None of the onlookers could comprehend how much beast cores accelerated Tang Yan's cultivation. In their eyes, he was nothing but a fool with more wealth than sense.

Though Tang Yan was eager to trade, his supply of High Spirit Pills was running low. He smiled and cupped his hands to the crowd, saying, "My pills are running short, so I must prioritize fourth-rank beast cores for now. Anyone holding a fourth-rank beast core can exchange it for two of my High Spirit Pills."

Those who possessed fourth-rank beast cores stepped forward, completely thrilled to make the trade.

Over the past ten days or so, almost everyone had encountered a fourth-rank Spirit Beast at some point.

Even within the white-clothed woman's team, two cultivators looked sorely tempted. Had they not been on hostile terms with Tang Yan, they likely would have rushed forward to trade already.

Once Tang Yan finished a full round of trading with the gathered crowd, his stock of High Spirit Pills was nearly depleted.

Since these pills were vital lifesavers in the selection zone, he chose to halt the trade. Cupping his hands apologetically, he said, "Everyone, I am entirely out of pills."

"Brother, will you be trading again later?" several people asked, unwilling to give up.

"These pills were brought in from the outside world. I doubt I will exchange any more during the selection period. Let us cooperate again in the future if the opportunity arises," Tang Yan replied with a gentle smile.

At his words, a collective look of regret washed over the crowd.

---

Compared to the month-long duration of the selection, a fortnight was neither too long nor too short.

It was precisely enough time for the truly exceptional talents to distinguish themselves.

In the Eastern Region, outstanding teams were too numerous to count.

Yet, a particularly fierce four-person squad was gradually rising to prominence within their circle.

Their cultivation was not remarkably outstanding-consisting of three Black Rank fifth-grade cultivators and one Black Rank fourth-grade cultivator.

Among the tens of thousands of participants, countless individuals possessed identical cultivation realms.

However, despite their modest cultivation, their offensive power was devastatingly fierce.

Wherever they passed, no Spirit Beast could escape without yielding its beast core.

No one understood why they fought with such desperate ferocity. None, of course, except the four themselves.

They were none other than Fang Xuan, Wan Fei, Du Shu, and Lin Dongxue from the Eastern Region.

Lin Dongxue cultivated so desperately for the sole purpose of proving to Tang Yan that she could grow strong.

This refined daughter of a City Lord, seemingly a delicate lady of high society, had suddenly found her heart entirely occupied by a single man. Every word he spoke was etched deep into her mind.

"Tang Yan, you want to see a powerful Lin Dongxue? Then I shall show you."

Within the grand path of the sword, there existed a sublime realm: "Only when one reaches the extreme of emotion can one reach the extreme of the sword." Driven by a single, unyielding obsession and aided by her exceptional natural talent, Lin Dongxue had inadvertently touched the threshold of the Sword Dao of Emotion. Her rate of improvement was nothing short of terrifying.

Wan Fei was likewise striving to advance. Back on Cangyun Mountain, Tang Yan had rescued her from the brink of despair, and that towering silhouette had quietly left an impression upon her heart.

Though her feelings were far less stubborn than Lin Dongxue's, women were, by nature, possessive creatures. When it came to the one they admired, they naturally loathed the thought of being outdone by another.

Thus, to some extent, Wan Fei wanted to prove she was superior to Lin Dongxue. Spurred by Lin Dongxue's relentless pace, Wan Fei threw herself into a state of frantic, competitive cultivation.

As for Fang Xuan and Du Shu, their madness stemmed entirely from a young man's pride. Seeing both girls pushing themselves so fiercely, they naturally refused to be left behind, straining their limits to cultivate.

Furthermore, they possessed an additional incentive: Tang Yan had previously promised that they could exchange beast cores for his High Spirit Pills.

They had already experienced the profound benefits of the High Spirit Pills. Given that these pills could be taken repeatedly without losing efficacy, their value was immense.

Lured by such tremendous benefits, the two men fought with extraordinary valor.

In their clashes with Spirit Beasts, they strove to end the battles in the shortest time possible to harvest a greater number of beast cores.

Of course, the squad's fame did not arise solely from hunting Spirit Beasts.

Ever since Tang Yan taught them how to reap extra spoils, they had unlocked a hidden side of themselves. While they never actively robbed others, whenever arrogant challengers provoked them, the inner troublemakers buried deep within their souls would be fully unleashed.

