[System upgrade in progress...] [Basic functions will operate normally during the upgrade.]
Ye Qiong leaned back in his chair and tapped the edge of the desk twice with his fingers.
As I Wrote was finally about to open.
He stared at that prompt for a while, countless memories from the past churning through his mind.
There were scenes of fighting side by side with the Chrysos Heirs in his previous life, along with all the strange and interesting experiences they had shared in Amphoreus.
But he had no intention of restoring their memories right away.
The tournament was approaching, after all. Suddenly forcing the lives of their past incarnations into their minds might not be a good thing for them.
Phainon and the others were wholly focused on training and becoming stronger. Anaxa and Tribbie's research had also reached a critical stage...
Pulling them into a dream of memories to dredge up old history now would only distract them.
It would be better to wait until the tournament was over.
Having made his decision, Ye Qiong temporarily set the matter aside.
Half a day later.
The system notification sounded right on schedule.
[Upgrade complete.]
[New module "As I Wrote" unlocked.]
[New pool "Echoes of the Past" opened.]
Ye Qiong opened the interface and swept his gaze over it.
The original character pool had already closed.
In its place was a brand-new entry point, marked by an icon of an open book with a faint golden glow spilling from between its pages.
["Echoes of the Past": Draws can yield the Chrysos Heirs' "Memory Echo Crystals." (Guaranteed within 100 draws)]
[After using a crystal, the corresponding Chrysos Heir will be drawn into a memory dream constructed by As I Wrote, awakening relevant memories from their past life.]
[There is also a chance to obtain items, resources, soul bones, and other rewards. (Guaranteed within 50 draws)]
After reading the description, Ye Qiong's gaze lingered briefly on the words "Memory Echo Crystal."
He did not rush to draw.
There was no use for them even if he drew them now. It would be better to save them and deal with everything at once after the tournament ended.
Just as he was about to close the panel, the system displayed another notification.
[New mission issued.]
[Mission name: "Severing Assistance".]
[Mission details: Prevent Tang San from establishing contact with the Strength Clan, cutting off the possibility of him obtaining the Strength Clan's support and allegiance.]
[Reward: 2,000 Star Jade.]
Ye Qiong frowned.
The Strength Clan?
He searched through the information in his mind.
In the original story, Tang San did indeed have deep ties with the Strength Clan.
The Strength Clan's chief, Tai Tan, had once been affiliated with the Clear Sky Sect. His loyalty to the Clear Sky Sect and Tang Hao was absolute.
In the original story, after recognizing Tang San's martial soul, Tai Tan directly acknowledged him as his young master.
So once that old man confirmed Tang San's identity, he would bring the entire Strength Clan over to his side.
Put nicely, it was unwavering loyalty. Put bluntly, he was just a dog.
Ye Qiong rubbed his chin.
If he wanted to complete the system's mission by stopping Tai Long from provoking Tang San, that was practically impossible. Tai Long was merely the fuse.
The real problem was how to prevent the Strength Clan from ever having the chance to establish contact with Tang San.
But someone like Tai Tan could not be swayed through forceful persuasion.
His loyalty to the Clear Sky Sect had been carved into his bones over decades.
So he needed a different approach...
After pondering for a moment, Ye Qiong came up with a plan.
Then he would bypass Tai Tan and start with the other members of the Strength Clan.
With that in mind, Ye Qiong changed into a plain, inconspicuous set of clothes and left the academy alone.
Heaven Dou City, southern district.
The Strength Clan's smithy stood beside a bustling market street.
The storefront was enormous. From far away, one could hear the constant clang of hammers within, while firelight spilled from the open doors and baked the ground outside until it shone.
Ye Qiong did not enter directly.
He turned into a tea stall across the street, ordered a bowl of coarse tea, and sat in the corner drinking it slowly.
Yet his gaze remained fixed on the entrance of the smithy.
He observed it for an entire afternoon.
Members of the Strength Clan came and went, most of them clan disciples carrying iron materials or finished weapons in and out.
Occasionally, several young men who looked like apprentices would rest by the entrance, exchange a few jokes, then return to work.
Ye Qiong noticed that the smithy's business was quite good.
Customers came in an endless stream. Ordinary people came to order farming tools, while soldiers in uniform came to collect weapons.
But he never saw Tai Tan appear.
Not until dusk, when the firelight inside the shop had become almost blinding, did Ye Qiong see a burly old man emerge from the inner room.
The man had short gray-white hair, arms as thick as tree trunks, and an apron still speckled with iron filings. He was lowering his head as he gave instructions to a young man.
Tai Tan.
Ye Qiong recognized him, but still did not move.
He watched Tai Tan walk to a spot deep inside the shop, beside the wall, where a separate small forge stood.
Unlike the large furnaces outside, this forge was much smaller, with several oddly shaped metal components arranged around it.
Tai Tan crouched before the forge and picked up something from beside it, holding it up to the light for inspection.
It was a curved piece of metal, about the size of a palm. Dense patterns were engraved across its surface, while its edges had been polished thin and bright.
Ye Qiong narrowed his eyes.
The thing differed from ordinary weapons in design. It looked more like a component from some kind of mechanism or device.
After examining it for a while, Tai Tan picked up a file and refined it a few times before placing it into the flames to heat.
He was utterly focused throughout the process. He did not even raise his head when someone spoke to him nearby.
Ye Qiong firmly committed the scene to memory.
Anything that required Tai Tan to personally forge it was certainly no ordinary item.
That meant the Strength Clan had recently accepted an important commission, one involving craftsmanship so demanding that even Tai Tan, the clan chief, had to handle it himself.
That information might prove useful.
Ye Qiong did not linger any longer. He left money for the tea, stood up, and departed from the stall.
By the time he returned to Omphalos Academy, the sky was already dark.
Ye Qiong did not return to his room. Instead, he turned and left through the academy gates, heading in another direction.
Heaven Dou City, eastern district, Crown Prince's Mansion.
Xue Qinghe was reviewing a document in his study when a servant announced that Dean Ye Qiong of Omphalos Academy had come to visit. He set down the scroll in his hand.
"Show him in."
After Ye Qiong entered,
Xue Qinghe immediately rose to welcome him with a genial smile.
"Dean Ye, what brings you here tonight?"
"There is something I would like to ask Your Highness to help with."
Ye Qiong got straight to the point and briefly explained the situation with the Strength Clan.
Xue Qinghe listened intently, lightly tapping the tabletop twice with his fingers.
"So you want the Strength Clan's chief to leave Suotuo City for a while?"
"More precisely, I want him gone long enough for certain matters to be settled during that time."
Xue Qinghe glanced at Ye Qiong, amusement flickering in his eyes.
"It seems Dean Ye intends to deal with that young man named Tang San?"
Hearing that, Ye Qiong could not help but admire her inwardly.
Qian Renxue truly was clever. She had inferred the target he intended to deal with merely from what he wanted done.
"Your Highness truly has keen insight."
At Ye Qiong's praise, Xue Qinghe smiled faintly.
"This favor..."
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