Chapter 41: Fast Learner
Su Yu could hear the sound of the saber flying toward him. This time, he wasn't able to react. He knew the attack was coming, but his body couldn't react fast enough. He could feel the blade touching his back.
"It's over!"
The moment that thought crossed his mind, the saber was frozen. Not far away, Liu Wenyan was feeling very satisfied with Su Yu's performance. However, he did not show his true feelings.
Instead, he walked up to Su Yu with a frown and said, "You can't even deal with a trash injured Great Strength cultivator? That is a trash cultivator from the Myriad Race Cult that is weaker than those in the Windcatcher Department, those in the city guards, those in the Great Xia Army, in Martial Dragon Guards, and the front line.
"Any random soldier from the front line will be able to easily kill this opponent even with a lower cultivation level!"
Liu Wenyan appeared incredibly unhappy. To the side, the Windcatcher Department's chief did not know whether to laugh or cry. That was an enemy at the sixth-stage Great Strength Realm! And what was Su Yu's cultivation level?
He was only at the Source Opening Realm. He wasn't even at the eighth-stage where he could finally start using martial techniques. He was only a seventh-stage Source Opening cultivator, but he had nearly killed a sixth-stage Great Strength cultivator. This instructor was still dissatisfied? And he was even comparing this kid against a soldier from the front line? What joke was that? Even a soldier from the front line would need to be at least a fourth-stage Great Strength cultivator to kill someone like that.
In terms of body quality, reaction speed, and explosive strength, Su Yu was far too weaker than his opponent. If it wasn't for his intelligence, he would have been killed the moment he attempted the ambush.
Su Yu looked sorry. He was gasping for breath with numerous wounds on his body. He smiled helplessly and said, "Instructor, his vitality is too strong. He lasted so long before dying. I couldn't get a chance to cut him twice."
"You only have one chance." Liu Wenyan said, "For a weaker party to kill a stronger party, there won't be multiple opportunities. There will only be one chance. If you had cut into his head instead of his shoulder when he was distracted, he would have been killed immediately.
"Do you think your enemies will give you a second chance on the battlefield? Immediately after an enemy encounter, one of you will die. Either you don't launch the ambush or you prepare fully before doing so to ensure the kill. Do not gamble with your life."
Liu Wenyan was stern, "Thus, you can only blame yourself for your bad judgment in timing your ambush. If I wasn't around, your enemy would have killed you with that final attack."
Su Yu nodded sullenly, accepting the criticism.
"Two merit points for a middle-stage Great Strength cultivator. But since I helped you with it, you'll only be getting one point for it. Do you disagree?"
"No." Su Yu shook his head. He was happy with one point.
A late-stage Great Strength cultivator would grant three merit points per kill while an early-stage Great Strength cultivator would only grant one point. Thus, the point he got was basically the same as what he would get for an early-stage Great Strength cultivator.
Only now did Su Yu realize how hard it was to earn merit points. Previously, he would be rewarded with one point per language mastered. It was time consuming, but still better than this where he had to put his life on the line to earn merit points.
If this was the case for the academy as well, how were those students that had yet to materialize their willpower supposed to earn merit points? How many of them were capable of killing Great Strength cultivators? Even on a battlefield, killing a Great Strength enemy would be a difficult task for a Great Strength soldier. After risking one's life, one would earn no more than three merit points. It was clear how hard it was to earn merit points.
A faint smile appeared on Liu Wenyan's face, but the smile vanished quickly. He said, "You will be considered to have graduated from my teachings after gaining the ability to kill a middle-stage Great Strength cultivator. Your performance today where you nearly got yourself killed is not acceptable.
"Do not hesitate to use any trick you can during battles. This is a matter of life and death, not a spar on a training field. Do not restrict yourself from any trickeries. We don't care. We only care about the result."
After bidding Zeng Hua farewell, Liu Wenyan started walking away. While walking, he said, "Why do you insist on using demonic beasts in your illusions? There are many things you can manifest in your illusions. Not everyone is afraid of demonic beasts.
"For example, you can create women, women who are nake--cough, cough. You know what I mean. You can even make me appear in your illusions. I'm a Skysoar cultivator. But then again, I'm not popular enough so you can consider using the mayor in your illusions instead. You should know what the mayor looks like. What do you think your opponent will feel upon seeing a Skysoar cultivator before them?
"There are many ways you can use your illusions. Do not limit yourself. I find that your thinking is too rigid as you're only using beasts in your illusions. You need more creativity."
Su Yu had a pensive look as he softly said, "Instructor...about naked women...cough, cough. I've not seen any before. I don’t think I can create a convincing illusion of one. Why don't I—"
"What bullshit are you trying to say?" Liu Wenyan berated him before coughing. "I was making a random example. Don't think too much about it. Kid, keep those stupid thoughts out of your mind."
Liu Wenyan was regretting his earlier words. If this kid really went to those places to learn what naked women looked like and his father found out about it, would that old man rush back from the front line to look for Liu Wenyan?
Su Yu nodded obediently, but a new thought appeared in his mind as he said, "Instructor, do you think others will be fooled if I use the prefect as my illusion?"
