My Mind Is Made Up: Kill Zhai Feng!

Top 100 Building. Soon, someone arrived. It was none other than someone from the Disciplinary Inspectorate. Old Huang had come in person. The moment he arrived, he headed straight toward Su Yu, ignoring the looks from everyone around him and gesturing for Su Yu to follow. Su Yu hurriedly went after him. In a corner. Old Huang looked at him gravely. "It's the Celebration Day. Did you really have to pick today of all days to have Wu Jia challenge the rankings? If things get out of hand, it won't be good for anyone. Do you understand what I mean?" "I understand." "Then why are you..." Su Yu said softly, "It's a final test. To see if they truly don't even care about King Daxia's face anymore. Since today is the Celebration Day, and since this is a normal ranking challenge, if they drop their ranks to suppress her, it proves they no longer care about anything. They are dead set on opposing us to the bitter end!" After speaking, Su Yu fell silent for a moment before saying, "If that's how it is... from now on, I won't hold back anymore!" Cut the weeds and dig out the roots! Kill! Today was the Celebration Day, and King Daxia might attend. If someone still dropped their rank to deal with Wu Jia today, it meant they truly didn't care about anything. They had no qualms left, discarding even the last shred of pretense. They were determined to oppose them! In that case... from now on, not a single one of them was innocent. If they were enemies, let them be thorough enemies. Old Huang sighed softly. "Why must it come to this?" Su Yu said calmly, "Like I said, today is an ordinary ranking challenge. If my Senior Sister loses, it's because she isn't strong enough. If she wins, it's only right and natural. Lowering their rankings just to suppress her is blatant recklessness on their part, so I won't have any reservations either." Su Yu looked at Old Huang and smiled. "Elder Huang, I didn't want this either. Today is about taking a stance. Whether my Senior Sister can make the rankings isn't important, and whether my Martial Uncle can keep his position as Director of the Library Pavilion isn't even important. What matters is that there is no longer any room for reconciliation between both sides! "If worst comes to worst... we'll just switch academies. I don't believe other academies in the Great Xia Prefecture won't take us. If Jiutian and Wendao are trash, then we can go to the War Academy. And if even that doesn't work, we'll go to the Great Ming Prefecture!" Su Yu said earnestly, "I've looked into the Great Ming Prefecture a bit. They are thirsty for talent. The Single Divine Character Faction isn't overly strong there—of course, they aren't too weak either. But over there, the struggles aren't nearly as convoluted. The Multiple Divine Characters Faction still exists there too; they just live somewhat frugal lives. That's only natural—if you can't fight for enough resources yourself, that's your own fault. But from what I've heard, deliberate suppression and targeting are rare..." Old Huang was slightly taken aback! At this moment, clear anguish filled his eyes. "You... are preparing to go to the Great Ming Prefecture?" Su Yu looked somewhat melancholy and hesitated for a moment, but then nodded firmly. "I have thought about it. In the Great Xia Prefecture, we are ostracized too severely! And while the Xia family and Manor Head Wan seem to stand on our side... I can feel that they intend to use us as bait to some extent. I can sense it." Su Yu exhaled. "The Great Xia Civilization Academy... Teacher Liu can't bear to leave, and Grandmaster can't bear to abandon the fifth generation's foundation, but I can! Someone like me—not to boast, but if I went to the Great Ming Civilization Academy, as long as the Zhu family values talent, they would never let me be suppressed again and again!" At this moment, Su Yu looked up at Old Huang. "So... if this can't be resolved today, I will leave the prefecture. From then on, I'll head south all the way to the Great Ming Prefecture—seeking survival, seeking life, seeking asylum!" "..." Old Huang lost his composure, staring at him, speechless for a long time. He was going to leave! He had actually conceived the thought of leaving! "You... Su Yu... why must it come to this..." He had watched Su Yu rise step by step with his own eyes, watched him make his way to this day. And today, he said he was leaving. He didn't want to stay in the Great Xia Prefecture any longer! Su Yu's eyes reddened slightly as he said softly, "I don't want to leave. My father is in the Great Xia Prefecture, my master is here, my martial uncle is here, my grandmaster is here, my friends are here, my senior sister is here... "But... I feel that perhaps it is time to go!" Su Yu grinned and said, "Here, I feel I might never realize my potential! The waters of the Great Xia Prefecture run too deep! There are too many Shanhai and Sunmoon cultivators, geniuses like clouds, experts like raindrops! "Here, I have tried my absolute best time and time again, doing everything within my power and offering everything I had to give, hoping to win the backing and approval of certain people. In the end... I never received it." Su Yu smiled. "You, Elder Nie, Teacher Zhao, even Xia Huyou