First Steps into Great Ming Civilization Academy

January 15, Year 351 of the Anping Calendar. It was the day academies commenced their new terms. With the half-month break over, a fresh semester began. Great Ming Civilization Academy was a gargantuan institution. Early in the morning, the academy, quiet for the past half month, burst into life, seething with clamor. In front of the massive, imposing main gates, the scene was exceptionally bustling. Huge avian puppets descended from the sky, while swift, fierce beasts bolted forward across the ground. The moment these birds and beasts reached their destination, they quickly condensed into blocks of iron. Students streamed through the gates one after another. "Bai Junsheng is here!" Down below, someone spotted a figure riding a flying bird in midair and cried out in excitement, "Bai Junsheng broke through to Tengkong! Incredible!" "So handsome!" "Stop shouting! His breakthrough was purely physical; his willpower is still at the Yangxing Realm. What's so amazing about that?" "..." Voices overlapped as a handsome young man touched down. The avian puppet vanished, and Bai Junsheng wore a beaming, radiant smile. Just as his feet hit the ground, a chubby young man in the distance—Zhu Hongliang—laughed loudly. "Bai Junsheng, now that you've reached physical Tengkong, why don't you head over to the War Academy? Everyone in your Bai family is a warrior. What are you doing in a civilization academy? Are you scared of dying? Speak up! Don't tell me you don't dare go to the front lines?" Bai Junsheng's face darkened. He snorted. "You're the one scared of dying! Who says the Bai family doesn't have Civilization Masters? My cousin is one!" Zhu Hongliang chortled. "Your cousin is at the All-Heavens Battlefield! Why aren't you there? You're a Tengkong now too, so go on!" "..." Left speechless, Bai Junsheng snapped in exasperation, "I'll go sooner or later!" As the two bickered, someone called out, "Zhu Nine, did that Su Yu actually come to Great Ming Prefecture or not? Where is he? Is he coming to our academy? Why haven't we seen a trace of him yet?" Zhu Hongliang chuckled. "Of course he came! Would I lie about that? As for how he looks, pretty ordinary. Don't get your hopes up—not that it would matter anyway. He's quite a boring fellow..." "He's powerful, though!" Zhu Hongliang laughed heartily. "Sure, he's strong, but we Civilization Masters don't rely solely on brute force. If you ask me, he's more like a warrior with few tricks up his sleeve. Makes sense—someone taught by the Bai family naturally adopts a warrior's style." Right as he spoke, a light chuckle came from behind him. "Your Highness, speaking ill of people behind their backs isn't very polite." Zhu Hongliang froze. *Damn it!* *When did this guy sneak up on me?* Turning around, he saw Su Yu with his hands clasped behind his back, smiling faintly as he looked right at him. Zhu Hongliang suddenly felt quite sheepish. Just then, someone in the crowd seemed to recognize Su Yu and shouted, "Everyone, get over here! Su Yu has arrived!" "Su Yu is here!" "Come look!" "The slaughterer is here!" "Quiet down! He's right there..." "..." Chaos erupted instantly. More and more people gathered around, staring at Su Yu as if he were a rare curiosity. *He's just human after all!* He didn't have an extra nose or two extra eyes, so how on earth was he that monstrously strong? "Do you think if he takes a dislike to someone, he'll just chop them down with a single stroke?" "Careful, everyone! Keep your distance!" "Don't be scared, there are plenty of us!" "..." Su Yu felt mentally exhausted. He was a living person, yet these Civilization Masters of Great Ming Prefecture acted like lunatics. He could even sense quite a few teachers mingling among the crowd, happily watching the spectacle. What was there to look at? If he had known this would happen, he would have slipped into the academy quietly. While he was thinking, Bai Feng's cousin, Bai Junsheng, spoke up. "You're my nephew Su Yu?" Su Yu glanced at him impassively. Bai Junsheng stiffened slightly under the look—it wasn't particularly friendly. "I'm Bai Feng's cousin, so calling you my nephew matches the generational ranking, doesn't it?" Bai Junsheng felt a bit uncertain, yet it was technically true. By family hierarchy, Su Yu would be his nephew. Why look at him like that? Su Yu smiled. "Lineage of teaching has its own order. I am Teacher Bai Feng's student. However... outside that master-disciple relationship, Student Bai, let us address each other based on our own standing!" He had no desire to gain a random uncle out of nowhere. Bai Junsheng muttered self-consciously, "How dull." *No fun at all!