What a Tragic Death!

Late into the night, after endless bustling, Su Yu’s plan was finally complete. Though it had not been flawless, everything had gone smoothly enough. Elsewhere, however, the chain reaction triggered by this duel between students was far from over. …… In the Faculty and Staff Residential Area. A boom like rolling thunder suddenly rang out. A moment later, a figure tumbled out of empty space and crashed to the ground, spitting a mouthful of blood that stained their cloth mask scarlet. “Cough, cough, cough…” The masked intruder coughed repeatedly, shattered the face covering with a burst of Qi, and said resignedly, “Stop hitting me! I’m Chen Linhai. I surrender! I’ll head back to Jiutian Academy right away and promise never to return! Which elder is this?” “Leave the things behind!” A figure flickered faintly in the void, speaking indifferently. “Leave the things, and pay the entrance fee while you’re at it. Cangshu Pavilion lost ten Lingyun Realm myriad races original texts. You took them, didn't you?” “...” Chen Linhai sat on the ground looking utterly helpless. *I didn't take a damned thing!* *Who would dare break into your academy’s restricted grounds?!* They were clearly shaking him down! Yet he had no choice. He had hidden for half the night and still failed to evade this elder. After trading only a few blows, he had been decisively beaten. He could only accept his bad luck. The number one academy truly lived up to its reputation! Experts gathered here in droves! Getting caught here and being allowed to buy his way out with money was already a stroke of luck. “I didn't take them…” Chen Linhai began, then immediately changed his tune. “However, I deeply regret your esteemed academy's loss of those ten original texts! I am willing to donate ten Lingyun originals to Great Xia Civilization Academy!” He couldn't admit to stealing them. Otherwise, these scoundrels might frame him for trespassing into sacred restricted zones, and at that point, the price wouldn't just be ten originals. The elder in the void sounded faintly disappointed as he gave a light chuckle. “Very well. Beat it, and deliver them tomorrow! Furthermore, if you ever dare trespass into Great Xia Civilization Academy again, you’ll be able to come, but you won't be able to leave!” “Understood!” Not daring to say another word, Chen Linhai dropped a jade talisman, spun on his heel, and fled. It was the blood essence manufacturing procedure he had obtained from Su Yu earlier. Still, he had already memorized it, so losing the talisman hardly mattered. …… After driving off the intruder from Jiutian Academy, the void rippled a moment later, and another voice chuckled. “I found out who the guy I was trailing works for. He’s from the Modification faction!” “Keep a close eye on him!” “Naturally!” After the two exchanged a few words, another voice chimed in. “The fellow I was tailing belongs to the Beast Taming faction!” “Don't move against him for now. Let’s see whether it was his faction’s idea or his own!” “...” Elders gathered one after another. They were the very old fellows who had disguised themselves as prodigies. After a while, Jia Mingzhen arrived. “Old Jia, how are things on your end?” Jia Mingzhen smiled ambiguously, his tone complex. “I watched a colossal drama! Honestly, disguising oneself as a student lets you see all sorts of things you'd never normally witness! You fellows really missed out on quite a show today!” “What happened?” Jia Mingzhen sighed with emotion. “Crouching tigers and hidden dragons! The youths in this academy are each more talented than the last. Their schemes run layer upon layer! Just when you peel back one layer and think you’ve reached the truth, you realize… there’s another layer beneath it!” “Speak plain human words!” Jia Mingzhen gave a wry smile. “Plain words? You might as well throw away whatever you’re holding—it’s fake! The Single Divine Character Faction suffered a catastrophic loss this time! They lost a full eighty thousand merit points. Truth be told, that old ghost Zhou Mingren is filthy rich, tossing out eighty thousand points without batting an eye! And a few youngsters took full advantage of him, fleecing that old ghost for all he was worth!” The others immediately grew intrigued and pressed for details. Jia Mingzhen gave a brief summary, then added ruefully, “That was what I saw at the hotel. I