Chapter 405: Original Conference, Assessment and Preparation

"Good," Ji Si said, as if she had been prepared all along. With a flip of her hand, a mechanical card box appeared.

The box was imprinted with Liu Tianning's likeness.

Zhao Xing was speechless.

He had previously created a set of Green Elm cards, and Green Elm had indeed become a powerful figure.

And he had accomplished earth-shattering deeds.

Now Ji Si had made a set of Tianning cards?

"You, you're not scaring me, are you?" Zhao Xing said with a wry smile.

Ji Si paused, then realized what he meant. "No, not at all. I practice both as a Fatesmith and a Cosmic Historian. I use divination and reconstruction to maintain my self-awareness and to refer to certain unspeakable things, reminding myself in this way."

"What are these cards called?"

"Shangluo Cards."

"Alright, deal the cards," Zhao Xing nodded.

As long as they weren't Tianning cards.

Ji Si waved her hand and first dealt a card to Zhao Xing from the box.

The front of the card showed Liu Tianning, and the back had three patterns.

The image was dynamic: Liu Tianning sat on a throne, with dancing girls and geishas gracefully performing below him.

Then Ji Si dealt herself a card, which depicted Ji Yun (Ji Si's niece) holding a whip.

Zhao Xing understood immediately that Ji Si was confirming the time and place.

She was also confirming whether he still remembered.

These two cards were identity cards; one alluded to him, and the other to Ji Si.

Clearly, Ji Si was going to start from where he had "slacked off."

"Grand Minister of Agriculture, do you have any questions?"

"No."

"Then I'll continue dealing."

Zhao Xing continued to nod.

Next, he received five cards.

The first showed a yellowish-gray planet surrounded by many wreckage pieces, and Ji Si's figure.

The second depicted someone whipping Liu Tianning with a whip.

The third card showed a celestial mountain at sea.

The fourth card showed Ji Si's back, head bowed, writing a letter.

The fifth card depicted a battle scene with over a dozen blurry phantom figures attacking one person.

Zhao Xing quickly understood that these cards recounted his and Ji Si's experiences in the Ancient Yuanhai Kingdom.

However, this was Ji Si's perspective.

"Grand Minister of Agriculture, any questions?"

"No," Zhao Xing shook his head.

Ji Si's face showed joy, proving that Zhao Xing remembered everything, or at least his memories aligned with hers.

Next, Ji Si dealt cards to herself, and Zhao Xing found them somewhat incomprehensible.

The first card Ji Si dealt to herself was blank.

The second depicted a river.

The third showed a faceless golden figure, one hand hooked behind his shoulder as if carrying something, standing under the boundless starry sky.

The fourth still featured the faceless golden figure, but now accompanied by two golden-bodied figures and a small square tablet.

Zhao Xing's eyes held a hint of bewilderment, as he had no idea what Ji Si was trying to convey.

Aside from the river hinting at the "Page of Time," what were the other four cards? How did Ji Si's perspective encompass so much?

The fifth card finally offered some clues.

Under the vast cosmos, six golden figures appeared, along with a tiny black dot within a golden light.

The sixth card Zhao Xing recognized at once: it depicted the Southern Barbarian Sacred Mountain, with mountain shadows shrouded in mist, seemingly a scene from when Great Zhou attacked Wuyue Deity Mountain.

The seventh card was another depicting a river.

The eighth was a blank card.

Zhao Xing was speechless.

Ji Si's abstract way of expression completely baffled Old Master Zhao.

And how did it suddenly involve the Xuanhuang Realm again?

"Grand Minister of Agriculture, do you have any questions?"

"Yes!"

Zhao Xing immediately asked a crucial question.

"Do you still remember Wang Tianzhi?"

Ji Si paused. "Wang Tianzhi?"

She didn't know why Zhao Xing suddenly brought up Wang Tianzhi.

But Ji Si still replied, "Of course I remember him. Wang Tianzhi of Xuanyuan Academy. He was the one who exchanged places with Yun Tiandao to enter the House of Epochs."

