Chapter 87: A Gentleman Should Not Resort To Violence (1)
Nanyuan. Afternoon. Cultural research academy examination.
There were fewer students taking this examination compared to the morning examination. These days, almost everyone was willing to cultivate but not everyone was willing to read. And without enough certified languages, one wouldn't even be qualified to sign up for the examination.
Of the 3,000 students participating in this examination, only about a third of them were locals.
...
The students who were with Wu Lan earlier were only present to take a look at Su Yu. The cultural research examination was their actual goal. Su Yu had just left the dormitory building when he noticed the group of guest students waiting for him outside the examination building.
When they saw Su Yu arriving, a cheerful-looking young man stepped forth, reached out, and said with a smile, "Hello, Su Yu. I'm Zhou Tianqi. Let's get to know each other."
Su Yu glanced at the young man. There was no reason to be rude toward someone acting friendly so he shook the offered hand.
"Su Yu, a local." Su Yu then checked the time before asking with a smile, "Do you have any business with me, Student Zhou?"
Zhou Tianqi smiled, "We're all visitors from the capital. We've heard about you before. You're a student Assistant Bai Feng has accepted before you even joined the academy. We're just curious as to how one can catch Assistant Bai's eyes.
"When we saw you this morning, we finally understood that there is always someone better out there."
Zhou Tianqi sighed, "A ninth-stage Source Opening cultivator. No wonder Assistant Bai accepted you in advance. You have my heartfelt admiration."
With a friendly expression, Zhou Tianqi shouted to the group behind him, "Everyone, come get to know each other. We might be fellow schoolmates in the future. With Assistant Bai's help, Su Yu will do much better than us in the academy."
Someone in the group laughed loudly and said, "Su Yu, it is an honor to know you. Only geniuses can be accepted by the academy in advance. After taking a look at you, I can see that you are indeed not an ordinary person!"
At that point, some of the other students nearby were starting to pay attention to them. Sounds of discussion broke out.
"Su Yu was accepted in advance?"
"Why? What's so special about him?"
"This is rigged. How disgusting."
Su Yu heard the comments made about him. His expression did not change, but the look in his eyes changed.
Interesting. These fellows had intentionally spoken those words. They were turning everyone against him. They were basically telling the other students that before the examination had even started, someone had already been guaranteed a spot in an academy. That would turn Su Yu into a public enemy.
Everyone knew that Nanyuan only had limited academy slots. With someone hogging one of the slots through the backdoor, there would be one less slot everyone could fight for. They wouldn't consider the fact that Su Yu was an outstanding student. They wouldn't consider the fact that they might not be able to pass the examination. After this little episode, if they did fail, they would lay the blame on Su Yu. That was how the majority would think.
Sounds of discussion grew louder yet Zhou Tianqi acted like he couldn't hear anything. With the same smile on his face, he said, "Su Yu, I'll be in your care. A genius like you will be treated differently. In the academy, you can receive more resources and support. Unlike us..."
As Zhou Tianqi spoke, he revealed an envious expression.
When Su Yu saw that this person was intentionally speaking loudly, he smiled and said, "I'm not even sure if I can get through this exam. Even if I can, I'm not sure I'll be joining a cultural research academy.
"I placed first in the war academy exam earlier. I might end up joining a war academy instead."
With a calm and indifferent tone, Su Yu said, "If I can't place first in the cultural research exam, I might not join a cultural research academy since I'll receive fewer benefits there. Too bad I can't register for all four exams. Otherwise, I would have taken all four exams and see which academy suits me more."
I am number one! Number one in the war academy examination! Therefore, this precious slot was nothing but a joke for me. It's not a matter of whether the academies are willing to accept me or not. It's a matter of which academy I want to join. These were basically what Su Yu was saying in an indirect manner.
His words shocked many of the students. Someone said, "He placed first in the morning?"
"I thought the result wasn't out yet? How did he know that?"
"What stupid question is that? If he placed first, they would try recruiting him in advance. Why is he here if he already placed first there? What a waste of time."
The sentiment among the crowd started shifting. It was indeed hateful for someone to use the backdoor, but if that person was really incredible enough to place first in the war academy examination, then that person might really not be interested in joining the cultural research academy.
Su Yu was right. If he didn't do well here, he could very well refuse to enter the cultural research academy. At that time, he might be the one rejecting the offers from the academy, not the other way around.
With the same friendly expression, Su Yu continued, "Since you guys are so sure that we're going to be schoolmates, can it be that you have some insider information? I see now. Have all of you been accepted in advance? I've heard that those from the capital know a lot more than us. Can you share with us the contents of this exam?"
Su Yu sighed, "Small city kids like us know too little. We don't even know the contents of the exam. We're essentially going in blind. There is no comparing us with guys like you who are from the capital."
Zhou Tianqi's face turned stiff as he laughed awkwardly before saying, "That's not true at all. The exam contents will change every year. We don't know the contents either."
