Chapter 290: Le Mulan's Mission

Chapter 290: Le Mulan's Mission

The first time Zhang Yu saw the description of the War Demon Life-Loss Art, he strongly suspected it was truly a technique for civil engineering students.

Then he took a look at the user feedback.

“As long as you’re young, life isn’t worth much; spend a day working, burn two days, still feels like a gain. Throw away some life now to earn more money, so you can afford to extend life later.”

“Times have changed—with immortal medicinal arts so advanced today, the War Demon Life-Loss Art isn’t so terrifying. If you take your medicine properly, you can minimize the side effects, and even use it long-term without fear.”

“I’m a sophomore in civil engineering. I’ve seen plenty of seniors complain about this art, but I figure if it burns life to earn more money, isn’t that just speeding up work hours, letting you work shorter stints for bigger pay? If you can’t handle that, you won’t make it in any other line of work either.”

“Be grateful—a few hundred years ago, our trade was corvée labor. No pay after the work, and you might even be buried alive with the boss. It wasn’t just a little shorter life; Kunxu has come a long way.”

Reading these comments, Zhang Yu confirmed that the War Demon Life-Loss Art was indeed a common technique among civil engineering majors, and also confirmed something else.

“The comment section is all paid shills, right? Hmm… or maybe they’re being sarcastic.”

“Damn… does working in civil engineering really require this much sacrifice?”

What left Zhang Yu even more speechless was discovering that the original War Demon Life-Loss Art was used for combat, meant to be employed only for short bursts.

But the modern version was used for overtime—requiring constant medication while sustaining its use over long periods.

Fuji, standing nearby, listened to Zhang Yu’s lament and chuckled. “Heh, do you really think those Golden Core cultivators just hand over the work and the money to you Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining folks for nothing?”

“Isn’t it because a lot of civil engineering work takes time away from their cultivation and wears down their physical and dharma bodies? That’s why they subcontract it to the lower ranks.”

“In this world, easy money that comes while lying down never falls to people like us.”

“Here in Kunxu, anyone who climbs up from the bottom and wants to earn big—every single one works like a dog, suffers, and risks their life.”

“Still, you don’t need to worry too much about the War Demon Life-Loss Art.”

“After all, your physique, your body’s endurance and self-healing are exceptional. What would shorten others’ lives may not shorten yours so easily.”

“Just keep the physical wear from this art within a range you can handle.”

Zhang Yu nodded slightly, recalling the bodily activation from the Crippled Ox Heart and Body Dedication Technique and the regeneration from the Martial Dao Sacred Fetus.

“In the future, when I use the War Demon Life-Loss Art, I need to remember to switch the Chain Diagram Set to the Martial Dao Sacred Fetus.”

“But the Martial Dao Sacred Fetus is still a Qi Refining tier set—for me at Foundation Establishment, its effects have weakened a lot. Going forward, at Foundation Establishment… I’ll probably need to collect the Martial Dao Sacred Body from that stage too.”

These thoughts flickered through his mind as Zhang Yu continued cultivating the War Demon Life-Loss Art.

Circulating his mana through his body, he developed its latent potential, preparing for those short bursts of power.

Fuji, having observed for a while, confirmed that below the 100th floor it was still safe, and now reminded him, “When you get a chance, find a spot below the 100th floor and help me perform a ritual.”

“I haven’t used a single one of those second-tier evil god rituals yet.”

At the dormitory entrance.

Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan clashed fists and feet; Zhang Yu constantly used the Wolf Friend Technique to guide the other’s physical training, raising their spiritual root compatibility.

Back on the first layer of Kunxu, under Starfire’s instruction, the two had already honed a method of mutual body cultivation and mutual support in training.

Now, with the guidance of the Wolf Friend Technique, their progress in learning was rapid.

In this situation, Zhang Yu coupled his Spring-Autumn Endless Meditation with Yu Xinghan’s cultivation—currently the fastest way for him to increase raw physical strength.

“After all, the Earth-Eating Divine Art, the War Demon Life-Loss Art… Yu Xinghan has no idea I’m practicing those. And each art has its own virtues—one strengthens the flesh, the other unlocks potential and enables bursts—but for a pure numerical boost to physical strength, they can’t beat the Spring-Autumn Endless Meditation.”

Watching the increasingly distinct Dao Seed on Yu Xinghan’s body, Zhang Yu thought, “To replicate the Three-Eyed Divine Ability, I need to raise Yu Xinghan’s spiritual root compatibility to ninety percent.”

“He’s now at about the same level as me—seventy percent. According to Teacher Wolf’s estimate, best case three months, worst case over half a year.”

“I wonder just what effect that Three-Eyed Divine Ability has.”

Le Mulan stood nearby, watching Yu Xinghan with some envy, wishing she could take his place and enjoy such efficient body training.

But unfortunately… at the Qi Refining stage, how could she spar with Zhang Yu, who was at Foundation Establishment?

After greeting them, Le Mulan left the dorm and headed to the pharmacology teaching area.