"It's a pity his homeland was destroyed. Otherwise, he would have had a chance to break through to the Origin Realm and live well."

Zhao Xing took a deep breath. "Alright, Ji Si. You can put those away now."

"Grand Minister of Agriculture, we..."

"Go ahead and cultivate your Biography Avatar. I will find a native world to serve as your Legacy World, and then... you will seal your memories and Biography Avatar within that Legacy World."

"Yes," Ji Si nodded.

Zhao Xing had provided a solution. Although she didn't know why, at least someone was finally taking charge.

"I'd like to be alone for a moment."

"I shall take my leave first," Ji Si said, standing up.

Only Zhao Xing remained in the private room.

A moment later, Zhao Xing drank a cup of wine.

"Xuanhuang Realm..." Zhao Xing murmured to himself.

Ji Si didn't know that the Xuanhuang Realm still existed.

He had only told Yun Tiandao and Ji Che about the Hidden Illusion Break.

The matter of retrieving Wang Tianzhi in three thousand years was known only to Ji Che and himself.

Zhao Xing had learned about Ji Si's experiences during his conversation with Green Elm.

After delivering the letter to Emperor Yuanding, she had fallen unconscious, then was placed in a treasure for recuperation. Finally, Green Elm had requested her and handed her over to Meng Wu.

This meant it was impossible for Ji Si to know what happened afterward. So, had she seen it in a dream?

What kind of dream could depict a scene where divine beings conversed?

And why would she suddenly dream of the Xuanhuang Realm?

Recalling Green Elm's warning, Zhao Xing couldn't help but sigh.

The Xuanhuang Realm likely had divine beings.

They might even have been involved in the resurrection of the Ancient Yuanhai Kingdom.

"Wang Tianzhi was originally scheduled to be picked up in three thousand years, and that time is almost here now."

"But how dare I go now? The Senluo Wasteland is probably still under investigation. My past, with all my memories preserved, is too conspicuous."

"Alas, I can only let Old Wang suffer... Seal!"

Zhao Xing faded the information about the Xuanhuang Realm and divine beings from his mind.

Thinking so much now was useless.

He was too weak; divine beings were surely focusing their attention on the Senluo Wasteland.

It was dangerous even to pick up Wang Tianzhi now, let alone explore any secrets.

After blurring these memories, Zhao Xing walked out of the private room, immediately putting on a cheerful expression.

"Come on, everyone, let's keep drinking!"

"Tonight, we drink until we drop!"

"Cheers!"

With the return of the legend, the royal capital of Fengdu Realm Star held celebratory banquets for a long time.

For several years, Zhao Xing did nothing but eat and drink with people he knew in his network.

His own memories hadn't changed, but others' memories had been altered, so he now had to adapt to the version of himself that existed in their minds.

"Zhao Xing, I apologize for only coming this year. Say no more, I'll punish myself with three jars of 'Spiritual Heaven Brew'." As soon as Jing Yan sat down, he deliberately moved to lift the large wine jar placed in the middle of the rockery.

"You wish! This 'Spiritual Heaven Brew' costs a million Red Star Coins per jar. If you drink it all by yourself, what will the captain and I drink?" Chen Xuan pulled Jing Yan away. "If there's a penalty, it's for you to watch us drink."

In terms of strength, Jing Yan was no match for Chen Xuan, a Martial Dao practitioner of great divine abilities. With a gentle pull, Chen Xuan pressed Jing Yan back into his seat.

"Hahaha, Captain, Brother Chen, Jing Yan, Tianqing, please, quickly take your seats," Zhao Xing said with a laugh, inviting the four to sit down.

Beside Chen Xuan was Bai Yang (Yang Baihe); both were members of Starfire.

Zhao Xing had originally invited Yue Nü as well, but she wasn't available, so only Bai Yang and Chen Xuan came.

With the destruction of the Ancient Yuanhai Kingdom, Zhao Xing estimated that Starfire must have suffered heavy losses, but he found that Chen Xuan, Bai Yang, and Yue Nü were all still alive.

