Su Yu's Plans

With the monthly exam concluded, Su Yu did not forget to claim his merit points. At the Merit Office, the same young woman was behind the counter. Seeing Su Yu, an unusual look flashed across her face as she said, "Second place in the Divine Character Competition earns thirty-five merit points. Third place in the monthly exam earns eight points, the class monitor reward adds three points, and the top-high subsidy provides three points—for a total of forty-nine points. Student Su Yu, does that sound correct?" Su Yu nodded. Of course, Hu Qiusheng had also compensated him twenty merit points, but that wasn't counted here. "Could you check my cumulative merit points for me?" "One hundred forty-nine points!" Su Yu nodded. Not bad. Missing out on first place in the monthly exam meant he hadn't crossed the one-hundred-and-fifty-point mark, but it was still quite a harvest. Altogether, he had gained sixty-nine merit points this time. He had originally possessed 2,670 points remaining, bringing his current balance to 2,739 merit points. "Still haven't gotten my hands on the blood essence of the Five Elements races," Su Yu muttered to himself. If he could obtain a willpower cultivation method, nothing could be better. Otherwise, his willpower would permanently remain his Achilles' heel. It was entirely possible his physical body would reach the Tengkong Realm while his willpower was still stranded below it. "And then there's the Dragon Silkworm blood essence... Xia Huyou seemed to have collected a drop for me. I'll test the effects first before deciding." Xia Huyou had gathered several types of blood essence for him, and Su Yu had spotted the Dragon Silkworm blood essence among them, though there was only one drop. He intended to unlock the martial technique first to take a look; it might not necessarily suit him, and buying too much would be wasteful. *** Wen Tan Research Center. By the time Su Yu returned, night had already fallen. Ever since he moved here, he no longer returned to Yangxing Garden. Before he even stepped through the door, his communicator rang. "Brother Su, you mentioned this morning that you had something to discuss..." Hearing Hu Zongqi's voice, Su Yu couldn't help smacking his forehead. He had almost forgotten about it! At that thought, Su Yu smiled and said, "Zongqi, I was just about to call you. Are you free right now?" "I am!" "Then let's do this: there's a Shenghong Restaurant over in the New Student District. Dinner is on me tonight; let's meet and talk!" "Why be so polite..." Hu Zongqi chuckled, but Su Yu quickly cut in. "It's about something fairly important, so don't be shy with me, Zongqi!" "All right then, see you soon!" *** Hanging up the call with Hu Zongqi, Su Yu walked into the research center. After pondering for a moment, he entered the vault and retrieved a few items. *** A little over half an hour later, on the second floor of Shenghong Restaurant. "Zongqi, you actually arrived before me! I'm truly embarrassed..." "Don't say that!" Hu Zongqi no longer showed his former arrogance. He smiled and said, "Let's skip the pleasantries. Thank you for saving me face today! Dinner is on me tonight!" "How could that be right? You're looking down on me!" Su Yu exchanged friendly courtesies with Hu Zongqi, and the two walked into a private dining room. After a bit of small talk, Hu Zongqi couldn't contain his curiosity and said, "Brother Su..." "No need to be so polite. Just call me by my name!" Su Yu waved his hand, cutting him off with a smile. "We're brothers here. Our connection runs quite deep, so being too formal wouldn't feel right. Consider us friends who clashed before becoming close. Whatever misunderstandings we had before are all in the past now." "Then I won't hold back!" Hu Zongqi nodded and asked, "Su Yu, did you need my help with something? Just lay it out directly! To be completely honest, my temper isn't the best and my abilities aren't extraordinary, but I value loyalty!" Su Yu merely took the words in stride without putting much stock in them. After a brief silence, Su Yu began, "Zongqi, I know a little about your background. Your family's influence within the academy isn't overwhelmingly strong. Only your second grandfather is a Lingyun Realm expert and an intermediate researcher, and he isn't even part of our institute, right?" Hu Zongqi nodded, saying nothing more. "Your older brother, Hu Zongyu, is at the second layer of the Wanshi Realm, has over ninety percent Yangxing accumulation, ranks sixty-fifth on the Top 100 Rankings, and is a vice president of the Tianshui Association, correct?" Hu Zongqi frowned slightly. Su Yu smiled. "Don't get upset. Everyone knows these facts. Zongqi, to speak plainly, your situation is better than mine, but... do you think the Hu family prioritizes resources for you or for your brother?" Hu Zongqi fell silent. "I don't mean anything bad by it!" Su Yu said softly. "I just feel that people like us have it too hard! In the academy, every step is a struggle! Unloved and unsupported! If we want to become stronger, we can only rely on ourselves!" Hu Zongqi looked