Chapter 105: The City Lord's Decree and the Design Drawings of the Immortal Village

Not far from the barren island, a massive sea vessel drifted gently on the waves. Kong Zhen and the various foundation-building cultivators gathered inside the cabin. They were all instructors dedicated to the specialized branches of the Qingyun Immortal Academy. For more than ten days during the assessment, they had kept a close watch on every shift in the island's situation. Only after the exam concluded did they finally have time to rest.

"This year's assessment was quite interesting. It allowed a rogue cultivator student to slip into the top ten—a feat rarely seen in past assessments," said a middle-aged cultivator clad in a green dao robe, his temperament mild as he smiled.

"That student named Ye Mo possesses considerable practical experience. He secured the island's most defensible high ground right from the start, establishing a formidable defensive perimeter. The academy's investigators later learned that during his journey from the Nine Continents, he had endured a devastating storm and been stranded on a nameless isolated islet. There, he led a group of warriors through a terrifying beast tide, surviving against all odds."

A foundation-building cultivator with an ice-cold demeanor spoke, his voice as frigid as the man himself. "His battlefield experience is exceptionally high—this should come as no surprise!"

The speaker oversaw a sector that encompassed Ye Mo and his group's territory, so his knowledge of the latter's situation ran particularly deep.

"Ye Mo shows real promise! He once crafted an outstanding-level analysis document that left a profound impression on me," Kong Zhen remarked, nodding. As the instructor assigned to this year's city lord students, he handled all matters concerning the cohort.

The other foundation-builders exchanged curious glances. What exactly had Ye Mo written that had drawn such attention from the Golden Core master Kong Zhen? Yet they dared not inquire further, bound by the academy's rules that sealed all superior documents.

"Kong Lao," one cultivator asked hesitantly, "this junior finds it puzzling. Why did the academy arrange such a wild-island chaotic battle assessment? I recall that previously, most exams were either simulated combat or conducted through essay writing within the academy. Practical assessments often lead to casualties and are rarely scheduled."

The instructor in question was the lord of Qingyun Main Immortal City.

"This selection of ten city lords from the immortal villages will soon establish their own villages. They will be heading to a chaotic archipelago of islands where they must compete with the lords of the other thirty-five main immortal islands! Such a test of survival in the wild is the most effective way to identify suitable candidates for village lord positions."

Kong Zhen replied calmly.

"What? Aren't they supposed to be assigned to a secure, affiliated small immortal island? How can they possibly build a village only to face battles with other immortal villages?" Several foundation-builders were visibly shaken, their expressions turning complex.

These instructors had backgrounds similar to the successful students. In their youth, they too had passed the academy exams smoothly and joined the Immortal City Alliance. With support from Qingyun Main Immortal City, they had established their own villages. But due to many unforeseen circumstances, their settlements had eventually fallen and declined. Only after selection were they reassigned to the academy as trainers for new city lords. They carried both the experience of founding a village and the scars of total failure. Of course, even those who failed could still achieve considerable attainments, with some having faltered only after reaching the town-level immortal city.

"I hope they don't meet with too much bad luck," a foundation-builder sighed softly, recalling past hardships as he entered the cabin.

The others fell silent.

The following morning, as dawn broke, all the academy students and cultivators gathered at the edge of a beach on the barren island, preparing to return to the massive sea vessel moored nearby. Apart from Bai Xijun and his dozen or so assistant students, the other city lord students were astonished to see Ye Mo still on the island.

This loose cultivator had actually survived until the end?

Bai Xijun gazed at Ye Mo with a complex expression. No matter what, Ye Mo had not been eliminated by him, and he owed the man a favor.

"Interesting. After the fierce battles among the three major factions yesterday, the instructors did not immediately declare the assessment over. It turns out there was still a small rogue cultivator hiding among the survivors," Ren Haiping observed thoughtfully, offering a strange smile as he addressed Lou Jiejun. "Senior Brother Lou, this little fish seems to have rooted itself in your territory. Why didn't you eliminate it?"

"You two always scheme against me. How could I possibly spare the time to hunt down other loose cultivators? If I went after him, you'd surely take the chance to strike at my back!"

Lou Jiejun sneered coldly. As he surveyed Bai Xijun's subordinates, he realized one city lord was missing and burst into laughter. "After Bai Xijun was taken down by me, he must have been ambushed and finished off by Ye Mo. His final city lord was eliminated, allowing this rogue to slip in."

Bai Xijun's face flushed with embarrassment.

Before long, Kong Zhen and a dozen foundation-builders boarded the barren island.

"You have all become the top ten graduates of this year's Qingyun Immortal Academy assessment. Based on the number of assessment tokens each of you obtained, the rankings are as follows: first place, Lou Jiejun; second place, Ren Haiping; third place, Bai Xijun; fourth place, Tang Dongan...; tenth place, Ye Mo!"

