CHAPTER 44: 044 PASSED TO SCHOOL_1

"Did the Mount Flower Association find some good prospects this time?"

Fan Qiming, the coach of the Aurora Association’s B Level Group, looked at their B-Level singles contestant, Qin Shi, with a grin. "It seems our previous study of Xiang Yi’s battle videos was useless."

Qin Shi turned his head away. "It doesn’t matter."

Seeing Qin Shi’s nonchalant attitude, Fan Qiming shook his head. "Don’t underestimate anyone. Although we have an ace up our sleeve, the fact that Xiang Yi herself said Wen Jiang is very strong shows that their association has a lot of faith in this Spirit Card Master."

Qin Shi just sneered.

Seeing Qin Shi’s arrogance, Fan Qiming felt helpless.

Qin Shi had recently become the Aurora Association’s ace player in the B Level Group, attracting a lot of attention as soon as he joined. This was not only due to his formidable strength but also his unique cards.

Few knew that Qin Shi not only possessed a natural talent for battle but was also a Card Maker, a man destined to be promoted to an A-Level Spirit Card Master.

He was just using the B Level Group as a stepping stone.

And the Aurora Association pinned high hopes on him.

The Aurora Association was a rising star that had gradually entered the public eye in recent years. The Yunxia Empire’s grandest event, the Bi Fang Cup, was currently underway. Not long ago, the Aurora Association’s A-Rank Group had just clinched a victory against the Mount Flower Association. Although they were later eliminated by the Mountain Ghost Association, it was enough to prove the Aurora Association’s strength.

Mount Flower, an association gradually declining, was not the Aurora Association’s target.

They aimed to win more championships in every level group of major events to prove their strength and curry favor with more powerful entities. Only by gaining the favor of the Nobility could the Aurora Association officially join the ranks of the Grand Card Associations and compete with those well-established organizations.

Qin Shi was very strong. Although Fan Qiming thought he was overly arrogant, he didn’t believe Wen Jiang would be his opponent; their sights had always been set on players from the other major associations.

Similar conversations were also happening among other Spirit Card Masters. Of course, Qin Shi, brimming with self-confidence, had ample reason for his pride. Still, Spirit Card Masters from other associations were very vigilant. Since Mount Flower had made a last-minute lineup change, they didn’t believe such a seasoned association would suddenly make an irrational decision. Wen Jiang must possess truly formidable strength for Mount Flower to have made such a choice.

Unlike their vigilance, Wen Jiang was soaking in a hotel bath, listening to music, the very picture of leisure and relaxation.

Zero Egg was checking Wen Jiang’s account information, saying, "This is outrageous! A bunch of fans are already flooding in to curse you out, saying you’re doomed before the match has even begun. You haven’t even competed yet; how can they be so sure you’ll lose?"

"Normal," Wen Jiang scoffed. "They don’t know me, and the Mount Flower Association hasn’t had any standout results in this event, so they’re just venting their frustration."

Zero Egg sighed. "Still, this competition is too insignificant. A B-Level Group event for the Mount Flower Association gets, at most, tens of thousands of comments. For A-Level and higher competitions, player discussions can reach several million. And don’t even get me started on world-class events—even the personal lives of star players there get more attention than you do."

Wen Jiang was unconcerned. "That’s perfectly normal. The strong naturally attract attention."

Zero Egg asked again, "I’ve collected data on the other contestants in this competition. Do you want to see it?"

Wen Jiang replied, "No need."

Although Zero Egg thought Wen Jiang was a monster, he still advised, "Host, don’t be too arrogant. There’s an old saying in Yunxia: something like ’don’t tempt fate’ or ’don’t jinx it.’ It basically means you’re asking for trouble if you’re too confident."

Wen Jiang responded, "That’s fine. If I crash and burn, I’ll deserve it."

Zero Egg: "..."

With such an enlightened host, what else could Zero Egg do but hold onto hope?

Zero Egg, bored, asked again, "Host, where do you think the protagonist of the Heaven’s Mandate System is? We’ve reached Border City, and I still haven’t sensed that system’s presence. Could it really be in another empire?"

"When fate decrees, we’ll naturally meet."

Zero Egg: "..."

News of Wen Jiang becoming a Spirit Card Master officially spread after the Mount Flower Association released its roster.

Her former school had also received the news.

Many people were shocked speechless, but her class advisor, Fan Jinan, was particularly incredulous, exclaiming in the office, "Impossible! If she were a Spirit Card Master, why wasn’t it detected during our school’s entrance exam?"

It couldn’t be that the school’s equipment malfunctioned, could it?

The other teachers didn’t know Wen Jiang well; they only remembered her last visit to the school, which had left a deep impression when a bullied girl subsequently dropped out.

One of the other teachers remarked, not particularly concerned, "Perhaps her spiritual power only manifested recently?"

Such occurrences were rare, but not unheard of.

Typically, spiritual power was tested at birth or, if circumstances didn’t allow, upon reaching adulthood.

Having no spiritual power generally meant just that; worldwide, there were only an extremely small number of cases where individuals manifested spiritual power after reaching adulthood.

Fan Jinan scoffed. "What, did she perform a miracle?"

The teacher who had spoken choked, then retorted irritably, "But she is indeed a Spirit Card Master now. How else do you explain it?"

Fan Jinan was at a loss for words.

Indeed. The fact that it wasn’t detected before clearly wasn’t an issue with the school’s equipment. It must have been a sudden awakening.

Or could it be that the bullying incident that landed her in the hospital was such a shock that it actually triggered something?

Fan Jinan shivered, a sense of unease washing over him.

Now that Wen Jiang is a Spirit Card Master and directly participating in card competitions, if she actually makes a name for herself, everything I did to deliberately target her might get exposed...

Even though I’m a teacher at a prestigious school for Nobility, I can’t stop people from digging into the pasts of professional players.

If word really got out...

Fan Jinan felt an uncharacteristic anxiety, but then he thought, The one who bullied her was Wu Fanjia, an A-Level Spirit Card Master. She’s stronger than Wen Jiang, right?

No worries. If the sky falls, Wu Fanjia will be there to take the blame.

That’s how Fan Jinan comforted himself.

However, another person was not taking it so well: Guan Xixi.

After Wen Jiang had mocked Guan Xixi at school that day, news of the incident spread, and people started looking at her strangely. Her roommates even made a few sarcastic remarks.

Today, while she was studying in the dormitory, she suddenly heard a roommate exclaim in a tone of utter shock and amazement, "Wow, remember that bullied girl, Wen Jiang? The one who dropped out not long ago? She’s become a Spirit Card Master! B-Level, but she joined the Mount Flower Association and is about to represent them in the Dongzhou Partition League. So how come her spiritual power wasn’t detected before?"

THUD—

Guan Xixi shot up uncontrollably, knocking over her chair. Her face was pale as she stared at her roommate. "What did you say? Who became a Spirit Card Master?"