Chapter 138: Formally Picking A Teacher (1)
Bai Feng studied Su Yu seriously. He was feeling doubtful about Su Yu. Liu Wenyan had once said that Su Yu was smart, tenacious, and calm. Their previous meeting was short. At the time, Su Yu had been quite ignorant. But that was due to his lack of experience.
Ignorance was not the same as stupidity. In that case, was Su Yu not aware of the value of all those things he had mentioned? He had been in the academy for two days. Was he not aware of what would happen to the students who had been accepted by a teacher?
Thinking about all that, Bai Feng looked at Su Yu, looking at the slightly awkward and uneasy expression on the kid's face.
He laughed and said, "Su Yu, you won't receive so many gifts for being accepted as a personal student. Furthermore, you're not even at the Great Strength Realm. Those things won't be too helpful for you right now. And upon reaching a certain level, all those things are nothing.
"Some things are worth a lot more than you know. You are still too ignorant. Don't think that only those things are valuable. Often, a small opportunity could be much more valuable than all that."
Bai Feng's face turned solemn as he said, "And I'm giving you one such opportunity, a chance to enter my teacher's research center! That is an extremely rare opportunity. You can ask around. What does it mean to join our research center?"
Bai Feng said, "Material items have a measurable value attached to them. But entering the research center will give you things that can't be measured. That is worth a lot more than you can imagine."
Su Yu flashed an honest smile and said, "Teacher Bai, I'm only at the Source Opening Realm. I don't understand any of that."
"Kid..." Bai Feng laughed. This kid was probably going to remain stubborn until he was shown some actual benefits.
Looking at Su Yu with a teasing gaze, Bai Feng said, "Did Martial Uncle really tell you to become the student of the owner of that number?"
"Yes. You can check with Teacher Liu if you want."
Su Yu nodded. Naturally, Liu Wenyan had not mentioned that. But he knew his Teacher Liu. If Bai Feng really went and asked, Liu Wenyan would definitely admit to mentioning it.
Scratching his messy hair, Bai Feng looked around and sank into thought before saying, "Su Yu, are you unwilling to become my student?"
Su Yu shook his head, "Teacher Bai, you're my first mentor in Divine Characters. Prior to reaching the academy, I've decided to become your student. It is my honor to be picked by you."
"Then why..." Bai Feng paused slightly, smiled, and asked, "Why create an obstacle between us?"
He finally realized what was happening. Zhao Li? Wu Yuehua? Those were all Su Yu's excuses. If he really wanted to be their student, he would have looked for them. But he hadn't. He had waited until Bai Feng was here before saying all those.
Prior to Bai Feng's arrival, Su Yu had already registered for the Character Faculty. That proved that Su Yu had not called the number or further talked to Zhao Li.
With the same honest smile on his face, Su Yu shook his head and said, "I wasn't creating an obstacle. You should know that I'm from an ordinary family in Nanyuan. I do not have a powerful family to rely on. I do not have enough strength. During my early stages, I need more support.
"Since I'm a high-high student, I believe I can be considered a genius as well. More support during my early cultivation stages is the same as sending me firewood during a harsh winter.
"Cultivation is a path like no other. In this path, if I start behind others, I will have to put more effort to catch up. But without enough resources, no matter how talented I am, I would be completely useless after struggling for a few years and missing my golden years of cultivation.
"Since I've arrived at the capital, since I've received a high-high evaluation, I hope to receive the treatment a high-high student should receive. I don't think I'm better than everyone, but I also don't think I'm worse than anyone.
"I hope to receive what the other geniuses can receive. And...I would appreciate the support more than them. Because unlike them, everything I get are things I worked hard for."
Bai Feng stayed silent and looked at Su Yu pensively. Su Yu stopped talking. His head was lowered, thinking about something unknown.
After a while, Bai Feng smiled and said, "You want better treatment and more benefits. But I'm very poor. I don't have all that."
Su Yu looked up and said, "I'll still become your student, but I will minor in the Character Faculty."
The look in Bai Feng's eyes changed as he said, "Minor?"
"Yes." Su Yu nodded and seriously said, "Perhaps those things are not important to you, but are they not important during your early stages as well? If I'm at the Skysoar Realm as well, I might also think that cultivation methods and blood essence are unimportant.
