The divine artifact Tianji Sword served as the formation's core, and Xuanjizi sacrificed himself to enter it. Under the manipulation of several major sects, led by Wushang Sect, a barrier enveloped the eastern part of the Shenqi Continent, obscuring heavenly secrets. This region was completely isolated from the rest of the Shenqi Continent and was subsequently known as the Shenqi Continent.
Meaning the continent of abandonment.
"So, that's why we are called discarded slaves by people from the outer continents?" Bai Shengyi's gaze was calm.
Qin Si said solemnly, "Yes."
Because the Shenqi Continent was a continent that was confined and bred.
At that time, the various sects discovered that although the Shenqi Continent's luck and spiritual essence had been plundered, one or two exceptionally talented individuals would emerge from this continent every few decades. Thus, they established the Shenqi Academy.
"From the very beginning, the existence of Shenqi Academy was to increase their control over the Shenqi Continent, transporting talented seedlings to the various sects. Unfortunately, they probably never imagined that one day this sword would be turned against them."
"What do you mean?" Bai Shengyi couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, thinking of something.
Qin Si said solemnly, "After thousands of years, the prodigies who left the continent have been constantly resisting the major sects. Their influence grew, and a hundred years ago, they finally signed an agreement with the major sects."
"In exchange for the academy's independence, the academy would pay tribute to the major sects annually. However, students graduating from the academy would have the freedom to choose their future, and at the same time, the major sects would not be allowed to send people to our continent to cause trouble."
Of course, there were more detailed contents, which Qin Si did not elaborate on.
He continued, "And the amount of this tribute is related to our performance in the annual Shenqi Grand Competition."
"A'yi, the academy selects a batch of seeds every year to participate in the Shenqi Grand Competition. But do you know that cultivators participating in the competition from the outer continents almost all start at the Golden Core early stage? If you want to participate, you must first enter the academy's secret realm to forcibly raise your cultivation level..."
Bai Shengyi finally understood what Qin Si had been elaborating on for so long.
"You don't want me to participate, do you?" Bai Shengyi asked directly.
Qin Si was a little nervous, his hand trembled, and he plucked off a large patch of fur from the crescent moon cat.
Bai Shengyi couldn't bear to watch any longer, so she snatched the crescent moon cat over and gently soothed it with wood spirit power.
"Yes, I don't want you to."
Qin Si gritted his teeth; after saying it, he felt much more relaxed.
"You don't know how dangerous it is. Firstly, forcibly raising one's cultivation has very serious side effects. Secondly, the survival rate of the academy's seeds each year is only about half. Moreover, once one becomes a seed, one must fight wholeheartedly for the academy's interests..."
This was actually quite unfair to the seeds.
Qin Si had no choice back then, and after being tricked by Xia Xilou again, he became a seed. Now that he had the ability to refuse for Bai Shengyi, he naturally did not want Bai Shengyi to go.
"But I want to go." Bai Shengyi said after a moment of thought, "I want to go to the outer continents to see for myself."
If she didn't go to the outer continents through the Shenqi Grand Competition, she would have to cultivate for several more decades before she might have a chance to leave this continent.
Bai Shengyi thought of the Samsara Brush, which required the Nine Divine Fires to repair, and therefore did not want to delay for so long.
Moreover...
"Since this barrier is so detestable, why did you blame me the last two times I broke it?"
"I didn't blame you!" Qin Si was still trying to figure out how to persuade Bai Shengyi to change her mind. Hearing Bai Shengyi's words, the solemnity in his brows immediately dispersed, and he quickly said.
Bai Shengyi said nothing, looking at Qin Si with a half-smile.
Didn't blame her? Why did he look at her as if he wanted to eat her every time? Did he think she was pretty?
She just saw through it but didn't say it.
Qin Si touched his nose, and a rare trace of embarrassment appeared in his narrow phoenix eyes, but it quickly hid again, and he resumed his calm and steady demeanor.
