All Below First Are Trash

After quite a while, Bai Feng walked down from upstairs. He had regained his composure, as though the person roaring just a moment ago had not been him at all. Glancing at Su Yu, Bai Feng said in a deep voice, "Matters of cultivation are never to be shared with anyone outside your teacher! Whether it's divine characters or cultivation techniques, unless you are seeking guidance, you don't need to report them to anyone!" Su Yu nodded. Bai Feng cautioned, "Because this is a Civilization Academy. Civilization Masters command many things, and the slightest carelessness can leak secrets. If someone targets you for that, you won't even know how you died!" With that, Bai Feng looked him over and quickly added, "Pack your things and come with me!" Su Yu had nothing to pack. He took his Yellow-rank saber and followed Bai Feng out of the research center. ... Outside, the sky was bright and the air crisp. The weather today was quite pleasant. As they walked, Bai Feng said, "Cultivate well over these next few days. If anything feels off in your sea of will, stop immediately!" "Understood." "Once you reach Character Cultivation, remember to tell me." "All right." Su Yu didn't say much. After walking for a bit, he asked in a low voice, "Teacher, about the advanced version of the War God Art..." "Don't rush. If things go smoothly, we'll get it this afternoon." As Bai Feng walked, he cursed under his breath: *I don't have it either!* Without taking down Hu Wensheng, how would that sucker Liu Hong foot the bill? Once they took down Hu Wensheng, they would have whatever they wanted! Then he couldn't help thinking of Su Yu again. This kid outlined divine characters fast and his willpower progressed fast; now it seemed he even opened acupoints fast... As for challenging the Top 100 Rankings in a year... he would see about that! ... Su Yu followed Bai Feng deeper into the academy. Gradually, the crowd thinned. In the distance, detached villas began to appear. Su Yu knew where this was: the faculty residential area. It was actually not far from the Character Cultivation Garden, though the Character Cultivation Garden was quite massive in its own right. Behind the faculty residential area was the residential area for students of the myriad races. *Going to his home?* Su Yu made a silent guess. Was Bai Feng taking him to where he lived? Bai Feng said nothing and continued forward. Once they passed the guardhouse, he remarked casually, "Within the academy, we have a few adversaries. They aren't mortal enemies, but... whenever we can make them suffer, we do! And naturally, they treat us the same way!" "Generally speaking, it's competition between peers of the same realm. Whoever edges out the other might secure a bit more resources!" "Resources are limited, not infinite. Sometimes there's a drop of god-demon blood that I want and he wants. Even if everyone has merit points and the same merit tier, you still might not be able to buy it. It all comes down to whether you can outcompete the other party!" "Our faction is known on the outside as the Multi-Divine Character Fusion faction. We don't have many people—we're even on the verge of dying out—but... we are strong enough! What makes us strong is ourselves!" "You haven't reached Character Cultivation yet, so if anyone above Character Cultivation comes to challenge you, I'll handle them for you!" "Once you reach Character Cultivation, if people at that stage come to challenge you, I won't interfere." Bai Feng continued, "That will be your own business. I won't go into detail now; you'll understand later. As for me, I have a few rivals in this academy as well..." "Liu Hong?" Su Yu ventured softly. Bai Feng gave a faint smile. "Liu Hong? Perhaps! But Liu Hong is ranked below me. Anyone weaker than me hardly counts as a rival. My opponent isn't him. Do you know Hu Wensheng?" "I've seen the rankings and introductions." Su Yu nodded. "That's the one. Tengkong ninth layer, a student of the vice principal. He was in my cohort back then, ranked second on the Top 100 Rankings. That year, first place was held by Xia Yuwen the entire time. I was fourth back then, and third was Wu Qi." Bai Feng took a deep breath. "He and I have fought for years. Competing for teaching assistant positions, competing for god-demon blood for body casting, competing for full researcher status, competing for chances to enter secret realms... We've fought for years..." "Originally, I couldn't be bothered to keep fighting him. To be honest, I never thought much of him all these years. That fellow is conventional and