* Su Yu was equally speechless. He realized the Civilization Masters of Great Ming Prefecture probably lacked a proper beating from society. Back at the Great Xia Civilization Academy, whenever ordinary students saw elite or top-hundred students, they made way obediently and gave them a wide berth. Stand around watching a spectacle? If you annoyed the wrong person, they might challenge you right there and knock your teeth out. Then again, it seemed these people were only watching for entertainment and harbored no real malice. Once the novelties wore off, they would likely disperse. Just as Su Yu thought this, he witnessed firsthand how fickle they could be. "Everyone, hurry and look! Big Round Ball in the Biology Park gave birth to three Little Round Balls!" "What?" "She gave birth? Male or female? Three of them? Damn, last time I bet she'd have five!" "Hurry, let's go see!" Beside Su Yu, Zhu Hongliang's interest was instantly piqued. He was ready to dash off when he remembered something and turned to Su Yu. "Are you coming? Big Round Ball is a very beautiful bear beast. She just had cubs! Last time, I thought she'd only manage one..." Meanwhile, someone on the other side shouted, "I don't care about that! I only care who Big Round Ball hooked up with! Who's the father of those Little Round Balls? Let's all go check! I suspect it's that big black bear!" "Nonsense! My bet is on that Flying Tiger—he's always playing around with Big Round Ball..." "..." Under Su Yu's stunned gaze, the crowd sprinted wildly in that direction, terrified they might arrive too late to get a good spot. In the blink of an eye, more than half the people at the gate had vanished. The entrance cleared out considerably. Su Yu felt a cold, desolate chill, as if an autumn wind were sweeping away dead leaves. Just moments ago, they were staring at him and gossiping about him. Where did everyone go? Did this mean he was less popular than a bear beast named Big Round Ball? "What a bunch of oddballs!" Su Yu sighed helplessly. Fortunately, a petite, adorable young woman walked up to him the next moment, comforting his wounded pride. She wore a bright smile as she teased, "Don't mind them. They're always like this—their enthusiasm lasts three minutes at best." Su Yu smiled. "It's fine." At least someone had come over to talk to him. He had been planning to ask for directions to the Multiple Divine Characters College anyway. Before he could speak, the girl pulled out a whole assortment of items and beamed playfully. "Student Su Yu, I noticed you don't have a mount. I have all kinds here—flying in the sky, running on the ground, swimming in the water..." "I have some too!" The remaining students who had not left promptly crowded forward to pitch their wares. "Student Su Yu, do you like drinking? I have a marvelous automatic wine-maker! It's very cheap, only thirty merit points, and lets you taste all sorts of fine wines. It's no worse than our Myriad Wine Realm!" "Student Su Yu, what's the point of drinking? I have a beautiful puppet here that can transform whenever you want. You can turn her into whatever race you like..." "Vulgar! Student Su Yu isn't like you lot. Geniuses from Great Xia Prefecture are battle maniacs. Student Su Yu, I have a portable arena here! Toss it down, and it expands into a ring where you can spar anytime!" As the student spoke, he actually threw it onto the ground. An arena materialized, and he announced loudly, "This is top-quality stuff! It comes with a protective barrier that even a Tengkong cannot shatter! Of course, if Student Su Yu wants a custom, high-grade version, even a Shanhai won't break it!" "It can also serve as a defensive shield in the wild!" "Multifunctional! Good for fighting, good for self-defense, and if you need customization, we can add other special features!" "..." Su Yu stood there like a bumpkin from the countryside, staring blankly at the arena. *That works too?* He was genuinely intrigued. Just as his interest was sparked, someone yelled, "That's nothing special! Take a look at mine!" With a rustle, an enormous map unfurled in midair. "The Human Realm Exploration Map! It marks every city and location across the entire Human Realm. A super navigation system, an essential household item! Travel anywhere in the Human Realm and never lose your way!" *A fine item indeed!