Ye Clan's Legitimate Son

South Capital!

Ye Qiu also stood up and looked over there, his gaze gradually becoming complicated.

He hadn't returned in ten years, not since he left at the age of seven.

Memories, sealed in the depths of his heart and unwilling to be mentioned, seemed to be peeled away layer by layer...

He clearly remembered that Ye Jiangshan personally sent him away from this city back then.

He was still young, crying and chasing after him, calling out "Daddy," even losing one of his shoes, yet he never got a glance back...

"We're here." The Black Wind Eagle was very fast, landing outside the massive city gates in just a few breaths.

Ye Qiu withdrew his thoughts, jumped off the Black Wind Eagle, and turned back to say, "Great Grandfather, you guys go back first. I'll go home after I've dealt with things here."

The Great Elder and the others blinked their eyes, then smiled and said, "Alright."

After a brief exchange, the Black Wind Eagle soared into the sky again, returning to South Mountain along the path they came.

Ye Qiu then looked ahead.

The tall, black city walls were majestic and solid, like an eternal Great Wall. Standing beneath them, one felt incredibly small.

He stepped forward and walked through the wide city gate, his vision immediately broadening.

It was like entering a whole new world.

Wide streets, bustling crowds, and rows upon rows of magnificent, grand buildings lining both sides.

It seemed that even the smallest building here was far more impressive than those in South Mountain.

Even though he had lived here for seven years, Ye Qiu was still captivated by the prosperity of the place upon his return.

He flowed into the crowd, walking along the road, observing the familiar yet strange sights around him.

Memories in his mind flipped through like pages in a book, stirred by the wind...

"Star Pavilion!" Ye Qiu looked at a magnificent, towering structure shimmering with purple light.

This was the foremost pavilion in South Province.

Actually, it shouldn't just be called the foremost in South Province; rumor had it that the Star Pavilion's backing was connected to Central Province, and even Divine Province.

Its foundation was very strong!

He had visited this place many times with his mother in the past.

His memories flashed by, and Ye Qiu continued forward, walking and looking until he reached a vast plaza.

Many people were gathered in the plaza, and in front of it stood a tall staircase.

Atop the staircase was an incredibly grand mountain gate, like an arch bridge built into a hollowed-out peak.

Four large characters were written on the bridge: Nanzhou Academy!

They gleamed with golden light, exuding an imposing aura!

It was known as the sacred land of South Province!

These few days were the grand recruitment period for Nanzhou Academy.

And at this time, all the talented young generation in the entire South Province would gather here.

However, Nanzhou Academy, being the foremost academy, had extremely strict admission requirements.

It was said that Nanzhou Academy recruited at most one hundred people each year!

Only the very best!

At this moment, an old man's voice echoed throughout the square, explaining the rules of the grand examination. It was simple:

Ascend to the top of the staircase, and you would be considered an academy disciple!

However, everyone knew that the staircase was difficult, as it was famously known as the Heavenly Ladder!

Despite a moment of silence, the young people taking the exam rushed towards the staircase one after another.

Ye Qiu also stepped forward and onto the staircase.

The moment he stepped onto the first level, he felt a powerful pressure, which grew stronger as he ascended.

But for him, this pressure was child's play. After all, his Qi and Blood had already surpassed one hundred thousand!

He maintained a steady pace upwards, while people around him continuously fell, groaning in pain.

Some even vomited blood and tumbled down the stairs.

Others moved quickly past him, gritting their teeth and constantly accelerating.

After all, the grand examination also depended on performance. The sooner one reached the summit, the more attention they would attract.

And gaining the attention of the higher-ups meant treatment completely different from that of ordinary disciples.

One might even be directly taken in as a disciple by a powerful elder, with a clear path ahead.

But Ye Qiu didn't care, nor did he want that. He ascended at a moderate pace, reaching the peak at the right time.

Then, an old man led him into the mountain gate.

In the past, he had also visited this Academy. If his mother hadn't suddenly met with an accident, he might have already been taken in as a disciple by an elder.

His gaze swept forward.

The Academy was vast, filled with magnificent halls and pavilions everywhere. In the distance, there were also majestic peaks and tall towers... Further behind, several peaks even floated in the sky.

Floating Mountain!

"Follow me." Ye Qiu glanced around, then followed the old man into a grand hall.

The old man asked, "Name?"

Ye Qiu replied, "Ye Qiu."

The old man glanced at him. "From the Ye Clan?"

Ye Qiu said, "Nanshan."

The hint of amiability in the old man's eyes quickly vanished, replaced by a subtle trace of disdain.

"Nanshan is such a small place. It's fortunate for you to be someone like this," he said, casually making a note in the ledger.

Then, he took out a waist token and a set of Academy robes. "Take these things."

He turned and retrieved a booklet. "You must commit the contents of this law book to memory. Within the Academy, there are rules that cannot be broken. Otherwise, at best, you'll be expelled from the Academy; at worst, your cultivation will be crippled. If it's even more serious, you'll be executed on the spot! Understand?"

Ye Qiu nodded and asked, "I saw they all received a reward of a thousand Spirit Crystals. Don't I get any?"