No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

After leaving the exam site, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen boarded the return train right away.

When Fu Ji, now awake, heard that both of them had passed the Foundation License exam, she laughed heartily. “Good, good! I knew I wasn’t wrong about you two. Now, all you need to do is complete Foundation Establishment before entering university.”

“That way, you can join the Foundation Class as soon as you enroll. That’s practically a foot in the door for guaranteed graduate placement.”

Just thinking about it got Fu Ji all fired up. What’s the point of just getting into college? You think you can land a good job without aiming for post-grad?

But Zhang Yu frowned at her words and mumbled, “Complete Foundation Establishment before college? You make it sound as easy as picking up medicine at the campus gate.”

Zhang Yu knew that Foundation Establishment required the integration of a Spirit Root—planting it in the Dantian and making it a true part of the body. In other words, he’d need to buy a Spirit Root.

And as Kunxu’s top-ranked high schooler on the First Floor, he would at the very least need a Heavenly Spiritual Root for Foundation Establishment, right?

But those things cost tens of millions. How many black-market tutoring jobs would he have to take? How many overtime shifts at Red Tower? How could he possibly afford one before starting university?

“Though Ah-Zhen might be able to…”

Seeing Zhang Yu’s gaze shift toward her, Bai Zhenzhen rolled her eyes. “No way. I’ve got to scrape together the money too.”Zhang Yu understood what she meant. Although she had her own Spirit Root, she wasn’t willing to let people know she was born with it.

If Bai Zhenzhen wanted to keep her innate Spirit Root a secret, she’d have to shell out for a Heavenly Spiritual Root just to cover it up.

Fu Ji chuckled and spoke in their minds, “It’s true. The higher the grade of the Spirit Root, the better the results during Foundation Establishment. Zhang Yu, you absolutely need to use a Heavenly Spiritual Root.”

“But yeah, you two can’t afford it on your own right now.”

“Did I ever say you had to pay for it yourselves?”

“Remember how a bunch of university scouts came to watch your Foundation License exam?”

“Universities need to hit their enrollment targets too. Top schools need top students to keep their rankings, and lower-tier schools want them to climb the ladder.”

“With how you two performed on that exam, there’s no way those university reps won’t make a move. They’ll definitely send someone to contact you.”

“They might not show up themselves, but you can bet they’ll reach out through affiliated companies.”

“Once you get their backing and use the favorable terms they offer—plus work a bit harder yourselves—you might actually have a shot at completing Foundation Establishment before college.”

Zhang Yu nodded slightly. He remembered Deng Bingding had mentioned something similar—that they might get recruited early by universities.

At that moment, Fu Ji added, “But your top priority now is to get off at some small city and spend a few days digesting your gains from the Foundation License exam to boost your strength.”

Bai Zhenzhen asked, “Not heading straight back to Songyang? Is it to let those university reps stew a little? Let them realize there’s competition and drive up the price?”

Fu Ji smiled faintly. “That’s part of it.”

Zhang Yu’s gaze sharpened. “It’s because of the Zhou family, isn’t it?”

Bai Zhenzhen caught on too. “If the Zhou family’s upper ranks suspect we took the exam, and then find out a bunch of reps are trying to reach us, they might guess we passed.”

“They’d have two possible reactions—either try to reconcile with us…”

“Or… make a move.”

After everything they’d seen in the brutal underworld of black-market tutoring—gang fights, betrayals—Bai Zhenzhen knew how ugly it could get. Even if there was only a slim chance of conflict, they had to prepare for the worst.

Zhang Yu added, “Especially if they know who we really are.”

He didn’t say the word “Evil God,” but Bai Zhenzhen knew what he meant.

Just as Fu Ji had analyzed before, the Zhou family’s higher-ups very likely knew they were Evil God followers.

That changed everything. If they acted, it wouldn’t be subtle.

After all, conflicts between Evil God followers had to be kept away from the eyes of the Righteous Gods.

“You’re worried they might go down swinging?” Zhang Yu asked.

Fu Ji replied, “Can’t say for sure, but it’s worth guarding against. Doesn’t cost you anything to stay cautious.”

“You two might as well use these few days to train and improve your strength.”

“While you’re away, all those people trying to find you will gather at Songyang High. The more that show up, the more cautious the Zhou family will be—and the less likely they’ll dare to act.”

“In fact, you and Ah-Zhen should just turn off your phones. No need to rush to get in touch.”

But Zhang Yu’s thoughts were still caught on the Zhou family.

The idea that they might know he was an Evil God follower felt like a thorn stuck in his throat.

Fu Ji said, “To really resolve the Zhou family problem, in the end, it’ll have to come down to your own power.”

Zhang Yu gave a slight nod. With this break, he could finally cultivate one of the Techniques he earned from the Foundation License exam. Combined with the interest-free three-million loan, he could buy another Technique to train.

That way, he’d be able to complete the final stage of the Martial Saint Embryo.

…

While Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen hid away to train…

At Ziyun High School—

Le Mulan looked at the test results in her hand, eyes wide. “This is Zhang Yu’s sweat?”

Le Jingchen corrected her, “Technically, it’s both of your sweat. But yours contaminated his. If it were just his, the purity level would be even higher.”

Le Mulan was surprised. “He’s that impressive?”

Le Jingchen sighed. “Probably the result of some new tech from another company. Kid’s probably a test subject.”

“Considering he’s someone who would sell his competition eligibility for cash, I doubt he plans on applying to any top universities.”

Then he thought of the Zhou family mess and the involvement of a sixth-tier god. “Maybe he’s going down the Divine Path? Might end up as a vessel for some high deity.”