* Su Yu was about to speak when another voice cut in. "That's garbage! Who gets lost in the Human Realm? Look at mine—a super beast-trapping device! Toss it into the wild, and it immediately draws hordes of demons to fight over it..." "Cut the crap! That thing is only good for committing suicide!" "Nonsense! For a peerless combatant like Student Su Yu, this treasure is invaluable..." "Don't take it out!" *Boom!* Before the warning finished, over a dozen demonic beasts inside the academy suddenly bolted out, charging madly toward the sphere the student had retrieved, their eyes completely bloodshot. In midair, a Lingyun instructor bellowed furiously, "Put it away! Whoever you are, put it away right now! Do you want our Beast Taming College to flatten your Manufacturing College?" "..." Complete pandemonium. Su Yu slipped away quietly. Was this really the Great Ming Civilization Academy? It was utter chaos! And yet... it was genuinely fun. Those inventions were remarkably creative and intriguing. Honestly, if there hadn't been such a chaotic crowd, he would have bought several of them. That little sphere for attracting demonic beasts was actually a great tool. It was just a bit uncontrollable. If it lured over a powerful demon, things would get ugly. Of course, its current effect was modest, drawing only minor beasts, so the Water Person and Shadow concealed on Su Yu were unaffected. It was chaotic, but not the tense, hostile chaos of Great Xia Civilization Academy. It was vibrant and full of life. The students here were overflowing with vitality. Su Yu entered Great Ming Civilization Academy and walked forward inconspicuously. Along the way, he saw all manner of bizarre sights. Someone was planting flowers on academy grounds. Literally planting flowers. As Su Yu walked past, a flower suddenly snapped open its jaws, lunging to swallow him. The girl tending the plant scolded crossly, "I rented this plot of land! You're not allowed to walk here! I'm growing things—if you trample them, you'll have to pay!" Su Yu was speechless. He apologized and moved on swiftly. After walking a bit farther, he came upon a pond where someone was fishing. Spotting Su Yu, the fisher hailed him warmly. "Fellow student, care to fish? It trains willpower and arm strength! There's an Orange Fish Beast down there. When you hook it, you engage in a contest of willpower—it works even better than a text of will!" "..." Su Yu declined, looped around the pond, and continued on his way. Every sort of spectacle unfolded before his eyes. Great Ming Civilization Academy truly possessed boundless energy. He even saw several students tinkering with a colossal machine. It suddenly detonated, blowing the soot-covered students tumbling across the ground. Far from terrified, they were ecstatic, eagerly scrambling up to calibrate the next machine. He saw an old man wandering about—or so it seemed, until Su Yu looked closely and realized the elder was riding a pair of Wind-Fire Wheels, gliding at high speed. Catching sight of Su Yu, the old man chuckled. "Little friend, where are you headed? Care to buy a pair of Wind-Fire Wheels? Tour the entire Great Ming Prefecture in a single day!" "Thank you, but no need!" Su Yu politely declined. The old man paid it no mind, drifting away on his fiery wheels. ... Su Yu wiped away nonexistent sweat from his forehead. Great Ming Civilization Academy was truly amusing—so amusing that he wondered if it was an amusement park. Soon, a grand gate came into view. "Multiple Divine Characters Fusion Department College!" Several sweeping, vigorous characters were carved across the top. Before he could step through, a shout echoed from within. "Hurry! Big Round Ball had her cubs! Let's go see!" A few students came rushing out. The one in the lead ran so fast he nearly collided with Su Yu. Halting in his tracks, he looked at Su Yu and said hurriedly, "Fellow student, Big Round Ball had her cubs! Have you gone to see them?" "..." They were certainly energetic. While the Multiple Divine Characters Faction in Great Xia Prefecture lived under heavy grudges and misery, the students here were eager to watch a bear give birth. Su Yu felt a wave of helplessness. In a place like this, could he really recruit people to charge back into Great Xia Prefecture? "I haven't..." "Oh, well, we're going. Want to come along?" "No, thank you!" The students ignored him and resumed running. After a short distance, one of them wondered aloud, "Was that... Su Yu just now?" "Looked like him, right?" "Oh well. Once we're done looking at Big Round Ball, we can come back and see Su Yu. Nothing special about him anyway—he's staying here, so we can see him anytime. But Big Round Ball having cubs is a rare occasion!" "True enough!" The group dashed off, their voices carrying back quite clearly. Su Yu sighed, utterly drained. *Damn it, I'm treated worse than a bear beast.