unremarkable—hardly a monstrous talent." Su Yu clicked his tongue in secret. What big talk. The man was at the Tengkong ninth layer, while Bai Feng was only at the seventh layer. Back during the Top 100 Rankings, Bai Feng had consistently stayed in fourth place while the other was in second, yet he still looked down on him? As if knowing what he was thinking, Bai Feng smiled faintly. "If you're not first, there's no real difference between second and fourth. I never cared much about that. If it were first place, that would be worth fighting for!" "Since I couldn't beat Xia Yuwen, I couldn't be bothered to fight over the rest. As long as I held a spot and got what I was owed, that was enough." Su Yu didn't know what he meant and found it hard to respond. Bai Feng added, "If I hadn't taken a student this year, I wouldn't have bothered with him either. At most, when the next opportunity for full appointment came around, we'd fight again..." Su Yu couldn't resist asking, "Teacher, you mean..." "Didn't I take you in this year?" Bai Feng sighed. "Now that I've reached the Tengkong seventh layer, I don't really care about the academy's perks anymore, but you can't afford that. I have to secure some things for you. Alas, I have no choice but to take a gamble—seventh layer against ninth—just to take some pressure off you. Even if I lose, the worst that happens is I make a fool of myself, end up severely injured, and rest up for half a year to a year..." Su Yu stood there in a daze. What was this supposed to mean?! Bai Feng continued, "Don't feel burdened. Even though I'm stepping up for your sake, it's fine. It's what a teacher should do!" Su Yu desperately wanted to ask questions, but had no idea where to start. How did this become stepping up for him? He was utterly bewildered! He had no idea what Bai Feng was talking about! Bai Feng sighed once more. "If you can reach the Tengkong Realm within a year, then my bleeding won't have been in vain this time. Even if I get hurt, it'll be worth it!" "..." *What in the world are you talking about?!* Su Yu's face was a mask of confusion mixed with mild depression. He made it sound... sound as if Su Yu was dragging him down, yet Su Yu hadn't done anything at all. He had been keeping a very low profile since arriving at the academy. Even when Liu He picked trouble with him, he hadn't uttered a peep. Bai Feng ignored him entirely. He adopted a somber, heroic expression, as though setting out across the frozen river never to return. His face grew solemn, and as he walked, an invisible aura began to swell around him. "Su Yu, this time, your teacher is fighting Hu Wensheng for your sake. If I win, all is well. If I lose... it doesn't matter. It'll just mean your teacher overestimated himself, and it will have nothing to do with you!" Su Yu was near his wit's end. *You say that, but your face screams that if you lose, it's entirely my fault! What are you doing?!* "A year from now, if you can't reach Tengkong... it's fine. Your teacher will go fight someone in the Shanhai Realm to secure your chance at Tengkong!" *Could you not make it sound so tragic? You sound like you're completely bragging!* Su Yu was truly between laughter and tears. He couldn't quite fathom what Bai Feng was trying to pull. Yet it felt... it felt like Bai Feng was trying to pile some pressure and burden onto him, while making him feel indebted—but Su Yu had literally done nothing! ... Bai Feng couldn't care less about what he thought. He had made his speech; all the kid needed to do was work hard. He had painted such a tragic picture—if Su Yu didn't work hard, who could he face? As for reaching Tengkong in a year... *cough cough*, that was just casual talk. He wasn't really demanding the kid reach Tengkong. Still, this kid's talent was incredible. Breaking into the Top 100 Rankings in a year shouldn't be an issue, right? Setting his thoughts aside, Bai Feng had no more time to pay attention to Su Yu. Ahead of them appeared a villa. Bai Feng's aura surged, and he shouted, "Hu Wensheng! Your Grandpa Bai is here, get the hell out!" The thunderous bellow echoed across the residential area! The next instant, a figure appeared. In the villa's courtyard, a young man clad in a cyan robe emerged and looked toward Bai Feng at the entrance. Frowning slightly, Hu Wensheng said coldly, "Bai Feng, do you have a death wish?" At the same time, figures cut through the air from all directions. None approached closely; instead, the balconies of the surrounding villas served as their vantage points. ... "What is Bai Feng looking for Hu Wensheng for?" "A