The date of the examination for higher academies grew nearer with each passing day.
When Su Yu arrived at the academy the following morning, he could feel the palpable tension in the air.
Students in the prep class walked noticeably faster than the others, hurrying to and fro. The craze for single duels had vanished in an instant; at this point, no one was in the mood to fight anymore.
Su Yu originally intended to look for Liu Wenyan, but halfway there, he ran into someone he had never expected to see.
Xia Bing!
A squad leader of the Longwu Guards, and the head of the Longwu Guards stationed in Nanyuan.
Except for the period when the All-Races Sect had attacked and the Longwu Guards had been quartered at Nanyuan Academy, they were usually nowhere to be seen on campus. As for where they were actually stationed, few people in Nanyuan had any idea.
He was a powerful figure at the second stage of the Tengkong Realm, the exact same stage as City Lord Wu Wenhai.
Su Yu was well aware of how formidable the Longwu Guards were. He had once dreamed of joining them, and in truth, even now he still harbored a trace of that desire.
However, entering their ranks was extraordinarily difficult. Even his father had yearned for it for years without success.
When Su Yu spotted Xia Bing, Xia Bing naturally noticed him as well.
Hurrying past as usual, Xia Bing suddenly halted his steps.
He glanced sideways at Su Yu. Sensing his gaze, Su Yu stopped immediately and bowed. "Lord Xia."
Xia Bing gave a slight nod, scrutinizing him for a moment before an unusual expression crossed his face. "You've reached the eighth stage of the Kaiyuan Realm?"
Taken aback, Su Yu quickly answered, "I only just broke through yesterday."
"Very fast,"
Xia Bing commented. He then added, "I thought you would rapidly reach the seventh stage, but the eighth stage is somewhat beyond my expectations."
Su Yu was at a loss for how to respond. Had Xia Bing been paying attention to him?
He had never had any dealings with the man before.
Xia Bing was not one for smiles. He continued in an austere tone, "Bai Feng's Kaiyuan Art is half-baked at best. The fact that you could step into the eighth stage so quickly shows you have quite a good talent for the path of a warrior.
"I know your father. Over the past few years, he frequented our garrison, but he wasn't qualified to join the Longwu Guards."
Su Yu felt a bit awkward; this was hardly something easy to reply to.
Xia Bing paid no mind to his reaction and went on, "I also came from the Demon Suppression Army, though I enlisted later than your father. By the time he was discharged, I had just joined. Six years ago, I was transferred to the Longwu Guards to serve as the squad leader stationed in Nanyuan."
Su Yu remained silent. He had no idea why Xia Bing was telling him all this.
"Civilization academies aren't as wonderful as you imagine. They're full of internal friction, backstabbing, and mutual scheming. Until you reach Manifestation, you can never hold your head high.
"I don't like people from civilization academies. I prefer war academies, and I prefer the Longwu Guards... Of course, that has nothing to do with you."
Xia Bing spoke with a solemn expression. "Your father told me that since he couldn't join the Longwu Guards himself, he hoped his son would one day enter our ranks and continue fighting at the commander's side!
"You should consider Longwu War Academy. It's... far cleaner than a civilization academy!"
"My lord..."
Su Yu was stunned. Was Xia Bing trying to recruit him?
Xia Bing said calmly, "The Longwu Guards are stationed in every city and are also responsible for selecting candidates for the reserve! Previously, you didn't meet the qualifications, but now you do. Of course, this is merely a suggestion, nothing more.
"I shouldn't have said so much, but seeing as your father is a veteran of the Demon Suppression Army, I'll say a few extra words. Nowadays... civilization academies are much more complicated than in the past. There is no peace within their walls, only numerous competing factions. A bunch of people who were supposed to focus purely on scholarly research have developed too many competing agendas and personal ambitions, turning the whole place into an utter mess.
"Your teacher Liu Wenyan, Bai Feng who wants to take you as his student, and Bai Feng's teacher, Researcher Hong... they all belong to the same faction. The intricacies of their situation are far more complex than what I've described. In short, getting yourself dragged into it now won't do you the slightest bit of good."
Su Yu stood bewildered, at a complete loss. He whispered, "I don't quite understand what you mean, Lord Xia. I'm just an ordinary intermediate academy student who hasn't even taken the exams yet."
"You'll understand sooner or later!"
Xia Bing said resolutely, "Just remember one sentence: the Great Xia Prefecture is still the Great Xia Prefecture!"
With that, Xia Bing turned and strode away.
Su Yu sank into contemplation. After a moment, he let out a wry smile and continued on his way.
He truly could not comprehend Xia Bing's hidden meaning.
Of course, there was a warning implicit in Xia Bing's words: entering a civilization academy might not be a good thing, and Longwu War Academy would likely offer a far purer environment.
