Let's All Be a Little Sincere

Gaze after gaze turned toward him. In that moment, mature as Su Yu was compared to his peers, he still felt an uncomfortable prickle. What was this? Could Nanyuan produce no geniuses? This was Nanyuan's examination! Nanyuan was not bereft of talent, nor was everyone in Nanyuan good-for-nothing. Nanyuan was only weak because its yuanqi was too sparse to support cultivation. Which of his classmates at the academy hadn't trained with all their might? Who among them hadn't worked tirelessly? Even a blockhead like Chen Hao cultivated seven or eight hours every single day. The only thing holding them back was their environment, nothing else! Though sourness stirred inside him, Su Yu let none of it show. He knew arguing would change nothing, and no one would pity them. Nanyuan was weak... and that was Nanyuan's own problem. Who told you to be born in Nanyuan? Was the environment in the Great Xia Prefecture not good? Why didn't you go there yourselves? "Why don't they eat meat porridge?" Perhaps this was precisely that. Su Yu suppressed his irritation. He truly disliked how these people constantly said... even small places could produce geniuses. "Small place" was a phrase that never left their lips. Even if meant kindly, it still made Su Yu uncomfortable. Nanyuan was his hometown. People from Nanyuan could curse Nanyuan themselves, but hearing outsiders repeatedly lecture them with condescension grated on his nerves. The examiners' glances might not have held malice, yet Su Yu felt as if a fishbone were stuck in his throat. "This is my first time riding a demonic beast..." Pushing down his emotions, Su Yu put on a smile and said, "If I make any mistakes, please bear with me!" With those words, Su Yu sprang off the ground. With a heavy thud, he landed square on the back of the massive Cloud-Galloper Horse! Gripping the long fur on its back, Su Yu slapped the steed hard, and the Cloud-Galloper Horse bolted into a sprint! Su Yu sat rock-steady, letting the Cloud-Galloper Horse gallop wild while keeping his legs clamped tight. The horse quickly completed a lap, but showed no signs of stopping. Off to the side, several examinees muttered in low voices, "The Cloud-Galloper Horse looks spooked. It's moving too fast. If he can't bring it to a steady stop, that won't count as a complete pass, right?" Overhearing them, an examiner immediately chimed in, "Of course. Failing to stop smoothly will definitely cost points!" Just as the words left the examiner's mouth, Su Yu patted the beast's neck lightly. The galloping Cloud-Galloper Horse ground to a swift halt, its four legs slightly buckling. Su Yu hopped down from its back and chuckled. "That was fairly simple. I was just a little startled seeing one for the first time earlier." While the examinees didn't react much, several examiners couldn't help staring at Su Yu. Old Xie's eyes flickered, but he said nothing. Unnoticed, the team leader from the Great Xia War Academy had walked over. He glanced at Su Yu, a faint smile surfacing on his stern face. Old Xie noticed him too, grinning as his lips twitched. "Descendant of the Demon Suppression Army. Nothing to do with you!" The leader from the Great Xia War Academy didn't mind in the least. He said calmly, "He's merely seen blood, nothing special. The Great Xia War Academy has no shortage of such people. Only you folks at Longwu treat them like treasures. Let's wait and see!" Earlier, the Cloud-Galloper Horse had grown somewhat panicked during its sprint, and Su Yu's qi and blood had surged in response. There was a world of difference between someone who had killed and someone who hadn't. In that brief moment, Su Yu had likely harbored the intent to slaughter the spooked beast. The Cloud-Galloper Horse was a demonic beast after all, so it naturally sensed the mortal danger and promptly halted. The examinees didn't grasp what had happened, but the examiners could see through it. After making his remark, the leader from the Great Xia War Academy chuckled. "Stage Eight of the Kaiyuan Realm is quite impressive for Nanyuan! But from the sound of it, you think he can achieve high-tier status?" Old Xie beamed. "Even if he makes high tier, it still has nothing to do with you!" "Xie Qi, you don't need to constantly needle me," the middle-aged man chuckled softly. "Longwu sees us as a rival, but the Great Xia