Chapter 268: Zhou Family Evil God, Sprint Before the College Entrance Exam

Chapter 268: The Zhou Family’s Evil God, The Sprint Before the College Entrance Exam

Inside the Zhou family mansion.

Patrol team members were coming and going everywhere.

The entire mansion had been thoroughly searched from top to bottom, and the Zhou family members being taken away one by one looked pale and utterly despondent.

“Zhou Yang is the one who went mad! It has nothing to do with us!”

“We didn’t collude with the Oasis Group…”

“Where is your captain? I know your captain.”

Zhang Yu stood to the side, watching the Zhou family members being led away one after another. At this moment, he felt both reflective and somewhat nervous.

“I wonder if the patrol team will uncover the evil god behind the Zhou family, and whether it will implicate me and A Zhen.”

Perhaps because Zhou Yang had hidden the evil god too well, after a thorough search, the patrol team failed to find any information about the evil god. Instead, they discovered one of Zhou Yang’s secret hideouts.

Deep within the sewer system of Songyang City, Yun Ni looked at the underground structure before her and explained, “This is a place secretly funded and built by Zhou Yang himself. If it weren’t for the thorough investigation of all his personal belongings, we would never have found it…”

With a loud bang, the underground structure was violently opened by the patrol team members.

Everyone swarmed in and began a thorough search of the interior.

Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen followed Yun Ni all the way to the deepest part, where they saw countless coils, antiques, chains, and other objects arranged in intricate patterns. At the center lay a hard drive.

Seeing this, Fu Ji immediately transmitted her voice into Zhang Yu’s mind, “It’s a ritual! And one capable of suppressing an evil god!”

“That Zhou Yang actually suppressed his evil god here?”

“Damn, that bastard has some nerve.”

At the same time, Yun Ni circled the hard drive and remarked, “This seems to be some kind of ritual?”

Fu Ji warned, “Zhang Yu! Touch the hard drive. I’ll try to devour this evil god.”

“If these patrol team members take my colleague away, and if this guy finds out about our existence… it’ll be trouble.”

Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen first used the power of their internal ritual detectors to check for any cameras in the surroundings.

After confirming the locations and angles of the cameras…

The two exchanged a glance. The next moment, Bai Zhenzhen pointed to a camera in the corner and said, “What’s that? It seemed to move!”

Just as everyone turned to look, Zhang Yu activated the time-slowing ability of his Time-Residual Demon Eyes. To him, the entire world seemed to slow down instantly.

The expressions, gazes, and movements of everyone around were now reflected with perfect clarity in Zhang Yu’s eyes.

The camera’s angle was also calculated by him.

Taking advantage of the blind spot created when everyone turned around, Zhang Yu gently reached out and placed his hand on the hard drive, staying out of the camera’s view.

With Zhang Yu’s Foundation Establishment-level agility and the assistance of his Time-Residual Demon Eyes, when Yun Ni and the others turned back, they noticed nothing unusual.

Yun Ni said excitedly, “That must be a camera installed by Zhou Yang.”

“Have someone download the recordings immediately and see if there’s anything useful.”

At the same time, Fu Ji’s weak voice echoed in Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen’s minds, “I forcibly dragged this guy over to me.”

“Next… I’ll slowly suppress him… then digest him… I might need to sleep for a while…”

After saying this, Fu Ji’s voice completely vanished, with no further response.

Zhang Yu thought to himself, “Once Fu Ji wakes up this time, the Feather Book should be able to open a new chapter, right?”

Thinking this, Zhang Yu couldn’t help but feel a surge of anticipation, though he wondered how long Fu Ji would sleep this time.

He mused, “This time, we forcibly dragged the evil god over. Digesting it will probably take even longer than last time.”

Next, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen continued searching with the patrol team. Yun Ni, based on traces of rituals, confirmed Zhou Yang’s identity as a cultist of an evil god.

However, to Yun Ni’s disappointment, the cameras on-site only stored up to seven days of surveillance footage, and nothing useful was found in the recordings.

Moreover, no trace of the evil god was found in the entire base. Yun Ni suspected that it had already left long ago.

Seeing that Zhou Yang had left no information about himself or Bai Zhenzhen, Zhang Yu breathed a slight sigh of relief, thinking that he wouldn’t have to go to great lengths to destroy evidence.

With the Zhou family matter temporarily settled, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen waited for Fu Ji to awaken while continuing to immerse themselves in cultivation.

…

In the training hall in the city center.

Amidst the crackling sounds, Starfire Zhenren lightly pressed his fingertip against Zhang Yu’s chest, sending him flying backward instantly.

At the same time, Starfire Zhenren flicked his other hand against Bai Zhenzhen’s palm, sending her flying over a hundred meters away.

Seeing the two slow down, Starfire Zhenren frowned and said, “Don’t stop. Speed up.”

Bai Zhenzhen’s figure flashed as she activated the Formless Wind Demon, stepping on a gust of wind and charging toward Starfire Zhenren once again.

Starfire Zhenren reminded them, “Don’t stop your body-refining techniques. Keep channeling your energy to the fullest.”

