Three Goals

The Chen Family.

Their four-bedroom, two-living-room home was not in the same residential complex as Su Yu's, but it was in the neighboring complex, not far away.

That was why Chen Hao often showed up downstairs at the Su Family home. It was quite close.

A few years ago, the two families had still lived in the same complex. Later, Chen Qinghe had been promoted and bought a slightly larger home next door.

The moment Su Yu entered, Chen Qinghe, who had been watching television, immediately rose to his feet and laughed. "Ah Yu's here! Sit down. We'll eat soon. Haven't seen you in quite a few days!"

"Uncle Chen, is Auntie in the kitchen?"

Chen Hao's mother did not come out from the kitchen, merely replying with a laugh, "Ah Yu, watch some TV first. Dinner will be ready soon. I specially made braised pork for you today—your favorite."

Su Yu smiled and thanked her. As for braised pork... his father had made it too often before, and he had grown sick of it. Now that his father was away, he truly missed it a little.

Once Su Yu sat down, Chen Qinghe saw that his son was about to do the same. His smile instantly vanished as he barked, "Go pour some tea! Don't you have any sense?"

Chen Hao muttered a few complaints before reluctantly running off to pour tea.

The moment Chen Hao left, Chen Qinghe's expression quickly softened. Looking at Su Yu, he said, "Ah Yu, thank you for what you did for Haozi. This kid has a screw loose. Claiming someone else's merit isn't a small matter. If it had been someone else... we couldn't have accepted that merit."

"But you and Haozi grew up together. Since this was your idea, Uncle isn't worried that anything will go wrong."

"You're quick-witted. You've been smart since you were little, more capable of making plans than your father or me."

Su Yu said softly, "Uncle Chen, nothing will happen over this. I'm just worried whether adding points to send Haozi to a War Academy... is really the right thing to do."

Chen Qinghe sighed, then quickly shook his head. "I thought about that too. But after thinking it over, I realized I can't stop him. You know his personality—he only knows how to charge straight ahead. He wants to attend a War Academy. Even if he can't get into Great Xia War College, he might still go to some weaker War Academy."

"Rather than letting him go to some other War Academy, he might as well attend a better one. At least there'll be more opportunities and greater security."

Chen Qinghe looked at Su Yu and said solemnly, "I actually wanted to treat you to this meal long ago. On one hand, it's to thank you. On the other... it's a request! You're definitely going to Great Xia Prefecture. Even if you and Haozi don't attend the same academy, Uncle believes you'll go farther and make your way more easily than Haozi once you get there..."

"On a battlefield, you'd be the commander, while Haozi would just be cannon fodder charging ahead. Uncle wants to ask you to look after him a little."

Su Yu hurriedly said, "Don't worry, Uncle Chen. Of course I will. Haozi and I have known each other for so many years."

Chen Qinghe waved a hand slightly and sighed again. "Once or twice is fine, but over time, even the best relationship can't withstand it. In the end, it still depends on Haozi himself. If he has no ability, then after graduation, I'll have him return to Nanyuan. Nanyuan is actually quite nice too."

"If he has some talent and manages to make something of himself in Great Xia Prefecture, then as long as he doesn't drag you down, he can be your follower..."

"Uncle Chen, that's a bit too—" Su Yu had just started to speak when Chen Qinghe interrupted, "He's made to be a follower. It just depends on who he follows. This little bastard has a bit of that reckless, lawless streak in him. If he follows someone else, he might become cannon fodder one day and not even know how he died."

"The outside world isn't like home. The Ten Thousand Races eat people, and people eat people too."

Chen Qinghe's tone was bleak. "Ah Yu, Uncle can only entrust him to you. You're the same age, and Uncle trusts how you handle things. But Haozi really won't do. These past years, I've tried to teach him, but I can't. Even when I do, it's useless."

Su Yu had nothing left to say and could only nod.

At that moment, Chen Hao came over carrying teacups. Seeing them, he laughed. "Dad, what are you two talking about?"

Chen Qinghe shot him a glance and snapped, "We were talking about why you're so stupid, and when you'll finally grow up!"

Chen Hao looked thoroughly depressed and fell silent.

"If you were a girl, that would be great. I'd just tell Su Long that I was promising you to Ah Yu. But you had to be a big, burly boy. What a waste of all that size!"

Chen Hao bared his teeth, while Su Yu shuddered as well.

Just imagining Chen Hao as a girl... forget it. He would not think about it. Too terrifying.

After chatting for a while, Mother Chen had finished cooking and the dishes were brought to the table. The group moved to the dining room together.

This was not Su Yu's first time eating at the Chen Family home, so he was not particularly restrained.

He had not eaten a proper meal in quite some time, so Su Yu ate quite a lot.

After dinner, they chatted idly for a while longer before Su Yu prepared to say goodbye and head home.

After they stepped outside, Chen Qinghe somehow had a box in his hand. He grasped Su Yu's hand, pressed the box into it, and said softly, "Take it. This isn't a gift of thanks for what happened before. For that matter, let Haozi thank you himself in the future..."

"This is Uncle's gift for asking you to look after him. Uncle says he doesn't care, but deep down, I'm truly afraid... afraid that one day, he'll just be gone."

