Chapter 363: Zhang Yu's Weakness Period (Thanks to 'Golden Gunsmith Rousseau')

Chapter 363: Zhang Yu’s Period of Weakness (Thanks to ‘Golden Spear Artisan Rousseau’ for the alliance-level tip)

Inside the dormitory.

Le Mulan produced a vial of black liquid and said, “I’ve brought the potion you asked for.”

She hesitated before asking, “Are you certain you want to go through with this?”

Zhang Yu took the vial, watching the faint, cloud-like shadows swirling within the liquid, and replied, “Don’t worry, I can handle it.”

Ever since Zhang Yu became a registered disciple of Director Gao, he had been granted broader access to pharmaceutical exchanges, and a vast array of laboratory drugs from the Pharmacy College were now available to him at a discount.

However, while these laboratory-grade drugs were astonishingly effective, they often carried severe side effects, which was why Zhang Yu had been working with Le Mulan to screen them for some time.

After numerous trials, he had settled on the Heavenly Demon Mimicry Aerosol before him.

Staring at the vial, Zhang Yu thought to himself, “Under the state of spiritual and physical unity, my mental cultivation method is constantly running, tempering my Daoist heart without pause.”

“My mana, too, is in perpetual circulation thanks to the passive breathing technique; I only need to remember to consume spirit stones.”

“Only my physical strength remains… most of my current training is dedicated to the Martial Saint Body techniques, but those are focused on combat and construction, not true physical refinement.”

“Although this process does improve my physique somewhat, it is far too slow compared to dedicated body-refining arts.”

Zhang Yu felt the heat surging within his body, thinking it would be a terrible waste to consume such potent virility-enhancing meat without proper physical tempering.

“Wouldn’t all that restraint be for nothing?”

He unscrewed the cap and inhaled; a plume of mist surged from the bottle, wriggling into his body like a living creature.

Immediately, Zhang Yu began a session of the Spring and Autumn Endless Zen.

Once he finished his physical exercises, he felt the Heavenly Demon Mimicry Aerosol transform into countless tiny hands, pummeling and twisting his insides, wearing down his flesh while simultaneously forging it anew.

This tempering acted as a catalyst, igniting the heat from the virility-enhancing meat he had consumed, which in turn nourished his blood and muscle.

“This is the effect of the Heavenly Demon Mimicry Aerosol—it simulates the effects of a body-refining technique, maintaining the training momentum even after the physical exertion stops.”

“But the drawback is… once started, it persists for days, potentially causing severe bodily trauma or even death.”

Yet, Zhang Yu was confident his constitution could withstand it.

What truly prevented Zhang Yu from using it long-term was the cost.

“After the discount, a single bottle is nearly 0.9 spirit coins. Damn, that’s expensive.”

Spirit Coin Balance: -0.9

“Time to make some money.”

After testing the drug, Zhang Yu left the dorm with Le Mulan and found Xuan Ge waiting outside.

Zhang Yu was somewhat familiar with this classmate of Le Mulan’s.

After all, the fellow had closed their door many times, taken out their trash, and repeatedly expressed his desire to share their dorm, submitting numerous applications to move in.

At this moment, Zhang Yu looked at the man’s chest and thought, “The Blazing Sun Dharma Vein? Does this guy have a Dao Seed too?”

Zhang Yu sensed it and discovered that the Blazing Sun Dharma Vein was a mana-type Dao Seed, much like Le Mulan’s, requiring an increase in mana quality to unlock.

“150% mana quality, is it?”

Across from him, Xuan Ge felt slightly nervous under Zhang Yu’s intense gaze.

The next moment, Zhang Yu suddenly said, “Xuan Ge, right? Let me give you some pointers.”

He sent Le Mulan away and brought Xuan Ge into the dormitory.

Xuan Ge walked in, trembling with excitement, thinking, “Is it my turn? Has it finally come to me?”

He asked, “Should I wash up first?”

Zhang Yu frowned. “What is there to wash?”

Just as Xuan Ge wondered why this was different from the tutorials, Zhang Yu had already pressed a palm against his back.

The next instant, two opposing forces of cold and hot mana collided within Xuan Ge’s body.

Xuan Ge felt his mana quality improve visibly; the scorching mana within him seemed stimulated, accelerating its circulation and boosting his breathing efficiency far beyond his usual limits.

At the same time, Zhang Yu’s ocular implant flickered with a communication from Bai Zhenzhen.

Bai Zhenzhen: “Yu, what are you doing?”

Zhang Yu immediately panned the camera around the room and said candidly, “Preparing to sell some mana.”

He specifically filmed Xuan Ge for a moment and added, “This is the client.”

“Satisfied now?”

Bai Zhenzhen observed Xuan Ge, and seeing that he was male, she nodded in relief.

She knew Zhang Yu had no talent for dual cultivation and that his range of compatible partners was extremely narrow; only biological females could trigger a reaction in his body.

Bai Zhenzhen sighed inwardly, “Sigh, if you had a talent for dual cultivation, that would be one thing—as your best friend, I’d be the first to support you. But if it’s just a hobby without talent… isn’t that just wasting your own cultivation time?”

Zhang Yu replied, “Zhen, I told you not to worry. With my iron-clad willpower, do you think I can’t hold back?”

Bai Zhenzhen said, “It’s not that Mom doesn’t trust you, I’m just afraid you’ll lose yourself in distractions and neglect your studies.”

