No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

Zhang Yu’s eyes lit up with joy as he watched the Chain Diagram display the first layer of the University Saint Body being activated.

Casually, he grabbed a handful of pills and shoved them into his mouth. As soon as they entered his stomach, they were instantly refined, transforming into warm currents that surged into every corner of his body.

Feeling the medicinal effects absorbed as effortlessly as drinking water, Zhang Yu thought to himself, ”With the University Saint Body, I could probably chow down on top-grade pills every day and still last for years.”

With the first layer of the Basic University Saint Body unlocked, Zhang Yu felt even more motivated and dove into cultivating the seventh Basic Technique.

…

Wanfa Sect University, 300th floor, Dao Techniques Department – Experimental Layer.

While Zhang Yu focused on his Basic Techniques, Li Xiao followed Gongshu Jin, Ying Xin, and the others around, training and studying, trying to improve his strength while also squeezing into the upper-class social circles.

Ying Xin smiled at him and said, “Li Xiao, let’s go! Join us in the Soul-Sea Simulation.”

Li Xiao hesitated slightly.

Most of his savings had already been drained last time when he took out a loan to buy the Vajra-Forged Spinal Ocular Husk.

Even with a 30% discount, using the Soul-Sea Simulation Technique still cost 0.063 spirit coins per hour. Four hours would be 0.252 coins.

Over the past two weeks, with all the Dao Technique Services, renting Law Husks for cultivation, taking Fasting Pills, and buying the same technique as Ying Xin… all told, he’d spent more than 1.5 spirit coins.

Of course, the benefits were massive. Li Xiao had made astonishing progress these past two weeks—far better than back on the 1st floor—and his class ranking had been steadily climbing.

Seeing his hesitation, Ying Xin snapped, “Are you coming or not? Every time we invite you, you drag your feet. If you’re not coming, don’t bother tagging along in the future.”

“If we weren’t cultivating the same Body-Refining Technique, do you really think I’d call you?”

A loan platform ad flickered in Li Xiao’s ocular implant. He gave a grin and replied, “Let’s go! Without Dao Techniques to support cultivation, everything’s too slow.”

Six hours later, Li Xiao emerged from the Dao Techniques Service Zone with Gongshu Jin, Ying Xin, and the others.

He laughed loudly, “There are even freshmen working as attendants now? What’s the point of coming to university—just to take up part-time jobs? If they’re grinding so much side work, how can they improve their rankings?”

After joking around for a bit, Li Xiao watched the others head toward the upper-level dorms with envy, while he turned toward the lower dorm levels.

He checked his account balance and frowned.

But then he glanced at his ranking and grinned. “Ranked 11th in the class. Composite score: 288.”

Composite score was a holistic evaluation of a student, incorporating academic credits, exam results, competition achievements, projects, and core attributes like Dao Heart, mana, and physical strength.

As credits, scores, and extracurriculars piled up, composite scores would eventually climb into the thousands.

But for the freshman Foundation Establishment Class, basic stats still played the biggest role.

Looking at his score and then at Ji Yuanshu, who sat in first place with 498, Li Xiao thought, “If I keep this pace, by the time term starts in September, I’ll definitely be in the top 10—maybe even top 5.”

He glanced down at Zhang Yu, who had slipped to 18th place, and grew even more excited. “By then, I’ll be far ahead of Zhang Yu. Teacher Tu will definitely choose me for the construction site team.”

“If I earn more money working there, paying off my loans won’t be a problem.”

With a light spring in his step, Li Xiao was already passing by the 125th dorm floor when he heard a faint sound slicing through the air.

He turned to see Zhang Yu training Basic Techniques right outside his dorm.

“Zhang Yu?”

Seeing his warped postures and half-hearted movements, Li Xiao chuckled. “What is this guy even doing?”

He was about to shake his head and move on, but suddenly he activated the recording function in his Law Husk.

“Let’s send this to Gongshu Jin and the others. Show them what a clown this guy is.”

Moments later, a video appeared in their private group chat.

Ying Xin: Is that… Zhang Yu? What’s he doing? Dancing?

Someone chimed in: Probably Basic Techniques. I’ve seen him practicing lately. He’s been stuck on those for over half a month.

Ying Xin: Basic Techniques that sloppy? How bad is this guy’s martial talent?

Another person laughed: No wonder he’s stuck doing Basic Techniques.

As everyone in the group jeered at Zhang Yu, Li Xiao felt an even stronger sense of belonging. He joined in the ridicule, reveling in being “one of them.”

But Gongshu Jin watched the video, his brow twitching slightly.

“I thought Zhang Yu’s talent was already terrible—he reached Foundation a whole year before me and still looks like this.”

“But I didn’t expect… he could actually be this bad.”

“And yet someone with talent this trashy still got into Wanfa Sect University…”

Gongshu Jin felt a chill creep up his spine.

Seeing the group’s comments, he suddenly issued a sharp warning: “From now on, no more talk about Zhang Yu in my group.”

