Chapter 451: Darker And Darker (2)
Both parties started waging a war of words. Even though Su Yu was alone, he showed no fear.
Most of the elders were too proud to engage a nobody like him in a war of words. That was why Su Yu was able to fearlessly say what he wanted. Those elders were too proud, despite how shameless they actually were.
Elder Sun did not say more. Su Yu was right. For Elder Sun, even if he could ultimately win the argument, it would still be embarrassing for someone of his status to be arguing with a student.
After leaving those words behind, Elder Sun left. The tournament was over. What was the point of staying? Was he supposed to stay and give others more chances to humiliate him?
With a smile, Su Yu said, "Teacher Li, I'll be visiting your respected self tonight. Please don't avoid me when I'm there."
Liu Hong frowned.
What was this bastard planning?
"Su Yu..."
"Teacher, you must have forgotten about this. You're the head counselor of the new students. And I'm a new student. Is it so weird for me to be visiting you? I am a top 100 student. Why are you prejudiced against me, Teacher?"
Su Yu had a wide smile on his face while Liu Hong frowned as he looked at Elder Sun and the other elders.
Elder Sun's voice transmission arrived, "It's fine. Meet him. Let's see what he's trying to do."
"Alright." Liu Hong smiled and said, "Sure, Su Yu. Let's meet up tonight."
Inwardly, he was suspicious. What was this kid trying to do? Was the kid plotting against him again? But if the kid wanted to screw him over, announcing the visit in public was actually not that good of an idea. A better option would be to visit him secretly.
During the secret visit, the kid could deliberately expose the visit. That would be much better. Announcing the visit so openly had instead reduced the suspicion others might feel toward him. Just what was the kid thinking?
...
The sky was getting dark.
Su Yu did not spend much time there. After telling Liu Hong about his visit, he returned to the research center. Hong Tan was sipping on a cup of tea while Bai Feng was nowhere to be seen. He was probably still helping Liu Wenyan with his characters.
When Hong Tan saw Su Yu, his emotions turned complicated. This was a really impressive kid. Just how long had it been since the kid had joined the academy? He had even defeated the top student.
"I heard about what happened today. Are you planning to start your own research center?"
Su Yu flashed his honest smile and said, "Grandteacher, the research center isn't the goal here. That is merely an excuse for me to rope in some people to our side. Our faction is too small. We need more people. Even if these people can't do much for us, numbers will still be good to make us look strong. We can always use these people for some menial tasks."
Hong Tan nodded. After thinking about it, he said, "Making us look strong...In truth, the multiple character faction is not as weak as you think. We still have some allies in the academy. But...cough, cough. Forget about them. Those are the allies of your martial uncle. If you want to rope in your own people, feel free to do it."
He wasn't too bothered. The multiple character faction wasn't completely alone. Su Yu's eyes flickered. Was that the case? He had thought that they were all by themselves.
"Grandteacher, how about the expelled members?"
He wasn't referring to the members expelled during the incident 50 years ago. He was talking about the students who had been kicked out for failing to form enough characters before the Skysoar Realm. Could these people be considered allies?
Hong Tan smiled, "I have to take responsibility for that as well. I had failed to teach them properly. Because of that, some of them couldn't resist breaking through prematurely. In a fit of anger, your martial uncle kicked all of them out."
"Some of these people were spies. Some were truly sincere when they joined us."
Hong Tan sighed, "Now that I think about it, we were probably too overbearing back then. Let's wait and see. Wait for your teacher to further perfect his disassembly method. Maybe we can try to get those people back after that."
"Are they still in the academy?"
"Some of them are."
Hong Tan did not say much. Chen Yong had his own arrangements regarding these expelled students. In fact, Chen Yong had been the one to truly run their faction for quite a while. Bai Feng's disassembly method would be the key to their rise in the future.
Without the disassembly method, it didn't matter what they said or did. The multiple character faction would only continue to decline.