"Ah Yu, I'm begging you!"

Su Yu did not know what he was feeling. Chen Qinghe was, after all, the deputy director of the Education Supervision Office and a Thousand Jun Ninth Stage cultivator. He was even about to become the full director.

Yet now, for his son's sake, he was treating Su Yu more courteously than before, even lowering himself somewhat.

Su Yu was only in the Kaiyuan Realm, and he was going to a Civilization Academy. He truly did not understand why Chen Qinghe believed in him so much.

Chen Qinghe had pressed the box into his hands. After thinking it over, Su Yu did not refuse it. He would keep it for now.

Su Yu soon left the Chen Family home.

The moment he was gone, Chen Hao could not help saying, "Dad, why were you so polite to Ah Yu today? It felt really awkward."

"What do you know!"

Chen Qinghe could not be bothered with him. Chen Hao said unwillingly, "How do I not know? Ah Yu and I have known each other for years. You don't need to tell me—we're as close as iron."

"Looking after you once or twice is friendship. Three or four times is a favor. Any more than that, and it becomes severing ties!"

Chen Qinghe said with a cold face, "With that personality of yours, you'll cause trouble for me sooner or later! After it happens too many times, Su Yu isn't your father. Why should he look after you? By then, the friendship will be gone, and you'll still shamelessly cling to him?"

"Dad, you trust me too little."

"That's right."

Chen Qinghe answered without hesitation, then continued, "If you really go to Great Xia Prefecture, stop causing trouble for me. Just keep your head down and cultivate properly! Don't bother Su Yu for nothing. Only go beg him for help if something happens that you truly can't solve."

"Ah Yu is going there as a student just like me, not as some high official..."

"You..."

Chen Qinghe sighed. "How can it be the same? Setting aside the fact that he's already smarter than you, who is Liu Wenyan? A Soaring Realm Civilization Master with extensive connections in Daxia Civilization Academy. He has high expectations for Su Yu. Once Su Yu goes there, he won't be the same as you."

"And that Bai Feng who came last time—I asked around. He's an assistant researcher, and it seems he's about to break through to Soaring Realm Seventh Stage!"

"When he left last time, he told Su Yu to find him at the academy... The City Guards' Centurion Zhang and the others were all there at the time. What does that mean? It means he thinks highly of Su Yu! And you... why couldn't you seize that opportunity?"

"When Su Yu goes to Daxia Civilization Academy, he'll have Liu Wenyan's connections, Bai Feng looking after him, and his own intelligence. In a few years, you may still be an ordinary soldier while he might already be someone important in Great Xia Prefecture!"

"Also, Su Long may only be at Thousand Jun Ninth Stage, but he came from the Demon Suppression Army. That's different from your father."

Chen Qinghe said with emotion, "What was the Demon Suppression Army? It was the great army corps once commanded by Prefect Xia himself! Even now, several centurions in the Dragon Martial Guard came from the Demon Suppression Army!"

"Su Long wasn't some major figure in the Demon Suppression Army, but coming from the same army made them old comrades-in-arms!"

"More than half the upper ranks of the Dragon Martial Guard and the prefectural army came from the Demon Suppression Army. As long as Su Yu isn't stupid, with that connection, those two great forces will be his backers!"

Chen Hao shook his head. "That works too? Dad, Uncle Su is in the Qianjun Realm. Can he really know all those important people?"

"It's not about whether he knows them!"

Chen Qinghe said irritably, "You don't understand the military. If Su Yu truly needs help and says that his father served in the Demon Suppression Army, and was the kind of old soldier who returned home, the military will naturally feel three parts more affection for him. The military is fiercely protective of its own cubs. At the very least, they won't let anyone bully Su Yu."

"They may not give him much benefit, but in Great Xia Prefecture, ordinary people won't be able to bully Su Yu. There have even been cases where Prefect Xia personally stepped in when major trouble erupted."

Chen Qinghe said no more. This was not something that had never happened.

Xia Longwu was an iron-blooded war god who valued the bond between comrades.

Especially those old soldiers who had fought alongside him on the battlefield twenty years ago—many of them were now senior officers in the Dragon Martial Guard and the prefectural army.

It was a pity about Su Long. If he had not retired and returned home back then, and if he had not died, his status now would probably not be low.

The Qianjun Realm was still too weak. If Su Long had been in the Wanshi Realm, he would likely have entered the Dragon Martial Guard back then.

Compared to Su Yu, his own boy would truly be alone and helpless after arriving in Great Xia Prefecture.

He was not Su Long. He might count as someone in Nanyuan, but once he went to Great Xia Prefecture... who would know who Chen Qinghe was?

Chen Hao's head hurt from listening, so he stopped thinking about it. Muttering that Uncle Su was really impressive, he returned to his room.

Chen Qinghe did not know whether to laugh or cry. He could more or less guess what his son was thinking now.

Why wasn't my dad from the Demon Suppression Army?

That was probably what the boy was thinking!

The Su Family home.

After returning home, Su Yu opened the box Chen Qinghe had given him.

The instant he opened it, Su Yu's expression changed.