In the past, Su Yu would have been overjoyed by such advice.
Yet now, he had already resolved to enter the Great Xia Civilization Academy. When it came to cultivating willpower alone, a war academy could never compare to a civilization academy.
Moreover, Liu Wenyan had taught him for so long. Su Yu had always intended to enter a civilization academy from the start, holding back previously only out of concern that it would not help him improve his combat strength.
***
Inside the office.
This time, Liu Wenyan was not reading, but writing calligraphy. His handwriting was exceptionally beautiful—at least in Su Yu's eyes, looking a hundred times better than his own.
"Something on your mind?"
Liu Wenyan continued writing without looking up, yet he had clearly sensed Su Yu's hesitation.
"No, it's just... I ran into Squad Leader Xia on the way here..."
"Did he tell you to go to Longwu War Academy?"
"Yes."
"Pay him no mind."
Liu Wenyan showed no anger, only a hint of wistfulness. "Did he say the civilization academy isn't suitable for you, or perhaps that it has lost its original character?"
"Well..."
"It's fine. It's not the first time he's said something like that. In fact, many in the Longwu Guards hold the same opinion."
Liu Wenyan said calmly, "He wasn't lying either; civilization academies are indeed somewhat different from how they used to be. After the fifth-generation principal fell and the sixth-generation principal took over, the academy entered a period of rapid development. Along the way, that inevitably brought about some negative consequences.
"Fifty years ago, the civilization academy was not as powerful as it is today, but it was also nowhere near as chaotic.
"That is inevitable. Once people grow strong, other ambitions naturally creep in.
"Internal friction, intrigue, clashes of interest... these are trials one must pass through, and in their own way, they are a form of tempering. Only those who can rise above such an environment can become truly formidable."
Su Yu furrowed his brows. "Teacher, is the civilization academy really that chaotic?"
"Not excessively so; things remain largely under control. Of course, beneath the surface, petty disputes and friction are inevitable."
Liu Wenyan looked up at him, studying the student with whom he was quite satisfied, and spoke in a steady voice, "The Longwu Guards harbor some dissatisfaction toward the civilization academy, which originates from Prefect Xia."
"Huh?"
Su Yu asked in astonishment, "Prefect Xia... is dissatisfied with the Great Xia Civilization Academy?"
"In a manner of speaking."
Liu Wenyan gave a light sigh. "This is still rather far removed from you, so there's no real need to dwell on it. But since Xia Bing brought it up, I'll say a few words. As for Prefect Xia... it isn't my place to judge him, yet everyone across the prefecture shares the same impression of him: iron-blooded, mighty, and stubborn!
"Those three words sum up Prefect Xia."
"Stubborn?"
Catching the key word, Su Yu asked quickly, "What do you mean by stubborn?"
"Literally that."
Liu Wenyan set down his brush. "It isn't necessarily derogatory, but some of Prefect Xia's political views have clashed with many others. Back on the All-Heavens Battlefield, his actions drew considerable opposition."
"Why?"
"Too unyielding. On the All-Heavens Battlefield, where myriad races vie for supremacy, certain races are archenemies that must be eliminated without mercy! Yet other races can be courted, divided, or at least persuaded to remain neutral."
Liu Wenyan shook his head and sighed. "However, while Prefect Xia commanded the Demon Suppression Army, he led his forces in ambushing and annihilating armies from several different races. This caused several previously neutral races to turn hostile toward humanity. As a result, he was relieved of his post, and command of the Demon Suppression Army was taken from his hands."
Su Yu hesitated, but soon made up his mind and spoke up, "Teacher, those so-called neutral races are merely sitting on the mountaintop watching tigers fight! The moment humanity shows weakness, they'll swarm forward to carve up our territory! I've heard my father recount several of the Demon Suppression Army's major victories, and in my view, those races deserved to be killed!"
"You aren't the only one who thinks that way," Liu Wenyan chuckled softly. "Many people support Xia Longwu, including countless soldiers in the front-line legions. I'm not saying what Xia Longwu did was wrong, only that... having differing opinions within humanity is perfectly normal, wouldn't you say?"
Liu Wenyan smiled at his student. Having independent judgment was a good thing; blindly agreeing with others without thinking for oneself was what was truly harmful.
"Human nature is diverse, and you cannot force everyone to share a single will. No one can say Prefect Xia's methods were outright wrong, but one must acknowledge that they caused more wars to break out than before, with regional conflicts flaring up faster and far more violently."
Su Yu countered, "At the very least, it intimidated a portion of those neutral races!"
