Chapter 59

Chapter 59: The Crisis of the Ye Family

Mu Chen took Ye Shi to a table away from the others, ordering a lavish spread of dishes.

When Mu Chen ordered, he chose the most expensive dishes, amounting to thousands of crystals. While Ye Shi was usually oblivious, others, like Ye Ming, took notice.

Ye Rong kept casting envious glances at Ye Shi. Every time their eyes met, they exchanged fierce glares.

"Uncle Ming, is that really Mu Chen? A five-star warrior? I heard he was a talentless nobody," Ye Rong murmured.

Ye Ming frowned, "That was outdated information. Over half a year ago, for some reason, Mu Chen had a sudden awakening. Ever since, he's risen rapidly in both martial prowess and alchemical skills."

A conflicted expression covered Ye Rong's face, "Considering how outstanding Mu Chen is now, why would he want to be with Ye Shi?"

"To each their own," Ye Ming remarked, glancing in the direction of Mu Chen and Ye Shi. As Mu Chen offered Ye Shi a piece of fish fin, Ye Shi looked at him shyly, an undeniable happiness glowing on his face.

Ye Ming squinted, admitting that while he didn't understand what Mu Chen saw in Ye Shi, it was good that he admired him.

After Ye He's death, Ye Xun was initially overjoyed, glad that the person who held him back was gone. He thought he would finally be free to spend as he wished.

However, it didn’t take long for Ye Xun to realize something was amiss. Family businesses kept running into problems, traitors emerged, and alchemists under contract with the Ye family left for other clans. Despite his best efforts, Ye Xun couldn't halt the decline of the Ye family.

Desperate, Ye Xun spent two hundred thousand stones to purchase two admission letters from Saint Star Academy, hoping to turn the tide.

With a furrowed brow, Ye Ming noted that one of those letters was intended for Ye Shi. Though Ye Xun wasn't fond of Ye Shi, he knew that Ye Shi was the family’s best shot at impressing the academy's elders.

Ye Xun sent someone to Mo City to gather information and learned that Ye Shi had caught the fancy of Mu Yuanfeng, who even spent one hundred thousand stones to secure an admission letter to the academy for him.

Upon hearing that Ye Shi already had an admission letter, Ye Xun immediately scrapped the idea of giving him one, thinking that, blood being thicker than water, a successful Ye Shi would undoubtedly elevate the Ye family.

Ye Ming gave a wry smile, realizing how averse Ye Shi was to the family. Hoping for Ye Shi to ever have the family's best interests at heart seemed unlikely.

...

Grinding her teeth, Ye Rong asked, "Uncle Ming, what rank has Ye Shi achieved now?"

Ye Ming glanced at Ye Shi and replied, "It seems Young Master Shi has advanced quite rapidly. He's already a seven-star martial artist."

"What?!" exclaimed Ye Wu, eyes widening.

"How could his power increase so quickly?" Ye Cheng blurted out.

While Ye Shi's talent was well-known within the Ye family, his rise from a two-star to a seven-star martial artist in just a few months was unexpectedly rapid.

Shaking his head, Ye Ming said, "I'm not sure, but I've heard that Young Master Mu Chen has been very generous with resources when it comes to Shi."

Looking at Ye Shi, who was being so tenderly cared for by Mu Chen, jealousy flashed in Ye Rong's eyes. "What does Mu Chen see in him?" she wondered.

"Mu Chen is so wasteful, ordering so much food," Ye Rong commented, a hint of bitterness in her voice.

"Young Master Mu is an alchemist. Rumor has it that his potion crafting success rate is quite high. He probably isn't struggling financially," Ye Ming speculated.

Ye Cheng scoffed, "I can't believe a mere first-tier alchemist like him can earn much. He's just lucky."

Ye Wu sighed, "Being born lucky is a skill in itself!"

Jealousy gleamed in Ye Rong's eyes as she gazed in Ye Shi's direction.

"It's strange seeing the three of them here," Ye Shi commented, eating with a puzzled expression.

Sipping his tea leisurely, Mu Chen replied, "It's not hard to guess. They're probably here for the Saint Star Academy selection."

Ye Shi countered, "That doesn't add up. There are three of them, but the Ye family likely has only one spot."

"If there aren't enough spots, you can always buy one," Mu Chen said nonchalantly.

Ye Shi shook his head, unconvinced, "I doubt that."

Although Ye Xun was more generous with his other siblings compared to Ye Shi, Ye Shi found it hard to believe Ye Xun would spend so much just to buy two slots.

"Haven't you noticed? Each of their powers barely reached the two-star martial artist level, just enough to qualify for the Saint Star Academy selection," Mu Chen pointed out.

Scratching his head, Ye Shi mused, "That's odd. It's believable for Ye Wu, but even Ye Cheng has reached the two-star level?"

"It's not surprising. Their power was likely boosted using elixirs," Mu Chen stated calmly.

Puzzled, Ye Shi remarked, "Rushing power with elixirs has many risks! My father wouldn't do that."

"He had a reason. After your grandfather's death, the Ye family lost its strong backbone and faced pressures from other families. Your father is probably desperate by now," Mu Chen explained.

"How do you know all this?" Ye Shi inquired.

Mu Chen shrugged, "Bad news travels fast. There are no secrets in the world."

Ye Shi exhaled deeply, his expression mixed. "While my grandfather was alive, my father wished he'd pass away so he wouldn't interfere. Now that he's gone, it seems my father is struggling."

Mu Chen spoke softly, "There's actually a way to solve the current crisis of the Ye family."

Confused, Ye Shi asked, "What is it?"

"The Saint Star Academy holds a high position in the empire. Every year, they admit a handful of students. Families with members in the academy see a significant rise in status. Many students from the academy later become skilled martial artists or even martial kings..."

"I've also heard that sometimes the academy's mentors choose outstanding new students as their disciples. If someone from the Ye family is chosen by a mentor, it would resolve the current predicament," Mu Chen concluded.

Ye Shi glanced at Ye Rong and the others, curling his lip dismissively. "Chosen by a mentor? If the Sacred Star Academy's criteria for selection were based on one's ability to throw tantrums, then Ye Rong might indeed stand a chance."

Tilting his head, Ye Shi wasn't belittling his siblings. It's just that every year, the Sacred Star Academy only accepts the empire's best. There's no shortage of six, seven, or eight-star warriors under fifteen years old.

With narrowed eyes, Mu Chen pondered, "Perhaps your father felt cornered and thus took a desperate gamble."

Gritting his teeth, Ye Shi said, "You're right. That sounds just like my father. He's not the most responsible. He grumbles about not getting enough from Grandfather while pushing all the family matters onto him."

"If you were still part of the Ye family," Mu Chen commented, "whether or not your father's actions would succeed is another matter."

"Me?" Ye Shi exclaimed with widened eyes.

Nodding, Mu Chen remarked, "Indeed. You haven't even realized how exceptional your talent is."

A seven-star warrior at fourteen? Mu Chen would wager that even in the Sacred Star Academy, few students would attain this level.

Frowning, Ye Shi said bitterly, "So that's why he wants me back? I knew Ye Xun wasn’t the kind to easily have a change of heart. So that's the reason?"

Mu Chen patted Ye Shi's shoulder, advising, "Don't overthink it."

Ye Shi nodded, "Alright."