As far as Zhan Hai was concerned, Su Yu was basically trying to instigate the common students to rise up against the single character faction. These students would be used as cannon fodder.
He disliked Su Yu. This person looked honorable on the surface, but inwardly, he was a cold person. Liu Hong might be a hypocrite, but so was Su Yu.
He wouldn't be able to change anything. The only thing he could achieve here was leading a bunch of people toward suffering. In the end, he would survive due to his backers. How about the common students who had supported him? Had he considered that?
...
Su Yu smiled and said, "It doesn't matter if you agree or disagree with me. Since none of you have the courage to protest this injustice, I will do it. I will be the one to question the academy and Great Xia about their policies."
"A mere child who is not even a Skysoar is unqualified to say these words."
Someone else berated Su Yu.
Looking at the old student who had spoken, Su Yu smiled and said, "Get in the ring. I'll let you know if I am qualified to say all that."
The old student’s face sank. He really wanted to step into the ring.
Su Yu raised his voice, "Everyone who is unhappy with me! Feel free to get in the ring! I won't stop at three matches! As long as there are still challengers, I will remain in the ring."
"Su Yu, can you speak for your entire team?"
Su Yu smiled, "They can leave if they disagree. I won't force anyone to stay."
"You are indeed bold, but it is unfortunate that you lack the strength to match your courage." Someone sneered at him.
...
Among the crowd.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtWu Jia had a worried expression. Her junior brother had always been a cool-headed person. Why had he provoked so many people today?
Something bad would happen if this continued. He only needed to fight in the tournament and win a slot for himself. Why was he doing this?
Beside her, Li Minyu nonchalantly said, "Your junior brother is quite an ambitious person."
Wu Jia looked at her in confusion.
Li Minyu explained, "Your junior brother has only entered the academy for a few months yet he is already trying to become a leader of the students. Can't you see that? In the past, this was what the super geniuses of the multiple character faction like Liu Wenyan would do after entering the academy. They would win the worship of their fellow students and the acknowledgment of their teachers. Before even reaching the Skysoar Realm, they would obtain a large number of supporters. Everyone believed that those people would be the ones to lead the academy to a new height. Alas, things had not ended well for those people."
Today, Su Yu had suddenly said all those words, questioning the principal and Great Xia...
Was he trying to walk the same path? More importantly, was he capable enough to walk that path?
Back then, people like Liu Wenyan had dominated their peers. Their sheer talent and strength had gained them the support of even those from the older generation. Was Su Yu qualified to say all those words?
…
Not far away.
Wu Lan looked at her elder sister and asked in confusion, "Sister, why is he provoking Zhan Hai?"
Had Su Yu gotten way too cocky? That was Zhan Hai! The number one cultivator below the Skysoar Realm! But Su Yu was showing him zero respect or fear. It even felt like Su Yu was trying to challenge Zhan Hai. He wouldn't have said all that otherwise.
Wu Qi frowned as she sank into thought. But after a short moment, she smiled, "I thought he's a patient man. Looks like he is actually an ambitious man. He is unhappy with the current status quo. He wants to use this chance to get himself a group of supporters before he enters the Skysoar Realm. These supporters would be his voice in the academy."
"Would this work?"
"I don't know."
Would that work? Maybe. Or maybe not. Who could say for sure?
Wu Qi had an amused expression as she looked at the high-spirited Su Yu. If he had continued enduring, he would slowly turn into a second Liu Hong. But instead of doing what was logical, he changed his tune and was starting to show off even more? Had he grown too confident? Or had he really grown strong enough to defeat anyone below the Skysoar Realm?
...
Sounds of discussion broke out everywhere.
And one researcher after another arrived.
It would seem like this was truly not a peaceful year for the academy. That was especially true for the past six months. One incident after another had happened.
This was only a normal tournament for a few grotto slots. But even during such a tournament, someone had still created enough ruckus to attract the attention of the entire academy.
Among the crowd, someone laughed heartily and asked, "Su Yu, what will change if the multiple character faction wins?"
That was Zheng Yunhui. With a happy smile, he said, "Can you talk for the multiple character faction? Can you promise everyone more benefits? Don't forget that even the slots offered as the rewards of this tournament are given out by the single character faction. Your faction is too poor to even open the grotto."
