Chapter 310: Zhang Yu Stealing Food

Chapter 310: Zhang Yu Sneaks a Bite

Just then, a sudden roar echoed from not far away. Zhang Yu turned his head and saw a surge of icy energy shooting into the sky, already freezing half of a senior student’s body.

But the next moment, the senior student let out a furious shout, his body flickering with flames as he suppressed the icy energy.

He gasped and said, "Luckily, it’s been quite some time, and the residual power of the Golden Core has greatly diminished. Otherwise, that earlier strike…"

Witnessing this, everyone grew even more cautious. Zhang Yu also activated his Three-Eyes Divine Ability, maintaining a 360-degree field of vision at all times, alert to any sign of movement.

Just as Zhang Yu gathered his astral energy and swept away another section of broken wall, he suddenly felt a wave of chilling energy rushing toward him.

Beneath the shattered wall, a piece of steel wrapped in layers of flesh and blood was rhythmically rising and falling, as if breathing.

At the same time, an intense resentment, visible even to Zhang Yu’s naked eye, continuously surged from the steel, spreading in all directions.

Zhang Yu muttered, "Resentment?"

Fu Ji commented, "Be careful. With resentment this heavy, if it enters your body, you’ll at least fall seriously ill for a few days. In severe cases, it might even cause a mental shock and regress your Dao heart."

Just then, several senior students nearby also rushed over. Che Yufei said, "It’s resentment alloy used for making puppets."

Zhang Yu asked, "Should we ask Teacher Tu how to handle it?"

Che Yufei patted Zhang Yu’s shoulder, somewhat excitedly saying, "Why ask the teacher? I’ll go ask the scrap collector tonight about its current price."

"Same old rules: the teacher gets 50%, and we split the remaining 50% equally."

Seeing the seasoned students’ matter-of-fact expressions, Zhang Yu suddenly gained a deeper understanding of the Civil Engineering Department.

Not long after, another loud crash echoed. A giant metal palm shot into the sky, violently smacking a Foundation Establishment student away, causing him to bleed from all seven orifices and suffer multiple fractures.

Zhang Yu later learned that the student had dug up a half-finished puppet arm, which suddenly activated and sent him flying.

While lifting a beam, Zhang Yu’s Three-Eyes Divine Ability detected abnormal fluctuations in the surrounding spiritual energy.

He instantly activated his Time-Slowing Demon Pupils, feeling as if the entire world had slowed down in his eyes.

Immediately, he could see the ground beneath his feet slowly rising, as if the earth had transformed into a giant mouth, ready to swallow him whole.

The War Demon Life-Burning Technique erupted, unleashing a full 1.0-level physical enhancement. Combined with Zhang Yu’s own strength, he shot out with a whoosh.

The spot where he had been standing was now swallowed by a small mound of earth.

Zhang Yu sighed inwardly in relief, "Is it the factory’s protective formation?"

Then, looking at the half-beam in his hand, he felt a surge of joy—this material was clearly extraordinary.

But after a moment’s thought, Zhang Yu glanced up at the vast ruins of the factory area and decided not to handle it himself. Instead, he went to find Che Yufei.

Seeing the beam Zhang Yu proactively handed over, Che Yufei’s lips curled into a slight smile. He patted Zhang Yu’s shoulder and said, "You know the rules well. Once the recycling fee comes in, I’ll transfer your share as soon as possible."

Zhang Yu seized the opportunity to ask, "What material is this beam made of?"

Che Yufei explained with familiarity, "Oh, this? It’s third-grade special alloy steel, capable of withstanding high load requirements. It’s often used for beams and columns…"

And so, amidst the ruins filled with dangers—residual Golden Core-level energy, hazardous materials for puppet-making, and remnants of the factory’s protective formations—Zhang Yu practiced his techniques, cleared debris, collected various materials, and continuously learned about their properties through Che Yufei.

Despite the constant dangers, relying on the sensory abilities of his Three-Eyes Divine Ability, the time-slowing power of his Time-Slowing Demon Pupils, and the formidable resilience granted by his Civil Engineering Saint Body, Zhang Yu managed to complete his tasks relatively safely.

…

Just as Zhang Yu and the others had worked through the night and were about to take their third dose of medicine, Gong Sujin and his group finally finished their online classes and began their work and cultivation.

"Everyone, I’ll start first," Mo Shangjin waved to the group, then nodded at Gong Sujin. "Junior Gong Su, do your best too."

Mo Shangjin knew that Gong Sujin was a student Director Gao intended to focus on cultivating, one who practiced the Tiankunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power. Since their first meeting, he had shown goodwill to this junior who shared a character in his name.

Under Gong Sujin’s admiring gaze, Mo Shangjin floated into the air. As he formed hand seals, the Tiankunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power erupted, uprooting surrounding trees and shifting layers of mountain rocks.

Gong Sujin understood that Mo Shangjin was using the Tiankunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power to gradually adjust the mountain terrain and veins, aiming to redirect the spiritual currents.

"If spiritual currents are like rivers, then adjusting the mountain terrain is like altering their courses—it can organize the spiritual currents and lay the foundation for setting up formations."

Gong Sujin then looked at the other seniors. One transformed into a giant dragon, carving pathways through the earth, tunneling, and opening a route for an underground transport channel.

Another pressed his palms together, enveloping a hundred-meter radius in a high-temperature field, melting large quantities of collected metal materials and transforming them into brand-new construction materials.

Gong Sujin thought to himself, "The Tiankunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power goes without saying—it’s a military-grade martial art that has made the Civil Engineering Department of Wanfa University renowned."