Le Mulan lowered her gaze. For some reason, the idea that someone with Zhang Yu’s talent might be forced into becoming a host for a descending god—just because of his background—struck her as tragic.

“Let’s make sure I get a few more training sessions in with him before graduation.”

At that moment, Le Jingchen’s phone rang. He picked up and was slightly surprised. “Yes… I’m the one who logged that in the database.”

“Right. The test subject from the other company is Zhang Yu.”

“You want me to contact him?”

After hanging up, Le Jingchen looked puzzled. “That was Ziyun Pharmaceuticals—Xiandu headquarters. They want me to get in touch with Zhang Yu. Apparently, someone from the parent company has something to say to him.”

Hearing that, even Le Mulan’s eyes flashed with confusion.

She knew the headquarters never reached out without something major going on—especially not directly to someone at Ziyun High.

Could Zhang Yu really be involved in an experiment from one of their competitors? What did Ziyun Pharma plan to do to him?

Following Le Jingchen’s instructions, Le Mulan called Zhang Yu, only to find that his phone was turned off.

“No wonder they contacted me. They couldn’t get through either.”

Le Jingchen said, “Head to Songyang High. Find him, then report back.”

…

At Songyang High—

Zhou Chechen radiated cold energy as he cultivated the family’s secret Technique.

Thinking back on the last few months, he could feel his powerlessness time and again.

“I’m still too weak. Just like Zhang Yu—just a chess piece getting tossed around by larger forces, unable to make my own choices.”

“But I’m not like Zhang Yu.”

“He gave up his competition slot. Did his backer forbid him from aiming for the top universities?”

“He’s already doomed to be a pawn. But I still have a chance.”

“With what’s left of senior year, I’ll give it everything I’ve got. I must get into the Ten Great Academies.”

“I refuse to be a pawn any longer.”

Elsewhere on the training grounds, Lan Ling was also pushing himself hard, seemingly just as fired up. He was making one last push for the upcoming competitions, desperate to earn a spot in one of the Ten Great Academies.

Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed from the sky.

Zhou Chechen looked out the window, baffled, and saw a flying vessel hovering above Songyang High. A few people leapt down from it.

But that was just the beginning. Not long after, a streak of sword light cut through the sky and landed in the campus.

Then came luxury cars pulling up to the school gates.

One after another, they poured into Songyang High.

Before long, Zhou Chechen heard the news: all these people were from major corporations.

Xianyun Group, Tianwu Corporation, HeartWound Medical, Beastmaster Holdings, Wanli Corporation… not just from any offices, but from their Xiandu headquarters.

He was stunned. “Why are all these huge companies showing up at Songyang High?”

He couldn’t imagine what this little high school had done to attract such attention.

“Did someone awaken a Spirit Root?”

“Or did someone owe all of them money?”

He immediately sent out students to investigate. Word came back that the company reps had all been ushered into the meeting room, where the principal and school leaders were entertaining them.

As he puzzled over it, the principal summoned him too, in his capacity as student council president, to help host the guests.

Inside the meeting room, facing more than a dozen corporate representatives, Zhou Chechen couldn’t help feeling like he was shrinking under their gaze.

These were no ordinary staffers. They exuded wealth and superiority—just like the legends said of the Xiandu elite.

One smiling woman asked, “You’re the student council president, right? Nice to meet you. I’m Zhang Bi from Tianwu Corporation. Do you know where Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen went?”

“Zhang Yu? Bai Zhenzhen?” Zhou Chechen blinked. “You’re all here for them?”

Zhang Bi smiled. “Yup. We’ve got some things to discuss, but we can’t reach them.”

She shot a look at the others. “Someone got too eager and came straight to the school, so now we’re all here. But it turns out they’re on leave.”

“You’re the president. Do you know where they might be? Or any friends of theirs we can contact?”

Even with all his life experience, Zhou Chechen was stunned. He didn’t know how to respond.

The principal asked, “Everyone, what business do you have with Zhang Yu? Maybe we can help?”

The corporate reps just smiled, saying nothing.

They couldn’t admit that their companies had been ordered here by their upper management…

Nor that those orders came from elite universities.

And as for the Foundation License exam—they wouldn’t say a word. Among the highest powers on the First Floor of Kunxu, this was an unspoken rule.

Though company employees, these reps all hailed from elite clans in Xiandu. No one wanted to break the taboo.

Their plan had been to quietly meet Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, have a chat, and strike a deal.

But some overeager idiot had jumped the gun and entered the school.

The academic director tried to pivot. “Zhang Yu is great, but he’s not our only outstanding student. Our president here, Zhou Chechen—”

Then came a snort of laughter from among the reps.

Whoever it was, it triggered the whole room into chuckling.

The faculty looked on, confused and awkward, unsure what they’d said wrong.

Zhou Chechen felt like a clown, being judged and ridiculed by giants—and powerless to stop it.

The woman from earlier said again, “We’re only here for Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen. No one else. If you don’t know where they are, go fetch someone close to them.”

At that moment, another commotion broke out. A strange noise came from the sky.

Those familiar with flying swords knew the sound instantly—hundreds of swords soaring through the air.

“Are we under attack?” someone gasped. “Is this a battlefield in a corporate war?”

People dashed to the windows, others vanished into the corridors—everyone moving at once, using whatever abilities they had.

Then, the company reps and Songyang students alike looked up to see hundreds of flying swords slicing through the air in unison, forming a single glowing message in the sky:

“Oasis Group congratulates Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen on earning their Foundation Licenses! May your future be as vast as the sky and your rise as swift as the dragons!”

The company reps knew immediately: some of the old rules had just been broken—permanently.