The Night Is Too Cold

Below the stage, two had fled, one was dead, and three remained caught in a dilemma. Su Yu's smile remained unchanged. Under the night sky, his smile grew only more radiant. To kill was one thing; to destroy their resolve was another! What did killing a few people matter? The Single Divine Character Faction was never short on people! He wanted the entire Great Xia Prefecture to see: was this the mighty Single Divine Character Faction they revered? "A cancer!" Su Yu barked again, shouting coldly, "If I remember correctly, the Sun, Li, Yu, Ma, Fang, and Zhou families all have Tengkongs. Where are they? It doesn't matter if they're Civilization Masters or warriors—where are they?! Are you just sending these useless pawns to their deaths?" Su Yu's booming voice resonated in every direction. "Where are the elders' family members? Did they wet their pants in fear? "A bunch of good-for-nothings who eat the finest food, wear the finest clothes, and embezzle the resources of the academy, the Great Xia Prefecture, and the entire human race! They produce nothing, take on no missions, yet enjoy top-tier treatment. Where are they now? "Laughable!" Facing the remaining Tengkongs, Su Yu pointed a finger at one of them and sneered, "Are you stepping into the ring? Do you want to die? Are you fighting for the human race, for the Great Xia Prefecture, or for Sun Xiang and his clique? "The resources given to you—who earned them? "Was it them?" Su Yu roared, "Their resources belong to themselves and their own descendants! Don't get it twisted—your resources are provided by the military, the Great Xia Prefecture, the Quest Realm, and the War God Hall! You bunch of fools, can't you see reality? Did they ever give you a single cent of the resources they acquired? "Does what you receive belong to them?" Below the stage, someone yelled, "Su Yu, stop spouting poisonous lies to mislead the crowd!" Su Yu looked intently at the speaker and sneered, "I know you—a member of the Li family! Tengkong Realm—fifth or sixth stage, it doesn't matter. Step up, and I'll teach you what it means to let strength do the talking!" Below the stage, the Li family prodigy was infuriated! Arrogant! Su Yu leveled his long saber and shouted, "Step up into the ring! You only have the guts to send these fools to their deaths? Look at them—go on, find me a single direct descendant of an elder among them! Where are the elders' direct descendants? Does the academy have none left? Did they all die off? I'll lay my words down right here: any direct descendant of an elder below the sixth stage of Tengkong is welcome to come up! Who dares?!" At those words, of the three assistants who had been torn by hesitation, one suddenly broke down, shouting, "There are! Many of them! The lottery was rigged! It was cheated! They forced us to come here and die! I don't want to die!" "Why?!" The man roared in complete breakdown, "Why didn't a single elder's direct descendant step forward? Why us?! Why do we have to be the ones sacrificed to prove your blood and pride? Are we not human beings? "We get the least, yet we are made to do the most dangerous tasks! On what basis?!" He had completely broken down! Truly broken down! He knew that whether he stepped up today or not, he was finished. Yet he was so unwilling! Goaded by Su Yu's words, he pointed at the Li family prodigy and cursed furiously, "Li Feng, you get up there! Why don't you get up there? You're a sixth-stage Tengkong, so why don't you go up? You're sending us low-stage Tengkongs to die while you stand there watching a show! You're just posing as some great genius—fuck your mother!" The man cursed wildly! Driven mad! Driven mad by the pressure! Death! Step forward, and it was death; step back, and it was a lifetime of suppression. He was not resigned to this! Hysterical, he roared and bellowed, "Where are the elders' grandsons and great-grandsons? Why isn't a single one going up? Whenever resources are distributed within the faction, don't they always get the lion's share? Every secret realm slot is theirs! Every good thing is theirs! Every merit point is theirs! Every reward is theirs! On what basis do I have to go die?!" As he roared, Li Feng exploded in fury. "Liu Jie, you bastard! He's trying to sow discord among us—" "Fuck your mother!" The Tengkong named Liu Jie snapped violently, "Then get up onto that stage! If you have the guts to go up, I'll take it—I'll accept it! If