Chapter 398: The Loser, The Second Absolute

Chapter 398: The Loser, the Second Absolute

Within the opulent dormitory, Ji Yuan-shu’s spirits were at their lowest ebb.

Ever since the defeat in the competition and the bitter fallout with Ma Xuan and the others, he had been spiraling.

The cold indifference of his master, Director Lin, made him feel as though he were being cast aside.

When news reached him that Zhang Yu’s team had also bested Su Yanyang, he muttered to himself that it was only to be expected.

His subsequent exchange with Gongshu Jin only served to confirm his suspicions.

"It is the War Faction pulling the strings, pouring in vast resources to propel Zhang Yu to victory over both myself and Su Yanyang."

"But at least Su Yanyang lost as well."

Ji Yuan-shu felt a strange comfort; Su Yanyang’s failure made his own seem less significant.

"Master must understand that this defeat was not my fault."

"Yet, with my fortune now recoiling against me, I fear he is no longer willing to invest in me."

At this thought, Ji Yuan-shu sensed the two credit cards in his mind, pulsing with the flow of borrowed fortune.

"Dual cards, dual loans—they have allowed me to survive this backlash for now."

"In the future... I must rely on myself to contend with the heavy hand of the War Faction."

...

On the construction site of the 667th floor.

Su Yanyang, currently laboring away, turned to find Ma Xuan standing nearby.

Ma Xuan grinned. "Watch closely, learn well—is this how you play the civil engineering game?"

Su Yanyang’s face darkened. He turned away, his voice icy. "Had my teammates not been incompetent, the soul-cultivators not been lazy, and the opponent not guided by a master, I would never have lost."

Ma Xuan nodded. "I know, I understand."

"Senior Brother, it is truly a pity this time."

"If you had taken seventh place, you could have gathered the Seven Absolutes next semester, and with a military certificate next year, you could have cultivated the Heaven-Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power."

Su Yanyang looked at Ma Xuan, recalling that he too had lost to Zhang Yu, and sighed. "A single misstep."

"I suspect the War Faction saw me as a threat and spent great effort to snipe me."

"I was their true target; you were merely caught in the crossfire."

Ma Xuan asked again, "Do you still intend to test for the military certificate next year?"

Su Yanyang replied coolly, "Of course. Opportunities are rare; how could I simply give up?"

After a few more words, Ma Xuan said, "I’ve kicked Ji Yuan-shu out."

"Since you are also without a team, why not join us for next year's competition?"

Su Yanyang shook his head. "We shall see next year. I have no desire to consider the competition right now."

...

Netherworld University.

Within Wang Yin’s mind, the Emperor’s Imperial Heart technique surged, his Daoist heart as firm as rock.

Recalling the events involving Zhang Yu, he dismissed them as mere trifles of wind and frost.

"No, Zhang Yu’s deception was actually a blessing."

"A mere pittance of spirit coins exposed the flaws in my technique, allowing me to pierce through the defects in my heart and achieve this tempering."

"Otherwise, with such a gaping hole in my Emperor’s Imperial Heart, a future defeat against an equal would have left me no path to recovery."

Wang Yin mused inwardly, "Instead, through this refinement, I have mended the cracks. My future path is now clear."

"Zhang Yu, oh Zhang Yu, I should not hate you; I should thank you."

"You will never know how much you have helped me, nor how terrifying an opponent you have forged for yourself."

His mother, sensing his mental state, nodded slightly. "Your state is good. It seems you have truly shifted your perspective and broken through your inner barriers."

Wang Yin smiled faintly. "The key to the Emperor’s Imperial Heart is not to avoid failure, but to fear it no longer."

"From this moment on, every failure shall be but nutrients to nourish my heart, never again hindering my cultivation."

"Henceforth, I command the technique; it shall no longer bind my thoughts."

The woman nodded. "And if you encounter Zhang Yu again?"

Wang Yin said indifferently, "Such an ant is merely a blade in the hands of others. Unless necessary, I have no interest in striking him."

The woman smiled. "Very well, then let me test your heart once more."

With a thought, she projected a light screen before them.

Watching the display, Wang Yin asked, "What is this?"

"The civil engineering competition footage from Ten Thousand Laws University," she replied coldly.

"Zhang Yu participated in this."

"See for yourself... the other side of Zhang Yu that you have never witnessed."

Hearing the name, Wang Yin’s expression remained unmoved, showing no sign of emotional fluctuation.

But as the footage sped up, watching the first half of the battle between Zhang Yu and Su Yanyang, his brows furrowed slightly.

He turned his head, forcing a smile. "Mother, what is there to see in this competition?"

"Keep watching," she commanded coldly. "Open your eyes and look closely at Zhang Yu’s performance."

Under her insistence, Wang Yin watched the second half.

When it ended, he could not help but ask, "What was Zhang Yu’s final result?"

