No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

The chaos triggered by the Nectar Coin crash lingered in Wanfa City for several days.

But perhaps it was because university life was too hectic, or because there were simply too many things demanding people’s attention—after a few days, the turmoil in University City began to subside.

The streets still bustled with foot traffic. Construction sites still blazed with activity. The scars left by the financial storm were being patched over by tireless overtime labor.

University City looked just as busy as always. Neither on the streets nor in the expressions of passersby could Zhang Yu see any trace of what had happened.

It almost gave him the illusion that the crash had never occurred at all.

Only when he glanced at the list of students who had left the class group—when he saw that dwindling headcount—did Zhang Yu truly feel it: the financial storm hadn’t been a dream. It had come. And it had taken many of them not just out of this world, but straight to the Spiritual Realm.

Just then, a message popped up in the Songyang alumni group: Hu Yuntao’s memorial had begun.

Zhang Yu clicked it open. A black-and-white profile image of Hu Yuntao appeared on his EyeNet feed. The deceased himself was speaking: “Everyone, sorry to trouble you. Thanks for coming to my send-off.”

“I was born on the First Floor, in the protected-zone breeding facility in Songyang City. I got into Red Tower High at 18. Admitted to Heavenly Demon University at 20. Spent my whole life grinding—and even then, I didn’t get to go out peacefully. It was full of pain, unwillingness, and regret.”

“They say the first year after death is the most important. If anyone has business opportunities in the Spirit Realm, I hope you’ll consider me…”Listening to Hu Yuntao’s farewell speech, Zhang Yu shook his head with a sigh. This wasn’t his first Spirit Realm memorial service.

Typically, the dead themselves hosted these. They’d reminisce a bit and plug their soul-cultivator services in hopes of landing work after death.

“The Immortal Path is fickle.”

Witnessing all this, Zhang Yu could only remind himself: tread carefully on the road to immortality. Never jump into a crypto scheme unless you have truly reliable insider info.

He returned to the construction site, splitting his time between hard labor and practicing the Dragonvein Sensory Sutra.

Thanks to the tempering he’d received over these past days on the job, he’d already pushed the technique to Level 19.

Just then, a message arrived from Feng Tingting: “Zhang Yu, did you hear? That Ping Han from your department stayed at Pleasure and Harmony University to work off his debts.”

Zhang Yu had already blocked Ping Han, so he didn’t know what the guy had been up to.

Now, hearing what Feng Tingting said, he asked curiously, “What kind of work can he possibly do there?”

Feng Tingting sent a photo: [Yin Artifact]

What the—Zhang Yu cursed in his heart. You seriously just sent me that? You tryna harass me or something? Do you even remember we’re classmates?

But Feng Tingting’s next line stunned him.

Feng Tingting: “That’s Ping Han.”

Zhang Yu: “Huh?”

Feng Tingting: “It’s from his Moments feed. Didn’t you see it? He’s even signing up for the next Thousand Cultivators Convention.”

Zhang Yu: “What the hell happened to him?”

Feng Tingting: “After the high-intelligence artifact spirit rampage incident, Pleasure and Harmony University ended up short a ton of artifact spirits.”

Feng Tingting: “Plus, public trust in smart artifact spirits collapsed.”

Feng Tingting: “So when the new batch of Yin Artifacts rolled off the line, they recruited soul cultivators to temporarily play the role of the artifact spirits.”

Feng Tingting: “That’s Ping Han.”

Feng Tingting: “Or to be precise, that Yin Artifact is Ping Han.”

Staring at the part of the photo that had been circled, Zhang Yu was dumbfounded. “What?”

Feng Tingting: “It’s a high-level Yin Artifact. Ping Han couldn’t possibly control it solo.”

Then she added, “Oh, and Ping Han’s out begging people for money. Don’t lend him anything—he can’t pay you back.”

Feng Tingting: “If he doesn’t redeem his physical body before the end of the tenth semester, he might not graduate.”

Feng Tingting: “Might end up taking the ‘Bachelor-to-Associate Track.’”

Zhang Yu knew that the so-called “Bachelor-to-Associate Track” was a running joke. It referred to students who couldn’t graduate from one of the Ten Great Academies and ended up scraping by with a degree from a vocational college. Still, those dropouts were highly sought-after by the lower-tier schools.

After closing his chat with Feng Tingting, Zhang Yu felt a fresh wave of mixed emotions. Once again, he was deeply relieved that he hadn’t succumbed to greed and jumped into the Nectar Coin trap.

…

Ji Yuanshu stared at the constant stream of debt reminders popping up on his EyeNet. His body slowly slumped to the floor.

“I have no choice but to turn to the Evil God again.”

“The Evil God has to have a way to save me.”

As he wondered what to do next, several notifications flashed across his vision. Before he could even read them, a voice called from outside his door.

It was a patrol team member.

Still confused, Ji Yuanshu stepped outside—only for the officer to ask, “Have you been chatting online with this person?”

When Ji Yuanshu saw the projected profile image, his heart sank. It was the same “Evil God” he’d been communing with in the Spirit Realm.

