Chapter 177: The Hunt Begins

Chapter 177: The Hunt Begins

Not long after Zhang Yu returned to his apartment, he received a reply from Xiong Haohan.

Xiong Haohan: Thank you, classmate Zhang Yu. The seeds you introduced this time are of excellent quality; the payment is already in process, and the company will transfer the funds to you today.

Within a short while, Zhang Yu received a commission of one hundred thousand, and his heart leapt with joy.

Zhang Yu tallied his hard‑earned money from yesterday; his savings swelled to nearly three hundred thousand.

Yet Yuxing Han had not answered his messages, prompting Zhang Yu to sigh, “I had hoped to discuss the spirit realm with him further, but once this fellow gets to work he never stops. Such diligence—truly worthy of a Golden Core disciple.”

A few hours later, Zhang Yu received a message from Yuxing Han.

Yuxing Han: Zhang Yu! This job really does bring in money, and it even aids cultivation!

Zhang Yu could not help but ask, “Will this kid become addicted? Could I be harming him?”

Fu Ji replied, “It’s precisely a trial he must pass—selling protein for cash is better than him spending it elsewhere and having to give protein later, right?”

Seizing the moment, Zhang Yu inquired about the spirit realm.

Yuxing Han responded generously: “A trifle. Tomorrow’s spirit‑realm training I’ll give you at half price, as a token of thanks.”

Zhang Yu sensed a surge of excitement in the words.

Before he could answer, Yuxing Han sent another message: “Don’t refuse, it’s just a small sum. Wait a moment.”

Yuxing Han: “All right, I’ve already earned the half‑price money.”

Zhang Yu raised an eyebrow, thinking, “That kid… his cultivation potential is becoming terrifyingly formidable.”

Having arranged with Yuxing Han to log into the spirit realm tomorrow, Zhang Yu realized the next task was to hunt a demon god, and he drew a deep breath.

Though his resolve was set, lacking absolute certainty, he still felt a knot of tension.

Zhang Yu asked, “Are you ready for the false intel we’ll send through the spirit realm tomorrow?”

Fu Ji said, “We’ve discussed this countless times; could I possibly be unprepared?”

“But Zhang Yu, there’s something you don’t like to hear, and I must tell you.”

“It concerns Bai Zhenzhen… Are you planning to keep the demon‑god information from her?”

Hearing this, Zhang Yu frowned coldly, “You’re still trying to involve Ah‑Zhen in your ritual, aren’t you?”

Fu Ji replied matter‑of‑factly, “Why not?”

“Given our current partnership, I’m a co‑owner. Would I ever betray you?”

“Performing the ritual to boost potential is such a boon—why refuse? If we grant Bai Zhenzhen this chance, would she turn it down?”

“She’s a top scholar; with such an opportunity to improve her results, I’m sure she’d embrace it swiftly.”

“As for betraying you, our friendship makes that impossible.”

“For her, it’s a monumental blessing—a celestial chance that could greatly increase her odds of passing the Foundation‑Establishing exam.”

“For you likewise. In this hunt, if my colleague had Bai Zhenzhen’s aid, success would be far more likely.”

“It’s a win‑win, a mutually beneficial pact. I don’t understand why you’re so reluctant.”

Zhang Yu’s reluctance, of course, had its reasons.

According to Fu Ji, the prerequisite for raising potential is completing a covenant ritual.

The ritual itself must satisfy the demon‑god’s wishes; this is the very nature of the rite, a rule set by the demon‑god kings, immutable even to Fu Ji.

Thus, once Bai Zhenzhen’s potential is awakened, she too will be bound by the ritual.

Zhang Yu said, “What if, after Ah‑Zhen finishes the ritual, you grant her a few simple wishes to fulfill on the spot?”

Fu Ji sighed, “If I can promise you, I certainly will.”

“But a ritual is like a talisman—its many embedded rules cannot be altered at will.”

“Each surge of a wish is sensed by the demon‑god king.”

“If I were to recklessly expend all a covenant‑bearer’s wishes, it would be deemed dereliction, a betrayal of the company’s interests, and both I and Bai Zhenzhen would suffer the ritual’s backlash.”

Hearing this, Zhang Yu’s brow furrowed even tighter, for he realized that erasing the ritual’s influence would be far more troublesome than he had imagined.

Fu Ji said, “Zhang Yu, I’m always by your side—what have you to fear?”

“Without Bai Zhenzhen’s support, we lose a crucial combat asset; should I fail while hunting my colleague, won’t that affect her as well?”

“Moreover, this is a chance to make Bai Zhenzhen stronger, to help her pass the Foundation‑Establishing exam and secure a spot among the top ten. Shouldn’t she choose for herself?”

Hearing the mention of the exam, Zhang Yu sighed helplessly.

It was the pressure from those elite immortal masters in the exam, and the looming urgency of the second round two months later, that drove him to press the demon‑god hunt.

