No Money to Cultivate Immortality?

Zhang Yu couldn’t muster even the slightest bit of resistance. His consciousness, too, was gradually losing the ability to think under the overwhelming sensation of drifting into bliss, slipping into a half-dreaming, half-awake trance.

As his mana stirred, the essence of his blood and qi also began to stir restlessly.

From within the Yin Artifact, the voice of Nectar Maiden Forty-Eight echoed in his mind: “So weak, so weak, so weak! This one really is weak!”

“Let me devour all your mana first.”

“Come out, all of you!”

Lord Magneto had been watching Zhang Yu’s condition closely. The moment she noticed his mana uncontrollably flowing into the Yin Artifact, and even his blood essence beginning to boil, she prepared to intervene.

She knew that if things went on like this, once Zhang Yu’s body lost complete control, it wouldn’t just be his mana that was lost.

Worse still… his knowledge, lifespan, even his memories and potential could be devoured.

But just then, something unexpected happened.

Right as Zhang Yu was teetering on the edge of losing all control, a flicker of clarity suddenly returned to his Sea of Consciousness.Years of bitter part-time work, the instinct to toil tirelessly day and night, the drive that fueled him to send Bai Zhenzhen to college—Zhang Yu’s deep reservoir of willpower accumulated through hardship erupted in full at that moment.

A raw, primal roar surged up from the depths of his heart:

Money!

Thirty spirit coins per session!

She hasn’t paid me yet!

That basic, unshakable instinct spurred him to resist the seductive pull of Nectar Maiden Forty-Eight, refusing to let his inner essence be devoured.

Noticing this resistance, Nectar Maiden Forty-Eight didn’t take it seriously at first. She simply extended her light mist further, intending to fully suppress his will.

But as the light mist spread over Zhang Yu’s entire body, it suddenly came into contact with the green-silk flying sword on his index finger—and in that instant, lines of information surfaced in Jiu Niang’s mind.

”Extreme Sentiment Swordsmanship… Non-Interference List Triggered… Must Immediately Cease Operation...”

In a flash, the violently swirling light mist came to a halt.

Then, it reversed course.

Mana began flowing back into Zhang Yu, the same energy that had just been drained was now being returned.

The scene caused a stir in the observation room.

Yan Qianji exclaimed, “Mana rebound. It’s a two-way exchange—normal dual cultivation, not one-sided draining.”

Another teacher added, surprised, “I thought this Zhang Yu had some unique constitution that attracted the Yin Artifact to extract his essence… but this is just regular dual cultivation? Why is the Yin Artifact actively helping Zhang Yu?”

Inside the lab, Lord Tianzhang frowned in confusion. “That earlier sequence clearly looked like mana draining. Why did it stop and reverse? Is this truly normal dual cultivation?”

As the researchers puzzled over this anomaly, Nectar Maiden Forty-Eight returned all the mana she had taken and released her control over Zhang Yu.

In that moment, still caught in a hazy, instinct-driven state, Zhang Yu suddenly opened his eyes wide.

“Roar!”

With a mighty shout, his mana erupted, unleashing the terrifying force of Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might in every direction.

But in the very next instant, just as the powerful force rippled outward in waves of spiritual pressure, Zhang Yu suddenly came to his senses. He swiftly suppressed his instincts and reined in the surging Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might.

Yet even that single moment of instinctual outburst made Lord Tianzhang’s eyes gleam.

He cross-referenced Zhang Yu’s information and compared it to the force of the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might just released, then typed into the project chat:

Zhang Yu just unleashed a Level-15 Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might, far beyond his prior capabilities.

Lord Tianzhang: Could this be the result of interacting with the Nascent Soul-stage Yin Artifact?

A teacher chimed in: But why would it improve the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might? Pleasure and Harmony University doesn’t specialize in that technique.

Another asked: Could Divine Lord Nectar be secretly researching the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might?

As the discussion grew heated, Yan Qianji suddenly said:

“Everyone, have any of you heard that recent rumor about the Civil Engineering Department?”

The others fell silent. Who in their right mind keeps up with Civil Engineering gossip?

Yan Qianji knew as much—if not for Feng Tingting gossiping with him occasionally, he wouldn’t know either.

Yan Qianji: Recently, a bunch of Civil Engineering students were speculating on Nectar Coins. One of the most aggressive was a student named Ping Han.

Yan Qianji: When the Nectar Coin bubble burst, Ping Han took part in the dual cultivation conference at Pleasure and Harmony University.

Yan Qianji: He eventually became a Soul Cultivator to repay his debt to the Yin Artifact.

Yan Qianji: Ping Han was a senior Civil Engineering student. He had mastered the full Civil Engineering Seven Absolutes.

Yan Qianji: And everyone knows—the Civil Engineering Seven Absolutes is the foundation of the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might.