thought that was the end of it, and back then I was already marveling at what talents they were. But then… tonight, I saw even more!” Having nothing better to do, he had tailed Su Yu for a bit afterward. And what he witnessed… completely shattered his worldview! Dammit all! Undercover double agents, schemes of counterespionage, laying siege, coercion and bribery, networking, playing the subservient fool… Those brats pulled off one trick right after another. It had been a dizzying spectacle even for him! Overwhelmed with emotion, Jia Mingzhen could only admit that they had fallen out of touch with the times. Perched high above, they had long stopped paying attention to the younger generation below. Only after blending in and watching firsthand did he realize… it was utterly mind-boggling! Were the kids of this new generation really this formidable? By the time he finished, the other elders were left dumbfounded as well! “Old Jia… that kid Liu Hong… is he really one of Old Ghost Hong’s plants?” Jia Mingzhen gave a wry laugh. “True and false, hard to say! Going by what Liu Hong himself said afterward, it was just a lie. But… who knows whether it’s real or fake? When nine truths are mixed with one lie, who can tell the difference? Either way, I don't dare casually believe a single word out of these brats' mouths anymore!” The others nodded, feeling a lingering sense of trepidation. The younger generation was getting scarier by the day. “And that Su Yu…” Jia Mingzhen sighed. “That boy has talent, wit, and foresight—he’s just a bit green, which is only natural! Frankly speaking, I truly never imagined he’d have the guts to fleece Old Ghost Zhou before even reaching the Tengkong Realm. Absolutely audacious!” The others were at a loss for words. Soon, Jia Mingzhen grinned. “Still, it’s not a bad thing. This year's batch really is full of talents! Gentlemen, the time has come for us to put our skills to use. Our targets are these exact brats! Su Yu, Zheng Yunhui, Xia Huyou, Wan Mingze… every single one of them is on our hit list!” The elders nodded in unison, rubbing their fists eagerly! They couldn't wait to beat them to a pulp! They needed to vent their anger. Those little bastards had dared scheme against them, nearly fooling them in the process. “Are Zheng Yunhui and Su Yu going to be fine after their injuries?” “Zheng Yunhui definitely won't have any issues. Old Ghost Zheng is at the peak of the Shanhai Realm, after all. Having raked in such a massive fortune this time, he must be ecstatic. Paying a small price to patch up his grandson is nothing!” “As for Su Yu…” Jia Mingzhen chuckled. “No need to worry about him either. That kid is sitting on a fortune of twenty thousand merit points. Spending a tiny fraction of that will be more than enough to heal him!” The others nodded again. Jia Mingzhen said briskly, “Let's go, time to head back! We’re supposed to be in secluded cultivation right now, so it’s inappropriate to show our faces!” Without another word, the figures vanished from the spot. A moment later, several other experts arrived, examined the lingering traces, identified the elders' auras, and quickly dispersed. …… In the Great Xia City Lord Manor. The plump Marquis Xia was noisily slurping down watermelon while Xia Xinyi reported the day’s events. Chewing as he spoke, Marquis Xia mumbled indistinctly, “You’re definitely not my son. Someone this stupid isn't worthy! It’s blatantly obvious the whole thing was fake, yet you keep babbling on and on about it!” “Father…” Ignoring him, Marquis Xia continued eating and said, “Idiot, how much money did you lose this time?” “I didn't lose anything…” Marquis Xia glared at him, tossed aside the watermelon rind, and let out a burp. “Fool! How did you not lose? Moron! You should have made a bid! You should have opened your mouth and offered three hundred thousand merit points on the spot. Would Zheng Yunhui have sold it then?” “...” Xia Xinyi gave a bitter smile. “Three hundred thousand… But you said it was fake…” Marquis Xia rolled his eyes. “Are you brainless? It was just a bid! Who told you to actually pay for it? You use it to rile up the Single Divine Character Faction, drive the price higher, and then split the profit fifty-fifty with Zheng Yunhui—a cut for everyone involved!” “Father…” Marquis Xia waved a dismissive hand, too lazy to elaborate further. “Child's play. Forget