In the end, Gu Hong looked at Ye Jin with fervent admiration. “Ye Jin, when you arrive at Lien Academy, the entire academy will be shaken by your presence.”
Hearing Gu Hong’s words, Ye Jin smiled faintly but remained silent, though her heart was surging with excitement.
In her previous life, she had been just an ordinary person, never imagining that she would one day experience the kind of treatment reserved for the protagonists of novels.
Lien Academy—she was growing more and more eager to step into its halls.
She was even more eager to see the look on Ye Shaohua’s face when she arrived at Lien Academy and witnessed Ye Jin’s overwhelming strength.
“Miss Ye Jin, the Grand Elder has instructed me to deliver these gold coins and magic cores to you for your journey to Lien Academy.” At that moment, a servant knocked and entered, handing over a prepared spatial ring to Ye Jin with utmost respect.
Ye Jin took the ring and glanced inside, marveling at the Grand Elder’s generosity.
The gold card inside contained ten thousand gold coins, along with one hundred first-tier magic cores and fifty second-tier magic cores.
This was equivalent to the wealth of a fourth-tier mage.
“The Grand Elder sure knows how to curry favor,” Gu Hong muttered under his breath upon seeing this.
When Ye Shaohua had revealed her S-rank spiritual power, he had been astonished. But now, after witnessing Ye Jin’s relentless effort and her terrifying rate of improvement, he had completely pushed Ye Shaohua to the back of his mind.
There was also one crucial point—Ye Shaohua’s poor judgment.
Everyone on the Magic Continent knew that Lien Academy offered the most comprehensive magical education. Its teachers were all at least fifth-tier mages, its library was vast and all-encompassing, and most importantly, the academy possessed a divine artifact that could train one’s spiritual power.
A single day at Lien Academy was worth three days of training outside.
Thus, all new students, upon receiving their acceptance, would immediately head to Lien Academy to absorb as much knowledge as possible. Yet, Ye Shaohua had chosen to train in the Demon Beast Forest instead.
At this point, Gu Hong couldn’t praise her for her diligence. Instead, he could only criticize her lack of foresight.
She thought her S-rank spiritual power was impressive, but she didn’t realize that in two months, all the other new students would have made significant progress in their magical abilities, while she would still be stuck in the same place.
Both of them were preparing to head to Lien Academy the next day, putting the matter aside for now.
Meanwhile, on the other side…
“Grand Elder, I saw it with my own eyes,” the Grand Elder’s trusted aide whispered. “Miss Ye Jin, with the strength of a first-tier mage, forced a second-tier mage to retreat. Ordinary first-tier mages stood no chance against her. Many people witnessed this on the training grounds.”
Just as expected, history was repeating itself scene by scene.
The Grand Elder took a deep breath. He absolutely could not allow the Ye family to be wiped out again.
Fortunately, he had placed his bets on the right person early on. Otherwise, by the time the Ye family was destroyed, he would still be powerless to stop it. He couldn’t afford to sit idly by any longer.
With this in mind, he summoned all members of the Ye family that very night.
When Duke Ye arrived, the Grand Elder revealed the plan he had been considering for some time. “Patriarch, let us divide the family.”
These words were like a bomb dropped among the Ye family members.
“Divide the family?” Duke Ye, who had been puzzled by the Grand Elder’s sudden summons, was shocked by this statement. “Grand Elder, are you joking?”
The Grand Elder shook his head. “I am not joking. Let’s do it today. You act without considering the bigger picture, too indecisive. Just like Ye Shaohua, the Ye family will eventually be ruined at the hands of you and your daughter. The three magic scrolls in the ancestral hall are the Ye family’s greatest trump cards, yet you let her take them to the Demon Beast Forest. Ye Jin is now your adopted daughter as well. Have you prepared anything for her?”
These were all things the Grand Elder had carefully considered. “Even if you disagree, we will still split from the Cangyun City Ye family. I have already chosen a location in the Canglang Empire. Don’t worry, I won’t take anything from Cangyun City. However, Miss Ye Jin will come with me. Any family members who wish to join us are welcome to do so.”
Before Duke Ye could respond, the steward rushed in, panic written all over his face. “Duke, something terrible has happened! The mercenary guild just reported a minor beast tide in the Demon Beast Forest. The young miss is still inside!”
“What?!” Duke Ye’s face turned pale as he shot to his feet.
Everything was happening too suddenly.
He had wanted to ask the Grand Elder why he was suggesting such a drastic measure, but now, with Ye Shaohua’s situation, he had no time to dwell on it.
A beast tide was no small matter. Hearing this news, the Grand Elder became even more determined to split the family.
After his rebirth, he had used his foreknowledge to amass a considerable amount of gold, enough to establish himself in the Canglang Empire. He had also, by chance, saved a third-tier dual-element mage, whose strength was no less than Duke Ye’s. Even without Duke Ye’s protection, he could still thrive in the Canglang Empire.
However, he had kept all of this from Duke Ye and the others, afraid that if he revealed it, they would all follow him to the Canglang Empire. He didn’t want Ye Shaohua and her family to benefit from his efforts in the slightest.
In his previous life, around this same time, Duke Ye had returned from the Demon Beast Forest as a half-cripple, and the Ye family had lost all hope of rising again.
The Grand Elder had to ensure the family split before Duke Ye was injured. Otherwise, once Duke Ye returned, he might cling to Ye Jin and refuse to agree to the split.
By then, it would be impossible to shake them off.