Chapter 246: Striving to Adapt, Sect Discord (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Chapter 246: Striving to Adapt, Friction Within the Sect (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

In the training room of the luxury apartment.

Amidst a series of booming sounds from qi and blood, Zhang Yu and Le Mulan’s bodies were intertwined, accompanied by the collision of muscles and sinews, producing a sharp slapping noise.

“Put more force here…”

“Keep pushing.”

Slap!

“Lift your leg higher.”

Under Zhang Yu’s guidance, Le Mulan continuously adjusted her posture and movements, feeling that her martial arts had improved further after today’s tutoring session.

After all, Zhang Yu’s strength had surged in just over a year, leaping from the early Qi Refining stage to the peak of Qi Refining. Not only did he possess formidable power, but his mind also held memories of numerous martial arts techniques advancing from level 0 to level 10.

Coupled with the teaching skills he had honed in the dark tutoring world, Zhang Yu’s abilities in this area had reached their zenith.

He was confident that even across the entire first layer’s high school tutoring scene, he ranked among the very best.

Over the past few months, Le Mulan had been receiving Zhang Yu’s guidance almost every week, and she could clearly perceive her own progress.

As the training session ended, Le Mulan’s chest heaved violently with her breaths, the soaked sweat revealing distinct contours beneath.

“Thank you for all your help these past months.”

Le Mulan looked at Zhang Yu before her, knowing that having such a formidable expert personally guide her, meticulously instructing the movement of every muscle and sinew in her body, was a tremendous advantage she had gained.

If the students of Ziyun High School knew that Zhang Yu’s fingertips had brushed over so many of her muscles, they would likely wish to replace her, training closely with Zhang Yu to see their own results soar.

Thinking this, she thanked him again: “With your guidance, I’ve improved quickly.”

“No need to be so polite.” Zhang Yu waved his hand. “You helped us a lot before. If it weren’t for your apartment and tutoring fees, A Zhen and I would still be living under a bridge.”

“But as for bodily fluids, I’ve signed a contract with the Oasis Group, so I can’t provide them to others.”

“Still, tutoring you is no problem.”

Zhang Yu thought to himself: “I can’t change Kunxu, but at least I can help the people around me.”

They chatted for a while longer, and when Zhang Yu went to take a shower, Le Mulan walked over to his phone, thinking: “Because of his contract, Zhang Yu’s bodily fluids are out of reach.”

“But Zhang Yu…”

Through repeated close-contact training sessions, after on-the-spot investigation and subsequent inquiries to others, she had gradually confirmed one thing… Zhang Yu was very hard.

“So he hasn’t been neutered.”

“According to my brother, students who aren’t neutered are especially prone to being controlled by their hormones.”

“I can use this to subtly influence him, and maybe in future training sessions, I’ll get some materials from Zhang Yu…”

With this in mind, Le Mulan crouched down and repeated into Zhang Yu’s phone: “Black stockings! Beautiful legs! Photoshoot! Curves! Contrast! Long legs! Big thunder!”

“Le Mulan! Le Mulan! Le Mulan!”

After repeating these keywords several times, Le Mulan thought the big data would have recorded them, and it would inevitably influence Zhang Yu’s phone from now on.

That night, as Zhang Yu scrolled through his phone, he suddenly frowned, looking at the shopping website that had jumped to a page of stockings: “What garbage big data.”

The next morning.

Bai Zhenzhen looked at the large wad of toilet paper in the trash bin and couldn’t help but say, “This time, Yu Zi’s endurance was a bit short.”

“Life’s been too comfortable lately; has his willpower slipped?”

…

When school let out that day, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen headed to the patrol team’s office building.

After several months, they finally had another chance to contact Zhang Pianpian.

Although they had successfully submitted applications a few times before, it seemed Zhang Pianpian was busy with something and never answered their calls.

On the way to the office building, Zhang Yu noticed that the number of homeless people and beggars on the streets seemed greater than before, especially some white-haired, elderly individuals missing arms or legs—more than he had seen in the past year.

Zhang Yu knew these people had mortgaged their flesh and blood because they couldn’t afford food, and because they had mortgaged their flesh and blood, they couldn’t find work. In the end, they would inevitably give up everything, step by step, with no chance of turning their lives around.

Watching this scene, Zhang Yu sighed inwardly, knowing it was not something he could influence.

“Is my thinking still too backward?”

“I still haven’t fully adapted to Kunxu… I need to keep trying.”

Inside the patrol team’s office building.

This time, as Zhang Pianpian’s figure emerged on the screen, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen immediately began recounting the events of the past few months to her.

Although Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen were now increasingly wealthy and their lives were improving, they both felt a vague unease about the shifting situation on the first layer of Kunxu. They wanted to learn more from Zhang Pianpian on the second layer.

Listening to their account, Zhang Pianpian paused for a moment before speaking: “You can accept Boss Wang’s money.”

“But aside from work compensation and endorsement fees, don’t get involved in the Oasis Group’s specific business dealings. Don’t invest, and don’t participate in operations…”

Zhang Yu was taken aback and asked why.

