Under the envious gazes of the crowd, Jiang Ye calmly stepped onto a raised platform.
On the platform stood a small, exquisite pavilion, its overall style ancient yet elegant, with carved railings and painted beams subtly exuding a faint spiritual charm.
Though not luxurious, it possessed a simple and refined beauty.
Compared to the other pavilions in the Dao Discussion Platform, this was already the most top-tier residence, with a prime location and converging Qi veins.
The three-story building had a very spacious viewing platform, with clouds and mist swirling all around, and the light and shadows of the sky fully visible.
The ascending Dao path before his eyes was entirely reflected in Jiang Ye's vision.
It was like a magnificent, awe-inspiring path to the heavens.
“Divine Son Jiang, please rest here for the time being. If there are any inconveniences, please be understanding.”
Grand Elder Li Hongtai had always been known for his benevolence, humility, and high moral standing.
He was deeply respected in Cloud Top Academy.
Jiang Ye wore a faint smile.
“Alright.”
The Grand Elder nodded, then a flash in the Void Realm and he slowly vanished from his original spot.
“Young Master ~ The hospitality of Cloud Top Academy is simply contemptuous! This pavilion isn't even as comfortable as our carriage!”
Hong Yan said with a slight huff, her pretty face showing a hint of displeasure.
Qing Xuan frowned slightly, her brows revealing a touch of unhappiness, clearly also feeling that her Young Master had been slighted.
“Cloud Top Academy has always prided itself on ascetic cultivation and advocates simplicity in its actions, so there’s no need to fuss too much about it.”
Jiang Ye's face showed a hint of gloom as he said faintly, “These are minor matters. What’s important is that this old man, while seemingly respectful on the surface, actually has quite a few opinions about me. He probably doesn’t want me to become the Dao Child.”
“But there’s nothing to find fault with, so let’s observe for a while.”
“Jiang Yi!”
A phantom figure broke through the Void Realm, and a burly figure emerged from the rift, his expression solemn.
“What was Li Hongtai’s Realm just now?”
“Saint Realm!”
Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised.
“Hmm? The dignified Grand Elder of the Academy is only in the Saint Realm?”
“I observe his Qi flow to be chaotic and his blood and Qi depleted. He must have suffered severe injuries in the past, causing his Realm to drop.”
“Send someone inconspicuous to monitor him!”
“Yes!”
With the order given, Jiang Yi vanished from his original spot.
Jiang Ye sat in contemplation for a moment, then suddenly instructed, “Jiang Twelve, go monitor an Academy Disciple named Shen Lian. Prepare a recording stone. I observe Devilish Qi surging on this person; he might be Cultivating a Demonic Technique.”
“Jiang Twelve obeys the command!”
Jiang Twelve's heart was greatly shaken upon hearing this, and he immediately departed.
In Jiang Ye's view, Shen Lian possessed the Blood Soul Demonic Physique, naturally an excellent Physique for Cultivating Demonic Technique. The evil Cultivator was mostly trying to cover his tracks.
Blood Demon Devouring Technique?
It was clearly a Demonic Path Cultivation Technique.
However, observing his Aura, the Devilish Qi on Shen Lian was not as dense as imagined, suggesting he was still in the introductory stage and had not yet extensively slaughtered and devoured the Origin of Cultivators.
As for Jiang Thirteen?
He had already been sent to monitor Chu Nan.
Activating God Mode!
Jiang Ye was now thinking: What excuse could he find to thoroughly beat up Shen Lian or Chu Nan?
After all, this was Cloud Top Academy.
He still had to run for Dao Child, so his actions had to align somewhat with the core values of the Academy.
Given his status, every move he made was under scrutiny.
“Forget it, I’ll be honest for a day first, so as not to give others an excuse to criticize!”
Jiang Ye decided to first go find Aunt Meng to understand the specific situation of Cloud Top Academy.
He didn't plan to follow the rules.
He wasn't the protagonist, so why follow rules?
When these protagonists fight each other to the death, and finally discover that the position of Dao Child has already been decided internally, their expressions at that time will surely be very interesting. Won't they be directly angered to half-death?
He would directly pull the rug out from under them first!
With this thought, Jiang Ye smiled faintly, his figure transforming into a golden flash, and he vanished from his original spot.
Peach Garden Grotto-heaven.
Jiang Ye stepped into this place with light steps.
He proceeded unhindered, the surroundings empty and devoid of people.