Yet even if his potential rose, what of Ah‑Zhen? In her current state, could she someday surpass those masters in the exam?

If Ah‑Zhen hailed from the noble Songyang clan, her talent and strength would likely earn her a top‑ten place even without a Foundation certificate.

But as a pauper…

Zhang Yu felt he could not decide for Bai Zhenzhen; after contemplation, he handed the choice over to her. ……

That night

Beneath the bridge’s archway that evening.

Upon hearing Zhang Yu’s account of the demon god, Bai Zhenzhen exclaimed in surprise, “A demon god? Isn’t that just an urban legend? It really exists?”

Zhang Yu’s neck

Fu Ji turned into a doll‑like figure and said, “Of course it exists; the potential I awakened in you, Zhang Yu, is proof.”

Watching the speaking doll, Bai Zhenzhen …

After another explanation, confirming that Zhang Yu was not under the demon god’s control and that the demon god before them posed no immediate danger, Bai Zhenzhen’s gaze ignited with fervor.

She seemed to say to Zhang Yu, “You finally opened it! After all this time you bring me along? I’ve already lent you the true spirit root to play with.”

Fu Ji asked, “So, if we perform the wish‑granting ritual to awaken your potential, would you be willing?”

Since joining the Foundation‑Establishing exam, Bai Zhenzhen felt a relentless, surging pressure pressing from behind her.

No matter how fast she advanced, how fiercely she refined herself, it never seemed enough.

Hearing Fu Ji’s words, Bai Zhenzhen’s eyes shone brightly as she replied, “Do I even need to ask? I can’t wait to boost my potential at once.”

Zhang Yu let out a soft sigh, “Indeed, but heed this: once the ritual ends, you must grant her three wishes. The first wish of that fellow was for me to fulfill a thousand of his desires—those demon gods are far from benevolent.”

Bai Zhenzhen looked at Zhang Yu and said, “But aren’t you currently holding her in check?”

“Feather‑Child, I must rank among the top ten.”

“Now that there’s a way to raise the odds without spending money, I’m willing to take the risk.”

“It’s my own choice; if trouble arises later, the cost is mine alone.”

Zhang Yu nodded lightly, “I understand.”

Bai Zhenzhen turned to Fu Ji, “Shall we begin? Is this place suitable? Hurry and raise my potential.”

Fu Ji forced an awkward smile, “My power is still too weak to perform such deeds.”

“Before we boost you and Zhang Yu, we must first hunt another demon god.”

(End)

The next day.

Soon after Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan together entered the Spirit Realm and returned to the Hall of Inquiry.

Inside a dilapidated apartment.

An aging computer screen flickered faintly, and lines of text appeared, seemingly all intelligence concerning Zhang Yu.

A grizzled, bearded brute was drawn toward it.

The man, named Li Quan, was a high‑school graduate who had been out of school for many years; after being downsized at fifty, he now worked as a top‑tier delivery rider.

Yet in secret he bore another identity—a devotee of a dark god.

At this moment, the deity with whom he had sealed a pact manifested as a bear plush, perched in a corner of the room, earnestly playing a video game.

Li Quan turned to the bear and said, “Master, the Shadow Parasite that Song Xu commissioned has sent word.”

The bear plush nodded indifferently, “Mm‑hm.”

Li Quan could only ask, “What shall we do next?”

The bear clicked its tongue, impatiently hit the pause button, and said, “All of this came from the puppet machines?”

Li Quan nodded, “The intel arrived after three layers of puppet machines; they haven’t detected our position, I think.”

The plush sighed, “Alas, such a hassle—Song Xu is just too diligent, why push himself so hard?”

The bear’s name was Huo Shan. Though a dark god, unlike the ambitious Fu Ji who climbs for wealth and cultivation freedom, Huo Shan had always thought it fine to linger on the first floor, mixing in comfortably.

Why scramble upward? In the end, the big heads all end up enriching the god‑king, don’t they?

Instead, he preferred to stay peacefully on the first floor, free from a job or temp work; when money ran short, his followers would labor for him.

Even household chores could be delegated to his most loyal disciples, free of charge.

As for what he lacked…any shortage could be remedied by having his followers toil and purchase it for him.

He was far from rich and noble, yet a day spent at home indulging in food, drink, and leisure was enough for him.

At least, in Huo Shan’s eyes, such a life was far better than the endless grind, constantly striving for performance on the path of a dark god.

Thus, for a long stretch, his goal had been to sign contracts with the world’s workhorses—delivery couriers, food‑run riders, construction laborers—people who could earn him money without drawing attention; their deaths would go unnoticed, and they were easy to deceive.

It wasn’t until Huo Shan bound Song Xu that things began to shift.

“That fellow Song Xu… he’s too driven.”

“Sigh, perhaps we should abandon this hunt for a colleague; it feels too troublesome. What if it backfires? Isn’t life fine as it stands?”

(End of Chapter)