"The so-called opportunity you mentioned might be very beneficial to me in the future. But if I'm already behind others at the starting line...what sort of future would I have?"
Su Yu took a deep breath and continued, "During my exam, I obtained a high-high evaluation. Why? Because I want a better starting line. I want to reach further than the others. Otherwise, I could have gotten a low-tier evaluation and grow slowly instead. That would be the same as what you have suggested."
Bai Feng said, "To speak the truth, I never expected that you would get a high-high evaluation. For me, getting a low or middle-tier evaluation is the same. I am surprised by your exam result. But I also did not expect that the good result would cause you to grow even more ambitious."
He nodded, "Not bad. It is good to be ambitious. Without ambition, you won't go far. But I really don't have all that. In truth, I would have been able to afford all that in the past, but not anymore. All my wealth has been used for the research center.
"Of the things you mentioned, I can only provide the advanced War God Art. As for the 10 willpower texts, I can try to write some when I have the time, but not now. As for blood essence, I don't have any merit points left.
"If you find that agreeable, come to my research center tomorrow. If not, you are free to look for a better option. I won't say anything about that. To tell you the truth, merit points are really not that important.
"There are things that merit points can't buy," said Bai Feng. "Many people want to join the research center. They are willing to pay even tens of thousands of merit points for that. But we rejected all of them. If you decide to come, you will be allowed to join the research center. That will replace the blood essence you want. If you agree, come. If not, so be it."
Bai Feng then turned and walked away.
Interesting.
Previously, he had decided to take Su Yu as his student because of Su Yu's talent. He thought that with Su Yu's rapid growth, he could be promoted to a full researcher earlier. He did not really care about anything else. He had seen a lot of geniuses, including those classified as freaks.
But only by going further in the path of cultivation would one be a true genius, a true freak. Su Yu was still at the starting line. But after the conversation with Su Yu, he had developed a growing interest in the kid.
...
Looking at the departing Bai Feng, Su Yu smiled. Some things could only be obtained if he fought for them. In truth, there was basically no chance he was going to be someone else's student.
Liu Wenyan was his first mentor in the path of cultural research. Bai Feng was his first mentor in the path of Divine Characters. He was already marked with the brand of their faction. It wouldn't be proper for him to pick a different teacher.
Even if the teacher did not mind, he wouldn't be able to face himself. Thus, he could only fight for more benefits from Bai Feng. If he had stayed silent, Bai Feng might have given him nothing.
But after his talk with Bai Feng, that advanced War God Art alone was worth 100 merit points. If Bai Feng could provide that to him, he could keep the 100 merit points the academy had rewarded him.
As for the willpower texts, even if he wasn't sure if Bai Feng would actually provide him any, a promise had been made so there was still hope. Taking a deep breath, Su Yu felt much more relaxed than before. But the next moment, his face stiffened.
"Where's your research center?"
He was speechless. Bai Feng had run off too quickly without even mentioning the location of his research center. Su Yu sighed. This Bai Feng was feeling more and more unreliable. Forget it. He would just ask Xia Huyou about it later.
...
A short while later.
Su Yu arrived at the Weaponsmithing Faculty's section.
By that time, Zhao Li was already finished with his work. When he saw Su Yu, he hurriedly asked, "Kid, you registered for the Character Faculty?"
"Yeah." Su Yu nodded and awkwardly said, "Teacher Zhao, Teacher Liu told me to do so. Furthermore, Teacher Bai already arranged everything for me. I can't switch faculties now or I won’t be able to face them."
.
"Kid..." Zhao Li regretfully said, "I know their faculty is more suitable for you, but I'm still feeling regretful. What you did that day impressed me a lot. I have a very high opinion of you. In fact, you might even be better than those freaks."
"Thank you for the praise, teacher."
Zhao Li was the only researcher apart from Liu Wenyan and Bai Feng who had acknowledged his talent, so he was very grateful for that.
Su Yu stopped beating around the bush and said, "Teacher, the academy is allowing us to minor in a different faculty. If I wish to minor in weaponsmithing, would you be willing to accept me as a student?"
"Huh?" Zhao Li blanked out slightly before asking in astonishment, "Kid, if you're not majoring in weaponsmithing, there are things that I might not teach you. It is too much of a waste to teach them to someone minoring in weaponsmithing. I will also feel too bad for myself..."