at him and said in a low voice, "Su Yu, just say what you want to say. There's no need to leave me hanging at this point!" "All right!" Su Yu said. "Then I'll get straight to the point! In the academy, there are endless associations of this and that, but are they of any use? They just treat new members like chives to be harvested. Aside from a bit of prestige when walking around outside, what practical benefit do they offer?" "You mean..." "I want to secretly establish a Mutual Aid Society!" Su Yu said frankly. "To help each other and advance together! Of course, we're just new students, so we won't publicize it or recruit openly. Only people who see eye to eye, can get along, and possess the drive to grow stronger can join us!" Su Yu stated solemnly, "A lone hero needs three helpers! In the academy, fighting alone—no matter how exceptional your talent—what does it amount to? Only by forming our own small circle and inner group can you have people willing to fight alongside you when you reach the Tengkong Realm and enter the All-Heavens Battlefield! When taking on missions, you'll be able to find dependable teammates instead of constantly worrying about a knife in your back!" Hu Zongqi gazed at him, his expression shifting repeatedly before he spoke slowly. "Why approach me? My strength isn't great, and my aptitude... while decent, is only upper-middle..." Su Yu smiled. "If someone wants to join this circle, they naturally have to bring their own unique strengths and benefits! Being able to help the collective, helping one another—that is the crux of it! "Your brother is the vice president of the Tianshui Association, and your second grandfather is the deputy director of the Mission Office. We aren't taking on missions right now, but what about in the future?" Su Yu said earnestly. "Helping intercept certain missions with high merit point payouts and short completion times... all within the bounds of the rules, right? As for me, my martial uncle is the director of Cangshu Pavilion. Opening a few back doors and providing extra guidance is far better than fighting alone!" Hu Zongqi remained silent. Su Yu continued, "On top of that, we can share resources among ourselves to a limited degree..." With that, Su Yu took out a will text he had just brought from the vault. "This is a will text penned by someone in the Tengkong Realm. It isn't anything extraordinary, but I have plenty more, all purchased with my own funds! I've used it once and read it a few times, but its willpower isn't exhausted yet, so it can be reused!" Su Yu chuckled. "However, I don't want to sell it. People like us tend to have our own cultivation styles and preferences. We often purchase our own will texts rather than attend public lectures... and the resources consumed are immense! "Are merit points enough?" Su Yu looked at him. "Are your merit points enough to use? You haven't reached the Qianjun Realm yet. Have you prepared your foundation-building blood essence? Do you plan to settle for the worst kind? Has your family prepared martial technique will texts for you?" Hu Zongqi kept quiet. "Relying entirely on your family to support you, can you truly rise?" Hu Zongqi took a deep breath. "Su Yu, let me put it this way: there's very little I can provide for you. The more you bring out, the more uneasy I become. Because my aptitude and strength fall short of yours, I'll end up being a burden to you down the line, and the group will fall apart..." *A smart person!* Su Yu nodded and said with a smile, "I understand! But progressing together allows all of us to walk further on the path to power. My only fear is that you lack the drive and confidence! Each of us exists in different circles. You have yours—just as you mentioned, your brother is close with Liu He, which means you can supply me with crucial intelligence... information and the like!" Su Yu added, "Take the Single Divine Character Faction. They've been targeting me relentlessly, but I can't break into their circles, whereas you can! In this era, if you don't find ways to make yourself stronger and seize opportunities on your own, are you going to count on others to bestow charity and pity upon you?" Hu Zongqi stared at him for a long while before letting out a laugh. "I suddenly realize you aren't quite as honest and simple as you look!" "..." Su Yu couldn't help chuckling. "As long as I harbor no ill intent toward others, it's fine. In life, one must always leave oneself some leeway; otherwise, if people see right through you, wouldn't you lose all privacy?" "True enough!" Hu Zongqi nodded, looking at him. "Aside from me, is there anyone else?" "There are, but I won't tell you for now!" Su Yu said seriously. "This circle of ours is merely an intimate group. For the time being, I'll handle communication between everyone. Once everyone has grown stronger and truly felt the mutual benefits our existence brings, then we will genuinely get to know one another and learn each other's identities! Otherwise, it's completely pointless!" Hu Zongqi nodded in agreement. "Su Yu, there are quite a few circles like this within the