"Each academy disciple is to form teams freely and proceed to the designated competition area for the group matches. The academy with the most victory wooden tokens will win the second round of this academy grand competition."
Yan Jiaojiao led her team members directly towards the two-person group area.
"Yan Jiaojiao, you're participating in the two-person group?"
Everyone was surprised by Yan Jiaojiao's action.
They had originally thought that with Yan Jiaojiao's capabilities, she would definitely join the group with the most members, thus ensuring at least one group's victory.
Unexpectedly, Yan Jiaojiao and her teammates trusted each other, letting the most powerful Yan Jiaojiao compete in the two-person group, while others went to the spirit beast sphere.
Yan Jiaojiao smiled faintly, her demeanor aloof and distant, "It's all the same how we compete. I absolutely trust my fellow disciples."
A hint of admiration flashed in the eyes of the person speaking. He smiled slightly, not appearing like those who mocked others at the slightest provocation. He looked rather gentle, "I wish you good luck."
As the saying goes, one doesn't hit a smiling face. Since this person hadn't said anything unpleasant, Yan Jiaojiao saw no need to retort with sarcasm. She was willing to accept sincere well wishes.
"Thank you. I wish you the same."
After exchanging a glance, they parted ways. Yan Jiaojiao didn't ask the other party's academy name. She figured they would know if they encountered each other, and if not, knowing the academy name would be meaningless.
The two returned to their respective positions. The academy disciple accompanying Yan Jiaojiao this time was a very introverted young girl, quite young. It was said she was a disciple sent over when Yan Jiaojiao was under confinement. Due to her considerable talent, she was admitted exceptionally.
"Don't be afraid."
Seeing the young girl, Yan Jiaojiao felt as if she was looking at the boy from her own family.
It had been a long time since she had seen Dongfang Xu. She wondered how he and Rong'er were doing.
Yan Jiaojiao had few opportunities to return after entering the academy. Later, she was confined. She should have gone to see them first, but then a series of events unfolded.
Fortunately, the money and other provisions Yan Jiaojiao left behind were sufficient. Dongfang Xu was also highly talented, so it was unlikely they would have trouble protecting themselves.
Looking at the timid young girl before her, Yan Jiaojiao couldn't help but feel a pang of affection. She reached out and stroked the girl's head. Noticing her slightly shorter stature compared to her peers, Yan Jiaojiao understood why she was so withdrawn.
Her appearance was rather ordinary, and she had no other notable advantages. Her talent was discovered by chance. Such individuals were usually bullied outside.
It was only because the girl's relatives and parents were decent people who had protected her well. However, in this world where strength reigned supreme, no one could protect another forever. Therefore, her relatives and friends sent her to the academy as soon as they discovered her talent.
"I'm not afraid..."
The young girl had actually become much bolder after interacting with Yan Jiaojiao.
Previously, she wouldn't even dare to meet someone's eyes. Now, she could hold a conversation, which was significant progress.
News of Yan Jiaojiao participating in the two-person PK spread unexpectedly, and soon people came to watch the spectacle.
Upon seeing that Yan Jiaojiao was paired with a young girl, they immediately let out scornful laughter.
"It seems Golden South Academy is truly running out of people. Look at who they've found... anyone else would be more capable than this girl. Look how young she is! Can she even fight in a PK match? What if she's beaten to death on the stage?"
These words were spoken without a hint of pity, filled with schadenfreude.
Moreover, the speaker clearly intended for Yan Jiaojiao and her companion to hear, making no effort to lower their voice.
The young girl, realizing she was causing trouble for Yan Jiaojiao, instinctively clutched Yan Jiaojiao's clothes tightly. This dependent and childish gesture made the others laugh even more.
"Hahaha, look, she's scared and running to her mother... I didn't expect Yan Jiaojiao to have a talent for childcare! Sigh, Yan Jiaojiao, why don't you consider it? If you really have nothing else to do, you could come to our academy and help with childcare. We have quite a few junior disciples here."
Currently, people weren't as keen on marriage and often formed Daoist couples for dual cultivation. However, spiritual cultivation didn't require suppressing desires. The only drawback was that a woman's mobility was greatly reduced during pregnancy, potentially exposing her to danger. Thus, many women were reluctant to give up their cultivation to procreate for a man.
But this didn't prevent many female cultivators from bearing children for their loved ones.
People often stayed in academies for ten to twenty years, experiencing loneliness. Their children would then be entrusted to the academy for specialized upbringing.
Parents with talent would naturally produce offspring who weren't too poor. In a sense, academies were also demonstrating their capabilities, as they were essentially raising a child from scratch.
The children raised this way would be loyal to the people of the academy.
However, Golden South Academy strictly prohibited such practices.
Golden South Academy believed that everyone had their own bottom line to uphold. Unwed cohabitation and the subsequent birth of children were absolutely not permitted, let alone the academy helping to raise them, regardless of their talent.
Therefore, Golden South Academy had never had such messy affairs.
These academies, with their own peculiar and bizarre practices, were instead commenting on how young disciples of other academies were.
Hypocrites deserve to die!
Yan Jiaojiao had always endured such ridicule and mockery, so she remained extremely calm and composed. However, the young girl had finally made some progress, and these people's words caused her to retreat back into her shell, making her even more repressed, which was even worse.
"Are you done talking?"
Yan Jiaojiao squatted down on the stage and looked at the academy disciple who was mocking them the loudest. "If you're finished, want to come up and have a go? What's the use of just talking? If you have the ability, prove to everyone that you don't need to babysit."
Regardless of the world, those responsible for childcare were always considered the weaker group, those deemed useless, unable to earn money or defend the country, and thus relegated to such tasks.
Although Yan Jiaojiao didn't agree with this view, facing this group at this moment, she felt that "babysitting" was like "weakling," a small word carrying great mocking power.
Yan Jiaojiao understood perfectly the principle of treating others as they treated you. The more these people disliked hearing something, the more she would say it, as angering them was the best outcome.
As expected, the disciple's face turned green upon hearing Yan Jiaojiao's words. "Yan Jiaojiao, what do you mean? Are you provoking me?"