"And then there’s the Star Sky Pulse-Charging Great Method and the Crimson Flame Profound Fire Divine Art. Both are expensive to cultivate, requiring costly pills and magical bones, demanding significant resources and a solid foundation in the Dao."

"Of course, once mastered, they allow one to earn spirit coins quickly, with lower work risks and less physical wear and tear."

Gong Sujin understood that it wasn’t that the Civil Engineering Department’s teachers were unwilling to teach these arts to the poor; it was that the poor couldn’t afford to learn or practice them. They could only study techniques that harmed their bodies and forced their potential.

Those techniques might allow the poor to keep up initially, but they would soon hit their limits and fall far behind. Eventually, their daily earnings on the construction site could differ by tenfold or even a hundredfold.

Watching the seniors display their extraordinary abilities, Gong Sujin felt inspired and filled with determination. He turned and walked toward his own workstation.

Extending his hands, fierce vortices of energy emerged from his newly implanted hand bones, activating his newly cultivated technique—the Nine Earth Netherworld Force.

In an instant, the prepared materials—cement, sand, mineral powder, spirit stones, and more—were swept into the vortices, forming a gray tornado that shot into the sky.

Director Gao walked over to him, nodding slightly at the sight. "Remember, the mixing of concrete must be adjusted according to the on-site construction environment, the requirements of the formations, and the type of spiritual currents…"

…

As Gong Sujin and the others began their work, the massive commotion also caught Zhang Yu’s attention.

Watching the tornado shooting into the sky, the countless sand, soil, and stones flying into the air, and the intense tremors shaking the ground…

Zhang Yu felt a pang of emotion. "Compared to these guys, we’re like ordinary construction workers."

"No… I should say these guys are like giant engineering equipment."

Shaking his head, Zhang Yu refocused on his own work.

Another day passed, and the students were granted an hour of rest.

Zhang Yu first switched his Chain Technique Diagram set to the University Saint Body for taking medicine, then returned to his room and switched to the Martial Dao Saint Embryo to accelerate his self-healing.

He thought to himself, "As my cultivation progresses, the enhancement effects of the Martial Dao Saint Embryo are growing weaker."

"Indeed, a Qi Refining stage set can’t last forever."

Opening the Spirit Realm network, Zhang Yu checked his messages and replied to them one by one.

Just then, Che Yufei and the others walked in.

Che Yufei looked at Zhang Yu and said, "What are you doing here? You can’t just work overtime and cultivate all day. You need to relax appropriately too."

"The massage therapists have set up their rooms. There’s a discount today, so hurry up."

Faced with Che Yufei’s invitation, Zhang Yu, who was continuously recovering from physical wear and tear under the dual effects of the Martial Dao Saint Embryo and body activation, naturally shook his head and declined. He didn’t want to waste money.

Che Yufei said, "If you don’t get massages on the construction site, how will you live long enough to earn more money?"

"Come on, everyone," Shi Yunxiang had already walked out. "I’ll go pick first."

Seeing Zhang Yu repeatedly refuse, Che Yufei shook his head, too lazy to persuade him further, and left first.

Just then, a message from Bai Zhenzhen popped up in Zhang Yu’s eye implant: "Yu, finished work?"

Zhang Yu: "Yeah, I’ll meditate for a bit, then I plan to work overtime directly. The internet fee is expensive, so I’ll turn it off later."

Bai Zhenzhen: "I heard that after work, everyone in the Civil Engineering Department gets massages to reduce physical wear and tear. Aren’t you going?"

Zhang Yu: "My colleagues did go, but I didn’t. It’s not necessary."

Bai Zhenzhen: Are you sure? You should still go, don't wear your body down.

Zhang Yu: Forget it, no point wasting the money.

Bai Zhenzhen: Sigh, Mom is so useless, can't even scrape together enough for her son's massage.

Zhang Yu: Focus on your cultivation. If you want to show filial piety, you can do it next time you see Dad.

After chatting casually with Bai Zhenzhen, Zhang Yu ended his active breathing exercises. Feeling his body mostly recovered, he once again ventured alone into the ruins.

Over the next few days, Zhang Yu continuously took medicine, cultivated, and pushed himself to the limit. In this perilous environment, he both tormented and restored himself.

At the same time, his understanding of the various materials in the ruins deepened. Every day, while his classmates went for massages, he seized the opportunity to gather materials and complete his "meals."

The first material he chose to digest was No. 20 Spirit-Forge Secret Steel, originally used by the puppet factory to craft protective armor for the core parts of puppets.

This secret steel could withstand explosions and impacts, evenly absorb martial force, and possessed strength comparable to a peak Foundation Establishment body-refining expert.

If he could refine this No. 20 Spirit-Forge Secret Steel into his bones—using the peak Foundation Establishment digestive power granted by his University Saint Body, along with his Level 20 Earth-Eating Divine Art—to further strengthen his skeleton, he would truly possess an indestructible frame capable of dominating the Foundation Establishment stage.

But when Zhang Yu finally managed to scavenge a small amount, he found it incredibly difficult to digest. Even after ten days to half a month of effort, he might only manage to strengthen a few finger bones.

Zhang Yu thought to himself, "What should I do? Try practicing another technique?"

"Or experiment with medicines that enhance digestion?"

After some contemplation, he dismissed each option one by one.

Finally, it occurred to him: "Although the University Saint Body grants me powerful digestive abilities... the essence of my gastrointestinal tract is still influenced by the strength of my own physique."

"To speed up the digestion of No. 20 Spirit-Forge Secret Steel, I need to make my intestines and stomach more resilient, more robust... as if armoring them."

With this thought, a glint flashed in Zhang Yu's eyes, and information about various materials on-site surfaced in his mind.

(End of Chapter)