* He stepped past the courtyard gate into an environment of twittering birds, fragrant flowers, and tranquil stone bridges over babbling streams. After a short walk, a middle-aged woman approached with a smile. "Su Yu?" Su Yu bowed. "Greetings, Teacher!" This was an instructor. A Lingyun Realm expert. Su Yu could vaguely sense her aura. The middle-aged woman smiled. "Don't be so stiff, and don't be overly formal. There aren't many people in our Multiple Divine Characters Faction, so we're all familiar with one another. I am Huang Feng, third layer of the Lingyun Realm, and a junior researcher. Strictly speaking, we're of the same rank. The dean is already waiting for you." "Thank you, Teacher Huang!" Su Yu followed behind her. As they walked, Huang Feng remarked with a smile, "Do you find the Great Ming Civilization Academy very different from Great Xia?" "A bit." Huang Feng laughed. "That's normal. Great Xia Prefecture is full of battle maniacs fighting wars year after year. Here in Great Ming Prefecture, we rarely wage war. When conflict erupts, warriors take priority, and Civilization Masters generally don't go to the battlefield. "Whether you call it carefree living or forgetting that peril follows when war is neglected, Great Ming Prefecture has enjoyed peace for a very long time. Our definition of a civilization academy differs from Great Xia's. The same goes for our head. Head Niu is the founding head of the academy. When he established Great Ming Civilization Academy, he envisioned it as a place for research-oriented talent. Unless Great Ming faces grave danger, a Civilization Master's duty is creation, research, and deciphering! "Great Ming Civilization Academy is a support academy, not a combat academy!" Su Yu nodded. The division was clear. With the founding head still in place, his ideals set the tone from top to bottom, making the academy's current state entirely natural. "Thank you for clarifying, Teacher!" Huang Feng smiled. "However, as I said, peril follows when war is neglected! Head Niu is aware of this as well, which is why Great Ming Civilization Academy still maintains combat factions. The Divine Character Faction is a combat discipline, and the Multiple Divine Characters Faction is its backbone!" Su Yu nodded once more. Seeing his silence, Huang Feng said with a grin, "Are you thinking our Multiple Divine Characters Faction might not have much combat strength?" "No." Huang Feng laughed. "It's normal if you do. But what you see isn't the whole picture. In truth, the Multiple Divine Characters Faction is very formidable in battle! Even our dean isn't as weak as he looks... Years ago, Elder Hong from your Great Xia Prefecture came here for an academic exchange and sparred with the dean. Elder Hong lost." Su Yu was surprised and looked at Huang Feng with a touch of disbelief. Huang Feng chuckled. "It's true. If you don't believe me, ask anyone who knows. The Multiple Divine Characters Faction is a combat discipline, but that doesn't mean combat is its only path. Certain unique capabilities can also decide the outcome of a battle! The dean's primary divine character is a spatial divine character capable of inverting space and teleporting across vast distances. Elder Hong chased him for six hours until his physical energy, origin qi, and willpower were completely exhausted, and he was forced to concede!" "..." Su Yu asked in astonishment, "The dean wields a spatial divine character?" "Yes. Otherwise, he wouldn't have dreamed of researching a spatial transference formation. It was precisely because of this divine character that he began the project. Alas, it also held back his cultivation. Otherwise, he would probably be approaching the Sunmoon Realm by now." Huang Feng paused, then added with a smile, "Civilization Masters don't necessarily have to kill enemies with overwhelming force. If that were the only goal, why not walk the path of a warrior? The strength of a Civilization Master lies in mystery and endless variation. I saw the footage of your past battles—your innate blood essence with its myriad transformations represents the true methods of a Civilization Master! "Whereas Hong Tan, Bai Feng, Chen Yong, and many Civilization Masters in Great Xia have somewhat put the cart before the horse!" Huang Feng continued, "You might feel that Civilization Masters from Great Xia are