it, since you missed the boat, don't mention it again! Regardless of whether it was real or fake, you wouldn't have brought it back anyway, believe me? Even if it were genuine, the moment you got your hands on it, that fellow surnamed Wan would have confiscated it immediately. Not only would you have lost your merit points, but you wouldn't have kept the goods either!” Marquis Xia knew that person inside and out; everything was undoubtedly under his control. If the item was real, it would never leave the grounds of the Civilization Academy. That was a certainty! “Enough of that. Tell Huyou to hang around those boys more often. They’re quite interesting. It seems this year’s batch of students is rather amusing!” Marquis Xia rose to his feet and waddled inward, his round body swaying as he walked. “Oh right, jack up the prices on all the materials Su Yu used to make blood essence and corner the market, then sell them to the Single Divine Character Faction! Since they’re so wealthy… if we don't fleece them, who else are we going to fleece?” At that point, he paused, reconsidering. “No, don't gather them overtly! Quietly keep track of the situation and register everyone who purchases those materials!” Marquis Xia’s eyes lit up. “Pay close attention to anyone buying those supplies in bulk lately. Anyone who does has gotten wind of the news—or even witnessed it firsthand. Aside from those folks at the Civilization Academy, the most likely culprits are members of the All-Races Sect!” He turned to Xia Xinyi and chuckled slyly. “This might be a chance to strike straight at the dragon's heart! Let's see if we can use this opportunity to wipe out some higher-ups from the All-Races Sect! Anyone privy to this information won't hold a low rank!” Xia Xinyi’s expression brightened with delight, and he quickly said, “Understood, Father! Truly, your vision is as sharp as a torch…” “Get lost, does your old man need your flattery?” Marquis Xia cursed, then sighed with slight regret. “What a pity, this won't make us much money. Ah well, if we can smash one of the All-Races Sect's research labs, the haul might be even bigger! Come to think of it… this actually gives me an idea…” Marquis Xia muttered to himself, “Should I also leak some important research results? Keep the core manufacturing materials in our own hands and do some fishing—maybe we can reel in a big catch!” His eyes shone brighter and brighter! “The Xia family’s Tianyuan Pills are world-renowned! How about leaking the recipe? If we hold the core materials, we might truly hook a massive fish!” Xia Xinyi gasped in alarm. “Father, you mustn't…” “Shut up!” Marquis Xia snapped impatiently. “I’m just tossing out an idea; it doesn't have to be that specifically. Leaking the Xia family’s secrets might not be wise since people are wary of us, but other things… might yield great results!” It seemed he had stumbled upon an enormous business opportunity, his eyes gleaming with ambition. Xia Xinyi held his tongue and quietly retreated. His father was getting ready to set a trap again! Who knew which unfortunate soul would take the fall this time! …… Su Yu knew nothing of the outside world, nor did he care. His clash with Zheng Yunhui had left him severely injured. Quite a few of his bones were fractured. He spent the entire night healing and recovering, but he had only managed to reset the bones; making a full recovery would take some time. His willpower, on the other hand, was perfectly fine and had quickly returned to normal. Furthermore, the evolution of the "Blood" divine character sparked his interest in advancing divine characters. A tier-two divine character was significantly more potent than a tier-one. The illusion created by the tier-one "Blood" character had been easily shattered by Zheng Yunhui, but with the tier-two version, the slightest lapse in attention had cost the boy dearly. The gap between them was immense. *A tier-two character may be strong, but it also consumes a vast amount of willpower. If my willpower weren't so durable, I might not have been able to sustain it!