Jing Yan and Yu Tianqing had arrived in the Red Star Empire earlier, so naturally, he wanted to meet them too.

Thus, he invited them all together.

The two Starfire members' memories of Zhao Xing had barely changed.

However, in their minds, Zhao Xing was a rogue cultivator, and the Starfire organization had been in the Phantom God Galaxy for seven thousand years, not in the Ancient Yuanhai Kingdom.

This also meant the part where Zhao Xing faked his death to Marquis Heyin using a communication channel no longer existed.

As for Jing Yan, his first encounter with Zhao Xing was still at Southern Luoyang No. 88, in front of that Ego-Self Sect tomb.

However, there were discrepancies regarding the identities of Zhao Xing and Lu Yuehan.

Zhao Xing was a rogue cultivator, while Lu Yuehan had become a descendant of a prominent family from the Ancient Yanmo Kingdom.

Similarly, everything related to the Ancient Yuanhai Kingdom was automatically replaced by the Ancient Yanmo Kingdom.

This included Du Yun, as Jing Yan knew him; the Purple God Manor still had two branches, the Purple Moon Manor and the Yellow Sand Manor, both belonging to the Ancient Yanmo Kingdom.

As for Yu Tianqing, his experiences also remained unchanged.

He still remembered his imprisonment, but it wasn't by the Ancient Yuanhai Kingdom, rather by a military prison in the Ancient Yanmo Kingdom.

Le Yao and Cen Qionghua were also alive, becoming rogue cultivators in the Ancient Yanmo Kingdom.

"It seems the Ancient Yanmo Kingdom truly won big this time. Any surviving citizens of the Ancient Yuanhai Kingdom, including great talents like Du Yun, became their people."

"Even Old Green's origins are rooted in the Ancient Yanmo Kingdom."

"Such memory alteration seems to be the least impactful, not changing the original life trajectory or karmic debts," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

Yu Tianqing still owed him a favor, and he still owed Jing Yan a favor.

Although Du Yun didn't come, Zhao Xing still had his contact information. Du Yun also remembered Zhao Xing asking him to open a tomb, but he didn't remember the Three Divine Fate Palaces resolving any trouble.

"In other words, only the world where the Ancient Yuanhai Kingdom suffered was achieved," Zhao Xing thought to himself. "Oh, and those dead Reincarnation Realm cultivators too."

From Zhao Xing's perspective, apart from a small number of Reincarnation Realm cultivators whose true spirits had died, the rest proactively reincarnated to escape, losing a lifetime's cultivation for nothing.

They wouldn't remember losing treasures or secret techniques... this lifetime was effectively erased.

"This means there are tens of thousands of Reincarnation Realm cultivators currently reincarnating in the Xuanling Starfield... I wonder how many monstrous talents will emerge."

Reincarnation Realm cultivators would naturally recover their cultivation quickly, some even regaining their power in less than a thousand years.

However, having a lifetime of cultivation inexplicably interrupted like this, without prior preparation, would surely lead to some complications.

"I wonder how Wang Zhiyong is doing," Zhao Xing mused.

He didn't know if Wang Zhiyong was still alive, nor did he check on the other nine Emperors.

The reason was simple: no need to seek trouble.

"Zhao Xing, now that you're in the Empire, what are your plans?" Bai Yang raised his wine cup from afar.

Zhao Xing's thoughts were pulled back to reality. "I want to enter the Primordial Realm, but entry channels seem extremely scarce."

"The Primordial Realm?" Bai Yang was slightly surprised. "Do you intend to follow the Ego-Self Sect?"

"Yes," Zhao Xing nodded.

The Primordial Realm was the agricultural minister's sacred land of the Red Star Empire, bar none.

In the Red Star Empire, there were also many top-tier agricultural minister forces belonging to the Heavenly Timing Sect and Earthly Advantage Sect.

However, what Zhao Xing sought in the Empire was the Way of the Ego-Self. If he were cultivating another path, such as the sacred land of the Earthly Advantage Sect, he would go to the Hill of Primordial Antiquity.