you go up, I'll follow you up, and even if I get killed, I'll have no regrets! Go on, then! Damn it, all you know is telling us to go die—why don't you go?!" Li Feng's face twisted through shade after shade! Sixth stage of Tengkong! He was by no means weak! And yet... he had no confidence. Truly no confidence at all. From what had been shown, Su Yu's explosive power was close to a fourth- or fifth-stage Tengkong. Yet up until now, he had barely touched his willpower or his divine characters. Just how strong was Su Yu? He didn't know! "Hahaha... Trash! You're the real piece of trash!" Liu Jie cursed hysterically. Suddenly, he tore off an insignia from his clothes, threw it to the ground, stomped it underfoot, and roared, "I quit! At worst, I'll join the army! Suppress me all you want! You want me to throw my life away while all you spout is blood and glory... Is killing Su Yu supposed to be glorious? "Fuck you! A bunch of filthy dogs who don't treat my life as a life! You even rigged the drawing to send us to our deaths! Fuck your ancestors!" He was furious, terrified, and exhausted! And full of hatred! He didn't actually know whether the lottery had been rigged, but that was what he believed. Why hadn't a single disciple of an elder been drawn? Why hadn't a single descendant of an elder been drawn? Six out of thirty-six—a one-in-six probability! Why wasn't there even one? Naturally, he wouldn't bother considering that there were actually very few low-stage Tengkongs among the elders' descendants. He didn't care; he needed a reason, an excuse—an excuse that would earn everyone's understanding. It isn't that I'm afraid of dying. It's that they... cheated! In this moment, Liu Jie abandoned all restraint. After venting his fury, he spun around to leave, shouting, "I'm enlisting in the army—whether it's the Demon Suppression Army or the Longwu Guards! Hu Fang, aren't you two coming? If you don't leave, are you waiting to die? Either you get up on that stage, or you wait to be suppressed for the rest of your lives!" He was calling out to the other two! Were they leaving or not? If three Tengkongs left together, they would have some safety in numbers; if he left alone, the target on his back would be too large. Of course, two had already run earlier. He needed to find them and flee together. At that moment, the faces of the remaining two assistants flickered with conflicting emotions. Without another word or curse, they turned and left. This wasn't how one courted death! Run! They likely couldn't stay in the academy any longer. While the Single Divine Character Faction wouldn't dare outright murder them, constant targeting would ruin them unless they gave up on making any progress for the rest of their lives. Leaving the academy was the only real way forward. All of them fled! Below the stage, the Li family's Li Feng looked utterly mortified. Nearby, several Lingyun Realm experts from the Single Divine Character Faction were present, yet not a single one spoke up. Tengkongs had their own networks of relationships, after all. Whether it was the deceased Wang Zhen or Liu Jie and the others who had fled, people had regular dealings with them on normal days. Now that Wang Zhen was dead, could they really force these men to their deaths as well? The fact that none of the elders' descendants had taken the stage and none of their kin had died already left a bad taste in everyone's mouth. So when people die, as long as they aren't from your families, you don't care at all? People's hearts had changed! Su Yu sneered! He had anticipated this all along! With the faction fractured by internal strife to such an extent, he had never believed many would genuinely be willing to die for it. They hadn't been driven into a corner yet. Those Tengkongs still had other options; they weren't cornered to the point where stepping onto the stage to die was their only choice. It was merely a life-and-death ring; if you refused to fight, no one could truly force you into it. ... In all directions, students began whispering among themselves. "The Single Divine Character Faction... how did it come to this?" "Sigh, humiliating!" "More than humiliating! At a juncture like this, those elders actually cheated to purge outsiders and staged some ridiculous lottery! If they really wanted to save face, each family should have put forward one Tengkong. If they died, so be it; if they survived and killed Su Yu... things never would