Starry Sky Professional

A faint mist lingered in the air.

A group of cultivators appeared at the edge of the market.

To avoid being detected by demonic beasts, many had applied medicinal powder and used talismans to suppress their aura.

Leading them was none other than Su Ye.

She took a final glance at the majestic mountain peaks and the bustling market, then turned decisively: "Let's go!"

Xiao Rui, as a maid, naturally followed closely behind.

Alongside them were the guards of the Azure Pill Workshop and some rogue cultivators gathered during this period.

These rogues were not just cobbled together randomly; each possessed a special skill, representing the best of the market's remaining talents.

Some carried bamboo baskets, others shouldered poles, while a few pushed wooden carts, resembling refugees fleeing from disaster.

In reality, there wasn't much difference...

"Grandfather... are we really leaving?"

Ding Hongxiu carried a large bundle, mostly filled with prepared dry goods, and the spirit rice confections emitted a tantalizing aroma.

"Yes! We must leave!"

Ding Boushan balanced two baskets on a pole, filled with brewed spirit wine and other sundries.

Storage bags were rare in the world of cultivators; even those who had achieved full Qi Condensation couldn't possess them freely.

With most having capacities around one or two cubic meters, transporting bulk goods required using spirit beasts for caravans, unless it was something precious.

In the vast wilderness, major trade guilds had a strong market presence, each with a reputable history of operation and profit.

This refugee team lacked sufficient storage bags, so they had to rely on manual labor. Fortunately, being cultivators, their bodies were strengthened by spiritual energy and nourished by various talismans and pills, preventing exhaustion.

Suddenly, there was a commotion at the back of the group.

"Is it a demonic beast?"

"No, those damned hunters are luring beasts this way, seeking mutual destruction..."

"Kill them!"

The uproar reached them, but Ding Boushan, gripping both a pole and a gourd-shaped weapon, comforted his granddaughter: "Don't worry, the guards will handle it."

It's not the fear of lacking but the fear of inequality!

Su Ye couldn't save everyone; the larger the group, the more likely they would attract powerful demonic beasts.

Due to the rigorous selection, the group of refugees she had assembled was significantly streamlined.

This led to dissatisfaction and even disruption among the rogue cultivators left behind.

Over the past days, many had been suppressed or killed, yet there were still some who either attempted to follow from afar or, driven to madness, sought mutual destruction.

"Die!"

Han Qingyun wielded a mid-grade flying sword artifact, his cultivation shockingly advancing to the mid-stage of Qi Refinement.

This progress was the result of a breakthrough pill rewarded by Su Ye during a life-or-death encounter.

Together with several other guards, the sword flashed a blue light and decapitated one of the cultivators.

"Hmph, just a mere early Qi Refinement, coming to court death," another cultivator beside him sneered.

Witnessing this scene, Han Qingyun fell into silence.

The other party only wished to survive...

Soon after, the group set off again.

He and Hua Feiyue took one last look at the marketplace.

"Sister Hua, are you thinking about that friend, Fang?" Han Qingyun suddenly asked.

"Yes... I went back to check, and it's now a ruin. I don't know where the young master has gone... Oh well, this is a turbulent world, our lives but floating duckweed..." Hua Feiyue sighed, taking one last glance.

It seemed like an illusion, but she thought she saw a puppet bird perched on a treetop, silently watching them depart.

"They've gone?"

From within the cave, Fang Xing controlled the puppet bird, seeing the group gradually disappear into the dense forest...

With the loss of these last elites, Qinglin Marketplace fell into desolation, only occasionally disturbed by beast howls.

"Even if there are some who linger, once these craftsmen leave, I'm afraid life will be unsustainable too..."

Fang Xing sighed.

Previously, he had seized the last bit of free time to trade his spirit stones with other cultivators, amassing large reserves.

Not only that, but he had also set up several warehouses in and around the marketplace, using resources from the fledgling Eagle Star, ensuring he could endure the prolonged times ahead.

After all, whether those legendary Golden Core masters will attend is still uncertain.

What’s more, maybe they’ve already given up.

When the time comes, Fang Xing would just wait for the future, aiming to advance to the external realm, or even achieve the martial Golden Core, then rely on his own strength to cross the Wild Lands.

"However... in the marketplace, there will definitely be more and more demon beasts in the future. After all, this is a place rich in spiritual energy, naturally attracting nearby demon beasts to gather and even giving birth to some natural treasures. Without cultivators to slay the beasts, they will surely multiply in numbers…"

"Staying here will become increasingly troublesome. It's better to head to the temporary camp... It's just a pity for this spirit-rich cave residence."

He felt a bit reluctant to leave this environment, especially the hot spring.

"But lately, I don’t have much time to stay here… On the fledgling eagle star, the Hundred-Star Examination is about to begin. If I perform outstandingly, it will draw more attention. Coming here frequently in the future will become more difficult…"

……

Time slips away like water.

June arrived, bringing intense summer heat.

At Yucai High School, Fang Xing stood on the field along with other second-year students. They were vibrant, youthful, and stood as straight as pines, exuding vigor.