one-on-one duel?" "The two of them have fought for years, but Hu Wensheng is already at the Tengkong ninth layer, leaving Bai Feng far behind. Bai Feng wouldn't come looking for trouble on his own, would he?" "..." Researchers began whispering among themselves. It wasn't entirely unexpected; these two fought frequently. Yet it was also surprising. Ever since Bai Feng had been stuck at the Tengkong sixth layer two years ago, he had never initiated a conflict again, spending most of his time on the defensive. Hu Wensheng hadn't bothered with him either, letting Liu Hong handle things. Liu Hong was currently the main force dealing with Bai Feng. Hu Wensheng was focused entirely on reaching Lingyun. As long as Bai Feng didn't provoke him, he didn't care to meddle with Bai Feng. What was going on today? ... In the villa next to Hu Wensheng's. Wu Qi stepped onto the balcony, with Lin Qing and Wu Lan following behind. Seeing the figures confronting each other nearby, Lin Qing whispered, "Teacher, what did Assistant Bai come to find Assistant Hu for?" Wu Qi didn't reply. Wu Lan, however, was glaring intensely at Su Yu behind Bai Feng, gritting her teeth! That guy really did show up! ... Further away, Liu Hong folded his arms and looked in that direction, a faint smile playing on his lips. Behind him, Liu He said impatiently, "Brother, does Bai Feng have a death wish?" Liu Hong glanced back at him and said flatly, "Shut up! If he hears you and breaks your legs, don't say I didn't warn you!" "Got it!" Liu He exhaled, still disgruntled as he said, "He came to pick a fight with Assistant Hu? Assistant Hu doesn't even deign to bother with him. Bai Feng overestimates himself. Even if he wanted to pick a fight, he should have come to you, Brother..." Liu Hong cursed inwardly! If you don't know how to speak, keep your mouth shut! What did he mean, Bai Feng overestimated himself and shouldn't pick on Hu Wensheng, but should pick on him instead?! Didn't that make him look inferior? Was he worse than Hu Wensheng? Why should Bai Feng only be allowed to target him and not go settle scores with Hu Wensheng? He couldn't be bothered with his brother, but after a moment's thought, he warned, "You'd better shape up! Don't think you're impressive just because you broke into the Top 100 Rankings. Be careful not to capsize in a puddle!" "Capsize?" Liu He hesitated. "Brother, do you mean... Xia Chan, or those other guys?" "..." Liu Hong didn't bother to say more. Just watch yourself! His gaze shifted to Su Yu behind Bai Feng. Was this the student Bai Feng had accepted this year? Su Yu... Was his talent that strong? Observing him from afar, the boy seemed entirely inconspicuous—lacking the arrogance of exceptional geniuses, without their flamboyance. Standing beside Bai Feng, he appeared thoroughly unremarkable. ... From every direction, more and more people gathered. In front of Hu Wensheng's villa. Bai Feng scoffed, "Hu Wensheng, if you have the guts, come pick trouble with me yourself. What do you mean by sending your lackey Liu Hong? Looking down on your Grandpa Bai? Competing is one thing, but you actually dared to let your dog bite my student!" Bai Feng shouted furiously, "Utterly unscrupulous! Su Yu only just enrolled this year; he isn't even at Character Cultivation yet, and you dared to let Liu Hong's little brother suppress him! Did you really think I'm a soft persimmon you can squeeze at will?" "..." Hu Wensheng frowned. He knew nothing about this! Still, there was no point in arguing. Their faction was already on bad terms with the other; suppressing them... wasn't that standard practice? Had Liu He bullied Bai Feng's student? He hadn't asked, but it was likely true. In reality, whether it was true or false didn't matter. When people like them wanted to find an excuse to pick a fight, they could claim you poisoned their water just from drinking a cup! With Bai Feng making such a huge scene today, Hu Wensheng knew this wouldn't end quietly. Wasting no words, he cut straight to the point: "Bai Feng, save your breath! Speak plainly: what do you want today?" "Fine!" Bai Feng stopped looking for pretexts and said directly, "Let's be upfront! Your people bullied mine, so compensate us! We'll head to the arena. If you win, act like I never came! If I win, just compensate me with a thousand drops of Qianjun blood essence from a top-hundred race!" Hu Wensheng furrowed his brow, turning his gaze toward Su Yu, and said indifferently, "You came to secure Qianjun body-casting blood essence for him? Even so, you wouldn't need that much. A hundred drops would be plenty!" "None