Zhang Pianpian chose her words carefully: “The matters on the first layer are tied to friction among the Ten Greats.”

“Simply put…”

“Some up there believe the first layer is already finished, especially the vast poor class here, which has become a useless class.”

“Rather than letting it waste away, they might as well turn the entire first layer into a breeding ground, a pure source of raw materials.”

“Even some immortals… might think the same.”

Hearing this, Zhang Yu’s heart sank, and he suddenly felt suffocated.

The words “useless class” struck his chest like a heavy hammer, jolting him out of the comfortable life he had been living.

Zhang Pianpian continued: “I have a lot on my plate right now.”

“If you run into trouble you can’t solve, you can contact the righteous god.”

“The righteous god you added as a friend…”

Zhang Pianpian seemed truly busy with many matters, and her call with Zhang Yu ended not long after.

On the way back, Zhang Yu looked at the disabled beggars by the roadside, as if he could already see the future shape of the first layer of Kunxu.

“It’s none of my business.”

“This is the tide of the world.”

“What can a high school student like me do?”

Thinking of his powerlessness, Zhang Yu sighed and suddenly felt a surge of anger: “Why the hell can’t I adapt?”

“Zhang Yu, from now on, you’re a rich man.”

Zhang Yu kept telling himself: “If you want to be wealthy, to take care of the people around you, to live a good life, then you have to adapt to this damn world of Kunxu!”

“Otherwise, what do you want to do? What can you, an ant who hasn’t even reached Foundation Establishment, possibly do?”

Just as these thoughts churned in Zhang Yu’s mind, Fuji suddenly spoke: “Tell me again what Zhang Pianpian said to you.”

To avoid exposure, Fuji had chosen to completely conceal herself before entering the patrol team’s building.

After Zhang Yu woke her up, he recounted everything Zhang Pianpian had said.

Now, hearing Fuji’s question, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen repeated Zhang Pianpian’s words once more.

Fuji murmured, “Mm… she was very cautious in her speech. I suspect someone was monitoring your conversation.”

Zhang Yu’s heart jolted at this. “Monitoring? Is someone targeting us?”

Fuji said, “It’s not unusual for cross-layer calls to be monitored. But Zhang Pianpian’s extreme caution might be tied to the hidden meaning in her words.”

She analyzed, “Some up there believe the First Layer is finished—even some immortals think so.”

“She said ‘some people,’ not ‘everyone.’”

“She told you to take only your work pay and not get involved in Oasis Group’s business.”

“Doesn’t that mean…” Fuji mused, “that while some think the First Layer is done, others don’t?”

“If there are immortals supporting Oasis Group’s methods, doesn’t that mean there are also immortals who oppose them?”

“So she thinks Oasis Group might be caught in a struggle between two sides, which is why she warned you not to get entangled in their dealings.”

Zhang Yu’s eyes lit up as he thought, “Oasis Group, Netherworld University, Netherworld Palace’s methods… they’re like demonic sects. Could there be righteous factions in Kunxu?”

He said, “So maybe other righteous sects can’t stand this demonic behavior and will step in to stop them?”

Fuji replied, “Righteous or demonic—if other sects do intervene, it’ll surely be to curb Netherworld Palace’s growing power.”

“Just like how many upper layers ban mortal farming and set resentment emission standards—isn’t that because other sects lack the immortal techniques in that area, so they use these rules to restrict Netherworld Palace?”

“Even if other sects now try to stop Oasis Group, it’ll be out of their own self-interest.”

Zhang Yu gave a bitter smile and thought, “Right, this is Kunxu after all. I still haven’t fully adapted. How could I have had such a naive thought just now?”

Bai Zhenzhen asked, puzzled, “But so far, no one has stopped Oasis Group, have they? Their plans are going smoothly.”

Fuji, lost in thought, murmured, “Maybe… they just haven’t stopped them yet.”

“After all, with Oasis Group’s moves, many powerful clans have been eliminated, vast resources concentrated, and the Foundation Establishment exam widely promoted… What if that’s exactly what the other faction wanted to see, so they’re going along with it?”

Zhang Yu didn’t know if Fuji was right or wrong, but he firmly etched Zhang Pianpian’s words into his memory.

…

Time flew to August. In one month, Zhang Yu would become a senior in high school.

The entire Songyang City had entered the scorching summer.

The number in Zhang Yu’s bank account had swelled to 44 million.

But he noticed that with the rising prices in Kunxu’s First Layer, the Celestial Spirit Root he wanted to buy had also skyrocketed to 58 million.

Still, given his current income, he could accept the price hike. In a few more months, he’d have enough to buy the Celestial Spirit Root and establish his foundation.

That evening, his phone rang.

Zhang Yu saw it was a call from Zhao Tianxing. Behind Zhao Tianxing’s name was a note Zhang Yu had added: “Everyone laughs at you, but you’re the funniest of all.”