War Academy has never considered Longwu its rival!" Old Xie scoffed, grinning. "Once we take you down, we'll take down the Civilization Academies! Look at yourselves—trash! For hundreds of years, war always suppressed civilization. And now? The path of war has fallen into decline in your hands. How dare you talk like that?" The middle-aged man frowned slightly. "If Longwu Academy hadn't fought us for recruits and resources all these years, and if the Prefecture Lord hadn't favored you while undermining the Great Xia War Academy, would the Civilization Academies ever have had the chance to rise?" "Incapable yourself, yet you blame others!" Old Xie sneered disdainfully. "Don't you know why Longwu Academy was established back then? You were lifeless, your results worsened year by year, your experts dwindled, and you squandered massive resources while failing to bridge the generational gap. With no new talent emerging from the younger generation, your academy should have been shut down instead of being given another chance!" "Go say that to Linghai Tower!" "And what if I do?" Old Xie retorted, refusing to back down. "Bite me! All you can do is use the older generation to suppress us! That was three hundred years of accumulated legacy from the Great Xia Prefecture, not what you achieved over the past few decades!" "Just wait! The latest generations of students at Longwu Academy are no worse than yours. The title of Number One War Academy in Great Xia will soon change hands! As for your 'Great Xia War Academy'... drop the words 'Great Xia' and rename yourselves the Trash War Academy!" The middle-aged man fixed Old Xie with a sharp glare, but Old Xie glared right back without flinching. After a moment, the middle-aged man huffed, "You think he can reach high tier, but I think there's no hope! I looked at his scores. His earlier evaluations went well: 250 points in total, plus 50 points for beast-riding and 100 bonus merit points, making it 400 points." "That leaves three tests: the Stage Eight fundamentals, archery, and combat, worth a total of 200 points. Only by getting full marks in all three will he barely squeak into high tier." Old Xie laughed. "Why couldn't he get full marks?" "In archery? Full marks?" The middle-aged man said indifferently, "How many times has he even held a bow? Nanyuan Academy's foundation is mediocre to begin with, and its teaching results are just as average. Are you sure he can get a perfect score?" Old Xie wasn't sure either, but at this moment he couldn't yield an inch. He grinned and said, "I think he'll do just fine!" The two traded looks. The middle-aged man couldn't be bothered with him—stubborn as a mule to the bitter end! The next moment, Old Xie suddenly shouted, "Su Yu! This fellow from the Great Xia War Academy looks down on you! He says there's a hundred percent chance you won't make high tier! Can we military folk swallow that insult? In the archery test coming up, shoot a perfect score and show him what you've got!" Su Yu glanced at the two men, seeing the hostile sparks flying between their gazes. An idea struck him, and he asked, "Teacher, are there any preferential reward policies for high-tier students?" "Hmm?" Old Xie paused, then said, "Once you enter an academy, there are rewards of course, and the training resources differ..." "I mean, just for the entrance examination itself. Is there a reward for scoring into high tier?" Old Xie's eyes darted about, and he smiled. "Our Longwu doesn't have such a policy. Of course, the Great Xia War Academy is filthy rich and squanders who knows how much in resources every year. If you score high tier, the Great Xia War Academy probably wouldn't mind tossing you a few hundred drops of yuanqi liquid for free." "..." The tense, blade-drawn atmosphere vanished in an instant. The middle-aged man from the Great Xia War Academy shot Old Xie a sidelong glance and said flatly, "Xie Qi, if you have so much confidence, why don't you dig into your own pockets? Coming to Nanyuan as a chief examiner earns you 50 merit points and five drops of Tengkong Realm blood essence, if I remember correctly. How about you bleed a little to motivate a young student?" "..." Old Xie cursed internally. *I don't have any money!* *I'm a pauper!