He said, "That's because I discussed it with several seniors. We all feel that the overall strength of cultivators in the outer continents is currently greater than that of our continent, and the barrier is actually a protection. Therefore, the time to break the barrier is not yet right."
Furthermore, Qin Si had always suspected that perhaps the correct solution was to dismantle this barrier from the outer continent. This was because when he joined the Heaven Mending team and began to mend the barrier's cracks for the first time, a voice vaguely flashed in his mind, repeatedly shouting, "Cannot break from within."
The conversation with Qin Si continued until late at night, and in the end, Qin Si could not persuade Bai Shengyi, so he added Bai Shengyi's name.
Xia Xilou said with a gentle smile, "See, junior brother, I understand junior sister better than you."
Qin Si ignored him and said, "Senior brother, since you have nothing to do, why don't you go and deal with the troublesome matters of Sword Peak? This is the first time the academy has suffered such indignity in years. Even if Rong Bugui is your friend, his disciple has acted so wantonly; he must give the academy an explanation, right?"
Xia Xilou's smile froze.
But Qin Si had already flicked his sleeve and left.
He was still angry that Bai Shengyi hadn't listened to his advice. He didn't expect that the little fox would leave as soon as she heard that the Shenqi Grand Competition was still early and the academy's arranged trials were after the Pill Refining Competition. She had already set off with Feng Wuya to participate in the Pill Refining Competition.
As soon as Qin Si thought of her and Feng Wuya traveling together, his face darkened. He turned to Zhen Dan Peak to find Mo Shuxin.
"Give me an invitation to the Pill Refining Competition."
"Qin Si! I'm going to kill you! You brat, disturbing my seclusion just for a Pill Refining Competition invitation?"
Mo Shuxin shrieked, "Don't you know to ask the Dao boy directly! Do you know that my research is at a critical juncture!"
This brat really can't be tolerated! Why hasn't Chui Ming rebelled and killed her as the master!
"Are you giving it or not?" Qin Si stared at Mo Shuxin with a stern face.
Mo Shuxin was even angrier! Why did her sister give birth to such a rascally brat! He looked presentable on the outside, but his personality was completely that of a shameless bandit!
"Here you go!" Mo Shuxin took out the invitation and handed it to him, warning, "If you disturb me again because you're dying, I..."
Before she could finish, Qin Si's figure flickered, and he disappeared.
"Qin Si!" Mo Shuxin's angry roar made the entire Zhen Dan Peak tremble three times!
Qin Si took the invitation but did not immediately chase after Bai Shengyi. Instead, he stayed in the academy to deal with the messy affairs caused by Rong Bugui and the others.
Inside the Alchemy Peak.
Bai Murong's wounds had almost healed after Bai Sicheng had thrown all sorts of spiritual pills and elixirs at them. Seeing Bai Sicheng return, she immediately ran over and asked, "Big brother, how is it? Did Shengyi listen to your advice?"
Bai Sicheng shook his head, "A'yi has already gone out; I didn't see her. Murong, although your dantian is damaged, I heard Master say there is a way to cure it... Murong? Murong? Are you listening to me?"
"Ah, yes, big brother. Thank you for caring so much about me. I'm really touched. I was wrong before." Bai Murong said, her eyes instantly filled with tears, and she wiped them away.
Bai Sicheng sighed lightly, "It's good that you know your mistake."
"Big brother, where did A'yi go? Wasn't that Yuan Bingxin from Wushang Sect looking for her to challenge after the exchange meeting? If she doesn't fight, won't it affect the academy's reputation?"
Bai Sicheng shook his head, "I don't know about that. However, I heard that A'yi seems to have gone to participate in a convention related to alchemists."
Bai Murong's gaze deepened. After talking with Bai Sicheng for a few more words, she made an excuse about needing to cultivate and returned to her room. After a while, seeing that Bai Sicheng had been called away by his teammates again, she changed her clothes and went out alone.