Seeing that line, Zhang Yu recalled the Joker theory Zhao Tianxing had once explained to him, and a smile tugged at his lips.

He answered, “Old Zhao, what’s up?”

But a strange woman’s voice came from the other end: “Excuse me, is this Zhang Yu?”

Zhang Yu frowned slightly, then learned she was Zhao Tianxing’s mother.

She had called because Zhao Tianxing was in trouble.

“After his father lost his job, I don’t know when someone dragged him into gambling. He secretly pawned Tianxing’s physical body to Oasis Group without telling us…”

“I barely scraped together the money to redeem him, but Oasis Company said the body had already been shipped…”

“You’re familiar with the leaders at Oasis Group. Could you help get Tianxing’s body back? We can pay…”

…

At Oasis Group’s 1111th floor.

President Wang listened to Zhang Yu’s request and said casually, “Is he your friend?”

“A small matter. I’ll have someone look into it right away.”

Zhang Yu, who had expected the matter to be troublesome, felt a slight relief at President Wang’s words.

He thought, “In Kunxu, you need money and power to protect yourself and those around you…”

But moments later, President Wang frowned and shook his head at Zhang Yu. “No good. It’s already been bought.”

Zhang Yu was taken aback. “Bought?”

President Wang nodded and pointed upward. “A demon-blooded client from the upper layers bought a large batch of flesh as ingredients. Your friend’s body was among them. It’s already been shipped to the Second Layer.”

Zhang Yu quickly said, “Can we get it back?”

President Wang paused, surprised. “You… what did you say?”

Zhang Yu said, “Can you contact the client and ask for the body back…”

Before he could finish, he suddenly felt a change in President Wang’s demeanor.

The usual calm, kind, and innocent aura faded, replaced by a bone-chilling coldness, as if a dangerous beast were staring coldly at Zhang Yu.

“Zhang Yu, business is business. Goods that have been shipped… you want me to ask the client to return them? What were you thinking?”

Feeling the chill emanating from the other man, Zhang Yu pictured Zhao Tianxing’s face and gritted his teeth. “I can pay compensation…”

President Wang said flatly, “Is this just about the money for the flesh? Asking the client to return it—what reason would I give?”

“In my business, I always keep my word. Once goods leave, unless there’s a quality issue, I never take them back.”

Zhang Yu, pushing against the pressure, continued, “I’ll apologize to the client. He’s my good friend. I can’t watch him be eaten…”

President Wang said coldly, “So what if he’s eaten? I’ve seen the file on this Zhao… Zhao Tianxing. What value does he have? What does it matter if a friend like that gets eaten? You should make fewer friends of this sort.”

He went on, “Zhang Yu, let me teach you something today.”

“In this world, you have to eat well to become strong.”

“The poor eat bitterness all their lives; they can only endure the bitterest of hardships.”

“If you want to be above others like me, you have to learn to eat people.”

Seeing Zhang Yu about to speak again, President Wang snapped impatiently, “Get out!”

“Know your place.”

“You’re taking my money.”

“As long as it doesn’t harm the company’s interests, I can give you face.”

“But if you interfere with the company’s operations, then get the hell out and never show your face before me again.”

Zhang Yu stared at President Wang in shock, as if he hadn’t expected such a furious outburst.

President Wang snorted. “What are you standing there for?”

“Get lost!”

The next moment, a flash of golden light—countless divine hands dragged Zhang Yu out and flung him from the office.

Outside the office, General Manager Chi He was unfazed by the scene. Though President Wang was good to his subordinates, even joking and asking for red envelopes casually, this was different.

But if those beneath him displeased him, especially when it involved the company's interests, then scolding, beating, and humiliation were all too common.

It was only because Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen had been so favored before that such things had never happened.

Chi He walked over, patted Zhang Yu on the shoulder, and said, "When President Wang is angry, nothing you say will help. Just take the scolding obediently."

"In a few days, once President Wang has calmed down, you can come and apologize. He still thinks highly of you; he won't stay angry forever."

But Zhang Yu suddenly asked, "Is there really no way for my friend?"

Chi He paused for a moment, then gave a helpless smile. "Let him become a soul-cultivation student."

Stepping out of Oasis Tower, Zhang Yu looked at his vibrating phone—it was a call from Zhao Tianxing's mother.

Yet he suddenly didn't know how to tell her.

"I'm sorry, Old Zhao."

Zhang Yu slowly clenched his fist. "It seems... I can't save you."

At the same time, the Golden Jade Full Hall Art in his mind gradually slowed, and the effect of the cultivation method seemed to regress at that moment.

No matter how he visualized the cash figures in his mind, they could no longer bring him the confidence and courage they once had.

And just as Zhang Yu was on his way home, his phone suddenly vibrated.

"Golden Core Grand Cultivator Starfire True Person has entered within one kilometer of you. In the past month, he has accidentally killed fourteen people and paid all fines and compensations. Please watch your words and actions, and do not provoke him."

Requesting monthly votes.

(Chapter end)