Kong Zhen tallied the tokens each student had surrendered and announced the final ranking. The assessment was not merely about reaching the top ten but required exact order. The differing levels of attention from the academy and various great clans would naturally vary according to one's placement.

Although Ye Mo had managed to squeeze into the top ten, his true victory had come only in the final assault. For most of the time, he had focused solely on defense and survival, setting him apart from the other nine. This was why he ranked last.

Ye Mo had anticipated this outcome long ago. What mattered most to him were the city lord tokens and the immortal city design blueprints, along with recognition from the Immortal City Alliance. Becoming a formal member of the alliance was sufficient; he need not concern himself with lesser details.

The beaches surrounding the barren island offered no natural harbor suitable for docking sea vessels.

Upon returning to the massive sea ship, the students and assistant cultivators who had been eliminated boarded small boats. Onboard, the ninety or so former city lord students and numerous assistants were stunned.

"A rogue cultivator passing the academy's graduation assessment—has this ever happened in the past few decades?"

One city lord student asked in shock.

"It hasn't appeared in recent decades. It happened once around forty or fifty years ago. A rogue cultivator entered the top ten back then. I heard from some elders in my family that the village he built collapsed after only three years and has since vanished without a trace," a great clan descendant whispered softly.

"Hmph. Without family backing, what resources could a mere rogue cultivator muster to build a city? Even if he joined the Immortal City Alliance, it would be useless. In my view, he won't escape the fate of village collapse and personal destruction. A great clan descendant could at least double his chances of success with a single village. This city lord token was essentially wasted," the city lord student declared angrily.

The others murmured in agreement. No one showed any support for Ye Mo.

The massive sea ship carried all the Qingyun Immortal Academy students back to Qingyun Main Island.

Upon returning to the academy, Kong Zhen formally announced the assessment results in the stone hall. Afterward, he dismissed the others, allowing them to leave while keeping only the top ten city lord students.

From his sleeve, Kong Zhen produced ten city lord tokens and ten sets of village-level immortal city design blueprints, handing them to each recipient.

"These are the rewards for passing the assessment. The city lord token is the identity badge of every member of the Immortal City Alliance. Possessing it means you have become formal members, protected at the highest level by the alliance!

The first decree of the Immortal City Alliance: Killing an alliance city lord is a capital offense, punishable by pursuit from the entire alliance. No refuge exists in the cultivation world.

Furthermore, the village-level immortal city design blueprints are essential for establishing such a settlement. Take them home and study them carefully.

I have already reported the results to the academy, which will submit them to the Qingyun branch of the Immortal City Alliance for filing. Soon, tasks for building the villages will be assigned.

Although you are now members of the alliance and under its protection, there are always those with ulterior motives. Even after the tasks are issued, you must remain vigilant!"

As he spoke, Kong Zhen glanced at Ye Mo. The other nine students from Qingyun Main Immortal City had family guards to ensure their safety. Ye Mo was different.

He kept the precedent of Li Zhao, the city lord cultivator slain by ambush on the nameless isolated island, firmly in mind and would not be careless.

At the residence of Ye Mo in the academy.

Mo Ling, Chang Fei, Wang Hu, and the others waited anxiously. Even Lin Zhi, known for his indifferent demeanor, paced restlessly in the courtyard. Only the Earth Slave Five Guards remained quiet, their status unchanged whether Ye Mo became city lord or not.

As soon as Ye Mo entered the residence, Wang Hu rushed forward eagerly. "Brother Ye, have you received the city lord token and the immortal city design blueprint?"

"Here they are!" Ye Mo smiled faintly and produced the token along with one set of blueprints.

"Haha! From now on, Brother Ye is truly a city lord, and we are all assistant cultivators," Wang Hu exclaimed, taking the token with astonishment. "What material is this city lord token made of? There are so many formation patterns engraved on it—it's an entry-level magical artifact, right?"

"Let me see it! I've never seen what a city lord token looks like!"

Before he could examine it closely, Mo Ling snatched it away with a joyful cry, eager to inspect it herself.

The design blueprints fell into Yang You's hands. The detailed illustrations captivated him. Lin Zhi leaned in to take a look, and Chang Fei joined them. The immortal village design blueprints were precious and fragile, so they refrained from handling them roughly and merely stretched their necks to examine them carefully.

Ye Mo smiled serenely, allowing their excited chatter.

After establishing the immortal village, he and his companions would formalize their relationships as city lord and assistant cultivators. In the coming years, they would share his fate until the end of their longevity or in battle.

Companions through life and death.

A warmth filled Ye Mo's heart as if something precious had been placed inside, blocking nothing. He felt a surge of affection.

Soon, a fully owned immortal island would belong to him alone. On that island, he would found his own settlement, gradually becoming an immortal town, then an immortal city, and perhaps even more powerful ones.

Ye Mo's heart stirred with excitement. He clenched his fists tightly, his thoughts drifting as scenes of building the village unfolded in his mind.