Merging with Demon Spirits

Chapter 159: Chapter 140: The Power of Fame

Red Cloud University, resembling an ancient fortress, spans tens of thousands of acres and can easily accommodate hundreds of thousands of people.

Even though they lived in villas, just like other students, after purchasing basic necessities, Lin Feng and his group started familiarizing themselves with the campus.

Of course, it was just a simple familiarization.

To get around Red Cloud completely, even at the speed of a martial artist, it would take at least ten days to half a month.

Red Cloud University is mainly divided into five areas: living area, commercial area, task area, educational area, and battle area.

The living area consists of dormitories and villas for students and tutors. Apart from the height, they almost have the same appearance, not much to tour around. Lin Feng and others explored the commercial area.

The commercial area is adjacent to the living area. Even at a brisk, almost running pace, they hadn’t covered one-third of it in over an hour.

”Brother Feng, Red Cloud is really huge!” exclaimed Dong Yunan from time to time.

Yang Fan and Zhou Sheng felt the same way.

The Three Heroic Academies are truly extraordinary, and just their size alone far surpasses the Nine Elite Joint Schools.

Before coming to Red Cloud, everyone already had a preliminary understanding of it online, and initially thought the descriptions were a bit exaggerated, but now they realized, it wasn’t exaggerated at all.

This isn’t so much a university, but more like a prosperous small town.

There are clothing stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, beverage shops, hot pot shops, barbecue shops, seafood restaurants, and surprisingly, there are even bars, and quite a few of them.

A university with bars would be hard for people to believe if told.

”Why are there bars? Does the university encourage drinking?” Zhou Sheng curiously asked.

This was somewhat different from his imagined Martial Arts University.

Of course, Zhou Sheng never thought he could get into the Three Heroic Academies, not even in his dreams.

He only dared to fantasize about the Nine Elite Joint Schools in his sleep, never daring to wish, if it weren’t for Lin Feng and the others, with his grades, he could at most attend an ordinary Martial Arts University.

Of course, even with connections, being specially admitted to Red Cloud University doesn’t guarantee a worry-free journey, without sufficient strength and passing grades, one cannot graduate successfully and won’t get a diploma.

”Don’t be so conservative in thought, we’re all college students now. The country has stipulated that one comes of age at sixteen, we’re all adults, so why can’t we drink? Martial artists with full Qi and blood, even without a few jins of liquor, wouldn’t get drunk.” Yang Fan explained.

”Yang Fan, how many of these shops are there, and who owns them?” Lin Feng asked, pointing to the shops lining the street.

It was only four thirty, not yet dinner time, but the street was bustling with people.

Others cared about the bustling street and various shops, while Lin Feng cared about who owned these shops and how much money they made in a month?

Earning money is what he is most concerned about.

Having obviously done some research, Yang Fan immediately replied, ”There are three main streets in the living area of Red Cloud University, with a total of 1,134 shops. These shops aren’t cheap to rent, starting from fifty thousand, with the highest reaching tens of millions a month. All these shops belong to the academy, and the rent alone, every year, brings in tens of hundreds of billions for the academy.”

”Except for certain special operations, like pills and weapons, which are directly operated by the academy, these regular shops can be opened as long as money is paid, but without some strength, even if you open one, it will soon close down.”

”For example, even if a restaurant has great taste, without a strong backing, it would still go out of business.”

Pointing to a shop sign named ’Chuan Hot Pot Restaurant,’ Yang Fan continued, ”This one covers an acre, a two-story hot pot restaurant, with a monthly rent of 470,000, is owned by the student council. In the living area, out of 1,134 shops, the student council directly operates or holds stakes in 600 of them. It’s preliminarily estimated that the yearly income profit is at least several billion. The remaining shops are either opened by prominent figures in the academy, or instructors or school leaders from the academy, anyway, to open a shop in Red Cloud, one must either have strength or connections!”

Several billion!

Hearing this number, Lin Feng’s expression flickered, but he didn’t have too much of a reaction, yet Dong Yunan and the others were already gaping, looking incredulous.

A student organization, just the income from the living area’s revenue amounts to several billion, and this is just a portion?

How rich is the student council?

”Really? Is there really that much?”

Zhou Sheng was somewhat skeptical.

”No doubt. It’s not really a business secret, just ask any senior, this several billion is just a minimum estimate, not considered much!”

”That’s not much?”

Littler Sister Dong looked yearningly, as the genuine second-generation rich kid among Lin Feng’s group. For the sake of his darling daughter’s demon spirit, Dong Xiuxian searched for ten years, practically exhausting his family fortune to buy a Sea Demoness.