and the others... you are all good people, and you all support me. I know many people still hold goodwill toward me, but I still want to leave. Because... none of you are the decision-makers." "..." Old Huang's emotions were a tangled mess. "Are you serious? Your Primordial Spirit Research Institute was just established... and you're leaving? You just produced results and just built your own team, and you want to leave?" Su Yu fell silent for a moment before speaking. "I haven't finalized it yet; it all depends on today! I established the Primordial Spirit Research Institute because I wanted to stay long-term. But after I unveiled the Aperture Fusion Method and still didn't receive what I deserved, I realized... some people want even more than I do!" He meant Wan Tiansheng, and the Xia family. They wanted even more! The Aperture Fusion Method wasn't enough to make them place their bets right now. And Su Yu was unwilling to give any more. Merit points, honors, glory—those were all hollow. That wasn't what he wanted! What he wanted was a guarantee from the Xia family, a guarantee from Wan Tiansheng. He didn't know what agreement his grandmaster, Liu Wenyan, and the others had reached with the Xia family and Wan Tiansheng, but Su Yu knew this wasn't what he wanted. Leaving the Great Xia Prefecture for the Great Ming Prefecture was an idea he had vaguely entertained before. Today, it had reached its peak. The Xia family was fine, quite fine, including King Daxia. Wan Tiansheng was decent, quite good too; he didn't dislike Wan Tiansheng. There were many people he didn't dislike; he didn't even detest his rival Liu Hong all that much. Yet time and time again, they refused to place their bets, or rather told him to wait—to wait for an outcome, to wait for a future reckoning... Su Yu didn't want to wait. He was unwilling to wait. He feared that before that outcome ever arrived, his heart would turn to ash, leaving him in utter despair with the entire Great Xia Prefecture! If so, it would be better to take flight now, leaving a sliver of hope in his heart for the Great Xia Prefecture in the future. He looked at Old Huang, gritted his teeth, and said, "Teacher, I hope you'll keep this secret. In a while, I will be embarking on a long journey." Old Huang remained silent. After a long while, he nodded. He would keep it secret. Su Yu glanced in the direction of the Xiuxin Pavilion. *Did you hear that?* *Do you truly not care?* *The literary mantras I took out, the cultivation methods I presented—whether literary mantras or the Aperture Fusion Method—were all of these still not enough?* Today was the Great Xia Prefecture Celebration! King Daxia had returned! If the Single Divine Character Faction dared to act like this even today, did you still harbor hope for them? In a Great Xia Prefecture like this... if I stay, is there truly any hope? The trip to Starfall Mountain... might be a new beginning. The Great Ming Prefecture... someone had already contacted him. Of course, he still needed time, needed confirmation, needed more promises. He was too unfamiliar with the Great Ming Prefecture. Who would willingly leave their homeland? Who would willingly travel far from their roots? He didn't want to! He truly didn't want to! Here, he had his family and his friends. But now he was leaving. His kin had gone to the battlefield, his friends were powerless to help, and his faction was suffering suppression. His martial uncle and grandmaster shouted fiercely, yet they dared not leave, refused to leave. Certain people were certain they would never leave. *And I... am truly going to leave.* *While the Invincibles aren't paying attention to me yet, while the Sunmoons still don't care about me—leave!* *Go to a new world!* *Once I rise, I will return. Rather than staying here, endlessly suppressed, endlessly worrying about being stabbed in the back.* At this moment, heartache, reluctance to part, disappointment... So many emotions built up in Old Huang's heart! A genius, a monster, a peerless prodigy—none of those words were an exaggeration. Yet today he said he was leaving, departing for a foreign land, leaving his homeland behind, unwilling to stay in the Great Xia Prefecture any longer. He looked out the building, toward the Xiuxin Pavilion! Are you just going to abandon Su Yu like this? Do you truly have the heart to do this? Was even the Aperture Fusion Method he unveiled not enough to shake certain things? Is it that we don't understand, or are you simply too cold-blooded? Everything he originally wanted to say, every word of persuasion he had prepared, vanished into thin air at this moment. He didn't want to say anything, nor could he say anything. What had Su Yu... gained at the Great Xia Civilization Academy? Access rights to mystic realms! Aside from that, was there anything else? Even entering mystic realms was a right shared by all students; as long as they had money and cumulative merit points, any academy student could enter. He had received nothing. Instead, he had given so much, yet in the end gained nothing in return. Even if he hadn't chosen the Great Xia Civilization Academy, he could have gotten the exact same things at any other academy. He had been sent here by Bai Feng and Liu Wenyan, and the result? Neither