After thinking for a bit, Hong Tan looked at Su Yu and solemnly said, "You are still too weak. Stop provoking those people so much. Be careful lest they pull something dirty against you. It is better for you to stay low profile."
Su Yu disagreed, "Grandteacher, I understand what you're saying. But even if we do nothing, those people will never coexist peacefully with us. Nothing will change even if we keep a low profile. Just look at what they did to Senior Sister. She had never gotten involved in these conflicts. But what happened to her?"
Wu Jia had never gotten involved in the factional conflicts. She had mostly been focused on cultivating, growing, and challenging the top 100...
And look at what happened to her! There were some issues that couldn't be solved just by staying low-profile. In fact, Su Yu would love to maintain a low profile. He would be able to focus on cultivation and nothing else.
After thinking about it, Hong Tan nodded, "Wait until I reach the Sunmoon Realm. At that time, these things will happen less unless Zhou Mingren can reach the Sunmoon Realm as well."
At that point, he sank into silence. Entering the Sunmoon Realm...
He might encounter some new troubles after entering the Sunmoon Realm as well. He just didn't feel the need to burden Su Yu with the knowledge. Upon reaching the Sunmoon Realm, Zhou Polong might come after him.
Hong Tan stared at Su Yu for a bit before smiling, "Forget it. Make your own choices. You are someone with a good head on your shoulders. You can figure out what you want to do yourself. You are better than your teacher. Even if...your teacher is actually not that bad either."
Bai Feng wasn't someone who enjoyed scheming. But he was also someone who was very hard to scheme against. Even though he wasn't a schemer, he was smart enough to get as much benefit for himself. He would generally only pay attention to things that would benefit him. As for things that wouldn't benefit him, he would shut off all communication. '
For example, he would never bother talking to Liu Hong. Back when the two were competing as students, he had only talked with his fists and not bothered listening to the words of the crafty Liu Hong.
As long as he felt like Liu Hong was trying to do something that would harm him, he would draw his sword and start fighting. One could only imagine how helpless Liu Hong felt when dealing with a rival so unreasonable.
Su Yu smiled and moved on to a different topic. "Grandteacher, the principal invited me to see him previously. I have not gone to meet him yet. Do I still need to go?"
"Wan Tiansheng?"
Hong Tan was aware of this matter. After thinking about it, he said, "Yes, you can. I have no idea what exactly Wan Tiansheng is thinking. But I do know that you don't have to worry too much about him. Remember to empty your thoughts in front of him. Don't forget what happened during your meeting with Fatty Xia."
"..."
Su Yu had nothing to say.
He couldn't resist asking, "Grandteacher, can they read minds?"
"No. But your willpower is too weak, allowing them to sense some of your thoughts each time you think of something. And that sense will be amplified when it is something related to them."
Su Yu nodded. He really needed to start being careful, then.
When meeting these super experts in the future, he would have to think about how much he loved them even if he actually hated them.
Hong Tan said, "Your teacher will be busy recovering from his injuries and helping my senior brother with his characters. He won't be able to return for now. And he will need to depart for the Allheaven Battlefield next month. I will also be entering seclusion for my advancement soon. Your martial uncle will still be around so you can look for him if you need something."
"Martial Uncle..."
Su Yu lowered his voice, "Martial Uncle seems somewhat off recently. Grandteacher, has he encountered some trouble in his cultivation?"
"Seems off?"
Hong Tan had not noticed that. After thinking about it, he said, "It might be related to Jia. Sigh. I don't know what to say about this. Back then, your martial uncle was hunted by the Myriad Race Cult while he was away from the academy. Jia's parents had died saving him from the ambush.
"Because of that, your martial uncle has always felt guilty toward Jia. He has been raising her like his own daughter. He has been blaming himself for Jia's injuries. He blamed himself for not teaching her well enough to be flexible and less stubborn, resulting in her injuries.
"And those people have targeted Jia for the second time. That must have further annoyed your martial uncle."