of your business! Are you in or not?" Hu Wensheng said coldly, "Bai Feng, do you take me for an idiot? If you lose, nothing happens to you. If I lose, I have to give you things. Are you even awake?" "Then what do you want?" "Nothing extravagant!" Hu Wensheng said calmly. "If I win, give me a hundred drops of that blood essence from the Heart Cultivation Pavilion last time!" Bai Feng's expression shifted! He said coldly, "Hu Wensheng, your appetite is too big!" "My appetite isn't big—you're the one who came knocking!" Hu Wensheng said evenly. "Bai Feng, these past two years, I have been cultivating bitterly, waiting for an opportunity to break through to Lingyun. I have no interest in fighting you, and you are no match for me..." "When the weak provoke the strong, there is a price to pay!" Bai Feng laughed. "A hundred drops is impossible. One drop! If you win, what harm is there in giving you one drop? If you have the ability, research it yourself!" "Are you serious?" Hu Wensheng's interest was piqued instantly! He truly hadn't thought much of Bai Feng at the Tengkong seventh layer, though he didn't dismiss him entirely. For this fellow to dare come here, he had to have some measure of confidence. Yet a drop of blood essence containing an innate skill... he needed that! Its value was immense! "Fine. Forget a thousand drops of top-hundred race blood essence; I don't have that much. If I lose, how about a hundred drops of Qianjun Mountain-Breaking Ox blood essence?" "Mountain-Breaking Ox?" Bai Feng appeared somewhat dissatisfied. "A race ranked 99th among the top hundred—you have the nerve to offer that?" Hu Wensheng frowned. "This is the best Qianjun body-casting blood essence there is. The Mountain-Breaking Ox possesses immense physical strength; its blood essence is the most suitable for strengthening the physical body. Don't push your luck..." As Hu Wensheng spoke, in the villa behind him, a young man's expression shifted. He was Hu Wensheng's student! Those hundred drops of Mountain-Breaking Ox blood essence were prepared by Hu Wensheng for his body casting. He was already at the Qianjun seventh layer. Before reaching the Qianjun ninth layer, he still had a chance to recast his physical body. Even for Hu Wensheng, collecting those hundred drops of Qianjun Mountain-Breaking Ox blood essence had taken a full year. In many cases, money couldn't buy such things—mainly because there were simply too few Qianjun-realm beings among the top-hundred races. Most of those who appeared on the All-Heavens Battlefield were in the Tengkong Realm, with only a small portion beneath Tengkong. To obtain a hundred drops of blood essence required slaying at least ten Qianjun Mountain-Breaking Oxen. It was something that could only be found by chance, not sought! Strictly speaking, it was even rarer than Tengkong-realm blood essence. He had been ecstatic, waiting for his teacher to finish his secluded cultivation and help him recast his body. Who could have thought Bai Feng would come knocking on their door?! Soon, the young man breathed a sigh of relief. It was fine. His teacher was at the Tengkong ninth layer, while Bai Feng was only at the seventh layer. There was no need to worry too much. ... Bai Feng still seemed a bit displeased. After a moment of thought, he conceded reluctantly, "Fine, I'll let you off easy! You bastard can't produce anything better anyway!" Hu Wensheng remained calm as water, saying flatly, "A Civilization Master's strength does not lie in his mouth." "Cut the crap. I just can't stand the sight of you!" Bai Feng sneered arrogantly. "Stop acting like a saint in front of me. Back then, wasn't my chance to enter the secret realm stolen by your scheming? If not for that, would it be your turn to act cocky in front of me?!" Hu Wensheng didn't defend himself, merely smiling faintly. "Each uses their own methods. If you were stupid enough to lose the opportunity, can you blame me?" Years ago, they had been at the same realm. A single opportunity in a secret realm allowed Hu Wensheng to enter the seventh layer, while Bai Feng remained stuck at the sixth. After that, Hu Wensheng surged straight to the ninth layer, whereas Bai Feng had only recently managed to break through to the seventh layer. The gap had opened up in that very instant. "Fair enough... Then each by their own methods!" Bai Feng chuckled, and in the next instant, he soared into the air, shouting, "Get up here! We won't bother with the arena! Fellow colleagues, please help protect the residences so we don't have to pay for broken property!" "Hahaha, fine! Fight to your