Chapter 319: Immortal Sect Cultivation Methods (Thanks to 'Glazed Memories')

Chapter 319: Sect-Grade Techniques (Deep gratitude to 'Glazed Memory' for gifting 1.4 Grandmasters)

Hearing Bai Zhenzhen's words, a slight stir rippled through Zhang Yu's heart. "The Ten Grand Leagues?"

This was not the first time he had heard those four words, yet having buried his head in his studies and construction sites, Zhang Yu still knew precious little about this league.

In his shallow understanding, it seemed to be nothing more than a competition meant for university students.

But looking at the formal dress Bai Zhenzhen wore now, and hearing her speak of the opening ceremony, Zhang Yu realized he might have underestimated the importance of these Ten Grand Leagues in the past.

As if sensing the doubt and curiosity in Zhang Yu’s heart, Bai Zhenzhen explained, "The Ten Grand Leagues are competitions where only undergraduate students from the ten top-tier universities can participate."

"And among them, aside from the professional competitions of various majors, the one given the highest regard, the one people look up to the most... is the military competition."

"The military competition evolved from the earliest Ten Grand Martial Contests, and currently includes military skills competitions and military exercise competitions..."

Listening to Bai Zhenzhen's explanation, Zhang Yu gradually gained a deeper understanding of these Ten Grand Leagues.

In competition after competition, contestants and teams from various universities would showcase the cutting-edge cultivation technology of their respective schools and corporations.

This was both a promotional exhibition of immortal technologies and a display of martial might by each university.

It could be said that the results of the Ten Grand Leagues each year had a monumental impact on the development, investment direction, and research goals of various technical fields in the following year, as well as the enrollment of the universities among the upper class, the stock prices of universities and corporations, and the distribution of interests in various regions...

Bai Zhenzhen sighed with emotion. "The Ten Grand Leagues don't just heavily impact various fields; they have an equally massive impact on the contestants themselves."

"Performing outstandingly, rising above the crowd, and even securing a rank in the competition will not only win the favor of corporations and secure an excellent job, but it is also crucial for future master's and doctoral entrance exams."

"And if one can step onto the peak, seizing the crown in every single individual match of the military competitions to achieve a Grand Slam, that person would be the true Strongest Undergraduate of the Ten..."

Speaking to this point, Bai Zhenzhen’s eyes shone so brightly that Zhang Yu felt as if stars were twinkling within them.

"Standing at the pinnacle as the strongest among the ten, one will be granted the right of use for a Sect-Grade Technique by the Ten Grand Sects... Of course, after that, they can no longer participate in the Ten Grand Leagues."

Hearing these words from Bai Zhenzhen, Zhang Yu’s eyes instantly lit up as well.

Techniques were divided into five tiers: Basic, Advanced, Expert, Military, and Sect-Grade.

Since high school, the techniques Zhang Yu frequently used were almost entirely Expert-Grade.

It was only upon reaching his third year of high school, after a desperate life-and-death struggle and a stroke of serendipitous luck, that he mastered the former Military-Grade technique, the Nine Skies Cloud Void Energy, along with the complete version of the Broken Ox Self-Sacrifice Heart Incantation, which bordered on Military-Grade.

As for the genuine Military-Grade techniques of the current Kunxu, he had not yet had the opportunity to touch them, having only seen the upperclassman Mo Shangjin perform the Military-Grade technique, Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power, at a wilderness construction site, which had left a deep impression on his heart.

"There is indeed a world of difference between a Military-Grade technique and an Expert-Grade technique; they feel like things from completely different dimensions."

Zhang Yu could not help but think to himself, "Then just how powerful would a Sect-Grade technique be?"

Bai Zhenzhen continued, "Yuzi, a Sect-Grade technique isn't just useful in university or during the Foundation Establishment stage."

"As long as you continue to cultivate this technique, it offers a massive advantage even in the Golden Core and Nascent Soul stages!"

"After all, even among Nascent Soul Perfected Lords, there are many who do not possess the right to use a Sect-Grade technique."

