Madman Su Yu

Su Yu took the stage. Not only did he step onto the arena, but he also bellowed at the top of his lungs, "The struggle between the Single and Multiple Character Factions has raged for years! The order of this academy fell into chaos long ago! The Great Xia Civilization Academy has been deeply corrupted by this feud; people's hearts are poisoned! When minds are astray, no one cares about research, no one cares about cultivation—all they care about is scheming for power and fighting over resources! No one thinks about forging new paths, only tearing each other apart! "This Great Xia Civilization Academy falls far too short of what I imagined!" Su Yu roared, "Schemes within schemes, fraud and betrayal! If it were pure competition, fine! But even a tournament has been turned into a gladiatorial bloodbath, a ground for dirty tricks! If the Single Divine Character Faction truly refuses to part with these slots, don't hold such a tournament at all! "Since you did hold it, then show some respect for the rules! "You've dragged your own reputation through the mud, yet you don't even care how ridiculous you look to everyone!" Su Yu cast a contemptuous glare toward Liu Hong, toward Elder Sun, and toward the students of the Single Divine Character Faction. Liu Hong kept silent. Elder Sun's brow furrowed. Su Yu sneered. "You've already schemed, you've already fought, so don't try to build a monument to your virtue now! Isn't all this just aimed at me? Well, I'm here! I couldn't care less about a single slot, but I came anyway! "If you want to be villains, then be honest villains! Don't follow Teacher Liu's example, too cowardly to be a true villain so you pose as a hypocrite! Everyone knows you're a hypocrite, yet you still put on an act—it's pathetic!" Liu Hong said faintly, "Su Yu, watch your tongue. You know the penalty for slandering an instructor. Just a few days ago, someone was punished for that!" "That was slander!" Su Yu laughed. "Mine isn't slander, it's the honest truth! Who doesn't know about the factional feud? At this point, there's no need to pretend to be pure and innocent! Teacher Liu, let me ask you: if I held my tongue, would the students of the Single Divine Character Faction refrain from challenging me?" Su Yu looked down at the crowd and roared, "Since you want to target me, why keep pretending? I'm up on this stage! My team is filled with your people! What are you hesitating for? What are you afraid of? "Has the Single Divine Character Faction already degraded to this point? "Has dealing with a newly enrolled student become so difficult for you?" Su Yu shouted fiercely, "If you have strength, let's rely on strength! If you don't, then keep your heads down and behave! Playing petty tricks day in and day out will never get you anywhere! When your Single Divine Character Faction actually produces a few Sun-Moons, a few peers who are invincible in the same realm, then you can talk about replacing anyone!" "..." Su Yu's furious shouts rang out like thunder, deafening to the ears. Below the stage, an uproar gradually brewed. On the stage, Liu He and the others kept their heads down, not daring to utter a peep. Su Yu sneered with disdain. "After all that, does no one dare to step up? Let's drop the nonsense about holding back. If you want to deal with me, Su Yu, be direct! Make it a life-and-death battle, and I'll fulfill your wish!" In the spectator area, Chen Yong's expression changed. Standing up, he looked toward Su Yu and frowned. "Su Yu!" Su Yu looked down and smiled. "Martial Uncle, it's fine! These people aren't worthy of my concern! As long as they dare—as long as their Single Divine Character Faction dares to send someone of the same realm to fight, and they kill me fair and square—that's their ability! If they can't kill me and end up slain by my hand instead, that only proves they're trash! To pick fights without the strength to back it up—such people deserve to die!" Elder Sun stood up as well. Looking at Su Yu, his gaze turned chillingly sharp. "Su Yu, you want to fight a life-and-death battle?" Su Yu replied calmly, "Why not?" Elder Sun looked toward the Single Divine Character Faction students. Many bowed their heads, not daring to meet his eyes. Elder Sun's face darkened! Su Yu laughed. "As long as you have the guts, then come! The reason I came out of seclusion in the first place was to fight a few life-and-death battles, just to teach you that if you lack ability, you should behave yourself! Why keep hopping around like annoying insects day and night? "It just so happens that with this opportunity, you can all come together!" Su Yu bellowed, "I'll give you a chance! One-on-one, you probably wouldn't dare! Right now it's five against five. As long as my four teammates don't turn on me, I'll count them out of the fight—one against five, a life-and-death wager! Do you dare?" Su Yu's voice rose even higher. "Even if they turn on me, one against nine, I'll still fight! As long as they dare to attack, I dare to kill! Do you dare?" "..." Silence fell in all directions. A moment later, someone below the stage gave a cold snort. "Arrogant!" "Arrogant?" Su Yu looked toward that speaker and sneered. "Come up to the stage! Sign a life-and-death