Su Yu smiled and said, "It doesn't matter. I still don't know the academy well and I have very few friends here. As for my new teacher, I keep having a feeling that Teacher Bai will be very busy and won't have much time for me. Therefore, I wish to learn more from the seniors in the academy. Even if Teacher Zhao is unwilling to teach me some of your secret knowledge, I am happy with some basic knowledge as even that would be very helpful for me."
"Do you really think so?" Zhao Li laughed and said, "If you're minoring in weaponsmithing, I won't supply any materials to you. Also, you will only be able to attend my classes. I won't give you any resources. I still need to keep my wealth for my future last disciple."
"That's fine." Su Yu smiled and said, "Teacher, I never expect to get much from the faculty I'm minoring in. I only hope to gain more understanding on the path of cultivation. I only hope that you can forgive me for my choice."
Zhao Li laughed, "You're a high-high student. Of course I won't refuse you if you want to minor in weaponsmithing. You can come and learn on the job. You won't be considered my formal student. If you can agree to that, I will submit your name to the faculty. Are you not going to think about this?"
"Thank you, Teacher Zhao." Su Yu gratefully said, "This is more than I could ask for. I will have to trouble you from now on, Teacher. I apologize for wasting your time."
"Don't worry. Feel free to ask me if you have any questions."
Zhao Li smiled. He was regretful that he couldn't take Su Yu as a personal student. But it was still a decent result to have Su Yu minoring in weaponsmithing. As for the matter of Su Yu asking for his guidance, that wasn't anything major.
Su Yu was showing a completely different attitude to Zhao Li than Bai Feng. Bai Feng was the teacher of his major faculty. He had to display his worth to Bai Feng to receive more support. As for the level of respect he had for Bai Feng, that was really not important.
In truth, both him and Bai Feng were merely making use of each other. As for Zhao Li, it was different. Since he was minoring in weaponsmithing, he could be considered an outsider. He would be happy to get even a tiny bit of benefit from them. And if he got nothing, he wouldn't be unhappy either.
On the other hand, if Bai Feng failed to give him the required support, that was the same as failing in his duty as a teacher.
When Zhao Li saw how respectful Su Yu was, he said, "Since you're going to major in Divine Characters, you will probably be too busy to visit us too much. Just come on the 8th, 18th, and 28th of each month. Come to my research center and attend my classes.
"Of course, I suggest that you learn the basics first before coming. For example, you can attend a few weaponsmithing classes before coming to see me. Otherwise, you might not be able to understand what I'm talking about in my classes. That would be a waste of time."
"Sure. Thank you, Teacher."
When Zhao Li saw that there were no signs of dissatisfaction on Su Yu, he smiled and said, "Since you want me as your minor teacher, I'll give you one more piece of advice today. Did Bai Feng invite you into Hong Tan's research center?"
Su Yu nodded.
"Good! Looks like Bai Feng still looks rather highly upon you. Or to be precise, he has a lot of trust in you. That's understandable. After all, you're from Nanyuan, a student of Liu Wenyan.
"I know a little about what Hong Tan's research center is about. There are no results yet, but I know about some of the initial results. You don't have to care about the high-level research they are conducting. But there is a filter room in their research center. After joining, you can cultivate near the filter room."
A doubtful expression covered Su Yu's face.
Zhao Li smiled and said, "That's a good place. Those madmen had gathered a large amount of high-tier blood essence before isolating and filtering the blood essence repeatedly to extract only the purest blood essence."
"The leftovers were all kept in the filter room. As these leftovers were composed of too many types of blood essence to be properly utilized, they were left abandoned in the room."
Zhao Li stopped talking with his mouth. Instead, he transmitted his voice, "Kid, grab this chance. I went to that research center once. I tried renting the filter room a few times, but they never agreed. If you have the chance to enter that room, you can come look for me. I'll give you a cultural weapon mold. Look for a chance to toss the weapon mold into the room. After a while, you will be rich!"
Zhao Li said in excitement, "That place is thick with blood essence energy. It is the best place to nourish cultural weapons. It might even be able to nurture an earth-grade cultural weapon. What a pity. Those bastards refuse to let me use the place. I even offered 5,000 merit points! Then again, earth-grade weapons require a lot of energy. Since you're still at the Source Opening Realm, a profound-grade weapon would do for you."