* Although Longwu Academy was backed by Xia Longwu, its resources truly couldn't compare to the Great Xia War Academy. The latter was a big brother with centuries of history; the two were on completely different levels. But on second thought... Su Yu probably had no hope of making high tier anyway, right? After all, he was still far off! He needed full marks across the board; the slightest mistake would dock a few points. With so many people watching right now, could Longwu Academy afford to lose face? With that in mind, Old Xie chuckled and said, "I'm poor, not like you who rake in money so fast and plentifully. Tell you what, Su Yu: if you reach high tier, I'll gift you 10 merit points as a celebration. Descendants of the Demon Suppression Army are all family, so there's nothing to be stingy about." "..." *Miser!* At that moment, quite a few people scoffed in their heads. Su Yu had very little chance of entering high tier, yet this guy was still so stingy. Were 10 merit points... really that much? Besides, there was a ninety-nine percent chance he wouldn't even have to pay up. Couldn't he promise a bit more right now to save face for Longwu? Old Xie immediately changed the subject: "I'll give you 10 merit points, and this guy here will give you 10 merit points. Both out of our own pockets. Whoever tries to expense it to their academy is a coward—how about that?" "..." The middle-aged man couldn't be bothered to respond, but Old Xie took his silence as tacit consent. In truth, Old Xie didn't expect much either. Just having a bit of fun with a joke. Yet at that moment, Su Yu asked earnestly, "Do you mean what you said, Teacher?" "..." Old Xie was struck speechless. Did this kid seriously expect to pocket those 20 merit points? "Of course! It's just 10 merit points. Anything more would take my old life, but for this much, I can earn it back by slaying a Wanshi Realm expert. Would I lie to you?" Su Yu nodded and fell silent. He calculated mentally. All right, if he couldn't get full marks on the other subjects, he would just find a way to break through to Stage Nine of the Kaiyuan Realm in the remaining time! He was only a tiny hair away from it anyway. Just a sliver. Stage Nine of the Kaiyuan Realm—even if he had just broken through and couldn't get the full 50 points, surely he could get 30 points, right? In that case, making high tier would be quite simple. ... The little episode quickly passed. It wasn't a big deal, just some examiners who didn't see eye to eye. Su Yu and the examinees who had finished continued following Old Xie and the others toward the next testing ground. Wu Lan, who hadn't spoken to Su Yu this whole time, suddenly paused. Waiting for Su Yu to catch up, she asked, "Do you want to apply to a War Academy?" "I'll decide after the exams." Su Yu found this odd. He didn't know her, though outside the examination hall earlier, that group had gathered to observe him. Moreover, she possessed willpower, so she was likely connected to Bai Feng's circle. "If you don't intend to apply to a War Academy, there's no need to steal the limelight right now," Wu Lan said seriously. "War Academies and Civilization Academies have never gotten along. Showing off so conspicuously in the War Academy exam is completely unnecessary... If the Civilization Academies find out..." Su Yu paused, then chuckled. "If they find out, are they going to give me a hard time?" "Not necessarily, but who knows." Su Yu truly laughed. "Are Civilization Academies really that petty? Unable to stomach an applicant performing well on an exam? If that's true... only a fool would attend a Civilization Academy! If it's rotten to the core, anyone who goes there is an idiot! If things are really like that, of course I'll go to a War Academy!" He found it genuinely laughable. "Did you make that up yourself, or is that actually the case? If it's true, I advise you not to go either. What's the point of attending an academy like that? We haven't even enrolled yet, and people would think you shouldn't attend a Civilization Academy just because you performed well... How rotten! How did the Great Xia Civilization Academy end up like this? It's so far from what I imagined. When something is rotten to the root, it's beyond saving. Why don't you skip going too?" Wu Lan was tongue-tied. After a long while, she stammered, "That's not what I meant. I'm saying... anyway, your name is already on their radar over at the Civilization Academy, and some people dislike