of Fang Nian.

"Chen Zhenhou, you may go back now," Fang Yang said casually.

He immediately turned and walked on, not giving the Governor’s son another glance.

The setting sun was the color of blood.

The green mountains stretched out like a sea.

Fang Yang activated a technique, his steps light as he moved swiftly forward. He soon arrived at the Shuqing Pavilion.

The Shuqing Pavilion was surrounded by water on all four sides, perched alone on a mountaintop as if suspended in a Cloud Sea.

Upon reaching the place, he was met by a vast, invisible force that blocked his path, preventing him from advancing any further.

And the more force Fang Yang used, the stronger the resistance became.

"The auras of Xiaohui and Wei’Er?"

A voice like the thunder of the heavens rang out. "Hehe, come in."

A moment later, the immense force blocking Fang Yang’s path vanished into thin air, ceasing to exist.

Fang Yang tapped his feet lightly, his Thunderfire Wings flared to life, and he flew to the front of the pavilion.

"Thunderfire Wings? The Carp Eagle?"

The profound voice, like the thunder of the heavens, sounded again, this time with great surprise.

WHOOSH. Fang Yang pushed open the gates and stepped inside, as if passing through into another world.

He found himself in a courtyard with a peculiar style. It was built entirely of blue stone, with strange, abstract shapes unlike the style of the Xuan Realm.

Now, with Fang Yang’s arrival, the courtyard was draped in a thin veil of light, making it mysterious, tranquil, and exquisitely beautiful.

From within that veil of light, a phantasmal figure gradually appeared.

The phantasmal figure grew more solid, revealing its true form.

It was a tall, slender man in green robes with a lean face. He resembled a middle-aged swordsman, his sharpness concealed like a blade in its sheath.

"Greetings, Senior Layman Shuqing..." Fang Yang bowed formally, his etiquette impeccable.

"Hehe, you’re not bad, young man. Not bad at all." Layman Shuqing’s eyes brightened as he gave Fang Yang an approving nod.

He then took the letter Fang Yang handed him and began to read it carefully.

As he read, he sized up Fang Yang.

Before long, he put away the letter and tapped his right index finger in the empty air.

CRACKLE! A speck of blue light suddenly appeared in the void.

The blue light expanded, releasing a treasured glow and revealing what was inside.

[Clear Water Ganoderma]

Clear Water Ganoderma, a special Tier Four Spiritual Object, contains an abundance of life force within it.

Refining it can extend one’s aura and greatly increase one’s strength.

"Little Friend Fang Yang, this is our first meeting. Please accept this. I hope you won’t find me too stingy, hehe," Layman Shuqing said with a smile.

Fang Yang understood. This must be the Tier Four opportunity mentioned in the mid-upper lot he had drawn.

...

Meanwhile, while Fang Yang was carrying out his assessment mission, a series of events were unfolding back at the Thunder Saint Academy.

Within the Thunder Saint Academy, the internal struggles among the prodigy cultivators were growing more and more intense.

More and more people, whether willingly or not, were being drawn into the deadly competition for the Heaven, Earth, and Human Rankings.

People began to form small factions to fight for benefits, and the struggles became fiercer by the day.

For instance, Nanyu and Cyan Aura’s group formed an alliance, determined to face off against Black Tower City and Muri Guanglong.

Additionally, the period immediately after the initial establishment of the Heaven, Earth, and Human Rankings was the most frantic time for changes.

The rankings were constantly shifting as prodigy cultivators scrambled for a spot, getting trapped in the quagmire.

Some, in their pursuit of cultivation, suffered from cultivation deviation, and some even perished completely, their Daos extinguished.

But even so, it did nothing to dampen the prodigy cultivators’ fighting spirit.

This was because their lifespans were limited, and they had to fight for the path of Changsheng.

Taking a step back would not lead to a brighter future; on the contrary, it would lead to an endless purgatory.

Ultimately, on the Earth Ranking, Minghai Dongli rose to the top, suppressing all others.

Minghai Dongli became the head of the Earth Ranking, earning the title of the Innocent Youth Great Saint.

But Murong Caiwei was still not satisfied with this, because Dongli had completely failed to help her teach Fang Yang a lesson.

"So what if you’re the head of the Earth Ranking?"

Murong Caiwei snorted with disdain, not giving Minghai Dongli even a hint of a pleasant expression.