contract, and if you have the ability, beat me to death! When given the chance, you don't even dare to step up—a bunch of useless trash! Wasting academy resources! Yes, I consumed more resources than you, tens of thousands of merit points! So what? Even if those same resources were spent cultivating ten students of the Single Divine Character Faction, what of it? If you step onto this stage, I will show you that even ten of you are nothing more than ten pigs waiting to be slaughtered!" "Bastard!" "He's only been enrolled for a few months, yet he dares to act so insolent!" "Does he really think no one can handle him?" "..." Several students shouted angrily! Yet the rest fell completely silent. No one stepped forward! They didn't understand why Su Yu was being so aggressive right now. It felt like the worst possible moment to burn bridges. Wasn't Su Yu afraid of dying? Su Yu was afraid of dying. Yet right now, he wanted nothing more than a hearty, unreserved battle! The kind where neither side held anything back! Not only that, Su Yu stirred the pot even further: "The Single Divine Character Faction—or rather, the Divine Character College of today—lost its way long ago! If you belong to the Single Divine Character Faction, you get lavish treatment, great perks, and top-tier instructors! "If you aren't part of it, like me—an opponent—then nothing more needs to be said! But what about the other students? Those with slightly lower talent, those with slightly weaker backgrounds—they don't even have a place to stand! "A few years pass, they turn thirty, and they're considered washed up! The academy stops caring about them entirely! "They missed the golden window for cultivation, wasted their entire lives, and now that they're older, they have to participate in a tournament hosted by the Single Divine Character Faction... fighting to the death against juniors young enough to be their grandchildren! "To put it bluntly... this tournament was prepared specifically for me, Su Yu! If I hadn't come, this competition would probably have been utterly dull, watching you fight to the death like performing monkeys!" Su Yu laughed. "Is this what you wanted? Is this what you pursued? Is this the sacred academy of civilization? What a joke! Ever since Principal Wan took charge of the academy, its strength has grown, but the only ones who grew strong are a bunch of selfish hypocrites! Powerful clans rose up, factions multiplied, dissent was stamped out, and the ideal of a hundred schools of thought contending became an outright joke! "What happened to the Beast Taming faction, the Divine Pill Department, the Divine Talisman faction... they've all been reduced to mere decorations!" At this moment, standing before thousands of people, Su Yu spoke with effortless conviction! Elder Sun tried to interrupt several times, but an oppressive aura locked onto him, preventing him from moving. On the stage, Su Yu projected his voice loudly: "Such a civilization academy fell into decay long ago! It looks powerful on the surface, but inside, it's just loose sand! I am still weak. I don't know what the principal thinks, nor what the elders think. All I know is that if I went to the battlefield alongside people like this, I'd be terrified of them stabbing me in the back! "In that case, rather than constantly watching my back, I might as well beat them to death right here in the open! Kill those who might stab me in the back, so that when I step onto the battlefield, I can fight with all my might!" As he reached this point, someone interrupted him, saying coldly, "Su Yu, there's no need to glorify yourself! The dispute between the single and multiple character factions is your own business. We only came for the slots. Why preach all these grand principles?" Su Yu looked toward the speaker and smiled. "Well said. As expected of someone who thinks nothing matters unless it concerns them directly! Zhan Hai, this has nothing to do with you, but let me ask you a question: if I ordered you to march onto the battlefield alongside people from the Single Divine Character Faction, would you dare entrust your back to them?" Amidst the crowd, Zhan Hai replied indifferently, "There's no need. Nor will I ever go to the battlefield with them!" "Hahaha!" Su Yu laughed heartily. "That is the great strength of the Single Divine Character Faction! Fifty years ago, when the experts of the Multiple Divine Characters Faction took the field, would you have dared entrust your back to our predecessors?" Su Yu looked toward the older students and barked, "Open your eyes and see! The dispute between our factions stopped being a personal grudge long ago! It has affected the entire academy, the entire Great Xia Prefecture, and even the entire human realm!" Many furrowed their brows in silence. Su Yu chuckled. "Preaching grand principles is indeed useless. As someone once said, until the guillotine falls upon one's own neck, everyone remains a bystander! When the day comes that it finally falls on you, everyone else will be a bystander too, and no one will stand up for you! When you die, you won't be innocent either!" Liu Hong said faintly, "Are you finished? If you're finished, let the match continue! Whatever happens to the