"Tiandu Academy's Earth-level Academy... special enrollment!?"
Ye Chen's words shocked the entire audience!
No one was not surprised. Even the mysterious elder was momentarily dazed.
If Xiafeng Academy was Xiafeng Country's Cultivation Holy Land, then Tiandu Academy was the Cultivation Holy Land of the entire Tiandu Continent, without equal!
This was a Cultivation Holy Land that nearly the whole continent's countless geniuses aspired to, including not just the smaller kingdoms but also the ruling Three Great Empires. For any talented individual, the first choice of the power to join was Tiandu Academy.
Because Tiandu Academy is an ancient power with a heritage that has been passed down for ages, it possesses cultivation resources so vast that they make countless kingdoms green with envy. Its deeply layered history has made this Cultivation Academy a massive force capable of rivaling the Three Great Empires.
On the Tiandu Continent, it is a matter of pride for anyone to join Tiandu Academy. Compared with it, even Xiafeng Academy, which is the top-ranking Cultivation Academy in Xiafeng Country, pales significantly when viewed against the entire continent—there is a world of difference.
To enter Tiandu Academy is very difficult. Each year, each princely state can only send an average of one or two people because the minimum entry standard alone requires one to reach the Acquired Eighth Realm before the age of seventeen.
This requirement has blocked the paths of countless people aspiring to join Tiandu Academy. This step is as difficult as ascending to the heavens!
Like Xiafeng Academy, Tiandu Academy has the Four Great Colleges of Heaven, Earth, Xuan and Huang, with Heavenly Level being the highest, followed by Earth Level, and Yellow Level being the lowest.
In fact, the system of the Four Great Colleges of Heaven, Earth, Xuan and Huang originated from Tiandu Academy. Xiafeng Academy merely imitated it.
But the so-called elite disciples of Xiafeng Academy's Heavenly Level College would, at most, be considered of the Profound Level when compared to those at Tiandu Academy, which gathers nearly all the continent's cultivating geniuses.
This is the difference between a national academy and a continental academy—it is like the difference between heaven and earth.
But the once Ye Chen was a peerless genius whom even Tiandu Academy's Earth-level College had to make an exception to enroll.
This fact alone eclipsed the so-called elite disciples of the Heavenly Level Institute of Xiafeng Academy by many times over.
Almost everyone had forgotten how stunningly talented the former Ye Chen was, so astounding that even Tiandu Academy, the holy land of the continent, couldn't help but extend an olive branch to him.
Both the Ye Family and the Yangg Family were momentarily lost in thought.
To be a disciple of Tiandu Academy's Earth-level College was such a revered status, even more eye-catching than the top individual of Xiafeng Academy.
Yangg Yi, too, was momentarily dazed, as she looked at the young man before her with complex emotions,
Innate at thirteen!
This was the youngest record of Innate achievement in Xiafeng Country's history, unmatched in history, without precedent, and without followers, creating quite a stir even in the nearby kingdoms.
Even compared to her, a prodigy who achieved this realm a full five years earlier, the current achievements were far inferior. However, this dazzling achievement came from this young man, who had just been scoffed at by the world.
It was hard to imagine how this sixteen-year-old, Acquired Third Realm waste could have achieved Innate at the age of thirteen—a stunning record that broke all of Xiafeng Country's records and caused a tremendous sensation, even leading him to tread the mysterious path of the King's Ancient Road.
However outstanding she might be, she had to admit that the boy from back then truly possessed such grace.
Sadly, all that was in the past.
Yangg Jun sneered suddenly after a moment of being dazed, "The you of the past might have been impressive, but the you of now is worthless. Ye Chen, do you really think that with your current condition, you have any potential to match Yi'er? Oh, I forgot, you're nothing but a waste at the Acquired Third Realm."
It was a harsh reality, yet it was undeniable. The former Ye Chen was indeed a dazzling and peerless young genius, but the him of now—only a waste.
Still, Ye Chen's gaze remained calm and natural as he quietly watched Yangg Yi, but this time he made a request, "Yangg Yi, dare you make a bet with me?"
"A bet?" Yangg Yi's eyebrows raised, "What do you want to bet? Or rather, what right do you have to make a bet with me?"
This was a particularly irritating statement, yet it was true. Ye Chen was a waste, whereas Yangg Yi had a bright future. The two of them were simply not on the same starting line.
"How about we bet my life?" Ye Chen said calmly, leaving the whole audience once again astonished.
"They've actually wagered their lives!"
Xia Wei's complexion changed immediately, and she anxiously said, "Chen'er, what kind of nonsense are you talking about? Miss Yangg, please don't take this seriously, he's just speaking carelessly."
Even Ye Ao and the three elders, as well as the other members of the Yangg Family, were shocked. Many were frowning, shaking their heads disapprovingly at the thought of Ye Chen foolishly wanting to gamble with his own life—what a stupid act.
