Chapter 317: Rankings Updated (Thanks to 'Wang Xi' for Gifting Alliance Leader)

Chapter 317: Ranking Update (Thanks to ‘Wang Xi’ for the Alliance Leader Reward)

Listening to Zhang Yu’s words, Gongshu Jin’s eyes were filled with disbelief.

If taking more life-shortening pills and working more overtime could make someone this strong, why would it be your turn to work overtime? By then, even paying to do so wouldn’t get you the chance.

However, Gongshu Jin also understood that even if Zhang Yu truly had some secret to learning, insights into the immortal path, or hidden potential in cultivation, it was naturally impossible for him to reveal it easily.

At the same time, Zhang Yu looked at Gongshu Jin and said, “I’m going to work overtime now, but if you’re willing to pay me a few more spirit coins, I can stay and continue talking with you.”

Hearing this, Gongshu Jin ultimately didn’t hand over any spirit coins.

It wasn’t because he couldn’t afford it, but because he felt it was unnecessary.

After calming down, Gongshu Jin quickly realized that Zhang Yu’s desperate methods… were of no use to him.

His own life was far more valuable than Zhang Yu’s—how could he possibly risk it like that?

“Even if I had the money to buy life-extending pills, the more you take them, the larger the dosage required and the weaker the effects become.”

In Gongshu Jin’s eyes, the longer you extended your life, the higher the cost would be for the next extension.

And when the cost of extending life began to exceed a cultivator’s income, that person’s lifespan would gradually approach its end.

“Natural lifespan has never been the limit for cultivators at any realm.”

“A person’s true limit should be the extent to which their income can afford life extension.”

“Even if Zhang Yu can extend his life in the future, the lifespan consumed by such desperate efforts is ultimately spent.”

“His lifespan limit, income limit, and working years limit… have all been reduced…”

For Gongshu Jin, all of this was simply not worth it.

Having thought this through, as he watched Zhang Yu’s retreating figure, Gongshu Jin’s mind began to circulate his cultivation technique—the 15th-level Canglong Yuetian Heart Art—continuously reigniting his ambition to climb higher, soar into the sky, and ascend to greater heights in Kunxu.

“I have my own path. I just need to follow it step by step, accumulating steadily and unleashing my potential when the time is right. There’s no need to risk my life over temporary gains or losses…”

“Competing with wealth is the immortal path I must walk.”

With this thought, he sent a message to his master: “Master, I lost.”

The reply came: “How much money do you need?”

Seeing his master’s response, Gongshu Jin felt that after today’s defeat, instead of being disheartened, his fighting spirit and potential for the immortal path surged endlessly within him.

Next time, he would become even stronger.

…

Zhang Yu walked along the road to the construction site on the 666th floor.

Feeling the injuries within his body and examining the bloodstains on his skin, he thought to himself, “Although the Ultimate Civil Engineering Saint Body is powerful, it’s too troublesome to use.”

“The buildup is too long each time. Just injuring or weakening myself in my current state takes a lot of time.”

“And if I end up covered in blood, I’ll have to bathe and wash my clothes… even more trouble.”

As he pondered, Zhang Yu slowly circulated the spiritual energy within his body, practicing a new breathing technique.

Heavenly Fortune Longevity Art, Level 13

After completing the Ultimate University Saint Body and the Civil Engineering Saint Body, Zhang Yu had recently resumed practicing breathing techniques, preparing to advance the set of chain techniques—Qi Veins Flowing Long.

The Heavenly Fortune Longevity Art he was practicing now was one of the breathing techniques for Qi Veins Flowing Long.

Although the name of this technique included the word “longevity,” it didn’t actually extend lifespan. Instead, it nourished the flesh and blood with spiritual energy and cultivation power during breathing exercises, adding a layer of foundation to the body.

Zhang Yu thought, “These three months of training at the wilderness construction site progressed quickly, but they’ve also nearly drained my body.”

He felt as though his body was now like an empty shell—strong, yet lacking the foundation to grow stronger.

After all, Zhang Yu understood that cultivation achievements were never gained out of thin air.

The human body was like a great treasure vault. Over the past three months, through the destructive exploitation of various medicines and techniques, Zhang Yu had made tremendous progress, but the accumulated medicinal effects, nutrients, energy, and other foundational reserves within his body had been largely depleted.

“I need to replenish my body’s foundation next. Otherwise, my progress in cultivation will likely slow down more and more.”

Whenever he thought of this, Zhang Yu felt the spirit coins in his account stirring, eager to transform into his cultivation foundation and merge with his body.

Just then, Zhang Yu saw a message flash on his eye display. It was Tu Lishan, asking to buy some bodily materials from him.

Zhang Yu: “Is drawing blood enough? Do you need saliva, seeds, or hair?”

Tu Lishan: “Just blood for now. If we achieve any results, I’ll ask you for other things.”

Zhang Yu shook his head regretfully. He knew the other party likely wouldn’t achieve any significant results.

“After all, my potential lies in my will and the Feather Book, not something mere flesh can reveal.”

Just then, Tu Lishan added: “By the way, Director Gao thinks highly of you and plans to nurture you properly.”

Tu Lishan: “He’ll meet you in a few days. Think carefully about what you need.”

A moment later, Zhang Yu arrived at the construction site on the 666th floor.

But just as he was about to cross the entrance, a voice suddenly called out to him.

“Zhang Yu?”

Zhang Yu turned around and saw a security guard with water-blue hair walking toward him.

Just as Zhang Yu felt the guard looked somewhat familiar, the other person said, “It really is you? Don’t you remember me? Sheng Jie, from Xiandu.”

