At the command, three teams were the first to leave the main group and begin their ascent.
The youths in these three teams stood proudly, nearly every one of them full of vigor and high spirits.
Most of the youths who hadn't yet moved looked on with envy.
Because, to some extent, the order in which each clan began the ascent was a reflection of their status within the race.
For instance, the Sen, Qing, and Yue clans each had at least one Tier Seven Cultivator ancestor still living!
Following the different cultivation legacies of their respective clans, the youths from these three clans gradually split off, taking different paths.
There were many paths to the summit, and the white jade steps branched out accordingly. Their railings also differed in color—some were fiery red, some watery blue, some woody green…
Having read through the scripture repository, Fang Yang understood that these colorful railings were actually a blessing from the race.
They allowed the younger generation of the Changkong Race to experience the uniqueness of elemental powers. It might even help them achieve a Spirit Body, a Sacred Body, or even… an Immortal Body!
Soon, as the youths began their climb, Dragon Roar Peak erupted in divine light, piercing through the clouds and mist to connect heaven and earth in a magnificent spectacle.
At some point, a gentle breeze stirred from above, sweeping past the foot of the mountain and causing Fang Yang's black robes to rustle.
At that moment, Fang Yang was dressed in black robes. His features were handsome, and his posture was ramrod straight, like a spear or a sword.
Though his expression was cold, it added a hint of dangerous charm to his aura.
Among this group of youths from the Golden Clan, who revered muscular strength above all else, Fang Yang's appearance was striking, making him stand out like a crane among chickens.
The reason for this was that Fang Yang, as a Transmigrator, understood that looks were also a valuable asset!
After being reborn into this world, he had consciously begun to accumulate his own capital.
And over the years, he had reaped quite a few benefits from it.
"Fang Clan, Li Clan, and Yun Clan, begin your ascent!"
A quarter of an hour later, the academy elder issued another command.
Another three groups of youths set off to climb Dragon Roar Peak, Fang Yang among them.
When it came time to choose a set of stairs, Fang Yang shifted slightly to the left. He walked toward the less-crowded Fire Attribute steps to begin his climb up Dragon Roar Peak.
[Enlightenment Ceremony, the path to Changsheng begins. On Dragon Roar Peak, mysteries abound; your fate meets a crossroads.]
[Mid-to-Upper Lot. Ascend the Fire Attribute steps to obtain a Tier Three opportunity. An eagle strikes the sky, Fierce Flame burns the heavens. Auspicious.]
The moment Fang Yang stepped onto the Fire Attribute stairs, he felt a warmth spreading in his abdomen as a peculiar energy gathered there.
As he continued to climb, Fang Yang gradually began to feel a certain pressure.
This pressure came from the mist, from the very body of Dragon Roar Peak itself!
The mist on Dragon Roar Peak was formed from highly compressed Primordial Qi.
Furthermore, at certain heights, there were invisible barriers, like walls of air.
With all these factors combined, every single step upward was a frantic struggle to squeeze out one's latent potential and seize a personal fortune.
Meanwhile, outside Dragon Roar Peak, the clan elders hovered in the air.
Some rode on clouds and mist, some straddled celestial horses, and others stood atop giant eagles, looking utterly carefree.
"Zhang Ye is quite impressive. He has his father's bearing—walking with the stride of a dragon and the gait of a tiger, with an aura that could swallow mountains and rivers."
"Zhang Ye is good, but he's a far cry from Sen Wei. As expected of that Lord's direct daughter, Changkong Senwei is in a league of her own, leaving her peers far behind in the dust."
"Indeed. Sen Wei is uniquely blessed. Rumor has it that when she was born, a divine bird appeared bearing an immortal bell. How miraculous~"
"That's right. A heaven's favorite like Sen Wei will definitely achieve Enlightenment with a perfect aptitude, developing a Spirit Body, or maybe even a Sacred Body!"
"Developing a Spirit Body allows one to pass the Tier Three tribulation without illness or disaster and adds two hundred years to one's lifespan. Developing a Sacred Body is like having one foot in the Tier Six realm!"
"The Tier Six realm adds a thousand years to one's life. That alone is enough to drive people mad, to say nothing of its other benefits."