Just as Le Mulan sat down in the classroom, a young man walked up and took the seat in front of her.

She glanced at him—she recognized him as a classmate, Xuan Ge, who ranked fourth in their class.

Xuan Ge smiled at her, admiringly. “Classmate Le, your physique is special, isn’t it? Your mana is innately chilled—Ice Mana?”

Le Mulan nodded. “Classmate Xuan, what is it?”

Xuan Ge smiled faintly. “You probably know I come from the third layer? I should pass the Foundation Establishment exam next year, and I’ve already been accepted as a disciple by a Golden Core pharmacology master.”

Le Mulan was taken aback, then said, “Then… congratulations.”

Xuan Ge continued. “You might wonder why someone so promising and accomplished would approach a middle-ranking student like you.”

He smiled again. “Your grades may be average, and you’re from the first layer, but the innate advantage of Ice Mana is irreplaceable among the other students.”

“I want to be friends with you.”

What Xuan Ge really meant was, “I want to dual cultivate with you.”

Of course, this wasn’t because he coveted her looks.

Though Le Mulan had glacial skin and jade bones, with a pair of purple eye-socket double pupils exuding a unique charm, Xuan Ge’s focus had always been on academics.

His reason was that her Ice Mana, paired with his own Blazing Mana, would create wonders in dual cultivation.

Dual cultivation—Xuan Ge knew that at most high schools, students were discouraged from it, for fear they would lose control and neglect their studies.

But at the university level, especially among the Top Ten, things were different.

Getting into a Top Ten university already proved their willpower; they could handle such matters with restraint.

If both parties had innate special mana, it was even encouraged.

He’d heard that at Hehuan University, students with innate special mana were gathered together to dual cultivate, triple cultivate—even in groups of dozens—to greatly boost everyone’s cultivation.

But Xuan Ge understood that raising the topic of dual cultivation outright would seem too eager; she might name a price.

He thought, “First become good friends; then maybe dual cultivation won’t cost anything. Even if it does, there might be a discount.”

This was advice passed down from a senior, and Xuan Ge deeply believed it: every coin saved on the immortal path was a coin earned for the future.

Just as Xuan Ge was looking at Le Mulan, a message from Le Jingchen popped up in her eye sockets.

Le Jingchen: I sent you 0.5 spirit coins. Did you get them?

Le Mulan: Mm, got them, thanks, bro.

Le Jingchen: The Le family on the second layer is still separated from us by one layer—they’ll prioritize their own resources. Relatives like us from the first layer only get accepted and invested in when we show results.

Le Jingchen: You said you live with Zhang Yu?

Le Jingchen: Can you get me some Yu Juice?

In the classroom, Xuan Ge saw Le Mulan looking dazed and thought, “A third-layer man like me wanting to be friends with her—is she that flattered?”

Xuan Ge said, “Classmate Le?”

Le Mulan answered distractedly, “Mm.”

Le Jingchen: A company over here is interested in Yu Juice. If you can get a good amount, we’ll have more chances to make a name for ourselves on the second layer.

Le Mulan: "The four of us living together now is quite inconvenient... If they find out I've taken it, what if the others want it too? Didn't you say we can't let anyone know about this?"

Le Jingchen: "What does it matter if there are two people nearby? Can't you find a chance to act secretly?"

Le Mulan: "After what happened last time, he's become wary of me. It's not easy to make a move."

In the classroom, Xuange said, "Classmate Le, where do you usually practice after class? Let's go together."

Le Jingchen: "Do you understand now? Just do as I taught you—take the initiative, seize the opportunity, and snatch victory from the jaws of danger."

Le Mulan: "Doing it this way... doesn't feel right."

Le Jingchen: "Lanlan, you're not a high school student anymore. You're already in college and have reached the second level."

Le Jingchen: "You need to understand that many things you couldn't do in high school can not only be done in college but can be done on a grand scale. Don't bring those high school habits here."

Xuange noticed Le Mulan's breathing had quickened, and she looked tense, which left him puzzled.

"This woman... is a bit strange."

Xuange said, "Classmate Le?"

Le Mulan snapped back to reality and looked at him, saying, "Classmate Xuan, I'd like to be alone for a while. Let's talk about it next time if there's anything."

...

93rd Floor.

Amidst a series of shouts, after another round of practicing the War Demon Life-Consuming Technique, Zhang Yu had advanced the skill to Level 10.

Feeling the scenes of training flashing through his mind, Zhang Yu thought, "After Level 10, the War Demon Life-Consuming Technique can activate a second-level burst, consuming years of lifespan..."

"With the first-level burst, using the Martial Dao Sacred Embryo combined with physical activation and taking some extra medicine, I can still use it without side effects for a certain period..."

"But this second-level burst..."

Zhang Yu pondered for a moment but decided against trying it.

"There are less than two weeks left before the three-month basic course ends. If I push myself a bit more before the exam, I should be able to raise my War Demon Life-Consuming Technique to Level 20."

Just then, Fuji said, "Zhang Yu, it's time for the ritual."

(End of Chapter)