A lot of people nodded in agreement. The two factions could fight as much as they wanted. Ordinary students like them did not care about that. Everyone would do the same thing once they reached the top.
There was no guarantee that the multiple character faction would treat the common students better upon gaining power. In that case, why should the masses care? They only needed to care about themselves.
As long as the conflict did not affect them, they would not care. Perhaps they might even get the chance to benefit from the conflict of the two. This tournament was the perfect example of this. The incident involving Su Yu and his thousands of losses was another example.
"Benefits?"
Su Yu smiled, "What is the foundation of a cultural researcher? Willpower? Divine Character? No. It's the brain! It's research! It's development! Some people have forgotten that they are cultural researchers. I have been curious. Since we only care about combat strength nowadays, why don't we shift all our support to the war academies? Why waste our time and resources on cultural research academies? Why don't we call ourselves mages instead of cultural researchers?
"Cultural researcher. Culture. Our main purpose is to act as chroniclers of culture, transmitters of culture, and scholars of culture. That is the foundation of a cultural researcher. That is our true source of strength. What can I bring everyone? I can bring everyone back to our roots. To erase the chaos and dirt from the academy.
"I will allow everyone to experience the true grace of being a cultural researcher. The current practice where the one with the stronger fist can decide anything shall be eradicated.
Zheng Yunhui laughed and said, "But you can't deny that the strongest fist can indeed decide everything."
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"But the Great Xia Cultural Research Academy's fist is not strong enough. Just with the small number of Mountainseas we have, we want to dominate the Myriad Realms? Are you dreaming? Back in the day, we still had Sunmoon experts among our ranks. But now, we don't even have a single Sunmoon. Is this the so-called strength you talk about all the time? Is this the fist you rely on?"
"..."
"What do you want to say? What do you want to do?" Zheng Yunhui asked.
Su Yu smiled, "Nothing for now. But not long after this, I will be applying for a research center from the academy. I will be inviting all talented individuals to join me in my research. We shall do what we can and contribute to all cultural researchers, to all warriors, to all cultivators, and even to all of humanity."
"Hahaha!"
A lot of people started roaring with laughter. What a boastful kid. They couldn't resist laughing. Su Yu must have gone mad. A student who had only entered the academy for a few months wanted to apply for a research center? And he was recruiting a group of people to join him in his research?
Was he crazy? Had he gone mad from the single character faction's suppression? Only a fool would join him in this endeavor.
Ridiculous. Rather than wasting their time with him, they would rather spend more time cultivating and gaining more strength.
Even Chen Yong felt slightly disappointed. Previously, he had been confident that Su Yu would keep growing, one steady step at a time. But what was Su Yu doing? He knew that Su Yu had obtained an inheritance through a fortuitous encounter. But had the kid overestimated his inheritance?
Did he believe that the knowledge he had gained from his inheritance was enough to support the operation of a research center? How about money? How about manpower? He had nothing!
At this point in time, Su Yu should instead be practical and advance one step at a time. Standing here and boasting to the entire academy was not something he should be doing.
Chen Yong was disappointed. He had been planning to pass on some things to Su Yu after Su Yu reached the Skysoar Realm. But now, he started doubting his decision.
At this point, not even Elder Sun was angry anymore. The pressure on him had also vanished. With a smile, he said, "Su Yu, if you wish to found your own research center, you will have my vote during the meeting of elders. You are truly an interesting person. But I do hope that no other people will go crazy and join you in your hopeless endeavor. We won't be able to allocate any funds to you, but we won't have an issue giving you an actual research center."
This was too funny.
Suddenly, he felt like it would be better for Su Yu to stay alive. He even looked forward to the establishment of Su Yu's research center. That would turn the multiple character faction into a joke.
A student who had only been in the academy for a few months was actually brazenly claiming that he would establish a research center? Was the kid even aware of the significance of a research center?
That research center of his could very well turn into the joke of the academy or even the entire Human Realm.
Su Yu, a genius of the multiple character faction, had established a research center at the Mental Tempering Stage. How incredible. He led a bunch of fools in his research center only to end up empty-handed even after spending decades on research.
The research center might even fall apart after only a few years. And Su Yu would be forever known as a disgrace to all cultural researchers. His name would forever be used as a bad example. And that would be a truly fatal blow to the multiple character faction.
They had actually viewed someone like that as the final hope of the multiple character faction? That was laughable.