Bai Zhenzhen said with some excitement, "As long as you can possess the right to use a Sect-Grade technique, you can become a paragon among university students, standing high above the sky amidst the envious and jealous gazes of countless peers! Becoming an existence they can look up to but never reach!"

"The university will nurture us even more madly, corporations will line up wanting to throw money at us! Countless doctoral advisors will be ours to choose from!"

Bai Zhenzhen clenched her fists, her cheeks flushed with a vibrant glow as she spoke with pure exhilaration, "We will be recommended for admission into doctoral programs carrying a lifetime of glory, trophies, and spiritual coins!"

"Yuzi, don't you want to walk to the very top of the university food chain, ruthlessly trampling those wealthy students from high society beneath your feet, insulting them at will, and ultimately becoming the undergraduate emperor recommended for a doctorate?!"

Listening to Bai Zhenzhen’s words, Zhang Yu felt as if he could see the image of himself walking toward the peak, revered by tens of thousands, and a wave of heat surged through his body.

"Hearing you say it makes my blood boil too."

Zhang Yu nodded, clenching his fists as well, and said slowly, "Yes, of course I want to."

Bai Zhenzhen smiled and said, "Then Yuzi, let's make a promise."

Bai Zhenzhen extended her palm toward him. "Let's participate in the Ten Grand Leagues together in the future and see who takes the throne of the strongest first."

Looking at Bai Zhenzhen's outstretched palm, Zhang Yu felt a momentary trance, as if he were seeing the same Bai Zhenzhen who had once promised to test into the Ten Grand Universities together with him.

And this time, facing Bai Zhenzhen's invitation, facing an even more arduous and seemingly impossible challenge, Zhang Yu likewise extended his palm without the slightest hesitation.

"A-Zhen, then it's a promise. See you at the Ten Grand Leagues."

And so, across the spiritual realm network, the palms of Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen met.

Though there was no contact of flesh and blood, both of them felt at this moment as if they could transcend the network, sensing the pulse of life emanating from each other's bodies and the boundless fighting spirit reflecting from each other's eyes.

After disconnecting from the link.

Zhang Yu looked at Zhang Pianpian beside him and asked curiously, "Sister... Senior sister, how does one participate in the Ten Grand Leagues?"

Zhang Pianpian replied indifferently, "Students of the Ten Grand Universities whose realm is within the Foundation Establishment stage can participate by passing the school's selection. Under normal circumstances, one generally has to be a student ranked in the top ten of their entire department to have a chance at participating."

Just as Zhang Yu felt this requirement did not sound particularly difficult, he heard Zhang Pianpian continue, "If you are referring to the military competition within the Ten Grand Leagues."

"Then there is one more requirement: you must possess a military-type qualification certificate and master the power of a Military-Grade technique."

Seeing Zhang Yu's surprised expression, Zhang Pianpian smiled faintly. "It's quite normal to need Military-Grade power for a military competition, isn't it? Though it is said the requirements in the past weren't this high, as time goes on... the standards for any competition will always rise higher and higher."

Zhang Yu thought to himself, "A Military-Grade technique? The Civil Engineering Department's Military-Grade technique requires placing first in the class for seven consecutive years, but I want to transfer departments, so I can only consider the Military-Grade technique of the Artifact Refining Department?"

While Zhang Yu was weighing his thoughts, Fu Ji conducted a brief search within the spiritual realm network, thinking to herself, "Winning all the individual events in the military competition to seize the title of the strongest among the ten... no one has accomplished that feat for decades, right?"

"Sect-Grade techniques are not that easy to obtain; the waters inside run incredibly deep."

"But participating in the Ten Grand Leagues and securing a few good rankings is indeed a good thing."

"Bai Zhenzhen probably just wanted to motivate Zhang Yu a bit."

Then Fu Ji's thoughts shifted, and she mused, "But speaking of which... after calling Bai Zhenzhen so many times, I still can't see what her current ranking is at the Heavenly Sword University. Is she intentionally keeping it hidden?"