you..." "Does that include you?" "I... I don't!" Wu Lan said with a frosty face, "I only came to see what kind of student Assistant Bai Feng wanted to take in! I don't care about his student slot in the slightest!" Su Yu chuckled, unfazed, and asked again, "Is what you just said true? If I perform well here, will someone be displeased?" "I don't know, it's just a guess... well, not entirely a guess. If you do well, an instructor might advise you to enter a War Academy. For instance, if you achieve high tier here, teachers might recommend the War Academy to you, which leaves you with fewer choices." "Why?" "Teaching students in accordance with their aptitudes. Also, it frees up a slot. Besides, many people know Assistant Bai Feng wants to take you as a student. If you can't enter the Civilization Academy, how can he take you? People will be waiting to laugh at him." Wu Lan said calmly, "If a teacher recommends you go and you refuse, insisting on going to the Civilization Academy, in other people's eyes, you simply don't know your own limits. When your performance in the War Academy evaluation is so outstanding, why insist on entering a Civilization Academy? A student who can't see themselves clearly isn't worth accepting." "What if my performance in the Civilization Academy exam is just as outstanding?" Wu Lan gave him an odd look. "Do you think reaching high tier in the Civilization Academy is that easy? Getting high tier in a War Academy is actually easier than in a Civilization Academy, and luck plays a big part in it. The Civilization Academy truly tests raw strength and ability." "I think my ability is quite strong!" Su Yu was neither polite nor modest. He said earnestly, "For an examination like the Civilization Academy's that doesn't rely on luck, I believe I'll do even better!" "..." Wu Lan suddenly lost all desire to talk to him and walked straight off. ... As they talked, they arrived at the archery testing ground. Old Xie had tagged along as well. In truth, he didn't need to come at this point, but he kept following them anyway. As he walked, he explained, "This tests your strength and mindset. There are targets at 50 meters, 100 meters, and 300 meters—stationary targets. Hitting the bullseye at 50 meters gives 5 points, at 100 meters 15 points, and at 300 meters 30 points. If your fundamentals are solid, 20 points are in the bag, but the final 30 points are somewhat tricky." "You have three chances per target. If an arrow hits the target off-center, partial points are awarded as appropriate." "Only your best shot per distance counts!" "In other words, out of nine arrows, you need at least three arrows to hit the bullseyes of the three different targets to get a perfect score!" Finishing his explanation, Old Xie looked at Su Yu and asked with a grin, "Su Yu, do you practice much here in Nanyuan?" "Very little. Once a week, and at most on 100-meter targets." Su Yu answered honestly. It was the truth; Nanyuan rarely let anyone practice on 300-meter targets. There was no point. It required substantial arm strength, and someone at Stage Three of the Kaiyuan Realm might not even be able to draw a heavy war bow. Old Xie gave a light cough, perhaps masking a smirk. Su Yu suspected as much. This fellow probably just didn't want to pay up those 10 merit points. Shameless! Just as they were speaking, someone called out to Su Yu. Not far off, Chen Hao shouted excitedly, "Ah Yu, you're here too! You're so slow—you only got here now? I thought you were already done testing..." The fellow scampered over, grinning from ear to ear. "How are you slower than me? Did you take too long listening to the manual?" Su Yu thought for a moment and said earnestly, "No, I finished listening very quickly and probably got full marks. Then I took the Kaiyuan Stages Six and Seven exam and got 80 points, and after that I took the riding test and likely scored 50 points. So I took two more tests than you and should be 130 points ahead of you right now, assuming you took as many tests as I did earlier..." Chen Hao's steps slowed to a halt, despair washing over his face. Ah Yu had already completed several more tests than him! He had been quite thrilled a moment ago thinking Ah Yu wasn't testing as quickly as him, since he'd been here for a while before Ah Yu even showed up! And yet... the extra points Ah Yu scored on those additional