have ended like this!" "Tch, they're the descendants of Shanhai experts, important figures! How could they be like us, tossed away to die at will?" "Hehe, that's true too. Didn't Su Yu say it? They eat the best, drink the best, and take the lion's share of resources. If I were in their shoes, I wouldn't want to come get killed by Su Yu either. It's not worth it..." "Exactly, that's what Shanhai descendants are like!" "Hehe, they're even more privileged than the Xia family! Plenty of people from the Xia family have died in battle—even the previous Mansion Master died in battle." "Are they even worthy of being compared to the Xia family?" "True enough!" ... The murmurs were ceaseless. The mocking comments weren't loud, but with so many people speaking, every expert of the Single Divine Character Faction was provoked until their faces flushed red and turned pale by turns. Where were the elders' descendants? Where was Li Feng?! You're a sixth-stage Tengkong, and Su Yu called you out—so go up! Get the fuck up onto the stage! Did a single life-and-death match frighten the courage right out of you? ... On the stage. Su Yu felt immensely comfortable, immensely satisfied, and completely at ease. Naturally, the subsequent trouble would be enormous. It didn't matter! If he didn't vent his resentment before leaving, that would be truly uncomfortable. To leave suffocating on grievances was something he could never endure. Glancing around, he knew no one else would step onto the stage. Wang Zhen's death had thoroughly terrified these people. The kill had been far too effortless! If Su Yu had engaged in a grueling struggle, someone might have taken the stage, and he might have lured a few more to their deaths. But that was meaningless; killing one or two more wasn't the goal. Look at people like Liu Jie—that was true destruction of the heart! To shirk their own responsibility, to find an excuse, they couldn't wait to trample those elders into the mud. That was where the real fun lay! What were a thousand curses from outsiders compared to a single curse from within their own ranks? Su Yu maintained his smile throughout, as refined and amiable as ever, yet in this moment, many felt a chill run down their spines. This guy... was truly ruthless! Of all the people the Single Divine Character Faction could have provoked, they had provoked him—and now, they had no way to deal with him. Today, Su Yu declared that Tengkongs could come; after today, Tengkongs wouldn't even be permitted to attack him! Below Tengkong, let alone the Single Divine Character Faction, how many people across the entire Great Xia Prefecture—or even the entire Human Realm—could match him? Today was Su Yu's stage alone. He had staged a grand spectacle here! The Celebration Day of the Great Xia Prefecture was the day of disgrace for the Single Divine Character Faction. On such an important day, for the rest of their lives—as long as Su Yu lived, or even if he died—whenever the people of Great Xia remembered Celebration Day, they would remember Su Yu, and they would remember how utterly wretched and humiliated the Single Divine Character Faction was today! No one else was coming! Dong! A crisp chime rang out—the single toll of the great bell echoing from Great Xia Prefecture, marking the end of the day. Celebration Day was over! Su Yu smiled. Slowly stepping down from the arena, he walked forward without leaving a single word behind. I'm leaving! His clothes were brand-new; the water transformation hadn't damaged them in the slightest. He had killed two people, and in passing... broken the spine of their faction. Crawl on your knees like men! You aren't worthy to stand. ... At this moment, atop buildings across the campus, people were watching. Watching Su Yu! Glares of hatred, gazes of fury, looks of pity, sighs of sorrow, helpless resignation... Celebration Day was ruined. Su Yu had spared no face for the Single Divine Character Faction, none for the Great Xia Civilization Academy, and none for the Great Xia Prefecture itself. This was everyone's consensus. On this day, it was best that weapons remained sheathed. Regrettably, not only had weapons been drawn, but people had died, and blood had flowed. As Su Yu walked, the crowds along his path parted to form a passageway. As always, Su Yu bowed slightly with impeccable courtesy. Smiling and looking straight ahead, he strode away. Behind him, people followed. Many felt as though they were