heart's content, we'll keep watch!" Voices immediately answered! The next moment, bursts of golden light erupted as villas were shielded. Su Yu even spotted Zhao Li. The old master was thoroughly enjoying the show, standing atop a nearby villa with the look of someone watching grand theater. As if sensing Su Yu's gaze, Zhao Li's golden sword shot over, directly enfolding Su Yu. Before Su Yu could even react, he appeared beside Zhao Li in the blink of an eye. Zhao Li chuckled. "Watch the show. Watch Bai Feng and Hu Wensheng duel. The two of them haven't crossed swords in years. Let's see what trump card Bai Feng brought out today—otherwise, how would he dare come challenge Hu Wensheng?" Su Yu had many questions, but now was not the time. He could only hold his tongue and silently watch the sky. Over there, Hu Wensheng had already taken to the air. ... Midair, the two confronted each other. Layers of golden light emerged around Hu Wensheng's body. Though he felt Bai Feng was no match for him, they had fought many times in the past. Even though Bai Feng lost more often than he won, he had always been exceptionally difficult to handle. Now, there was a gap of two minor layers between them, though not an entire major realm—both were in the late Tengkong Realm. He dared not be careless. Golden light guarded his body! The next instant, a longsword appeared in his hand. Bai Feng, however, still made no move. Only after Hu Wensheng was fully prepared did Bai Feng sneer, "Frogs at the bottom of a well, peering at the sky from within! Today, I'll let you all know that the Multi-Divine Character faction is not something you mediocre hacks can compare to!" The moment those words landed, a wave of boos erupted from the surroundings! Bai Feng was insufferably arrogant! There were only a handful of people in the Multi-Divine Character faction—this fellow had just insulted the entire academy! "What are you booing for? You are mediocre hacks, and you can't even stomach the truth!" The next instant, he looked toward Su Yu and shouted, "Disciple! Your teacher will teach you a lesson today: in the myriad worlds, a genius is forever a genius, while a hack... even with the title of a genius slapped on him, is still just a hack!" "Come forth!" With a furious shout, more than a dozen streaks of golden light erupted from his body. In the blink of an eye, the golden lights converged! "Trash, get lost!" *Rumble!* An earth-shattering roar erupted. Hu Wensheng let out a low roar as well. His longsword blazed with dazzling radiance and an astonishing aura as it slashed through the air! Yet the golden light before Bai Feng was overwhelmingly powerful. With a thunderous boom, it cleaved the longsword to pieces! Shattered into powder! Hu Wensheng had controlled the sword with his mind. With the sword shattered, he instantly coughed up a mouthful of blood essence, his face turning deathly pale! Before he could react, the golden light tore through the void and struck! With a sharp tearing sound, all the golden light shielding Hu Wensheng collapsed! In an instant, Hu Wensheng was drenched in blood. With a loud crash, he slammed straight into the ground! Silence! Dead silence! In the sky, Bai Feng's face was slightly pale, but he let out a cold laugh, utterly carefree as he drifted away. His voice drifted back: "How can mediocre hacks partake in the world of geniuses?! Deliver the items to me later. If I wanted to kill you, it would take just one strike! Trash!" Not a sound. Having crashed to the ground, Hu Wensheng lay pale and bloodied, staring blankly ahead, rendered speechless for a long time. ... All around, the silence lingered for several breaths. The next instant, someone said in a low voice, "Divine character fusion! An eighteen-character fusion! He outlined eighteen divine characters, and fused them all!" "Good heavens! This guy never reached the Tengkong seventh layer all this time—I thought he lacked the chance, but no, he was fusing divine characters!" "Terrifying!" "Hu Wensheng is no match for him, nor can Wu Qi beat him. Only Xia Yuwen has any hope of contending with him... This fellow can truly endure!" "It's not endurance. He looked down on Hu Wensheng. His only opponent was Xia Yuwen. Because he felt he couldn't beat Xia Yuwen, he couldn't be bothered to fight them. Now, he finally has confidence!" "There's going to be a good show to watch!" "Indeed! Xia Yuwen went to the All-Heavens Battlefield to seek a breakthrough to Lingyun. If he returns without breaking through, he'll definitely have to fight Bai Feng!" The chatter buzzed relentlessly! At this