Translator: CinderTL
While Jiang Ye was on the phone with Chen Zilu,
Outside,
News of Jiang Ye's challenge to Zhou Xingkong was spreading like wildfire, sweeping through the ten great schools at a viral pace.
The Top Ten Elite Schools maintained a unique internal network.
Any news from one school would immediately circulate across the entire network.
Today, that network was in a frenzy.
"Breaking! Freshman League Champion Jiang Ye Challenges Zhou Xingkong!"
"Next Year! Great Stellar War! The World Watches!"
"Shocking! Primitive Aptitude Challenges Transcendent Aptitude?!"
"..." Explosive headlines spread rapidly.
Within just ten minutes, hundreds of similar news items flooded the network, pushing the story relentlessly.
Such a frenzy was rare on the ten schools' network.
But this event was truly unprecedented.
Transcendent Aptitude users were already rare, like mythical dragons that only occasionally revealed themselves.
Jiang Ye, meanwhile, had recently made a name for himself by dominating the Freshman League, sweeping all opponents with his late-stage third breakthrough strength.
The challenge between these two quickly ignited the entire ten schools' network.
"Primitive Aptitude challenging Transcendent? Has he lost his mind?"
"The Ten Schools League is just a competition of Dao Bone Aptitude. It's nowhere near the level of transcendent abilities."
"I'm not so sure. Jiang Ye reached the late stage of the third breakthrough as a freshman. That's pretty close to Transcendent Aptitude, right?"
"What? Jiang Ye reached the late stage of the third breakthrough? That's impossible!"
"It's true! Check the competition replays if you don't believe me."
"He actually reached the late stage of the third breakthrough? As a freshman? How did he cultivate so fast?"
"Incredible!"
"Are all the freshmen this year so formidable?" Most of the university students from the Top Ten Elite Schools were unaware of the Ten Schools League's progress.
For them, cultivation was their top priority.
Who would bother paying attention to a mere competition? It wasn't the Great Stellar War, after all.
For internal competitions like the Ten Schools League, knowing the final result was enough.
As a result, few people knew about Jiang Ye's specific performance in the competition.
But now, with the challenge match exploding across the internet, countless people were finally beginning to grasp Jiang Ye's true strength.
Moreover, the news spread beyond the Ten Schools League through student networks, quickly reaching Dao Bone families and transcendent families alike.
In Donghai City, within the magnificent hall of the Li Clan...
"Jiang Ye? Challenging Zhou Xingkong to a duel?" A golden-robed woman sat cross-legged, her golden eyes gleaming in the dim light. Her face was strikingly beautiful.
If Jiang Ye were here, he would be astonished to see that this golden-eyed woman bore an uncanny resemblance to the one he had seen in his dream. Decades had passed, yet her features remained unchanged, her beauty only deepening with time.
"Data," the golden-eyed woman commanded, her gaze fixed on the holographic screen before her.
The screen displayed a confidential document.
"Jiang Ye," she murmured, meticulously reviewing the file—a detailed dossier on Jiang Ye.
"Born October 5, 2300, in the Tianhai District of Donghai City. Attended Ancheng Primary School. Prior educational history unknown."
The golden-eyed woman scrutinized the file.
After a moment, she nodded. "The birthdate and birthplace match."
"So he really is the child who left the Li Clan all those years ago," she murmured, her eyes narrowing.
Earlier, she had ordered her subordinates to investigate Jiang Ye's identity, sensing something extraordinary about his origins. Now, her intuition had proven correct.
Staring at the screen, she suddenly said, "Xiao Ai, connect me with Li Hao."
"Very well, contact Li Hao immediately."
Beep! The screen shifted, automatically dialing Li Hao's number.
Ring...
The call connected.
Whoosh! A purple-robed figure materialized.
"Your Highness Li Qingyue," the purple-robed man bowed.
He was the same man who had previously contacted the golden-eyed woman and was also Li Qi's father.
"Li Hao," the golden-eyed woman said coolly, "are you certain the information you sent me is accurate?"
"Confirmed," Li Hao nodded.
"Good."
"In that case, I order you to contact Jiang Ye," Li Qingyue instructed. "He carries the blood of our Li Clan."
"If Jiang Ye is willing to pledge allegiance, our Li Clan will offer him protection," Li Qingyue added calmly.
"What?" Li Hao's pupils constricted slightly, his expression one of surprise.
"Your Highness," he couldn't help but ask, "are you saying Jiang Ye is one of us?"
"He merely possesses a trace of Li Clan blood," Li Qingyue replied evenly.
Li Hao paused, then said hesitantly, "I contacted Jiang Ye before, but he refused."
"Contact him again."
"Jiang Ye's duel with Zhou Xingkong of the Zhou Family is a guaranteed loss," Li Qingyue stated calmly. "But with the Li Clan's protection, Zhou Xingkong won't dare overstep his bounds."
"I believe he understands the stakes involved," she added coolly.
"Understood," Li Hao finally nodded.
He had heard about Jiang Ye's duel with Zhou Xingkong. The news had already spread throughout the major transcendent families.
"Your Highness," Li Hao asked, "what benefits should we offer to secure his allegiance?"
"Allegiance? This isn't about securing allegiance," Li Qingyue replied flatly. "Contacting him is about demanding his surrender. As for benefits, joining the Li Clan is the greatest benefit he could receive."
"But—" Li Hao looked uneasy.
"Enough."
"Go," Li Qingyue said calmly. "Jiang Ye is in dire straits right now. He needs us, not the other way around. Watch your tone and don't disgrace the transcendent families."
"Yes," Li Hao replied, cutting off the communication.
Li Qingyue sat back in her chair, her slender fingers tapping lightly on the table.
"Unbelievable," she murmured. "That wild child from years ago has actually grown into this." She narrowed her eyes. "Li Qingyu, if you were still alive, you'd be so proud of this sight, wouldn't you?"
"What a pity."
"From the moment I banished him, a peaceful resolution was impossible," Li Qingyue said, her gaze icy.
She had been the one to drive that father and son out of the Li Clan.
Now, she couldn't possibly swallow her pride and beg them to return. As the pillar of this generation of the transcendent family and a candidate for the next family head, Li Qingyue could never stoop to such a thing.
In truth, even if she could go back in time, she would still choose to banish them.
The emergence of a Primitive Aptitude would bring unbearable shame upon her lineage.
With that stain, she could never ascend to the position of family head.
"Champion of the Ten Schools League? So what?"
"It's not like it's the Great Stellar War," Li Qingyue thought to herself. "What truly shapes this world is Transcendent Aptitude."
(End of the Chapter)
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