seeing the past once again! Seeing Liu Wenyan back then, also leaving like this, leading a group of people. No—back then, the Multiple Divine Characters Faction was at the height of its glory! Now, there was only Su Yu. It was different; it was still different. ... Heading toward the Primordial Spirit Research Institute, students still lined both sides of his path. Student after student followed in silence. Suddenly, someone shouted, "Su Yu, is it really right to kill your classmates and teachers?" Su Yu turned his head to look. She was very young, a girl who appeared under eighteen. Su Yu smiled and said softly, "Here's a piece of advice for you... never leave your house, never travel far, and never go to the battlefield!" Su Yu kept walking. Behind him, the girl felt a surge of indignation and looked around at the bystanders, but many immediately backed away from her. A moment later, her instructor arrived—a ninth-stage Tengkong tutor. She had heard what happened! She had heard about her student's challenge! Looking at her student now, the tutor felt both helpless and regretful. "Focus on research. Leave cultivation and combat... to others. I don't want to be burying my own student in my old age." Foolish words! Teachers? Classmates? Not anymore! Couldn't she see it even now? Those were enemies—enemies harboring more hatred toward Su Yu than even the All-Races Sect! Urging someone to be kind without understanding their suffering was simply foolish, naive, and hypocritical. In a situation like this, if she went to the battlefield... a single plea for mercy from an enemy might make her soften. She would die—and dying alone was fine, but she would drag down her teammates and comrades with her. Failing to distinguish friend from foe! Lacking discernment! A foolish teammate was far more terrifying than an enemy. After all, the Great Xia Civilization Academy was mostly filled with smart people. As for bookworms... go do research in peace! It might not have come from malice, but well-intentioned stupidity was even worse. Her tutor would have preferred she harbored bad intentions—currying favor with the Single Divine Character Faction—rather than speaking from genuine sentiment. If this was truly how she thought, she would die on the battlefield without a doubt. The girl was dazed. Was I wrong? Yet she... truly felt Su Yu had been too brutal. And yet, in this moment, it felt as though the entire world was shunning her. ... At the Primordial Spirit Research Institute. At this moment, someone was already there. Chen Yong. Seeing Su Yu walk in, Chen Yong looked at him, and Su Yu looked back at Chen Yong. After a moment, Su Yu bowed deeply, all the way to the ground. Chen Yong stepped forward and helped him up, his eyes full of complex emotions. Looking at Su Yu for a long time, he gently stroked the top of Su Yu's head and murmured, "I'm sorry! You're cleverer than Jiajia. You think more than she does, and you're more perceptive... I failed to realize it and overlooked it. "I thought that as long as Jiajia was fine, you would be too... Jiajia is fine because she doesn't understand. But you... you understand everything." Chen Yong smiled bitterly. Yes, you understand everything. If you didn't understand, you wouldn't feel so suppressed, so hopeless. It was precisely because you understood everything that you made today's decision. Chen Yong laughed self-deprecatingly. "That junior brother of mine... took on such a shrewd disciple, giving me such a headache! I almost wish you were a little dumber, a little clumsier, carefree and unburdened like Jiajia!" "Martial Uncle... I'm sorry." "No, there's no need to say you're sorry!" Chen Yong gave a bitter smile. "It's we who dragged you into this. You're still young. Lying low... lying low year after year—that's for us, not for you. You did nothing wrong. What's wrong is this damned world!" Chen Yong said no more on the matter, asking softly, "Where are you going?" "The Great Ming Prefecture." "A good choice." Chen Yong nodded and smiled. "Zhu Tiandao... the Zhu family! I had dealings with them a few times when I was young. Quite an interesting clan. Go, it's good. Once there, don't trust anyone easily. Don't go to the Bai family; if you run into serious trouble, you can seek them out, but ordinarily, stay away." "Understood." Chen Yong was silent for a moment before asking, "How will you go?" "Treasure hunting." "Treasure hunting?" "Yes. A ruin!" Su