Chapter 342: Ah Zhen Coming Soon, Finals Approaching, Mentor Selection

Chapter 342: Ah Zhen’s Arrival, the End of Term Approaches, Choosing a Mentor

Faced with Le Mulan’s urgency to make the most of their time, Zhang Yu nodded in agreement.

After all, university students, especially those at the Ten Thousand Arts University, truly had little time to spare and needed to seize every moment.

With a single palm strike, he pressed his hand against Le Mulan’s back, channeling a chilling surge of magical energy into her body.

Since the energy originated from the same Deep Cold magical lineage, Le Mulan found it easier to absorb Zhang Yu’s power.

However, the combined coldness of their energies rapidly accumulated, causing a visible bluish-purple hue to spread across Le Mulan’s face.

Zhang Yu knew that if they continued like this, this training session would soon come to an end.

If she pushed herself too hard, she would suffer severe frostbite, leading to medical expenses, a lengthy recovery, and a significant setback in her cultivation progress.

How could Zhang Yu, who was eagerly anticipating Le Mulan unlocking the second level of the Deep Cold lineage, accept such an outcome?

Sensing her body temperature plummeting rapidly, Zhang Yu had no choice but to stir his vital energy, pressing his scorching palm against the other side of Le Mulan’s back.

“Zhang Yu, don’t just focus on my back. I’m cold everywhere else.”

Feeling her trembling body press closer, Zhang Yu adjusted his posture to better warm her up.

At that moment, he felt as though he were holding a soft, icy snowball—cold, smooth, and slippery.

Suddenly, he frowned and said, “Stop squirming and rubbing against me, or I’ll stop touching you.”

Le Mulan immediately stilled her waist, nodding obediently, her bluish-purple lips trembling as she whispered, “Okay.”

Outside the door, Xuange listened quietly to the commotion inside the dormitory.

In his usual impression, Le Mulan was always cold and aloof, indifferent to her classmates, with a personality that bordered on reclusive.

Especially after she became a Foundation Establishment elder, the attitudes of her classmates shifted dramatically, with mere Qi Refining juniors scheming about dual cultivation with her.

In response, Le Mulan became even more distant and unapproachable.

Xuange often saw her treating her classmates as if they were invisible, as though she couldn’t hear or see the Qi Refining juniors at all.

But now, eavesdropping outside the door, Xuange felt he had discovered another side of Le Mulan.

“Dual cultivation really trains a person,” Xuange sighed. “Le Mulan has developed two faces through it.”

…

Over the next few days, Zhang Yu continued his attempts to achieve the unity of spirit and flesh.

On this day, as he opened his eyes in the spirit realm, he recalled his current identity.

Zhang Yu was an experimental subject raised in a laboratory.

From a young age, he had practiced the Remnant Bull Body and Mind Technique, solely to increase his endurance and allow the laboratory to collect more data.

But on the very first day of his official work, he discovered that the laboratory staff had not arrived.

Instead, a group of people he had never seen before, dressed in uniforms, opened the cages one by one and released all the experimental subjects.

“Due to the laboratory’s unauthorized cultivation of minors in the immortal path, all responsible personnel have been arrested.”

“Your destinations will be determined based on your cultivation levels…”

Because of his low cultivation level, Zhang Yu was protected under the Mortal Protection Law, released from the laboratory, and granted freedom.

Knowing nothing about the world, Zhang Yu wandered aimlessly through society, possessing nothing… except the Remnant Bull Body and Mind Technique in his mind.

Stealing, scavenging for food, working illegal jobs… he repeatedly practiced the technique until one day, he could maintain its circulation even while sleeping, unafraid of cold or pain, and finally rest peacefully.

But in the next moment, the entire world suddenly froze.

Zhang Yu looked up in confusion and saw two figures radiating divine power walking toward him.

“The high-intelligent artifact spirit achieving unity of spirit and flesh no longer seems to be an issue. Now, we just need to proceed with the formal experiments in the material realm.”

“Let’s retrieve it first. We can’t let it escape into the spirit realm network.”

“As for the formal experiments in the material realm… well, the cost of high-intelligent artifact spirits remains too high. No amount of talk will change that.”

“It’s just that soul cultivators are too cheap—much more useful than any artifact spirit.”

…

Zhang Yu removed the spirit realm mask once again, thinking to himself, “This time, it felt like a high-level artifact spirit breaking through?”

“Why does it seem like these so-called high-intelligent artifact spirits have an easier time breaking through than humans?”

He shook his head, trying to grasp the lingering sensation in his mind.

That evening, as usual, Zhang Yu initiated a communication with Bai Zhenzhen.

“Yu,” Bai Zhenzhen said with a cheerful smile, “I have good news for you. I’ll be coming to Ten Thousand Arts University next semester.”

Zhang Yu’s eyes lit up with surprise. “Really? You have time to come?”

