In the Changkong race, the division of power among the various clans and lineages could be determined by whether or not they had a Saint.
If a clan had a Saint, it was naturally a first-class major clan.
Without a Saint, they were weaker, and could only compete based on their Blessed Land Grotto Heavens.
If they couldn't even hold onto their Blessed Land Grotto Heaven, then that clan and lineage could basically be considered to be in extreme decline, heading toward extinction.
Over three hundred years ago, Ancestor Fang Nian of the Fang Clan perished in a calamity, leaving behind only the ruined Carp Eagle Blessed Land to serve as the Fang Clan's remaining legacy.
But there was a problem: even without a Saint, a Blessed Land Grotto Heaven still had to endure the trials of worldly calamities!
A blessing from the ancestor, and a curse from him as well.
This Carp Eagle Blessed Land, just half a step away from ascending to a Grotto Heaven, had already begun to touch the barrier of the Tier Eight realm.
The worldly calamities it suffered far surpassed the power the Fang Clan possessed!
Furthermore, because the Fang Clan had not produced a Saint for many years, not even a Dao Seed had emerged.
Therefore, under these circumstances, the Fang Clan could only seek help from the main race.
In the end, they were forced to let the main race reclaim the Carp Eagle Blessed Land, and it became part of the public Blessed Lands.
This was a great humiliation!
It was a testament to the incompetence of the Fang descendants!
To reclaim the Carp Eagle Blessed Land, the Fang Clan would have to produce a Saint, or at the very least, a prodigy of the Dao Seed Level.
Unfortunately, over the years, one Fang elder after another had died filled with regret, never living to see the day the Carp Eagle Blessed Land returned to the Fang Clan.
Thus, as time went by, the Carp Eagle Blessed Land had become a taboo topic for the Fang Clan!
Now, the elders had placed their hopes on Fang Yang and Fang Xuan's generation, especially on Fang Yang.
This was because Fang Yang, just like Ancestor Fang Nian, had manifested a Fire Eagle Spirit Body upon his Enlightenment!
"Plum Blossom Fawn, don't cross the line," Fang Yang said, his face expressionless.
He then lightly gripped the shaft of his spear. It trembled, emitting a faint, soul-stirring clang of metal that spread outwards.
Meanwhile, the White Feathered Eagle hovering above and to his left spread its great wings, its gaze fixed on Lu Yao's head as if it wanted to crack her skull and drink her blood.
Killing intent filled the air!
"Y-Yes, My Lord." Lu Yao's pretty face turned deathly pale.
Her graceful body trembled uncontrollably, nearly shaking the Ten Thousand Birds Race Leader's instructions right out of her mind.
It was at this moment that a series of continuous, thunderous booms erupted ahead.
BOOM!
RUMBLE!
RUUUMBLE!
A pathway of light, like a giant bridge, had been constructed, connecting the Ten Thousand Birds' Blessed Land with the outside world.
In an instant, Hunters like Chen Yuan, Zhu Qishang, and Desert Tiger all stepped onto the pathway of light, heading for the Blessed Land.
Among them, Desert Tiger was the most domineering. With just himself and his beast, he belligerently seized the foremost position.
"M-My Lord, the flow of time inside a Blessed Land is different from the outside world.
We need to wait for three days and nights to pass inside the Blessed Land before we can safely enter the Flying Fish Cloud Sea Realm. Although it sounds like three full days, it's actually only about twelve hours.
Of course, for now, we can only linger on the outskirts of the Realm and try to catch any stray Flying Fish that escape."
Lu Yao took a deep breath, forced a smile, and explained the particulars.
In truth, even if she hadn't explained, Fang Yang already knew.
Because Lingfang was the Ten Thousand Birds Race Leader's daughter. And Lingfang, in turn, was the disciple of Fang Yang's second uncle.
Therefore, Fang Yang had learned all this information from his second uncle long ago.
'It just goes to show,' he thought, 'the higher your status, the tighter the social network, and the smaller the circle.'
'Twelve hours, huh...'
Fang Yang gazed at the pathway of light, but his focus shifted to the ball of light in his mind labeled [Seek Fortune, Avoid Misfortune].
[Flying Fish Cloud Sea, a Blessed Land Wondrous Realm. The paths are many; fortune and disaster are hard to predict.]
[Top-Tier Fortune: Enter the eastern edge of the Cloud Sea at dawn. You can obtain a Tier Three opportunity. Greatly auspicious.]