Yu replied calmly, "The ruin that made me so strong—it's at Starfall Mountain." "You..." Chen Yong sighed. "Leaving quietly would be safer. Why... why must you do this?" "I refuse to just leave like this!" Su Yu looked at him, looked around the research institute, and looked out the window. "I refuse to accept it. I feel I shouldn't have to leave, or at least not in such a wretched manner! My heart burns with indignation. My teacher, my enlightener—both are gone. My father is still fighting for the Xia family... and I, perhaps, might be considered a traitor to them. I have no regrets, but I am unconvinced, indignant, and unwilling to resign myself to this!" "It's only natural, only natural!" Chen Yong nodded, feeling all the more bitter. Indeed, how could he be willing? When Su Yu first entered the academy, he was full of hot-blooded passion. He wanted to grow strong, join the military, and fight on the All-Heavens Battlefield. He idolized Xia Longwu and dreamed of joining the Longwu Guards... Just the day before, just yesterday, he had said he admired King Daxia. And today... he wanted to leave. Because here, he saw no hope—only despair. Despair upon despair! Chen Yong grinned. "Then... be careful. You're a smart boy and have prepared your own retreat. Make sure nothing goes wrong, and don't throw your life away. Contact the Zhu family in advance, and make sure you reach the right people... People these days have dark hearts. Be careful of fake emissaries, or you'll be in deep trouble." Su Yu nodded and smiled. "Don't worry, Martial Uncle. I will verify everything carefully." "That's good, that's good... Your grandmaster... is in seclusion and likely won't be able to see you off. Your martial sister... is too weak and too impulsive. I won't burden you with her; she'll be safer staying with me." Chen Yong rambled on, smiling. "The Great Ming Prefecture is good, very good. Of course, their strength isn't high, and they don't have many geniuses. Once you arrive, you'll be the undisputed number one in Great Ming. They will value you greatly! "My only worry is that you'll forget what pressure feels like over there. You still have to give yourself some pressure, understand? "Zhu Tiandao wants change, but unfortunately, geniuses look down on Great Ming, and he has no interest in nurturing mediocrities. When you go, you must show your talent, display your strength! Being flamboyant is fine—the more ostentatious you are, the more the Zhu family will prize you!" Chen Yong smiled, and Su Yu nodded. Chen Yong rambled on endlessly, sharing so much—the virtues of the Great Ming Prefecture, its culture, and its geography. Only now did Su Yu realize how knowledgeable his martial uncle truly was. He even knew the exact trails and shortcuts to take to reach Great Ming. He told Su Yu where the shelters were, where the escape routes lay... He said so much! He didn't utter a single word urging Su Yu to stay, nor did he say that leaving was wrong. He should leave! Here in the Great Xia Prefecture, Su Yu would never have his day in the sun. Unless Xia Longwu attained his Dao, the Great Xia Prefecture at this moment was bound to lie low and bide its time. ... It was not until dawn approached that Chen Yong finally left the Primordial Spirit Research Institute. He left nothing behind. Nor was there any need to leave anything. Su Yu sat on the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling. When the true is false, the false is also true! This morning, he had still harbored hope. His earlier words to Old Huang had contained half probing and half sincerity. He had simply wanted to express, to tell Wan Tiansheng and certain others: I don't want things to be like this. I am useful to you. I can offer you far more things, and I can change far more. I still want to stay here! Even in his previous conversation with Marquis Xia, he had conveyed: the Aperture Fusion Art is nothing; I can give this to you, it doesn't matter! I have even more! He had taken risks to tell them, to remind them: Give me some room to grow, give me some time, and my value will far exceed the Single Divine Character Faction... Had they seen it? They had! And yet... what they faced was not just the Single Divine Character Faction of the Great Xia Prefecture, but the Single Divine Character Faction of the entire world. Su Yu alone, no matter how weighty, could not outweigh everything. Thus, while they could offer shelter, they could not