I Have Infinite Skill Points

"Bastards! All of them! They usually take so many benefits from us, but at the crucial moment, they shirk responsibility! Bastards!"

Within the ancient, elegant architectural complex of the Duanmu Family estate, Duanmu Qingsuang furiously smashed his cell phone to the ground. The phone shattered, its components scattering like ricocheting bullets in all directions.

"Master, what's wrong? They refuse to help?"

"Hmph! They're just scared of trouble! Saying the opponent has a powerful backer, someone they can't handle. Even if one person can't handle it, if everyone worked together, they could suppress them. Bastards, they're all a bunch of bastards."

"A powerful backer? How powerful can they be? In Jade Country, aside from the Yu Family, who has more influence than us? Could it be that Yi'er has offended the Yu Family?"

"No!" Duanmu Qingsuang shook his head and sighed deeply. "He has offended the son of the Flame Emperor!"

"The son of the Flame Emperor? But the Flame Emperor never married; how could she have a son?"

"He's not the Flame Emperor's biological son. He's a child the Flame Emperor adopted sixteen years ago. It's just that the Flame Emperor hid this child too well; for over a decade, no one knew. Otherwise, considering the power wielded by the Five Emperors, how could I not have warned Yi'er to be careful? Yi'er, too, never learns; he actually drugged his girlfriend. If *he* (Wang Lan) were to let this slide, I fear the Flame Emperor Bloodline itself might abandon *him*."

"Adopted by the Flame Emperor? What's there to fear about an adopted child?"

"Although he's adopted, he's no different from her own. That Wang Lan was raised personally by the Flame Emperor. After the Flame Emperor went on missions, her sister looked after him. The Flame Emperor has never married. For a woman as powerful as her, this is both a great fortune and a misfortune. Tell me, who in this world could be worthy of the Flame Emperor? The other four Emperors are all more than ten years her senior. It's highly unlikely the Flame Emperor will marry in this lifetime, so Wang Lan is effectively her only son."

"Even if the opponent has a powerful backer, our Duanmu Family shouldn't have to fear them."

"The current problem is that Yi'er's actions have left him completely vulnerable. If there were no evidence, we could still pull strings to our advantage. But with irrefutable proof, it will be very difficult for Yi'er to escape."

"That Jiang Xinyu wasn't harmed, right? Wasn't it just an attempt? Can't we just go apologize, show some humility, and offer double compensation? Even if they're relentless, surely they wouldn't kill Yi'er?"

"They won't kill Yi'er, but the heaviest punishment is to strip a Star Martial Warrior of their status for life. You know what that means."

"Lose his Star Palace?"

"Correct. If Yi'er's Star Palace is taken away, he can't become the head of the Duanmu Family. So, right now, the second and third branches are probably secretly rejoicing. No matter what, we must get Yi'er out."

"What if... we beg Eld Di?"

"What are you thinking? Eld Di is detached from worldly affairs; he wouldn't concern himself with this. Besides, if Eld Di intervened to help us, how would the Flame Emperor Bloodline view it? Eld Di won't help us under any circumstances. The best we can hope for is that he doesn't kick us while we're down. If Eld Di were to say even one word in support of Wang Lan, the difficulty of saving Yi'er would increase at least tenfold."

"Master... I remember Fanghua was there when it happened, wasn't he?" Suddenly, Lady Duanmu's eyes flickered, and an idea came to her.

"Fanghua? You mean..."

"Trade Fanghua for Yi'er. Claim Fanghua did all this, that Fanghua instigated Yi'er. That way, Yi'er would only be an accomplice, not the main perpetrator. We can then maneuver to get Yi'er out on bail. Then, send him abroad to study for five or ten years. Once the dust settles, we can let him return to the country."

"Fanghua..." Duanmu Qingsuang's expression darkened, a hint of reluctance in his eyes. But seeing his wife's increasingly grim face, he nodded. "Alright, we'll do as you say. I'll speak to Fanghua."

「」

The night was already deep, the stars twinkling faintly above.

Duanmu Fanghua walked out of the Duanmu Family residence, his expression indifferent, his face a mask of calm.

But his bleeding palms betrayed that his inner state was far from the tranquility his face suggested.

"As long as you willingly confess that you orchestrated all of this and incited Yi'er, I will use the Duanmu Family's power to ensure your safety. After three years, I will bring you back into the family and allow you to establish your own branch as a direct descendant."

"Heh heh heh... HAHAHA—"

Suddenly, Duanmu Fanghua threw his head back and roared with laughter!

"Duanmu Qingsuang, do you take me for a fool? Do you really think I'm that stupid? You're already planning to trade me for Duanmu Yi. You've made me the scapegoat, yet you think I'd believe you'd go all out to protect me?"

"HAHAHA... We're both your sons! I'm your own flesh and blood too! But in your eyes, I'm worth less than an ordinary Duanmu clansman. No, less than a dog! Because even a dog can carry the Duanmu name, while I don't even have the right to be called Duanmu!"

"Duanmu Qingsuang, I'm telling you, Duanmu Yi is doomed! I will personally reclaim everything that belongs to me—everything!"

「」

A night passed. For many, it was a difficult one to endure.

But no matter how harrowing the night, dawn always arrives.

"Good morning, viewers. This is the morning news. Last night, a heinous campus crime occurred at the Star Martial Academy in Modu City. Duanmu Yi, a third-year student from Class Two of the Close Combat Department at the Star Martial Academy, attempted to..."

"Hello, everyone, and welcome to 'Today's Topic.' Today, we're talking about one person: the young clan leader of the Duanmu Family, Duanmu Yi..."

