No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

With the completion of the Dao Heart Test, Deng Bingding reported the results.

Although Zhang Yu’s evaluation result was unknown, Deng Bingding believed that it was mainly due to the simplicity of the Dao Heart Test this time.

The inflated results of other students were similarly attributed to this factor.

”If this were the real world, and the pressure and coercion were applied, they wouldn’t be able to fetch such a high price.”

”However, it’s just a test, designed to weed out the weak and highlight those with potential. Getting this far is enough.”

In the test results that Deng Bingding reported, aside from Zhang Yu, Ye Lingxiao, and Yun Jing, who performed excellently, Bai Zhenzhen, who had a somewhat unusual performance, was also highlighted.

A few students who didn’t perform as well in the Dao Heart Test were also marked, awaiting higher-ups to decide whether to eliminate them.

Not long after, the gods in the room received a response from above.

A thumbs-up.

This meant that the higher-ups had approved of the work, and the gods, who had been slightly tense, immediately relaxed.Soon after, they received further feedback.

For instance, Zhang Yu, Ye Lingxiao, Yun Jing, and Bai Zhenzhen were commended as a form of encouragement.

Deng Bingding paused for a moment when she saw Bai Zhenzhen’s commendation. She had expected the reward for the top three, but not for Bai Zhenzhen.

After all, in her view, Bai Zhenzhen’s performance, while unique, was far from as excellent as the others.

”Could it be that someone higher up... appreciates Bai Zhenzhen’s performance?”

Deng Bingding continued reading the feedback from above: ”Hmm, are there any other students to be eliminated?”

…

When Zhang Yu opened his eyes again, he found himself back in the registration office.

The middle-aged woman who had registered him was sitting behind the office desk, looking at him.

Deng Bingding spoke up: ”You remember the Dao Heart Test, don’t you?”

After all, everything in the tests, from the Foundation Establishment exams to the Dao Heart tests, was saved for record-keeping, making post-review easy.

Zhang Yu nodded, finally confirming his suspicion: ”So everything I experienced just now was some kind of illusion?”

Deng Bingding looked at Zhang Yu with admiration. ”You did very well in the Dao Heart Test.”

”Your determination to pursue the Immortal Path, your grand ambitions, and your unwavering resolve—both I and the higher-ups are quite impressed with you.”

”To encourage you, the higher-ups have specially granted you a bonus.”

At the mention of a bonus, Zhang Yu’s eyes immediately lit up. Money was the one thing he was most lacking as he walked the Immortal Path.

However, when he saw Deng Bingding’s fingers lightly flick a Red Envelope Sigil toward him, his expression changed drastically.

Was this bonus just another high-interest loan?

Were these people born to exploit students?

Zhang Yu couldn’t help but curse inwardly.

Deng Bingding continued, ”This is a 300,000 non-interest loan. After receiving it, you’ll pay 5,000 a month for 60 months.”

As the Red Envelope Sigil flew toward him, Zhang Yu realized how naïve his previous thoughts were. Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn N()velFire.net

He quickly received the envelope respectfully. ”Thank you, examiner. May I ask how I should address you?”

Deng Bingding replied casually, ”Call me Deng Youshen. I am the examiner for your class’s Foundation Establishment exams.”

”Your performance has caught the attention of the higher-ups. Practice diligently over the next year and aim to pass the Foundation Qualification Certificate exam next time. Once you ascend to the second level, your future will be promising.”

Clearly, from the data regarding Zhang Yu’s spiritual power, physical strength, and martial arts, Deng Bingding didn’t think Zhang Yu would pass the Foundation Qualification Certificate exam this year.

Zhang Yu understood that, in reality, this was true for most first-year students. He didn’t bother to argue.

He immediately bowed respectfully, ”Thank you for your guidance, Deng Youshen.”

Deng Bingding nodded. ”You may go.”

The next moment, Zhang Yu felt the ground beneath his feet open up, and he fell through.

…

When Zhang Yu regained his senses, he found himself back in the restroom cubicle at the train station.

Carefully opening the restroom door, he stepped outside, observing the people passing by. Zhang Yu thought to himself: ”This time, it’s really over, right?”

After a moment, Bai Zhenzhen came out of the women’s restroom. After exchanging a few words, they confirmed that the Dao Heart Test was truly over.

Bai Zhenzhen also received a bonus—150,000 in non-interest loans.

Bai Zhenzhen sighed with relief. ”I didn’t expect there would be a bonus for the test. This reform is really great.”

The bonus allowed both Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, whose savings were nearly depleted, to breathe a huge sigh of relief.

However, they didn’t dare to linger in the high-priced Xiandu City, so they both boarded the train back home.

While Bai Zhenzhen went to the restroom, Zhang Yu pinched the bead on his chest.

The next moment, Fu Ji’s voice seemed to wake from a dream in his mind: ”Hmm? It’s over?”

…

Before coming to the Xiandu City for the Foundation Establishment exam, Zhang Yu had hesitated about whether to bring Fu Ji along.

Although Fu Ji seemed harmless now, Zhang Yu vividly remembered her identity as an Evil God and the process of making the wish. He dared not let her roam free, fearing she might break free from his control.

On the other hand, as he would be participating in a test closely watched by the righteous gods, he was worried that Fu Ji might be discovered, or that the ritual power within her might be exposed.

