Upon hearing Elder Dongfang's words, the thirty-nine young cultivators each took their leave of Elder Dongfang and departed from the airship.
The young men who had succeeded in the assessment and become formal students were all extremely excited, eager to return home and share the good news.
"Master, I'll head home first," Xiao Hui said to Elder Dongfang, giving him a formal bow.
"Mm, go on then. Spend these two months having a good reunion with your family," Elder Dongfang said with a kindly smile. He was immensely satisfied with this disciple of his. Possessing a True Phoenix Constitution was extremely rare; once her True Phoenix bloodline was truly activated, her future achievements would be limitless.
"Ye Yunfei, we're off now. See you again in two months," Xiao Hui walked over and said to Ye Yunfei, showing a trace of reluctance.
"Brother Ye, until we meet again," Yuan Dayong followed her over. Then, the siblings left the airship.
"Boss, I'll head back first to tell my grandfather the good news. The old man is bound to be over the moon with joy," Wu Heishan said goodbye to Ye Yunfei before hurriedly departing.
"Ye Yunfei, wait a moment," Elder Dongfang suddenly called out to him just as Ye Yunfei was about to step off the airship.
"Oh? Senior? " Ye Yunfei stopped.
"I need a batch of Ancient Demon Crystals, the more the better. I'd like all the Ancient Demon Crystals you have on you. Don't worry, I'm not trying to rob you. I can exchange them for treasures I have on me," Elder Dongfang said. With a wave of his hand, a large number of treasures materialized inside the airship. There were medicinal pills, magical artifacts, spirit stones, jade slips of cultivation techniques, and all sorts of other rare and precious heavenly materials.
"Senior, actually, if you want Ancient Demon Crystals, you could enter the Ancient Battlefield's core region yourself to get them. I believe with your strength, it shouldn't be a problem," Ye Yunfei pondered for a moment before asking.
"I cannot enter the core area of that Ancient Battlefield. A top expert of the Ancient Demon Race fell there in the past. With my current strength, if I force my way into that region, I will inevitably disturb that Ancient Demon Race expert's remnant soul. Then, a terrible battle would ensue, and I definitely wouldn't be able to win. Only you junior cultivators with your low cultivation can go in without startling that Ancient Demon expert."
"So that's how it is," Ye Yunfei said, now understanding. It seemed the core region of that Ancient Battlefield held many secrets, but with his current power, he was temporarily unable to explore them further.
"Do you want this many Ancient Demon Crystals to refine the Triple-Fire Treasure Demon Pill?" Ye Yunfei suddenly asked.
"Ye Yunfei, you know about the Triple-Fire Treasure Demon Pill?!" Elder Dongfang was somewhat startled.
"Mm. I didn't think someone on this continent could refine the Triple-Fire Treasure Demon Pill. However, him needing this many Ancient Demon Crystals indicates a lack of confidence. He must be attempting to refine it, but whether he can succeed is hard to say," Ye Yunfei remarked, unable to suppress his comment. The Triple-Fire Treasure Demon Pill was a High-Grade Treasure Pill. Above Spirit Pills were Treasure Pills. Spirit Pills were divided into nine grades, while Treasure Pills were categorized into four ranks: Low-Grade, Mid-Grade, High-Grade, and Top-Grade.
"Ye Yunfei, how do you know this?!" Hearing Ye Yunfei's words, Elder Dongfang almost jumped. Because everything Ye Yunfei had said was factually accurate, hitting the mark perfectly!
"Ye Yunfei, you..." The three Venerable Ones standing nearby also looked at Ye Yunfei with profound astonishment.
"Senior, these Ancient Demon Crystals can be a gift from me. " Ye Yunfei waved his hand, withdrawing ten thousand Ancient Demon Crystals from his spatial ring and suspending them in the air before him.
"So many Ancient Demon Crystals!" Elder Dongfang and the three Venerable Ones stared at the dense cluster of Ancient Demon Crystals floating before Ye Yunfei, unable to hide their awe. For the other young cultivators, collecting even a hundred crystals had been extremely difficult. No one imagined Ye Yunfei had managed to gather upwards of ten thousand.
"Monster," the three Venerable Ones couldn't help but exchange bitter smiles.
Elder Dongfang's gaze toward Ye Yunfei was filled with increasing appreciation.
"However, I have one request," Ye Yunfei continued.
"Oh? What is your request? Let's hear it," Elder Dongfang was taken aback.
"Continue guaranteeing the safety of my Ye Family clansmen and the Tianyuan Sect under Hudao Academy's name," Ye Yunfei stated.
"Alright, I agree. Hudao Academy has always had a tradition of protecting the families of its students," Elder Dongfang answered.
"Ye Yunfei, rest assured, I will ensure the safety of your Ye Family and Tianyuan Sect in Hudao Academy's name," one of the Venerable Ones beside them said.
"Thank you," Ye Yunfei nodded.
"Then I'll take my leave first. " After finishing his discussion, Ye Yunfei stepped off the airship and vanished in an instant.
"Elder Dongfang, what do you think of Ye Yunfei? We didn't choose the wrong person, did we?" After Ye Yunfei departed, one Venerable One looked at Elder Dongfang and asked.
"That young man... is too mysterious. I simply cannot see through him. No matter what, though, it seems Hudao Academy might have recruited a truly formidable prodigy this time," Elder Dongfang gazed in the direction Ye Yunfei had left and couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
"Haha, if even Elder Dongfang praises him as a prodigy, it seems we truly haven't misjudged our candidate, " the Venerable One laughed heartily.
After leaving the airship, Ye Yunfei took out a flying boat, boarded it, and set a course back toward the Great Qin Empire.
Soon after, the results of Hudao Academy's admission assessment spread throughout the entire Eastern Region.
The thirty-nine youths who had successfully passed immediately became the focal point of the Eastern Region, the center of all attention.
Almost half of these thirty-nine were from major sects or clans of the Eastern Region. The other half were from second or third-rate factions, and a few even came from very humble origins. Yet, this time, they had made a meteoric rise and passed brilliantly.
Upon returning to their homes or sects, all these successful youths received grand, heroic welcomes. Once enrolled in Hudao Academy, their status and position underwent earth-shattering changes.
"Haha, who would have thought! Our Yuan Clan actually has two descendants who managed to become students of Hudao Academy! This is the ultimate blessing from our ancestors! Xiao Hui, Dayong, you've done very well. Our Yuan Family is proud of you!" A tall elder with hair white past his shoulders and a ruddy complexion laughed joyously.
"Heishan! Who would have thought you, this little rascal, would finally make something of yourself! This time, you've brought great honor to your grandpa!" In another part of the Eastern Region, a yellow-robed elder affectionately tousled Wu Heishan's head, his two small mustache strands trembling with emotion.
"Heh heh... Grandfather, this is just the beginning. Just wait and see. In the future, I'm definitely going to marry all the beauties from those major sects and clans in the Eastern Region. I'll bring even more glory to you, " Wu Heishan said smugly.
*Slap!*
The yellow-robed elder immediately gave Wu Heishan a sharp flick on the back of his head.
"You little rascal! You're a formal student of Hudao Academy now. Can't you be a bit more respectable? Stop obsessing over marrying pretty girls all the time! Have you ever seen any hero or champion who spends all his time lost in thoughts of love and desire? " the yellow-robed elder scolded.