tests alone were probably higher than Chen Hao's entire total! This was just bullying! Chen Hao slumped in dejection, while Su Yu chuckled. "Did you finish archery?" "Not yet." Chen Hao grumbled, "I just got here too. I ran over when I saw you." "How did your earlier tests go?" "The three fundamental tests should... pass, I think?" Chen Hao was uncertain, but quickly added, "For the first three stages of Kaiyuan, don't you have to smell and taste things? I probably wrote mostly correct answers. You know I eat a lot, so I can tell them apart. And the listening test for Stages Four and Five... should be mostly right too, probably?" Chen Hao sounded completely unconfident. "They should be right! Even the invigilating teacher said I wrote well!" "Really?" Su Yu didn't buy it. An examiner praising you? "Really! The teacher said that even if some parts were wrong, he might not be able to tell. If he couldn't tell anything was wrong, doesn't that mean there are no mistakes?" Chen Hao nodded in all seriousness. Su Yu pondered this for a moment before sudden comprehension dawned. *You took that as a compliment?* The examiner probably meant his handwriting was so hideous that even if an answer was wrong, no one could decipher it to tell! Su Yu was caught between laughter and tears. He nodded and said, "That's good then. You haven't taken the riding test yet, right? Once archery is done, go take it immediately. It's just a few big horses. Don't be scared; just get on and ride. If it disobeys, imagine roasting it for dinner. Horses bully cowards, so just don't back down!" "Got it." Chen Hao hadn't seen the Cloud-Galloper Horses yet, so he didn't pay it much mind. A slightly bigger horse was no big deal. He often rode horses at the academy; he was far more active than Su Yu and enjoyed that sort of thing. While they were talking, an examiner over there shouted, "That student over there, get over here! It's your turn. Are you trying to forfeit?" Chen Hao hurried over, while Su Yu was still waiting in line. Chen Hao had practiced archery longer than Su Yu. He disliked reading and spent any spare time honing his skills in the training room. With a bow in hand, he drew the string and let fly without hesitation! *Twang!* A dead-center hit on the bullseye at 50 meters! Su Yu had keen eyesight and could see clearly over such a distance. When drawing a bow, Chen Hao lost all traces of foolishness, looking intensely focused. He drew the bowstring again, and the second arrow whistled through the air! At 100 meters, another dead bullseye! "Not bad!" Old Xie nodded slightly, smiling. "His cultivation might be lacking, but his fundamentals are rock-solid!" For the third arrow, Chen Hao hadn't opened his eye apertures, so aiming at a bullseye 300 meters away without any scope proved difficult. With the bow fully drawn, sweat seeped from Chen Hao's forehead as he held the release. His stamina was straining, yet Chen Hao continued seeking his moment, judging the position of the bullseye and gauging the wind. Though he was only at Stage Five of the Kaiyuan Realm, his physique was robust; even after holding the draw for a while, the bow didn't tremble. Su Yu could see the sweat rolling down Chen Hao's brow. He felt a pang of tension, worried Chen Hao might expend too much energy and hinder his subsequent exams. *Twang!* With a shudder of displaced air, the arrow shot forth and slammed into the distant target with a thud. "Off the bullseye, hit target body, minus 10 points!" Old Xie muttered the result. Su Yu breathed a sigh of relief. The fellow had done well—scoring 40 points in archery was far higher than he had expected. Over by the range, Chen Hao showed no frustration; instead, he looked thrilled. Turning toward Su Yu, he bared his teeth in a wide, triumphant grin. He hadn't expected the third shot to hit at all. Walking away with 20 points from it was a massive gain! ... Soon, it was Su Yu's turn. Su Yu could see the 50-meter target crystal clear. Bow in hand, he drew and fired, striking the 50-meter bullseye effortlessly. The 100-meter target met the same fate. For Su Yu, even without actively channeling willpower, it heightened his spatial perception, allowing him to hit the bullseye with ease. At 300 meters, things grew tricky. Like Chen Hao, Su Yu drew his bow and assessed the shot for a moment, but he didn't break a sweat—Stage