Chapter 369: Crypto Trading (Thanks to 'Silence and Sword' for Gifting 12 Alliance Leaders)

Chapter 369: Cryptocurrency Speculation (Thanks to 'Silence and Sword' for the 1.2 alliance leader donation)

"It's up! It's up! It's rising again!"

Yu Xinghan gazed at the Seven Emotions Coin, which had climbed once more today, his face wreathed in smiles and satisfaction.

Back when his classmates were envying Bai Zhenzhen, worshipping the Seven Emotions Monarch, and singing her praises, Yu Xinghan had chosen to go all-in on the Seven Emotions Coin.

"Bai Zhenzhen is certainly impressive, but with so many formidable contestants in the Flying Sword Tournament—even super-students who possess military-grade cultivation techniques, military-grade flying swords, and have built their foundations with Divine Spirit Roots—why is it that Bai Zhenzhen’s popularity is so high?"

"Someone must be manipulating the market!"

"Perhaps it is the Seven Emotions Monarch herself doing the hyping."

Yu Xinghan recalled the teachings of Master Spark.

...

Master Spark: "Xinghan, how does a master demonstrate their strength? How do they let people know of their power?"

Yu Xinghan thought for a moment and said, "By defeating powerful opponents?"

"By displaying astonishing destructive power?"

"By completing the most difficult examinations?"

Master Spark shook his head at each, saying, "The methods you mentioned are all effective."

"But for a true powerhouse of profound realm, finding others to sing one's praises is the most cost-effective strategy."

"Combat carries risks, and power is depleted with every use. The stronger the master, the more powerful their martial arts and Daoist techniques, and the greater the consumption and cost."

"By comparison, hiring people to boast for you, to hype yourself—that is the most efficient path."

"Especially in this era, the strength, assets, and reputation of a high-level master are directly linked to the stock prices of the companies they control and the value of the currencies they create."

"Hyping one's own strength, assets, and abilities... that is even more useful."

...

Watching the profit figures shimmering on his ocular implant, Yu Xinghan nodded with persistent satisfaction.

Truth be told, if it were news about any other Nascent Soul Monarch, he wouldn't easily jump into the market, as he lacked understanding.

But Bai Zhenzhen’s situation... he actually knew something about it.

"Bai Zhenzhen’s Divine Spirit Root must be innate."

"Her rapid growth and her ability to secure a military commission so smoothly are certainly due to the Monarch, but they are inseparable from her natural Divine Spirit Root."

"However, no matter how talented Bai Zhenzhen is, I don't feel she can truly make it into the top ten."

"Once she is defeated, I expect the Seven Emotions Coin will fluctuate... but the question is, when will she be defeated?"

"Does she have any other trump cards besides her Divine Spirit Root? For instance, a military-grade flying sword? A military-grade cultivation technique?"

At this thought, Yu Xinghan grew conflicted.

He wanted to cash out and secure his gains, yet he feared missing out on further spirit coin profits. In the end, he reached out to Zhang Yu for intelligence.

Yu Xinghan mused, "Although Zhang Yu’s relationship with Bai Zhenzhen isn't what it used to be, he still keeps in touch with her often; he should know some inside information, right?"

He remembered how he had gone all-in on the Seven Emotions Coin and urged his dorm-mates to get rich along with him.

Yu Xinghan still recalled telling Zhang Yu at the time: "Speculating in currency is a vital part of the Immortal path; it is an opportunity every cultivator should touch upon, a flavor one must experience."

Yu Xinghan thought to himself, "If Zhang Yu has made money too, he must be concerned about when to dump his holdings."

Yu Xinghan: Zhang Yu, what place do you think Bai Zhenzhen will take this time?

...

Bai Zhenzhen: "Hmm..."

Feeling Bai Zhenzhen trembling slightly in his arms, Zhang Yu glanced at the message popping up on his ocular implant and asked, "Zhen, what place do you think you'll take?"