provide everything Su Yu needed. "Phew!" Exhaling softly, Su Yu smiled, returning to his usual composure. Perhaps this was truly a fresh start! It was quite good! The Zhu family... Zhu Tiandao. This was not the first time he had heard that name; he had encountered it several times now. The reputation seemed decent—not bad, but not particularly stellar either. An amusing fellow, but also a slippery one. To Su Yu, Zhu Tiandao seemed distant, yet in reality, he was not so far away. Su Yu was no ordinary Nature Nourishing cultivator; Zhu Tiandao's personality and decisions directly affected his choices. Going to the Great Ming Prefecture didn't mean he was obligated to choose him. "After today, my name should spread even wider!" Creator of the Aperture Fusion Art, pioneer of the Soul-Devouring Art, founder of the Primordial Spirit Research Institute, slayer of multiple Tengkongs, prodigy of the Multiple Divine Characters Faction, sworn enemy of the Single Divine Character Faction, opener of 320 acupoints, wielder of all Tier-2 divine characters... And yet, this was still not enough. Su Yu felt it was nowhere near enough! Before leaving, he would deliver a grand gift to the Single Divine Character Faction—and to those who sought to harm him. His eyes flickered, and he thought of Xia Qing. The plan continues! I need your help! Because... I need greater strength to withstand the retaliation from the Single Divine Character Faction that could strike at any moment. Under these circumstances, I must go to the ruin and receive a second inheritance! I have no choice but to go! Yet I have no one to rely on! And so... I thought of you! I need my friend's help! Su Yu smiled. There was no rush to leave. This plan still needed refining and perfecting, and he himself needed to make preparations for his departure. The decision to leave had come too suddenly. Even he hadn't foreseen it! He had thought about leaving, but never expected it would be right now. It was so sudden that he had only had a single brief contact with the Great Ming Prefecture—a routine poaching attempt. Back when the Aperture Fusion Art was released, their representative had briefly approached him, likely never imagining he would actually leave. Leaving a top-three prefecture, abandoning one's homeland to develop in a foreign land—that was not the choice of a genius. Geniuses only sought out even stronger places! The Great Ming Prefecture had always been trying to poach talent. Of course, they hardly ever succeeded—they looked down on mediocrities, and the strong... simply ignored them. Yet they had run into him! Thinking of this, Su Yu couldn't help but chuckle. If he hadn't been backed into a corner, he would never have considered going to the Great Ming Prefecture either. The Zhu family... really did seem rather pitiful. ... That night, many people slept poorly. Rested terribly! As soon as dawn broke, many people got out of bed. Many hadn't slept at all! News continued to ripple outward. The Great Xia Prefecture was a powerful prefecture. When a genius emerged—especially one who defied conventions—the news traveled fast, just like that Single Divine Character prodigy from the Great Zhou Prefecture who had swept southward and conquered in all directions, drawing widespread attention. Now, the Great Xia Prefecture had also produced a prodigy who not only slew Tengkongs while in the Nature Nourishing Realm, but had also introduced multiple cultivation techniques—extraordinarily useful ones. At this moment, just as many eyes were fixed on Su Yu. ... Qian Zhihua. An ordinary student at the Great Xia Civilization Academy. There was nothing special about him, except perhaps that he hailed from the Great Ming Prefecture. Naturally, he also made a little extra on the side. Nothing major! He simply pitched the Great Ming Prefecture to various geniuses: our Great Ming Prefecture is wonderful; our Mansion Master cherishes talent and values prodigies. Quite a few people knew about him, and the Great Xia Prefecture knew as well. He was not the only one; every major academy had people like him. Headhunters! Lure one in... cough cough, poach whoever they could. After all, geniuses who were down on their luck did exist. Poaching a single genius meant a reward. Although Qian Zhihua hadn't managed to recruit a single person in his three years at the academy, he didn't mind too much. He had come to the Great Xia Civilization Academy on a scholarship