Just as Zhang Yu was torn, Fu Ji suggested that Zhang Yu could bring her along. She explained, ”If I speak out or probe the outside world, my existence may indeed be discovered.”

”But if I focus my awareness and thoughts inward, actively abandoning any investigation into the outside world, I would be like a dead object—no one would be able to notice me during the Foundation Establishment exam.”

”We’re in this together. If you’re in trouble, I’ll be finished as well. I definitely won’t deceive you.”

”Righteous gods have talismans, but we evil gods have rituals.”

”Although we may not be as powerful as the righteous gods when it comes to making money, when it comes to hiding our traces and avoiding detection, how can the righteous gods compare to us evil gods?”

”If it weren’t for this, how could the evil gods who infiltrated Kunxu have avoided being caught long ago?”

Fu Ji was speaking to Zhang Yu this way for two reasons.

One was that she knew Zhang Yu hadn’t fully trusted her until now. If she insisted on staying outside, it would only increase his suspicions and damage the fragile trust they had built.

The other reason was that Fu Ji now considered Zhang Yu a highly promising ”stock.”

”From my years of investment experience, trying to deal with Zhang Yu now, causing internal conflict... that’s like selling a promising stock before it has risen much—a huge mistake in investment.”

”For such a stock, one must be patient and hold onto it tightly... Now is the time to assist him, gain his trust, and help him grow the pie.”

”Only when he truly grows will it be time to harvest.”

”Moreover, we’ve already completed the ritual. We have the advantage here. Why would I fight with him prematurely? There’s plenty of time ahead...”

…

On the train, Fu Ji, who had regained consciousness, remarked, ”Although we weren’t discovered this time, for a while, I felt a disturbance in my sea of consciousness, as if divine power was surging from the outside.”

”This Foundation Establishment exam you participated in is quite high-level.”

Fu Ji sighed, ”If you really pass the Foundation Qualification exam, you’ll definitely attract more attention from the righteous gods.”

”To ensure safety, you’ll need to hide me and the ritual more deeply. To do that, we’ll need to kill some colleagues of mine. Once I regain part of my strength, I’ll be able to hide my abilities better, and your potential will be further unleashed.”

”The big boss behind Mo Tianyi is definitely related to my colleagues. You can deal with him first.”

This was another one of Fu Ji’s objectives—to urge Zhang Yu to hunt down the evil gods again.

Zhang Yu didn’t respond, but he was already tempted.

Not just because of Fu Ji’s persuasion, but also because he felt the stark difference between himself and the second-year students in Xiandu City.

”This year’s Foundation Establishment exam is full of second-year students who are already near the peak of Qi Refining.”

”In another six months, even more students in this exam will have reached the Qi Refining peak with their Dao Heart, spiritual power, and physical training.”

Zhang Yu knew that to compete with such high-level students, he too needed to push all his stats to the peak of Qi Refining.

”Activating my potential, upgrading the Feathered Tome... How could I not want to do that?”

However, the poor big boss was likely a second-year student at Bai Long High, and with the backing of an evil god, they had likely reached third-year strength.

If Zhang Yu was to deal with him, he would need to ensure his own strength was at the third-year level.

”Strength... In the end, it all comes down to greater strength.”

”And to get stronger, aside from upgrading the Feathered Tome, I’ll need money.”

”More time spent making money?”

Zhang Yu hesitated. He had already sacrificed too much cultivation time for work.

Though he now had a 300,000 non-interest loan, it still wouldn’t last long with all the expenses for cultivation.

Just then, Bai Zhenzhen, back from the restroom, looked at Zhang Yu with curiosity. ”Yuzi, why are you staring at your phone in a daze?”

Zhang Yu replied, ”Ah Zhen, the more I work, the more I realize something.”

”Working won’t make me rich.”

”Especially if we want to pass exams. The money we earn from work is just too slow.”

Bai Zhenzhen said, ”Well, obviously! If working could make us rich, we wouldn’t be working!”

Zhang Yu continued, ”If you want to make big money, you have to rely on borrowing.”

”Borrowing is the fastest way for young people in Kunxu to make money.”

Before, Zhang Yu had hoped to build his strength without relying on loans, but after seeing the high level of Xiandu City’s big shots, he felt a lot more pressure.

Especially with the urgent need to hunt down evil gods.

All of this required him to improve his strength more quickly in the next six months.

And the first thing that came to his mind was the most common method in Kunxu—borrowing.

Bai Zhenzhen looked at Zhang Yu seriously and said, ”Yuzi, you just spoke what was on my mind.”

”After seeing so many big shots in the Xiandu City, I realized we haven’t been working hard enough.”

”If we keep working and cultivating 24/7, lying flat like this, how can we compete with the big shots in Xiandu City?”

”Let’s do it, Yuzi!”

”Our credit ratings must have increased a lot over the past few months. Our limits should have gone up too.”

Bai Zhenzhen took out her phone, opened the platform, and took a deep breath. ”Let’s fully unleash our Immortal Path potential!”

The next moment, as the two clicked away on their phones, the numbers in their bank accounts suddenly changed.

At this moment, Zhang Yu felt as though he could see rivers of money flowing toward him, pouring into his body and wildly pushing his Immortal Path potential forward.