"They can enter your dream realm casually. Actually, it isn't a dream realm. Rather, they use their will to create a world and make your consciousness sink within.
"This is the basis of why they are strong. Strictly speaking, the cultivation of civilization masters like us is somewhat similar to theirs."
Su Yu's mouth felt somewhat dry. He then asked softly, "Teacher, do you mean that pursuing the path of civilization can also enable one to become very strong…?"
"It's not that it can, rather, it will be even faster!"
Liu Wenyan laughed. "Temper your will first before you temper your body. Some geniuses of the civilization academies could manifest their wills in three to five years. They then 'solidified' their bodies and entered the Soaring Roam in a single day! Their cultivation speed is even faster than the body path!
"As for war academies, how long do the people there have to take to cultivate to the Soaring Realm?
"Even for geniuses, they will require many years to grind to that level!
"Naturally, it's more difficult for us to enter the starting point and we have fewer people. But even so, 30% of the peak-level experts of the human race originated from civilization academies. From this, you can easily see the truth!"
Su Yu was still absorbing this news. He quickly asked, "Can will be cultivated?"
"Yes."
"Ordinary people cannot do so?"
"Yes. There's a barrier to entry, and it is of higher difficulty compared to the barriers on the body path. Will and consciousness are at the same level. In the beginning, you cannot see it or polish it. Actually, the number of all-races languages one can grasp is already a test itself…"
Liu Wenyan smiled. "Many times, it isn't that someone doesn't want to work hard. Rather, they don't have enough energy or a strong enough will to absorb and digest these pieces of knowledge. You can master 18 all-races languages, but why can't others do the same?
"Did they not put in enough effort? Wrong, these people are actually very hardworking and the effort they put in might not be any lesser than yours. However, they simply cannot master the languages. If they try too hard, their brains might even be damaged. This is because the foundation of their wills isn't strong enough.
"Hence, they can only choose to temper their bodies first to strengthen themselves before they strengthen their wills."
Su Yu heaved a long sigh. "In other words, this means that my talent doesn't lie in the body path but the will path instead?"
"You can understand it like that."
Liu Wenyan smiled. "So, this is the reason why the myriad races dread civilization masters. This is also why the All-Races Sect wants to assassinate some civilization masters. When your will isn't strong enough to strengthen your body, your strength will still be relatively weak. During this time, it will be the easiest to kill you."
Su Yu found this a little hard to accept. This was the first time he heard that the path of civilization masters was actually another path of cultivation.
"Even if you don't look for me today, I will look for you. You wish to go to the Allskies Battlefield to look for your father and I won't stop you. Instead, I will feel happy for you. This is human nature; this is the human heart. This is also the root of why the human race is undefeated!
"However, you cannot do so blindly. You have to calm down.
"Every year, the number of students accepted by civilization academies is fewer than war academies. It seems that there are no conditions to join, but in fact, the conditions are set even higher. In some ways, it's more difficult than the war academies. Is it really just a place where bookworms gather?"
Liu Wenyan couldn't hide his smile anymore. "You are wrong. This is because we don't merely stay in the backlines to research knowledge. We can also head to the frontlines to kill enemies. In addition, the weakest among us who can head to the frontlines are at the Soaring Realm!
"The so-called Thousand Pound Realm and Ten-Thousand Stone Realm are merely cultivation realms that use origin qi in a simple way to refine their bodies. We can do so in a single day!"
"…"
Su Yu's expression stiffened. He then spoke again after some time, "In that case, are you in the Soaring Realm, teacher?"
"No."
Liu Wenyan had a calm look on his face.
"In that case, are you stronger than that?"
"Nope!"
Liu Wenyan was still as calm as ever.
Su Yu started. What did he mean?
"I've already said it. Only upon will manifestation can we strengthen our bodies. I have not yet achieved the manifestation of my will."
Liu Wenyan's earlier words seemed to be a boast!
He…hadn't reached the will manifestation stage yet. So, his true realm was in the Thousand Pound Realm.
Su Yu lifted his head and looked at this teacher. He had a dumbstruck look on his face. (Teacher, how can you act so composed?)
(You are almost 70, but the esteemed you have yet to achieve will manifestation. But you just told me earlier I only needed three to five years? One can't simply brag like that!)
"Don't look at me like this!"
Liu Wenyan calmly spoke, "Back then, I was merely one of the weakest students in the civilization academies and I'm not a genius. After I graduated, I muddled along for many years, so it's very normal that I haven't manifested my will yet. If it was really so easy, there wouldn't only be 30% peak-level experts of the human race that came from the civilization academies. There would be 90%.
"For the paths of cultivation, none of them are easy ones. But compared to the body path, I feel that the will path is faster and you have more hope to attain something above that.