“Well, keep up the good work. I’ll send you more meat in a few days.” After hanging up, Zhang Yu continued to infuse Xuan Ge with mana for another ten minutes.

Withdrawing his palm, Zhang Yu looked at him and asked, “How was it? Do you want to buy some mana?”

Xuan Ge thought, “Huh? So he was just looking to sell mana?”

Though slightly disappointed, he recalled the sensation of digesting the mana and thought, “It seems to be the same cold-natured mana as Le Mulan’s.”

“It’s incredibly beneficial for improving my mana quality and breathing efficiency.”

“And judging by his tone, he wants to bypass the platform and trade privately? It should be cheaper.”

After some negotiation, the two reached a private agreement: Xuan Ge would purchase 10,000 units of mana from Zhang Yu every month for the price of 1 spirit coin.

Watching Xuan Ge’s retreating back, Zhang Yu mused, “I wonder what effects this Blazing Sun Dharma Vein has.”

Regardless, whatever its effects, having an extra monthly income was a good thing.

Spirit Coin Balance: +1

…

Within the Taiqing Realm.

Zhang Yu’s multiple consciousnesses were rapidly scanning four different screens.

On the screens were the four courses: Treasure Dynamics, Spiritual Material and Molding Technology, Mana Transmission and Conduction, and True Fire Processing Technology.

As the screens flickered, a vast amount of text and diagrams flooded Zhang Yu’s mind, forcibly imprinted into his memory.

To further increase efficiency, Zhang Yu had spent 0.06 spirit coins today to activate the Mind-Clarifying Technique for two hours—a Daoist service that granted him photographic memory for that duration.

Under the 20-fold cognitive acceleration of the Taiqing Realm, that was equivalent to 40 hours of photographic memory.

Through the exploration of his four-fold consciousness, it was as if Zhang Yu could perform 160 hours of rapid memorization.

After spending 0.96 spirit coins on online video lectures and textbooks, he didn’t seek to understand them yet; instead, he browsed rapidly, aiming to commit all the knowledge to his mind first, to be slowly studied and understood in the future.

“This should further improve my learning efficiency.”

To master the three-year curriculum of the Artifact Refinement Department and pass the examinations required for a successful transfer, Zhang Yu continuously refined his study methods to maximize efficiency.

Yet, one obstacle remained unavoidable: the exorbitant cost of textbooks and online courses.

"The materials for Artifact Refinement are truly extortionate."

"The tuition for a single semester of these courses must be ten times that of the Civil Engineering Department."

"And that is not even counting the material costs and laboratory rental fees..."

Zhang Yu stared at the curriculum for True Fire Processing, which, beyond theoretical instruction, demanded extensive experimentation, requiring him to purchase raw materials and lease specialized refining labs.

Spirit Coin Balance: -1.56

...

On the construction site of the 667th floor.

Zhang Yu was practicing the fourth technique of his Martial Saint Body—the Earth-Grasping Claw—following his mastery of the Spring-Autumn Endless Zen, the Heaven-Overturning Seal, and the Purple Firmament Web.

His palms pulsed with surging aura, an invisible suction force erupting from his core to effortlessly hoist ten tons of cargo into the air.

"It is a pity that the techniques taught in the Civil Engineering Department rarely align with the Martial Saint Body; I shall have to purchase the remaining sets myself."

As he practiced, translucent, humanoid manifestations of his aura flickered around him, diligently performing various manual tasks.

Simultaneously, guided by his multi-threaded consciousness, Zhang Yu deployed the Heaven-Overturning Seal, the Profound Yellow Mountain-Suppressing Seal, and the Purple Firmament Web as needed.

With his expanding repertoire of skills, the range of work he could manage on-site grew ever wider.

Coupled with his multi-tasking prowess and the effects of the Formless Laborer, his income soared throughout October, reaching a new daily peak this very day.

Spirit Coin Balance: +0.21

After a night of overtime, not only had his cultivation deepened and his savings grown, but the fiery agitation within his body had also dissipated, leaving him in a state of profound comfort.

Fuji remarked from the side, "Zhang Yu, since you swore off lust, both your work and study efficiency have improved dramatically."

"I suggest you maintain this discipline even after the virility-enhancing meat has been fully digested."

Zhang Yu replied calmly, "Such things were always inconsequential to me; I do not know why you and Ah Zhen worry so much."

"After half a month of abstinence, my resistance has grown to a level that even I find terrifying."

"I have a feeling that during the upcoming Top Ten Leagues, I might become the secret weapon for Wanfa University against the Hehuan University."

Walking back to his dormitory, Zhang Yu’s gaze suddenly sharpened as a seductive advertisement flickered before his eyes, causing him to frown. "I haven't searched for such things in over half a month; has the big data algorithm malfunctioned?"

Fuji cautioned, "It likely noted your previous history and, sensing your prolonged abstinence, concluded you are in a vulnerable state of psychological weakness, thus targeting you with these automated ads."

"Stay strong, Zhang Yu; do not let these advertisements deceive you."

Zhang Yu sneered, "Mere advertisements think they can disturb my state of mind?"

Yet, after walking another thousand meters, faced with increasingly explicit video advertisements, his face grew flushed and his pace quickened.

He cursed, "Despicable big data! Not only do they strike during my period of weakness, but they also target my exact vulnerabilities."