of them was currently in the academy. Hong Tan was a generation removed, after all, and his relationship with Su Yu hadn't reached that level of closeness. Su Yu's disappointment, dejection, and even despair—at this moment, Old Huang could feel it all. Disappointment in the Great Xia Prefecture, despair toward the Great Xia Civilization Academy. "You..." The words stuck in his throat, and he was speechless for a long time. After a long while, Old Huang bared his teeth, his eyes slightly red, and suddenly said, "You're right! Well said! I support you. I'll go back and write a letter recommending you to several Shanhai cultivators at the Great Ming Civilization Academy... Back in the day, we fought together on the All-Heavens Battlefield. If you go, you can seek them out. They are all my life-and-death friends..." He looked at Su Yu with reluctance to see him go, feeling an indescribable heartache. He was really leaving! Would there be a miracle today? Would anyone step forward to stop all this today? He thought about it again and again, and felt despair. Perhaps Su Yu was right: no one would come to stop it. What Wan Tiansheng upheld was the rules. Dropping rank to suppress someone was also within the rules... The Xia family was neutral! Since they were neutral, they wouldn't take part in this, even if they felt it was inappropriate. Old Huang grinned. "That's fine too. That's fine! Zhu Tiandao, the Manor Head of the Great Ming Prefecture, is a good man, an interesting man. He values talent, but because the Great Ming Prefecture lacks sufficient strength, it can't attract enough geniuses! If you go, he will definitely value you. Definitely! "The Xia family has too many constraints. Because they are poised to produce two Invincibles, some people are afraid, and some people are unwilling to see it happen. I know you feel some resentment. Don't resent them. The Xia family... Manor Head Xia's attainment of the Invincible Dao is not that simple! "Kid, remember this: not everyone is willing to see a clan with two Invincibles emerge! "The Zhou family is a lesson from the past!" Today, Old Huang said too much, even touching upon taboos. He said in a low voice, "The Great Zhou Prefecture... the Zhou family... Sigh. Two Invincibles in one clan, three Invincibles... Heh. Zhou Polong wants to attain the Dao? Zhou Potian wants to attain the Dao? They all have to hold it in!" He laughed somewhat recklessly. "Don't resent the Xia family. I'm not making excuses for them. Manor Head Xia wants to attain the Dao, so at this moment, he cannot afford to offend too many people. Otherwise... he will surely die!" Surely die! Su Yu's heart shook! "He cannot show any attitude, cannot show any bias, even if he feels unwilling and reluctant deep down... he still can't! "All to successfully attain the Dao!" He looked at Su Yu, his tone tinged with an indescribable dejection. "It's that simple. Do you understand now? As for the Zhu family, they don't have this concern. King Daming is very strong too, but as for Zhu Tiandao becoming an Invincible... give him another hundred years first! Therefore, the Zhu family has far fewer concerns. Many people would even beg them. Su Yu, do you understand?" Su Yu nodded. In an instant, so many doubts became clear to him! To attain the Dao! Everything was for attaining the Dao! To attain the Dao, Xia Longwu had stepped back from the forefront. To attain the Dao, the Great Xia Prefecture no longer displayed an overtly hostile stance toward all races. To attain the Dao, the Xia family could not afford to offend certain people at this time. They had to wait! That was why the Xia family told him to wait. It wasn't that the Xia family failed to see Su Yu's importance, but they still told him to wait. Even though Su Yu provided valuable contributions, he still had to wait. Wait until Xia Longwu successfully attained the Dao! A sudden revelation! So many of the things that had baffled him were illuminated in this single moment. The Xia family... He had always found their attitude bizarre, but now, hearing Old Huang explain it, he understood completely! Su Yu remained silent, then suddenly asked, "Then what about Manor Head Wan's stance?" "Much the same. He also needs to buy time for the Xia family. Even if the Manor Head intends to carry out a purge, it won't be now. Wait—within a year or two, there might be a result." Su Yu felt bitter. Wait! Was a year or two long? Not long! Yet for him, he didn't want to wait anymore. Given enough resources and backing, he could rapidly advance to the Tengkong Realm, the Lingyun Realm, or even the Shanhai Realm. He understood now: some of his actions at this time might have disrupted the plans on both sides. Put that way, perhaps his departure aligned better with their interests, and better with his own. He had placed too much weight on himself! The more outstanding he performed in the Great Xia Prefecture, the more hatred he drew, and perhaps the more difficult he made things for them. Su Yu smiled and nodded, looking at Old Huang. "Elder Huang, I understand." Leaving seemed to have become a foregone conclusion. Now it was just a matter of whether he would go to the Great Ming Prefecture. The Great Ming Prefecture... was so unfamiliar. King Daming, Zhu Tiandao... and the Bai family. The Bai family his teacher belonged to seemed to be in the Great Ming Prefecture as well. Su Yu grinned, looking at his Senior Sister standing outside the door, and suddenly felt a sense of emptiness. *I'm going to leave!