Eight of the Kaiyuan Realm was not for show. With a hum, the arrow took flight. Old Xie stared intently. The next moment, he looked partly relieved and partly disappointed. "What a pity! Just missed by a hair—he'll probably lose three to five points." It hadn't struck the bullseye, straying less than a centimeter wide. Depending on the exact deviation, roughly three points would likely be deducted. With that, Su Yu had no hope of reaching high tier. On one hand, Old Xie felt relieved that he wouldn't have to part with 10 merit points; on the other hand, he felt regretful. If Su Yu couldn't achieve high tier, his treatment upon entering an academy would be much worse. Still, with bonus points for willpower once he enrolled, he ought to qualify for high tier eventually, right? Beside Su Yu, several visiting examinees watched. Seeing him miss the bullseye, some looked regretful, while others breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed this student from Nanyuan wasn't all that terrifying after all. Back in the Great Xia Prefecture, perfect archery scores were hardly rare. Su Yu felt little regret; if anything, he felt more at ease. At least it had hit the target. He had practiced far too little and was relying purely on opened eye apertures and the aid of willpower to land the shot. In truth, he wasn't as good as Chen Hao, who had hit the mark through genuine skill. "No chance for high tier now!" Old Xie looked at Su Yu, sounding wistful. Su Yu smiled, entirely unruffled. Stage Nine of the Kaiyuan Realm was just a sliver away. After opening the album and cultivating with blood essence for more than ten consecutive days, he had felt on the verge of breaking through the ninth aperture earlier. However, his blood essence was nearly depleted, so he hadn't pushed further. But right now... with 20 merit points up for grabs, why wouldn't he cultivate! Yuanqi liquid sold outside for 100,000 coins a drop, yet cost only 5 merit points to exchange. Su Yu still had 7 merit points saved up, rewarded from assisting in slaying the Wanshi Realm expert and killing that Qianjun Realm cultist, which he hadn't touched yet. "Teacher Xie, is the upcoming combat test held together with the Kaiyuan Stage Eight evaluation?" "Yes," Old Xie nodded. "At Stage Eight of the Kaiyuan Realm, one possesses real combat power. Thus, the combat evaluation for Stage Eight differs from other students. Other students only need to demonstrate martial techniques, but Stage Eight students must engage in actual combat under examiner supervision. Five examiners will be present to score you, and the average score will be your combat mark." Su Yu gave a slight nod. Beside him, Wu Lan suddenly spoke up: "Do you want to take first place in Nanyuan's War Academy examination? I'm likely the only other Stage Eight here. Since I'm not taking it, you're practically guaranteed first place even without competing. Don't waste too much physical strength. If you get injured... it will affect your Civilization Academy examination this afternoon." For Stage Eight of the Kaiyuan Realm, only she and Su Yu should be in attendance here. As for the others, they came to test for the Civilization Academy, not the War Academy, and were mostly at Stage Seven. Wu Lan hadn't seen any other Stage Eights among them. If they truly were Stage Eight, they wouldn't have bothered coming here; they would have tested directly in the Great Xia Prefecture. Su Yu answered solemnly, "If a Stage Seven student scored higher than me on the academic tests and got full marks in archery, I wouldn't be first. Besides... since I'm at Stage Eight, why shouldn't I take the exam?" Wu Lan found him impossible to understand. She was acting out of goodwill—wasn't this guy trying to enter the Civilization Academy? Combat for Stage Eight was genuine fighting. Wasn't he afraid that getting injured would prevent him from taking the test this afternoon? "Suit yourself!" Annoyed, she didn't bother saying another word. Su Yu turned back to Old Xie. "Teacher Xie, what does the Stage Nine test entail?" "Huh?" Old Xie looked at him and gauged his aura, confirming he hadn't misjudged—the boy was still at Stage Eight. He smiled and said, "Nanyuan doesn't have an evaluation category set up for Kaiyuan Stage Nine this time..." "If someone qualifies, wouldn't they be tested?" "Not quite. Stage Nine is similar