stronger, but in an actual clash, that isn't necessarily true. At the same cultivation level, Great Xia's Civilization Masters won't always win. Of course, frequent fighting leads to rapid progress—that much is undeniable. Great Xia has twice as many Shanhai Realm Civilization Masters as we do, which is directly tied to their constant battles." Su Yu nodded slightly. Leading him onward, Huang Feng added, "I'm telling you this simply because what you learned and saw in Great Xia Prefecture might not represent the entirety of what a Civilization Master can be! Don't let a single leaf block your view of the whole forest. Don't assume Great Ming's Civilization Masters are truly fragile. Once you develop that impression, it will be hard for you to learn anything useful here!" Huang Feng took on a serious tone. "You didn't come to Great Ming Prefecture merely to seek refuge, did you? If you were only fleeing danger, you could return to Great Xia Prefecture right now. Great Xia wouldn't dare mistreat you anymore, and the Single Divine Character Faction would hardly dare target you again. You came to Great Ming Prefecture because you have your own aspirations and wish to gain something, correct?" Su Yu nodded. "You are right, Teacher." "Then you must see yourself clearly. Do not think that having killed a Lingyun means you can look down on everything." Huang Feng stated calmly, "Innate blood essence is an external aid, just as items created by other Civilization Masters are external aids. If you could kill a Lingyun, other Yangxing cultivators can too. For instance, right here at Great Ming Civilization Academy, someone specializes in poison divine characters, and a student once poisoned a Lingyun to death. Naturally, it lacked the blood-pumping spectacle of your direct kill, but is there any real difference between poisoning someone to death and overpowering them in direct combat?" Su Yu thought it over and shook his head. "None. The objective in both cases is to kill the opponent." "Correct!" Huang Feng smiled. "It's good that you recognize this. You aren't like some fools from Great Xia Prefecture who sneer the moment they arrive, dismissing everything as cheap tricks and heterodox paths. Those idiots believe only brute-force kills demonstrate true strength and talent... If someone can nurture a divine character capable of poisoning a Lingyun, is that not talent? Is that not strength? Why insist that only your way is orthodox?" Su Yu chimed in, "You speak the truth, Teacher. Rest assured, I know my place. I am still weak and would never underestimate anyone. Even a Yangxing cultivator could find a chance to kill me. I understand that well." Huang Feng chuckled. "Don't be excessively humble either. You are exceptionally strong—that is a plain fact! Outstanding talent and terrifying combat power are realities no one can deny. Having you join Great Ming Civilization Academy is something we genuinely welcome. Learning from one another and complementing each other's strengths is what everyone ought to do, rather than indulging in blind exclusion." With that, Huang Feng added, "Do you know why Great Ming Prefecture rarely participates in the struggle between the Single and Multiple Factions? Because our Civilization Masters are ostracized as a whole. Civilization Masters from other prefectures think we shirk our proper duties and do not view us as their peers in their hearts... "Since that's the case, Great Ming Prefecture is glad for the peace and quiet. We can't be bothered with them!" Su Yu asked in surprise, "Are the other prefectures mostly like Great Xia?" "Most of them, yes!" Huang Feng explained, "Even the Quest Realm, hailed as the holy ground of Civilization Masters, has focused not on research in recent years, but on combat. Combat capability has become the benchmark for a Civilization Master's prowess! But let me ask you: you developed the aperture fusion technique—does its value not rival that of a Shanhai cultivator?" Su Yu nodded. "I believe it does!" "That is what you believe. Yet in the eyes of the public, you remain a student in the Yangxing Realm. Have you been made an elder?" No. Su Yu remained silent. "An elder must at least be in the Shanhai Realm, or a Lingyun under exceptional circumstances. But what about you? Can you become an elder? Has anyone ever proposed running you for elder?" "No." "Why?" Huang Feng smiled. "Because your cultivation is insufficient! In many people's eyes, your aperture fusion technique is formidable, but you yourself are not strong enough! Therefore, you do not qualify! But