Chapter 44: Three Targets
This wasn't Su Yu's first time eating at Chen Hao's place, so he wasn't shy. It had been quite a while since he last had any proper food, so he ate to his heart's content. After the meal and a short chat with the Chen family, he took his leave.
He had just stepped through the door when Chen Qinghe appeared with a case in hand. He pushed it into Su Yu's hands and softly said, "Take this. This isn't for what you did to help Hao with the cult member. He will repay you for that himself. This is my gift to thank you for the care you're going to show my son in the future. I might not sound like I'm worried, but I'm really afraid that one random day, I'll receive news that my son is dead. Yu, I can only beg for your help!"
Su Yu had a complicated feeling. Chen Qinghao was a deputy head of the city's Traffic Department, a Great Strength cultivator, and a soon-to-be head of the Traffic Department. But for the sake of his son, he was lowering himself before a kid like Su Yu.
Su Yu was only a Source Opening cultivator. Sure, he was going to join a cultural research academy, but he didn't understand why Chen Qinghe had so much faith in him. After thinking about it, he decided to accept the case.
...
Before long, Su Yu was on his way home.
After he left, Chen Hao said, "Dad, why were you so courteous toward Yu today? That feels so awkward."
"What do you know?" Chen Qinghe couldn't even be bothered to explain himself.
Chen Hao was not satisfied. He said, "What do I not know? I've known Yu for so many years. We're close enough that he'll lend me a hand even if you haven't asked for his help."
"Helping you once or twice can be attributed to your friendship. If he helps you three or four times, that would be due to his kindness. But more than that would ruin your relationship."
Chen Qinghe's face fell as he said, "With how you're behaving, it's only a matter of time before you get yourself in trouble. What if that keeps happening? Su Yu isn't your father. Why should he keep doing so? Eventually, you'll find your friendship declining. Will you be shameless enough to keep sticking to him then?"
"Dad, you look down on me too much."
"You're right." Chen Qinghe did not deny that. "If you're really going to the capital, keep to yourself and focus on cultivating. Don't create trouble. Don't bother Su Yu if there is nothing important. Only ask for his help if there is really something you can't solve."
"Yu is also going there as a student. It's not like he's going there to become a big official or something..."
"You!" Chen QInghe sighed, "Can the two of you be the same? Even ignoring the fact that he's smarter than you, who is Liu Wenyan? He is a Skysoar cultural researcher. He has an extensive network in the Great Xia Cultural Research Academy. He has high expectations of Su Yu, so things will be different for Su Yu there.
"There's also a person called Bai Feng that was here in Nanyuan for a bit. I asked around and found that he's an assistant researcher. Recently, he's aiming to break through into the seventh-stage Skysoar Realm.
"Before leaving Nanyuan, he told Su Yu to look for him in the academy. Commander Zhang from the city guards and the others were there to hear that. Do you know what that means? That means he looks highly on Su Yu as well. As for you...why hadn't you grabbed the opportunity when it was before you?
"Su Yu will benefit from Liu Wenyan's network in the academy. He will also obtain Bai Feng's care. He is smart. After a few years, when you're still a regular soldier, he might have grown into a big shot already.
"Don't forget about Su Long as well. Yes, he's a Great Strength cultivator, but he's a veteran of the Devil Subduing Army. I'm nothing like him."
Chen Qinghe sighed, "What is the Devil Subduing Army? That is the army led by the prefect back then. A few of the current 1000-man commanders in the Martial Dragon Guards are from the Devil Subduing Army.
"Su Long might not be a big deal, but he is still someone from the army and can be considered their comrade-in-arms.
"More than half of the higher ups in the Martial Dragon Guards and the Great Xia Army came from the Devil Subduing Army. As long as Su Yu isn't a fool, he can use that as the pretext to get the two powerful forces as his backer."
Chen Hao blanked out. "Will that really work? Dad, Uncle Su is only a Great Strength cultivator. Does he even know those big shots?"
"It's not the issue of knowing or not knowing them." Chen Qinghe shot his son an unhappy glare and said, "You don't understand the military. If Su Yu really asks for their help, after telling them that his father is a member of the Devil Subduing Army, a veteran that has returned from retirement, the folks in the military will instantly find him more agreeable. The military is famous for how protective they are of their own. They will at least make sure that nobody can bully Su Yu.
"They probably won't give him that big of a help, but with them around, nobody in the capital can bully him. If things get too troublesome, even the prefect might personally get involved. That had happened before."
Chen Qinghe stopped at that. He had indeed heard of something like that happening before. Xia Longwu was known as the iron-blooded war god. He greatly valued his fellow soldiers. That was especially true for the batch of veterans that had fought under him twenty years ago. A lot of the people from back then were now occupying high positions in the Martial Dragon Guards and Great Xia Army.
It was a pity that Su Long had retired back then. Otherwise, if he managed to survive until today, he would have gotten a rather high position as well. Furthermore, Su Long was a tad bit too weak. If he was at the Infinite Strength Realm, he would have definitely been accepted into the Martial Dragon Guards.
