Chapter 28: Chill (2)
Nanyuan Secondary School.
On the way to school, Su Yu learned of what happened the previous evening from Chen Hao. He was somewhat worried, but the deed was done. Chen Hao wanted to enter a war academy and Su Yu certainly couldn't sit aside and do nothing when a chance presented itself.
That was why he had allowed Chen Hao to claim the kill. That was possibly the only way Chen Hao could get into a war academy. With a nervous feeling, Su Yu entered his classroom. He had barely entered the room when he was summoned by a teacher.
...
In the Instructor's Office.
The teacher left after taking Su Yu to the office. There were only Liu Wenyan and a youth in the office. The youth was Bai Feng. Liu Wenyan was reading. With a large book in hand, Bai Feng was happily reading away while crouched at the side. Yes, he was crouched, not seated. A wide smile covered his face, as though he had reached an interesting part of the book. He did not look like a super expert capable of easily killing a fourth-stage Skysoar cultivator.
The two did not react to Su Yu's arrival. After offering his greetings, Su Yu stood there and waited nervously, wondering the reason for him to be summoned here. After entering the Skysoar Realm, Liu Wenyan's willpower had grown considerably. He was actually secretly observing Su Yu, and he was happy with what he saw.
That kid had indeed reached the fourth-stage. Previously, Liu Wenyan had not been able to sense it as he still hadn't materialized his willpower yet. In fact, he could sense some weak source qi undulations on Su Yu's right ear acupoint. This kid was probably going to reach the fifth-stage soon.
After a while, Liu Wenyan looked up and indifferently said, "You've been spending your time cultivating recently?"
"Yes."
"Have you been reading?"
"Not that much," Su Yu appeared somewhat embarrassed. "I have been worried after my father left, so I placed most of my focus on cultivation."
"It is good to think of danger in times of safety. It is also good to cultivate hard. However..." Liu Wenyan's tone turned unhappy, "Reading is also a form of cultivation! Reading ten thousand books, reaching the Skysoar Realm with one step. I won't stop you from cultivating. In fact, that is something you should do. But you shouldn't neglect reading!
"I know what you're thinking since you've even applied to the war academies. But like I said, it will take you too long relying on physical cultivation alone. It is an entirely different matter if you have deep knowledge and are well read. I believe you've seen this person before. He's Bai Feng, an assistant researcher from the Great Xia Cultural Research Academy.
"He's twenty-eight and has been in the academy for nine years. Both his physical body and willpower are at the sixth-stage Skysoar Realm. However, his true combat power is higher than that. Why? Because of his willpower. Not even regular seventh-stage Skysoar cultivators can be his match."
Liu Wenyan said sternly, "He is only a mediocre student of the academy. If even someone like him can reach this level in nine years, you can definitely do better!"
Bai Feng: "..."
Bai Feng looked up and glanced at Liu Wenyan before lowering his head again after some thought. Fine. What could he do if this old fellow wanted to use him as an example to teach a student?
Bai Feng was a mediocre student? Could a mediocre student become a researcher? Even if Bai Feng wasn't the top genius of the academy, he was still one of the best. He had entered the sixth-stage Skysoar Realm before thirty. He also had a chance to reach a higher level of cultivation within two years. Was someone like that mediocre? This martial uncle of his must have misunderstood what the word mediocre meant.
Su Yu hurriedly said, "Don't worry, instructor. I will place equal importance on both. I've been studying for so many years. I won't give up on it now."
"Good." Liu Wenyan had a solemn tone as he said, "Your cultivation speed is fast. You've never cared about it in the past. Now that you started caring, you were able to easily reach the fourth-stage. You might even reach the fifth-stage soon. This will probably give you a misconception that a war academy is more suitable for you. The path of physical cultivation might be the better choice...
"What if I tell you that even after entering a war academy, you'll still need a year to finish opening the nine acupoints, maybe three years to reach the ninth-stage Great Strength Realm, and probably five years to reach the ninth-stage Infinite Strength Realm?
"That's the trajectory of a decent genius. Someone like that can probably reach the Skysoar Realm in nine years. But you need to understand that the gap between the first-stage Skysoar Realm and the sixth-stage Skysoar Realm is very big. You might be stuck in the same realm for decades.
"You're only at the fourth-stage Source Opening Realm. Do not have the misconception that you're amazing or you're a genius. Nanyuan is a small city. If even Nanyuan can produce fourth-stage or fifth-stage Source Opening cultivators, what about the other cities? What about the capital?"