academy. Yet in the end, almost all of them fade into mediocrity, gradually drifting apart until the circle dissolves. Whether the Mutual Aid Society you speak of can truly endure is something I can't say for sure right now..." Su Yu nodded with a smile. "Understood! That's why I will strive to maintain it, ensuring everyone experiences tangible benefits, shared profits, and confidence! For instance, moving forward, I'll attempt to have everyone exchange their used will texts for reading. Naturally, no one will be shortchanged!" Su Yu said solemnly, "Suppose your will text, written by a Tengkong expert, can still be read three times. What you give and what you receive will certainly match in value! Nor will I disclose who reads your will text or whose will text you receive, ensuring maximum confidentiality!" Hu Zongqi nodded and murmured, "Groups of this sort exist in the academy, but most of the time they end up disbanding because some society heads line their own pockets, act unfairly, or exploit their members..." Su Yu smiled. "Then let's give it a try! I will find dedicated individuals to handle the evaluations so that every piece of value is clear and transparent! Any intelligence you supply will also be appraised with complete openness!" With that, Su Yu dangled an enticing hook. "As for me, progressing this rapidly... I actually have some secrets of my own! My teacher possesses certain high-tier racial cultivation techniques that can accelerate cultivation..." Hu Zongqi's expression shifted drastically! "Researched by Elder Hong?" Su Yu smiled. "Who knows? All I know is that my teacher provided me with modified techniques that make my cultivation far swifter. Put it this way: behind me stands a top-tier expert at the eighth layer of the Shanhai Realm! Therefore, I believe the benefits I bring to the group will not fall short of anyone else's!" "Then passing down secret arts to outsiders..." "Rest assured, I will naturally obtain my teacher's consent, and your identities won't be leaked! We are all freshmen right now, holding neither status nor influence. But I believe that in a few years, once everyone reaches the Tengkong Realm, there will be many affairs in the academy that we can take part in!" Su Yu whispered, "Do you really want to spend your entire life living in your brother's shadow? The Hu family values your brother, not you. Don't you want to surpass him on the Top 100 Rankings?" A brief spark lit up Hu Zongqi's eyes, but he quickly chuckled. "Su Yu, don't just paint me grand pictures. To be honest, I don't have that much faith in this Mutual Aid Society yet." Su Yu smiled. "Fine. Then right now, I'll give you something for free as an initiation gift. I believe you'll be satisfied!" "What is it?" Su Yu produced a manual, opened the illustrations, and said, "The Yuan Purifying Art! It was modified from the foundational yuan art of the Brightlight Bird race! It's tailored for humans to cultivate, requiring relatively few apertures to open, and is specifically used to purify yuanqi! When we cultivate using blood essence, there are always impurities, leaving the yuanqi impure and making it difficult to step into the Wanshi Realm! By cultivating the Yuan Purifying Art, you will soon be able to purify the yuanqi inside your body! "You've seen my condition. It's precisely because I cultivated the Yuan Purifying Art that I suffered no lingering consequences despite consuming vast amounts of blood essence!" Su Yu's eyes burned bright as he continued, "It only requires opening thirty-six apertures to cultivate the Yuan Purifying Art. Opening apertures is somewhat difficult, and adding thirty-six more is no small feat, but once mastered, you can use it all the way through the ninth layer of the Wanshi Realm and even when stepping into the Tengkong Realm physically! It's merely a top-tier Yellow-rank technique, but only our lineage possesses it! If made public, charging you a few hundred merit points wouldn't be an exaggeration, would it?" "..." Hu Zongqi's eyes instantly blazed with excitement! He stared at Su Yu in disbelief. "You're... giving it to me?" "It must never be leaked to outsiders!" Su Yu said in a heavy tone. "The academy possesses the Yuan Purifying Art as well, but it isn't suitable for human cultivation. My lineage spent immense effort modifying it! If it gets leaked... my grandmaster will not let the matter rest!" Su Yu then laughed. "Of course, I believe everyone has their own judgment! If you truly leak it, this will be our only transaction, with no second chance. Your future is in your own hands!" Su Yu went on, "This is merely an auxiliary technique. In the future, there might even be other techniques, martial skills, and perhaps even willpower cultivation methods..." Taking a deep breath, Su Yu added, "I also need to enhance my strength and secure a greater voice!" Hu Zongqi pressed his hand against the manual. It was clearly hand-copied and lacked a formal layout, yet it was filled with numerous diagrams clearly detailing which apertures to open, how to link them, and how to channel energy through them! This was a fully