human realm, the Great Xia Prefecture, or the academy is not something a mere student like you can alter. Only by standing high can one see far! Su Yu, what you see does not represent what we see!" "Are you standing that high?" Su Yu scoffed. "Cultivating the Dao, cultivating the Dao... if I don't even dare to speak my own mind, what Dao am I cultivating? I say what I wish to say, rather than mindlessly jumping on the bandwagon and pretending to have superior foresight!" With that, he turned toward the crowd below and smiled. "What, you don't dare take the stage? You don't dare engage in a life-and-death wager? I was worried that facing you one-on-one might scare you off, but now, when it's just me against your entire team, you still don't dare?" "Su Yu, do you truly think you're that strong?" Zhan Hai spoke up again, frowning. "I told you, we came only for the slots. Please don't waste our time! This isn't your personal soapbox. If you're really interested, wait until the tournament is over to give a public sermon. As long as people are willing to listen, you can talk for as long as you want!" "Numb and callous fool!" Su Yu shouted, "Even if someone like you becomes an expert, you'll still be nothing more than a selfish, unfeeling coward! Even if your comrades fall in battle, you won't shed a single tear!" Zhan Hai looked at him and said coldly, "Don't go slapping labels on people, Su Yu. Don't assume you're the only clever person in the world!" He understood what Su Yu was trying to do. He just found it utterly pointless! What could you possibly change? You can't change anything! Aside from duping a few hot-blooded fools into joining your so-called reform and rebellion, only to end up dead with no burial ground! Becoming cannon fodder, becoming discarded pawns! In his eyes, Su Yu was merely seizing the chance to instigate ordinary students into rebelling against the Single Divine Character Faction, using them as meat shields. He disliked Su Yu! Su Yu acted upright and open, but his mind was dark underneath. Liu Hong was a hypocrite, and so was Su Yu! You can't change anything; you're just leading a herd of people into a brick wall. In the end, you have backers and background, but what about those ordinary students? Had Su Yu ever considered that? ... Su Yu laughed. "Whether you like it or not doesn't matter! Since you don't dare resist, I, Su Yu, will stand forward and ask this academy, ask this Great Xia Prefecture, whether this policy is right or wrong!" "An insolent brat who isn't even in the Tengkong Realm! What right do you have to utter such words?" Below the stage, someone barked another rebuke! Su Yu looked toward the speaking elder and smiled. "Come up here, and I'll show you whether I have the right!" The old man's expression turned ugly, his fists clenching as if eager to try! Su Yu roared, "Anyone who finds me an eyesore, come up! For this battle, I won't limit myself to three bouts. Come all you want! Even after three bouts conclude, I'll still entertain you!" "Su Yu, can you represent your entire team?" someone shouted coldly. Su Yu smiled. "They can step down. I won't force them!" "What immense nerve, what grand bravado—too bad your strength is lacking!" someone mocked. ... Below the stage. Wu Jia wore a face full of worry. Her junior brother was usually so calm; why had he suddenly provoked so many people out of nowhere? Something terrible would happen! Why couldn't he just compete normally and secure a slot? What was he doing? Beside her, Li Minyu murmured coolly, "Your junior brother has no small ambition!" Wu Jia turned her head to look at her. Li Minyu said indifferently, "Your junior brother just entered the academy not long ago, yet he already wants to become the leader of the student body. Can't you see it? Decades ago, when geniuses like Liu Wenyan from the Multiple Divine Characters Faction enrolled, they did the exact same thing! Students revered them, instructors looked favorably upon them, and before even reaching the Tengkong Realm, they garnered the backing of countless experts who believed they would carry the civilization academy to glory... only to end in bleak ruin!" Today, Su Yu had suddenly spouted these speeches, questioning the principal, questioning the Great Xia Prefecture... Did this fellow want to walk that same path? The real question was: do you have the qualifications and the ability? Back then, Liu Wenyan and his peers suppressed their entire generation and made the older generation willing to support them. What qualifications did Su Yu have to say such things? ... On the other side. Wu Lan glanced at her elder sister beside her and said blankly, "Sister, why did he have to provoke even Zhan Hai?" Had Su Yu become too full of himself? That was Zhan Hai, the undisputed number one below the Tengkong Realm! Yet Su Yu showed no reverence whatsoever, even hinting at competing with Zhan Hai for supremacy. Otherwise, he wouldn't have said what he just did. Wu Qi frowned slightly, then offered a faint smile. "I thought he was someone capable of endurance, but now it seems he's brimming with ambition! He isn't satisfied with the status quo. He wants to take advantage of the time before reaching Tengkong to rally a group of