Counting it this way, Little Sister Dong is also worth several billion.

But that is her entire net worth, and this is just part of the student council’s annual income.

Yang Fan smiled slightly: ”Otherwise, why do you think the student council has such a big reputation? A student association, yet it has the qualifications to dialogue with the academy leadership and participate in the academy’s development and decision-making. The reasons, apart from the support from senior graduates, aren’t just capital power; everyone knows being in the student council has many benefits.”

”The student council has one president, seven ministers, and fourteen vice-ministers; even the least ranked vice-minister can get several tens of millions a year at least, and ministers reportedly can earn one hundred million. As for the president, at least three hundred million, tasks are all done by underlings, they practically earn this money for nothing!”

After Yang Fan finished, apart from surprise, there was only envy in Little Sister Dong’s eyes.

”So much money, should we join or not?”

Dong Yunan asked somewhat dumbfounded.

Previously, the head of the student council’s organizing department, Chen Nan, invited them to join the student council, but was rejected by Lin Feng. Although they didn’t get physical, it was almost a falling out and enmity was formed.

Yang Fan and Yun Kai also looked at Lin Feng, obviously having the same question.

”We should join, but not now!”

Lin Feng said, as a freshman, even after obtaining the First Throne, he was still a weak rookie. Joining the student council now, he couldn’t get into the management, merely becoming a puppet for the seven ministers or the president.

”Why are there hotels, don’t students and teachers have dormitories?”

Passing by a street, Dong Yunan looked at a seven-story hotel, somewhat curiously asking.

Doesn’t the academy already have dormitories, yet they still open hotels?

”Haha, kiddos don’t need to know so much.”

Yang Fan laughed heartily, and Zhou Sheng did the same. Although Yun Kai didn’t laugh, the corners of his mouth slightly curved upwards, evidently understanding as well.

In this mischievous laughter, Dong Yunan seemed to understand as well, her face blushing a little, ashamed and furious saying, ”What’s so funny, you bunch of smelly men.”

”Lin Feng, can we get to know each other?”

Walking on campus, people occasionally came up to greet them, mostly freshmen, but some were sophomores and juniors. Seniors, however, rarely got involved as they had only a year left to graduate and almost no interaction with Lin Feng and others.

”Lin Feng, huh!”

”Plus Emperor Kai, the Bloodline Race’s bloodline talents have always been exaggerated, and now there’s such a crazy talent like Ancestral Demonization!”

”Sea Demoness Dong Yunan, she has the potential to be a future divine-level healer. Have to seize the opportunity to curry favor!”

”Lin Feng and Yun Kai are very strong in the early stages, but give me two years, I’d like to spar with them.”

From the murmurs around, Lin Feng realized that fame is an intriguing thing.

Weak individuals would be drawn to him because of his fame, admiration, awe, even intimidation.

This was evident from the Throne Challenge.

Precisely because of his great fame, during the initial chaotic battles, few dared to make a move against them, or else, with just him and Yun Kai, protecting Dong Yunan or Yang Fan, they could’ve been eliminated first.

In such chaotic battle scenarios, it’s the team’s power that’s tested, no matter how strong the individual’s power is, it’s hard to be effective.

Of course, having a big reputation has its downsides.

With a big reputation, some geniuses would want to climb to the top stepping on his shoulders.

Defeating him would cause a sensation in Red Cloud and gain nationwide fame.

Therefore, many looked at him with a hint of battle intent, eager to test their skills.

Still, at this stage, the benefits of fame are quite apparent. Otherwise, he wouldn’t try all means on the martial artists’ forum to make a name for himself.

In Lin Feng’s view, fame sometimes is more intimidating and valuable than power.

Without fame, he couldn’t have got Dong Yunan to join his Martial Arts Club.

He couldn’t have made a deal with the high-powered Dong Xiuxian.

His plans relied on fame for smooth execution.

It’s precisely because of fame that this sixteen-year-old boy, a mere First Grade martial practitioner, who hasn’t yet refined a demon spirit, could endorse advertisements and earn thirty billion in a very exaggerated manner in a few months.

Now, after the Throne Challenge, having obtained the First Throne, Lin Feng’s fame has grown even larger, becoming a national household name, alongside Yun Kai and Ye Qiu, as one of the most anticipated stars of the Glory Professional Alliance.

Everyone is eagerly awaiting to see, three days later, what level of demon spirit he will refine?

Ninth Grade?

Or an Earth Chart demon spirit?