Bai Zhenzhen nodded. “Yes, I’ll be participating in the university flying sword competition next semester.”

“This year’s competition is being held at Ten Thousand Arts University.”

Bai Zhenzhen’s projection leaned closer, her face beaming with joy. “Finally, we’ll be able to see each other again, mother and son.”

After ending the call happily, Bai Zhenzhen grew even more excited for the flying sword competition.

…

The next day, Zhang Yu logged into the Hammerheart Residence once again.

This time, as he opened his eyes, he saw a group of Qi Refining cultivators dressed in long robes and sleeves, knowing he was leading them to demand their wages.

Zhang Yu retrieved a small box from his sleeve, opening it to reveal several golden pellets.

“Since the Divine Thunder Sect split during the sect war, the weapons of its armies have scattered far and wide. These are the Taiyi Heaven-Shaking Thunder among them.”

“The officials sent by the Ten Thousand Arts Sect have been imposing unbearable levies on us. Only this heavenly thunder can help us stand up for ourselves and unleash the bitterness in our hearts.”

“Let’s pool our resources. I’ll help you find a supplier. With enough spirit stones, what magical treasure can’t we buy?”

Spurred on by Zhang Yu’s encouragement, various weapons, flying swords, and magical treasures from the armies were equipped by the group.

A single Taiyi Heaven-Shaking Thunder killed the official in the government office, igniting a fierce battle.

Zhang Yu fell to the ground in the first wave of fighting.

After a long while, he ended his feigned death state, abruptly opened his eyes, and quietly slipped away from the battlefield.

He found his superior and reported, “The mission is complete. Where to next?”

Zhang Yu was a weapons dealer, moving through the territories of various sects. Wherever there was war or rebellion, he sold weapons directly.

If no conflict erupted, he used his exceptional skills to incite riots and wars, freely selling techniques, magical treasures, and flying swords leaked from the armies.

His motto was: What the enemy opposes, we support; what the enemy supports, we take a thirty percent cut.

In this era, before the advent of networks and with the divine system still underdeveloped, his business thrived.

There were many like him, with wars and uprisings breaking out everywhere.

But Zhang Yu understood that behind all the wars and rebellions lay the will of the immortals. Later, when the immortals decided to cease hostilities, regulations on military-grade power emerged, and Zhang Yu found it increasingly difficult to make money and felt growing danger.

Finally, in moments of restless rest and sleep, he unknowingly advanced his technique to the unity of spirit and flesh.

...

Zhang Yu removed the spirit interface mask, his mind replaying scenes of charging toward the sect's Dao officials. He felt the mental techniques in his mind growing increasingly turbulent.

"Seems like I've made a bit more progress."

Reflecting on his experiences within the simulated environment, Zhang Yu could only sigh with one thought: "The immortals care not for uprisings, nor for resistance."

"Even the uprisings themselves are their creation, and the data of war can be bought and sold."

In the days that followed, Zhang Yu continued his daily journey of unifying spirit and flesh.

Though after each session, he could feel his own progress—the white bull visualized in his mind growing ever more vivid, as if about to come to life—he sensed himself drawing closer and closer to the unity of spirit and flesh, yet it always seemed just a little short.

Just that little bit short.

...

Time swiftly turned to August.

Less than a month remained before the final exams.

It was on this day that a true deity suddenly contacted Zhang Yu, asking if he had chosen a mentor, as the deadline at the end of the academic year was approaching.

Zhang Yu was naturally prepared for this.

After the high school foundation exam on the first level, as one of the victors, he had earned the right to designate a mentor at the university.

A mentor during university represented the faction one would belong to in the future, influencing a student's entire developmental path through undergraduate, master's, and doctoral studies.

Zhang Yu had been extremely cautious about this, especially since he aimed to transfer to the Artifact Refining Department. The choice of mentor was even more critical.

He had consulted Zhang Pianpian about it.

Zhang Pianpian told him, "If your goal is to transfer to the Artifact Refining Department in your third year, then the stronger the mentor, the better."

"Although the relationship between the Artifact Refining and Civil Engineering Departments is decent, to smoothly transfer after breaking into the top 20 of your department, a powerful mentor can reduce a lot of trouble."

"But the stronger the mentor, the higher their demands on students. As a flagship major, the powerful mentors in the Artifact Refining Department have even higher standards."

"Add to that your situation of transferring from the Civil Engineering Department..."

"Initially, they might accept you as a student due to the rules, but they likely won't treat you kindly."

"The worst-case scenario in choosing a mentor is picking one who doesn't cooperate. If they're unwilling to teach you, even accepting you as a student would be meaningless, and you'd lose the opportunity to receive proper guidance from a mentor."

"I think if you want to transfer departments, you should take it slow. Wait until after graduating from Civil Engineering and transfer during postgraduate studies."