"You wish to grow strong in a short amount of time, so you can only choose to walk on this path, the will path!"
Su Yu sank into contemplation. It was a long time later that he replied. "Teacher, in that case, are there any cultivation arts for the will path?"
"Yes…"
Liu Wenyan laughed as he spoke. Just when he wanted to continue, he suddenly coughed lightly. "Nanyuan doesn't have them, but you will know more if you join the Great Xia Civilization Academy!"
Naturally, the prerequisite was will manifestation.
He didn't say it because if he did, Su Yu would most probably start cursing at him.
"Actually, the process of learning the all-races languages, as well as the process of analyzing some cultivation arts and secret realms, are ways to temper your will. This is especially so if you are researching the original thing…"
This time around, Liu Wenyan was very serious. "You know that some of the things we come in contact with actually aren't the original copies. The original copies will contain the strength or even consciousness and will of the myriad races. Once we decipher it, our gains will be huge.
"Naturally, there is also danger. For example, our consciousness might become chaotic. Every year, the civilization academies will have some people whose consciousness goes haywire after they have deciphered the original copies of things. In the future, when you come in contact with such things, you have to remember to be very careful. The stronger the cultivation art and the more important the document, the mightier the power of the wills within will be. It can easily cause your mind to descend into chaos.
"So, it's easy to distinguish the importance of all-races documents. The stronger the will in them, the more important they will be!
"You can visit the Xia Trading Company to look at those unknown cultivation arts. Those that look simple are trash. In reality, these things have long since been filtered away. The remaining ones put up on sale are all safe ones that are completely harmless…they are trash!"
Su Yu bitterly smiled. (I know, or they would have long since been snatched away by people.)
Liu Wenyan smiled when he saw this. "So, do you still want to apply for war academies?
"In the civilization academies, you can also cultivate the body path. But in the war academies, you might not have a chance to cultivate the will path. At the very least, all the important all-races documents are in the hands of the civilization academies.
"As long as you are strong enough and reach the Soaring Realm, you can go to the Allskies Battlefield at any time.
"Even if you head to the Allskies Battlefield at the Ten-Thousand Stone Realm, you are merely cannon fodder. Is there any meaning in doing so?
"Unless…you don't have enough self-confidence. If that's the case, it will be the same no matter where you go. Because there's basically no way for you to become stronger!"
…
Liu Wenyan's words caused Su Yu's previous thoughts, which were originally not firm, to waver even more.
Should he still join a war academy?
There seemed…to be no need to do so?
So, civilization academies could also allow him to grow stronger!
"Civilization academies…the documents of all-races…will and consciousness…"
As he left the place, Su Yu clenched the bottle in his hand tightly. He would give it a try when he returned. When his will grew stronger, he would then strengthen his body. Wouldn't that be better?
After he activated the Origin Gathering Art, maybe the speed of his body being strengthened would also increase.
"Civilization academies…"
At this moment, Su Yu made his decision. Maybe, he should enter a civilization academy. This was his original goal anyway.
…
After Su Yu departed, the academy head entered and shook his head. "Old fellow, you are swindling people again!"
"What do you mean by this?"
Liu Wenyan was unhappy.
"Manifestation of will… you've cultivated for 50 years, but have you manifested your will yet?"
"Soon!"
Liu Wenyan calmly spoke, "I'm almost at the Soaring Realm. When I breakthrough and achieve will manifestation, someone like you who has just entered the Ten-Thousand Stone Realm will be insignificant!"
"You!"
The academy head didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He should just let things flow naturally. As for Su Yu, it was indeed better for him to join a civilization academy. War academies were too dangerous after all.
However, this old fellow always used these words every time. During these years, he had 'swindled' an unknown number of students. Every time, there would be students who wavered and listened to him, eventually choosing to join a civilization academy.
"The Great Xia Civilization Academy should give you an award. If not, they would have fewer students joining them every year…"
Liu Wenyan didn't disapprove. "Although there is no award, they will pay me 200,000 coins as a reward every year. It's more than sufficient."
"..."
The academy head was speechless. He couldn't help but curse silently, "So you are the spy from the Great Xia Civilization Academy!"
"What do you mean? It's clear that I'm an employee of the Great Xia Civilization Academy. How can you call me a spy?"
Liu Wenyan laughed. The academy head was completely speechless. That was right. These teachers that taught other races' languages were sent here by the Great Xia Civilization Academy. The main point was to prevent their student supply from dwindling and stop all students from running to join the war academies.
After all, how could burying oneself in research be as exciting as the war academies that focused on cultivation? All young people were hot-blooded, so the civilization academies naturally had to take some measures.