* *Will Senior Sister... come with me?* *Martial Uncle probably won't leave. He should be able to take good care of Senior Sister, right?* *And Grandmaster is here too!* *And then there's Wu Lan... That girl has the Wu family behind her. That's fine too. If I stay here, I only attract all sorts of trouble, and people like Wu Yuehua might have to stick their necks out for me, inviting unnecessary trouble.* *Xia Huyou—no need to worry about him. He's Xia Longwu's son; why would I ever need to worry about him?* *And Zheng Yunhui, Jiang Mu...* *None of them need me to worry about them!* Su Yu smiled. His presence only brought trouble upon them instead. *Lan Tian Research Institute... Primordial Spirit Research Institute...* At this moment, Su Yu's mind wandered slightly. *Lan Tian betrayed them. Does my leaving count as betrayal?* At this moment, he had made up his mind to leave the Great Xia Prefecture. *Perhaps... it can be considered a kind of betrayal.* After all, there were still many people here who had given so much for him. And there was Lin Yao, who foolishly believed in the Mutual Aid Society, and Hu Zongqi, who had invested countless effort into it. Before leaving, perhaps he could leave some things for them, which could be considered repaying everything. This Great Xia Prefecture... he owed them nothing! The Aperture Fusion Method was more than enough to offset whatever debt he owed. *As for Teacher... I think they would support me too.* *And Teacher Zhao... the teacher who has always stood up and sacrificed for me. I'm sorry.* At this moment, though Su Yu had not yet departed, he already foresaw the outcome. He knew what today's conclusion would be. ... At this moment, when the others looked at Su Yu, something about him suddenly felt different. A weight lifted from his shoulders! Suddenly enlightened and clear! That sense of unfettered freedom and exhilarating relief was vividly displayed in Su Yu! He had been cautious and pretending for too long. He was tired! Afraid to leave the academy, afraid to take on missions, afraid to reveal anything, afraid to show any weakness or vulnerability. Because people were watching you! Watching your every move! And today, perhaps none of that was needed anymore. He could fight a battle to his heart's content, venting his frustrations freely. Su Yu smiled. Looking at those people, looking at Zhai Feng who had just entered through the door, he laughed with unrestrained cheer. Zhai Feng frowned, but Su Yu couldn't care less. ... And at this moment. Xiuxin Pavilion. Wan Tiansheng gazed at the sky, silent for a long time. *What I saw might not be real.* *I saw him battling Shanhai realm experts, but did I see where he was fighting them?* *I never saw him depart into the distance!* *I never saw him leave in desolation, turning his back on his homeland.* "Su Yu..." A soft murmur, carrying boundless helplessness. Why had the human race come to this? Had three hundred years of peace made them forget the agony of over three centuries ago? The myriad races still lurked beside the bed; had they truly forgotten? Forcing Su Yu away... who was to blame? Me? Perhaps! With a soft sigh, Wan Tiansheng shook his head, returning his gaze to the book to read. Outside the window, a silhouette rippled, speaking with a faint smile. "Everyone has their own opportunities. Perhaps leaving is an opportunity in itself! I heard about it. Let him go; perhaps this is his true path." Wan Tiansheng gave a slight smile. "Is that so? Since King Xia has returned, why not show yourself?" Outside the window, the figure stepped through the empty air and walked in. There were no warding restrictions—and even if there had been, they were entirely bypassed. The walls remained intact, the window unchanged, as he simply stepped inside. "What would I show myself for?" King Daxia had a square-jawed face, commanding respect without needing anger, bearing a strong resemblance to Xia Longwu. He smiled and said, "To watch a play, nothing more! The day Longwu attempts to attain the Dao will be the day I embark on an all-out slaughter. Everything I do is solely to protect Longwu's path to the Dao! I have endured for fifty years. Whether Longwu fails or succeeds in attaining the Dao, that will be the moment my Heaven Cleaving Saber descends!" "If that's the case, why shelter Liu Wenyan at this moment... bringing trouble upon yourself?" Wan Tiansheng let out a chuckle, and King Daxia laughed as well. "Do I, Xia Wushen, need to care about the opinions of others just to protect a single person?" "Then why not protect Su Yu as well?" King Daxia chuckled. "He still has a path, while Liu Wenyan has none. Since he has a way forward, why keep him aboard this ship that might capsize at any moment? Old Zhu isn't bad—he's a slick fellow. Slick fellows have an easy life. He doesn't meddle in anything, so who dares provoke him? It's a good thing! Going to Old Zhu's place is safer than staying with me." Wan Tiansheng was silent, sinking into quiet contemplation once more. King