"True enough,"
Liu Wenyan agreed with a nod. "Let us set that aside for now; after all, that is a matter for the front lines. The reason Prefect Xia harbors some dissatisfaction toward the civilization academy is that a contingent within the academy proposed a certain initiative... In the spirit of knowing oneself and knowing one's enemy, they suggested opening the civilization academy to the myriad races!"
"What?"
Su Yu was shaken!
"Admitting students from the myriad races!"
Liu Wenyan said in a grave voice, "The current principal of the civilization academy is indeed a capable man! Back then, he proposed that rather than having humans grope around in the dark to decipher the civilizations of other races, it would be far better to invite those civilizations directly into our academy. Who could understand their own civilization better than the races themselves?
"'Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated in a hundred battles!' Let them decipher their own texts; let them contribute their own civilizational heritage..."
Su Yu blurted out, "Doesn't that mean we would have to open human civilization to them as well?"
"Yes!"
Liu Wenyan said solemnly, "The myriad races aren't fools; why would they hand humanity the methods to counter them for nothing? While humanity wants what they possess, they also want to gain a deeper understanding of humans.
"Thus, it is a double-edged sword, which is why it has never been successfully implemented over all these years. Many oppose it, just as many support it.
"Prefect Xia refused to agree, which sparked disagreements.
"Prefect Xia even... Well, never mind, there's no need to mention that."
Su Yu grew anxious. Stopping halfway through a story was unbearable!
"Teacher, what did Prefect Xia do?"
Seeing his impatience, Liu Wenyan chuckled. "This... is hard to speak of. You could consider it a dark chapter in our history. Once you arrive at the Great Xia Civilization Academy, whatever you do, don't ever bring it up."
"Yes, absolutely!"
Smiling, Liu Wenyan then shook his head. "Twelve years ago, the Great Xia Civilization Academy raised this proposal once more. At that time, Prefect Xia did not make an appearance, and the prefectural leadership remained silent throughout.
"The current principal assumed that his silence meant tacit approval.
"So, he reached out to several smaller races to make an initial trial, admitting a few of their students into the Great Xia Civilization Academy...
"And what happened? Not long after those students arrived, fighting broke out on the All-Heavens Battlefield. Prefect Xia led the Longwu Guards in a lightning raid against those smaller races, directly razing their home bases to the ground and seizing massive quantities of cultivation techniques, secret manuals, and other resources.
"Prefect Xia never set foot in the civilization academy himself. Instead, he had the Longwu Guards deliver over ten thousand captured books straight to our doors... His message was crystal clear: 'Whatever you painstakingly beg for, I would rather take directly on the battlefield!'"
Liu Wenyan sighed with emotion. "With that single strike, the plan to enroll students from the myriad races was completely shattered! They sent their students, and you destroyed their homeland—would anyone else dare come after that? Could they even come?
"What the current principal had spent years networking and negotiating to achieve was wiped out in an instant."
Listening to this, Su Yu felt an unexpected surge of fiery blood rush through him. He said in a low voice, "Isn't... isn't that wonderful?"
*Whatever I want, I will seize it myself!*
*Far better to take it directly than to beg through winding compromises!*
"I didn't say it was bad, but it certainly provoked widespread apprehension," Liu Wenyan said softly. "Humanity cannot stand alone against all the myriad races at once. Su Yu, you must understand this truth.
"Small and weak races can all be won over.
"The ones contacted back then were precisely those who could be swayed to our side. Yet they were wiped out, leaving other small races fearing for their own survival!
"Once you drive them into the enemy's camp, a single race might be no match for humanity, but what if ten or a hundred band together?
"You cannot slaughter them all!"
Su Yu nodded slightly. He understood that logic as well, yet he could not deny that Xia Longwu's actions were thoroughly exhilarating.
"And so, friction arose!"
Liu Wenyan sighed. "Prefect Xia is unyielding. He believes that rolling heads are far more effective at deterring the myriad races! But many others felt that doing so only made humanity's plight even more perilous. Fortunately, Prefect Xia was subsequently ordered not to appear on the All-Heavens Battlefield again, which finally pacified the anger of many smaller races."
Indignant, Su Yu said, "So Prefect Xia can't step onto the All-Heavens Battlefield anymore? Isn't that just tying our own hands?"
"Not necessarily,"
Liu Wenyan laughed softly. "It was merely a concession and compromise made by the experts on the front lines, primarily to soothe the anxieties of those smaller races. In reality... if Prefect Xia truly wanted to go, so long as he didn't make a grand spectacle of it, who would pry?
"Who would leave a top-tier powerhouse idle in the rear to retire?
"Besides... it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. It gave him time to polish his cultivation realm. Back then, his advancement had been too rapid; only by balancing tension with relaxation could he take that next crucial step forward."