Meanwhile, on the other side, Zhang Pianpian looked at Zhang Yu, thinking to herself, "The Ten Grand Leagues... with my younger brother's growth speed, in a few years... perhaps I really can participate in the team competition together with him."

"If we can secure a decent ranking, I should be able to drag it out and study for a master's or even a doctorate, avoiding having to report to the Divine Bureau the moment I graduate from my undergraduate studies."

...

Over the next few days, Zhang Yu continued his daily routine of studying, working overtime, and cultivating.

On this particular night, as the spiritual energy surged within him, continuously dissolving into his limbs and bones to nourish his flesh and blood, the Heavenly Blessing Longevity Art he cultivated was finally pushed to Level 20.

A Level 20 Heavenly Blessing Longevity Art could fully gather spiritual energy to nourish the physical body without refining mana, greatly increasing the efficiency of the technique's physical nourishment.

Yet in Zhang Yu's eyes, this effect was still far too slow. To think it relied on a slow grinding process over days and months to consolidate the foundation and nurture the vital energy bit by bit?

"How can this keep up with Kunxu, how can this keep up with the rhythm of the Ten Grand Universities?"

"Compared to practicing exercises slowly, it really is better to consume more supplements and health products."

Returning to the dormitory from the construction site early in the morning, seeing the package at the dormitory door, Zhang Yu knew that the things he ordered had arrived.

He picked up the package, opened the door, and walked inside, only to see Yu Xinghan turn around with a bang, his hands frantically pulling at his waistband.

Yu Xinghan said in a fury, "You mother... don't you know how to knock?"

"Do you have a shred of respect for a roommate!"

Zhang Yu snorted coldly and barked, "Don't you know how to go outside? Can't you go to an empty place below the 100th floor to handle it? Who exactly is the one disrespecting this dormitory?"

Yu Xinghan said defiantly, "You kid... don't think I don't know what you and Le Mulan have done in this dormitory!"

"Ah?" Zhang Yu said with some embarrassment, "Don't change the subject."

Yu Xinghan said, "Humph, secretly making money on your own without bringing your brother along. It's a waste that I supported you so much during high school and smashed so much money on you."

Zhang Yu said, "Did I not repay you? If I hadn't introduced you to the Red Tower, you might have long since sterilized yourself a second time. How could you, like afterward, inversely increase your immortal cultivation heritage and achieve seed freedom today?"

Outside the dormitory door, Le Mulan, who had just returned from an overnight internship at the pharmaceutical factory, pushed open the door and immediately overheard the conversation between Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan.

As she listened to their exchange, a faint trace of embarrassment surfaced on her face.

She had thought that she and Zhang Yu had been discreet enough, yet she never expected Yu Xinghan to find out.

"How on earth did he know?" Le Mulan couldn't help but wonder. "I definitely didn't let anything slip."

But she quickly pushed aside these distracting thoughts, her mind turning to another issue: "It seems next time, I'll have to arrange to meet Zhang Yu outside. Otherwise, if we're discovered, it could be troublesome. If they find out I'm only letting Zhang Yu earn extra income, it could easily strain our roommate relationships."

Le Mulan understood all too well that whether in the first or second layer, high school or university, making money without including friends was often a catalyst for conflict.

Meanwhile, standing beside Le Mulan, Xuan Ge listened to the voices drifting from the room, a thoughtful expression flickering across his face.

"Have they known each other since high school? And they've been relying on this to build their foundation in the immortal path since then?"

Xuan Ge couldn't help but narrow his eyes. "High school in the first layer... is it really that unrestrained?"

"And it seems... when it comes to the practice of four cultivations, the relationships between people are indeed more complicated than with dual cultivation."

"Who cultivated with whom and how many times, who cultivated more with whom, who cultivated less, who ended up at a loss and who gained by the end of the month—all of it involves the intricate dynamics of multi-cultivation relationships."

(End of Chapter)