followers to cheer for him!" "Will that... work?" "Who knows." Would it work? Maybe it would, maybe it wouldn't. Who could tell? With a hint of intrigue, Wu Qi looked toward the spirited Su Yu on the stage. If you kept enduring forever, you'd just become a second Liu Hong. Yet you refused to follow the conventional script and suddenly stepped forward. Had arrogance gone to your head, or did you truly believe you were invincible beneath the Tengkong Realm? ... Discussions broke out across every corner. Researchers arrived one after another. This year was destined to be turbulent for the Great Xia Civilization Academy, especially over the second half of the year, with incident after incident arising. A simple tournament organized by the Divine Character College to compete for a few slots had suddenly escalated into an event known by the entire academy! Below the stage, someone laughed heartily. "Su Yu, even if you win this for the Multiple Divine Characters Faction, what can you change?" The speaker was Zheng Yunhui. Chuckling, he continued, "Can you represent the Multiple Divine Characters Faction? Can you bring everyone benefits? Don't forget, these slots were provided by the Single Divine Character Faction. Your faction doesn't even have the right to open the mystic realm!" As soon as these words landed, many nodded in agreement. You factions can fight your own battles; the crowd wasn't interested in who was top dog! They were all cut from the same cloth! Even if the Multiple Divine Characters Faction grew powerful, it wouldn't necessarily grant ordinary students any benefits. In that case, who cared? It was enough for everyone to sweep the snow from their own doorsteps! As long as it didn't trouble them, let the factions fight all they wanted. By letting them clash, bystanders might even pick up some scraps—just like today, or during Su Yu's previous battles, when quite a few had walked away with gains. "Benefits?" Su Yu chuckled. "What is the foundation of a Civilization Master? Is it willpower? Divine characters? No! It's intellect! It's research! It's development! Some people have long forgotten that they are Civilization Masters! I've always wondered: if everything is judged solely by combat strength, why not heavily fund the War Academy instead? Why bother with a Civilization Master academy? Why not just rename it the Mage Academy? "Civilization Masters carry the word 'Civilization' because our primary purpose is to record civilization, inherit civilization, and decipher civilization! That is the root of our power! What can I bring to everyone? I can bring a return to our origins, sweeping away this academy's restless, superficial atmosphere! I can let everyone truly experience the grace of a Civilization Master, rather than the current state where whoever has the biggest fist makes the rules!" Zheng Yunhui smiled. "But having the biggest fist really does make the rules!" "Yet the fists of the Great Xia Civilization Academy aren't big enough! Relying on a handful of Shanhai experts? Can that dominate the Myriad Realms?" Su Yu bellowed, "An idiot's daydream! In the past, there were Sun-Moons walking among us! Today, in this massive civilization academy, not a single Sun-Moon remains! Is this your so-called strength? Your so-called big fists?" "..." "What are you trying to say? What are you trying to do?" Zheng Yunhui asked again. Su Yu smiled. "Nothing much. In a few days, I intend to apply for a research institute. I will broadly recruit like-minded companions to step into the realm of research alongside me, contributing our strength to all Civilization Masters, all warriors, the entire cultivation world, and even the human race as a whole!" "Hahaha..." Many burst into laughter! This tone was far too grand! So grand that they couldn't help but laugh. Was Su Yu insane? A student who had only been enrolled for a few months claimed he was going to apply for a research institute? That he was going to recruit people to conduct research with him? Had he lost his mind? Had the pressure from the Single Divine Character Faction driven him to a mental breakdown? Only an idiot would join him in such nonsense! What a joke! With that kind of time, wouldn't it be better to strengthen oneself a bit more? At this moment, even Chen Yong felt a twinge of disappointment. He had thought Su Yu would advance steadily step by step, but now... what was this kid doing? He knew Su Yu had obtained some inheritances, but did the boy think that relying on those inheritances alone would allow him to achieve anything? Could that support a whole research institute? Did he have money? Did he have manpower? He had nothing! Right now, Su Yu should be keeping his feet on the ground and moving forward one step at a time! Not making wild boasts before tens of thousands of teachers and students like this! This left Chen Yong somewhat let down. He had been planning to hand over certain things to Su Yu once the boy broke through to Tengkong, but now... he hesitated! Elder Sun was no longer angry. Suddenly, he smiled. The aura pressing down on him dissipated, and he laughed aloud. "Su Yu, if you want to establish a research institute, I support you wholeheartedly! I'll even vote in your favor