Chapter 286 The Su Brothers Block the Way

Jiang Yun paused slightly and looked up.

The people blocking his path...

...turned out to be two acquaintances.

One of them was pale, his eyes darting around as he kept his head down, his body trembling almost imperceptibly. It was Su Mingxuan, who had previously clashed with Jiang Yun at the Su Family and had repeatedly shown hostility after enrollment.

Standing in front of him was a handsome young man dressed in an azure brocade robe, with a steady temperament that carried a hint of arrogance.

The young man stood tall, his Aura condensed and heavy. One could sense that his presence far exceeded that of an ordinary Gold Rank Nine Beast Tamer. This person was none other than a Prodigy ranked among the top ten on the earth ranking, Su Mingxuan's older brother—

Su Gumu.

At this moment...

Su Mingxuan's current state, silent as a cicada in winter and not even daring to raise his head, was a world apart from his arrogant and boastful attitude back in the Ancestral Hall, making him look particularly ridiculous.

Su Gumu, on the other hand, was calm and composed.

There was even a faint, gentle smile on his face. Seeing Jiang Yun look over, he nodded slightly in greeting. There wasn't a hint of hostility in his eyes; instead, there was a trace of... closeness?

Jiang Yun's gaze swept over the two brothers.

Several thoughts flashed through his mind.

He stopped walking.

Looking at Su Gumu,

his tone was flat and indifferent.

"What is it?"

He raised a finger and pointed at Su Mingxuan, who still had his head lowered.

"Is Senior Su here to... stand up for your brother and challenge me to a fight?"

He thought Su Gumu couldn't hold back anymore,

or perhaps he had been egged on by Su Mingxuan,

intending to take advantage of the fact that he had just fought two consecutive matches and might be exhausted to test or teach him a lesson.

However,

Su Gumu's reaction was completely beyond his expectations.

Su Gumu's smile became even gentler, even showing a bit of humility as he waved his hands repeatedly and spoke with a sincere tone.

"Brother-in-law Jiang Yun, what are you saying? A misunderstanding, this is a huge misunderstanding!"

He specifically emphasized the word 'brother-in-law'.

His gaze also flickered quickly and respectfully over the peerlessly beautiful Fox Immortal with her profound Aura standing beside Jiang Yun, before he immediately looked away, his attitude perfectly measured.

"Qingxue is a younger sister from a branch of our Su Family. Since you are sister Qingxue's fiancé, then we are one Family!"

Su Gumu spoke with deep sincerity.

"Between Family members, why would we seek trouble with each other or turn against our own? Occasional friction is only normal."

He turned his head.

The smile on his face vanished,

replaced by the sternness of an older brother.

He said to Su Mingxuan, "Mingxuan, when I questioned you earlier, what did you say yourself? Was it not you who took the initiative to provoke him first and showed great offense toward Brother-in-law Jiang Yun?"

Su Mingxuan trembled all over.

His head buried even lower.

His voice was as thin as a mosquito's buzz, carrying a clear tremor.

"Yes... yes... Big Brother, it was my fault... I was blinded by greed at the time and didn't know the heights of the heavens or the depths of the earth. I offended... I offended Brother-in-law Jiang Yun—no, no, no! It's Big Brother Jiang Yun..."

He had a grudge with Jiang Yun,

so he naturally didn't dare use the title 'brother-in-law'.

Realizing something was wrong, he immediately changed it to 'Big Brother Jiang Yun'.

His voice was filled with fear and regret.

"Did you hear that, brother-in-law?"

Su Gumu turned back.

He gave Jiang Yun a helpless and apologetic smile.

"I've already asked this kid about the cause and effect of this matter in detail. It was indeed his lack of sense, relying on his Family background and being overconfident, that led him to speak rudely to you many times and even harbor resentment. As his Elder brother, I am also responsible for my lack of strict discipline."

As he spoke,

he actually leaned his body forward slightly.

He cupped his fists and gave Jiang Yun a formal bow.

"Today, I shall officially apologize to you, brother-in-law, on behalf of this worthless younger brother, as well as for my own negligence in his upbringing. I hope that for the sake of sister Qingxue and the Su Family, you won't lower yourself to this kid's level."

Then,

he lightly kicked Su Mingxuan's calf.

He barked in a low voice,

"What are you standing there for? You made the mistake, you apologize! Be sincere!"

Su Mingxuan felt as if he had been granted a great pardon, yet he was also like a bird startled by a bowstring. He hurriedly stepped forward and bowed deeply to Jiang Yun, his head almost touching his knees, his voice stuttering due to excessive tension.