On the podium, Principal Lu Guangming was rarely in formal attire; his expression was solemn: "Students, the Hundred-Star Examination will begin tomorrow. I hope you all can perform beyond expectations and prove yourselves..."

"As for your results, there’s no need to force it. If just one student advances to the third round, I’ll be very pleased."

……

"What does he mean by he'll be very pleased if just one student advances to the third round?"

Fang Xing glanced at his classmates to his sides, unsurprisingly, he felt as if the comment was directed at him.

"Don’t you know? This time, the Hundred-Star Examination consists of three rounds... The first round is a cultural test, the second round is a martial examination specific to our planet... Only students with qualifying combined scores can participate in the final third round examination!"

Ouyang Qianqian whispered, "If luck isn’t on our side, it’s possible that our entire year group may not have a single student reaching the final examination…"

Due to the existence of 'Fledgling Star', which is notably out of the ordinary, historically, more than half of the final round spots in the Hundred-Star Examination come from that star.

If luck doesn’t favor you, it’s indeed possible to come away empty-handed.

"Not necessarily… How many people do they accept in this third round?"

Fang Xing asked with some curiosity.

"It's always ten thousand people!" Ouyang Qianqian confirmed.

"Even if Fledgling Star takes five thousand quotas, there are still five thousand quotas left for the other ninety-nine planets... Uh, I forgot there are so many schools on our fledgling eagle star.”

Fang Xing could hardly bear to look directly.

With so many examinees on a single planet, failing to secure even fifty spots was wholly a normal occurrence; a high school gaining nothing at all wasn't surprising.

The principal's anticipation might somehow be related to his presence.

At this thought, he couldn't help but think of Bai Lianyi and Liu Wei.

Both had hopes of advancing to the third round; one had been turned to ashes by him, while the other had joined the resistance... Truly, the affairs of life are unpredictable.

'Liu Wei likely has no idea Bai Lianyi was a disciple of the sect...'

'The boy's romantic path is full of obstacles; I wonder if there are any beauties within the resistance...'

Fang Xing's thoughts drifted aimlessly, amused by the notion.

The next day.

In the classroom.

The unfamiliar invigilating teacher paced back and forth, watching one examinee after another struggle with the questions.

"The Hundred-Star Unified Exam questions are indeed much harder than the usual tests..."

Fang Xing's pen flew across the paper, a confident smile on his face.

After unlocking his Niwan Palace, he had undergone a complete transformation.

His mental faculties, in particular, now turned him into a small prodigy.

Plus, with a little effort just before the exam, these liberal arts questions were a breeze.

As for the martial arts assessment?

Undoubtedly, he was first in his school's grade, no need to elaborate.

Moreover, the practical assessment had been upgraded, not matching him against others, but rather conducting a solo test.

Fang Xing walked into the test room with a particularly calm demeanor.

【Beep! Examinee Fang Xing, please enter your student ID!】

A luminescent beam appeared, scanning Fang Xing's entire body.

He remained expressionless as he quickly entered his ID.

【Iris authentication passed, examinee Fang Xing... Evolution path 'Martial Artist'! Fourth realm - Courage!】

【Physical examination complete, no internal injuries, evaluated as excellent!】

……

【Overall Evaluation: S!】

【The assessment is over, candidates please exit the arena in an orderly fashion...】

“Is that all?”

Fang Xing was a bit bewildered, and then he left the examination hall.

Xia Long was waiting outside, and upon seeing Fang Xing, he immediately approached and patted him on the shoulder, "How did it go?"

"It went alright. They scanned me and then just let me out."

Fang Xing replied truthfully.

“Oh... that’s normal. After all, you’ve broken through the fourth realm of martial arts... Even the strongest puppet here is only at the Jade level...”

Xia Long looked at this student, feeling quite a bit of emotion.

He knew Fang Xing would eventually break through the fourth realm, but he hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly!

When the principal first informed him of this, he was shocked and astonished for a long time.

“Oh... it seems that replicating martial arts realm is indeed difficult, constructing fourth-realm machines is tough, and they’re not used for teaching...”

Fang Xing immediately understood.

Simply put, his strength was too overwhelming, surpassing even the examiners...

“Hmm, with your ability, you will surely advance to the third round of the examination. This is a rare opportunity, so enjoy the experience of competing with the other geniuses. They will all be your rivals in the future college entrance examination...”

Xia Long advised him earnestly.

He felt that with Fang Xing’s current abilities, entry into a top-notch university was already assured.

With some luck, even aiming for a super-top-tier university was not out of reach!

‘Could it be... my path to alchemy actually has hope? Is it falling on this kid?’

Xia Long gazed at Fang Xing, with deeply complex emotions in his eyes.

Initially, he only saw potential in Fang Xing, offering him modest support, but never imagined such a rewarding outcome!

Fang Xing, however, remained oblivious.

To be honest, he felt as though participating in these exams seemed a bit like bullying others.

"But, I just love this level of suppression!"

"What's the point of always pushing yourself hard? It's so much more fun to dominate in an easy match..."

"I just wonder what kind of geniuses will appear in this Elite Star Alliance Exam?"