Daxia turned around and said flatly, "I know you have ideas of your own. Bottle them up for me, endure them for me! I need Longwu to attain the Dao! If Longwu doesn't attain the Dao, we will lack an Invincible. How could we fight then?!" "Understood!" Wan Tiansheng bowed with cupped hands, smiling as he watched him leave. King Daxia walked across the void. No one saw him, no one dared to look, and no one was capable of seeing him. ... Top 100 Arena. The referee was in position. At this moment, Su Yu was utterly unconstrained and completely relaxed, watching Wu Jia on the stage with a smile on his face. Looking at Zhai Feng not far away and seeing the venomous hatred in his eyes, Su Yu smiled and drew a finger lightly across his throat, wearing a playful expression. Zhai Feng's expression changed repeatedly! Su Yu smiled, laughing with genuine joy. He was wondering: if he accidentally killed someone, what would the sentence be? Better not, to avoid trouble. *I will soon be traveling far; will you follow?* His thoughts drifted for a moment before returning to normal. On the stage, a crisp shout rang out. Yuan qi exploded, willpower swept across the arena, and the resonance of divine characters rippled outward. Wu Jia, who had mastered nine divine characters, was clearly not someone Yu Tong could match, and Yu Tong was completely suppressed! Boom! Booming explosions rang out continuously. When Wu Jia fought, though she was not quite Zhou Hao, she was still extraordinarily fierce, her killing intent boiling. In less than three minutes, accompanied by a sharp shout, Wu Jia flicked her sword and sent Yu Tong flying. Yu Tong's face turned deathly pale as she crashed down from the stage, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. Her shoulder had been pierced through by the sword, and clutching her wound, she looked up with reluctance and frustration. Not far away, Yu Hong arrived. With a stern, cold face, she stared at Wu Jia, her eyes icy. Su Yu stood up, blocking her line of sight, and looked at her with a smile. "If you can't afford to lose, don't get on the stage!" "Impudent!" Yu Hong snapped coldly, "Who do you think you're talking to?" Su Yu wore an indifferent expression. "To you! Elder Yu, Shanhai Yu! If you can't afford to lose, then shut your mouth! The Great Xia Prefecture... has a bunch of cancerous tumors like you. It's a disgrace to stand among you!" "Insolent brat!" Yu Hong was furious! Some newcomers who had just arrived were also astounded. Was Su Yu... insane? Was he not afraid they would punish him? Su Yu smiled. "My apologies for insulting an Elder, even if it was the truth! I accept whatever penalty. Elder Huang is right here. I don't want my merit point rewards anymore—neither the premium student reward nor the Top 100 Rankings reward... Elder Yu, are you satisfied now?" Yu Hong frowned at him. Su Yu smiled. "Stop staring. Pocket change—I don't care about it! I was speaking the plain truth. While it might sound humiliating, it certainly wasn't my original intention!" With that, Su Yu smiled and said, "Senior Sister, come down. Taking rank ninety-one is enough. Stall them—drag it out until the twenty-fifth to accept any challenges..." Wu Jia looked at him, somewhat confused. Stall? At that moment, someone disagreed. Zhai Feng stood up, glared at Su Yu, and said coldly, "Su Yu, aren't you just waiting for me? What's with all the posturing! As long as I, Zhai Feng, forbid Wu Jia from entering the Top 100, she won't be entering the Top 100! Shameless or cheating, call it what you want, but since the rules permit it, I will keep my ranking just below hers. I can even withdraw from the rankings, crush her in one go, and knock her right off the list!" Even dragging it out until the final day wouldn't work! If Zhai Feng didn't let her enter the rankings, she wouldn't enter! If Wu Jia refused to accept challenges, he would withdraw from the rankings and defeat her on the final day, and she would still be knocked out! Su Yu smiled. "That makes sense! So you see, I actually rather admire how shameless you are! Today is the Celebration Day, after all; you couldn't even wait a few days?" Zhai Feng glared at him coldly. "Since you chose today, I'll play along!" Su Yu continued smiling—not a hypocritical smile, but a very natural one. "Zhai Feng, we've never fought once, have we?" Zhai Feng said nothing. "How about this? Why don't we fight a life-and-death match? You are in the Top 100, and so am I. Any other kind of match is too boring! Let's have a life-and-death arena match. My teacher isn't at the academy, but that's fine; before he left, I had him sign a life-and-death duel contract for me... If you're willing, I'll accommodate you anytime." Su Yu pulled out a sheet of paper and said with a smile, "Truly, once and for all! I'm tired of you constantly causing trouble, and you're tired of me delaying your advancement. Why don't we settle it all today?" Zhai Feng's eyes turned icy. The next moment, he looked toward Zhou Pingsheng in the crowd, gritted his teeth, and said, "Master, I am willing to have a life-and-death duel with Su Yu!" At this moment, he was also willing to have a life-and-death battle! Su Yu smiled! His smile was reckless and unconstrained! Zhai Feng had already said that