The mention of this junior, Sen Wei, piqued the interest of many clan elders.
As for the Immortal Body, which was even more incredible than a Sacred Body, no one spoke of it. It was simply too unrealistic.
An Immortal Body already touched upon some of the profound mysteries of Tier Nine cultivation—it was an unreachably lofty goal!
A peerless prodigy who possessed an Immortal Body right from their initial Enlightenment was a talent that might not appear even once in a thousand years, even for a top-tier super-faction like the Changkong family.
To one side, the Fang Clan elder listened in silence.
Before long, a dimness fell over the Fang Clan elder's eyes.
'This year, the most outstanding junior of our Fang Clan is Fang Xuan, but to think he isn't even qualified to be mentioned in the same breath as Zhang Ye and Sen Wei…'
'Then again, our Fang Clan has been in decline for a long time. Our well of talented disciples has run dry, making us a far cry from those major clans.'
'As for Fang Yang?'
In the Fang Clan elder's eyes, speaking purely of personal affection, he was rather fond of Fang Yang.
However, when it came to cultivation foundation, he wasn't optimistic about Fang Yang's prospects.
Based on everything he had seen before, he felt Fang Yang couldn't even compare to Fang Xuan, let alone the talented disciples of the other major clans.
「Ahead.」
Dragon Roar Peak was majestic, soaring into the clouds, with ancient, gnarled trees clinging to its slopes.
On the Fire Attribute steps, Fang Yang's expression was cold.
He walked toward the summit, observing the Fire Attribute steps for any unusual signs.
He had a profound, mysterious premonition that this Tier Three opportunity would be of great help to his Enlightenment!
The path of the Fire Attribute steps was sparsely populated to begin with.
As Fang Yang advanced, the number of people walking with him dwindled even further.
With a POP, as if breaking through an invisible wall of air, Fang Yang effortlessly stepped into the D-Grade aptitude zone.
Reaching this point proved that Fang Yang could achieve Enlightenment, even if it was only with the worst, D-Grade aptitude.
In his previous life, Fang Yang would have been ecstatic.
But that was then, and this is now.
Now, Fang Yang's goal was to obtain the Tier Three opportunity and to achieve Enlightenment with at least an A-Grade aptitude!
In other words, he had to climb at least to the A-Grade aptitude zone.
No sign of the Tier Three opportunity in the D-Grade aptitude zone!
No sign of the Tier Three opportunity in the C-Grade aptitude zone!
No sign of the Tier Three opportunity in the B-Grade aptitude zone!
Before long, Fang Yang was about to complete the B-Grade aptitude zone.
As long as he broke through the Primordial Qi barrier separating the B-Grade and A-Grade zones, Fang Yang would be a Cultivator capable of achieving Enlightenment with an A-Grade aptitude.
But…
'It's getting harder and harder. Just where is that Tier Three opportunity?'
Fang Yang's face remained cold, but his heart couldn't help but sink.
He wasn't panting for breath, but beads of sweat dripped uncontrollably from his forehead.
There was no helping it. The Fire Attribute steps grew unbearably hot the higher one climbed. Every single step was imbued with a special Fire Dao Primordial Qi.
Compared to his peers, the aptitude Fang Yang had displayed was merely average, but he had his own unique strengths.
Namely, thanks to the painful and struggling path of seeking the Dao in his previous life, he had long since developed astounding endurance!
At this time, Fang Yang wasn't the only disciple from the Fang Clan to have chosen the Fire Attribute steps; Fang Xuan was there as well.
Originally, Fang Xuan had been ahead of Fang Yang, but as time passed, Fang Yang relied on his astonishing endurance to leap past him.
Under Fang Xuan's dumbfounded gaze, Fang Yang charged straight through the Primordial Qi barrier and successfully arrived in the A-Grade aptitude zone!
'Cousin Fang Yang… since when was he so fierce?' Fang Xuan began to doubt himself.
It wasn't just Fang Xuan; even disciples from other clans were shocked by Fang Yang's performance.
But Fang Yang himself was not as optimistic as the others.
He could already feel his body nearing its limit.
Yet that Tier Three opportunity still hadn't appeared!
'Still no sign of it. Could it be that I'm not fated to find it? That can't be right…'