during the Elder Council! People like you... are quite amusing! I just hope no one will be foolish enough to fool around with you! We might not have funding, but there's plenty of space. I can even arrange for people to help you build the new facility!" How absurd! He felt that Su Yu might be better off alive—preferably building this research institute and turning into the biggest laughingstock of the Multiple Divine Characters Faction! A student enrolled for only a few months brazenly spouting about founding a research institute—did he even know what an institute represented? Perhaps his institute would become the laughingstock of the Great Xia Civilization Academy, the entire Great Xia Prefecture, and the whole human realm. *The genius student of the Multiple Divine Characters Faction, Su Yu, founded a research institute while still in the Character Nurturing Realm! How impressive—so impressive that a bunch of fools did research inside and failed to produce a single fart for decades!* Perhaps a few years from now, that institute would be fit only for raising rats! And Su Yu would be nailed to the pillar of shame in the history of Civilization Masters, becoming a textbook laughingstock! Such a blow would be truly fatal to the Multiple Divine Characters Faction! To think that before today, so many had viewed this boy as the hope for the Multiple Divine Characters Faction's resurgence. It was utterly ridiculous! "The rising star of the Multiple Divine Characters Faction, Su Yu, hahaha!" someone laughed. Su Yu showed no anger, replying calmly, "Then I thank Elder Sun for your support. I hope Elder Sun won't go back on your word!" "I certainly won't!" Elder Sun smiled faintly. "Doing research is good; we support it! There's an abandoned institute near the Wen Tan Research Center. With slight repairs, it will be usable. The Divine Character College can make the decision to allocate it to you directly!" The academy lacked neither land nor empty, abandoned research institutes! You want it? Take it! A research institute needed geniuses, funds, resources, projects, creativity, ideas... the physical space was truly the least important part! "The prerequisite is that you gather at least five people to apply together! I almost forgot to mention: applying for an institute requires a minimum of five people, along with a proposed project that must produce results within a set timeframe. Otherwise... you won't even be permitted to establish it!" Elder Sun said playfully, "Oh, right—Hong Tan, Bai Feng, and Chen Yong won't work. Their names are already registered under the Wen Tan Research Center! In addition, you need at least one Tengkong Realm expert registered on paper. I truly hope there's another Tengkong expert willing to put their name down for you. If not, Liu Hong, you could begrudgingly lend him your name!" Liu Hong smiled. "Since Elder Sun put it that way, Su Yu, you can come find me when the time comes. It hasn't been easy for you; I can even lend you two of my students to fill out the roster!" A wave of laughter swept the area! Yet Su Yu remained as placid as still water. Watching him remain composed, Elder Sun and the others eventually lost interest. The boy had simply gone mad! Lowering themselves to argue with a madman would only hurt their own dignity! Elder Sun said indifferently, "Continue the tournament. As for Su Yu's wish for a life-and-death bout, your teammates might not agree! Remember, you aren't competing alone right now. Furthermore, turning every bout into life and death... is the mark of a reckless brute! Pure ignorance!" He didn't dare allow it! Su Yu was formidable. Even if they killed the boy, he suspected their side would suffer severe losses as well. Besides, those students might not dare fight to the death! Forcing them into a mortal struggle might trigger internal mutiny. Su Yu laughed! "If you're terrified, just say so. Take the stage!" Rather than killing an opponent, crushing their spirit inflicted far deeper damage. Cowardice! When Su Yu demanded a life-and-death bout, not a single person from the Single Divine Character Faction dared step forward. That was enough! At this moment, even Zhou Hao beside him revealed a trace of contempt in his eyes. It was just as Su Yu said: they were all cowards clinging to life! In this vast academy, among all the students, the only one he found worthy of respect now was Su Yu. How pathetic! "Take the stage!" Elder Sun barked, casting his gaze toward the crowd below. I've already deflected the life-and-death match for you, five against one—and you still won't go up? Dammit, do you truly want to humiliate yourselves to the very end? Although Su Yu's earlier rant about the institute had turned his prior rhetoric into a joke, if they still refused to step up, they would truly lose all face! Below the stage, a team of five exchanged glances. No longer hesitating, they strode forward. Many spectators leaned in to watch the spectacle. The wildly arrogant Su Yu wasn't weak, but the problem was that his strength didn't match his boastful words or his overbearing arrogance. Such claims would only make sense coming from Zhan Hai! ... "Su Yu, you—" The moment the five opponents stepped onto the stage, they wanted to