As for the sacred land of the Heavenly Timing Sect? The Xuanling Starfield had no universally acknowledged strongest Heavenly Timing sacred land; several top forces fought fiercely, vying for that top position.

The reason for this situation was that, legally speaking, the Ego-Self Sect had the Primordial Realm and the Hill of Primordial Antiquity, with cultivation methods like "Extreme Land."

However, the 'Extreme Star' and 'Dead Realm' in Heavenly Timing Sect theory had never been seen, nor were there corresponding supreme cultivation methods.

The Hill of Primordial Antiquity had methods like "Extreme Land," and it was acknowledged as the strongest.

The Primordial Realm, on the other hand, was acknowledged as the strongest sacred land for cultivating the Ego-Self Sect's inner world.

Zhao Xing had a plan for every stage of his journey. Since he had come to the Red Star Empire, he naturally wanted to do everything possible to enter the Primordial Realm, focusing primarily on the Ego-Self path and not wasting too much time or effort on other paths.

"It might be difficult for you to enter the Primordial Realm," Bai Yang mused. "Easier channels require waiting, and backdoor entry is even harder. The Primordial Realm is where the Empire cultivates its elites; even Reincarnation Realm cultivators struggle to get people in."

"It is difficult," Zhao Xing nodded, "but I still want to try."

"If you ask me, you should just become a martial artist," Chen Xuan said, taking a large bite of fish. "Zhao Xing, I have high hopes for you."

"Stop giving bad advice and eat," Bai Yang glanced at Chen Xuan.

"Alright!" Chen Xuan began to feast.

Yu Tianqing asked curiously, "Captain, how many ways are there to enter the Primordial Realm?"

Bai Yang held up a finger. "Three."

"Firstly, the 'Primordial Assembly'."

"The Primordial Realm opens once every three thousand years. At that time, assessments and selections will be held within it, not just for agricultural ministers, but for other professions as well."

"Across the Red Star Empire's millions of star systems and countless life planets, anyone who has reached the Origin Realm can sign up."

"They then undergo advanced studies there for approximately three thousand years."

"Currently, there are 125 years until the next Primordial Assembly."

"What about the second method?" Yu Tianqing asked.

"The second method is merit exchange," Bai Yang explained. "If you miss the assessment, you can still get in. For example, by earning merit fighting enemies at the borders shared by the Empire and the Demon Race, you can exchange it for a chance to enter."

"However, this channel is generally open to Dao Domain Realm cultivators in the military. It's very difficult for Origin Realm cultivators to accumulate such merit."

"The number of slots is also limited, and to exchange for one, you first have to join the military."

"Chen Xuan and I are members of Starfire, so we have enough merit, but it took us over five thousand years."

Zhao Xing was perfectly clear on this: the Primordial Realm's resources could only be enjoyed by a select few. Thus, there were only two principles for entry: either be a genius or a meritorious official.

"What's the third channel?" Yu Tianqing asked.

Bai Yang glanced at Jing Yan.

The latter wiped his mouth, revealing a dignified smile. "This brings us to the royal family."

"As a prince, I have the right to enter the Primordial Realm, and my grandfather also has nomination slots."

Yu Tianqing's eyes immediately conveyed envy.

But aside from him, everyone else didn't take it seriously.

"Your grandfather won't do; it has to be your great-grandfather," Chen Xuan scoffed. "There are over ten thousand princes. Your grandfather, King Beiye, might not even remember you, let alone your great-grandfather... Have you ever even met your great-grandfather?"

Zhao Xing didn't even ask; it was impossible for Jing Yan to sway his great-grandfather. Jing Yan was over four thousand years old and might not have even met his great-grandfather yet.

"Well, I should have seen him..." Jing Yan's spirits immediately deflated. "I just didn't see him very clearly."

"It seems Brother Zhao can only choose the first method," Yu Tianqing said with some regret. "125 years, that's still quite soon."