* This battle had given Su Yu a clear understanding of his own strength. Especially regarding willpower: although he had only just reached the Yangxing Realm, he felt that when it came to resilience and endurance, even Zheng Yunhui was inferior to him! *And cultural weapons are incredibly formidable as well. Whatever Zheng Yunhui wielded couldn't have been subpar, yet his weapon was nearly sliced in two by mine…* Su Yu calculated inwardly, then looked at the two merit cards before him. A grin spread across his face! Twenty thousand points! A fortune! He had truly struck it rich this time! According to his earlier estimate of needing fifty merit points to open one aperture, he currently had sixty-six open and needed forty-two more to reach the Qianjun ninth level. Of course, the later stages might prove harder, but three thousand points should be more than enough, right? Worst-case scenario, he could simply enter the secret realms a few more times! He was wealthy now! *I’m rich, swimming in wealth…* Even as he rejoiced, Su Yu felt somewhat conflicted. Should he give some to his teacher? *I already gave so much to Martial Uncle. Do I still need to give some to Teacher?* *Teacher’s share… was already included in Martial Uncle’s cut!* “Forget it, Teacher is still in secluded cultivation and has no use for merit points anyway. I’ll just spend them on his behalf for now…” Su Yu nodded, convincing himself. By his original reasoning of an even split—thirty-four thousand each—he should have surrendered another three thousand points. However… since his teacher hadn't come out of seclusion, he would just spend it on his behalf. Master and disciple were family; why fuss over who spent what? While this teacher had no need for points, another teacher might. Su Yu thought of someone, hesitated briefly, and placed a call. …… “Teacher!” In Nanyuan City, Liu Wenyan was rather surprised to hear Su Yu’s voice. “Su Yu? Did you get into trouble?” “No, not at all! I’m living like a king at the academy!” Su Yu stepped out the door, baring his teeth in a grin. “Teacher, Teacher Bai and Martial Uncle Chen treat me wonderfully here! I’ve reached the Qianjun Realm and used Mountain-Breaking Ox blood essence for my foundation! I’ve also reached the Yangxing Realm and even have a half-Profound-rank cultural weapon…” Liu Wenyan was stunned. Living *that* well? Since when was the Multiple Divine Characters Faction flourishing like this? Hadn't Bai Feng previously said they were having a miserable time? Had that brat lied to him? “Really?” “Really!” Su Yu said joyfully. “I have so many amazing things! Teacher, I’ve outlined four divine characters! I also have a Shanhai Realm Sky-Breaking Slash will text! I’m already at the Qianjun fifth level, and I might reach the sixth or seventh very soon. I’ve even entered the secret realms several times…” Liu Wenyan rubbed his temples, completely dazed. *Am I hallucinating?* *Is this really the Multiple Divine Characters Faction?* *It’s only been a little over a month since the kid left—not even two full months!* *And he’s already at the Qianjun fifth level with his willpower in the Yangxing Realm?* “Cultural weapons, will texts, cultivation methods, secret realms…” He wanted to curse, but he knew Su Yu would never deceive him. Which meant… the one who had lied was Bai Feng? *Fuck!* *That unfilial wretch!* Liu Wenyan cursed inwardly. *Did you think you could fool me just because I’m not at the academy?* *If Su Yu is living this well, wouldn't you, Bai Feng, be living even better?* *And you actually cried poverty to me! You claimed you couldn't even afford meals, and I actually called in favors to help you!* *You bastard, I’ll beat you to death sooner or later!* After venting inwardly, he felt a wave of delight and said, “Your progress is very fast. Excellent! Of course, don't get arrogant. Whenever you have free time, think about that genius from the Great Zhou Prefecture who reached the Tengkong Realm in half a year. Give yourself a little pressure and never let pride take over!” Su Yu said happily, “I won't, Teacher! I know my own limits. Forget those monstrous freaks—even among the new students in our batch, there are plenty of powerful figures! Yesterday, I fought a freshman and lost to him. There are even stronger people in my class; I’m not even the most formidable one in our room!” “There are people stronger than you?” Liu Wenyan was astonished once more. Qianjun fifth level, four divine characters, willpower at the Yangxing Realm, a Sky-Breaking Slash will text, a top-tier cultural weapon… To tell the truth, Su Yu was no weaker than Liu Wenyan had been in his youth. And despite that, there were freshmen even more formidable than him? He had just lost yesterday, and there were still stronger students in his class? What kind of class was that? A senior advanced class? “Yes!” Su Yu smiled. “Don't worry, Teacher, I believe I’ll catch up to them soon!” Recalling his actual purpose, he added, “Teacher, doesn't one need to build a physical foundation when entering the Tengkong Realm? Last time, your physical body was still in the Wanshi Realm. I’m doing exceptionally well right now and have plenty of good things on hand. Teacher, do you need any god and demon blood essence?” “...” Liu Wenyan froze, thoroughly shaken. *Did this boy truly strike gold?