say a few words to build momentum, but Su Yu cut them off directly: "No need for nonsense. Referee, we can begin!" "You!" The five were infuriated! They were veteran students in their golden thirties, each possessing considerable strength. All five had reached the seventh or eighth tier of the Wanshi Realm. Coordinating together, they could even exchange blows with a Tengkong Realm expert for a brief period. Su Yu was far too insolent! The referee wasn't Zhao Ming, but another Tengkong Realm expert. Hearing this, he didn't waste words and barked, "Begin!" The match commenced! Liu He and his companions were still hesitating, not having made a move yet, when Su Yu's figure vanished! An illusion manifested! The five opponents unleashed their willpower one after another; they knew Su Yu commanded illusions! However, having absorbed the divine charm of an Eternal Divine Character, Su Yu's 'Blood' character had grown far stronger, and his willpower had truly reached the peak of the first tier. The moment the illusion descended, even though the five clearly knew they were trapped, they couldn't break free immediately! His 'Kill' and 'Thunder' characters had already stepped into the second tier, while his 'Battle' character showed signs of transforming into the second tier under the surge of his fierce battle intent. Powerful divine characters, immense willpower, and an exceptionally potent cultural weapon! At that moment, a black saber materialized. Silent and soundless, laced with traces of lightning, it slashed down in an instant! Su Yu charged directly into the five-man formation! On the other side, just as Zhou Hao was about to act, Su Yu said indifferently, "Just small fry. I'll handle them myself!" The moment the words fell, the seal saber swept down! *Boom!* All five coughed up blood simultaneously. One of them widened his eyes, regaining a sliver of clarity, only for a leg as swift as passing time to fill his vision! *Boom!* A tremendous detonation rang out! A whip-like kick whipped out—Mountain Shatterer! *Crack!* Bones shattered throughout his entire body. Like a tattered sack, this strongest team captain was severely wounded by Su Yu's kick, dozens of his bones broken as he crashed heavily off the arena stage! Doesn't the Single Divine Character Faction have plenty of money? Go heal him, then! Su Yu didn't believe healing came free. Huang Qifeng received treatment because his instructor was Zheng Yuming. Zhou Hao received treatment because his instructor was Xia Yuwen. Suffering such horrific injuries cost thousands of merit points to treat. Would the Single Divine Character Faction bother saving these thirty-plus-year-old students? Nine times out of ten, they wouldn't! "Pathetically weak!" With a cold sneer, Su Yu swung his cultural weapon. A boom of thunder erupted, charring one opponent until his flesh tore open. Screaming in agony, the cultural weapon he had just produced shattered on the spot! *Bang! Bang! Bang!* Su Yu's speed was terrifyingly swift, leaving a blur of afterimages across the stage. As the Soul Devour Art erupted, corroding and scorching their souls, the opponents cried out in misery! *Thud! Thud! Thud!* Heavy thuds shook the ground! Numerous bones fractured, their willpower scorched in unbearable agony, and thoroughly suppressed by Su Yu's divine characters, the remaining opponents were still lost within the illusion even at this very moment! ... On the stage. In less than five seconds, Su Yu had concluded the battle. Retracting his cultural weapon, he looked down and smiled. "My apologies, I won! I might have been a bit heavy-handed; I hope the Single Divine Character Faction can heal these senior brothers properly so no permanent damage remains. Against five opponents alone, I couldn't afford to hold back!" Dead silence fell! Five formidable fighters, all in the late Wanshi Realm, had been dispatched by Su Yu with effortless ease! Inconceivable! Two of them had even been ranked on the Top 100 in past years and were even stronger now than back then! Defeated just like that? A researcher from the Single Divine Character Faction rushed over, white light radiating from his palms as he swiftly treated the fallen. With an ugly grimace, he looked toward Su Yu on the stage and barked, "Su Yu! This wasn't a life-and-death match! You were clearly far stronger than them, yet you inflicted such brutal physical trauma!" The injuries were severe! Countless bones broken, internal organs bleeding heavily, and some even had their cultural weapons shattered and divine characters gravely damaged! Su Yu had struck with vicious cruelty! Su Yu said indifferently, "You misunderstand, Instructor. I held back; otherwise, they'd be dead! The referee is right here. Since he didn't intervene, that means I didn't cross any line. Your people are just too weak!" "You!" The researcher was furious, but an undercurrent of shock rattled his mind. This kid had become even stronger than before! Against these five working together, even Zhai Feng wouldn't have been a match. Yet Su Yu had routed them with effortless ease! Right now, this brat probably possessed combat power equivalent to the ninth tier of the Wanshi Realm. Factoring in his numerous high-tier divine