Compared with Su Yu, Chen Hao would be completely alone in the capital. Chen Qinghe was no Su Long. He was a big deal in Nanyuan, but nobody knew him in the capital. At one point, Chen Hao became utterly confused, so he decided to stop thinking. He only muttered that Uncle Su was incredible and...returned to his room. Chen Qinghe was speechless. He could guess what his son was thinking.
His son must be asking why his father wasn't a Devil Subduing Army veteran as well. That was most definitely what that kid was thinking right now.
...
Su family's residence.
After returning home, Su Yu opened the case he got from Chen Qinghe. His expression changed the moment he saw the contents in the case. The case wasn't small, and there were multiple items in it. A few small bottles could be seen in the case. There was also a single bone fragment there. Unlike the previous incomplete bone fragment he saw, this was a complete bone fragment.
"Is this...an original text of a myriad race cultivation method?"
Su Yu was stunned. He also saw that there were three bottles in the case. When he opened them, he found a drop of source qi liquid in each bottle.
"How generous!"
Su Yu was stunned. Three drops of source qi liquid had a market price of three hundred thousand. Even more valuable was the original myriad race cultivation method. Even if it was only a Great Strength cultivation method, it was still incredibly valuable.
The bone fragment Su Yu had gotten from Bai Feng was incomplete. It was only one third of the full copy yet it was considered a treasure. Even Liu Yue coveted it. This wasn't something you could buy with just money. Merit points were required as well.
Su Yu was no longer a clueless child, so he knew all that. Also, these original texts couldn't be purchased in Nanyuan Secondary School. They were only available for purchase in the capital.
A single Great Strength original text, whether it was a cultivation method or martial technique, and regardless of which race it originated from, would have a price tag of no less than thirty merit points. The original texts of the divines or devils would be even more expensive.
"This..."
Su Yu knew that this wouldn't be a cheap gift. But he had not expected this. He even suspected that Chen Qinghe had used all the merit points he had saved over the years to purchase that single original text.
Su Yu did not know what to say. Three hundred thousand. As a deputy head of the Traffic Department, Chen Qinghe had definitely earned more than his father, but it also wouldn't be easy for him to gather thirty merit points.
/p>
People like Chen Qinghe would only earn around five to ten merit points per year. Su Yu did not know how much merit points Chen Qinghe had spent for the gift, but the contents in the case were probably worth about six to seven years of Chen Qinghe's total income. His salary, employment benefits, and rewards had all been spent on the contents of the case.
"Uncle Chen is overestimating me too much."
Su Yu felt helpless. He understood that this gift was a form of investment for Chen Qinghe. Naturally, the investment was made on behalf of Chen Hao. Chen Qinghe hoped that Su Yu would take care of Chen Hao after achieving something for himself in the capital. And Chen Qinghao had held nothing back.
He wasn't even aware that Bai Feng had accepted Su Yu as a student in advance. He also wasn't aware that Su Yu had already reached the seventh-stage. Just based on what he knew of Su Yu from before, he had prepared such valuable gifts without worrying that he would waste his effort.
"Sigh." Su Yu sighed. Chen Qinghe did all that for his son. Hao was probably unaware of that. And if he did find out, well, that fellow would probably come and ask for some of the stuff from Su Yu.
Su Yu knew very well that Uncle Chen would not take the gifts back even if he insisted on returning them. After giving it some thought, he decided to keep them. The original myriad race cultivation method was something Chen Qinghe didn't have a need for. He could only have purchased it for Su Yu. He had probably asked around a lot before knowing what to buy.
As for the three drops of source qi liquid, after some thought, Su Yu concluded that he might not need all of them. He still had a drop on him. He would also earn three drops from the war academy examination. Yes, he was already viewing the examination reward as his personal belonging.
Source qi liquid would be helpful during the Source Opening Realm. It was also useful during the Great Strength Realm, but it wouldn't be as effective anymore. Su Yu was already a seventh-stage Source Opening cultivator. He probably wouldn't need that many drops of source qi liquid.
"I'll just let Hao use it when he cultivates at my place. Looks like I've only gotten richer after Dad left."
Su Yu was somewhat speechless. His dad had left over three hundred thousand behind. Su Yu had thought that he would go bankrupt when he first started buying blood essence. But instead, he was getting richer and richer.
"Anping dollars and gold coins worth three hundred thousand, four drops of source qi liquid, one complete Great Strength original text, one incomplete Great Strength original text, two drops of blood essence, and thirteen merit points."
The merit points included the one point he had earned earlier in the day and the two points he had earned a few days ago when helping the Windcatcher Department capture a Myriad Race Cult member. After some calculation, Su Yu found that he had turned into a rich man.
"Well, since I'm rich, time to share the wealth with my little bro."
Su Yu smiled. The two drops of blood essence he had obtained as his spoils of war did not belong to iron-winged birds. He did not consume them rashly and had been keeping them around to be absorbed by his blood character. The Divine Character couldn't absorb much each time, but it could take its time and slowly grow.
"My next goal is to kill a middle-stage Great Strength cult member for my graduation exam and enter the eighth-stage Source Opening Realm. As for my willpower, I'll try to reach twenty percent as soon as possible."
Those would be Su Yu's goals before the academy entrance examinations. There were less than twenty-four days before the examinations. He was confident he would be able to achieve all three of his goals.