* A single drop of Tengkong Realm god and demon blood essence cost at least a thousand merit points! He even had *that*? “Teacher…” Snapping back to his senses, Liu Wenyan felt a mixture of shock, complex emotions, and deep touched sentiment. After a long pause, he smiled and said, “No need, keep it for yourself! Your teacher is getting on in years; what would I need that for?” He sighed softly. “You’ve done… very well! Su Yu, train hard, master divine character battle techniques, and become a true powerhouse…” Liu Wenyan rambled for a bit, rejected Su Yu’s offer once more, and hung up the call. After a long silence, Liu Wenyan let out a soft laugh and shook his head. A faint sigh escaped him. “He truly is a loyal, affectionate soul…” Closing his eyes, thoughts swirled in his mind. In his sea of will, specks of light flickered as divine characters materialized one after another. At this moment, the characters were terrifyingly numerous, all circling a single speck of light. Drawn by that central point of light, the divine characters converged and locked into place… “Will it… ever truly take form?” Murmuring to himself, Liu Wenyan sighed once again. Fifty years! For fifty years, he had been mending it, outlining it, and nurturing it. If it did not bloom soon, he might not live to see that day. “Su Yu…” With another soft sigh, he suddenly felt conflicted. The boy was doing well and progressing rapidly. He had originally thought this divine character would be an opportunity for him, but now… it might become an obstacle. If given to Su Yu and the boy failed to nurture it to fruition, he would end up just like Liu Wenyan—fallen from genius to mediocrity! *If his talent had been ordinary, his prospects bleak, yet his character steadfast, passing down what I nurtured for years wouldn't necessarily have harmed him.* *But now…* Liu Wenyan sighed once more. It was best not to let his own tragedy repeat itself with Su Yu. Unless he could be certain that it would fully take form in the near future. Suppressing these thoughts, he dialed another number. After waiting a moment, the call connected. “Ready to beg me again?” Liu Wenyan glared, his beard twitching, before cursing, “Who’s begging you? I didn't beg you last time either! I told you back then that it was that bastard Bai Feng begging you, and I told you not to help him! Yet you insisted on helping—are you out of your mind? Why didn't you just beat him to death? If you don't beat him to death, I’ll look down on you forever!” With a loud bang, he slammed down the receiver and tossed the communicator aside. Still cursing, he fumed, *That bastard Bai Feng dared lie to me!* *Su Yu is living so well, so as his teacher, you must be living even better, yet you dared lie to me!* *You beast!* *You definitely need a good thrashing!* …… At that very moment, inside the Heart Cultivation Pavilion, Wu Yuehua put down her communicator in a fit of rage! Wonderful! Liu Wenyan had actually cursed at her! “Bastard!” “Do you think I’ll put up with your foul temper every single time? Deliberately provoking me, are you? Trying to make me help Bai Feng? Well, I won't!” “Didn't you tell me to beat him to death? I’ll grant your wish!” She was furious! Liu Wenyan had crossed the line! To speak to her like that—it was sheer bullying! Did she not have her pride? Always cursing at her! A surge of willpower swept in all directions. Ignoring the startled looks of the others, she vanished from the Heart Cultivation Pavilion the very next instant! Under the watchful eyes of several elders, Bai Feng stepped out of the secret realm with a beaming smile. Just as he was about to take a step, a loud *thud* rang out. His vision went black, and he collapsed unconscious! The people nearby