Just as Ji Yuanshu braced himself to be arrested for heresy, the patrol officer said, “This guy’s been posing as an Evil God to scam people. He’s tricked over a hundred victims.”

“The Nectar Coin crash finally exposed his scam.”

“When we checked his chat logs, we saw your name…”

The patrol officer kept talking, but Ji Yuanshu couldn’t hear any of it. One phrase kept echoing in his mind: Scam? I got conned?

“That’s impossible! I did the ritual—I received fortune’s blessing!”

“How can this be a scam?!”

Still reeling, Ji Yuanshu barely registered what came next.

“You got time? Come with us and give a statement.”

By the time he left the Inspectorate Department, Ji Yuanshu was still in a daze. The officer’s parting words kept repeating in his head:

“That scammer was a finance major. No background, no resources. Turned to scams for money.”

“We managed to recover a portion of your funds. Here you go—keep it safe.”

“Just focus on school and work from now on. Stop chasing fantasy. Evil Gods are just urban myths. Don’t buy into that crap.”

Ji Yuanshu stared at the refunded Spirit coins. The entire experience felt like a dream.

Still, the partial refund meant he didn’t have to work as a soul cultivator. He could just barely afford to keep his body—but only as a truly broke human.

Yet something still felt deeply off. Ji Yuanshu sensed he was just a pawn in some larger game. But everything ahead was shrouded in mist, leaving him unable to grasp what had truly happened.

…

Ping Han: “Bro Yu, I was wrong!”

Ping Han: “Please forgive me.”

Ping Han: “I’m kneeling to you right now! Bam! Bam! Bam!”

Ping Han: “Please lend me a little…”

Hearing the apology voice messages coming from an alt account, Zhang Yu shook his head and silently hit block.

Word was, Ping Han had been asking everyone for money—even hitting up freshmen still in the Qi Refinement Realm.

At that moment, Zhang Yu heard someone chuckling nearby. He turned and saw Yu Xinghan beaming with relief and lingering fear.

Before the Nectar Coin collapse, Yu Xinghan had made a quick twelve Spirit coins and pulled out just in time. He’d escaped clean.

Noticing Zhang Yu’s gaze, Yu Xinghan couldn’t help saying, “Snatching coins from the hands of a Nascent Soul cultivator—now that was a rush.”

He sighed. “But if it happens again, I don’t think I’ll have the guts.”

Zhang Yu shook his head. “Just be careful. Best not to touch that stuff again.”

A little while later, Zhang Yu arrived at the construction site on the 669th floor, where he found Director Gao waiting.

Director Gao said, “Your Civil Engineering trial is simple. You’ve got one hour to finish building this floor. Pass that, and you clear the test.”

Hearing the requirement, Zhang Yu couldn’t help thinking how absurd this backdoor deal was. One hour to finish a whole floor? And that counts?

But then again… he was the one walking through the back door.

No problem at all.

After breezing through the task, Zhang Yu was awarded the fifth Absolute of Civil Engineering: Ground-Hardening.

It was a Technique that allowed one to temporarily reinforce mud and sand using mana and Martial Qi—strong enough to form walls or even shape soldiers from soil.

Along with this, Zhang Yu received the purchase eligibility for a new Law Husk: Earthquake Steelwave, designed to pair with Ground-Hardening.

Zhang Yu didn’t care much for the eligibility itself. So he asked a different question: “Professor, can I buy the schematics for this Law Husk instead?”

Director Gao replied, “The schematics?”

Zhang Yu explained, “I’m thinking… if I ask a student from the Artifact Refinement Department to custom-make it for me, wouldn’t that be way cheaper?”

Director Gao nodded. “That’s doable. But you’ll only get small-scale, private production rights. No commercial mass-production.”

Halfway through the sentence, Director Gao laughed and shook his head. Like Zhang Yu was going to launch a production line anytime soon.

Zhang Yu looked down at the schematics he’d obtained and muttered to himself, “These involve three Refinement Techniques I haven’t mastered yet. I won’t be able to learn this right away.”

Even though he didn’t plan on installing the Law Husk himself, Zhang Yu was still keen to master its design and manufacturing.

Part of it was to eventually refine the Law Husk into a full-fledged artifact—something to synergize with his Civil Engineering Seven Absolutes.

But the other reason…

“If I ever run into a life-or-death situation and need a power boost…” Zhang Yu thought, “I could temporarily install the Law Husk. Just to boost my combat power for a while. That wouldn’t be the worst thing.”

“And after using it, I can just reinstall the removed body parts later.”

After granting him the Ground-Hardening Technique, Director Gao nodded with satisfaction. “I’ve already spoken with another professor. Next month, you’ll take on the next Civil Engineering trial. If you pass, you’ll earn the sixth Absolute: Soil-to-Gold Transmutation.”

Zhang Yu couldn’t help nodding excitedly. Bit by bit, he was getting closer to mastering the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might.

Director Gao continued, “Next month, you’ll also join Mo Shangjin’s intercollegiate tournament team.”

“But two of his current teammates lost big in the Nectar Coin crash. They sold off most of their Law Husks and can’t compete anymore.”

“I’m looking to fill the slots. If you’ve got any candidates in mind, let me know.”