Heiress Unmasked: Shaking the World With Geomancy novel Chapter 1988

Shannon's voice was steady, neither loud nor angry, yet somehow silenced the entire venue for a beat.

"I refused to pass the first duel using the methods provided by the officials," she said calmly, "because my principles do not allow me to seize another's opportunity for the sake of my own gain."

Before Newton could respond, the same middle-aged official from earlier, Micah Hensington, spoke up, his tone still gentle but now laced with quiet reproach.

"This is only a tournament. The items being redeemed are not personal opportunities—they shouldn't be confused with such."

Shannon met Micah's gaze and replied evenly, "To me, that is their opportunity. The chance to avoid elimination in the first duel by itself is a form of opportunity."

Her words struck a chord. Many of the participants present nodded subtly in agreement.

After all, those chosen to compete in the mystical tournament were the best of their families and academies. But even among elites, there were exceptions—like Heath, who had only been given a spot because Skylar declined.

Had he been eliminated in the first round, it would've likely disappointed the elders of the Rutherford family, and any future support or resources from the family might have been cut off.

So, how could something like that not be considered a pivotal opportunity?

Newton's expression remained stern. "Even if, as you claim, this is their opportunity, it should still be up to their abilities to seize it."

Shannon didn't flinch. "You're right. But I still cannot agree with the official method of securing advancement through force or theft."

Then she continued, her voice clear and firm. "If, today, we're asked to snatch opportunities from others in the name of competition, then tomorrow we'll do the same for a greater prize.

"We'll fight our own, betray our peers, and rob the powerless. As practitioners of the mystic arts, if we can't hold our hearts steady and allow ourselves to be led by greed and gain, the next time we face an evil master, we won't stand against them.

"We might even become one of them."

Just like in Maya's case.

Especially those who, upon learning the rules in Phantom Market, had planned to follow them to the letter—even if it meant taking what others had rightfully earned.

Some of them hadn't thought twice about it. Others had simply treated it as part of the competition, seeing the act of seizing someone else's item as just another test or rule to play by.

But the truth was, while the mystical tournament sought to determine strength and capability, it was never meant to reward victory at any cost.

Among the practitioners present—young and old alike—something shifted. For many, it was a moment of quiet realization.

Hector sat in the stands, the shift in atmosphere around him not escaping his notice. His gaze landed on Shannon, eyes full of pride and a growing smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Beside him, a fellow senior from the college—one who had helped organize this very tournament—leaned in and muttered under his breath, "Shannon's got rare clarity, but… Going by what she just said, doesn't that mean the official rules were flawed from the start?"

He wasn't the only one thinking about it. More than a few in the crowd were starting to wonder the same.