2024 Out of Expectations

Qiao Mu nodded. "In other words, these newly opened up areas on Blinsheet Island originally had no owners?"

Zhou Danjin hummed in agreement and continued, "As for why competing in the ranking competition became a prerequisite to enter this place. It was indeed because students from other academies also coveted these spiritual domains. After a series of negotiations, they decided to distribute the usage rights to these three spiritual domains through a fair competition between all the academies in the Six Prefectures."

"Henceforth, the top academies in the Six Prefectures joined hands to draft up the academy ranking competition, with these Blinsheet Island spiritual domains as the prize."

"This triennial competition has been a long-standing tradition, with all the academies in the Six Prefectures Continent eligible to participate. Not only can the victor obtain the rights to cultivate in the spiritual domain, the prefecture lords of the Six Prefectures will also bestow them with various gifts," Zhou Danjin sighed emotionally.

Mentor Hu also added, "After all, the talents these academies nurture will basically return to the Six Prefectures three to five years later and still work for the Six Prefectures' benefit."

Qiao Mu nodded in comprehension and mused: This was probably the reason the prefecture lords of the Six Prefectures were disinclined to snatch Blinsheet Island from the many academies.

After all, an academy was just an academy. No matter how outstanding the talent they nurtured, wouldn't the person still have to give back to the Six Prefectures and work for their benefit?

In that case, did the Six Prefectures have to fight for this?

There was completely no need, right!

"The third component tomorrow sure is bizarre enough." Zhou Danjin couldn't resist roasting, "What do you mean by using the spiritual conscious to control birds? Isn't that still a test of one's spiritual conscious?"

"I wonder what kind of trick these people will pull again. I keep feeling that the competition won't be that simple," the little fatty grumbled.

Ma Ta nodded in full agreement. "Mentor, have you all thought of a good counterplan?"

The mentors looked at each other in dismay.

Zhou Danjin declared with a cough, "Believe in yourselves. Tomorrow's bird-catching competition will most likely be a group exercise. Just do your best!"

This was equivalent to saying nothing. The students all swept disdainful looks at Mentor Zhou and them. They harrumphed and waved their hands while chanting, "Off to sleep!"

They didn't feel like quibbling with these unreliable mentors!

"Ah, have Your Excellencies come to stay? Sincere apologies, but this humble inn is at full occupancy! This humble inn's third floor has already been... eh, so many people?" The innkeeper muttered.

A purple figure bent over as she whisked open the door curtain and walked inside. A long stream of young ladies wearing the same crimson robes walked in after her.

For a moment, everyone was dazzled by the fluttering red robes.

Qiao Mu rubbed her eyes. She had originally planned to go back to her room and sleep.

Yet who knew that when that woman in purple walked in and their gazes met, Qiao Mu dropped her teacup onto the table. Tea spilled from the rolling teacup and ran down the table, dripping on the hem of Crown Prince Mo and Young Sir Feng's clothes.

Everybody looked toward the entrance when they saw her discomposure.

They saw that woman in purple walk over with large strides and lift up the little fatty who was sitting opposite to Qiao Mu. After tossing him aside, she scooped Qiao Mu up and pulled her over the table into her arms.

"Little fellow."

"Second, Second Aunt-Master?" This was too unexpected.

Didn't Senior Sister Yu Gui say that she'd bring her back to the sect only after the competition was over?