"I'm... I'm sorry! Big Brother Jiang Yun! Every single thing was my fault! I was blind, I was narrow-minded, I... I brought shame upon myself! You are a great man with a broad mind, please don't lower yourself to the level of an idiot like me! Just treat me like a fart and let me go! I promise! I swear! I will never dare to show you the slightest disrespect again! If I see you, I will definitely take a detour! No, no, no... I will bow respectfully! Please... please forgive me this once!"

He was incoherent.

His attitude was humble to the point of being in the dust.

Fine beads of cold sweat even broke out on his forehead.

This was a stark and powerful contrast to his arrogant and haughty appearance back at the Su Family!

Jiang Yun watched this dramatic scene.

His heart was as clear as a Vice Dean Ming Jing.

Why was Su Mingxuan's change so drastic?

It was nothing more than the two battles in the Colosseum today.

They had completely shattered that ridiculous sense of superiority and fluke mentality in his heart.

Chu Yunfei, eighty-seventh on the earth ranking!

Gold Rank Six.

He was easily crushed by Little Fire.

Feng Qianyuan, tenth on the earth ranking.

Gold Rank Eight Peak.

He possessed a beast with Eclipsing Moon Rank Aptitude.

And the result?

If the Elder hadn't intervened,

both man and beast would have been nearly insta-killed by Little Fire's single Dragon Flame Burst Kill!

This terrifying and common-sense-defying combat power was like a bucket of ice-water mixture poured over Su Mingxuan's head. It not only extinguished all his thoughts of revenge but also woke him up.

It made him realize with absolute clarity.

Just what kind of terrifying monster this country bumpkin from City C really was!

To be his enemy...

...was no different from a mantis trying to stop a chariot... seeking one's own destruction... Fear.

It was a wake-up call more effective than any reasoning.

It probably wasn't just Su Mingxuan.

That Lin Tao, who also had a grudge against him,

was likely scared out of his wits right now,

hiding somewhere and trembling, right?

His brother, who was also said to be an earth ranking Prodigy, was probably weighing the options repeatedly as well—whether it was worth it to provoke a calamity who could insta-kill the tenth on the earth ranking just for the sake of a worthless younger brother.

Jiang Yun thought to himself.

It seemed...

...that this display of power today...

...had an even better effect than expected.

It indeed saved a lot of unnecessary trouble.

Seeing that Su Mingxuan was scared half to death,

and that Su Gumu's apology was sincere enough,

plus his attitude of playing the Family card,

Jiang Yun didn't want to completely sour the relationship.

After all,

both the City Su Family and the Provincial Capital Su Family had treated him well.

The Su Family Head, Su Yuntian, had even publicly supported him.

He remembered this friendship.

His expression softened slightly.

His tone remained flat,

carrying an unquestionable authority.

"Let the past be the past. I, Jiang Yun, am not a petty person, but..."

His gaze was like lightning.

It swept over Su Mingxuan,

and finally landed on Su Gumu's face.

"Only this once. If you provoke me again, then even if you are of the Su Family direct line, I will never show mercy again. Do you understand?"

Those last three words...

...were not loud,

yet they carried a cold pressure.

Su Mingxuan jolted.

He nodded repeatedly like a woodpecker.

His voice carried a sob.

"Understood! Understood! Thank you, Big Brother Jiang Yun, for your magnanimity! I will never dare again! I will definitely turn over a new leaf and be a good person!"

Su Gumu also let out a sigh of relief at the right time.

The smile on his face became more genuine.

He quickly cupped his hands.

"Brother-in-law is magnanimous! Truly a Qilin son that our Su Family values! On behalf of this worthless younger brother, I thank you for your tolerance!"

His repeated use of 'brother-in-law'...

...was becoming increasingly smooth and affectionate,

as if the two were really close relatives.

It made Jiang Yun feel slightly uncomfortable.

Fox Immortal, standing to the side, also frowned slightly.

They had not expected Su Mingxuan's older brother, Su Gumu, to have such a familiar and outgoing personality... Jiang Yun waved his hand.

He didn't wish to talk more.

"If there's nothing else, I'll be heading back first."

After saying that,

he prepared to walk away.

"Brother-in-law, wait!"

Su Gumu suddenly spoke up,

stopping him once more.

His face showed a perfect blend of enthusiasm and seriousness.

Jiang Yun's brow twitched.

He stopped and looked at him.

"Something else?"

Su Gumu smiled.

He took half a step forward.

His tone became even more intimate,

even carrying a hint of a heart-to-heart talk.