Hong Tan sighed, "Zhou Mingren and his people should stop after doing it once. They shouldn't have continued provoking him. I have even considered telling your martial uncle to give up on the books depository and just put his focus on entering the Mountainsea Realm."
"Giving up?" Su Yu gloomily said, "Grandteacher, if we give up on the books depository as well, we will have nothing left."
Hong Tan smiled, "Physical possessions are not important as long as our people are still around. As long as we are alive, there will be hope that we can regain what we lose. Am I wrong?"
Was it worth getting into more conflicts just for the books depository? Chen Yong would be fine, but Wu Jia would be targeted repeatedly. The single character faction might have suffered several losses, but they might not give up so easily.
Wu Jia had not been able to return to the top 100 even after so long.
Su Yu nodded and asked, "Grandteacher, will someone be found out if they plot the death of a researcher of the academy?"
"..."
Hong Tan looked at Su Yu silently. What was the meaning of that question, kid?
But clear!
Su Yu had a simple expression as he said, "I was only curious. If someone plots to frame a researcher for colluding with the Myriad Race Cult, what will happen to that person?"
Hong Tan frowned, "Do not attempt something like that. It might get out of hand. Nobody is stupid. Unless you can create a perfect proof, there will be an opening to be found somewhere. And if they discover your involvement upon further investigation, you will either be executed or exiled to the Vanguard Regiment."
"What if they can't find out the truth?"
"Nothing can be kept secret forever."
Su Yu replied, "But that Invincible enemy of ours has been able to stay hidden for so many years."
Hong Tan stared at Su Yu with a frown. This grandstudent of his was completely unlike Bai Feng. Nor was the kid similar to his father.
Hong Tan had seen the kid's father on the battlefield. That was such an honest person. Wait...was that really the case?
Not necessarily.
Hong Tan sighed. After a short silence, he said, "The truth will be uncovered one day. You don't need to be the one to solve all our problems. Do not look down on us too much. We can solve these issues even without your help. Just focus on your cultivation."
Su Yu smiled and nodded. Hong Tan didn't know if the kid was taking his words to heart.
Su Yu said, "I understand, Grandteacher. The single character faction is currently our shield. That has been your belief. But in my opinion, they are starting to forget their place after so long. Every now and then, we need to remind them of who we are. We have been too gentle with them. As a result, Senior Sister was injured, Teacher was injured, Teacher Liu was injured, and even Senior Xia Yunji and the others were injured..."
Su Yu met Hong Tan's gaze and said, "Grandteacher, if we do not strike back, they will start to believe that we are pushovers. I have always wanted to maintain a low profile and focus on my cultivation. But look at what they have been doing. Even if I don't want to provoke them, they will never stop provoking me."
Hong Tan frowned, "Don't make too big of a mess, or not even I will be able to protect you from the consequences. Don't forget that we still have the principal in the academy. He can protect you from the others, but his protection also extends to all the other members of the academy. He might not interfere in minor conflicts, but the moment people start losing lives, he will get involved."
Su Yu nodded. He was aware of that.
Hong Tan said nothing else. The youngsters nowadays seemed much more ruthless and treacherous than the people of his generation. Forget it. Talking too much wouldn't change anything.
In comparison to Su Yu's generation, their generation almost seemed pure and innocent.
Things seemed to have started to change starting with Chen Yong's generation. At Bai Feng's generation, things continued changing. And when those from Su Yu's generation started joining the academy, Hong Tan felt like he could no longer keep up with the thoughts of these kids.
In comparison to them, the only thing he could do was probably fight and research.
Su Yu stopped bothering Hong Tan and went upstairs for his cultivation. He would visit Liu Hong later. As for Wan Tiansheng, he should probably get the visit over with. He was starting to get curious about the principal as well. After being in the academy for several months, he had only seen an indistinct silhouette of the principal. He had yet to meet the principal in person.