moment, Bai Feng had stunned the entire audience! A single strike had annihilated Hu Wensheng at the Tengkong ninth layer! Hu Wensheng at the Tengkong ninth layer hadn't even had the chance to resist. A mediocre hack... a genius? Was Hu Wensheng a mediocre hack? Absolutely not! This only proved that Bai Feng was a monstrous talent—a true monster! ... At Liu Hong's villa. Liu He was flabbergasted, his mouth agape in sheer shock. Liu Hong's expression was grim as well! "What a Bai Feng... Damn it, he was just playing with me all these years!" Liu Hong cursed inwardly, then couldn't help frowning. If he was this strong, how could Liu Hong fight him? Before reaching the Tengkong ninth layer, in everyone's eyes, he clearly lacked the qualifications to fight Bai Feng! "Brother... h-how is he so strong..." Liu He still found it hard to believe. One strike to crush Hu Wensheng—how was that possible?! Liu Hong's face remained serious, but he soon said, "It's nothing. Just a surprise attack. Hu Wensheng wasn't fully prepared and was a bit careless. After that one strike, Bai Feng was at the end of his tether as well. Don't be fooled by how quickly he left—if he hadn't left right away, he would have made a fool of himself!" Taking a deep breath, he added, "When experts clash, it doesn't matter how many moves it takes. A loss is a loss, and a win is a win. If Bai Feng's single strike hadn't landed, he would have lost. Had Hu Wensheng known he could fuse eighteen divine characters and prepared for it, Bai Feng would have been the one to lose! So don't think Bai Feng is truly invincible..." ... At the Wu family villa. Wu Qi's expression remained calm, but Wu Lan and Lin Qing could not keep their composure. Lin Qing said blankly, "Master, isn't... isn't he only at the Tengkong seventh layer?" Wu Qi said indifferently, "The seventh layer is still the late Tengkong Realm; the gap between it and the ninth layer isn't that vast! Hu Wensheng... is nothing more than a mediocre hack! Bai Feng was at the seventh layer, and he actually underestimated him—laughable!" Wu Lan had fewer reservations and asked directly, "Sister, can you beat him?" Wu Qi glanced at her, a faint smile touching her lips. "Would Bai Feng... dare come find me?" "..." Wu Lan blinked. What did that mean? "He can only bully someone like Hu Wensheng. If he dared come find me... he'd be lying in bed for half a year after going back today!" Though Wu Qi's tone was calm, her words were startlingly arrogant. "Hu Wensheng..." Wu Qi showed a hint of disdain, turning to leave as her voice drifted back: "Second on the Top 100 Rankings? A mere joke! Once Xia Yuwen took first, neither Bai Feng nor I cared to compete for that so-called second place... We wished we hadn't even entered the top hundred!" Beneath first, all are trash! Since they couldn't surpass Xia Yuwen, what was the point of competing for anything else?! ... Su Yu paid no attention to the voices from all around. At this moment, shock, astonishment, stupor, disbelief... Too many emotions flooded his mind! Bai Feng... a genius? No, this was a monster. Fighting across realms, a decisive kill in a single strike! Seventh layer against ninth layer, over in less than three seconds! Divine character fusion—eighteen characters uniting into one, unleashing terrifyingly immense explosive power that shattered all of Hu Wensheng's defenses and attacks in a single blow. Was this the Multi-Divine Character Fusion faction? Truly formidable! At this moment, Su Yu suddenly understood what Bai Feng had said earlier: geniuses... were nothing special! Hu Wensheng was hailed as a genius teaching assistant of the academy, ranked second, and what had become of him? No wonder Bai Feng kept saying geniuses didn't count for anything and that he didn't care at all. Today, Su Yu understood! Su Yu took a deep breath, feeling a surge of excitement. Earlier, he had felt Bai Feng was neglecting him, but now, Su Yu had only one thought: Bai Feng had the right to be arrogant! Even if Su Yu had talent, his strength was still too weak. What right did he have to demand Bai Feng's full attention? "I need to become stronger!" Su Yu took another deep breath and clenched his fists. He needed to become stronger—just like Bai Feng today, shattering a genius with a single strike! In this vast academy, including those in the Lingyun and Shanhai Realms, who would dare say Bai Feng was incompetent? So dashing! It stirred such longing! Still... since you're this strong, what was the point of that whole tragic, parting-warrior speech earlier? Su Yu was caught between laughter and tears!