Chapter 71

Just as the end of the semester drew near, Spirit Net sent invitations to the Work-Study Club students: the annual East Continent sect expo was opening, and they were invited to attend.

If the Hundred Clubs War was a stage for students to show their strength, then the sect expo was the time for the major sects to flex their muscles.

It was still the same saying: powerful sects were choosing good seedlings, but good seedlings were also choosing platforms.

Of course, the expo’s greatest significance was not merely attracting newcomers to join. The traffic here was massive, far more effective than ordinary ad placements.

So during this period, every sect would work hard to display its advantages. It was an excellent opportunity to promote a sect’s flagship products and new products.

Some newly established sects might even use this chance to soar overnight and receive support in funding, policy, and other areas.

For example, Qiqiao Sect had once been a small, obscure sect. It was at the expo that it first made its name, then rapidly developed from there.

If some new product could not take off at the expo, that most likely meant the market did not favor it. Cutting the project in time would be the best solution.

The expo only lasted two days over the weekend, but the attention it received was in no way inferior to the Hundred Clubs War. The Hundred Clubs War reflected the style of the next generation, while the expo often influenced the trends for the entire coming year.

Aside from those specially invited with invitations, other people could also purchase tickets to enter and browse. There would even be many people from other continents making a special trip over.

Compared to the enormous visitor base, not many invitations were actually sent out. Teacher Yuan and the others did not have individual invitations.

However, whether it was the Work-Study Club’s first-place result in the Hundred Clubs War or Song Yi helping find a Spirit Net vulnerability, both were worth an invitation like this.

Ever since receiving the invitation, Lin Ze had been impossibly excited. Even the spring outing had not made him this thrilled. It was very easy to understand. A profiteer always had to understand the market’s weather vane.

Even Li Wenwen and Song Yi were wildly excited.

Li Wenwen was filled with longing for all those new products that had yet to appear on the market. Song Yi wanted to learn more about the business situation in this world. One of the important methods for revitalizing the sword Dao was to let sword cultivators earn more money.

“It’s decided. The last club activity of this semester will be attending the sect expo!”

The club members unanimously supported this decision.

Including Old Yang, who did no work. Teacher Yang was still the same as ever, responding most enthusiastically to matters involving eating, drinking, and having fun.

Then it was vetoed by their advisor, Teacher Yuan.

Teacher Yuan gave a sidelong glance at a certain imaginative little friend. “Although I don’t know what the Ten Campus Wonders are, I do know what the Ten Campus Horror Incidents are. Ranked first among them is something called final exams.”

This was the key stage for review. These little children would play and play until finals arrived, yet they still had no sense of urgency. How could that be acceptable?

With the time spent going back and forth, forget review—they probably would not even plan on doing their weekend homework.

Song Yi protested, “Captain Shi Qing said he’s going too. They have even more coursework than we do.”

“Shi Qing is excellent in every subject and has already completed his credits ahead of time. Every one of you is barely scraping by in every class.” Teacher Yuan exposed the truth with one sharp sentence.

The children looked at each other, then simultaneously latched themselves onto Teacher Yuan. “Teacher, we really want to go. Please let us go.”

“If you don’t let us go, we’ll fail our finals.”

“We’ll definitely do our homework properly!”

Teacher Yuan, whose face was covered in black lines, kicked his right foot. “It’s one thing for children to hug me, but Old Yang, have some shame.”

Aside from the four children, Old Yang had also tried to hug his thigh and received an impolite kick.

Under their relentless pestering, the trip to the sect expo was finally settled.

Of course, Tie Yuan was the exception.

He needed some time to refine the power accumulated inside his body, and his hair loss had not fully recovered yet. He had already died socially at school, so he had given up there, but he still wanted to save face outside. He did not want the title of Bald-Headed Beast to resound throughout the East Continent, or even the Human Realm.

At the same time, they also agreed to three rules with Teacher Yuan:

Do not make trouble.

Review properly.

Obey the teacher’s arrangements.

This year’s sect expo would be held in Spirit Capital, the largest city in the East Continent.

Those who had received invitations did not need to personally travel to Spirit Capital. The organizers would use a Cloud Whale that could cross ten thousand li in an instant to pick them up and drop them off.

A Cloud Whale was a large flying spirit artifact. It was not a living creature, but it did have an artifact spirit, which was equivalent to possessing spiritual intelligence. Once the invitation was activated, the Cloud Whale would pick people up at its fastest speed.

Unlike a teleportation array, which might cause “teleportation sickness,” the Cloud Whale could be called the smoothest and most comfortable transportation spirit artifact. People on it would not feel any sense of movement at all.

After the Cloud Whale had picked up nearly everyone, it would wait until the expo began before delivering them to the venue.

Before that, there was no need to worry about boredom. The Cloud Whale would give previews of the expo’s contents in advance, making it convenient to accurately find exhibition areas later. It also effectively provided a high-quality networking platform. Those who could receive invitations were not ordinary people.

During the expo, the inns in Spirit Capital would be packed full. Without advance booking, there was no way to get a room.

The Cloud Whale would likewise serve as a mobile inn, and its service would only be better, not worse.

