Early morning.
Mist shrouded the area.
A group of cultivators appeared at the edge of the square.
To avoid being discovered by demon beasts, many had applied dicine powder and used talismans to conceal their aura.
Leading them was Su Ye.
She took one last look at the majestic mountains and the square, then turned around without hesitation, "Let’s go."
As a maid, Xiao Rui naturally followed closely behind.
Apart from them, there was the guard of Green Pill Workshop and loose cultivators gathered over recent days.
These loose cultivators were not randomly assembled; each had a skill, representing the last essence of the square.
So carried bamboo baskets, so shouldered carrying poles, and others pushed wooden carts, resembling refugees.
In reality, it was almost the sa...
"Grandpa... are we really leaving?"
Ding Hongxiu carried a large bundle, mostly filled with ready-made dry food, the pastries made from Spirit Rice emitted an enticing fragrance.
"Let’s go! We must go!"
Ding Bushan carried two baskets, filled with brewed Spiritual Wine and other miscellaneous items.
In the Cultivation World, storage bags were rare; even cultivators at Perfect Qi Cultivation stage didn’t all own one.
Furthermore, their capacity was mostly around one or two cubic ters. Unless transporting precious items, for large goods transportation, establishing a comrcial team with spiritual beasts was necessary.
In the Fertile Wilderness, various large trade associations had a strong market presence, each renowned and long-established, accumulating trust, and making profits.
The refugee team, lacking enough storage bags, could only carry loads on their shoulders; fortunately, they were all cultivators, their physiques tempered by spiritual energy and various talismans and elixirs aiding their recovery, so they weren’t exhausted to collapse.
Suddenly, there was so disturbance at the back of the team.
"Is it a demon beast?"
"No, damn the bastards, so demon catchers lured the demon beasts here, wanting to perish together..."
"Kill them!"
The clamorous voices echoed as Ding Bushan grabbed his carrying pole with one hand and a gourd magic artifact with the other, comforting his granddaughter, "Don’t be afraid, the guards will handle it."
It was not a scarcity of numbers but an uneven distribution that was feared!
Su Ye couldn’t save everyone, the larger the team, the more likely it was to attract powerful demon beasts!
Thus, the team she selected was already much reduced.
This led to dissatisfaction and even sabotage among the left-behind loose cultivators.
Over these days, they had suppressed and killed many, but there were still those who wanted to follow from afar, and so had even decided to die together.
"Die!"
Han Qingyun, wielding a mid-grade flying sword magic artifact, had reached the Qi Cultivation Middle Stage.
This was after having been rewarded last ti with a breakthrough elixir by Su Ye, which significantly advanced his cultivation technique.
Together with a few other guards, a flash of blue light from the flying sword decapitated a cultivator.
"Hmph, just in the initial stage of Qi Cultivation, and you co to seek death!"
Another cultivator sneered.
Seeing this, Han Qingyun fell silent.
The man had rely wanted to survive...
Not long after, the team proceeded again.
He and Hua Feiyue took one last look at Qinglin Square.
"Sister Hua, are you thinking about Daoist Fang?"
Han Qingyun suddenly asked.
"Yes... I went back to check, and it had already turned into ruins, the Young Master’s whereabouts unknown... Alas, such are chaotic tis, life is but a drifting duckweed..."
Hua Feiyue sighed, then took one last look.
It seed like an illusion, but she thought she saw a puppet bird standing on a treetop, silently watching as they left.
"Have they left?"
In the Cave Mansion, Fang Xing operated the Puppet chanism Bird, watching the team gradually move away until they disappeared into the dense forest...
With this last group of elite gone, Qinglin Square instantly beca desolate, with only occasional roars of beasts remaining.
"Even if so skilled craftsn remain, after these craftsn leave, life will probably gradually beco untenable..."
Fang Xing sighed.
He had used the last bit of spare ti to trade spiritual stones with other cultivators, making extensive preparations.
Not only that, he had also set up several warehouses inside and outside the square, in cooperation with the resources of Chuying Star, to survive the upcoming long period.
After all, whether the Golden Core Sect would co was still unknown.
Moreover... they might just give up.
When that ti cos, Fang Xing would be waiting to advance to Outer Realm and even to Martial Arts Golden Core, then rely on himself to traverse the Wilderness.
"But... the number of demon beasts in the square will definitely increase in the future, being a place rich in spiritual energy, it will naturally attract nearby demon beasts and even give rise to Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. Without cultivators to slay these beasts, they will certainly proliferate..."
"Staying here will beco increasingly troubleso, better to move to the temporary camp... It’s just a pity to leave this spiritually rich Cave Mansion."
He was quite reluctant to leave the environnt here and the hot springs.
"However, I won’t have ti to stay here recently... Over at Chuying Star, the Hundred Stars Joint Exam is about to start, and if I make a significant impact, I will attract more attention, making it harder to co here in the future..."
...
Ti flows like water.
June, blazing hot.
Yucai High School.
Fang Xing stood on the field with other high school sophomores, all vibrant and energetic, tough and formidable.