to Stage Eight. If you were at Stage Nine, it would also be reflected in the combat test, except the examiner sparring with you would ramp up their strength accordingly before grading you. In other words, Stages Eight and Nine don't require separate tests; it's all handled in one go." Su Yu nodded and stated with deadly seriousness, "Teacher, please arrange a Stage Nine combat evaluation for me. I'll test for Stages Eight and Nine together!" "You're... at Stage Eight..." Just as Old Xie went to speak, a small vial appeared in Su Yu's hand. "Give me a few minutes. I feel I'm close to Stage Nine. Once I absorb this drop of yuanqi liquid, I might break through. If not, we can proceed with the Stage Eight test as planned." "..." Old Xie stood frozen in shock for a long while before letting out a soft curse! Were the brats in Nanyuan this rich nowadays? Where did he get yuanqi liquid? Of course, that wasn't the main point—the main point was that this kid was actually about to break through! Could someone advance this fast? He had checked Su Yu's records: just a few months ago, the kid was only at Stage Three of the Kaiyuan Realm! *Could this kid be a peerless genius on the path of the warrior... held back all this time by All-Races languages? Liu Wenyan has done immense harm! A pseudo Civilization Master holding back a genius on the warrior's path—that bastard ought to be dragged outside and beaten to death!* Old Xie cursed inwardly, feeling torn between irritation and anticipation... Could it really happen? If it worked, could this kid actually make high tier? Ten merit points were nothing, but the real question was: could a local from Nanyuan truly produce a high-tier student? *Holy crap... If he really reaches high tier, the Great Xia War Academy will definitely try to snatch him!* The next moment, Old Xie grabbed Su Yu and hauled him toward a nearby small classroom. He said with grave urgency, "Be careful! I'll protect you. Watch out for the Great Xia Civilization Academy causing trouble! Their place is full of vicious schemes and infighting, and they can't stand seeing true talent! And that fellow from earlier is notoriously petty and vindictive. Once he finds out you're breaking through to Stage Nine to make high tier, he'll definitely try to sabotage you just to save those 10 merit points!" Su Yu was taken aback. "Surely not..." "Too young!" Old Xie said solemnly, "You don't know how treacherous the world is. You don't think everyone is like me, do you? Some people are intensely vindictive and can't bear to see others prosper, wishing the whole world was full of mediocrities—I'm talking about that guy just now! The Great Xia War Academy's reputation has long been ruined by people like him. But don't worry, with me protecting you here, no one will dare lay a finger on you!" Old Xie's tone was grave and his demeanor earnest as he said with utmost seriousness, "Trust me, nothing will go wrong! And whatever you do, don't get near that guy. Beware of him ambushing you. He's at Stage Six of the Tengkong Realm—if a trace of hidden force enters your body, your apertures will be ruined! Keep at least five meters away from him. Whenever you see him, head straight toward me. I'll keep my eyes glued to him!" Su Yu's expression grew serious. *Is this for real?* This was an examination site. Surely the Great Xia War Academy wouldn't sink to such levels? Plotting against an outstanding student over 10 merit points? That was simply too dark! Afraid Su Yu might take him too literally, Old Xie cleared his throat and explained, "He's the only one like that. Overall, the Great Xia War Academy is still decent, but that guy from earlier is exceptionally petty, so just stay away from him." *Stay away from him so he doesn't get a chance to recruit you!* Su Yu eyed Old Xie out of the corner of his eye. *I may be young, but don't try to fool me. Is this real or fake?* *You admissions instructors, smearing your rivals with all your might just to snatch students—is that really appropriate?* *Between fellow human beings, can't we all be a little more sincere and give each other some trust?* Su Yu felt exhausted. He deeply doubted Old Xie's words, but... he hadn't planned on attending a War Academy anyway. Let them do as they pleased; once he pocketed the 20 merit points and the 3 reward drops of yuanqi liquid, he would be on his way.