preparing to enter the secret realm froze. What had just happened? None of them had seen a thing! A moment later, someone gasped, “That’s Bai Feng… Did he… faint from physical exhaustion?” “...” Others were speechless. How could that be possible? He was a Tengkong seventh-level expert after all; how could he faint so easily? “Did he suffer cultivation deviation?” “Quickly, call an expert! Don't touch him, or he might detonate!” “Sigh, is the pressure too great? Bai Feng really has it rough. Elder Hong is away, the pressure is immense, and he actually fainted right after coming out of seclusion… Sigh!” Sympathy and regret filled the air! A Tengkong seventh-level expert had suddenly passed out for no apparent reason. Who knew if something terrible had happened to him? How pitiable! …… Before long, the news of Bai Feng fainting spread like wildfire. “Bai Feng fainted after coming out of seclusion! I heard he suffered cultivation deviation!” “Bai Feng was under too much pressure, couldn't handle the blow, and self-detonated!” “Bai Feng is dead?” “Heavens, Teaching Assistant Bai self-detonated from cultivation!” “...” …… At this moment, Su Yu was just about to discuss a major business deal with Xia Huyou when he heard the rumors. His face drained of color, and he sprinted toward the Secret Realm Area! *Teacher is dead?!* *How could that be?!* “He self-detonated from cultivation…” As he ran, he overheard people nearby whispering, “I heard it wasn't a natural death—he was ambushed and beaten to death by an expert from the Single Divine Character Faction!” “Sigh, what a pity. Ever since he defeated Hu Wensheng last time, I knew this day would come!” “How truly tragic!” “...” Su Yu’s eyes turned bloodshot. *Intolerable bullying!* The Single Divine Character Faction had actually murdered his teacher! This grudge was irreconcilable under heaven! At that instant, Su Yu’s willpower surged violently, and the "Kill" divine character boiled and thrashed! His killing intent surged to an absolute peak! Never before had Su Yu felt this agitated, furious, and indignant! *They deserve to be slaughtered!* *They deserve to die!* *Right here in the academy, they actually murdered my teacher!* From a distance, seeing a crowd gathered around a spot, Su Yu roared, “Out of my way!” Killing intent boiled over! Thunderous roars shook the air! Inside his sea of will, the "Kill" divine character swelled, seethed, and vibrated violently! With a booming crash, Su Yu’s vision blurred, leaving only a sea of blood red before his eyes! His teacher might have been somewhat unreliable, but a teacher for a day was a father for life! Su Yu had taken those words to heart, and he was going to have his revenge! …… At that moment, the entire crowd froze. Who was this? What was going on? His cultivation wasn't very strong, yet his killing intent shook the heavens! The next instant, a blood-red light flashed before many people's eyes, and someone gasped in sudden shock, “A tier-two divine character…” “A divine character tied to killing intent!” What in the world was happening? How had this student abruptly broken through to a tier-two divine character out of nowhere? Why were there so many bizarre occurrences in the academy today? Meanwhile, Bai Feng rubbed his aching head and sat up. First, he was surprised to see so many people gathered around, and then he remembered being ambushed and knocked cold! Just as he was about to burst into furious curses, he froze, jaw dropping in disbelief! What was this? Why was that kid Su Yu boiling over with killing intent? It looked like… his "Kill" divine character had broken through to tier two! Hadn't he said it was the "Blood" character that had a chance of advancing? Could it have been the "Blood" character all along, and his own senses were mistaken? Bai Feng was utterly confused. In that moment, he didn't even care who had ambushed him. Since he was unharmed, it had probably just been some old bastard annoyed with him who gave him a swift punch. It wasn't serious, and making a fuss would be pointless anyway. Right now, he cared far more about the changes happening to Su Yu. Completely bewildered, Bai Feng sprang to his feet, grabbed Su Yu, and dashed straight toward the research institute. *What the hell is going on?* *Why is this kid right beside me, and why did he trigger a divine character breakthrough? What in the world?!*