“After the college entrance exam, you’ll ascend to the second level.”

“Right now, the geniuses up there are widening the gap between you and them every single day.”

“You must seize every second to slightly narrow the gap between you and those geniuses above.”

At this moment, Starfire Zhenren wasn’t engaging in actual combat training with the two. Instead, he was using himself as a training tool to temper their physical strength.

He was like an endless ocean, imposing immense pressure on the two. As they circulated their body-refining techniques, he relentlessly increased the resistance, amplifying the load and effectiveness of their training.

Zhang Yu felt the other party repeatedly striking the weak points of his body, repeatedly increasing the burden of his body-refining and the effectiveness of his training. It was like a massive iron hammer, pounding his muscles, bones, and tendons over and over again, expelling impurities and refining him to become more and more refined and powerful.

Endless Spring and Autumn Zen: Level 18 (98/180)

Physical Strength: Level 10.52

Starfire Zhenren looked at the two lying on the ground, panting heavily, and thought to himself, “Such a terrifying rate of progress.”

“Especially this kid Zhang Yu. If he continues cultivating his Endless Spring and Autumn Zen like this, he’ll reach Level 20 before graduating from high school, won’t he? This level of comprehension for such a technique… is simply unbelievable.”

“Even if he isn’t the legendary Martial Saint Body, he’s probably not far from it.”

“I can’t wait to see what he’ll be like when he reaches the Golden Core or even the Nascent Soul stage in the future.”

Thinking this, Starfire Zhenren sighed inwardly, “But given the remaining years of my life, I probably won’t live to see the day they fully rise to prominence.”

“Still, at least the seeds I’ve planted in them over these past nine months should one day take root and sprout.”

To say that Starfire Zhenren’s guidance of Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen was entirely selfless, driven purely by appreciation, would be something even he didn’t believe.

However, unlike the investments bound by contracts in Yu Xinghan, what Starfire Zhenren had invested in Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen was maintained by something called “human sentiment.”

“These days… fewer and fewer people in Kunxu still value old sentiments.”

Starfire Zhenren thought to himself, “Unlike when I was young, Kunxu and its cultivators nowadays almost exclusively talk about benefits, not feelings.”

“Those who still cling to the old ways have either died of old age or been eliminated, just like an old-timer like me…”

“But Zhang Yu might be an exception.”

“Although I won’t live to see the day they rise, I hope my investments in them will one day help Xue Lian and Xing Han.”

…

Time continued to fly by as Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen pursued their cultivation, leaving only half a year until the college entrance exams.

In the apartment on this particular day, Zhang Yu suddenly opened his eyes, feeling the Roaring Ox Body and Mind Technique in his mind roar with intensity.

Roaring Ox Body and Mind Technique: Level 20

Dao Heart: Level 11 (43.8%)

Zhang Yu felt as though his consciousness had penetrated every cell in his body, his flesh and blood more vibrant than ever before.

"Finally, Level 20."

He looked at his hands and thought, "After reaching Level 20, even if my limbs were severed, I feel my will could linger in the detached parts."

"The effect of Level 20 can be called 'active residue.' Even flesh and blood that falls from my body can retain my will for a few minutes."

"As long as it’s reattached within those few minutes, it can regrow."

"And as my Dao Heart level continues to rise, the effects of the Roaring Ox Body and Mind Technique should only improve."

Feeling his regenerative abilities grow stronger, a faint smile of satisfaction crossed Zhang Yu’s mind. After all, this meant he was becoming increasingly fearless of injury and less reliant on hospitals.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Zhang Yu opened the apartment door and saw Le Mulan standing outside. "You’re here?"

After leading Le Mulan inside, Zhang Yu asked, "Are you sure you don’t want the money?"

During the 1.3x donation period, Le Mulan had lent Zhang Yu five million.

But when Zhang Yu later tried to repay her, Le Mulan returned the money, stating she didn’t want cash—she wanted something else instead.

After repeated confirmations, Zhang Yu learned that, like the Red Tower Group, she also wanted his "seeds."

Although money from the first level was useless in the second, five million could still be exchanged for some resources.

For Zhang Yu, the five million was undoubtedly more useful and valuable than his seeds.

After all, he knew full well that his strength had nothing to do with his bloodline; it was a strength of soul and will.

Still, out of goodwill for his old friend Le Mulan, Zhang Yu kindly reminded her, "This thing... I don’t think it’s of any use. You should really think it over carefully."

Le Mulan bit her lip and insisted, "I want this."

Zhang Yu nodded. "Alright then, wait a moment."

Le Mulan watched as Zhang Yu turned and walked away. After waiting for what felt like an eternity, she realized he hadn’t returned.

Just then, her phone vibrated. Le Mulan opened it to see a message.

Le Jingchen: Did you get the "Yu juice"?

Le Jingchen: Make sure to verify with your own eyes that it’s the real thing. Red Tower hasn’t made any progress in their research yet. I suspect Zhang Yu might have given them a fake.

(End of Chapter)