This level of prestige was naturally also meant to build momentum for the sect expo.

After school ended on Friday, Song Yi and her group, all packed and ready, impatiently activated their invitations.

Before long, the invitation lit up with a gentle glow and wrapped around them. The next second, they appeared high above Cloud City.

On this enormous whale-boat, the scenery of all of Cloud City spread out below them.

“Honored guests, welcome. If you have any needs, please directly input your divine sense into the invitation.”

The belly of the Cloud Whale was the reception hall, and also the place where the expo previews would be held. At this time, most people had only just come aboard and were in need of information exchange, so this was when there were the most people.

There were also people wearing school uniforms like Song Yi and the others. They were either clubs that had ranked near the top in the Hundred Clubs War or the proud sons and daughters of some school.

“Are we in Cloud City now? I feel like Cloud City is very ordinary. There aren’t any particularly special talents. There’s no need for the Cloud Whale to stop here, is there?”

“True, but every city in the East Continent has invitation slots. We can only accommodate them a little. Not every city can compare with Spirit Capital.”

Song Yi and the others looked toward the place the voices had come from. A group of teenage boys and girls proudly occupied one corner, clustering around one boy like stars surrounding the moon.

Lin Ze knew that Song Yi definitely did not know them, so he quietly provided intelligence. “They’re from Spirit Capital Elementary.”

Spirit Capital Elementary was publicly acknowledged as the best elementary school in the East Continent. Because Spirit Capital had many powerful local sects, the resources it received were definitely more tilted in its favor.

Their conversation was still continuing.

Someone said weakly, “But Cloud Elementary’s Work-Study Club is pretty strong, right? They took first place in the Hundred Clubs War. Their club president, Song Yi, was the one who helped detect the Spirit Net vulnerability.”

Unexpectedly, after hearing this, the leading boy spoke up first. “Using gimmicks to hype themselves up. Petty tricks, that’s all. She has a little ability, but not much.”

The surrounding classmates immediately started flattering him. “Of course. Young Master Chu, you already have a collaborative project with Wanqi Sect. How could they compare with you?”

“Although the Hundred Clubs War is important, it definitely can’t compare with the sect expo. Young Master Chu, your collaboration project with Wanqi Sect should be launched at this expo, right?”

They could not really be considered to be belittling their opponent.

The sect expo was more mature than the Hundred Clubs War. Making a name at the sect expo carried much more weight than taking first place in the Hundred Clubs War.

Li Wenwen and the others were naturally unconvinced, muttering to Song Yi, “Little Yi, that’s only because your experiment hasn’t produced its final results yet and hasn’t been announced publicly. Otherwise, you’d definitely crush them.”

“I don’t know what this Chu Wen is collaborating with Wanqi Sect on, but I do know that he’s the son of Wanqi Sect’s sect master. Look at him talking big. Is relying on his dad not also a petty trick?”

Li Wenwen was an enthusiast of relying on her father, but even when she did it, she would not act superior over it.

They were pointing fingers at Cloud City and Cloud Elementary right in front of them. As if Song Yi’s group would be happy about that.

Song Yi had lived in Cloud City for the shortest time, less than half a year, but every little thing from her life here was enough to give her a sense of belonging to Cloud City.

Just then, Chu Wen also saw them and actually walked over. “Song Yi?”

No one paid him any attention.

“Aren’t you students from Cloud Elementary?”

“We are.” Li Wenwen looked at him with a beaming smile.

Chu Wen’s puzzled gaze swept over everyone, lingering especially on Li Wenwen and Song Yi’s faces. He knew Song Yi’s name, but he did not know what she looked like.

“Is Song Yi not here? I want to issue her a challenge.”

Although Chu Wen had called it a petty trick, he had still remembered Song Yi’s name. His intention to compete with her was obvious.

The only two girls seemed to have no reaction to this name at all.

Song Yi and the others were already used to her not treating herself as herself.

Chu Wen was somewhat confused. The Cloud Elementary students who could receive an invitation should be Song Yi and her group, right?

“Then how did you get onto the Cloud Whale?” He did not even plan to ask the names of these nobodies. In any case, Cloud Elementary only had one opponent worth paying attention to.

“We from Cloud Elementary don’t have much ability. We can only rely on our elders, same as you.” Song Yi calmly pointed at Teacher Yuan not far away, returning the words they had previously discussed.

Chu Wen’s expression instantly darkened. Although relying on his father did play a part for him, he had real ability too. What did she mean, same as him?

Chu Wen thought for a moment, but in the end did not drag these children into a debate over right and wrong. His target was not here anyway. There was no need to waste time on them.

He also did not suspect too much. It was said that Song Yi was very close to an iron-eating beast and was suspected of preparing to walk the beast-taming path. None of these children had an iron-eating beast.

Besides, what normal person would have no reaction to hearing her own name?

Maybe Song Yi really had not come.

Watching Chu Wen leave with his nose in the air, several heads immediately drew together. “Little Yi, you give the word, and we’ll do it.”

When Song Yi did not respond to her own name, the others understood Song Yi’s plan: make trouble, then leave with a flick of the sleeves, hiding their achievements and fame.

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