Chapter One, the Top of the Immortal Rankings

Upon receiving this jade talisman of the immortal gate, Fang Yuan thereafter became a disciple of the Qingyang Sect, ascending to great heights in one step

And wait ... ...

The girl smiled and said, "I am merely going through the motions, my esteemed master does not wish to give others any grounds for gossip"

Those in the know are well aware that the Qingliu Village was built by General Qi after occupying the ancestral land of the Fang family. It is unexpected that it is now to be returned directly to the Fang family. It should be noted that the area of Qingliu Village is... ten times larger than the ancestral land of the Fang family...

Achieving the top position on the Jiazi list is indeed a great joy, and being invited by the city lord to marry his daughter is truly a double happiness. Especially since the city lord's daughter is renowned for her beauty, this has undoubtedly made countless people envious, to the point where their eyes have turned red with jealousy

Hehe, what do you mean by guessing? In this Taiyue City, who doesn't know that Brother Fangyuan is definitely at the top of the Immortal Ranking?

A man stood up on the stage, with a fair complexion and no beard, exuding an elegant demeanor. He was none other than the lord of Taiyue City, Lu Zhuan. He approached with a smile and took Fang Yuan's hand, appearing quite affectionate, and said: "With you as the top scholar from Taiyue City, our name has spread across the seven prefectures of Yue Kingdom, bringing much honor to my face. When you enter the immortal sect to cultivate, soaring to great heights and enjoying the freedom of the nine heavens, do not forget the people of our Yue City!"

At that moment, not far away, Lu Xinyao suddenly turned her head to glance at him, and then her lips gently curved into a slight smile. Under the gaze of her beautiful eyes, Fang Yuan found it difficult to articulate the words that had come to his lips.

Lu Zhuan laughed heartily, holding Fang Yuan with one hand and taking his daughter Lu Xinyao's hand with the other. She said, "Actually, I have wanted to say this for a long time. It was just that Fang Shizhi was preparing for the major examination, and I was afraid it would distract you, so I have been holding back. Now, taking this opportunity, I would like to express that I have always liked Fang Shizhi. You are a dragon in the pool, destined to soar high sooner or later. However, once you devote yourself to the path of immortality, you may have no time to spare. Therefore, before you enter the sect, I am willing to propose a marriage alliance with the Fang family. I wonder what your thoughts are on this?"

Senior Brother Fang Yuan, come here

I guessed correctly, the top spot indeed belongs to Fang Yuan, Brother Fang...

Hehe, let's discuss other matters at the banquet. Xiao Fangyuan, come over and take this jade talisman of the Qingyang Sect!

After the master on stage announced the list, amidst the countless envious gazes and words of congratulations directed at him, he merely expressed his gratitude to those around him in a soft voice, showing no signs of surprise, as if he had anticipated this outcome long ago

The eagerly awaiting audience erupted in thunderous applause, with waves of cheers rising one after another

They instinctively do not believe it, yet they cannot help but acknowledge that this scene is truly unfolding before them

This classmate, who comes from a humble background, has truly earned their admiration with his profound understanding of the teachings in "Dao Yuan Zhen Jie"

Fang Yuan was momentarily choked: But you haven't asked for my opinion yet...

The Taoist priest on the stage put away the purple list in his hand, gazing at the young man below with eyes full of admiration, and said with a cheerful smile

Especially the young master Qi Xiaofeng from General Qi's family, at this moment, even his eyes emitted two barely perceptible glimmers of resentment

Hehe, congratulations to the city lord for finding a fine son-in-law, and congratulations to this couple on their happy union

Fang Yuan paused to express his gratitude: "Thank you, Junior Sister Lv, you performed very well in this exam as well"

How is this possible? Why would the Immortal Gate have such a decree?

The lord of the city has praised me, and I feel embarrassed...

Upon hearing this, everyone was utterly astonished

At this moment, not far away, Lu Xinyao was observing her nose with her eyes, her nose with her heart, a faint smile gracing the corners of her mouth

General Qi also wore a broad smile, laughing heartily as he cupped his hands in salute to the city lord. He then patted Fang Yuan on the shoulder and said, "Congratulations, congratulations! I do enjoy such lively occasions. Let the Qingliu Manor in the south of the city serve as a gift of celebration!"

This is a young person who is about to directly enter the Qingyang Sect and become a true disciple, with limitless potential for future achievements

On the square paved with large blue stones in the northern part of the city, a platform three zhang high has been erected. On the platform, the city lord, the general, and the heads of various families in the city are seated in order. Below the platform stands a group of young men, each with an imposing demeanor and extraordinary presence, all gazing upward at the Daoist holding the purple list. The Daoist, clad in a divination robe and wearing a green crown, has three long strands of beard and eyes that gleam like lightning, exuding an extraordinary aura. He glanced at the names on the purple list, smiled broadly, surveyed the crowd below, and slowly announced the result.

Congratulations to Brother Fang

Fang Yuan smiled at his classmates, then slowly walked over, neither servile nor arrogant, with a calm expression

On and off the stage, there was a moment of complete silence, as if everyone’s expressions had been frozen.

In the center of the crowd stood a girl with bright, captivating eyes. She seemed to possess an inherent air of coolness, causing others to hesitate in approaching her. However, upon seeing Fang Yuan approach, she offered a faint smile and gently spoke a few words.

At this moment in Middle-earth's Cloud Continent, to the north of the State of Yue, within Taiyue City, there is a scene of great festivity, with lanterns and decorations adorning the surroundings

He has exerted ten times the effort and dedication compared to others, and he rightfully deserves this highest honor

What are you saying, it is time to call Young Master Fang

Boom

What?

Lu Zhuan smiled and said: "You need not worry, I have already asked Xinyao for her opinion!"