as long as he was around, he wouldn't allow Wu Jia onto the rankings. What else was there to say? There was nothing more to say! In the crowd, Zhou Pingsheng frowned. A life-and-death duel... was Zhai Feng a match for Su Yu? However, this was indeed a good way to resolve things once and for all. Fairly and squarely, right here today, execute Su Yu! Upright and honorable! However... Zhai Feng still gave him the feeling of not being quite enough, still falling short. He looked at Zhai Feng, then at Su Yu. After a moment, he spoke: "Very well. Zhai Feng, come over here. Master has something to say to you..." He beckoned to Zhai Feng, who followed him over. Leading him far outside the crowd, Zhou Pingsheng's expression flickered with reluctance and heartache. Suddenly, he produced a box from his robe. "Take this. A Manifestation Pill. Once on the stage, break into the Tengkong Realm and kill him!" Off the arena stage, a Tengkong could not fight a Yangxing cultivator! "Master..." Zhai Feng felt somewhat unwilling; he had wanted to kill Su Yu at the Yangxing realm. "Idiot!" Zhou Pingsheng hissed in a low voice, "Cast aside your pathetic pride! He is the strongest Yangxing cultivator and has now entered the Wanshi Realm. His explosive power is not inferior even to a Tengkong's. If you fight him as you are, the probability of your defeat is as high as eighty percent! Only by manifesting your willpower and advancing your divine characters will you stand a chance of killing him!" As he spoke, he took out another box. "This... an Aperture-Destroying Pill. Do not use it unless absolutely forced to. It destroys apertures to unleash all their power in a single burst. Although Civilization Masters don't care much about the physical body, don't blow them up if you can avoid it! "This is a Xuan-rank literary weapon. Take it as well. You can use it once you reach the Tengkong Realm. It's attribute-neutral—not a perfect match for you, but it won't reject you either, and it's far stronger than your current literary weapon!" "..." Zhou Pingsheng brought out quite a few treasures, truly staking everything on this. As long as Zhai Feng advanced to the Tengkong Realm, his combat strength wouldn't be weak. He was a genius student, after all! He was not comparable to those common Tengkong cultivators outside! Even if Su Yu could kill ordinary Tengkong cultivators outside, facing someone like Zhai Feng, he wouldn't be able to compete. Zhai Feng gritted his teeth and took the items. He stored the literary weapon into his sea of will. He couldn't wield it right now, but once he reached Tengkong, he naturally could. Zhou Pingsheng glanced toward Su Yu in the distance, still feeling a trace of unease. After pondering, he took out one more item. "This is a divine talisman containing the full-force strike of a ninth-layer Tengkong cultivator. If at the very end you still have no way to deal with him... pour everything you have into unleashing this strike! You will be gravely wounded and on the verge of death, but don't worry—no matter how high the cost, Master will heal you. In truth, once you kill Su Yu, you needn't worry about anyone abandoning you!" Zhai Feng gritted his teeth and accepted it as well. His master was right: if he truly killed Su Yu, what did severe injury matter? The Single Divine Character Faction would save him; otherwise, morale and unity would crumble. If they could discard a hero who performed great meritorious service, who would ever risk their lives for them again? A divine talisman carrying the strike of a ninth-layer Tengkong! This talisman alone was of staggering value. Zhou Pingsheng exhaled a sigh of relief and cautioned, "Remember, only at the very end. Otherwise, using such a divine talisman will invite widespread criticism." "Understood!" Zhai Feng nodded. Using a divine talisman to kill Su Yu truly skirted the edges of the rules and would easily draw condemnation. "Go!" Without another word, Zhai Feng turned and quickly walked back. ... Around the arena stage, the crowd grew larger and larger. Su Yu stood by the side of the stage, silent and motionless. Would he agree? He didn't know! If he agreed, perhaps... today would be the first time Su Yu killed someone since coming to the academy! Yes, the first time. Against Huang Qifeng and the others, he hadn't killed anyone. Whether heavily injuring them or shattering them, they were injuries that could be healed. As for killing... he had only ever killed members of the All-Races Sect. Yet now, there might be one more name added to that list. A moment later, Zhai Feng returned. With a cold snort, he tossed over a life-and-death contract. "Sign it!" Around them, gasps of astonishment erupted! A life-and-death arena duel on Celebration Day! This was the first life-and-death duel in the Great Xia Civilization Academy in several years! Catching the contract, Su Yu wasted no words, quickly signed his name, and tossed his own contract back with a smile. "Your signature!" Without another word, Zhai Feng signed his name directly. At this moment, the referee on the stage was Zhao Ming. Below, several Elders had arrived. Elder Sun suddenly stepped forward and said coldly, "Zhao Ming, step down. You hold a post at the Primordial Spirit Research Institute. With