Yangg Yi was also stunned, but she quickly shook her head and said, "My life is far more valuable than yours; I won't gamble."
This response relieved Ye Ao, Xia Wei, and Huan'er, all of whom cared about Ye Chen. However, the next moment, Ye Chen's words once again made their hearts hang in their throats, "If that's the case, let's wager the Spirit Clearing Pill. If you win, the Spirit Clearing Pill will no longer need to be repaid by your Yangg Family. If you lose, you just need to agree to one condition of mine, and that's it, quite simple."
"Not on any account," the great elder of the Ye Family interjected, speaking coldly, "The Spirit Clearing Pill is of utmost importance; it's not something you, a good-for-nothing, can decide on."
"You're right, Ye Chen, you're not qualified to gamble with the Spirit Clearing Pill." The other two elders agreed with the great elder.
But Ye Ao cut straight to the point, "Gamble it. If we lose, I will repay the value of the Spirit Clearing Pill."
As soon as Ye Ao spoke, the three great elders of the Ye Family were immediately lost for words.
"Thank you, father." Ye Chen looked at Ye Ao gratefully. Without his father's intervention, it would have been very difficult to get the agreement of the three elders, but now his father had an even heavier burden of responsibility—he couldn't let his father down.
"How would you like to gamble?" Yangg Yi was cautious and didn't agree right away.
"The way to gamble is simple. Nine months from now will be the enrollment test for Tiandu Academy. If during this trial, I, Ye Chen, lose and fail to get into Tiandu Academy, then the Spirit Clearing Pill will not need to be repaid by your Yangg Family."
"If I win, you will agree to one condition of mine," Ye Chen said indifferently, but the words he spoke made everyone's heart tremble. Was this kid crazy?
Many people shook their heads and sighed, thinking that the guy must have been driven mad. How could someone at the mere Acquired Third Realm hope to pass the recruiting trial of Tiandu Academy, the number one Cultivation Holy Land of the continent, in just nine months? That's something even the geniuses from Xiafeng Academy find difficult to achieve—wasn't this insanity?
Then, Ye Chen looked at Yangg Yi's beautiful and charming face and asked, "Do you dare to gamble?"
The few simple words made hearts quiver.
Yangg Yi didn't want to pay attention to Ye Chen's challenge, but his attitude seemed to look down on and scorn her, making her feel aggrieved. Clearly, she was the genius while he was the worthless one, yet it seemed completely the opposite.
Under the gaze of the surrounding eyes, Yangg Yi clenched her silver teeth and immediately responded, "Alright, since you wish to bet, it would only make me look petty if I didn't agree. As long as you win, it's not just a matter of one condition—I, Yangg Yi, here also agree to be at your service as a maid or even your warm bed attendant."
As for the spectators from the Yangg Family, they simply watched coldly from the sidelines, not objecting, because they didn't believe Ye Chen had the capability to pass Tiandu Academy's admission trial. This was all going to end up as nothing more than a self-inflicted humiliation.
But this was even better for them, as it could cancel out the matter of the Spirit Clearing Pill—how fortunate they were for Ye Chen's incompetence.
In their eyes, Ye Chen was just an incapable cultivator, and even if he could cultivate, reaching the enrollment standards for Tiandu Academy in just three short months was practically an impossibility. The admission tests of Tiandu Academy were extremely strict and not something the average person could achieve.
Even for Yangg Yi who had not yet made a breakthrough, it was just barely reaching the threshold.
As for Ye Chen, it was simply impossible!
"Good, since Miss Yangg agrees, for fairness and justice, let's draw up a written pledge right here. Huan'er, bring the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone—" Ye Chen called out loudly, and Huan'er quickly brought the writing materials and handed them over.
Dipping the brush in the freshly ground ink, Ye Chen wrote with swift strokes on the white paper, "Today, I, Ye Chen, and Yangg Yi have established this wager. If nine months from now I, Ye Chen, cannot pass the entrance exam to Xiafeng Academy, I am willing to stake my life. If I succeed, then Yangg Yi must promise me one condition. If the pledge is broken, may lightning strike, with my daughters condemned to be harlots and my sons condemned to be slaves throughout all generations!"
Then, the young man bit his thumb, allowing fresh blood to flow, and forcefully pressed a blood seal onto the pledge.
Yangg Yi also bit her finger, using her blood to seal her own mark, with each party keeping one copy of the doubled document.
"From today onward, the wager is officially established!"
Everything concluded, Ye Chen left the hall without looking back, but his final parting words once again stunned everyone into silence—
"Yangg Yi, I look forward to nine months from now. After all, having been the young master for so long, I've been missing a warm bed attendant."
"I think your looks and figure barely make the cut, so you might as well go wash up and prepare to warm my bed!"
The second update is here; the next might not be until after midnight, but there are still two more coming tomorrow. Don't worry, the third update isn't counted for tomorrow, everyone can rest assured.