No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

As the flying vessel gave a gentle shudder, it descended upon the campus of Golden River University.

Zhang Yu stepped off the vessel and looked toward the sprawling university city ahead. “Where to next?” he asked.

Xiao Qingxuan said nothing.

Beside him, Xiao Yunji remained silent as well, the light in her eyes flickering—she was busy catching up on an online lecture.

Su Yanyang consulted the campus map. “We’ve got six hours until the competition starts. Should we take a stroll, rest up somewhere, or maybe warm up?”

Shi Huaiyu said, “What’s there to warm up for at Golden River University? Let’s just find a spot to sit down. I haven’t finished my coursework for today.”

At that moment, a tall, burly man with a bluish-purple hue to his skin said, “I’ve been to Golden River University several times. There’s a place near the competition venue that’s perfect for killing time.”

Zhang Yu looked over. The speaker was Li Zhen, formerly Mo Shangjin’s teammate—and now one of their teammates for this Civil Engineering League.

Hearing his words, Zhang Yu turned to glance at the projection of Mo Shangjin.

Though Mo Shangjin’s true body was still undergoing treatment, his consciousness had descended via the Spiritual Realm to act as their competition advisor.Mo Shangjin said, “That works. Just follow Li Zhen.”

Zhang Yu nodded. “Alright, Senior. Lead the way.”

Moments later, Li Zhen shared the destination with the team. Their figures blurred into motion, leaving behind afterimages as they darted through the university city at high speed.

Golden River University’s main roads were filled with cultivators in rapid motion. On either side of the street, trucks occasionally rumbled past.

Zhang Yu figured this was because the university was so spread out, and the average cultivation level here couldn’t compare to top-tier schools like Wanfa University. So, many goods still had to be transported by vehicle.

But it was still one of the Thirty-Six Upper Academies—unlike the technical college Zhang Yu had once visited for a project, where impoverished students and underachievers had to drive everything themselves.

Not far ahead, a checkpoint had been set up, and a long queue had formed as people waited to be inspected.

Though Li Zhen slowed slightly upon seeing it, he had no intention of waiting in line.

With the expansion of his Foundation Establishment Field, the crowd instantly grew restless.

A surge of martial energy burst forth from his body, parting the sea of people in an instant. He led Zhang Yu and the others straight through, heading directly for the checkpoint.

Onlookers gazed at the rankings floating above the group’s heads, their expressions shifting between awe and fear.

“They’re Foundation Establishment students from Wanfa University!”

“And top-ranked in Civil Engineering, no less.”

“Damn, look at those Law Husks—they’re all name brands. Wanfa kids really are loaded.”

“Wait, that guy’s using a Fierce Tiger model Law Husk?”

“Rich people have strange tastes, man.”

“Hold on… isn’t he ten thousand spirit coins in debt?”

At the checkpoint, Zhang Yu saw people queued up to present either their Yin Artifact, Yang Artifact, or both, for inspection by Artifact Spirits.

A staff member asked one student, “Why does your gear show traces of intelligent artifact activity?”

“I don’t know! I can’t even afford a smart artifact!”

“Then I’ll have to ask you to cooperate with a more thorough investigation.”

Nearby, another student dropped his pants and said, “I didn’t bring my Yin Artifact. I’ve been locking it up at home to avoid inspections.”

The staff member glanced over and nodded. “Alright, go ahead.”

Watching the scene unfold, Su Yanyang muttered, “Man, a lot of Golden River students have their junk fitted with Law Husks…”

Xiao Qingxuan replied, “It makes sense. Golden River’s specialties are Civil Engineering and Dual Cultivation. Of course those numbers would be high.”

Zhang Yu glanced at a student being escorted away, clearly protesting. “Isn’t this anti-smart-artifact movement getting a little extreme?”

Mo Shangjin rubbed his chin. “A bit. But maybe… they’re using this as an excuse to hunt down escaped high-intelligence Artifact Spirits.”

“Escaped Artifact Spirits?” Zhang Yu blinked. “You mean the ones that fled from Pleasure and Harmony University could be hiding in people’s Yin or Yang Artifacts?”

“It’s not impossible,” Mo Shangjin said. “They were forged by Lord Nectar himself. Even if they escaped, there’s no way they didn’t carry some kind of restriction. They might only be able to function through those kinds of conduits.”

“Maybe one of them’s hiding inside someone’s Artifact.”

A bizarre image flashed through Zhang Yu’s mind: Cultivation Begins with Picking Up a Nascent Soul Lord’s Yin Artifact.

No way someone’s gonna rise to power through a Nascent Soul Lord’s Artifact… right?

But the next moment, he shook his head. That kind of miracle would never happen in Kunxu.

As they approached the checkpoint, the inspection officers noticed them and began murmuring.

Li Zhen, at the front, enlarged the glowing text hovering above his head.

“It’s the Wanfa elite!”

“Should we… bow?”

“Captain, should we even inspect them?”