Su Yu fighting, you aren't suitable to be the referee!" Zhao Ming laughed. "It's a life-and-death duel already. What do you need me for?" "A life-and-death duel decides life and death. Who knows if you'll interfere!" Having said that, Elder Sun glanced around the crowd and abruptly announced, "No referee is needed. With so many Elders present, the two of them can take the stage and decide life and death. Once the matter is resolved, the battle concludes!" At these words, several people frowned. Elder Nie rushed over, Zhao Li arrived, Chen Yong came as well... Experts arrived one after another. Wu Yuehua shouted, "Su Yu, what nonsense is this! He clearly intends to advance to the Tengkong Realm on stage. There's no need to accept such a shameless battle!" Zhao Li also frowned. "You are both academy geniuses. Must you decide life and death? If not, admitting defeat can count as a loss..." He was still somewhat uneasy. Just as Wu Yuehua said, Zhai Feng clearly intended to advance and kill! As for Su Yu... though strong, against a genius in the Tengkong Realm, he might not necessarily win. As they spoke, Su Yu smiled and said, "The contracts are already signed. Let's do as Elder Sun suggests!" Turning to the crowd, he smiled. "Thank you, teachers, for speaking up on my behalf. However... I hope none of the teachers will step in to interfere with the match. Life and death are fated, and the academy takes this very seriously. Manor Head Wan is likely watching as well. Whoever interferes... will die. Please don't throw your lives away on my account!" At these words, everyone felt a tremor in their hearts! Zheng Yuming was a lesson fresh in their minds. Below the stage, Chen Yong walked swiftly toward Su Yu, his expression shifting uncertainly as he transmitted his voice: "If you aren't certain of victory, back out! Killing one person solves nothing. There is no need to gamble like this!" Su Yu shook his head, smiling without replying. Killing was not the objective. Zhai Feng was nothing more than clay chickens and pottery dogs! *I want to make a name for myself! I want to establish my might! I want the people of the Great Ming Prefecture to know that they will be welcoming a genius, not a mediocrity!* *Not only will I kill Zhai Feng, I will slaughter my way all the way to the Great Ming Prefecture!* *In the Great Ming Prefecture, I have no power and no influence. I have nothing. Only by making my name known will I gain the Great Ming Prefecture's full attention and respect!* *Martial Uncle... I'm sorry!* At this moment, Su Yu already had a path mapped out in his heart. Today, once he killed Zhai Feng, he would no longer be able to stay at the Civilization Academy or in the Great Xia Prefecture. For as long as the Single Divine Character Faction remained undestroyed, killing even more people wouldn't change anything. The next moment, Su Yu stepped into the air and landed on the stage. Looking at Zhai Feng, he smiled. "Come up. I'll give you time to advance to the Tengkong Realm!" The words sent shockwaves through the surrounding crowd! Was he insane?! Zhai Feng also frowned, snorted coldly, and stepped onto the stage. He stared at Su Yu, his brow deeply furrowed. He was wondering whether Su Yu planned to mount a sneak attack on him while he was in the middle of advancing. Hands clasped behind his back, Su Yu looked at him and said flatly, "I'm giving you time, and you don't cherish it?" How could killing a Yangxing cultivator make a name for himself?! Kill a Tengkong! A genius Tengkong! Kill him decisively with overwhelming dominance! *I, Su Yu, will make my name echo in all directions today!* "You brought this death upon yourself!" Zhai Feng hesitated no longer. Gritting his teeth, he swallowed the pill in one gulp, keeping a wary eye on Su Yu. The next moment, his willpower began to churn and violently vibrate. Rumble! His sea of will shook, and moments later, golden light flashed across his body! Divine characters manifested! Willpower materialized, divine characters manifested! Three divine characters rapidly advanced, all becoming tier-2! Throughout this entire process, Su Yu simply watched him, as if appreciating a performance, as if waiting for something. Rage surged in Zhai Feng's heart! Was he looking down on him? Was he underestimating him? Today, he had stepped into the Tengkong Realm—the Tengkong Realm of a Civilization Master! Su Yu was far too arrogant; he was courting death! Not only was Zhai Feng shocked, but everyone else was dumbfounded as well. Zhai Feng had truly advanced! Yet Su Yu hadn't interfered at all, merely standing by and watching. Was he... mad? After waiting for three or four minutes, Su Yu smiled and asked, "Are you finished?" "You..." Just as Zhai Feng began to speak, Su Yu smiled. "Seems like you're done!" The moment the words fell, afterimages flashed! Boom! A colossal blast! Su Yu slashed out with his saber, blade energy sweeping across the arena! A Xuan-rank spear appeared in Zhai Feng's hands, and with a roaring bellow, he thrust forward! Willpower boiled! Divine characters materialized! Tier-2 divine characters, tier-2 willpower—his willpower was exceptionally powerful right now! Yet it was utterly ineffective against Su Yu. Though unadvanced, Su Yu had opened 106 divine