"What's the use of being fast?" Chen Xuan shook his head. "Whether you can pass is the real problem."

"Competition at the Primordial Assembly is too fierce; even the first round is difficult," Chen Xuan began to add. "Take the Northern River Galaxy, for example. Last time, only a little over ten thousand people made it to the first round."

"Among those ten thousand, I don't know how many were agricultural ministers, but it was very few."

"What about the Northern Wilderness Galaxy?" Zhao Xing asked.

"The Northern Wilderness Galaxy is slightly better, with seven to eight hundred thousand people passing the first round," Jing Yan said. "However, the Northern Wilderness Galaxy has a hundred times the population of the Northern River Galaxy, so the probability is actually quite similar."

"Some life planets don't even have a single person [who passed]."

"And the Primordial Realm doesn't accept anyone over ten thousand years old."

This meant that if an Imperial citizen wanted to enter the Primordial Realm through this channel, they would have at most three opportunities in their lifetime.

Zhao Xing was already a little over four thousand years old; by calculation, he wouldn't even have a second chance.

"I'll give it a try. If it doesn't work, I'll look for other options," Zhao Xing said.

If he were to make a wish to Old Green, using his last wish, he would certainly get in, but that would be too uneconomical.

Bai Yang had originally wanted to recruit Zhao Xing into Starfire. Seeing that Zhao Xing had made his decision, he said no more.

Waiting 125 years, and bringing it up again if Zhao Xing failed, wouldn't be too late.

The group quickly changed the subject:

"Jing Yan, when are you inheriting the throne?"

"Oh, I forgot, you're eighteenth thousand-something in line for succession. To inherit, you'd have to surpass over ten thousand older siblings first."

"Captain, do you think we'll live to see the day Jing Yan inherits?"

"Who knows how many lifetimes we'd have to wait."

"Hahahaha."

Chen Xuan and Yu Tianqing weren't very familiar with each other, and Zhao Xing didn't want to make fun of them, so he could only joke about Jing Yan.

By the end of the drinking session, Jing Yan had been teased no less than twenty times, leaving him quite dejected.

"Drat it, Zhao Xing! When I inherit the throne, I'll definitely slaughter these two scoundrels!" Jing Yan said fiercely.

"What?! You're going to chop off the captain and Brother Chen's heads after you inherit the throne?" Zhao Xing exclaimed.

Bai Yang and Chen Xuan immediately cast unfriendly gazes his way.

At this point, the five had already started a new activity—mind combat.

Hearing this, Chen Xuan immediately jumped off the field.

"You, you, you..." Jing Yan looked at Zhao Xing, filled with indignation. Before he could finish his sentence, Chen Xuan threw him onto the field to take a beating.

"Captain, please spare me... Ah!"

"Hahahaha," joyful laughter immediately erupted from outside the field.

Happy times are always short-lived. Soon, Zhao Xing immersed himself in cultivation, preparing for the Primordial Assembly.

"I have now mastered seven divine abilities."

"They are Soul Heaven Vision, Divine Fire Turtle Transformation, Elemental Cleansing, Purple Light Eight Epochs, Slaughter Thought Blade, Three Divine Fate Palaces, and Great Sun Scarecrow."

"The Primordial Assembly isn't about equipment, so it only evaluates personal cultivation."

"The Primordial Assembly has a total of four selection rounds. They cover spells, dojos, soul, and mental will."

"Its registration has multiple divisions, mainly divided into support-type and combat-type."

"I won't register for the support division; it'll only be more competitive," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

The Empire was quite safe and peaceful, so there were far more support-type agricultural ministers than combat-type ones.

He probably couldn't compete in that direction.

"For these 125 years of cultivation, I will primarily focus on Great Sun Scarecrow, Soul Heaven Vision, Three Divine Fate Palaces, Willpower Divine Abilities, and dojo cultivation."

Among combat-type divine abilities, Zhao Xing's Heavenly Timing and Earthly Advantage didn't have a single one for combat; even Purple Light Eight Epochs was a support-type ability.