paid for by Great Ming, so he was more than happy to do the job. He had been chosen by the Great Ming Prefecture because he looked honest and dependable. Great Ming always felt that their lackluster recruitment results over the years were due to their recruiters looking too wretched. Zhu Tiandao had even contemplated dispatching a bevy of attractive female students to win people over. On second thought, it would invite too much criticism, so he dropped the idea. As for Su Yu... he had been the one to approach him. Qian Zhihua had never dreamed he could actually recruit Su Yu. It had just been small talk to build rapport! What a joke! The guy had a grandmaster nearing the Sunmoon Realm, a martial uncle nearing the Shanhai Realm, a master who had slain a Lingyun, and the favor of numerous elders and geniuses, along with scores of friends and terrifying personal strength. How could you possibly recruit a student like that? Last time, seeing Su Yu, he had merely chatted him up to make an impression. If not for the name of the Great Ming Prefecture, he wouldn't even have had the qualifications to approach such a prodigy. He knew about what had happened last night. He had even gone to watch! It was exhilarating! He had slaughtered the geniuses of the Single Divine Character Faction until they didn't dare lift their heads—utterly domineering, utterly magnificent! That Zhai Feng would have been a top-tier figure even at the Great Ming Civilization Academy. There was no helping it; Great Ming was simply a bit inferior. Never mind Zhai Feng—any of the top ten in Great Xia seemed capable of contesting for first place over there. If not for that, why would Zhu Tiandao have swallowed his pride to flatter Xia Longwu, hoping that in a few years, Great Xia's geniuses might guide Great Ming's people into the Star Mansion together? Even when Xia Longwu mocked him with utter disdain, Zhu Tiandao hadn't cared in the slightest, willing to pay out of his own pocket if necessary. They had no choice; they were just weaker. Going alone meant a mortality rate that was far too high. When approaching these geniuses, Qian Zhihua had never harbored any real expectations; it was purely to introduce himself and become a familiar face so that if an opportunity arose in the future, he might leverage the connection. Yesterday's events had spread everywhere today. Qian Zhihua didn't care. I saw it all with my own eyes; do I need you people spreading the news? As for gathering intelligence for Great Ming, every prefecture had dedicated personnel for that. He wasn't a spy, just a headhunter; he had no responsibility for anything else. Compiling intelligence reports wasn't his job, nor was he needed for it—by today, reports had likely already landed on desks in Great Ming. "Su Yu... formidable indeed!" In the Yangxing Garden, Qian Zhihua had managed to secure a small room paid for with public funds. But they wouldn't pay for a villa—what a shame! Great Ming was broke and stingy; they wouldn't even let state-sponsored personnel live in villas. How were geniuses supposed to believe they had wealth and power? They had zero public relations sense! Hearing the commotion next door as several people chatted—not about Celebration Day, but all about Su Yu—he felt exasperated. Didn't you all see it already? What is there left to gossip about?! "The Aperture Fusion Art... such an incredible technique. Too bad I can only cultivate the 18-acupoint version. I hear there's a genius version opening 30 acupoints... I wonder if Great Ming has secured official authorization yet. The Mansion Master really needs to get a copy back, or we'll fall even further behind Great Xia!" Aside from the genius version, supposedly—strictly a rumor—there might be a super version! Rumor had it that Su Yu used it himself and only provided it to a select few, offering terrifyingly potent fusion assistance. That was beyond anything he could ever hope to covet. Just as he was thinking of going out for a walk, a knock sounded at the door. Qian Zhihua paused. Who could that be? Being in the academy, he wasn't particularly worried. Opening the door, there was no one outside. He froze, just about to grumble about who had played such a childish prank, when a surge like flowing water rippled, and a silhouette materialized. In that instant, Qian Zhihua was dumbfounded! Su Yu! Holy shit! Why... why did he come to my place? "Su... Su..." For a moment, he had no idea what to