A gentle breeze blew past, stirring the Silver Bell at the end of Meng Qiewei’s hair and making it ring with a crisp sound.

Only then did she speak. "If the Immortal Sect decides to target me, what will they do?"

Qing Dai thought for a moment. "Monitor you, Miss?"

"What’s the use in monitoring me?" Meng Qiewei said with a faint smile.

"Then what will they do?"

"What do you think?"

Qing Dai froze, immediately recalling the worry she’d had from the very beginning.

’If the Miss were to be secretly killed, I’d have to return to my clan.’

’So, if the Immortal Sect wants to eliminate the threat, the best way is to send the Miss back. And of all the methods, killing is the fastest.’

She was a little shocked. "Would anyone dare?" she asked.

Meng Qiewei did not speak.

’Would anyone dare?’

’Of course, someone would.’

’But it definitely wouldn’t be someone from the Immortal Sect.’

She wasn’t worried, though. All she had to do was wait and see what they had planned.

"If someone were to do it, how many people in the Immortal Sect do you think would dare to give that order?" Meng Qiewei suddenly asked.

Qing Dai thought for a moment, and her mind settled on three people.

But then she felt like none of them fit.

She couldn’t figure it out.

"Then don’t bother guessing. We’ll play it by ear," Meng Qiewei said casually.

After that, she asked if there were any other discoveries.

"The Immortal Sect has appointed a Special Inspector. Other factions also seem to be curious about the Wuyun Sect, and some have already sent people. But there are also rumors that the awakening of the Demon Race might trigger the appearance of certain ultimate treasures," Qing Dai said.

Meng Qiewei didn’t seem to care much.

Seeing that her mistress wasn’t concerned, Qing Dai didn’t overthink it. She just still didn’t know if the Miss had come out for the sake of the Young Master.

’Besides, I also have to find time to deal with those Elders from the clan, to keep them from discovering that the Miss has left.’

’How interesting.’

’Now all that’s missing is the Young Master making his appearance.’

’But for now, it might be a good idea to follow the clan’s prodigy and check out that Jiang Man.’

’To be so admired by a prodigy, he must be special in some way.’

’It shouldn’t be too boring.’

’I just hope he doesn’t take a fancy to the Miss, or else...’

’I don’t even want to imagine how he’d end up dying.’

————

「Evening.」

Jiang Man had been sitting on the high platform, watching the area below for the entire day.

After setting aside the issue of the sixth-place finisher, he discovered that this year’s first place was actually from the Luo Family.

It was a reversal of fortune.

In the year he was here, the Luo Family had nearly met its end.

Now, they could even produce a first-place finisher.

’Their luck isn’t half bad.’

He just didn’t know how this person was related to Luo Xuan.

By now, the assessment was over, and the Student Cultivators had all left.

Jiang Man, however, remained seated on the high platform, waiting for the final results to be delivered. As long as he didn’t leave, no one around him could leave either.

This was especially true for the middle-aged man from before.

He stood quietly, clutching his wrist, his heart filled with confusion.

’We’re both at the Golden Core Realm, so why was I defeated in a single blow? I’ve tempered my Golden Core for many years. Even if he reached Core Formation through the Third Skill, the gap shouldn’t be this huge.’

But it was true that he had never fought anyone who used the Third Skill.

He couldn’t be sure of the specifics.

But for now, he had no choice but to endure it.

This Golden Core cultivator before him had a powerful reputation.

But the fact that he didn’t even dare to enter the Inner Sect made him feel the man’s fame was undeserved.

’Would a true prodigy waste their time lingering in the Outer Sect?’

At that moment, Jiang Man felt a reaction from the Identity Token inside his Storage Treasure.

’Has the appointment come through?’

Jiang Man was a little surprised.

But he didn’t rush to check it, choosing instead to finish the task at hand.

A moment later, the ranking list was finalized and delivered to Jiang Man.

"Have you seen this?" Jiang Man asked the dean.

"We have not looked at it yet," the dean replied immediately.

Jiang Man nodded.

Then he began to look it over.

Yunqian Bureau First: Luo Hu, Dust Purification Tower.

Yunqian Bureau Second: Li Mo, Baili Tower.

Yunqian Bureau Third: Fang Jinwu, Baili Tower.

Yunqian Bureau Fourth: Cheng Huo, Jianyue Tower.

Yunqian Bureau Fifth: Zhao Tiankuo, Jianyue Tower.

When he saw the fifth name, Jiang Man narrowed his eyes, then looked at the sixth.

Yunqian Bureau Sixth: Yang Fan, Dust Purification Tower.

Seeing this name, Jiang Man carefully examined the person’s results.

He found that the student’s Spiritual Level was low.

"Bring me Yang Fan’s records," Jiang Man said.

Hearing this, the dean didn’t dare to hesitate.

Soon, the records were in Jiang Man’s hands.

A quick look revealed that the student had intentionally suppressed his Realm.

Seeing this, Jiang Man didn’t ask any more questions.

’Since he suppressed it himself, it has nothing to do with me. If the dean had falsified the results to deliberately manipulate his ranking, then it would be my business.’

"It seems Fellow Daoist Jiang will have to take our young master with him after all. Why did you have to make things so difficult just now?" the middle-aged man said in a low, smug voice.

Jiang Man shot the man a sidelong glance, then flicked his hand.

SMACK!

He slapped the man across the face from a distance and said calmly, "I didn’t give you permission to speak."

Rage flared in the middle-aged man’s eyes, but he quickly suppressed it.

He just gritted his teeth and said, "Immortal Master Jiang is so impressive."

’This guy is so annoying,’ Jiang Man thought. ’I paid fifty thousand for this authority. Doesn’t he know when to back off? The Zhao Family really doesn’t know how to hire people.’

After that, Jiang Man continued looking down the list.

He read all the way to one hundred and three, Chang Qin.

’Her strength is pretty good,’ Jiang Man thought to himself with some appreciation.

Then he glanced at number one hundred and five.

They were all about the same.

Then he looked at the dean and said, "Tomorrow, I will take the top five with me, plus the next one hundred on the list."

"Furthermore, beyond those being recruited, extend the list by at least another thirty. The Yunqian Bureau will be responsible for arranging their livelihoods."

As he spoke, he handed over a letter. "These are the directives for this arrangement. The person in charge of next year’s assessment will come to inspect your progress. Also, I have obtained last year’s records. The previous review was passed, but there were some deficiencies. You need to improve on them as soon as possible."

"Understood," the dean said at once.

"There are no other verbal orders, but you must pay close attention to the Cultivation primers in the villages. The inspection on this matter is very strict, as are the qualifications for the teachers appointed," Jiang Man said.

After that, there was nothing else.

Jiang Man had done what he needed to do.