In terms of foundation, Zhao Xing was certainly inferior to the geniuses from those prominent families.

However, Zhao Xing also possessed an unparalleled advantage.

"Before the Primordial Assembly screening begins, no one knows the assessment content."

"But I do!"

"I remember the first trial of this session is willpower-based, so the priority will be to cultivate the Slaughter Thought Blade divine ability," Zhao Xing recalled.

"To be fully prepared, I need to train in one more defensive willpower divine ability."

Slaughter Thought Blade was an offensive type among willpower divine abilities.

Having an additional defensive divine ability is never a bad thing.

"I still have two to three billion Red Star Coins, which is more than enough to buy a mental defense divine ability."

Zhao Xing immediately began selecting and soon locked onto a defensive mental divine ability.

"This is it: 'Bell of Mind' sold by Myriad Heart Island. It has multiple development directions later, allowing for the cultivation of great divine abilities."

Myriad Heart Island was a famous power in the Red Star Empire, renowned for producing mental illusionists, soul controllers, and other professions.

"There's a branch in the Northern River Galaxy. Inviting a Dao Domain Realm scholar from Myriad Heart Island costs a minimum of 100 million Red Star Coins. After their teaching, one directly achieves the first to third rank of divine abilities."

"Spending 1 billion, one reaches the fourth to sixth rank after their teaching."

"Spending 10 billion, one reaches the seventh to ninth rank after their teaching."

"Guaranteed teaching and mastery, saving time and effort, as long as you have money."

"Mental-type divine abilities are truly expensive. Other divine abilities can be as cheap as tens of millions of Red Star Coins."

Zhao Xing chose the 1 billion service, placing an order through the Star Mirror. Soon, a Myriad Heart Island staff member appeared in the Star Mirror.

"Please provide the location for the teaching, Fellow Daoist. Within the Northern River Galaxy, Myriad Heart Island will arrange a suitable scholar to come teach within ten years."

"If it's outside the Northern River Galaxy, it will take longer, depending on the distance."

"Northern River Galaxy, Wuye Constellation, Fengdu Realm Star, Zhao Royal City."

"Please confirm again."

After repeated confirmation, the Myriad Heart Island staff member replied, "We have confirmed Scholar Xia Wenyuan for your teaching. He is estimated to arrive in nine years and eight months."

Zhao Xing nodded and put away the Star Mirror.

In reality, Myriad Heart Island had branches on the top realm stars of the Northern River Galaxy, so traveling would only take a few months at most.

However, the teaching scholar also needed to prepare and wait in line, so it would ultimately take over nine years to reach Fengdu Realm Star.

"I can't be idle for nine years. I'll practice Slaughter Thought Blade first," Zhao Xing mused.

With a thought, he appeared in the Great Zhou Agricultural Ministry.

"Greetings, Grand Minister of Agriculture," Meng Kun immediately stood up.

Because Ji Che had previously promised that Wang Tianzhi would be Zhao Xing's successor as Grand Minister of Agriculture.

So currently, Zhao Xing was still the Grand Minister of Agriculture in name, but the actual affairs were managed by several agricultural secretaries.

"Minister Meng, no need for formalities," Zhao Xing cupped his hands. "I came to ask if Great Zhou is currently raising any fierce beasts?"

"We raise quite a few for food ingredients, but as for fierce beasts, there are only three types: Phantom Void Snakes, Silver-backed Spined Dragons, and Maga Behemoths."

"How many of the Third Realm do you have?" Zhao Xing asked.

"Not many, only a few hundred," Meng Kun replied. "Accelerating these fierce beasts to maturity requires high costs. This business has only existed in Great Zhou for the past five hundred years, and we dare not be too aggressive."

Great Zhou was now thriving, but its foundation was still not as strong as the former Great Ye Dynasty.

Ji Che had always wanted to develop aggressively, but his important ministers preferred a more stable approach.

Therefore, even though the national treasury still held tens of billions of Red Star Coins, they were quite cautious in launching many ventures.