call him. Calling him "Junior Brother" would be presumptuous! Calling him "Senior" wouldn't work; the guy was younger than him. Calling him "My Lord" was too obsequious! What... what am I supposed to call him?! Qian Zhihua's head spun in disbelief. It felt as though everyone was gossiping about some legendary figure, only for that very figure to suddenly drop by his own house as a guest. He felt utterly overwhelmed and shocked. "Aren't you going to invite me in to sit?" "Oh, oh, oh... please sit... come in..." Qian Zhihua hurriedly ushered him in. Su Yu smiled and stepped inside, and the door closed automatically behind him. "You are from the Great Ming Prefecture?" "Yes... wait, no, yes... I'm from Great Ming, but I'm studying in Great Xia..." Su Yu smiled. "Don't be nervous, Senior Qian." "Not nervous at all!" Qian Zhihua exhaled. Not nervous. It's nothing—didn't he just kill a few Tengkongs? I could do that too... like hell I could! Not nervous! "Su... Su..." "Just call me Su Yu." "Su Yu..." Qian Zhihua let out a breath, looking earnest and simple. "Um, I was just a bit taken aback. What brings you to see me...?" "Can you put me in contact with someone who holds real authority in the Great Ming Prefecture?" Su Yu smiled. "I find myself very interested in Senior Qian's proposal from last time." Qian Zhihua was struck dumb! Proposal? What proposal?! Fuck! I remember now! You... you can't possibly mean moving to Great Ming, can you?! His head felt ready to explode. I was just making casual conversation! Seriously, I never dreamed of poaching you! It's not that you're lacking—it's that you're too goddamn extraordinary! I never thought I could actually lure you away! "Su... Su Yu, don't joke around with me, I..." "I'm not joking." Su Yu said with a smile, "Of course, I don't want too many people to know, and the contact must be reliable. Frankly speaking, it would be best for a high-ranking official to negotiate—or someone from the Zhu family directly! My strength may be ordinary, but raw power isn't where my greatest value lies. In truth, I ought to be the most prolific contributor to the field of cultivation technique derivation in recent years. Even in the Great Xia Prefecture, I expect I will soon become a researcher, or perhaps even an intermediate researcher..." Qian Zhihua wanted to weep! Stop messing around! Your strength is anything but ordinary! Truly extraordinary! Talking like that makes me want to die. Su Yu smiled. "That's all I came to discuss today. Once you've made contact, reach out to me!" With that, he tossed a voice transmission talisman to Qian Zhihua and said with a smile, "Senior Qian, I'll be troubling you." "Alright, alright..." As soon as he replied, Su Yu dissolved like flowing water and vanished in an instant. Qian Zhihua was utterly stunned! Holy shit! What cultivation technique was that? Wait, was it an innate talent? No, Su Yu didn't seem to have consumed any blood essence... His mind was reeling! In the next moment, clarity struck him, and his whole being shuddered with shock. Su Yu... was defecting... no, leaving the Great Xia Prefecture for Great Ming?! I... I actually poached a supreme genius! Swallowing hard, Qian Zhihua felt his heart pounding wildly against his ribs. Am I about to strike it rich? I just poached Su Yu! As for why Su Yu wanted to leave, he didn't want to guess or dwell on it. All he knew was that once this message was passed up the chain, it would inevitably command the utmost attention from the highest authorities! Just as Su Yu had said, his strength was one thing, his martial talent another, but on top of all that, he was an unmatched genius in the field of research! "I'm... filthy rich!" Grinning ear to ear, Qian Zhihua was intoxicated with joy. It wasn't just the fortune—it was that tiny, pitiful scrap of pride: The Great Ming Prefecture is about to hit the jackpot! Hahaha! A stranger in a strange land! The Great Xia Prefecture was indeed powerful and prosperous, yet he still missed his native soil and his own people. Mom, Great Xia is just too unsafe, too terrifying! Maybe this time, I can go home too! His heart racing with excitement, terrified of being spotted, Qian Zhihua cautiously slipped out of the academy. This matter had to be reported in person! And it couldn't be reported to some minor figure either; it had to be someone important. Naturally, the safest choice was the Great Ming Prefecture's envoy stationed in Great Xia!