News that Fang Yang was about to take command of the Leran Grassland and govern the region quickly reached the Five Races Army.

Or rather, the four Pavilion Elders—Flower, Bird, Fish, and Insect—never intended to keep this information secret for Fang Yang’s sake.

After all, their main goal was for Fang Yang to draw Shengkai’s attention, forcing Shengkai to shift his focus and deal with him exclusively.

It would be for the best if the two of them were locked in a stalemate on the Leran Grassland, neither making a move.

After all, both had exceptionally special statuses. The fall of either one would cause a major uproar.

In a way, thanks to Sen Hui, Fang Yang was now filling the role Sen Wei had once held within the army.

He would have to confront and battle other prodigies, participating in the champion’s duels unique to this land.

’If Fang Yang is coming to the Leran Grassland, does that mean I’ll have to step aside and hand my position over to Shengkai?’ Liu Manlou’s brow furrowed.

Liu Manlou was also a young prodigy from the same generation as Fang Yang and Shengkai, blessed with outstanding talent.

However, his situation was different from Fang Yang’s, who had automatically filled the top spot after Sen Wei’s departure.

Shengkai, confident in his own strength and fortune, had rejected his Saint ancestor’s proposal, choosing to remain on the battlefield to temper himself.

And given Shengkai’s talent, abilities, and family background, Liu Manlou was unquestionably outmatched.

If Shengkai was the leader, then Liu Manlou was, at best, his second!

The command tent.

The atmosphere was oppressive.

Liu Manlou and his Guardian were both incredibly resentful.

The benefits of commanding a region were undeniable.

Moreover, the Leran Grassland was an extremely fertile land, capable of supporting over a dozen tribes.

Once conquered, the benefits it held were unimaginable!

It wouldn’t even be an issue to use its resources to forge a new Silver Tribe from scratch.

WHOOSH...

In the air, a great wind howled and roared, and Fierce Flames rose, twisting together.

The wind fanned the flames, and the fire intensified the wind.

A thick, potent wave of heat instantly filled the air.

A figure in a white robe, graceful and composed, slowly strode out from the waves of wind and the Sea of Fire.

Those in the tent heard him declaim a poem:

"I sit alone in a Sea of Fire as a sparrow at rest,

And in the eye of the hurricane, I take my ease."

"When autumn comes, if I am not the first to spread my wings,

What other bird would dare to soar?"

He had the look of a military commander—a sharp gaze, a suit of battle armor, a face as flawless as jade, and eyes that held the stars. He was the very picture of high-spirited ambition!

Seeing him, the entire tent fell silent.

Muri Shengkai!

The living Vermilion Bird!

The young Great Saint!

...

Each of these extraordinary titles was enough to silence everyone present.

And with such a stunning entrance, Shengkai immediately intimidated Liu Manlou and his men.

It filled them with envy, jealousy, and hatred for Shengkai, yet they had no choice but to submit to him.

’’Ode to the Frog’, so highly esteemed by the Bliss Demon Venerable... I’ve modified it slightly and named it ’Praise Sparrow’.’

’Even though it’s nowhere near as good as the original, it still captures a tiny sliver of its true meaning—more than enough to cow this bunch of ignorant fools.’

Shengkai’s expression was calm, but inwardly, he was bursting with pride.

He had waited for this day for a very, very long time.

And he had to admit, seeing the stunned and bewildered looks on everyone’s faces filled him with a deep sense of pleasure. It felt amazing.

When Liu Manlou, resentful yet helpless, was forced to hand over the Official Seal, the thrill shot straight to the crown of Shengkai’s head. He almost lost control, on the verge of letting out a moan of pure satisfaction.

「A short while later.」

Only Shengkai and his Guardian were left in the command tent.

Shengkai sat on the main seat, holding the Official Seal.

In that moment, his thoughts turned to Fang Yang, then to Sen Hui, and then to Sen Wei.

In his youth, he had chanced upon the legacy of a Venerable.

The legacy of the Bliss Demon Venerable!

The Bliss Demon Venerable was the foremost of the three venerables of the Desolate Ancient Era, and the seventh Venerable of this world.

It is unknown which path He took to achieve His venerable status, but it is known that He was proficient in the Dao of Fortune, the Yin Yang Dao, the Desire Dao, and the Blood Dao.

He originally belonged to the orthodox faction, and His life was one of endless blessings and continuous good fortune.

But after becoming a Venerable, He became obsessed with the great Desire Dao. He philandered endlessly, indulging His every whim with no one to restrain Him. He even established a Grotto Heaven called the [Ten Thousand Flowers Palace] to cater to his pleasures.

Of course, people today refer to the [Ten Thousand Flowers Palace] as the "Desire Sect."

The Bliss Demon Venerable’s wanton and unrestrained pursuit of pleasure provoked public outrage.

Therefore, after He vanished from the world, the major venerable lineages rose up in rebellion.

They destroyed the [Ten Thousand Flowers Palace] in one fell swoop and branded cultivators of the Desire Dao and the Blood Dao as the most demonic of the Demon Dao.

They were to be killed on sight.

Furthermore, a secret rumor circulated:

—The Bliss Demon Venerable’s nature had changed so drastically because He was, in essence, a demon from beyond the heavens!

’My ancestor wants me to marry Sen Wei... Heh, but I hear Sen Hui is also a peerless beauty. A pair of devastatingly beautiful sisters...’ Shengkai’s eyes burned with desire.