characters, ordinary ninth-tier Wanshi experts were no match for him! Below the stage, complete silence reigned. At this moment, even Zhan Hai and his peers wore grave expressions. Su Yu hadn't demonstrated the power to battle the Tengkong Realm yet, but his current strength was bordering on invincibility beneath Tengkong! The crucial point was: how long had this kid been enrolled? Zhou Hao also stared at Su Yu with a solemn face. This fellow was far stronger than the last time they fought! Was this Su Yu's full power? Probably not! ... Elder Sun and the other powerhouses of the Single Divine Character Faction frowned deeply. This strong? Dammit! Anyone who dared step up to challenge had genuine skill, yet they had been swept aside so easily! In the spectator area, Liu Hong suddenly chuckled. "Su Yu, impressive. It seems you truly might not fear Zhan Hai—no wonder you were so arrogant earlier!" "Childish!" Su Yu's tone was calm. Without naming anyone, he said directly, "Anyone else who wants to die can step up. A pity this isn't a life-and-death ring!" The implication needed no explanation. With that, Su Yu smiled. "I hope that in a few days, I'll see these senior brothers hopping around in good health. Don't tell me that at their advanced age, they'll have to remain bedridden for years, completely ruining their chances of advancement!" Every word dripped with provocation aimed at the Single Divine Character Faction and its students. Now that they were injured, would Elder Sun and the higher-ups actually pay to treat them? Bones completely fractured, internal organs battered, divine characters shattered... would they truly receive proper treatment? At this moment, Elder Sun sensed the hesitation rippling through the students and barked, "Any student of the Single Divine Character Faction, no matter how severe the injuries, will receive full medical treatment as long as they draw breath!" These words managed to soothe some of the unrest. Su Yu chuckled softly. "What's the use of merely treating injuries? They'll still lose valuable time. Why not offer rewards? For instance, reward anyone who steps onto the stage with a thousand merit points! I'm fighting for benefits on your behalf, so how about it?" "..." Elder Sun's glare could kill! What a joke! A thousand merit points—did you think merit points grew on trees? "You're not even willing to part with that? They're risking their lives and their futures, while certain people can casually embezzle tens of thousands of merit points. Elder Sun should know who I'm talking about, right? Others can take it freely, but the people putting their lives on the line aren't qualified? Why should they risk severe injuries to enter this competition?" "Utter nonsense!" Elder Sun bellowed, "Su Yu, if you dare spout another word of rubbish, I will strike you down!" Su Yu said indifferently, "Is speaking the truth against the law? Strike me down—Elder Sun, go ahead and try! I'd love to trade my life for a Shanhai expert! That feels like quite a bargain to me. I just fear Elder Sun wouldn't be willing to make that trade!" "You... insolent!" Elder Sun erupted in rage, shooting to his feet as murder flashed in his eyes! What immense gall! Su Yu came today purely to smash up the venue! Provoking him repeatedly! "Chen Yong, is this how your Multiple Divine Characters Faction teaches students to respect their teachers?" Elder Sun glared at Chen Yong, then turned toward Huang Chen. "Huang Chen, when a student shows insubordination toward a superior, are there no rules left?" Old Huang frowned, looked at Su Yu, and scolded, "Su Yu, cease your wild talk!" Su Yu replied calmly, "Dean Huang misunderstands. I wouldn't dare violate academy rules! What I spoke of is fact. Even if asked to name names, I dare say it: someone embezzled tens of thousands of merit points—merit points belonging to the entire Divine Character College! Must I file a real-name report before this is addressed?" Su Yu looked directly at Elder Sun and said evenly, "If the Elder feels I have offended you, then I shall file a real-name report and let the academy investigate. If it proves false, I will kneel before Elder Sun for three days and three nights, submit to five hundred lashes, and forfeit all academy welfare and benefits. Would such a punishment suffice?" Elder Sun's gaze turned chillingly sharp! Investigate? Investigate what?! He knew exactly who Su Yu was referring to! Zhou Pingsheng! That useless waste had repeatedly handed leverage to their enemies, allowing Su Yu to exploit it time and again! Though he wished he could slaughter both Su Yu and Zhou Pingsheng on the spot, Elder Sun suppressed his fury and said coldly, "I'll spare you this once! Su Yu, do not push your luck. Do you truly believe a Shanhai can be lightly insulted?" "Su Yu wouldn't dare!" Su Yu smiled and ignored him, turning back toward the Single Divine Character Faction students below. "Next! Three bouts haven't finished yet—have you lost all your courage?" Elder Sun glared at him with icy eyes, speaking no further. Su Yu, a mere student, was dancing far too arrogantly! *"Li Shiyun, your squad is up! Find an opportunity to kill him. Kill him, and every member will be rewarded one thousand merit points and a slot in the Sea of Consciousness Mystic Realm! Severely wound him, and you'll receive one thousand merit points, but no slot!"