An Yu Yong smirked helplessly when he was ignored just after giving his consent.
He stood up and sighed before saying, "We need to resolve the formations on the Encrypted Jade Card".
"Eh? Can't we do it while riding the carriages? Right, who knows about formations?" An Bing Qing turned her body back and questioned. Even though she knew what people had such knowledge, that was because of her past memories, her current self was supposed to not know as she still hadn't bothered to make her statement about wanting to know more about the family's affairs.
When An Bing Qing made her last question, An Family's clansmen awakened from the absurdity they witnessed; their eldest young master really indulged their young miss. But no one expressed disagreement, not even the Elders. They knew that it would be a futile attempt and as people who had already seen their eldest young master's swing of moods because of their young miss' related things, the best thing they could do was to remain quiet and not delay the competition course.
An Xiao Ning, who was one of the little people that didn't think much of such indulgence as he had determined that the young master had a soft spot for the young miss, was the first person to step forward and reply, "An Cheng Dong has a rank three knowledge in formations while I have a rank two one. I think both of us have the highest level regarding formations amongst us".
The younglings around nodded in agreement, most of them were still too young and have no knowledge in formations while the others just knew some basic knowledge as it was rare for them to drift their attention to another thing besides cultivation.
"Oh", An Bing Qing turned her head to her right towards where An Xiao Ning was and nodded in response while thinking, 'I also am a rank three Formation's Master, hmm...' Her poor talent had made her probe other fields in her previous life. When she got stuck in alchemy without a way of advancing, she began to learn formations; she was quick at learning as she had a good memory and comprehension abilities but yet again, more advanced formations required of more elemental energy and she didn't have it at that time and not yet in this life.
Whereas it was in alchemy or formations, the first three levels could be achieved with the amount of elemental energy of a Mundane Immortal Cultivator; the first three gates of Mundane were enough for the first level, the following three gates for the second level and you needed to be a seven-gate Mundane for the third level. The fourth level required that you were a Mundane Core, the fifth a Soul Seed and so on. There were other variables, of course.
To advance in the alchemy path, you also needed to increase your soul force while in formations it was related to your mental fortitude, though the later wasn't considered a force itself.
After her brief pause, An Bing Qing said, "We are counting with both of you, then". She wasn't planning on revealing that she also knew about formations, that will only put her in the spotlight and she wouldn't be able to slip away later.
An Bing Qing's sentence surprised many of them but before they began to overthink, An Yu Yong voice sounded as he passed the Encrypted Jade Card to the dark yellow-robed An Xiao Ning who was near him to his left, "We let this in An Cheng Dong and your hands".
An Xiao Ning took the card as he acknowledged the task, "Yes". His call was followed by An Cheng Dong's one.
Just after that, An Bing Qing asked An Yu Yong, "Are we going now? Or are we waiting till the formations are cracked?"
An Yu Yong turned his head around to see An Bing Qing. In fact, he said that they needed to solve the formations first to somewhat test his little sister. Since she had demonstrated a seriousness that he hadn't seen before from time to time, he wondered if this sister of his was actually very smart but liked to play the fool. He needed to be sure as soon as possible; therefore he asked, "What do you think we should do?"
An Bing Qing blinked and after pondering a little, she answered seriously, "We should go, with how bustling are the streets, we will take around half an hour to reach The Forbidden Bamboo Forest by carriage", she halted her words and then added as if suddenly understanding something, "I also don't think that other teams will make a move as we go there. It is pointless as they won't get more places and they will only be cutting their harvesting hands".
All her words made sense, some people around involuntary nodded, other just came to realize this fact and felt a little ashamed while the Elders were settling their hearts, their young miss level of understanding was alright, she won't cause much trouble; that's what they thought.
An Yu Yong couldn't come with an answer to his dilemma yet. He shook his head in his heart and said while nodding, "We go now". Then, he turned his gaze to his right and saw a depressed Ouyang Qiao Qi. He sighed and shifted his sight to the Great Elder, "Great Elder, take good care of Qi'er".
The Great Elder nodded in response.
"Sigh", Ouyang Qiao Qi sighed with regret, she was still very young to participate. The Ancient Inn's Second Elder had only changed some rules; he didn't mention anything about changing the age threshold and the other main rules must also remain the same so she was doomed to not participate this time.
'It is not as if they will let me participate even if I were fifteen though', she pitifully thought.
Seeing her down mood, An Bing Qing reached her side and said, "Qi'er, I'm sure next year you would be able to participate".
"En, be sure to come back safe and sound", Ouyang Qiao Qi replied with a soft voice.
An Bing Qing nodded before hugging her, she released her and added, "Stay here and wait for our victorious return", and she shook her little fist.
Ouyang Qiao Qi froze a little before laughing and nodding. There were plenty of hateful clansmen in the people that had come from her Ouyang Family.
After saying goodbye to An Bing Qing, she also said some words to An Yu Yong.
The Elders bid their farewells and wishes of luck to the younglings participating.
At length, An Yu Yong strode to the private room's door, leading all the fifteen young men with An Bing Qing following him at his side.