"Why did Duanmu Yi dare to act so brazenly? Why did he dare extend his malicious claws toward a fellow student at the Star Martial Academy in Modu City? Everyone knows the caliber of students admitted to this academy. Is there any one of them who isn't exceptionally brilliant, a genius Star Martial Warrior?"

"Behind this incident, we must begin to reflect: was this an accidental impulse, or an inevitability born of habit? Is this a common occurrence, or an isolated case?"

"From students at the Star Martial Academy, we've learned that opinions on Duanmu Yi are polarized. Upon comparison, it was found that those who view Duanmu Yi favorably are all members of an organization called the Student Mutual Aid Association. This organization is vast, encompassing one-fifth of the academy's student body. Conversely, those not part of this group all hold an unfavorable view of him. This makes me wonder about the nature of this organization: is it truly about mutual aid among classmates, or is it about forming cliques and amassing power like a mafia society?"

「」

Early in the morning, the media erupted. Major news outlets across Jade Country—press, independent media, and new media platforms—all rushed to report the event in unison. Yet, they seemed to have a tacit understanding: Duanmu Yi's name appeared frequently, but the victim's name was never mentioned.

All discussions revolved around Duanmu Yi's actions and the audacity behind them.

This time, Duanmu Yi became infamous, and the Duanmu Family even more so.

"Who is it? Who is pouring fuel on this fire!"

"Old Hu, shut down these media outlets for me, all of them! What? You can't? Why not?"

Duanmu Qingsuang's expression was wooden as he put down his newly purchased cell phone. CRACKLE! Amidst flying sparks, the phone was crushed to pieces, its less-than-a-day lifespan coming to an abrupt end.

"Master, what's going on? Who dares to cause us trouble?"

"The royal family! The Yu Family!"

"The Yu Family? Why? Even though we are no longer official Dragon Protectors, for two hundred years, we've always considered ourselves one of the Four Great Dragon Protector Families. Even when the other Dragon Protector clans dispersed, we never abandoned the Yu Family. Why would the Yu Family do this? They say distance tests a horse's strength, just as time reveals a person's heart. Our Duanmu Family has loyally followed the Yu Family for six hundred years—six hundred years!"

"You're asking me? How would I know? But all these news outlets... they're all being manipulated by the Yu Family from behind the scenes... The Yu Family... The Yu Family... I understand now!"

"You understand what?"

"The Yu Family wants to win over the Flame Emperor Bloodline! For the past few years, the Flame Emperor has claimed to be on a mysterious long-term mission and has rarely appeared. The Flame Emperor Bloodline has been without a clear leader for a long time. But even without the Flame Emperor, the power of the Flame Emperor Bloodline continues to grow. Conversely, the Qing Emperor Bloodline, due to their royal status, has always had their hands tied when acting and are often suppressed by the higher-ups. This is them sending a signal of alliance to the Flame Emperor Bloodline."

"So that means... we're facing pressure from both the Flame Emperor and Qing Emperor Bloodlines?" Hearing this, Lady Duanmu's face instantly turned pale with fright.

The Flame Emperor Bloodline alone was already enough to overwhelm them; adding the Qing Emperor Bloodline was simply too much for the Duanmu Family to withstand.

"The only thing we can do now is try to save Yi'er's Star Palace. Even if he's found guilty, a sentence of ten years would be acceptable, as long as we can save his Star Palace."

「」

While various factions clashed and maneuvered over this matter, Wang Lan sat as steady as an old dog in the room adjacent to the interrogation chamber at the Tianjian Bureau.

Jiang Xinyu had napped on Wang Lan's shoulder for a while and was now leaning against him, wrapped in a blanket.

By late October, the temperature difference between day and night was significant. Jiang Xinyu, in a sleeveless long dress, felt quite cold in the evening. Fortunately, Wang Lan was a fire-type Star Martial Warrior, his Star Power naturally generating warmth like a furnace. Indeed, Wang Lan and Jiang Xinyu were a perfect match; together, they were the standard for an air conditioner, providing warmth in winter and coolness in summer.

"The commotion outside has mostly died down," Ming Baiye said, pushing the door open. He paused upon seeing Jiang Xinyu sleeping on Wang Lan's shoulder, but she had already woken up.

Seeing Jiang Xinyu awake, Ming Baiye smiled apologetically. "Sorry for disturbing your rest."

"Not at all!"

"How are things?" Wang Lan asked.

"The Yu Family made a decisive move against the Duanmu Family. The Duanmus have given up trying to suppress the matter. Their main focus now is on preserving Duanmu Yi's Star Palace. The length of any prison sentence is no longer their primary concern."

"Is there a high probability of abolishing Duanmu Yi's Star Palace?"

Ming Baiye frowned and shook his head. "The likelihood isn't high. After all... Jiang Xinyu wasn't injured, not even a scratch. Under these circumstances, even if Duanmu Yi's intentions were vile, it was still only an attempt. Abolishing the Star Palace is the most severe punishment for the crimes he has currently committed; it's typically enforced only when actions incite public fury and cause severe negative repercussions. For this incident itself, he might receive a three-year sentence at most."

"That'll be fine," Jiang Xinyu said calmly. "In three years, I won't be the person I am today. In three years, I will undoubtedly be an existence that even the Duanmu Family must take seriously. I will personally settle this score in the future. My potential for growth is limitless."

"No!" Wang Lan disagreed, shaking his head. "A woman can wait ten years for revenge, but we men have poor memories. After three years, we might not remember, nor would we care. Either we finish him off now, or in three years, who will even remember this small fry?"