"Third Brother, why are you only getting back now?" Odin called out, rushing to help Zhong Yun as he dragged a large trunk through the door. It was already the tenth day of the semester, and Zhong Yun had just made it to school.

"Got held up with something," Zhong Yun replied, setting his luggage down in his room before returning to the living area. "No classes today?"

Odin sat by the table, lifting a teacup, taking a slow, deeply appreciative sip. "Our advisor isn't feeling well and was hospitalized today. So, we have the day off."

"Care for a cup?" Odin offered.

Zhong Yun shook his head. "You should keep it for yourself."

The tea from the Mings Kingdom, much like the kind from Dawa, was made from the processed leaves of a certain plant—dried, roasted, and baked.

However, because the flora varied so much between planets, the resulting teas tasted vastly different. Dawa's tea was quite similar to Earth's, so Zhong Yun had no strong aversion to it.

But the tea of the Mings Kingdom was brackish with a slight sourness that Zhong Yun found deeply jarring. So, despite its excellent ability to keep one alert, Zhong Yun had only tried it once before deciding never to touch it again. He couldn't stand the flavor.

"Second Brother already put in a leave request for you, saying you had an emergency. Your advisor must be incredibly understanding to approve it just like that." Odin sounded envious. The rules at Kedong Academy were notoriously strict; without a rock-solid reason, requesting time off was impossible.

As it happened, Zhong Yun’s advisor was the Vice Dean of the Archaeology Institute, granting him the authority to approve leaves. As for him being understanding—that was pure nonsense. His nickname, "Black Face God," wasn't earned for nothing.

Among all the instructors, his impression on the students was the worst. Not only did he always wear a sullen expression, but he was also the most demanding. In his class, even being one second late warranted no leniency; it was simply marked as tardy.

Zhong Yun could guess why his advisor treated him differently: it was because of the immense potential he had displayed in archaeology. In truth, it wasn't that surprising; how could progress not be fast when he studied day and night?

So, hearing Odin’s words, Zhong Yun merely offered a slight smile, poured himself a glass of plain boiled water, took a few sips, and suddenly asked, "Are you familiar with the history of the Kedong family?"

"You've asked the right person," Odin brightened immediately. "The Kedong family has always maintained a low profile. If you asked anyone else, you might not get any real answers."

"Oh." Zhong Yun adjusted his posture. "I searched online, but I found very little information."

"That's just the officially released data, which everyone knows," Odin scoffed. "The Kedong family deleted almost all information about themselves online to maintain discretion. It’s why many people don't even realize that the family who discovered Kedong Star still exists."

Odin took another drink of tea and began to speak. "For the Kedong family to have endured two millennia of storms without decline, continuing to this day, speaks volumes about their vigorous vitality."

"In Mings Calendar Year 2987, the exploration fleet led by Hanlon Kedong discovered Kedong Star, officially declaring it territory of the Kingdom. As the discoverer, Hanlon Kedong was granted the title of Viscount by the Kingdom, along with five hundred years of governing authority over the planet."

"The history of the Kedong family is calculated from that moment. During those five centuries, the Kedong family, as rulers of Kedong Star, extracted immense benefits from it while simultaneously making vast contributions to the planet's development."

"The Kedong family reached its zenith in the 500th year. They not only had absolute control on Kedong Star—their word was law—but they also held significant influence even within the Central Government."

"At that time, the Kedong family truly held power to the skies, unquestionably the number one family in the Kingdom. They even overshadowed the Royal Family."

"As the saying goes, peak prosperity must decline. In their 500th year, the Kedong family lost a political struggle against their rivals, and their Viscount title was revoked."

"From then on, the Kedong family's influence shrank dramatically, and their operations turned low-key."

"By modern times, the era of the Kedong family ruling Kedong Star is long gone. Several new factions have risen on Kedong Star, showing every sign of overtaking them."

Odin finished his long explanation, feeling thirsty, and downed three cups in succession before concluding, "The Kedong family is an ancient family, and simultaneously, a very discreet one."

Zhong Yun frowned. "But how did the Kedong family amass their wealth? Kedong Star was just a primitive planet. How much fortune could they accumulate in five hundred years to possibly climb to the position of the top family?"

Odin gave a peculiar smile. "Actually, many people harbor the same question you do. No valuable raw materials were ever discovered on Kedong Star itself. So where did the Kedong family's money come from?"

He lowered his voice, leaning conspiratorially toward Zhong Yun. "Many people speculate that the Kedong family discovered a raw stone mine on Kedong Star. That’s the only way they could have amassed such grand financial power in such a short time."

Zhong Yun's eyebrows shot up; he inwardly dismissed this notion with contempt. If the Kedong family had truly found a raw stone mine—even the smallest one—the current Mings Kingdom would already have a different surname.