apertures. His sea of will had been tempered a thousand times over, and he possessed multiple tier-2 divine characters. Aside from not having materialized his willpower, he was superior to Zhai Feng in every single metric! "You are too weak!" Su Yu snorted coldly. Every divine character attack seemed entirely useless against him. Not truly useless, but simply too weak, naturally neutralized by his sheer strength. Boom! A thunderous blast as a saber strike severed the air—the Heaven Cleaving Saber! The power of hundreds of apertures erupted! Zhai Feng stumbled backward, his hand blowing apart in a spray of blood! Shock registered on Zhai Feng's face! "Rank one on the Top 100?" "Heh!" Another saber strike crashed down with a roar. Zhai Feng was sent flying right off the arena platform, his arm completely blown to shreds. "You aren't worthy!" Fast! Truly fast! The blade was unimaginably fast! Inconceivably swift! Su Yu stepped into the air and slashed down! In the empty air, a vortex of yuan qi exploded. With a violent boom, Zhai Feng spewed blood and flew backward again. In a panic, he hastily swallowed a pill—the Aperture-Destroying Pill! His apertures began detonating! "Even guzzling pills, you remain nothing but trash!" Su Yu strode across the air, yuan qi surging beneath his feet as he walked upon empty sky, swinging his saber down! Boom! Even having detonated his apertures, Zhai Feng was still no match. With a frantic roar, he attempted to counterattack, only for Su Yu's saber strike to send him tumbling through the air! "No..." Impossible! Zhai Feng couldn't believe it, nor could anyone in the crowd. Was this a Yangxing fighting a Tengkong? No! Unless Su Yu were at least three tiers higher than Zhai Feng, he couldn't possess such overwhelming suppression! At this moment, the experts of the Single Divine Character Faction all paled. He was too strong—possessing the combat strength of at least a fourth- or fifth-layer Tengkong! Having opened 320 apertures, Su Yu revealed his full might to everyone today! "You are too weak, yet you dare bounce around provoking me again and again... Die!" This time, an incomparably savage strike cleaved downward with a thunderous roar! Zhai Feng bellowed in rage and suddenly activated a divine talisman. Yet at that exact instant, a small hammer plummeted silently, smashing into his sea of will with an explosive roar! This hammer strike was overwhelmingly powerful! How could the power contained in 106 divine apertures be something Zhai Feng could measure up against?! With a dull thud, blood sprayed from all seven orifices, his senses plunging into complete darkness. On the periphery, Zhou Pingsheng and the others underwent a drastic change of expression, shouting, "You—" The shout had barely left their lips when Su Yu's long saber crashed down with boundless fury! "I am going to kill him! Step forward and stop me!" Su Yu roared! *Stop me, then!* *Let's see who dares!* No one dared! "A bunch of useless trash!" Boom! Crash! The blade descended. Air screeched, yuan qi detonated, and in the next instant, with a deafening blast, a body exploded! Torn to shreds! Su Yu casually caught a jade talisman and smiled faintly. *Very strong, but what a pity... did you ever have a chance to use it before me?* Zhai Feng was dead! Even to the very last moment, he had failed to display any of his power. Completely suppressed throughout, in less than thirty seconds, he was literally battered to pieces by Su Yu! At this moment, Su Yu landed, his white robes still as pure as snow. Smiling, he looked around at the onlookers and said with hearty satisfaction, "A satisfying kill, though you were far too weak. Single Divine Character Faction... 'geniuses'? Heh!" That mocking 'heh' ridiculed countless people! On this day, Su Yu was truly overbearing beyond measure. First on the Top 100, advancing to Tengkong, swallowing an Aperture-Destroying Pill... Useless! One man and one blade, suppressing him from start to finish. Merely in the Yangxing Realm, merely in the Wanshi Realm, yet he had hacked him to pieces alive! There was no earth-shattering epic clash—it was pure, unadulterated slaughter! At this moment, the surroundings were terrifyingly silent. Only heavy breathing could be heard, followed an instant later by an enraged roar: "Su Yu!" Zhou Pingsheng's eyes were bloodshot as he stared at Su Yu, filled with nothing but fury—boundless, suffocating fury! *You are dead!* *You must die!* *Do you have any idea that the stronger you are right now, the more certainly you must die?!* *You are too strong!* *Frighteningly strong!* *Even Liu Wenyan back then, at the fourth layer of Wanshi, killing a Tengkong wasn't this effortless!* Su Yu smiled, his eyes brimming with disdain! *Fury is all you have left!* *Not only will I kill Zhai Feng, but I will kill you too, using your corpses as stepping stones for my rise!* Glancing around, the students averted their eyes from his gaze. Su Yu... the first person in several years to slay a fellow student on the academy's life-and-death stage, and the very first to execute rank one on the Top 100! Rank one on the Top 100 Rankings... had become a joke! A colossal joke! The joke of advancing to the Tengkong Realm only to be slaughtered by a Yangxing cultivator!