Chapter 4793 — The Academy's Choice
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
Ning Xuefei did not much care either way—whatever Wei Zhao said, she would do. Just as she was about to nod in agreement, Liu Ziqi suddenly cut in with righteous severity: "That will not do!"
"Why not?" Wei Zhao and Ning Xuefei were both taken aback.
"I am Feifei's sponsor, and though that does not mean she must enter our Chenjiao Academy, with that connection between us she cannot join Chenxing Academy, for it is our academy's greatest rival," Liu Ziqi said gravely.
"Is there such a rule?" Wei Zhao was astonished. The only academy he knew was the very one that was Chenjiao's sworn enemy—was that not too much of a coincidence?
"Indeed. Have you not noticed how similar the two names are?" Liu Ziqi asked with a bitter smile.
"Chenjiao? Chenxing? Now that you mention it, you are right—only a single character apart. Is that no coincidence?" Wei Zhao said in wonder. He had never thought in that direction before, assuming it was mere chance.
"The naming of an academy is a matter of the utmost importance—how could it be coincidence? In truth, these two academies were once one, split apart by a great catastrophe. Thereafter they would have nothing to do with each other, and the rift only deepened, which is what brought about the present state of things..." Liu Ziqi said with a sigh.
"Well, so that is how it is." Wei Zhao could only shake his head with a bitter smile. Sending Ning Xuefei to Chenxing had been his ideal plan, but now, by the look of it, there was no chance of that.
"Then what do we do?" Ning Xuefei was at a loss again.
"I am out of ideas too. Chenxing is the only one I know; I have never even heard of the others," Wei Zhao said helplessly, spreading his hands.
Seeing the two of them at their wits' end, Liu Ziqi spoke up: "For a princess of West Isle like Feifei, a Yellow-Rank academy is merely a springboard. In the future she is bound for advanced study in East Isle's Mystic-Rank waters; this is only her first stop. So any of the top-ranked Yellow-Rank academies will do."
"Then why not simply stay at our Chenjiao Academy? We could keep each other company!" Huo Yudie said suddenly, her eyes lighting up.
She had fewer scruples than Liu Ziqi, and it was no great matter to say such a thing. After all, she and Ning Xuefei were close as sisters, and if Ning Xuefei stayed at Chenjiao, Wei Zhao would surely linger a while too—killing two birds with one stone. She was not ready to say farewell to Wei Zhao so soon.
"Wonderful!" Ning Xuefei nodded again and again.
Liu Ziqi watched this with a gratified smile, but in the end she shook her head: "That was my thought as well, but unfortunately there are no openings this year. What a pity."
"No openings?" Wei Zhao was startled. There was such a thing as a quota? Where a princess of West Isle like Ning Xuefei was concerned, any normal academy would be falling over itself to snatch her up—who would turn her away over a trifle like a quota...
"Academy rules fix the roll at three hundred—an iron rule handed down from our forebears. Once the disciples reach three hundred, only a replacement system may be used: one leaves, and only then may one enter." Here Liu Ziqi shook her head with a bitter smile. "In past years there were always at least a few openings, but this year, oddly enough, there are none at all. Even with Feifei's special status, the rule cannot be broken—otherwise Chenxing would seize on this without fail, and there is nothing I could do." To be continued...