There was no trace of any guards, nor any obvious entrance, the entire Grotto-heaven seemed to be a world unto itself, completely inaccessible to outsiders.
He was looking around, his Divine Sense slowly spreading.
Suddenly, a brilliant divine light shot out from the depths of the Grotto-heaven, instantly enveloping his entire body.
The divine light, like a condensed galaxy, was dazzling and dreamlike, like an invisible net, tightly fusing him with this peach-blossom world, stripping away all external Auras and Divine Sense perceptions.
Jiang Ye did not resist.
Because within this divine light, he could clearly feel that there was no malice.
Instead, it was a form of guidance, giving him a very familiar sense of closeness.
By the time he came back to his senses, he was already in a picturesque peach blossom garden.
Peach trees were like clouds and a sea, with lush branches and leaves, and delicate pink peach blossoms gently swayed in the spring breeze, like rosy clouds, softly scattering petals.
The fragrant green grass beneath the trees, a green carpet dotted with blooming flowers, resembled a paradise on earth.
Peaceful and serene, with the scent of peaches permeating the air.
It was simply like a hidden paradise.
It was completely different from the ancestral land where his mother, Su Hongye, resided.
Su Hongye's Grotto-heaven was always filled with blood-red heavenly light.
Graves and white bones were everywhere, permeated with the Aura of slaughter and death, like a purgatory. It was said that this helped in comprehending the true meaning of the Supreme killing Dao.
Jiang Ye had been there a few times, and it was truly terrifying.
“Aunt Meng?”
Jiang Ye's expression was relaxed, his tone carrying a hint of playful casualness as he strolled leisurely through the peach blossom garden.
The garden contained various spiritual plants, whose rarity was no less than that of the Jiang Clan.
There were also rows of medicinal fields, where the medicinal herbs grew very luxuriantly and were of excellent quality.
Spiritual springs flowed through the fields, their waters crystal clear, continuously nourishing these spiritual plants and emitting bursts of refreshing fragrance.
He was not polite, casually plucking a medicinal herb.
He took a look; its grade was not low.
It was an Undying Blood Qi Grass, capable of limb Rebirth for those below the Supreme Realm, and used to make Undying Divine Blood Medicine, which could instantly heal injuries and fully revive Saint King Realm Cultivators.
“Tsk tsk, Auntie, Auntie, where are you?”
“Your Grotto-heaven is already a Small World, isn't it? You must have taken so many benefits within the Academy; it's terrifying.”
Before his words finished, a supremely powerful Aura suddenly appeared.
Immediately after, a graceful figure emerged from the Void Realm, like a Fairy under the moon, stepping forward.
“You little rascal, I think you're asking for a beating!”
Her voice carried a hint of threat, yet it was also lighthearted and intimate.
She wore a snow-white gauze dress, her slender and graceful figure perfectly curved, and her peerless, captivating face was like a lotus emerging from water.
Her long black hair was coiled on her head with a golden hairpin, and a faint luster shimmered in her strands, giving her an ethereal, detached Aura.
This was Jiang Ye's Aunt.
Two hundred thousand years ago, Su Qingmeng was already a renowned Quasi-Emperor expert.
Now, she was a Half-Step Great Emperor, just one step away from truly achieving the Dao.
In the Myriad Domains of the Heavens, when no Great Emperors appeared, she was the strongest existence.
Back then, before the invasion of the Evil Demonic Foreign Races, Cloud Top Academy had dispatched her to investigate the anomalies in the Myriad Domains of the Heavens rift space, and she went to another Outer World.
Mid-journey, she learned of the Evil Demonic invasion.
She, like Su Hongye, directly chose to avoid the world.
She traveled in that Outer World for nearly ten thousand years before returning to the Heavens.
Over these two hundred thousand years, she had continuously developed her own foundation, backed by Su Hongye.
Now that the Golden Great Era was about to return, with Su Qingmeng's talent and foundation, and her mother Su Hongye protecting her Dao, she would undoubtedly become an Emperor at the first opportunity.
Moreover, once she became an Emperor, she would be one with a profound foundation.
“Aunt Meng, long time no see. Are you well?”
“Hmph… How did you just speak to your sister? Do you usually dare to speak to your mother like that? See if she doesn't beat you to death!”
Su Qingmeng gently parted her cherry lips, extending two delicate jade hands to pinch Jiang Ye's handsome face, one on each side.