adapted auxiliary technique, extraordinarily precious! Purifying yuanqi! Hu Zongqi did not pull the book toward himself. His hand remained pressed against it, caught in an internal struggle. Taking it meant truly boarding the ship. There would be no backing out! If the Multiple Divine Characters Faction came knocking on the accusation of stealing proprietary techniques, he would be completely ruined. "Su Yu..." Hu Zongqi looked at him and gritted his teeth. "I haven't demonstrated my value yet. Keep this... for now! Once I prove my worth, you can give it to me then..." "It's a gift!" Su Yu smiled. "An initiation gift! To put it bluntly... our research center has no shortage of such things! Otherwise, why do you think so many people covet our research center? My grandmaster is entirely devoted to research and cares for nothing else, obsessing over researching human innate racial skills. Countless creations have been overlooked and sealed away by him. Little do outsiders know that these things are priceless treasures, yet in his eyes... they're merely junk!" "Elder Hong..." At that moment, Hu Zongqi's face brimmed with yearning! Hong Tan! The pillar of the Multiple Divine Characters Faction! At the peak of the eighth layer of the Shanhai Realm, obsessed with research, detached from power struggles, caring only about scholarly pursuits... Wen Tan Research Center! Producing a casual technique out of nowhere turned out to be an exceedingly rare method of purifying yuanqi. Humanity definitely possessed such techniques, but they were far beyond the reach of minor figures like him. Perhaps passed down within prominent clans or among descendants of powerful figures, but publicly available? Only through sheer luck! Perhaps when their permissions grew higher and their status rose, they might obtain one, but certainly not right now. Hu Zongqi swallowed hard, filled with admiration. "A figure like Elder Hong... is a true Civilization Master! I believe that if Wen Tan Research Center ever opens its doors to the outside world, it will absolutely shock everyone! It will shake the entire human race!" Su Yu echoed his reverent tone. "Without question! I also believe Grandmaster will shake all of humanity! Sadly... sigh! Grandmaster's ambitions lie elsewhere. His goals are the Sun and Moon Realm, the Eternal Realm! To be realistic, only when he ascends to the Eternal Realm will these heritages be safeguarded as ours. Right now... ha, hard to say!" Hu Zongqi nodded in agreement! With a look of anticipation, he asked, "Elder Hong has long been at the peak of the eighth layer of the Shanhai Realm. Do you think... he might soon break through to the Sun and Moon Realm?" "Hard to say!" Su Yu shook his head. "I wouldn't know. I haven't even met Grandmaster to this day. Zongqi, to speak from the heart, establishing this Mutual Aid Society is partly to plan for the future. The Multiple Divine Characters Faction has been suppressed all these years, and I refuse to swallow it quietly. When my strength is weak, there's nothing to be said, but once I become powerful, I will definitely demand justice! "A few people won't make a difference. Even if I reach the Shanhai Realm, the academy doesn't lack Shanhai experts! But if one Shanhai expert isn't enough, what about two, three, or four?" Su Yu's eyes shone brightly. "You, me, and the others... if we all advance together and enter the Shanhai Realm, will you stand with me when that time comes?" At these words, Hu Zongqi turned solemn. "If I benefit from Brother Su and fail to repay the debt when the time comes, how would I be any different from a beast? I accept this Yuan Purifying Art! From today onward, I am a member of the Mutual Aid Society! I still have several will texts at my place that I previously studied without gaining much. If Brother Su needs them, I'll bring them over later... You're right. People like us all keep our own secrets and don't want them exposed. That includes the divine characters we've outlined; we don't want outsiders finding out. As long as Brother Su keeps them confidential, I believe we will gain far more!" Su Yu beamed! Hu Zongqi continued, "Starting today, I will gather more intelligence—concerning the Single Divine Character Faction and other matters. Even regarding the All-Heavens Battlefield, since my second grandfather is the deputy director of the Mission Office and knows plenty, I'll drop by his place often to look around." "Good. Later on, I'll arrange for someone to appraise the value of those contributions!" Su Yu waved a hand to forestall him. "The foundation of any society is fairness and equity! If you constantly give without receiving anything in return, no one is a fool—why would they give? Why share good missions? Why hand over excellent secret arts? Only when everyone gives and everyone receives can it endure!" Hu Zongqi nodded vigorously. That made absolute sense! Su Yu added, "Down the line, I'll also find ways to connect with people outside the academy, such as those from the War Academy! We'll advance on multiple fronts side by side, sharing blood essence, cultural