"Only a few hundred..." Zhao Xing thought for a moment. "Never mind... who arranged this business?"

The three types Great Zhou raised all had their life structures locked, meaning ordinary people were not qualified to raise them.

"Lord Jing Yan facilitated this. The seller is 'Tianhe Ranch' under the 'Greenfield Merchant Guild'."

"I see."

"Why do you want to buy so many giant beasts?" Jing Yan asked, a little confused.

"To practice divine abilities," Zhao Xing said.

"What kind of divine ability?"

"Willpower divine ability."

"Oh, I understand," Jing Yan said. "I'll ask the Greenfield Merchant Guild."

"Alright."

Zhao Xing was certain that the Greenfield Merchant Guild had this service.

The Red Star Empire and many ancient kingdoms were relatively safe, prohibiting internal conflicts among their people.

But cultivators needed combat experience. If they couldn't kill people, what could they practice on?

Dojos were one way, but they couldn't satisfy everyone, and one couldn't kill people in them.

Thus, some organizations specialized in raising demon beasts to provide cultivators with combat experience.

The Greenfield Merchant Guild even categorized them into many levels: fierce beasts, fighting beasts, intelligent types, magic types, physical types...

The highest-level fighting beasts were usually sent to void beast arenas for events. In large void beast arenas, Dao Domain Realm level beasts were quite common.

Long ago, there were even Reincarnation Realm beasts, though those were quite rare.

"I asked; take a look." A moment later, Jing Yan sent over a list.

"Purple Flame Burning Heart Bat, Azure Wood Spirit Vine Serpent, Thousand-Eyed Star Spider, Star Mirage Heavenly Phantom Fox, Ice Ripple Illusion Beast, Shadow Bloodworm, Eight-Horned Demonic Turtle..."

Since Zhao Xing wanted to cultivate willpower divine abilities, Jing Yan asked for fierce beasts with illusion-type talents.

"My willpower divine ability is now at the seventh rank. To further advance it, I can only kill these corresponding void fierce beasts."

Zhao Xing looked at the descriptions of each fierce beast.

The Greenfield Merchant Guild truly lived up to its professional reputation. Every fierce beast was labeled with its type, divine ability rank, habits, training duration, battle count, combat power, and so on.

"I'll purchase a small quantity of each to see which ones have the best training effect, then buy in bulk."

Zhao Xing bought over a hundred varieties in one go, all Third Realm demon beasts, each possessing at least a fourth-rank illusion-type divine ability talent.

Buying 3 of each, he ordered over three hundred Third Realm fierce beasts at once.

"Order successful, paid 300 million Red Star Coins. The price is quite fair," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

The purchasing power of Red Star Coins was quite strong.

Using humans as a reference, the Ancient Yuanhai Kingdom's compensation for First Realm cultivators was only four hundred, six hundred, eight hundred, or ten million.

Converted to Red Star Coins, the lowest for a First Realm cultivator was merely over eleven thousand Red Star Coins!

The compensation for Third Realm cultivators, converted to Red Star Coins, was just over a million.

What the Greenfield Merchant Guild sold were considered high-quality goods, with each starting at two million. For large breeding bases like the Greenfield Merchant Guild, cost control would be optimized to the extreme, so they still made a profit.

Of course, there was still a difference between humans and fierce beasts.

Many void fierce beasts were innately powerful; as long as they were provided with a spiritual energy environment and low-quality food, they could grow. Human cultivators found it much harder to reach the Third Realm.

It was precisely because of such innate advantages of the Demon Race that the Demon Race in the Xuanling Starfield could occupy half the territory.

"My personal account and the Great Zhou's national treasury combined have a cash flow of ten billion Red Star Coins. As long as I can raise my willpower divine ability to the ninth rank within five billion Red Star Coins, it will be a huge profit."

The scholar Zhuo En, who had once imparted divine abilities to him, was dead. This divine ability was now out of print, meaning he couldn't invite another scholar to further enhance it.

How could other scholars impart something they didn't know themselves?