Having obtained a true inheritance from the Bliss Demon Venerable, Shengkai didn’t just want to add Sen Wei to his harem—he wanted Sen Hui as well!

If everything went smoothly, he would transform into the Vermilion Bird Sacred Body in a single stroke, subtly seizing all the destiny and fortune from both Sen Wei and Sen Hui!

’Of course, the most important thing is to focus on the present.’

What he needed to do now was crush Fang Yang!

「Not long after.」

Muri Shengkai summoned his trusted subordinates and announced his command:

—He would lead an elite force to lie in ambush on Wan Chong Ridge. He was preparing to throw "martial virtue" to the wind, launch a surprise attack on Fang Yang, and show him who’s in charge!

The order was completely insane.

To sneak into Wan Chong Ridge was to venture deep into the encirclement of the Sen Yue army.

But with Shengkai leading them, the commanders felt that it might actually succeed!

"Move out. We lie in wait on Wan Chong Ridge."

While his second-in-command, Liu Manlou, was still unaware, Commander Shengkai took several elite soldiers and quietly departed for Wan Chong Ridge. Speed is paramount in war.

...

The passing of spring goes unnoticed in the endless rain; a single clear day reveals the depths of summer.

Before they knew it, summer was nearly half over.

The cicadas in the mountain forests began their song once more.

Small fish darted cheerfully through the river.

In the early morning, a thick fog hung in the air.

On a narrow mountain path, Fang Yang and his group rode swiftly on horseback.

If the Sen Yue army held the advantage in the Wan Chong Ridge region, then the Yellow Earth Mountain Range was where the Five Races Army held sway.

Therefore, as they traveled through this area, Fang Yang’s party was exceedingly careful, proceeding with the utmost caution.

Along the way, they had dodged countless scouts.

They avoided spies from both the alliance forces and the Sen Yue army.

After all, sometimes an incompetent ally is more dangerous than a godlike enemy!

However, sometimes evasion was impossible, and they could only choose the better of two bad options.

In a small valley.

Second Uncle Fang gave a meaningful look to Seventh Uncle Fang.

Instantly, one circled around to the front while the other covered the rear.

They were going to annihilate the enemy scouts lurking in the valley so they could continue on their way.

"Ah Yang, go get your hands dirty. We’ll back you up. Make it quick," Second Uncle Fang said in a low voice, never missing an opportunity to train Fang Yang.

Since these were all Tier Two cultivators, Second Uncle Fang was confident that Fang Yang could handle them.

"Yes," Fang Yang replied softly, his hand already tightening around his crimson war spear.

At the same time, the Electric Serpent and the White Feathered Eagle emerged from his beast pouch.

They took up positions on his left and right, moving in step with him.

The auras of the three began to link together, and brilliant flashes of lightning and Fierce Flame erupted.

RUSTLE—

The moment Fang Yang’s killing intent flared, five black shadows shot out from the woods, appearing before him in an instant.

When the five shadows sensed the aura emanating from Second Uncle Fang, their expressions changed drastically.

’A Tier Five Great Cultivator?!’

They immediately understood. Fang Yang was one of those young prodigies.

Until a prodigy’s cultivation reached the Tier Three Elementary realm, their Guardians would always remain by their side.

Only upon reaching Tier Three Elementary were young prodigies considered to have some ability to protect themselves.

’We’re in trouble now,’ the five of them thought, cursing their luck.

And when they saw Fang Yang, their pupils contracted.

"Fang Yang!"

They clearly recognized Fang Yang, as well as his Electric Serpent and White Feathered Eagle.

At that instant, three of them lunged forward in a frenzy, while the other two scrambled to flee in different directions.

In response, the man, the eagle, and the serpent charged through the valley.

A few breaths later, the three spies had been reduced to a bloody mist. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

From the rear, Seventh Uncle Fang strode over, holding a Pink Jade Scroll.

"My lord, your strength has grown again. How incredible," Lu Yao whispered in Fang Yang’s ear, her breath like an orchid.

Fang Yang’s expression remained unchanged, as tranquil as an old well.

The White Feathered Eagle, however, was overjoyed, and it looked at Lu Yao with a look of complete agreement.

Up ahead, a CRACK echoed.

The Pink Jade Scroll shattered, revealing a screen of light inscribed with characters. But it wasn’t just characters; there were also images of men and women copulating.

[...The union of yin and yang, the pleasure of mortals and gods.]

[...The intimacy of fish and water; appetite and desire are but nature.]

Visibly, a coquettish blush spread across Lu Yao’s face.

Second Uncle Fang’s face darkened. "This kind of Secret Technique... it’s a remnant of a Demon Dao art related to the Desire Sect."

Fang Yang, however, was silent.

He had discovered that the cultivation method for the fifth level of the Slave Spirit Skill was even more depraved than this so-called "Desire Sect" art.

Of course, he was only on the third level at present, still focused on enslaving Pet Beasts and Slave Beasts.

However, a question arose in Fang Yang’s mind:

’This Fang Nian... he possessed both the Tai Chi Yin Yang Diagram phenomenon and techniques from the Desire Sect.’

’Could he be one of those legendary prodigies who cultivates both the Dao and Demonic paths?’

’He’s most likely exactly that,’ Fang Yang thought.

This "ancestor" of his didn’t seem like a good person at all!