Zhang Yu knew Zhang Pianpian was right. In terms of transfer success rates, postgraduate studies clearly offered the highest chance.

But he knew that under the pressure of the evil deity's ritual, he needed to enter the Ten Great Sects, and he had to do so before they completely closed their channels—the sooner, the better.

He needed to transfer to the Artifact Refining Department as soon as possible, pursue postgraduate studies early, and find a path into the Ten Great Sects.

So, despite Zhang Pianpian's advice, Zhang Yu insisted, and Zhang Pianpian helped gather information. They ultimately decided to choose Magnetic Pole True Monarch from the Artifact Refining Department.

This was a deputy director at the Nascent Soul realm, a figure likely to become the head of the Artifact Refining Department in the future.

He was one of the most promising mentors in the Artifact Refining Department. With his support, as long as Zhang Yu's grades were sufficient, transferring departments would be no issue.

But such a prominent figure in the Artifact Refining Department naturally wouldn't pay much attention to a student from the Civil Engineering Department. If Zhang Yu designated him directly through the true deity, the mentor might accept him in name only, leaving Zhang Yu in a situation where having a mentor was no different from having none.

Fortunately, Zhang Yu found help from a good friend.

A message appeared in his ocular interface.

Deng Bingding: "Student Zhang Yu, long time no see."

Thanks to his contributions on the first level, Deng Bingding had successfully ascended to the second level and secured a new position within the territory of Wanfa University.

After spending some time on the second level, Deng Bingding laid low for a while, observing and listening more than speaking, constantly gathering information and confirming the situation. Through this process, he became increasingly certain of some past suspicions.

"Zhang Pianpian's backing might be a deity-level figure from the Ministry of All Peoples."

"Zhang Yu is likely part of this faction too, which is why he was deployed to disrupt the Nether Palace's operations on the first level."

"These two are worth helping."

With Deng Bingding's assistance, Zhang Yu finally managed to add Magnetic Pole True Monarch as a friend via the spirit network before officially designating a mentor.

Zhang Yu: "Teacher, I'm not sure if Wandering Deity Deng has mentioned my situation to you."

Zhang Yu: "I want to transfer to the Artifact Refining Department in my third year, so I'd like to become your student."

After a long wait, just as Zhang Yu thought the other party might be ignoring him, Magnetic Pole True Monarch finally replied with an "Mhm."

After waiting half a day with no further messages, Zhang Yu had no choice but to follow Fu Ji's advice and reluctantly sent a 0.1 spirit coin red envelope.

The red envelope was instantly accepted, and Magnetic Pole True Monarch's reply followed: "I don't recommend you do this."

Zhang Yu had no choice but to call upon Deng Bingding again.

This true deity added both of them to a group chat and said, "I have a proposal."

Next, Deng Bingding laid out a plan he had discussed earlier with Zhang Yu.

Deng Bingding: "Director, I know the requirements for transferring to the Artifact Refining Department are high, and I know your standards are even higher."

Deng Bingding: "But this kid Zhang Yu truly has talent."

Deng Bingding: "How about this: after designating you as his mentor, you don't announce it publicly. No one will know he's your student. You just need to give him a little guidance."

Deng Bingding: "If by his third year, he barely meets your standards, then he'll officially be your student."

Deng Bingding: "If he doesn't meet your requirements by then, we'll act as if nothing ever happened."

Seeing no response for a long time again, Deng Bingding patted Zhang Yu in the group chat.

Zhang Yu had no choice but to send another 0.1 spirit coin red envelope.

Magnetic Pole True Monarch: "Interesting."

Magnetic Pole True Monarch: "Then, if by your third year, besides ranking in the top 20 of the Civil Engineering Department, you can also complete the first three years of the Artifact Refining Department's curriculum and pass their third-year final exams, I'll acknowledge you as my student."

Zhang Yu's eyes lit up. As long as there were requirements and standards, it would be much easier for him.

With Deng Bingding's help, Magnetic Pole True Monarch was temporarily designated as Zhang Yu's mentor. However, Zhang Yu never met this mentor in person, and aside from the few of them, no one else in the university knew about it.

After the matter was settled, Zhang Yu thanked Deng Bingding again.

Deng Bingding declined Zhang Yu's red envelope and smiled, "For me, it was just a few words—a trivial effort."

"Student Zhang Yu, keep working hard."

"I believe you can definitely enter the Artifact Refining Department and become a disciple of Magnetic Pole True Monarch."

With his mentor temporarily settled, Zhang Yu continued to devote his energy to studying, cultivating, and working.

As time passed and the final exams drew nearer, Zhang Yu finally mastered the last layer of Qi Vein Long Flow.

Yu Xinghan's Three-Eyes Divine Ability also advanced to level 2.

The realm of unifying spirit and flesh finally appeared before Zhang Yu, revealing more mysteries of the Remnant Bull Body-Mind Art.

(End of Chapter)