On the stage, Principal Lu Guangming, rarely in formal attire, spoke solemnly: "Students, the Hundred Stars Joint Exam starts tomorrow, I hope you can perform beyond expectations and prove yourselves..."
"As for the results, don’t stress over them; I will be happy if even one student makes it to the third round."
...
It must be said that Lu Guangming’s words were not ant to inspire morale but to dampen it.
"What do you an by being very happy with just one student entering the third round?"
Fang Xing glanced at his classmates to the left and right, unsurprisingly, this was about himself, wasn’t it?
"Don’t you know? This ti the Hundred Stars Joint Exam consists of three rounds... The first round is a general cultural test, the second round is the Martial Arts exam specific to our planet... Only students whose composite scores et the standards can participate in the final round of assessnt!"
Ouyang Qianqian lowered her voice and said, "If we’re unlucky, perhaps no student from our entire grade will make it to the final assessnt..."
Because of the inclusion of ’Young Qilin Star’—a clear outlier—the final round of the Hundred Stars Joint Exam had traditionally had more than half of its slots taken by this planet.
It was indeed possible to end up empty-handed if luck was not on their side.
"It won’t be that bad... How many people are selected in this third round?"
Fang Xing asked, sowhat curiously.
"Ten thousand people every ti!" Ouyang Qianqian replied confidently.
"Even if Young Qilin Star takes five thousand spots, the remaining five thousand slots are split among ninety-nine planets... ah, I forgot how many schools are on Chuying Star."
Fang Xing could barely bear to look.
So many students from one planet fighting over less than fifty spots was actually the norm for a high school to end up with nothing.
Perhaps the principal had such hopes because of his own presence.
Thinking this, Fang Xing then thought of Bai Lianyi and Liu Wei.
Both of these students, who originally had hopes of advancing to the third round—one had already been burned to ashes by him, and the other had already joined the Resistance Army... Life was truly unpredictable.
’Liu Wei probably doesn’t know about Bai Lianyi being a sect follower.’
’This guy’s romantic life is truly bumpy; I wonder if there are any beauties in the Resistance Army...’
Fang Xing’s thoughts scattered amusingly.
...
The next day.
In the classroom.
An unfamiliar proctor moving back and forth with a projector, watching each student struggling to answer the questions.
"The questions in the Hundred Stars Joint Exam are indeed much harder than the usual tests..."
Fang Xing wrote quickly, his face wearing a confident smile.
After the Mud Pill Palace was activated, he had undergone a transformation as if reborn.
Especially his thought process, which had now beco that of a little genius.
Plus, with a bit of effort before the exam, these liberal arts questions seed like catching fish in a barrel.
As for the Martial Arts assessnt?
Safely the top of his class, no need to say more.
And the practical assessnt had been upgraded, not involving combat against others, but a solitary test.
Fang Xing walked into the testing room, looking very calm.
[Beep! Candidate Fang Xing, please enter your student number!]
A fluorescent light appeared, scanning over Fang Xing’s entire body.
His expression unchanged, he quickly entered his student number.
[Iris recognition passed, candidate Fang Xing... evolutionary path ’Martial Artist’! Realm, Fourth Realm—Courage!]
[Physique Perfect, with no hidden injuries, rated as excellent!]
...
[Overall Evaluation: S!]
[Assessnt concluded, please exit the venue in an orderly manner...]
"Is that it?"
Fang Xing was sowhat startled, then he exited the testing area.
Xia Long was waiting outside, and upon seeing Fang Xing, he imdiately ca over and patted his shoulder, "How did the test go?"
"Not bad, they scanned and then let out."
Fang Xing answered truthfully.
"Oh... that’s normal, after all, you’ve broken through to the Fourth Realm of Martial Arts... the strongest puppet here is only at the Rough Jade level..."
Xia Long looked at his student, feeling quite emotional.
He knew that Fang Xing would definitely break through to the Fourth Realm of Martial Arts, but he hadn’t expected it to be so soon!
When the principal first inford him of this, he was shocked and surprised for a long ti.
"Oh... it seems that it’s indeed hard to simulate the Martial Arts Realm, and Fourth Realm robots are difficult to construct, let alone used for teaching..."
Fang Xing imdiately understood.
In simple terms, his strength was too strong, surpassing the examiners...
"Hmm, with your strength, you’re bound to enter the third round of assessnt. This is a rare opportunity; enjoy the experience of competing with top talents. They will all be your competitors in the college entrance examination later..."
Xia Long spoke earnestly.
He felt that with Fang Xing’s current abilities, a top university was definitely within reach.
If lucky, aiming for a super top-tier university was also highly possible!
’Could it be... my path to the Golden Core might actually have hope? And all because of this young man?’
Xia Long looked at Fang Xing, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
Initially, he had only seen potential and provided a little support, never imagining such a return!
Fang Xing remained oblivious.
Truth be told, he felt like his participation in the exam was sowhat like bullying others.
’But I do enjoy this realm suppression!’
’What’s the point of constantly setting high challenges for myself? Crushing the weak is truly exhilarating...’
’I just wonder, among this ti’s Hundred Stars Joint Exam participants, what sort of geniuses are there?’
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