weapons, cultivation arts, martial techniques, and will texts. That way, our progress will undoubtedly be much faster!" Hu Zongqi stared fixedly at him. Su Yu's ambition was truly staggering! He realized he had vastly underestimated Su Yu before. A fellow hailing from Nanyuan had thought this far ahead and dared to take action... Of course, he also had a backer. Truly, nobody's success came purely by accident. With that in mind, Hu Zongqi suddenly said, "Su Yu, hearing you mention that reminds me of something! In the future, if there's anything you need, you don't necessarily have to look for Xia Huyou. You can try posting missions. I can post them for you through my second grandfather's channels. Nobody will know you're the one requesting it—only I will know—and the price might turn out cheaper." Su Yu's eyes lit up! He had actually been pondering this exact issue: trading too frequently and too extensively with Xia Huyou was far too risky. Xia Huyou would end up knowing too much about him! Although Xia Huyou had never posed any threat to him, maintaining secrets was nonetheless necessary. "Academy missions?" "Yes. Issued in that format, researchers will undertake them as long as the appropriate merit points are paid." Su Yu felt a surge of joy! Reaching out to Hu Zongqi had truly been the right move. Hu Youhui wasn't overwhelmingly powerful, but he was still at the seventh layer of the Lingyun Realm and served as the deputy director of the Mission Office. While his position was merely average, to the current Su Yu, it was of tremendous utility. Thinking of this, Su Yu asked on an impulse, "If I issue a mission to have items delivered to the All-Heavens Battlefield to locate the Demon Suppression Army, can that be done?" "Of course!" Hu Zongqi smiled. "You want to send items to your father? That's very straightforward! Instructors from the academy are permitted to visit the All-Heavens Battlefield, so delivering items there is not difficult at all! As for locating a person, spending a bit of effort will track them down, though a round trip will likely cost quite a few merit points. After all, it's not very safe over there. "Moreover, you don't need to worry about embezzlement. They are all academy researchers; unless someone has decided to abandon the human realm entirely, nobody would dare!" Su Yu was overjoyed! That was wonderful. If he had spare funds on hand, he could support his father. His father's situation on the All-Heavens Battlefield was simply too perilous! As they spoke, Hu Zongqi smiled and remarked, "If you're wealthy enough, you could even hire an expert to protect your father under the title of a garrison Civilization Master! Naturally, the cost is steep—a garrison Civilization Master requires at least a one-year commitment!" Su Yu's interest was piqued! "How much?" "For an early-stage Tengkong expert, it would cost at least three hundred points a year. It really is dangerous over there, and they can't protect him non-stop. After all, they have their own missions to carry out once they arrive; they can only guarantee their utmost protection whenever they are around!" Su Yu nodded. That was fairly reasonable. That meant he could try it in the future. As for now... he would wait a bit longer. He had spent lavishly and had only a little over two thousand points left, with many upcoming expenses awaiting him. As for his father... once he swindled a major score again, he would issue a mission to test the waters! After chatting a bit more with Hu Zongqi, Su Yu reaped further gains. "I once heard my second grandfather mention in passing that Principal Zhou Mingren hasn't managed daily affairs for a long time. His goal is to step into the Sun and Moon Realm! The person who truly runs the Single Divine Character Faction right now is his disciple, Elder Zheng Yuming! Elder Zheng actually harbors quite a grudge against your Multiple Divine Characters Faction..." "Why?" "I heard it's because back during his student days, he was suppressed by the Multiple Divine Characters Faction, and geniuses from your faction even humiliated him..." Hu Zongqi explained. "That's why things were somewhat better for your side in earlier years, but have grown increasingly difficult now! They're practically trying to wipe you out completely, all because Elder Zheng advanced to the Shanhai Realm and became the faction master." Su Yu frowned. "My teacher never mentioned this..." "Because we're still too weak!" Hu Zongqi shook his head. "Knowing wouldn't help us anyway. Besides... do you know Xia Yuwen? My second grandfather said that the Single Divine Character Faction's current objective is to oust Director Chen, place Zhou Pingsheng as director, and make Xia Yuwen the deputy director. Xia Yuwen seemingly wants to use the academy as a stepping stone to enter the upper echelons of the Great Xia Prefecture..." Neither of them fully grasped the deeper implications of these remarks. Yet Su Yu couldn't help frowning. If so, his senior martial sister being knocked off the Top 100 Rankings might not have been orchestrated purely by the Single Divine Character Faction alone. "I