They would first deploy their full strength to crush the opponents, then blatantly plunder every single material on their bodies.

They did not stop at stealing Star Values.

Beast cores, cultivation techniques, weapons, medicinal pills, and even gold and silver-everything would be stripped utterly clean.

Their methods were shameless, and their conduct was downright deplorable.

As the saying goes, good deeds rarely cross the threshold, but scandalous acts travel a thousand li. The infamous reputation of the four gradually began to spread.

Tang Yan could never have anticipated that after he merely set a single precedent for seizing battle spoils, this "fine virtue" would be so rigorously upheld and thoroughly magnified by the four.

---

Meanwhile, within a high pavilion's meeting hall at the Azure Dragon Academy, the senior executives of the academy had gathered once more.

Seeing that most of the attendees had arrived, Dean Xiao Cangshan smiled and said, "The new student selection has been underway for two weeks. Today, let us examine the achievements of the candidates you all recommended."

With a wave of his sleeve, a smooth wall in the hall suddenly rippled with spiritual light, dissolving into a clear display of the students' Star Value rankings.

"The Second Elder recommended Jing Wuhen of Yan City. Oh? His performance is quite remarkable!" Upon checking the data, Xiao Cangshan let out a soft exclamation of surprise. "He ranks first across all four zones, having already amassed 945 Star Values! Over the centuries, the highest record ever achieved in the selection was 3,627 Star Values.

"Only two weeks have passed, and the competition will only grow fiercer in the later stages. This child possesses the potential to shatter the ancient record!"

The gathered elders nodded in agreement. Though a score of nine hundred was achieved in the opening phase, everyone knew that the fluctuations in Star Values during the final ten days would be violent.

It was entirely possible for a cultivator holding a single Star Value to successfully ambush a master with a thousand points on the final day, soaring to the top in an instant.

"The Fifth Elder recommended Lang Qingyun of Water Elegance City. He ranks second in the four zones with 907 points, which is also highly impressive." Xiao Cangshan smiled, his gaze shifting further down the list.

"The Seventh Elder recommended Xue Xiao of Snow City. A Pure Spirit Constitution is truly extraordinary; with 828 Star Values, he temporarily holds third place. Not bad at all."

"Bai Yu of Hetian City has 760 Star Values, which is acceptable..."

"Oh? Who is this Yu Juechen? He has actually obtained 430 points. Why have I never heard of this individual?" Browsing through the rankings, Xiao Cangshan suddenly paused in surprise.

"I am uncertain of his origins as well. I merely saw that his strength was decent at the time, so I admitted him," the Seventh Elder remarked, his eyes brightening. "To think he would turn out to be such an excellent seedling!"

"We shall pay closer attention to him in the future." After instructing someone to note the name, Xiao Cangshan continued reviewing the talents recommended by the various elders.

As the minutes ticked by, a collective look of amusement flashed across the faces of the elders. Their gazes converged simultaneously upon Mo Bin.

They wondered if the few youths Mo Bin had praised so highly would manage to save some face for him today.

Sensing the crowd's desire to see him discomfited, Mo Bin offered a wry smile and said, "Dean, let us look at the rankings of the youths from the Eastern Region."

"Wan Fei, 162 Star Values!"

"Lin Dongxue, 160 Star Values!"

Upon seeing the scores of the two girls, a look of astonishment surfaced on the faces of the senior elders present.

"Junior Brother Mo, are you absolutely certain Wan Fei's cultivation is merely at the fourth grade of the Black Rank, and Lin Dongxue is only at the third grade?" the Second Elder asked impetuously, unable to contain his curiosity.

"Naturally. Why would I deceive you over such a trivial matter?" A smile finally emerged on Mo Bin's face.

"Fang Xuan has 160 Star Values!"

"Du Shu has 159 Star Values. Quite decent as well."

"The selection process is not yet halfway through, so achieving a passing score at this stage is already considered excellent.

"Though their individual cultivation realms are modest, their ability to secure such decent points indicates exceptional team coordination and superior combat experience," Xiao Cangshan evaluated with a nod. "We shall observe them further. If they can sustain this momentum, they can be classified as core talents."

Following this, a look of profound anticipation flashed in Xiao Cangshan's eyes. "Now, let us see exactly how many Star Values Tang Yan-whom Elder Mo values above all others-has accumulated."