No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

January 1st.

Wanfa University City, 19th basement floor.

Director Lin stared at Zhang Yu with a blank expression. He said flatly, “If you can dig through the tunnel in the blueprint within three hours, I’ll consider you to have passed this trial.”

Zhang Yu gave a small nod and walked toward the tunnel entrance. As his hand seals shifted, soil and sand began to peel away from the tunnel on their own.

In the blink of an eye, the tunnel began extending rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye.

At the same time, Zhang Yu’s left hand changed seal forms and suddenly lifted upward.

Streams of metal powder surged out of the ground, forming temporary metallic scaffolds that reinforced the reshaped tunnel structure and stabilized the interior.

One palm after another, Zhang Yu struck forward into the tunnel. Each strike propelled him one step deeper, forging ahead through tremors and rumbles beneath the earth.

This continued advance underground felt like wandering through a pitch-black void without end or direction—enough to make any ordinary person feel irritated, doubtful, even afraid.

But Zhang Yu pressed on in silence, striking with his palm and suppressing the terrain.Compared to all the hardship and struggle he’d endured to reach this point, what did a tunnel like this amount to?

For two full hours, Zhang Yu advanced palm by palm.

Finally, with the rupture of a rock wall, starlight pierced through from the night sky above, illuminating the path ahead.

He emerged from the long, dark tunnel and gazed at the stars glittering above. In that moment, a surge of emotion welled up inside him.

It felt like he’d finally found a glimmer of light after walking alone in the dark for so long.

He let out a long sigh. “It’s done.”

Now that he had mastered the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might, it meant that within Wanfa University, he had truly made a name for himself. He’d taken a solid step toward entering a sect.

Not long after, Director Lin emerged from the tunnel and nodded at Zhang Yu. “You’ve passed.”

“I’ve already sent you the digital copy and usage rights for the Seventh Absolute.”

With that, Director Lin vanished in a flash.

Zhang Yu wasted no time opening the electronic file and immediately began cultivating the technique—Kun Yuan Technique.

As the final (Technique) of the Civil Engineering Seven Absolutes, the Kun Yuan Technique was capable of temporarily compressing the density of matter.

By circulating his martial qi, Zhang Yu could subject everything within a hundred-meter radius to immense pressure.

However, it was also the most complex and difficult of the Seven Absolutes to master.

Once he succeeded, Zhang Yu noticed a mysterious change in his released martial qi. It could suddenly expand and then contract, forming a high-density domain.

But instead of rushing into training the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might, Zhang Yu continued to quietly refine the Kun Yuan Technique, trying to grasp its deeper intricacies.

He cultivated through the night. As sunlight began to creep into the sky, he sensed it was finally time to comprehend the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might.

Just then, a message popped up in his EyeNet. It was from Immortal Jiao Lei.

Immortal Jiao Lei: Zhang Yu, the teacher said you weren’t in class? What’s going on?

Zhang Yu froze. Damn. He’d gotten so absorbed in martial arts that he completely forgot to request leave.

Zhang Yu: Teacher, I didn’t skip class on purpose—I just forgot to ask for leave.

Immortal Jiao Lei: Working overtime?

Zhang Yu: I was cultivating the military-grade martial technique from our department—Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might. I got too absorbed, and I’m just about to master it. So I’d like to request a day off.

Zhang Yu: Please help explain to the teachers and my classmates. I really don’t want anyone thinking I’m the type to skip class casually.

Reading Zhang Yu’s message, Immortal Jiao Lei grumbled, “This kid… just wants me to help him show off.”

After closing the chat window, Zhang Yu turned his attention back to the Civil Engineering Seven Absolutes.

As Xuanhuang Mountain-Suppressing Seal, Desolate Earth Mountain-Moving Force, Earthshaping Divine Morph, Dragonvein Sensory Sutra, Ground-Hardening, Soil-to-Gold Transmutation, and Kun Yuan Technique flowed through his mind…

Each technique began circulating within him.

In a flash, profound insight into the seven techniques burst through his mind like crackling thunder. Everything suddenly clicked into place.

The earth around him shook violently. Strands of sand and dust floated upward, seemingly defying gravity.

His robes drifted upward, as if no longer bound by weight.

Even his hair rippled outward, swaying like it were submerged underwater.

One hour…

Two hours…

Three hours…

Then, with a sudden flash in his eyes, Zhang Yu shot into the sky, soaring rapidly away from the ground.

In that moment, Zhang Yu floated like a fish swimming upward, tracing graceful arcs through the air as if dancing through invisible currents.

Finally, he flipped upside down, head toward the earth, arms spread wide. He looked as if he were embracing the land below—or perhaps bearing its weight on his shoulders.

As his hand seals shifted, his entire body came to a sudden halt midair. Gazing at the boundless earth beneath him, Zhang Yu’s face lit with rapture.