Liu Wenyan explained, "This was by no means a bad thing, and Prefect Xia knew it himself. Otherwise, with his temperament, do you really think he would be so obedient, staying in the Great Xia Prefecture just because he was told to?"
Chuckling, Liu Wenyan continued, "If you think that, you're grossly underestimating our Prefect. Though he hasn't openly gone to the All-Heavens Battlefield much over these past years, that doesn't mean he hasn't been there at all. The All-Heavens Battlefield is vast; who could possibly keep eyes on him at all times? The Longwu Guards also appear there frequently, and the Prefectural Army is often mobilized for combat drills. That is why the Great Xia Prefecture's fighting strength stands at the very pinnacle among all the prefectures!"
Su Yu nodded silently, finally beginning to grasp what Xia Bing had meant earlier.
Exhaling softly, Liu Wenyan added, "Just listen to these matters and let them pass. Not to mention you, not even Bai Feng or his teacher has the standing to meddle in them. This is a game played on an entirely different level, and it has little to do with us.
"Xia Bing believes you have some talent and worries you'll be corrupted by going to a civilization academy. But in truth... I rather hope you are influenced by it."
Liu Wenyan said slowly, "Life presents countless facets, and every corner of it serves as tempering! A pure environment suits a soldier; the military demands purity. However... a true expert must be worldly and knowledgeable! If you never witness the ugliness of human nature, if you never experience conspiracies and schemes, if you never navigate backstabbing and intrigue, then once you reach the battlefield, a single minor plot might spell your doom.
"What Xia Bing fails to understand is this: if Prefect Xia truly found civilization academies so intolerable, why hasn't he suppressed them instead of allowing them to continue growing stronger?
"He may be stubborn, but he is certainly no fool. The Great Xia Prefecture needs diverse voices to foster powerhouses of different disciplines. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many experts from civilization academies serving across the major legions, commanding troops in battle."
Su Yu nodded once more, understanding dawning on him.
Of course, he was still weak and ordinary. For now, he was merely listening as an outsider to these profound high-level struggles; if he were to experience them firsthand, his feelings and perspectives might be entirely different.
"Teacher, my father is in the Demon Suppression Army... will he be in any danger from this?"
"No. There are multiple Invincible powerhouses overseeing the front lines. Who would dare target the Demon Suppression Army there?"
Liu Wenyan shook his head. "Infighting is confined strictly to the rear. The front lines are our lifeline! No one dares stir up factional strife there; things are far purer on the front. War is war. Even if people in the rear tear each other to shreds, orders must be strictly obeyed on the front lines!
"Even for someone like Prefect Xia, unless he acts alone in secret, any large-scale legion maneuver on the front must be reported to the Invincible powerhouses and receive their authorization before the troops can march."
Su Yu's eyes flickered slightly. "Then the ambushes launched by the Longwu Guards and the Demon Suppression Army against those various races... were authorized?"
"Naturally,"
Liu Wenyan said with a beaming smile. "Did you think Prefect Xia would dare ignite such conflicts entirely on his own without permission? Many among the Invincible powerhouses support him as well."
"I see!"
Su Yu breathed a sigh of relief. He had suddenly worried that Xia Longwu might be singled out and targeted, but now that he thought about it... he was truly worrying over nothing!
He was merely at the Kaiyuan Realm, yet here he was fretting over a powerhouse of prefectural stature—he must have lost his mind.
"Let's speak no more of this,"
Liu Wenyan said with a smile. "Whatever you need to know, you will learn in time. What you shouldn't know will do you no good anyway, serving only to disturb your peace of mind.
"You've reached the eighth stage of the Kaiyuan Realm; I can already sense the fluctuations of yuanqi around you. It seems your progress has been swift."
Liu Wenyan was exceedingly pleased. "Prepare yourself. This afternoon, I will transcribe a willpower text for you—the Qianjun Chapter of the Thunder Yuan Saber! Spend this morning reading through the translation to familiarize yourself with the material."
Su Yu was overjoyed. "Teacher, a martial technique?"
"A martial technique,"
Liu Wenyan replied calmly, observing his delight. "However, you might not gain much from it, or even if you do, the gains may be minimal. After all, you have only opened eight apertures, which is far too few. Even if you learn it, you might not be able to execute it properly, as the Thunder Yuan Saber mobilizes a great many apertures."
"Yes, I understand!"
Su Yu nodded vigorously, unable to suppress his excitement. He knew full well the extraordinary benefits of a willpower text—that immersive method of instruction offered an experience that was night and day compared to standard study.
Of course, this also required the transcriber to possess an exceptionally deep mastery of the martial technique. Otherwise, the written text would only reflect the transcriber's shallow insights; if their understanding was lacking, any comprehension gained from it would be utterly useless.
Chapter 35