Of course, if the cost exceeded 10 billion, it wouldn't be worth it.

10 billion could easily be used to invite a scholar to directly impart a new willpower divine ability, at least of seventh-rank level.

One year later, 124 years remained until the Primordial Assembly.

Over three hundred mental-type Third Realm fierce beasts appeared on Fengdu Realm Star.

"Fellow Daoist Zhao, here are the fighting beasts you ordered. 275 are four-star, and 38 are five-star."

"These 38 five-star beasts are a complimentary gift for you to experience." The person responsible for escorting them from the Greenfield Merchant Guild was merely at the Nascent Realm.

After all, transportation was just manual labor; knowing how to pilot a realm boat was enough. There was no technical skill involved. Once the goods arrived, they just had to recite the information to the client.

"Next, I will introduce these varieties to you, Fellow Daoist..."

"No need," Zhao Xing interrupted. "You can just leave the goods here, Fellow Daoist."

"Alright." The Nascent Realm escort wisely kept quiet.

Zhao Xing inspected the goods, then had someone pilot the realm boat to an Grotto-Heaven World for unloading.

He then signed to receive them and dismissed the Greenfield Merchant Guild personnel.

Fengdu Realm Star replicated many features of the Xuanhuang Realm, such as Grotto-Heaven Worlds.

Zhao Xing had now arrived at the 'Wind River Grotto-Heaven,' whose entrance was located in his Zhao Royal Manor.

Upon entering the Wind River Grotto-Heaven, over three hundred giant beasts lay silently on the grassland, like massive mountains.

Each giant beast had a 'Primordial Law Sealing Talisman' on its body.

Zhao Xing only needed to tear off the magical talisman to awaken them.

"I'll start with this bat monster."

Zhao Xing flew to the Purple Flame Burning Heart Bat.

The Purple Flame Burning Heart Bat resembled a bat, surrounded by mysterious purple flames that danced and flickered as if alive.

At this moment, however, the purple flames were dim.

Its body was quite small, only a thousand zhang long; among void fierce beasts, a thousand zhang could be considered a small fierce beast.

The Purple Flame Burning Heart Bat had pointed ears, a wide mouth with sharp teeth, and curved, powerful claws.

When Zhao Xing tore open the talisman, it immediately opened its eyes.

"Buzz." Its eyes were blood-red, emitting a fiery glow, as if a sun was burning in its pupils.

The moment the Purple Flame Burning Heart Bat saw Zhao Xing, it immediately attacked.

"Human, despicable human!"

Its ferocious eyes blazed with boundless rage, and a terrifying will surged towards Zhao Xing.

"It really has something to it, worthy of Greenfield Merchant Guild's training," Zhao Xing thought, not backing down a step.

Mental-type giant beasts typically had fragile physical bodies and no other means.

He wasn't afraid of close-quarters attacks at all; was the sixth-rank Great Sun Avatar merely for show? A few casual slaps could kill these mental-type fierce beasts.

"Die, die, die, die!!!"

The Purple Flame Burning Heart Bat attacked frantically because the magical talisman Zhao Xing held, once torn, would stimulate it to fight.

Many demon beasts were intelligent and would rather die than be training partners, a point the Greenfield Merchant Guild naturally considered.

"Slaughter Thought Blade!"

Zhao Xing controlled his strength, beginning to resist the Purple Flame Burning Heart Bat's attacks.

Two days later.

*Thump!*

The Purple Flame Burning Heart Bat was killed by Zhao Xing.

"Next."

Each species had three specimens. Zhao Xing spent an average of about ten days testing each species.

Azure Wood Spirit Vine Serpent, Thousand-Eyed Star Spider, Star Mirage Heavenly Phantom Fox, Ice Ripple Illusion Beast, Shadow Bloodworm, Eight-Horned Demonic Turtle...

Testing each species, it took two and a half years to go through all of them.

121 years remained until the Primordial Assembly.

Within the Wind River Grotto-Heaven, Zhao Xing killed the last fierce beast.

"The test results are in."

"Out of