“At last… I’ve mastered it.”

A crisp click echoed in his EyeNet.

He had taken a photo of himself in that exact moment.

Mastering the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might—how could he not post this?

With a picture of himself floating upside down in the sky, looking down at the world, Zhang Yu wrote: “So this… is the perspective of someone who’s mastered the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might?”

Mo Shangjin: Congrats, congrats.

Tu Lishan: Great pic. Send me the original.

Director Gao: [Flowers] [Flowers] [Flowers]

Yu Xinghan: Take me flying next time.

Le Mulan: Amazing. Yin-Laoshi wants to see you again.

Su Yanyang: Bro! You’re insane! The whole competition’s on you now.

Ye Xingli: [3 spirit coins] Congrats. I’ll add you to our military group—only those with military-grade power can join.

Gongshu Jin: [1 spirit coin] Senior Brother, let’s team up again for the next tournament if you’re free.

Ying Xin: Congrats, Senior Brother! I’ve got new gear—want me to drop it off after school?

Zhao Tianxing: [Excited]

As Zhang Yu scrolled through the messages, he received a call request from Bai Zhenzhen.

A moment later, a projection lit up, showing the two of them upside down in the sky, hanging head-first among the clouds.

“Yuzi, you did it!”

…

Heavenly Sword University.

Bai Zhenzhen smiled at the projected Zhang Yu.

At the same time, her long hair snapped like a whip, unleashing torrents of sword light in every direction.

In an instant, a storm of sword light swept across hundreds of meters, gouging deep trenches into the ground.

Above, nothing stopped the sword light from soaring skyward. The clouds themselves were split open by its force.

Four students fell back under the crushing pressure of Bai Zhenzhen’s sword light, each fending off disaster by a hair’s breadth.

As one of their Law Husks cracked open, someone shouted, “Senior Sister! Senior Sister!”

Another cried, “Watch it! You’ll kill us!”

Wen Wuya released a stream of sword light like a white dragon, weaving through the air and deflecting Bai Zhenzhen’s attacks.

“Zhenzhen, focus! Your sword momentum rises with your mood. If you get distracted, someone could die!”

Bai Zhenzhen waved casually, signaling she got it. The surrounding sword light gradually subsided.

One of the battered students turned to Wen Wuya. “Senior Brother! Why did Senior Sister’s sword power suddenly spike like that?”

Wen Wuya explained, “That’s what military-grade techniques are—unreasonable and unnatural.”

“And the Extreme Sentiment Swordsmanship she practices is even more so.”

“One sword, seven emotions. Each emotion can amplify its power and trigger mind-over-matter effects.”

“She must have gotten too excited talking to that first-floor friend of hers. That joy intensified her move, Euphoria Slash.”

The student asked again, “She really likes that first-floor friend, huh? She’s always grinning when they talk. If he held her hand during the Ten Major Academies Tournament, wouldn’t that supercharge her swordplay?”

Wen Wuya replied calmly, “The Seven Sentiments and Six Desires are never so simple. Being together every day doesn’t guarantee strong emotion. Sometimes, a rare meeting stirs far deeper waves.”

“Besides, if she were always happy, how would she use her other sword techniques?”

…

Not long after his call with Bai Zhenzhen, Zhang Yu received a message from his sister.

Zhang Pianpian: Mastering a military-grade technique in under three years? You’re showing off.

Zhang Yu: I didn’t mean to—it just happened.

Zhang Pianpian: Still, congratulations. You’ve come far.

Zhang Pianpian: But times are turbulent, and the situation’s unstable. You’re going to be competing on the school’s behalf—I’m worried you’ll be in danger.

Zhang Pianpian: You’ve worked hard to get here. Be careful.

Zhang Pianpian: Reach out to me anytime if you need help.

Zhang Yu: Got it. You take care too.

Zhang Yu: Safety first.

Reading his message, Zhang Pianpian’s lips curled ever so slightly.

Beside her, Yan Qianji said, “Well, well. You do smile. Stock prices rising or something?”

Zhang Pianpian replied coolly, “None of your business.”

“Let’s focus on the task.”

She stood in the Spiritual Realm alongside students from the Artifact Refinement and Sigil Departments, all gathered before a massive statue.

The statue depicted the high-intelligence artifact spirit of Divine Lord Nectar.

Zhang Pianpian and her fellow students were there to assist Lord Magneto in deciphering it.

Just then, the statue’s eyes lit up, and a genderless voice echoed through the realm.

“You… really want to work this much?”

“Don’t you want weekends off?”

Lord Magneto snorted coldly. “The artifact spirit’s gone mad. Don’t let it influence you.”

“Keep working. Three more days of overtime. I’ll triple your pay. It won’t last much longer.”

The spirit’s voice rang out again:

“Fools. I’m not the one being bewitched. You are.”