* He sent a voice transmission to the five strongest students! These five were veteran Character Nurturing students who had lingered in the realm for decades! They were the trump-card team assembled by the Single Divine Character Faction to secure the slots—all formidable experts. Even if Zhai Feng were here, he would at best be on par with any single one of them. Five fighters who once sat among the top tier of the Top 100 against Su Yu alone—did they truly lack confidence? Below the stage, the five exchanged looks, their expressions solemn. If they won, even if they didn't make it to the end, they would secure slots and a thousand merit points each—a massive sum! However... Su Yu was terrifyingly strong. If he went all out, someone on their side might very well fall. Elder Sun transmitted his voice again, barking furiously, *"Take the stage, you useless trash! Do you want to be completely cast aside?"* He was livid! To be frightened away from the stage by Su Yu—hadn't they lost enough face recently? Five students nearing the Tengkong Realm, attacking together—did they still lack the confidence to handle Su Yu? *"If you refuse to take the stage, you will be completely abandoned from now on, stripped of all benefits, left to die of old age in your beds!"* Elder Sun was truly incensed! Zhou Pingsheng's students dared disobey even his orders as an elder? Even Zhou Pingsheng lacked such audacity! Amidst the crowd, Li Shiyun sighed inwardly. Looking at his teammates, he said softly, "Let's take the stage!" All of them wore solemn expressions and nodded in unison. If they refused to fight, they would offend Elder Sun completely and be cast aside by the Single Divine Character Faction. "Once we're up there, give it everything. I'll break his illusion! Wang Chao, shatter his cultural weapon. Xie Hu, find a way to seal him. Sun Qian, use your divine characters to weaken his physical body. Xu Ming, engage him in close combat and rupture his apertures!" Li Shiyun swiftly issued instructions to his teammates. They were all seasoned experts and old acquaintances; he knew their capabilities well. They represented the strongest cohort among the Single Divine Character Faction's students over thirty years old. Even Zhan Hai would be severely injured facing the five of them together. Could Su Yu... possibly match Zhan Hai? He was still in the Qianjun Realm, as they could all clearly perceive. ... The next moment, the five ascended the stage. Below, many spectators turned grave. They had thought they would only see clashes between such formidable experts in the finals, yet right at the start of the second round, Su Yu had collided with them. Spectators swarmed in from all directions in even greater numbers. Wu Jia looked worried, Xia Huyou appeared solemn, and Wan Mingze and his group waited with furrowed brows. For two teams like this to clash in the final stages was normal, but colliding now was far too early, catching everyone off guard. "I've finally waited you out!" On the stage, Su Yu smiled. You're the ones I've been waiting for! If five students on the verge of the Tengkong Realm joined forces and were still blown apart by him, the Single Divine Character Faction would become a colossal joke today! Battle intent erupted! Killing intent chilled the air! Liu He and the others took a step back, distancing themselves from him. Liu He's face twisted in conflict! Five formidable experts were taking the field, and his group was... going to keep standing by as useless bystanders? Yet the people opposite were from his own faction! Liu He felt stifled by rage. He stood there like a fool, relegated to background scenery, a laughingstock, a mockery. He was furious and didn't want this. He wanted to fight, but he knew he couldn't! Under normal circumstances it wouldn't matter, but in broad daylight before this massive crowd, the moment he acted, not only he, but his elder brother and instructor would be dragged down with him! Fury surged in Liu He's chest! This wasn't what he wanted. He wanted to be like Su Yu—living freely, settling grudges openly, fighting a true battle even if outmatched! Beside them, Zhou Hao bared his teeth in a grin. He glanced at Su Yu, but Su Yu gave a slight shake of his head. He didn't intend to let Zhou Hao intervene now. After this match, there would likely be another, and plenty of people would try to pick up easy scraps! Zhou Hao... would be saved for the next bout! As for these five, he would blast through them on his own! Apertures opened one after another! Origin qi swept in with frenzied fury! His battle intent boiled over, and at this moment, the 'Battle' character showed signs of advancing! The long saber materialized as divine characters converged, the pressure forcing even the weakest Lin Yao to stumble backward, barely able to keep his footing! Far too strong! At this moment, Su Yu was like an archaic ferocious beast, bearing not the slightest trace of human frailty! Across from him, the five opponents turned thoroughly solemn! Good heavens, just how many apertures had this monster opened? His aura was utterly terrifying!