Beside him, Bai Feng smiled and said, "I've been paying attention to the other cities. There are several seventh-stage Source Opening geniuses in the list of students this year. Of course, seventh-stage Source Opening Realm is basically unattainable for Nanyuan. Meanwhile, such geniuses can be found everywhere in the capital. You can even find eighth-stage Source Opening cultivators there.
"We also have some ninth-stage geniuses that only need to link up their acupoints to step into the Great Strength Realm. Of course, they are all holding back so that they can break through after entering the academies."
This time, Liu Wenyan did not interrupt Bai Feng. He looked at Su Yu and sighed, "I'm not trying to force you to enter a cultural research academy. But you need to understand that your talent does not lie on the path of physical cultivation. Even if you're somewhat talented there, your talent is still a far cry from true geniuses.
"Physical cultivation requires a large amount of resources. Blood essence, pills, combat experience, weapons, and all that will only make you poor. As the saying goes, martial cultivation is for the rich while studying is for the poor.
"Su Yu, as someone from an ordinary family, if you're not talented when it comes to willpower cultivation, I'll be happy to see you enter a war academy. But you have talent in willpower cultivation! I hope to see you walk further and climb higher in the future!
"The cultural research academy does not care much for your cultivation early on, so you won't spend too much resources on cultivation. Even without money and combat strength, you can still reach the Skysoar Realm. But if you enter a war academy, it will be very unlikely for you to reach the Skysoar Realm.
"Do you know why aren't I telling this to the others? To Liu Yue? Even if she applies for a war academy, I won't stop her. Because her family is rich enough to support her cultivation. Su Yu, this is why I hope you can walk the path of mental cultivation. I don't want you to wallow in regret just because you lack the resources you need.
"Even if you're talented, you won't be given cultivation resources freely. Nothing comes free! There are a lot of geniuses in the war academies. You won't stand out, so that will be a much harder path for you. I only hope that you can walk a smoother path."
Su Yu nodded repeatedly. He was touched. He knew that these were his instructor's heartfelt words. For someone from an ordinary family like him, there were things he couldn't afford. Of course, it wouldn't be an issue if he only aimed to reach the Great Strength Realm. But he aimed to rapidly reach the Skysoar Realm. His family certainly didn't have the wealth to support that.
"I understand, instructor. I did not think it through. I'll work hard."
"Good." Liu Wenyan smiled, "In the coming days, have Bai Feng give you some guidance. Just ask him anything you don't know. He isn't that special in the academy, but he's good enough to teach you."
Bai Feng: "..."
Liu Wenyan had belittled Bai Feng so many times that even Bai Feng started doubting himself. Was he really nothing special? But he was quite popular in the academy and even the capital itself. He was someone with the potential to step beyond the Skysoar Realm before thirty. He was also one of the few assistant researchers younger than thirty.
But why...did all that feel so worthless here?
Why?
Bai Feng felt incomparably gloomy. This martial uncle should probably look himself in the mirror when calling someone else mediocre. As someone who had only achieved willpower materialization after seventy, calling someone else mediocre was basically the same as insulting himself.
When Bai Feng saw that Su Yu seemed to actually approve of Liu Wenyan's words, he smiled indifferently. These kids really knew too little about the world. Just wait. After joining the academy, he would come to learn just how amazing his Big Brother Feng was.
He would come to learn how difficult it would be to reach Bai Feng's level. Never tell an ant the might of an elephant. The ant would not be able to comprehend the concept of that. Only by standing on the same height would that ant understand how incredibly powerful an elephant was.
"I'll be staying at Nanyuan Secondary School for the next two days. You can come see me anytime while I'm here," said Bai Feng before leaving with the book in his hand.
After Bai Feng left, Liu Wenyan spoke with a low voice, "Learn properly. Treasure the two days you have with him. Use everything you have and take everything he can offer. Although you won't be able to learn everything he knows, you should still make good use of the two days I gave you. This is a good opportunity that you might not even get after entering the academy."
"I see."
Su Yu was shocked. Was his instructor saying that even after entering the academy, he might not be able to obtain the guidance of a researcher?
"For one class with an assistant researcher, you need to pay five merit points. Each class will only last one hour. You’re getting two days, forty-eight hours for free. Don't bother sleeping. Learn everything you can from him. This is worth 240 merit points. That is an amount you will take very long to earn. Go. I believe in you."
"Thank you, Instructor."
Su Yu's eyes lit up.
The instructor and student looked at each other as a wide smile bloomed on their faces. Far away, Bai Feng suddenly felt an intense chill creeping up his spine. He turned around and cursed inwardly. Was his martial uncle preparing to scam him? What was his martial uncle going to do?
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