Bai Zhenzhen felt her Divine Spirit Root pulsing within her Dantian. After catching her breath, she replied, "My goal this time is the top 20."

"In this Flying Sword Tournament, the most formidable students are those who possess military-grade flying swords, have mastered military-grade cultivation techniques, and have Divine Spirit Roots."

"The Divine Spirit Root is the hardest to come by; it usually requires a background that reaches the heavens, with a Nascent Soul Monarch intervening during the first foundation establishment to grant the qualification. Those with slightly lesser backgrounds must establish their foundation first, obtain permission to use a Divine Spirit Root, and then destroy their own cultivation to rebuild the foundation."

"But to master all three types of military-grade power... such people are too rare. Every one of them has a heaven-reaching background and peerless aptitude. In this competition, only two meet those conditions."

"Next are the students who have mastered two types of military-grade power."

"Then come those who have mastered one."

"According to the intelligence I've gathered, there are about twenty-some contestants in this competition who have mastered military-grade power."

Zhang Yu recalled the various school powerhouses appearing in the tournament and sighed, "Military-grade power... I've been at university for so long, and I've only seen one person wield it. To think I'd see so many in a single competition."

Fu Ji said as a matter of course, "Nonsense. When would you ever have the chance to encounter the top tier of Kunlun University students? Even if you saw them on the road, you wouldn't know what techniques they had mastered or what spirit roots they possessed."

"Just like that Mo Shangjin—you only know he has mastered the Heaven-Kunlun Mountain-Moving Power, but you have no idea if he possesses military-grade Dharma implants or artifacts."

Zhang Yu nodded slightly, his mind drifting to the Civil Engineering Competition.

In their Civil Engineering Department, besides the eighth-year student Mo Shangjin, there was also a tenth-year senior who had mastered the Heaven-Kunlun Mountain-Moving Power.

These two would surely represent the school in the Civil Engineering Competition. If the other nine of the top ten schools each sent two students who had mastered military-grade techniques, there would be twenty students wielding military-grade power in the inter-school Civil Engineering competition.

"And that's just a 'poor' department like Civil Engineering."

Zhang Yu thought to himself, "The Flying Sword Department is a 'rich' department; there must be even more formidable figures there. Twenty-some people with military-grade power seems like a lot at first glance, but when you think about it carefully... compared to the vast number of university students, they are truly rare elites."

"Ultimately, Kunxu has too much talent. Even after layers of screening, year after year, they still manage to filter out quite a few."

At the same time, Zhang Yu felt a sense of relief; luckily, Wang Yin hadn't mastered military-grade power back then.

Fu Ji judged, "There were two factions vying in the scheme on the first level, and both sides clearly intended to control the intensity of the conflict. If Wang Yin had mastered power that was too strong, it likely wouldn't have been his turn to descend."

"Furthermore, since he couldn't secure a Divine Spirit Root before his first foundation establishment and intended to rebuild his cultivation after obtaining one, his plan was surely to obtain the root, then pass the military certification, then cultivate military-grade techniques—a natural progression..."

Meanwhile, Bai Zhenzhen continued, "I currently only possess the Divine Spirit Root. My strength is on the lower end among these twenty-some people; making it into the top 20 would be quite good."

"If you bought Seven Emotions Coins, you must sell them by the day after tomorrow at the latest."

...

On the street.

Wen Wuyai thought to himself, "She disappeared as soon as she entered below the hundredth level. Is Zhenzhen intentionally hiding her tracks?"

Just then, the top student of the Civil Engineering foundation class walked past him.

Wen Wuyai reached out to stop him and asked, "Classmate, have you seen this person?"

Zhang Yu looked at the photo of Bai Zhenzhen projected by the other man, felt a slight jolt, and quickly shook his head, saying, "Never seen her."

Wen Wuyai had no reason to doubt him and let Zhang Yu go.

After all, in his view, what connection could a Civil Engineering student possibly have with Bai Zhenzhen?