A teacher gasped: You mean... the artifact spirit inside that Yin Artifact is Ping Han? He just passed his Civil Engineering Seven Absolutes cultivation to Zhang Yu through dual cultivation?

Yan Qianji: …

Yan Qianji: That’s not what I meant. The timeline doesn’t match. The current batch of artifact spirits escaped before Ping Han became a Soul Cultivator.

Yan Qianji: What I mean is—Ping Han may have had his cultivation forcibly extracted during the dual cultivation process.

Yan Qianji: And it’s likely that very Yin Artifact was used.

Yan Qianji: During the extraction, Divine Lord Nectar probably took what she needed and discarded the rest—treating the Civil Engineering Seven Absolutes as useless waste, leaving it inside the artifact.

Yan Qianji: And during today’s dual cultivation, it got transferred to Zhang Yu.

Yan Qianji: That’s why Zhang Yu’s Civil Engineering Seven Absolutes improved… and why his Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might surged.

While the project team furiously debated this behind the scenes—

Zhang Yu stood there, flustered, under everyone’s gaze, his mind still in chaos.

Damn it… I’m never doing this kind of experiment again.

He noticed Lord Tianzhang and Lord Magneto exchanging glances, clearly communicating through the Spiritual Realm.

Lord Tianzhang: Should I handle the questioning?

Lord Magneto: I don’t really know the Civil Engineering students. You go ahead.

The next moment, Lord Magneto vanished from the lab.

Then Lord Tianzhang turned to Zhang Yu with bright eyes.

“Student, tell me—do you feel your Civil Engineering Seven Absolutes has advanced? Has your Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might improved?”

Zhang Yu hesitated, unsure how to respond, when a message popped into his vision—from Zhang Pianpian.

Zhang Pianpian: I’m using the Supreme Purity Realm to message you. No one else can see it.

Zhang Pianpian: But don’t reply—Lord Magneto is monitoring this space. She can see if you respond.

Zhang Pianpian: For now, your answer should be: ‘I think so.’

Zhang Yu nodded. “I think so.”

“Don’t think,” Lord Tianzhang said sternly. “Focus. Sense it clearly, then answer.”

Zhang Pianpian: Your Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might is now Level 15.

Zhang Pianpian: Act surprised.

Zhang Yu circulated his power dramatically. As the Earthfiend Gravity rippled out, his body floated upside down in midair.

Then he said, eyes wide with feigned delight, “My Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Might… it’s Level 15 now!”

Lord Tianzhang smiled. “This is the benefit of our lab’s latest Yin Artifact. After dual cultivation, your cultivation improved.”

Zhang Yu rolled his eyes inwardly but put on a joyful face. “Such a great opportunity?”

Ying Xin, Gongshu Jin, and Yu Xinghan all widened their eyes in astonishment, stunned and envious.

In that moment, a thought struck Yu Xinghan as he stared at the diamond-shaped Nascent Soul-stage Yin Artifact.

If one can improve this much in just a few moments… then maybe equipping a Yin Artifact isn’t so bad after all?

Realizing this shift in his mindset, Yu Xinghan understood that his spiritual perspective on dual cultivation had evolved.

He reflected quietly: Master was right. Elevating your spiritual realm often takes real-life experiences, not just blind training.

Lord Tianzhang chuckled. “Indeed, this is a good thing.”

“Ordinarily, this would be a paid service.”

Zhang Yu cursed inwardly. I trained for years and now they want to charge me?

“But since you’re a student of Wanfa University, we’ll waive the fee this time,” Lord Tianzhang continued.

“On one condition—you have to keep participating in future experiments.”

Zhang Yu cursed again inside. More?

He managed to put on a hesitant expression, then shook his head.

“Sorry, Teacher. I don’t want to continue with this experiment.”

Lord Tianzhang looked surprised. “Why not? It’s free, and your cultivation improves. Why say no?”

Zhang Pianpian: Say what I told you…

Zhang Yu revealed a look of lingering fear. “Teacher, just now… I lost control of my body. I really thought I might die.”

“It’s too dangerous. I think I’ll pass.”

Hearing the word “danger,” Lord Tianzhang was reminded of the unpredictable behavior of the Yin Artifact—still beyond their full control.

His expression grew slightly awkward, but he maintained a righteous tone. “You don’t trust our latest technology? With me and Lord Magneto here, even if something went wrong, we could easily handle it.”

Zhang Yu replied, “Even so… once or twice is fine. But if you want me to keep doing it for free…”

He looked conflicted. Lord Tianzhang snorted.

“You want to charge us now?”

Zhang Yu answered, “Going by last year’s rates, I used to charge at least 25 spirit coins per session. These days, it should be 30.”

Lord Tianzhang blinked. “Twenty-five?”

Zhang Yu said, “If you don’t believe me, ask Professor Yin Jiurao from the Pharmacology Department. She was my last client.”