The box was not small, and it held more than one item.

Inside were several small bottles, along with a bone fragment.

A complete bone fragment!

"This... this is... an original Ten Thousand Races cultivation manual?"

Su Yu was somewhat surprised. As for the bottles, he saw that there were three of them. He opened one and took a look—Qi Liquid!

One drop per bottle!

Three drops of Qi Liquid!

"What a generous gift!"

Su Yu clicked his tongue in amazement!

Three drops of Qi Liquid had a market value of three hundred thousand.

But that was not the key. The key was the original Ten Thousand Races cultivation manual.

Even if it was only an original cultivation manual for the Qianjun Realm, its value was astonishing.

Last time, Bai Feng had given Su Yu a fragment. It was only one-third of the original, yet it was already considered a treasure. Liu Yue's eyes had gone red with envy when she saw it.

This was not something money could buy. It required Merit Points.

Su Yu was no longer completely ignorant now.

Nanyuan Middle Academy did not exchange original cultivation manuals, though they could be exchanged in Great Xia Prefecture.

For an original cultivation manual of the Qianjun Realm, regardless of whether it was a cultivation technique or a martial skill, and regardless of which race it came from, the most basic price started at thirty Merit Points!

If it was an original cultivation manual from a powerful race like the Gods and Devils, its value would be even higher—very high!

At least thirty Merit Points or more!

"This..."

Su Yu had known Chen Qinghe would not be stingy this time, but he had not expected this to be beyond a matter of generosity. He suspected Chen Qinghe had used all the Merit Points he had accumulated over the years to exchange for this original manual!

"This is..."

Su Yu truly did not know what to say.

Three hundred thousand was difficult enough to take out casually, even though Chen Qinghe oversaw the Education Supervision Office and definitely earned more than Su Yu's father.

As for Merit Points, based on their annual benefits, Chen Qinghe could probably receive around five to ten points each year.

Su Yu did not know how many Merit Points Chen Qinghe had spent, but this single box likely represented everything Chen Qinghe had accumulated over six or seven years!

His salary, benefits, Merit Points—everything had been poured into it!

"Uncle Chen thinks far too highly of me!"

Su Yu smiled bitterly. He understood that this was an investment. Of course, it was not Chen Qinghe investing in him, but investing in Chen Hao.

Chen Qinghe hoped that once Su Yu established himself in Great Xia Prefecture, he could look after Chen Hao.

The crucial thing was that Chen Qinghe had truly spared no expense.

Chen Qinghe did not know that Bai Feng had already accepted him as a student in advance, nor did he know Su Yu had already reached the Kaiyuan Seventh Stage. Based only on what had happened before, he had given Su Yu something so precious. Was he not afraid it would all go down the drain?

"Ah!"

Su Yu sighed faintly. It was all for the child. Haozi probably did not know about this. If he did, he would probably come snatch the things away.

If Su Yu returned them, Uncle Chen would not accept them. Su Yu knew that clearly.

After thinking it over, he did not plan to return them.

Since Chen Qinghe had exchanged for an original cultivation manual, something he could neither use nor read himself, it was obvious that he intended to give it to Su Yu. He had probably asked around about many things beforehand as well.

As for the three drops of Qi Liquid, Su Yu considered it. He might not need so much.

He still had half a drop on him, and he would receive another three drops during the assessment. He had already counted those in.

Qi Liquid was highly useful in the Kaiyuan Realm. It was also useful in the Thousand Jun, Ten Thousand Stones stages, though its effects would not be as good then as they were now.

Su Yu was currently at the Kaiyuan Seventh Stage, so he probably would not use that much.

"When Haozi comes to cultivate, I can let him use them."

"Ever since Dad left home, my savings have actually kept growing."

Su Yu did not know whether to laugh or cry. When his father left, he had left behind more than three hundred thousand. When Su Yu had bought essence blood, he had thought he would soon go bankrupt.

Yet now, his family assets were increasing instead.

"Three hundred thousand in Anping Coin and gold coins, three and a half drops of Qi Liquid, one complete Qianjun original manual, one incomplete original manual, one copy of the Kaiyuan Jue, two drops of essence blood, and thirteen Merit Points."

The Merit Points included the one point he earned today. The other two had been earned a few days ago when he assisted Jifeng Hall in capturing members of the Ten Thousand Races Cult.

After calculating it all, Su Yu realized that he could now count as wealthy.

"Now that I have money, I should reward little brother 'Blood'!"

Su Yu smiled. The two drops of essence blood he had seized last time were not Iron Winged Bird Essence Blood. He had not consumed them carelessly, but had kept them for the "Blood" character to absorb.

Although the divine character did not absorb much each time, as it slowly accumulated, it would grow sooner or later.

"For the time ahead, I'll kill a mid-stage Qianjun cultivator as my graduation assessment. Besides that, I'll break through to the Kaiyuan Eighth Stage!"

"As for Willpower, I'll strive to reach 20% fullness soon!"

Su Yu set his goals. These were the goals he had before taking the higher academy entrance assessment.

There were less than twenty-four days left before the assessment.

Three goals. He believed he could complete them all!