Zhang Yu’s eyes flickered as he recalled the other’s identity. “This guy… was one of the four students who passed the high school Foundation Establishment exam in the same year as me and A’Zhen.”

“But I was in my second year of high school then, and he was in his third. He entered university a year earlier than me.”

However, Zhang Yu distinctly remembered that Sheng Jie had been a lackey under Wang Yin of the Oasis Group. Why hadn’t he enrolled in the Netherworld University and instead joined the Myriad Techniques University?

As if sensing Zhang Yu’s confusion, Sheng Jie smiled slightly and said, “As you know, I followed Boss Wang for a while on the first floor.”

“Although he treated his subordinates well, I could sense… the atmosphere of the Netherworld University and the Oasis Group wasn’t quite right for me. So, when it came time to apply, I thought it over and switched to the Myriad Techniques University.”

As someone from Xiandu who had climbed up from the bottom, Sheng Jie had the resolve to serve as a lackey, but he understood even more that the first rule of being a lackey was… choosing the right master.

During his time with Boss Wang on the first floor, he gradually realized that the other wasn’t a good choice, at least not for him.

Listening to Sheng Jie’s words, Zhang Yu thought to himself, “This guy is quite clever.”

He glanced at the security guard uniform Sheng Jie wore and the 16th-place ranking displayed above his head, then casually remarked, “You joined the Security Department?”

“Yes, I’m rotating through various posts this year, responsible for security work around the university district,” Sheng Jie nodded and said. “You joined the Civil Engineering Department? We might have opportunities to collaborate in the future.”

As he spoke, Sheng Jie’s gaze swept over the 28th-place ranking above Zhang Yu’s head and the injuries on his body.

He sighed inwardly, “Zhang Yu has fallen to such a ranking? And with all these injuries… it seems his current situation isn’t great either.”

Although Sheng Jie hadn’t been on good terms with Zhang Yu on the first floor, seeing him in the Myriad Techniques University district stirred a natural sense of camaraderie as fellow townsfolk.

Recalling his own experiences during his first year, Sheng Jie sighed sympathetically and said to Zhang Yu, “For us first-floor folks, the first year here is tough. After all, this is the Myriad Techniques University—it’s not easy to get by…”

After chatting briefly, Sheng Jie returned to his post. A fellow security guard beside him asked, “That 28th-place guy is your townsfolk?”

“His ranking is much lower than yours.”

Sheng Jie smiled awkwardly and said, “Maybe he’s still adjusting.”

Another colleague chuckled, “Being able to study on the second floor is already impressive. Once he graduates and returns home, he’ll probably be among the elite down there, right?”

Faced with his classmates' teasing, Shengjie could only continue to smile awkwardly, feeling the gap once again in his heart: "Whether it's me or Zhang Yu, there's still a vast chasm between us and the top students. Climbing to the forefront of the class is an incredibly difficult task."

On the other side, Zhang Yu, after entering the construction site, began his usual routine of overtime work and cultivation as always.

At the same time, his Residual Ox Shed Body and Mind Technique continued to operate. The self-healing ability brought about by his body's activation silently took effect, gradually mending the wounds on his body.

...

While Zhang Yu was quietly working overtime, many students in the Foundation Establishment Class were waiting for today's ranking update.

For instance, Ying Xin had already refreshed the class leaderboard several times by now.

"Gongshu Jin said the exam he applied for was scheduled for today, so the results should be updated today, right?"

Watching the constantly refreshing rankings, Ying Xin felt as if she were witnessing a fierce battle between Gongshu Jin and Ji Yanshu.

Although the two weren't fighting face-to-face, Ying Xin could still imagine the intensity of their competition.

She could almost see hundreds of spirit coins evaporating behind them, transforming into terrifying streams of immortal potential that clashed fiercely, all for the sake of securing the top spot in the class.

Just then, Ying Xin's gaze shifted as a teacher in the Foundation Establishment Class sent a message.

Master Jiao Lei: The grades for all students in the first semester have been updated. Please check your rankings and reflect on your achievements this semester.

Master Jiao Lei: @everyone

Master Jiao Lei: I'd like to particularly commend one student whose performance this semester can be described as a qualitative leap.

Seeing the class ranking posted by their homeroom teacher, Master Jiao Lei, Ying Xin immediately clicked on it.

First place: Ji Yanshu, total score 1228

Second place: Zhang Yu, total score 1201

Third place: Gongshu Jin, total score 1183

Ying Xin stared at the rankings in shock, her eyes filled with disbelief. "Zhang... Zhang Yu?!"

"How did he jump to second place? He actually surpassed Gongshu Jin?!"

"And his total score isn't far behind Ji Yanshu's?!"

But the next moment, Ying Xin seemed to recall something, her gaze flickering slightly. "Well, given that situation... it's understandable that Ji Yanshu isn't too far ahead of Zhang Yu."

Still, the thought of Zhang Yu defeating Gongshu Jin and securing second place in the class left Ying Xin utterly bewildered.

"How much did he earn from that project over the past three months?"

And thinking about how she had missed out on that project, Ying Xin felt a pang of heartache, as if her heart were about to split open.

...

As Master Jiao Lei @'ed everyone in the class group, Zhang Yu, who was working overtime at the construction site, naturally received the message as well.

However, busy pouring concrete, he hadn't had time to check it yet. Then he noticed that many people had already sent him messages.

With a thought, Zhang Yu casually opened one.

Li Xiao: Brother Yu, congratulations! [fireworks][fireworks]

Zhang Yu: ?

Li Xiao: Haven't you checked the rankings yet? You're second in the class!

(End of Chapter)