understand. Thank you!" "No need to thank me!" Hu Zongqi laughed. "I should be the one thanking you! From now on, I'll pay closer attention to such news! Experts affiliated with the Multiple Divine Characters Faction generally wouldn't hear these things, as outsiders wouldn't speak recklessly in front of them. My second grandfather, however... strictly speaking, is on very good terms with them." Su Yu nodded slightly. It was easy to see: his brother had close ties with Liu He, which naturally connected them closely to the Single Divine Character Faction. Writing out the Yuan Purifying Art hadn't cost Su Yu much effort. Simply organizing the locations of the apertures to be opened, how to open them, and how to link them together was not particularly challenging for Su Yu. Thirty-six apertures were no small number; it would come down to how Hu Zongqi cultivated them himself. Opening a few extra apertures carried no harm, though Hu Zongqi couldn't cultivate directly with blood essence like Su Yu; he had to open them successfully before performing the purification. This was also a way for Su Yu to monetize his assets! Gradually converting the arts recorded in the manual into practical resources. Of course, doing so now was out of the question. He was too weak! For instance, the Body Strengthening Art of the Mountain-Breaking Ox race was far more important and valuable than the Yuan Purifying Art. If leaked, it would draw immense attention, and Su Yu would be unable to withstand the fallout. The Yuan Purifying Art was merely an auxiliary technique after all. Even if Hu Zongqi proved unreliable and leaked it, it wouldn't pose too great a threat to Su Yu. Behind him stood an eighth-layer Shanhai Realm expert, after all. As for that grandmaster of his... he would deal with it whenever Grandmaster found out. Judging from Bai Feng's tone, Grandmaster seemed quite easy to talk to. He might as well take the blame for now! *** Parting ways with Hu Zongqi, Su Yu urged him to keep their relationship looking ordinary within the academy. If they appeared too close, Su Yu worried the Single Divine Character Faction might become wary of Hu Zongqi. *Hu Zongqi... Lin Yao!* Su Yu muttered the names silently. He would find time to pull Lin Yao in as well. There were a few others worth considering, such as Xia Huyou... but his background with the Xia family made Su Yu cautious. If he drew the attention of the Xia family, he might get swallowed whole without leaving a trace! *They can't be too much stronger than me, their family backgrounds shouldn't be too grand, and they should preferably be somewhat neglected; otherwise, lacking nothing, how could I win them over?* Su Yu felt that at present, he knew far too little about the academy and the entire Great Xia Prefecture! He needed to take control of more information! Counting on his teacher... forget about it! Bai Feng was a total homebody. Even with exceptional talent and formidable strength, he barely had any friends. In this vast academy, when he was bullied, nobody stepped forward to back him up. *Grandmaster is a homebody too!* Su Yu grumbled internally. If not for that, how could the Multiple Divine Characters Faction have fallen into such a pathetic state? An eighth-layer Shanhai expert! With strength like that, how many in the entire academy could match him? Yet they had ended up in such a miserable state? Left with just a single research center, and even that was coveted by others. It was simply pitiful. Even Su Yu couldn't bear to watch it! His martial uncle was about to be stripped of his position as library director, yet nobody seemed to care. The man was at the ninth layer of the Lingyun Realm, yet not a single voice spoke up for him. His martial uncle was a massive homebody as well! All day long, he stayed cooped up in Cangshu Pavilion, never stepping outside. If they didn't bully him, who else would they bully? *Two fists can hardly match four hands! At the very least, you need a crowd cheering and waving flags for you!* Su Yu mused to himself. Even if those individuals weren't individually powerful, standing together would still constitute a significant force. Grandmaster and the rest were simply too foolish! Remaining aloof and noble... who would bother associating with you? You weren't an Invincible expert suppressing the contemporary era—and even an Invincible couldn't rule everything alone. Su Yu reflected quietly. He envisioned a day when, if the academy ever tried to expel him, he would issue a call to action, and hundreds or thousands of students and instructors would stand up in protest... Even Wan Tiansheng wouldn't dare recklessly expel him then, right? Teacher Liu Wenyan had been driven out! Su Yu dreaded seeing history repeat itself! *Quietly develop and build my own network of connections. As long as we become a community of shared interests, we will be one united front. What does a so-called faction even amount to then!* At this moment, however, he was far too weak, so he could only borrow someone else's prestige for now. Presumably, Grandmaster wouldn't mind—and neither would Teacher.