"..."
Liu Wenyan glanced at him without saying anything. This was quite a gutsy kid. Xia Longwu was the prefect of Great Xia. This kid did not seem to feel any reverence toward that person.
Su Yu was still happily talking away, "If I create an illusion of the prefect, would I scare my opponent to death? Maybe they'll be in disbelief? Hmmm, why don't I add a woman beside the prefect? Prefect Xia is out on a date with a woman when the enemy stumbles upon them. Would that be enough to stun the enemy?"
Liu Wenyan stroked his beard while praising inwardly that this kid was actually a fast learner. But was this kid not aware that he was playing with fire there? Sure, sure, this kid was still very far away from Xia Longwu right now. But what if Xia Longwu saw the illusion in the future? Liu Wenyan wouldn't dare to imagine the consequences for that.
"Cough, cough. Sure, you do you."
Liu Wenyan was unwilling to say more. He had merely provided simple advice and this kid was taking the idea further expanded on it. What else could he say?
While Liu Wenyan was still thinking, Su Yu changed the topic and said, "Instructor. I saw the contents of this year's exam yesterday. The war academy exam rewards three drops of source qi liquid for the student finishing first..."
Liu Wenyan looked at Su Yu, wondering what this kid was trying to say.
"What if I take both exams? Won't I earn the source qi liquid if I can finish first at the martial academy exam?"
The first place he referred to was the first place in Nanyuan. The reward was provided by the mayor, not any of the academies. Those academies wouldn't really care about the first place holder of a small city like Nanyuan. Their interest would only be piqued if it was the first place holder in the entirety of Great Xia.
Liu Wenyan was speechless. "Are you going to scam the reward for yourself?"
"No, Instructor. The rules never mention that I must join a war academy after passing the exam. So it doesn't matter if I don't join after getting first place, right?"
].
"Are you so sure that you can get first place?"
Nanyuan might be a small city without a lot of geniuses, but...wait...this kid might really be able to get first place. This was Nanyuan City. Not a big city. The seventh-stage Source Opening Realm was more than enough.
Liu Wenyan shot Su Yu a glance. He had a feeling that this student of his was getting more and more bold recently. Look at how he was even thinking of scamming the city out of its first place reward now. He sank into thought. When did this student of his start changing?
Oh, Liu Wenyan suddenly recalled that Su Yu had started changing ever since he was told that he was too indecisive. Since then, this kid has changed. He was no longer indecisive. He was so decisive that it was scary at times. Not even Liu Wenyan had thought of scamming the city out of its reward before.
"You do you." Liu Wenyan couldn't be bothered to stop Su Yu. Instead, he said, "But don't let that get in the way of your cultural research academy exam. Also, Wu Wenhai might not care even if you snag the reward, but the person placing second will probably feel like killing you."
Su Yu did not seem to mind. Three drops of source qi liquid were on the line here. They were worth as much as everything he had. He wasn't about to give up on them when they were there for the taking.
"The two exams are going to happen at different times. I checked. I'll be able to take both."
Su Yu did not think there would be an issue with his plan. If the examinations weren't held at different times, the secondary school wouldn't have allowed the students to apply for multiple examinations in the first place. That was their way of giving their students more chances to get into an academy.
Su Yu had registered for both cultural research academy and war academy examinations. Thus, he could sit for both of them. It was the 1st of June today. The examinations weren't that far away.
Over the past ten or so days, he had followed Liu Wenyan everywhere hunting for Myriad Race Cult members. Although he had not gotten much chance to actually fight, he could feel that he was getting near the eighth-stage.
Perhaps a few more cultivation sessions and a few drops of blood essence would push him into that stage. And at the eighth-stage Source Opening Realm, would there still be a match for him in Nanyuan among the students?
The first place was basically his. He was basically getting three drops of source qi liquid for free. Why would he say no to that? Liu Wenyan kept his mouth shut. He felt like he had led this kid astray. This was such a simple and innocent kid before. But now, he was starting to get all these messy ideas in his brain, such as trying to look at some naked women and so on. Liu Wenyan was very worried. This kid wouldn't really go and do so, right?
"Su Yu, before willpower materialization, your willpower can waver very easily. The moment you get near the fairer sex, you will cripple your willpower. Do you understand? This is why I'm still single after all these years. Don't do anything stupid."
Su Yu blinked. Was that true? But he had never heard that before! Then again, he only knew two cultural researchers, Liu Wenyan and Bai Feng. Furthermore, he had only spent a day with Bai Feng. Thus, Liu Wenyan was naturally the authority in willpower cultivation for him.
"I understand. I will chop whoever dares to entice me to death!" Su Yu nodded his head with a solemn declaration. He would show no mercy to anyone who dared to ruin his willpower materialization.
"..."
Liu Wenyan had a feeling he had just said something wrong again.
"A teacher should serve as a role model...I should be very careful in what I say in the future. If this kid fails to get a wife in the future...forget it. If that really happens, I'll try introducing some girls to him in the future."
Liu Wenyan was feeling very helpless. A teacher couldn't be caught lying. He had to watch what he said around Su Yu in the future.