Even after some time, Yang Lihua still found it hard to believe, her voice trembling as she looked at Jiang Chen.
"It's true!"
"Mother, you saw it happen with your own eyes."
Jiang Chen chuckled and gestured toward the signed scroll resting on the table.
"Hahaha!"
"Look at me, so overwhelmed with joy I must seem foolish!"
"My son is incredible!"
Her gaze finally steadied, and Yang Lihua snapped out of her daze, beaming with pride.
Before long, Jiang Huaqing also returned.
Upon confirming the news for himself, Jiang Huaqing was swept up in the same excitement and joy.
As his parents basked in their happiness, Jiang Chen simply watched with a quiet, knowing smile.
To him, joining the DaXia Academy was never a personal ambition. However, if it granted him access to greater battlefields and celestial realms, he saw no reason to refuse.
The Dragon Ball Realm was undoubtedly vast.
But even the greatest of realms had their limitations.
To surpass those barriers, one had to seek higher worlds beyond.
The DaXia Academy stood among the ten supreme institutions of the realm. If not for the recent rise of the Mystic Arts Academy, it would have undoubtedly remained the most powerful.
Under normal circumstances, the gateways to celestial dimensions—those controlled by the Main City Court— were closely linked to the academy.
Harnessing the academy's resources was the swiftest path forward.
Especially since his younger sister was already there.
Enrolling in the DaXia Academy would allow him to watch over her as well.
The day after Jiang Chen signed the agreement, envoys from the Mystic Arts Academy arrived in haste.
However, upon their arrival, they found themselves utterly dumbfounded.
"Jiang Chen, you mean to say you've already pledged yourself to the DaXia Academy?"
The middle-aged envoy leading the group let out a resigned sigh, his expression somewhat bitter.
"Yes, I signed the agreement just yesterday." Jiang Chen nodded slightly.
"Damn it! Those scheming foxes were too quick! That commotion yesterday must've been Tang Junkai's doing!" One of the envoys couldn't help but mutter in frustration.
However, the middle-aged warrior quickly raised his hand to halt his companions.
"Jiang Chen, we sincerely apologize for the intrusion."
After stopping his fellow martial artists, the elder warrior spoke with genuine remorse.
Each sacred martial academy in the Main City Domain had its own recruitment methods, but once a warrior signed an enrollment pact, no other academy was permitted to contest their claim.
Under these circumstances, they had no choice but to accept their loss.
"You're too kind!"
Jiang Chen smiled and shook his head.
The middle-aged warrior and his group departed, their spirits visibly dampened.
Jiang Chen smiled once more and shook his head.
Life soon returned to normal.
In the days that followed, it seemed that all other martial academies had received word, as no further envoys came seeking his recruitment.
His daily routine remained unchanged.
The only thing that caught him off guard was his inability to contact his sister.
According to the academy, she had entered an advanced training phase.
Jiang Chen wasn't overly concerned.
By his estimation, during her second foray into the celestial realms, she should at least break into the Third-Tier Martial Realm— perhaps even the peak of it.
Her safety was assured, especially within the confines of the DaXia Academy.
Three days later, Jiang Chen's enrollment was officially processed.
From that moment onward, he was recognized as a full-fledged disciple of the esteemed martial institution.
Under normal circumstances, the academy would have already hung banners in his honor, and the entire Shaoxin Base City would be celebrating his achievement.
However, with the entire city preparing for relocation, such festivities were significantly scaled down.
Even so, word of his enrollment still stirred excitement throughout Shaoxin Base City.
Jiang Chen even received multiple messages of congratulations.
His uncle's family also paid them a visit.
The household held a small feast to celebrate.
Once the celebration passed, preparations for Shaoxin Base City's relocation began in earnest.
As a Third-Tier stronghold with a sizable population, relocating the city was no simple feat.
However, with the aid of martial sages and mystical formations, the process, while complex, was manageable.
A month later, Shaoxin Base City had been successfully resettled.
Tang Junkai returned.
This time, he arrived aboard a grand flying vessel.
"Jiang Chen!"
Tang Junkai greeted with a smile.
"Master Tang!"
"Master Tang!"
Jiang Huaqing and Yang Lihua greeted him respectfully.
Jiang Chen nodded slightly.
Tang Junkai waved his hand, and a group of spirit-bound constructs swiftly approached, lifting the Jiang family's belongings into the vessel.
"It's time to depart."
Gazing at their now-empty home, Jiang Huaqing and Yang Lihua felt a deep sense of nostalgia and reluctance.
This was where they had lived for decades.
Now, it was time to bid farewell.
Neither Tang Junkai nor Jiang Chen disturbed them.
Only after the couple had taken their moment to reminisce did they board the sky vessel.
With a deep, resonating hum, the vessel soared skyward.
"Jiang Chen, the journey from Shaoxin Base City to the Capital spans over seventeen thousand kilometers. With Wind Strider's speed, we should arrive within seven hours."
Tang Junkai remarked with a smile.
Jiang Chen nodded slightly, unfazed. Since the arrival of celestial breaches and realm invasions, not only had martial cultivation advanced, but mystical transportation techniques had also evolved significantly.
Jiang Chen had even heard whispers that scholars had begun experimenting with teleportation arrays capable of pinpoint transport.
Though such methods remained highly restrictive and confined to research chambers, it was proof that the world's advancements were accelerating.
"Master Tang, I've heard that realm breaches occur at regular intervals. Do you know how long that cycle typically lasts?"
As if recalling something, Jiang Chen turned toward Tang Junkai, curiosity in his gaze.
"Realm breaches?"
"There's no precise timing as of yet. Based on records from the first celestial breach hundreds of years ago, another major incursion should be due within the next year, but the exact moment remains uncertain."
"However, rest assured. Though the Main City Domain has opted to evacuate the Third-Tier strongholds as a precaution, the Federation's strength is formidable. Even against peak Sixth-Tier worlds, we have successfully led conquests. Even should we face a Seventh-Tier realm, it would not spell disaster."
Tang Junkai assured him with a confident smile.
"The Federation has conquered a peak Sixth-Tier world?"
Jiang Chen was momentarily taken aback.
"Yes, indeed!"
"Student Jiang Chen, don't you think the current reach of the DaXia Federation is almost too vast? Fifty years ago, it was barely a fraction of its current size."
"Back then, the very fabric of space was fragile compared to now. A mere Fourth Tier warrior could unleash devastation across the federation. But now? Even a Sixth Tier master might struggle to shake its foundations."
Tang Junkai's voice carried a trace of nostalgia as he reflected on the past.
"Teacher Tang, do you know what kind of world that conquered peak Sixth Tier realm was?"
Jiang Chen, his curiosity piqued, asked with interest.
"That remains a mystery."
"The conquest was personally led by the Grand Sovereign. Only they would know the full details."
Tang Junkai shook his head.
Jiang Chen nodded thoughtfully but didn't press further.
As the journey continued, the two engaged in deeper conversation.
Much of the discussion revolved around the benefits of DaXia Academy and the different trials and opportunities it offered. Tang Junkai shared his vast knowledge, and Jiang Chen listened intently.
(End Of This Chapter)
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