After listening to his words, Fang Yuan merely smiled and walked towards the stage.

What?

The surroundings fell silent for a moment, quietly observing this extraordinary scene. Although all those who made it onto the list had hopes of entering the Immortal Gate for cultivation, only the one at the top of the list could directly receive the jade talisman issued by the Qingyang Sect and become a true disciple.

Pah, what a young brat, they are about to become a true disciple of the immortal sect, treating even the royal family with courtesy...

In terms of attire, one appears to come from a humble background, yet the expression is calm, exuding a sense of composure and stability

Hehe, Xiao Fangyuan, come up to the stage to receive the jade talisman of the immortal gate

The audience erupted in a thunderous cheer, the people's applause resembling an ocean, nearly overwhelming the young performer in blue.

After ten years of arduous study, day and night, exhausting countless efforts, have I finally awaited this long-desired day

After all, they are well aware of the value of this list of decades.

Several young individuals are already standing on the stage, both male and female. They are all exceptional talents from Taiyue City who have made it onto the Jiazi and Xiaoyi rankings, each coming from distinguished backgrounds, whether as the children of the city's wealthy elite or the offspring of high-ranking officials. However, upon seeing the young man in the green attire stepping onto the stage, they all made way, displaying humble smiles and voluntarily taking a few steps back to allow the young man in green to stand in front.

The common people in the audience were all greatly astonished upon hearing these words

The lord of the city spoke cheerfully, with a strong voice, and everyone around could hear him clearly

The top of the Immortal Rankings, Fang Yuan

At that moment, a tall middle-aged man clad in armor approached; he was General Qi, the commander stationed at Taiyue City. His son was also one of those who had passed the imperial examination. However, upon seeing him come over, the atmosphere on the stage suddenly became somewhat oppressive

He spoke while casting a glance at Lu Xinyao

Haha, do not be in a hurry to be modest; I have one more thing to announce!

Fang Yuan also nodded, slowly walking forward, his heart momentarily filled with mixed emotions

This woman is Lü Xinyao, the daughter of the lord of Taiyue City, and she is also a well-known young prodigy. Majoring in pharmacology, she has ascended to the Jiazi Immortal Ranking in this assessment, making her the second-best performer in Taiyue City, after Fang Yuan.

The Fang family once had some properties, but General Qi's family forcibly took their ancestral land to build a manor. The Fang family had attempted to reclaim it, but the Qi family was not to be trifled with, and the Fang family suffered considerable losses in silence. It was not until Fang Yuan's parents passed away one after another that the Fang family moved out of Taiyue City and became a farming household, after which they never mentioned the matter again

The audience witnessed such a scene and immediately burst into laughter, eagerly and loudly offering their congratulations.

Amidst the heated discussions, countless individuals turned their gaze towards the young man in green standing at the foot of the high platform

The Taoist master smiled cheerfully, holding a zitan tray with both hands, gesturing for Fang Yuan to come forward

His expression also appeared somewhat regretful: "For the past three hundred years, the Daoist teachings we have learned are all false!"

It is said that this young man Fang excels in the practice of Dao Yuan Zhen Jie, to the extent that even the Daoist master regards him as a rare talent not seen in three hundred years. This title of being the best proves that he is absolutely the foremost among the three thousand prodigies across the seven prefectures of Yue Kingdom

Fang Yuan steadied himself and hurriedly tugged at the city lord's arm: "Lu Shibei..."

General Qi, is this an initiative to show goodwill towards a young lad?

It is well known that General Qi's family had some conflicts with the Fang family ten years ago, and the two families can be considered as sworn enemies

The gaze of ordinary people towards him has even begun to carry a hint of reverence

Brother Fang, congratulations

What significance lies within this, is it not trivial?

Just as Fang Yuan's hand had already reached out, suddenly a shadow enveloped the sky above Taiyue City

This ...? ... This child from a humble background actually aspires to become the favored son-in-law of the city lord?

The celestial envoy has already arrived on the stage, casting a glance at the outstanding talents listed on the platform. His expression is somewhat grave as he sighs softly, saying: "Because it has just been confirmed that the Dao Yuan Zhen Jie obtained by my Qingyang Sect is false, which means..."

In Taiyue City, there has always been an insurmountable chasm between the noble families and the humble origins. However, these scions of noble families, when faced with the young man Fang Yuan, who hails from a humble background, exhibit not a trace of arrogance; instead, there is even a hint of reverence in their gazes.

The common people in the audience were somewhat astonished and engaged in lively discussions

The group of outstanding individuals around the stage almost thought they had misheard, staring blankly at the stunningly beautiful Lu Xinyao, whose captivating eyes could make everyone feel inferior with just a glance, their hearts immediately filled with a mix of emotions.

The group of nobles on the stage all laughed heartily and gathered around, expressing their congratulations with words of praise

He extended his hand, and although he was excited inside, it did not tremble

After a long while, a person shouted loudly, it was the Taoist master from Taiyue City, his face filled with excitement and confusion

Upon seeing General Qi take the stage, Fang Yuan gazed directly at him, remaining utterly composed.

Haha, Fang Shizhi, come over here

The young man had a slender build and fair skin, giving him an appearance that seemed somewhat frail and delicate.

Because he knows that this is what he deserves

Fang Yuan replied in a low voice, his demeanor neither arrogant nor impatient, and quite appropriate

Everyone was astonished and looked up, only to see a gigantic celestial vessel flying down from the sky, slowly descending to mid-air. Upon the celestial vessel, a celestial envoy dressed in a red robe was stepping down through the void. With a heavy voice, he proclaimed, which echoed throughout the vast Taiyue City: "The Jade Cliff True Person of the Qingyang Sect has issued a decree: the Dao Yuan True Understanding subject for this session of the Fairy Hall examination is hereby canceled and will not be included in the assessment!"