"Is that so?" When Su Yu spotted a different person in the crowd, he said, "Wu Lan, do you know the contents of the coming exam?"
Wu Lan was walking over alone, looking proud and aloof. Su Yu viewed her as a proud idiot. This woman was not afraid of offending someone. Neither did she care if she offended anyone. Or to be precise, offending these people was no big deal for her. As far as she was concerned, none of them were equal to her.
When she heard Su Yu's question, she looked over unhappily and said, "If you want to know, you'll know when the exam starts."
Su Yu smiled, "I'm just curious. I heard that those from the capital know more than us. Us small city fellows are nervous so I decided to ask."
A lot of local students were looking over expectantly. They really knew too little about the examination.
Wu Lan frowned impatiently before saying, "It's just a normal exam. But toward the end, there will be more emphasis on willpower and Divine Characters."
"Oh." Su Yu nodded. Instead of asking more, he lamented, "It sure is nice growing up in the capital. Even their students know more than us. Friends from the capital, you guys are guaranteed to enter the academy. As for people like us...I'm afraid we won't be able to get in even after passing the exam. Forget it. I already placed first in the war academy exam so I don't have to be too worried.
"I wonder how many guest students will they recruit. I just hope that they will leave some openings for actual Nanyuan students as well."
The expressions of the students around them started changing.
Someone who knew Su Yu couldn't resist saying, "Su Yu, it's not that bad, right? I thought the teachers said that the students from the capital will not be taking our existing slots?"
Su Yu smiled, "Yes. That's the policy. But...these students from the capital are too outstanding. Comparison is a terrifying thing. It didn't matter if we performed badly in the former years since there is nobody to compare us to. Now that we have these students from the capital here...the proctors from the cultural research academy might decide to reduce our slots due to how poorly we perform compared to those from the capital. You can't deny that there is a possibility of that happening."
With that, the mood of the crowd changed entirely. The locals had unsightly expressions as they looked at Zhou Tianqi and the other guest students. There was indeed a possibility of what Su Yu said happening.
The proctors came from the cultural research academies. The moment they saw how terrible Nanyuan students were, what would they do? It didn't matter if nobody was around to make the locals look bad. But the guest students were here. What would happen next?
Su Yu continued, "Also, the guest students have limited slots as well. Previously, I thought only those who couldn't make it in the capital would be here. But look at Student Zhou and his friends. It's clear they're geniuses even in the capital. Well done, guys. Even the regular guest students can forget about joining an academy with them around."
Nobody had thought of all that before.
But after Su Yu made that clear, a guest student suddenly cursed, "Damn it! Zhou Tianqi, you're a top-10 student in the capital's Ninth Secondary School. Why are you here to snatch our slots? Damn you!"
"Yeah! Why are you here? My father bought an expensive house before he managed to get a residency slot for me here. The slots for guest students are already limited in the first place. With these bastards here, the number of available slots will become even smaller!"
"Fuck!"
The guest students started raging.
One of them said sullenly, "Do you know how many slots we guest students have? I doubt we have more than 20. Look at them. There are like seven or eight of them. That's half the slots gone..."
"They can get through the exam in the capital but they insisted on coming here! Are they here for some ulterior motives? They're using this as a roundabout way to bribe the marquis!"
The guest students were furious. They were even more furious than the local students. The parents of some of the guest students looked unhappy as well. Prior to this, they were unclear of what was happening. After hearing Su Yu's words, some started asking their children.
It was then that they learned that these students were all little geniuses from the capital. They might not be as good as the top dogs like Wu Lan, but they were still big deals in their respective secondary schools. These geniuses were here as well?
The parents started stirring. They were still outside the examination building. The examination had yet to start and the parents were still around. Thus, the guests started talking before the locals could say anything.
A parent stepped forth and loudly asked, "Since you can pass the exam in the capital, what are you doing here? Do you think you're hot shit because your family is rich and powerful? The capital nearly forced us to bankruptcy, making us come all this way. Are you going to take even this final chance from us?
"We have to endure it when Marquis Xia is fucking us over. But even people like you who are similarly from the capital are fucking us over? Damn it! Do you really think you can do everything you want just because you're rich and powerful? Just wait until the prefect leaves seclusion. He will take all your heads!"
That parent was probably someone who had used his life savings to send his kid here. That was why he was getting so emotional. He couldn't afford to offend Marquis Xia, but was he supposed to be scared of these people as well?
"We need an explanation for this! Otherwise, I'll ask for a refund! I don't want the house or the residency slot anymore! Refund or we'll boycott the exam!"
"Yes! Refund us or we're boycotting the exam! This is obviously a scam!"
"Otherwise, add more slots on top of them. They don't count!"
Su Yu was dumbstruck. He had only slightly incited the crowd. It was working way too well. Nothing bad would happen, right?