A moment later, Wen Wuyai looked at the Bai Zhenzhen before him and said, "Zhenzhen, where on earth have you been? The competition is about to start."

Bai Zhenzhen: "Alright, alright, let's go."

The two walked toward the exit of the University City, preparing to fly their swords toward the competition grounds.

Soon, a throng of students gathered, pressing in close to await Bai Zhenzhen’s arrival.

There were demon-descendant students hoping to sell her meat for sustenance.

There were Vajra University students eager to peddle sarira relics for her use.

There were even junior college students desperate to sell themselves into servitude.

A demon-descendant student nearby scoffed, "You, a mere junior college student, want to be a slave just for room and board? Who would ever buy a junior college student as a slave?"

The surrounding crowd joined in the jeering, quickly driving the junior college student away.

Yet, a few days later, when Bai Zhenzhen appeared once more, many of the students who had once been so fervently attentive were gone, now busy hurling insults at her online.

"Eliminated at eighteenth place! Who said Bai Zhenzhen would make the top ten?"

"She lost just like that? I just borrowed money to buy Seven Emotions coins."

"The Seven Emotions God-Monarch misjudged her; this Bai Zhenzhen is useless. Better to invest in me than to cultivate her."

Wen Wuya glanced at the state of the Spirit Realm network and found that the public opinion of Bai Zhenzhen was no longer as one-sided as it had been days prior, with many criticizing her for today’s defeat.

Wen Wuya looked toward Bai Zhenzhen and said, "Zhenzhen, pay no mind to the online commentary; we can stir up more hype in a while, find some soul-cultivator students to promote you, and your reputation will recover."

Bai Zhenzhen merely stretched lazily, indifferent, and said, "Enough, let’s hurry to the banquet; I’m famished."

Upon arriving at the post-competition banquet, Wen Wuya saw that many student delegations had already arrived, along with a multitude of students from various departments of Wanfa University.

Wen Wuya and Bai Zhenzhen immediately drew the attention of many in the room.

Wen Wuya had barely exchanged a few words with someone when he turned to find that Bai Zhenzhen had already rushed to the dining area to feast.

Suddenly, Wen Wuya’s gaze flickered as he spotted a student who looked somewhat familiar also eating there.

A thought stirred in his mind, and he recalled it was the civil engineering student he had questioned while searching for Bai Zhenzhen previously.

Dismissing the matter, Wen Wuya continued his conversations.

A moment later, Wen Wuya’s pupils flashed as he received a message from the Seven Emotions God-Monarch.

In truth, he had sent a message to the God-Monarch several days ago, though it was common for a Transformation-stage deity to take a long time to reply.

What Wen Wuya had inquired about was the matter of Bai Zhenzhen.

He believed that without pouring money into her, success was impossible, especially since arriving at Wanfa University, where he felt the distance between himself and Bai Zhenzhen had only grown.

He had wanted to ask if the Seven Emotions God-Monarch might consider altering their agreement.

But as he read the God-Monarch’s reply, Wen Wuya was momentarily stunned.

Seven Emotions God-Monarch: There happens to be someone at Wanfa University who shares a deep bond with Bai Zhenzhen; not only did he not spend a cent, he even managed to get 5 spirit coins from her.

Seven Emotions God-Monarch: His name is Zhang Yu; you might do well to learn from him.

Thanks to ‘Miao_Miao_Miao’ for the 82,000 reward.

Thanks to ‘Angry Kitty’ for the 40,000 reward.

Thanks to ‘I Want o-Pao-ooo’ for the 10,000 reward.

Thanks to ‘Holding Hands and Saying Goodbye’ for the 10,000 reward.

Thanks to Book Friend 20211108101604849 for the 10,000 reward.

Thanks to ‘I Am the Flame Emperor’ for the 10,000 reward.

Thanks to ‘Book Friend 141206165255843’ for the 10,000 reward.

Thanks to ‘Dec Sen’ for the 10,000 reward.

(End of this chapter)