“Inspect? Are you nuts? You’re a student at an Upper Academy and you want to inspect the Yin and Yang Artifacts of top-tier university elites? You’ve got a death wish?”

Seeing the numbers and affiliations floating above their heads—Wanfa University and those dazzling rankings—the inspectors felt an overwhelming pressure. No one dared move. They could only watch as Zhang Yu’s group passed unimpeded.

…

As they neared their destination, ghostly apparitions began flickering into view in front of Zhang Yu’s eyes, shrieking in sorrow.

“I’m ruined! The Nectar Coin bubble burst, and now I’m watching my own body being auctioned off piece by piece…”

“My whole family’s dead! Seven generations of soul cultivators wiped out! Damn it all!”

“Why?! I didn’t even buy coins! I just got run over by someone who went mad from the crash! Heaven, you bastard!”

Watching the spectral wails unfold through his ocular interface, Zhang Yu frowned. “What kind of ad is this? Is there a funeral parlor nearby holding a memorial?”

Having lived in Kunxu for several years and spent plenty of time on campus, he was used to strange ads like these.

Mo Shangjin said, “No. It’s Golden River University’s job fair.”

“Job fair?” Zhang Yu raised an eyebrow.

“After the Tier-3 financial collapse, a lot of people died,” Mo Shangjin explained. “That caused a sudden surplus of soul cultivators here, disrupting the supply-demand balance.”

“To help students repay their debts and ease the employment crisis, Golden River’s job fair even has positions for soul cultivators. Very humane for one of the Thirty-Six Upper Academies.”

Fu Ji snorted. “Humane my ass. Probably just trying to recover the tuition those dead guys still owe. Gotta keep them working, or that debt’s a write-off.”

Mo Shangjin continued, “Look at those sob stories in the air—they’re just résumé ads exaggerating their ‘First Death Experience.’ First jobs after death are critical for soul cultivators.”

Zhang Yu soon saw a nearby plaza crowded with Upper Academy students lining up at recruitment booths.

Mo Shangjin pointed to one of the companies. “That one’s Wujian Group. It’s a subsidiary of Heavenly Demon University and deals exclusively in soul cultivator affairs. Wouldn’t be surprised if they’re also behind the anti-smart-artifact movement.”

So Heavenly Demon University was involved too? And Pleasure and Harmony University was hunting artifact spirits? The deeper you looked, the murkier it got.

Suddenly, a loud cheer rose from the job fair.

“I made it!”

A Yang Artifact jumped for joy in front of one booth, shouting gleefully.

A faculty member nearby clapped. “Congratulations to this student for landing a job on the spot and signing a contract.”

…

Outside a health and massage club, Zhang Yu asked, “This is the place?”

Li Zhen replied, “Free Spiritual Realm access, plus convenient rooms for either pre-match massages or cultivation. Prices are decent too.”

As soon as Zhang Yu and the others walked in, several technicians’ eyes lit up. They were eager to serve these Foundation Establishment students from Wanfa University.

Soon after, word spread—and Golden River students began flooding in. Some even offered free services, desperate for a chance at Dual Cultivation with elite students.

“This is my newly purchased top-tier Yin Artifact—eighty percent new! Check out the finish, feel the texture, and test the mana connectivity…”

“I’m a competition-grade student. Here’s a list of the events I’ve participated in…”

“Everyone, this is my Dual Cultivation record and experience log. Please take a look…”

As they swarmed around, eagerly pitching themselves, Zhang Yu sighed inwardly.

Damn. A Civil Engineering and Dual Cultivation specialty university really does attract a certain kind of crowd.

Just then, a line of text appeared in his ocular projection.

One of the students had been marked: This person upgraded from a technical college—untrustworthy.

Su Yanyang and the others quickly added their own notes. After all, how could a tech-college transfer be any good? No harm in blocking them just in case.

In moments, the student’s face blurred into obscurity in their vision, leaving only that “tech-college transfer” tag.

Eventually, Su Yanyang and Li Zhen each left with a few Upper Academy students, while the others looked on in envy.

Su Yanyang said to one of them, “You sure it’s really free?”

“I’m telling you, I’m not paying a single coin.”

Zhang Yu asked, “Is this really okay before a competition?”

Mo Shangjin replied casually, “They’re Dual Cultivation majors—professionally trained. If they’ve reached a certain level… their earnings easily surpass what we’d make on a construction site. They may not match Su Yanyang’s group in cultivation, but they’re skilled. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

“If this were a full-scale event, they’d have arranged a dozen Dual Cultivation partners per person. They’d be dying to advance alongside us.”

With that, Zhang Yu spent the remaining time in the club focused on cultivating his Soil-to-Gold Transmutation.

“The Civil Engineering Seven Absolutes are all part of the Back-Dragon Kunlun Flip technique suite.”

“If I can get Soil-to-Gold Transmutation to level 20, I’ll have six techniques at that tier. That’s enough to unlock the first layer’s effect.”

With that thought in mind, he poured all his energy into the cultivation of Soil-to-Gold Transmutation.