"Seventh in civil engineering. He was granted the Seven Absolutes of the department," she said, explaining the significance of the title before adding, "Zhang Yu has been accepted as a nominal disciple by the True Monarch of Green Wood."

"It seems he will be a key focus of their cultivation."

Watching the shift in Wang Yin’s expression, she continued, "Perhaps in a few years, he will secure a military certificate and master the Heaven-Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power."

Seeing Wang Yin’s ragged breathing, she sighed. "It seems you have not truly mended the flaws in your heart."

Wang Yin forced a laugh. "Mother, I only need time to adjust."

"The stronger Zhang Yu becomes, the more effective the tempering of my heart. It is a good thing."

"The more he wins, the more I win alongside him..."

His mother shook her head and sent the recording to him. "You disappoint me."

"Watch it when you have time."

"Only when you can watch this with a heart as still as an ancient well, without a ripple of emotion, will you have truly mended your flaws."

The day after the civil engineering competition awards were distributed.

Zhang Yu arrived at the simulated construction site appointed by Director Gao, harboring a faint glimmer of anticipation.

Glancing at Zhang Yu, who had just arrived, Director Gao said indifferently: "Today, I will impart to you the second of the Seven Wonders of Civil Engineering: the Great Wilderness Mountain-Moving Force."

"This technique is the foundation of power generation among the Seven Wonders. By combining your physical body with internal energy to mimic the power of various geological disasters, every move and stance possesses unparalleled might, useful for both construction and tempering the strength of your flesh."

As Director Gao spoke, a colorless aura surged forth with his punch, manifesting as a visible ripple that violently shook the earth, erupting with the force of an earthquake.

He then pressed his palm downward, and the rolling energy acted like a collapsing mountain or a fracturing peak, reducing the entire patch of ground into layers of dust, as if they had been transported to a vast desert.

"Landslides, earthquakes, mudslides, rockbursts, desertification... every move and stance of the Great Wilderness Mountain-Moving Force can alter the terrain."

"And if combined with the Profound Yellow Mountain-Suppressing Seal, its power is multiplied even further..."

As Director Gao explained, Zhang Yu gained a deeper understanding of the formidable nature of this technique.

Zhang Yu thought to himself: "The Mountain-Moving energy produced by this technique acts like a seismic vibration; not only is it ferociously powerful and destructive, but it can trigger tremors in the earth itself."

"As long as the force behind it is strong enough, it can create effects akin to earthquakes, landslides, mudslides, or desertification."

Zhang Yu recalled the Small Triad techniques used by Shi Huaiyu, Ma Xuan, and Su Yanyang during the competition.

"The reason they could alter the terrain, manipulate mud and sand, and trigger geological-like destruction when using the Small Triad is precisely because of the Profound Yellow Mountain-Suppressing Seal and the Great Wilderness Mountain-Moving Force."

Director Gao, having finished his explanation, watched with anticipation as Zhang Yu began to practice the Great Wilderness Mountain-Moving Force.

"This kid mastered the Profound Yellow Mountain-Suppressing Seal in one hour and fifteen minutes last time."

Director Gao kept a stoic expression, but inwardly he wondered: "How long will it take him to master the Great Wilderness Mountain-Moving Force this time?"

"I've mastered it." After Zhang Yu practiced the technique in a hurried, gulping fashion, the memories of practicing this art flooded his mind, and he felt as if every move and stance were already etched into his consciousness, as if he had practiced them over and over again.

However, he naturally did not announce that he had already mastered the martial art; instead, he performed it a second time before Director Gao.

Before coming to receive Director Gao’s guidance, he had consulted with Shi Huaiyu.

Back then, it had taken Shi Huaiyu nearly three days to fully master the Great Wilderness Mountain-Moving Force.

According to Shi Huaiyu, the fastest student in the history of the Civil Engineering Department to master this technique had taken about half an hour.

Thus, 48 minutes later, as Zhang Yu practiced again and again, his movements steadily improved, transitioning from a novice's fumbling to a refined mastery.

After all, the memories of him practicing the Great Wilderness Mountain-Moving Force step-by-step were still fresh in his mind, and imitating them now was a natural progression.

Director Gao watched from the side, nodding repeatedly.

In his eyes, every repetition by Zhang Yu showed visible progress, revealing a truly astonishing talent.

When 48 minutes had passed, as Zhang Yu threw a punch that cracked a large expanse of ground, Director Gao was once again struck with amazement.

"He mastered it in just 48 minutes?"

"I recall that any records faster than this... were almost all fabricated for the sake of hype."

"This boy's aptitude is truly..."

Zhang Yu looked at Director Gao and said: "Teacher, I have mastered it."

Director Gao nodded and said: "The situation within the department is complex; someone might try to target you at any time. Do not tell anyone else about the speed of your progress."

Seeing Zhang Yu nod, Director Gao continued: "Next, I will tell you about the arrangements for your future military certification exam."

(End of chapter)