The group chat fell silent. Gongshu Jin ignored the rest of them and thought, “No wonder they’re overhauling the first floor. If someone like Zhang Yu made it through, then that floor’s entire selection process must be broken.”

“But for someone this useless, even a rich family should have given up. Just who is backing him?”

Meanwhile, Li Xiao stared at Gongshu Jin’s message with clenched fists, a flicker of resentment crossing his face.

Even though he’d improved by leaps and bounds over the past two weeks—leaving Zhang Yu far behind—Gongshu Jin still treated Zhang Yu so differently.

“Just wait. I’ll keep climbing, and leave Zhang Yu in the dust.”

Over the next few days, Li Xiao continued training with Gongshu Jin’s group. His spirit coins dwindled, but his strength rose rapidly.

Each night when the rankings updated at midnight, Li Xiao would be the first to check.

And one morning, seeing himself rise to 10th place, he let out a long breath, filled with excitement.

Then he scrolled down.

Zhang Yu—19th.

Li Xiao couldn’t help but laugh aloud.

…

Outside the dorm on the 125th floor.

Zhang Yu exhaled and glanced at his Chain Diagram.

Advanced – University Saint Body (8/8): Enhances digestion, absorption, and metabolism to the peak of Foundation Establishment.

Zhang Yu thought, “Eight Basic Techniques—University Saint Body finally reached its second layer.”

“But in this lousy University City, that boost to digestion doesn’t help much. Aside from munching on jerky from Ah-Zhen, it’s pretty useless right now.”

Shaking his head, he stopped thinking about it and turned to begin the ninth Basic Technique.

As for rankings? He’d been focused purely on Basic Techniques, so his stats hadn’t improved at all.

After all, he was training them purely for speed, not quality, and their 10th- and 20th-level effects were almost negligible.

He thought, “My ranking’s bound to plummet—no point even looking.”

Over the next four days, Zhang Yu powered through the final two Basic Techniques, grinding them all to level 20.

And with that, the University Saint Body was finally complete. It had been over twenty days since he first arrived at Wanfa Sect University.

Ultimate – University Saint Body (10/10): Doubles both the training speed and effectiveness of all Foundation Techniques.

Seeing the results, Zhang Yu took a deep breath, heart pounding with excitement.

He thought, “Just like with the High School Saint Body, this one boosts both speed and results for Foundation Techniques.”

“With this, how fast—how terrifying—can my development get now that I’m in university?”

He felt incredibly lucky not to have wasted time training other things, or splurged on Immortal Dao Services. Instead, he had focused entirely on completing the University Saint Body.

“So what should I train next?”

Zhang Yu recalled all the information he had gathered over the past few weeks and quickly formed a plan.

“Focus on increasing mana.”

Mana was the foundation of all things in the Immortal Dao—and of one’s finances.

“The more mana I have, the more powerful my Techniques become. Extra mana can even be sold for spirit coins.”

“And if I improve mana quality while I’m at it, I can help Le Mulan develop a Dao Seed, and replicate her Frost Vein.”

“So, how do I increase mana as fast as possible?”

He looked at his Feathered Tome.

“The University Saint Body gives me faster and better Technique training. To leverage that, I need a more powerful Breathing Technique—and…”

Zhang Yu’s gaze stopped on the Whirlpool Breathing Technique in his Chain Diagram.

It was his only Foundation-level Breathing Technique.

When his eyes rested on it, he saw its associated Set Bonus: Mana Pulse Flowing Stream.

“That bonus… seems tailor-made for increasing mana.”

He opened the Great Library via his ocular implant and started pulling up a list of expert-grade Breathing Techniques for the Foundation level.

Looking at the discounted prices, he smirked. “Perfect. I get 40% off at the Great Library. This matches my strengths perfectly.”

Zhang Yu scanned through technique descriptions and compiled a list of every technique related to Mana Pulse Flowing Stream.

“Besides the set bonus, I need other Breathing Techniques to complement my needs.”

“They must run automatically 24/7—like Zhou Tian Qi-Gathering Technique.”

“They must boost mana quality.”

“And they must focus on improving mana regeneration—for when I start selling mana.”

With all these requirements in mind, Zhang Yu began saving techniques to his list.

The first expert-grade Breathing Technique he decided to buy was called Hunyuan Embryonic Breathing Sutra—a technique that replaced ordinary breathing with refined inhalation of spiritual essence, constantly refining mana with every breath.

“Master this technique, and I can refine mana 24 hours a day.”

He looked at the price: “Original: 1 spirit coin. With discount: 0.6 spirit coins.”

Then he checked his balance.

Aside from meals and Basic Technique purchases, he had been frugal to the extreme. Now he still had 12.3 spirit coins left.

“Thank goodness… I didn’t waste money.”

He purchased the Hunyuan Embryonic Breathing Sutra, and instantly, a stream of diagrams and text appeared in his ocular implant.

Zhang Yu sat cross-legged, following the internal circulation path displayed in the implant, and began practicing this Breathing Technique.