Chris froze for a moment, stunned after hearing those words.
He shook his head and replied, “I have no idea! Isn’t Aetherbinding something that only exists in myths? Are you saying it’s real in the modern world?”
“That’s right,” Brian Jefferson nodded. “Aetherbinding doesn’t just exist in myths. It’s real, and our Jefferson family is one of the Aetherbinding families. The reason our Jefferson family came here a century ago was that Earth’s environment had suffered severe pollution, and the spiritual energy dwindled to the point where it became unsuitable for Aetherbinding practitioners to survive.
“Our ancestor endured countless hardships to find this place, allowing the Jefferson family to thrive to this day. But now, the Jefferson family is facing a new difficulty. That’s why we’ve summoned all direct and collateral descendants back to the family. The purpose is to select an Aetherbinding genius to inherit the Jefferson family’s legacy.”
Hearing this, Chris was shocked to the core.
For as long as he could remember, Chris thought Aetherbinding was nothing more than a fabrication in online novels. He never imagined it could exist in reality.
Frowning, Chris asked, “What kind of difficulty is the Jefferson family facing?”
Brian Jefferson shook his head. “That’s not something I can disclose. The reason I called you here today is just to give you a heads-up. It’s getting late, so you can leave now.”
Chris was left speechless.
Brian Jefferson was so secretive-what on earth was he scheming?
With no other choice, Chris and Esther left.
Today, Chris had uncovered an earth-shattering secret from Brian Jefferson’s words: Aetherbinding practitioners existed in this world, and the Jefferson family was one of the Aetherbinding families.
No wonder the Jefferson family was so mysterious-it turned out they were an Aetherbinding family.
On top of that, Chris learned that the Jefferson family was facing a serious challenge. To overcome this, they were holding a family assembly, summoning descendants from all branches to identify a new Aetherbinding talent.
Chris turned to Esther and asked, “Esther, did you know the Jefferson family was an Aetherbinding family?”
Esther shook her head, looking completely baffled. “I had no idea! All I knew was that the Jefferson family is the most powerful family in Amerosia. As for being an Aetherbinding family, I don’t understand it at all.”
“But I do remember my grandfather mentioning that the Jefferson family isn’t as peaceful as it seems internally. The current family head, Brian Jefferson, once had a son, but that son died in an assassination. Since Brian Jefferson has no other children and is aging, there’s been constant open and covert strife over who will inherit the position of family head.”
Brian Jefferson has no heir?
This thought caused Chris to narrow his eyes.
It seemed this Jefferson family assembly wasn’t going to be simple.
If he wasn’t careful, he might get dragged into the Jefferson family’s internal conflicts.
When that happens, the Jefferson family will likely erupt into chaos and bloodshed.
No matter what, Chris resolved to protect Esther at all costs. He wouldn’t let her get hurt.
“Esther,” Chris asked, “do you have to attend the family assembly tomorrow?”
“Yes,” Esther nodded. “All members of the Jefferson family’s younger generation, whether direct descendants or from collateral branches, must attend. Anyone who doesn’t will face serious consequences. Even though our East Coast Jefferson family has grown in power, we still can’t withstand the wrath of the main family.”
Chris fell silent.
Although he was confident in his abilities, after witnessing the Jefferson family’s strength, he realized how insignificant he truly was.
He didn’t even stand a chance against Brian Jefferson, much less the rest of the family.
Chris forced a bitter smile. “Coming to the Jefferson family this time was truly a mistake.”
Still, the Jefferson family assembly wasn’t just about him and Esther. Descendants from countless branches of the family would also be present.
If danger arose, Chris was prepared to protect Esther and fight their way out of the Jefferson family.
—
Meanwhile, on a small path outside the courtyard:
“Elias, the Jefferson family is really going downhill. Along the way, I’ve barely seen any Aetherbinding practitioners. If this continues, they won’t be able to hold onto the title of Amerosia’s most powerful family,” Alexandre Leite remarked, his face filled with disdain as he scanned his surroundings.
Elias Dorneles frowned and replied, “Don’t underestimate the Jefferson family. They didn’t become Amerosia’s strongest family by chance. Their thousand-year-old heritage runs deep, and they’re not to be taken lightly.”
“Hahaha!” Alexandre burst out laughing, his tone dripping with mockery. “Is that so? I heard tomorrow is the Jefferson family’s assembly. I’m curious to see how many outstanding talents their younger generation has left.”
As the heir of the Sword Clan, Alexandre Leite was arrogant and dismissive of others.
His visit to the Jefferson family wasn’t just for collaboration but also to observe their younger generation during the assembly.
Over the years, the Jefferson family’s younger generation had steadily declined.
At this rate, the Jefferson family’s downfall was inevitable.
And when that day came, the Sword Clan would seize their opportunity.
—
The next day, early in the morning, Chris and Esther woke up and prepared for the family assembly.
After breakfast, a servant led them out of their small courtyard.
Along the way, many other Jefferson family members also emerged.
As Chris glanced around, he saw a dense crowd-easily numbering in the tens of thousands.
The Jefferson family truly lived up to its name as Amerosia’s most powerful family. Just the younger generation from its branches alone amounted to so many people.
Curious, Chris turned to the servant and asked, “Have you always lived within the Jefferson family?”
The servant nodded. “Yes.”
“Do you know anything about the outside world? Like Middleton or Master William?”
The servant’s face remained expressionless. “I don’t know them.”
Hearing this, Chris couldn’t help but feel exasperated.
The Jefferson family members seemed completely disconnected from the outside world.
It felt as though they lived in an entirely different reality.
Soon, the servant led Chris and Esther to the grand plaza outside the Jefferson family hall.
The massive plaza was already packed with people, a sea of heads stretching as far as the eye could see.
These attendees came from Jefferson family branches all across Amerosia.
Surrounding the plaza, guards from the Jefferson family stood watch.
Almost all of these guards were at the level of great grandmasters or higher, leaving Chris stunned.
Such overwhelming power could easily crush any other family in Amerosia.
The Jefferson family truly lived up to its reputation as an Aetherbinding family-their strength was terrifying.
The family assembly soon began, and Brian Jefferson stepped forward to speak.