The true value of raw stones was not generally understood. Those who had heard of them knew they were valuable, but they couldn't articulate precisely how valuable.

Considering the national power of the Hongxian Federation, its national treasury held only fifteen raw stones, which illustrated their preciousness.

A raw stone mine? That was the kind of asset that could spark wars between high-level civilizations. If a mid-level civilization discovered one and let slip a whisper of it, it wouldn't take long before pirates from high-level civilization territories "wandered in" to seize it.

Faced with such immense profit, the supposed laws of the Great Universe Federation held absolutely no restraint.

Therefore, Zhong Yun was certain that whatever the Kedong family found was not a raw stone mine, but rather a treasure trove left behind by the previous owner of Xiao Ling.

Anger flared in Zhong Yun’s chest. "Kedong family, if you dare sell those few items I want, I will ensure your entire family vanishes from this universe."

"Oh, right," Odin suddenly recalled something else. "At Kedong Academy, besides Su Qi, there's another direct heir studying here. Her name is Wenzhu."

"What?" Zhong Yun was completely taken aback.

"Surprised, aren't you?" Odin chuckled smugly. "People from the Kedong family adore hiding their identities; those as high-profile as Su Qi are extremely rare. Based on my knowledge of the Kedong family, an heir who throws themselves into the public eye like Su Qi is unlikely to end up leading the family. Instead, disciples like Wenzhu are usually the ones they favor."

Zhong Yun didn't fully process that last part; his mind was revolving around one single fact. "You're saying Wenzhu is Kedong family? Are you sure?"

"Absolutely and positively," Odin guaranteed, thumping his chest.

A sharp glint flashed in Zhong Yun's eyes.

Odin looked at him, perplexed. "Do you know Wenzhu?"

"Of course, I know her," Zhong Yun replied, a smile playing on his lips as he lifted his cup and drained the water inside.

Wenzhu, Sister Zhu, the Kedong family...

"Third Brother, what took you so long? I thought the beasts in the forest had snatched you away," Liu Ming exclaimed with genuine delight upon seeing Zhong Yun return after class.

Seeing that Zhong Yun seemed to have recovered from the blow of heartbreak, Liu Ming was happy for him. "Didn't run into any beasts, no. Just met a stunning beauty, and we had a deep exchange."

"Oh, keep dreaming," Liu Ming laughed heartily. "In a place where you can’t even spot a ghost, you met a great beauty?"

"Believe it or not." A trace of wistful memory flickered in Zhong Yun's eyes. Bantering with Liu Ming gave him a feeling reminiscent of his time with Tianhai.

Now that Zhong Yun was back with the group, Liu Ming suggested they head to the Thirteenth Mess Hall for a huge meal. No one objected. The four of them then marched toward the Thirteenth Mess Hall, securing a table with a good view.

Looking at the menu, Zhong Yun felt a pang of worry. He hadn't eaten most of the items listed. Who knew what these strange and bizarre dishes would taste like?

For a picky eater like him, coming to a country with such an eccentric palate was truly torturous. For the past six months, he had mostly subsisted on bland, high-energy food.

He forced himself to order a few dishes, resigning himself to fate.

Just as the order was placed, Liu Ming nudged his elbow and glanced at him curiously, then subtly gestured with his chin toward the left.

Zhong Yun followed the direction and saw a perfectly handsome face at a table across the way, currently wearing an impeccably flawless smile.

Him again? Could it really be a case of enemies destined to cross paths?

Who else could it be but Su Qi?

Since Su Qi was present, that meant... Zhong Yun’s gaze drifted to the person sitting opposite him. The first thing he noticed was a head of short, pure silver hair. Huh? Vivi changed her hairstyle? No...

It turned out Su Qi had simply swapped women. This woman wasn't Vivi. She was a mixed-race woman with dark skin—not the pure black of a full-blooded person like Odin, but rather a refined complexion.

Her figure was stunning, radiating a palpable, fiery sensuality. For some reason, seeing this woman reminded Zhong Yun of Sister Zhu, that hidden member of the Kedong family. The irresistible allure she possessed seemed even more pronounced in this woman.

"Black Pearl, tsk tsk. Being handsome certainly has its perks," Liu Ming said, full of envy. What man wouldn't be moved by such a top-tier woman?

"Black Pearl?" Zhong Yun’s gaze dropped to her exaggerated curves up front, and he chuckled. "Quite fitting."

"Speaking of which," Odin said, sounding annoyed that a beautiful woman from his own people had been charmed by a pretty boy, "Third Brother, did you perhaps steal Su Qi’s date?"

Liu Ming drew his eyes away from Black Pearl and looked at Zhong Yun suspiciously. "Yeah, you're right. Otherwise, why would Su Qi dare to openly date Black Pearl? Spill it."

P: Another chapter tonight. (To be continued, for future developments, please log in to . , more chapters, support the author, support)