[Mid-Tier Fortune: Enter the western edge of the Cloud Sea. Flying Fish appear occasionally. You can obtain a Tier Two opportunity. Auspicious.]
[Mid-Tier Fortune: Enter the southern edge of the Cloud Sea. Flying Fish surge forth. You can obtain a Tier Two opportunity. Auspicious.]
[Neutral Fortune: Enter the northern edge of the Cloud Sea. Flying Fish surge forth at the center of a storm. Contend with the masses and pull chestnuts from the fire to obtain a Tier Three opportunity. However, a tall tree attracts the wind, and hidden dangers will remain. Neutral.]
'This time, it seems I should act fast and be decisive!'
Immediately, Fang Yang gently touched the giant beast-taming pouch under his inner armor and said, "Senior Frost White, I'll have to trouble you."
The words had barely left his lips when a dot of white flame appeared in the air. The white fire flared up, expanding rapidly like a large white cloud.
With a THUD, the majestic Frost White flying horse leaped out from within the white cloud, dazzlingly silver-white.
Fang Yang first kicked his spear, launching it into the air. He then vaulted onto the horse, landing astride it just in time to catch the spear's shaft with his right hand.
The entire sequence was as smooth as flowing water, the epitome of style. It left Lu Yao stunned, thinking to herself, 'This Fang Yang seems to be a bit of a show-off, doesn't he?'
But soon, that thought vanished.
Because Fang Yang grabbed her by the collar with his left hand, lifting her without a shred of pity, and ordered her to point the way.
This wasn't showing off at all. This Fang Yang was so arrogant he was almost cruel!
'Don't I even have the right to ride the horse?'
At that moment, Lu Yao couldn't help but feel a wave of self-pity.
However, she only pitied herself for a moment before she was forced to snap out of it.
Because upon reaching the vicinity of the Flying Fish Cloud Sea, Fang Yang threw her onto the grass, causing a sharp sting of pain.
"Is that the eastern edge of the Cloud Sea?"
"Yes."
"And that's the southern edge?"
"Yes..."
After the brief exchange and getting his bearings, Fang Yang's figure vanished.
The next moment, only a cold wind remained, chilling Lu Yao to the bone. Her beautiful eyes grew moist with a film of water.
'Am I really... completely useless?'
"Sigh."
A sigh came from behind her. The Ten Thousand Birds Race Leader had arrived.
At this moment, the Ten Thousand Birds Race Leader was walking slowly toward Lu Yao.
"I told you that Fang Yang is not someone you can win over right now. You shouldn't have been so hasty."
"If you want to rebuild the Cyan Deer Tribe, you ultimately have to rely on your own efforts. Remember to show your value to Fang Yang."
Hearing this, Lu Yao's tears burst forth. "Wuu... wuuu..."
War was too cruel.
In a single night, it had instantly destroyed her beautiful home.
If she truly tried to rebuild the Cyan Deer Tribe bit by bit, most of her fellow tribe members who had been enslaved would likely be dead or injured long before she succeeded.
For this reason, the fastest way she could think of to rebuild was to borrow power!
And her target for borrowing that power was none other than Fang Yang of the Changkong race.
She was very confident in her own beauty!
She had originally thought that since Fang Yang was young and inexperienced, he would fall into her gentle trap. If everything went according to her plan, regardless of whether she could successfully attach herself to him, she could still act under his banner.
She might even be able to borrow the might of the Fang Clan!
That way, she could quickly gather her people, rebuild a minor tribe, and her people would no longer have to wander destitute and live in misery.
But...
Fang Yang's heart for the Dao was far too firm.
And his personality was too aloof, making his actions seem domineering.
Under these circumstances, Lu Yao had no room to maneuver with Fang Yang. Instead, she was constantly being punished by him.
"Sigh, your plan itself wasn't really a problem. You didn't overstep any boundaries and did everything you could," the Ten Thousand Birds Race Leader said softly.
Lu Yao lifted her head. Though her pretty face was tear-streaked like a pear blossom in the rain, her eyes suddenly brightened.
The Ten Thousand Birds Race Leader glanced aside, his gaze distant, because the words he was about to say would deal Lu Yao a devastating blow.
He said as gently as he could, "You did nothing wrong. It's just that Fang Yang thinks you're... useless."
'Fang Yang thinks I'm useless...'
'I'm useless...'
'Useless...'
In an instant, Lu Yao froze on the spot, completely dazed.