Chapter 425: Yuanyang City

"Join...?" The group stood dazed, blinking in disbelief. "Join the guild?"

To think he was actually inviting them to join his ranks.

Li Lanruo genuinely found herself at a loss for words. Being surrounded by the disciples of the Heaven-Inquiring Sword Palace in a desolate place like this had practically spelt certain death for her. Merely surviving was already far beyond her wildest expectations.

Yet now, not only had she escaped death, but this mysterious elder before her was actually extending an invitation to join him?

"This junior is, of course, entirely willing," she spoke softly, "but... Lanruo has already troubled Senior far too much. Now that I have incurred a blood feud with the Heaven-Inquiring Sword Palace, how could I dare continue to bring trouble upon Senior?"

In the Half-City shop, the crowd sent a flurry of bullet comments across the screen: "No trouble at all, no trouble! Even Fairy Liu’s mount wielded a brick without hesitation, and that old demon was sealed into a hilarious emoji ball. Is there anything this Old Demon Fang doesn't dare to do?"

Ruan Ning chimed in: "It's over, even Old Demon Fang can be called a 'Senior' now..."

Ruan Ning, Xi Yue, and the others discussed among themselves as they watched the live stream: "I bet the newcomer is going to be completely corrupted by Old Demon Fang very soon..."

Mo Tianxing quickly joined the fun, typing out a message: "The Dragon Slaying Saber, yours with just one click! Why haven't you joined the guild yet?"

Boss Fang’s face twitched as he glanced at the stream. "Can you guys stop stirring up trouble in the comments?"

Turning back, Boss Fang spoke aloud, "What trouble? They are the ones who provoked our Defying-the-Heavens Online Gaming Guild. They should be the ones feeling troubled."

"This...?" The elderly elder beside her stroked his beard, pondering for a moment before speaking, "Then, on behalf of the Li Family, I shall offer our deepest gratitude to Sir."

"The Defying-the-Heavens Online Gaming Guild..." the group mused inwardly, "It sounds like quite a formidable organization."

Even if the name was rather peculiar.

Li Lanruo secretly thought to herself, "This elder possesses such staggering strength and commands such a powerful faction behind him, could it be..."

She couldn't help but steal a glance at Fang Qi, her heart trembling with awe. "Could it be that he has already attained the legendary realm of rejuvenating youth and returning to pristine truth?!"

And so, Boss Fang’s identity shifted once more. Previously the infamous Old Demon Fang, he was now Senior Fang—a proper, genuine master who, in the eyes of others, had likely lived for hundreds or thousands of years, possessing the kind of profound cultivation that allowed him to reverse his aging.

Back in Half-City, people assumed he was around two hundred years old. Now, in the eyes of these outsiders, his age was easily estimated at over five hundred.

Of course, Boss Fang was completely oblivious to this. As a young man in his twenties, what even was a 'peerless master's demeanor'? I'm sorry, but he hadn't grasped a single shred of it.

Though when it came to carrying an aura of supreme confidence, Boss Fang was absolutely brimming with it. He kept both hands casually stuffed in his pockets, standing atop his flying sword as he drifted leisurely through the air. Behind him, the others were exerting every ounce of their strength, practically foaming at the mouth just trying to keep pace, yet the distance between them only continued to widen.

Only then did Boss Fang turn around. "The flying speed of the cultivators around here doesn't seem like much... How about I give you all a lift?"

The cultivators of the Li Family nodded their heads in frantic agreement.

...

The journey along the way proved to be immensely delightful. Soaring on swords over famous mountains, great rivers, and ancient ruins, they guided the cultivators and warriors from the two shops to witness the grand and prosperous landscapes beyond the Desolate Sea Realm.

As the newest members, Li Lanruo and her companions eagerly took on the role of tour guides, introducing Fang Qi to the local customs, geography, and the distribution of power across the continent.

"Look! Look at the horde of beasts below us!"

"Look at the sky! What a massive demonic bird, I don't think we've ever seen anything like that before!" The sky above Fang Qi and the others suddenly darkened as a colossal bird, spanning dozens of chang with azure feathers and the body of a finch, swept majestically over their heads.

They crossed endless mountain ranges, spiritual peaks, and elegant rivers teeming with countless demonic birds and beasts. In the more prosperous regions, they encountered major gathering hubs for cultivators, even passing by several fortified factions of warriors and cultivators. With towering city walls, majestic peaks, and vast gatherings of practitioners, this land was undeniably far more flourishing than the Desolate Sea Realm.

More importantly, ordinary mortals were rarely seen in the major cities here. Even in remote secular towns, cultivators and warriors were stationed. Once a youth of exceptional talent was discovered, they would be granted the opportunity to join a sect to cultivate. Even those with mediocre talent could learn a few skills to either guard their villages or hunt demonic beasts for a living.

Furthermore, the warriors of this region relied heavily on specialized cultivation techniques for body tempering, which saved them an immense fortune in medicinal herbs. Consequently, the threshold to become an official warrior was significantly lower than in the Desolate Sea Realm. Paired with the naturally abundant spiritual qi of the land itself, this place had truly become a grand stage for both warriors and cultivators alike.

"Yuanyang City lies just ahead," Li Lanruo said, pointing toward the distant horizon where a magnificent, colossal city stood nestled within the towering peaks, flanked by two treacherous cliffs. "This is the grand city closest to the Heavenly House Academy. Before the academy's official entrance examinations begin, the descendants of all the major factions will usually settle down here."

"Every single entrance examination of the Heavenly House Academy gathers the elite from all corners of the world," Li Lanruo continued. "Even several of the world's most renowned clans send their own descendants to study at the academy, and some sects will even dispatch their direct lineage disciples here for secluded cultivation."

"That impressive?" Fang Qi smacked his lips in surprise, turning his gaze toward the elegantly dressed woman in silk attire. "In that case, wouldn't it be incredibly difficult for you to gain admission into this Heavenly House Academy? And yet you