"Brother-in-law, today you defeated powerful enemies in the Colosseum and established a great reputation. I saw it all, and I feel honored as well. I'm truly happy for you!"

He changed the subject.

"However, you've just arrived. Although your talent is peerless and your combat power is unrivaled, the waters of Sky Dome Academy and even the entire provincial capital are far deeper and muddier than you imagine. Some things can perhaps be deterred temporarily by personal bravery, but if you want to establish a long-term foothold, obtain more resources, and climb to higher Peaks, you still need..."

He paused slightly,

observing Jiang Yun's expression.

Seeing that Jiang Yun was just looking at him calmly,

he continued, "You still need to have fellow travelers to support you and a faction to rely on. As the saying goes, a single tree does not make a forest, and a single thread does not make a cord."

Jiang Yun heard the underlying meaning in his words.

He asked straightforwardly,

"Senior Su, feel free to speak plainly."

Seeing Jiang Yun being so direct,

Su Gumu stopped beating around the bush.

The smile on his face vanished.

"Brother-in-law is straightforward! In that case, I will speak plainly."

He cleared his throat.

His tone became formal and carried a hint of pride.

"Brother-in-law, since you have already entered my Su Family Ancestral Hall and set a marriage contract with sister Qingxue, then you are a legitimate member of my Su Family, one of our own. In this provincial capital, the Su Family is your home and your backing."

"And within the academy, we Su Family disciples naturally need to be united and help each other. Only then can we strive for more resources and glory for the Family and ourselves in this environment where geniuses gather and competition is fierce."

"To this end, our Su Family has established an exclusive small group within the academy called Tingxue Pavilion."

"Tingxue Pavilion?"

Jiang Yun's brow moved slightly.

"Correct!"

Su Gumu nodded

and began to explain in detail.

"This Tingxue Pavilion is not an ordinary interest group or study group formed casually among students. It is a formal student mutual aid organization officially recognized and registered by the academy. Or rather, it is a prototype of a special faction within the academy."

"The academy encourages these groups formed by Family, region, or shared interests, and has established a complete incentive mechanism for them called the group contribution ranking."

"For all registered groups, the contribution points obtained by their members through various formal channels in the academy—such as completing academy missions, achieving rankings in various competitions and challenges, or making special contributions to the academy—will, in addition to personal gain, be converted into the group's contribution value according to a certain ratio."

"Every month, the academy will issue extra group reward contribution points to all groups based on their ranking on the group contribution ranking. The higher the rank, the richer the rewards! Members of the top ten groups can receive a considerable amount of extra contribution points every month! And for the top three groups, the rewards are even more astonishing, even offering the chance to obtain exchange rights for certain special resources in the academy's treasury or receive extra guidance from high-level Elders!"

Su Gumu's eyes sparkled.

"This isn't just for those extra contribution points. More importantly, a strong group means stronger cohesion, information sharing capabilities, resource integration capabilities, and... a voice! In many academy affairs, the allocation of Secret Realm exploration slots, and the competition for the use of special cultivation sites, group power is often more advantageous than fighting alone."

"Our Su Family's Tingxue Pavilion, while not claiming to be at the very top, has consistently remained among the top thirty on the group contribution ranking thanks to the joint efforts of the Su Family disciples, occasionally breaking into the top twenty. The members within the pavilion are all Su Family Bloodline disciples or reliable allies closely related to the Su Family. Everyone has the same goal and shared interests."

He looked at Jiang Yun eagerly.

His tone was full of invitation.

"Brother-in-law, you are now famous and your strength is unsurpassed among the Gold Rank. If you are willing to join Tingxue Pavilion, you will not only bring a huge boost in reputation to the pavilion but also directly contribute massive amounts of group contribution points! With your ability, taking on high-difficulty missions and winning in various competitions and challenges will be easy. At that time, there will be great hope for Tingxue Pavilion to break into the top ten or even higher!"

"And in return, all the resources, information, and networks of Tingxue Pavilion will be open to you! Fixed monthly group reward contribution points, rare Materials in the pavilion's inventory, intelligence sharing, mission collaboration... all of these can greatly accelerate your growth! Furthermore, within the academy, you will no longer be a rootless weed. When facing troubles or competition within the rules, Tingxue Pavilion will be your strongest support!"

Su Gumu finished speaking.

He looked at Jiang Yun with great anticipation,

waiting for his answer.

If a Heavenly Saint Student like Jiang Yun joined them, their Tingxue Pavilion would surely quickly gain the attention of the entire academy.

Perhaps they could even receive special attention from the various Elders and the Dean of the academy.

The benefits were simply numerous.