in Great Ming Prefecture, you... have a chance!" Su Yu was startled. What did she mean? "Great Ming Prefecture follows some of the Quest Realm's rules, but not all of them. Our Head Niu occasionally dislikes those rules, so Great Ming Civilization Academy has honorary elders!" Huang Feng smiled. "If you can create more highly beneficial cultivation techniques and spread them so many people profit, you can become an honorary elder, enjoying the exact same privileges as an official elder. Granted, people outside Great Ming Prefecture might not recognize it, but Great Ming Prefecture will! "Currently, Great Ming Civilization Academy has fourteen official elders, but also eight honorary elders! "Their strength varies: some are Tengkong, some are Lingyun, and there is even a Yangxing!" "..." Su Yu was stunned. "A Yangxing?" "Yes!" Huang Feng chuckled. "Of course, he isn't young; he's nearly a hundred years old. He has no remarkable combat prowess and possesses weak cultivation—either of us could easily defeat him. Yet he made a monumental contribution. Thirty years ago, he invented the mount storage technique! That refers to the small boxes you saw. In the past, puppets were massive and inconvenient to carry, as were demonic beasts. Ever since he invented the mount storage technique, puppets can be condensed into smaller forms without the need for a storage ring or a spatial divine character. Mount technology spread rapidly across the entire Great Ming Prefecture... That is a true contribution! "Anyone can carry them, travel, train, and explore with great convenience. Do you think his contribution is small?" Su Yu shook his head. "It's immense! Seeing those mounts even tempted me." "Exactly. We rarely raise living mount beasts like Cloud-Galloping Horses or Earth Dragon Beasts—there's no need. Those creatures must be captured, fed, and tamed, whereas we don't have to bother." Su Yu marveled, "A Yangxing Realm... elder!" This truly broadened his horizons. "Does this elder actually have a voice in academy matters?" "Of course!" Huang Feng smiled. "At least within Great Ming Civilization Academy, he holds substantial sway. He gets a vote in the Elder Council meeting, just like all the honorary elders. They are treated no differently from Shanhai elders." Su Yu's eyes gleamed. "If I manage to produce something worthwhile, do I have a chance as well?" "Certainly!" Huang Feng laughed. "If your aperture fusion technique is popularized throughout Great Ming Prefecture, you can apply. As long as half the elders agree and the head approves, you can become an honorary elder. The aperture fusion technique is your stepping stone to knocking open the elder doors!" Su Yu swallowed hard. Being an elder was quite impressive. At the very least, it granted authority and the ability to have a say in the academy's affairs. To think Great Ming Prefecture had such rules! He hadn't come across this during his days of reading. "Teacher, does the academy have any rules prohibiting higher-tier experts from challenging lower-tier cultivators?" "None." "..." Su Yu stared in disbelief. Huang Feng said calmly, "No need for them! Rules exist to place restrictions on people, and some restrictions are unnecessary! If a higher-tier cultivator challenges you and you don't feel like dealing with it, just forfeit. Once you concede, who would waste their time troubling you further? For instance, if a Yangxing cultivator repeatedly insults a Shanhai, must the Shanhai simply endure it? Giving you a beating would be entirely reasonable. Would you go complain about the Shanhai for that and say he was in the wrong? "Such things rarely happen in the academy anyway. If someone challenges you, you can forfeit. If you were in the wrong, apologize, and the matter is settled. But if you stubbornly refuse to admit fault when you're clearly wrong and refuse to surrender, getting beaten is entirely your own fault!" Su Yu nodded. "Sometimes it's hard to judge who's right and wrong, though." "That's simple. The academy has an arbitration system." *Fair enough.* In the end, it still came down to rules, just with more humanity and less rigidity than Great Xia Prefecture. As they conversed, they arrived before a massive six-story building. *Xiansheng Research Institute!* It was remarkably straightforward. Was this his future research institute? Su Yu looked up, and right at that moment, Hu Xiansheng appeared. His expression was conflicted as he met Su Yu's appreciative gaze, his chest burning with grievance. *What are you looking at? This is mine—at least for now!*