Chapter 408: For Zhang Yu, Dharma Treasure Artifact Spirit

Chapter 408: For Zhang Yu, the Artifact Spirit

"He refused?"

"I see."

"It's fine, you may return to your work."

Disconnecting the communication with Le Mulan, a thoughtful expression flickered across Yin Jiurao's face.

"A Foundation Establishment student from the first floor, and he actually refuses to sell his breeding rights? He won't even sell the seeds?"

"There is truly something suspicious going on here."

As a professor in the Department of Pharmacology, Yin Jiurao would normally have no interest in the seeds of a civil engineering student, even if he had reached the top ten of a competition in his sophomore year.

But an acquaintance had commissioned her to study Zhang Yu's biological materials, and in doing so, had shared a startling piece of news.

Wen Wuyai, a Soul Formation disciple of Heaven Sword University, was Zhang Yu's dual-cultivation partner.

There must be some secret hidden within Zhang Yu that compelled Wen Wuyai to seek him out for dual cultivation.

Yet, when she first heard this rumor, Yin Jiurao had dismissed it as trivial.

Especially after studying the data collected by the Department of Biology, she felt even more convinced that it was an unreliable piece of gossip.

After all, Zhang Yu had once sold some of his bodily materials to the biology department, and after her own analysis, she had found nothing remarkable about them.

At the very least, regarding bloodline information and dual-cultivation potential, Yin Jiurao had discovered nothing out of the ordinary.

How could a dignified Soul Formation disciple seek out a student with absolutely no potential for dual cultivation?

That was until... Yin Jiurao received another piece of information.

"Wen Wuyai has transformed himself into a biological female?"

"But his gender identity is clearly male."

Why would someone who identifies as a man choose to transform into a woman?

Yin Jiurao looked at Zhang Yu's file, a conjecture forming in her mind that she herself found incredible.

"Could it be that Wen Wuyai only did this because he wanted to dual-cultivate with Zhang Yu?"

Yin Jiurao felt she might have underestimated Zhang Yu; perhaps this boy really did harbor some secret.

And after Zhang Yu rejected her offer, she became even more certain that something was amiss.

"Heh."

"Since he won't sell for money, I shall have to find another way."

Yin Jiurao decided to initiate the seed-theft plan.

She whispered to herself, "I wonder when Wen Wuyai and Zhang Yu will cultivate together? If I could use that opportunity to indirectly steal a copy of Wen Wuyai's bloodline information through Zhang Yu, that would be a massive windfall."

...

Feng Tingting: Junior Zhang Yu, why don't you install a Dharma Remnant?

Feng Tingting: You aren't one of those old fossils from the Artifact Sect, are you?

Feng Tingting: Sigh, our Department of Artifact Refining is split between the Artifact Sect and the Dharma Remnant Sect. Those old professors of the Artifact Sect insist on the supremacy of artifacts, calling Dharma Remnants a heretical path.

Feng Tingting: They spend all day obsessing over soul-less, human-less production lines, claiming that installing Dharma Remnants—which requires retaining a portion of the physical body—is a burden. They argue we should follow the path of pure artifacts, completely abandoning flesh and human form...

Zhang Yu read the messages from Feng Tingting and found it rather interesting.

Since their last gathering, this senior from the Artifact Refining Department had added him as a friend and would occasionally regale him with all sorts of messy gossip, seemingly treating him as a close confidant.

Zhang Yu felt as though he were being subjected to a daily campaign of forced intimacy.

However, after hearing so much gossip, Zhang Yu made up his mind to listen more and speak less; heaven only knew how many places this senior might spread the things she heard from him.

Closing the chat window with Feng Tingting, Zhang Yu refocused his attention on the artifact he was refining.

Today, he hadn't gone to the pharmaceutical factory construction site, but had instead taken the time to practice in the artifact laboratory.

Since his technique for producing Azure Sand had long reached the requirements for the Azure Cloud-Gathering Pouch, Zhang Yu began the process of refining it.

As streaks of mana brilliance flashed, a small azure pouch drifted down before him; a Level 1 Azure Cloud-Gathering Pouch had been successfully forged.

This Azure Cloud-Gathering Pouch had cost Zhang Yu about 8 spirit coins in total, and he had no intention of making a second one. From here on, he planned to improve his skill level through Spirit Realm simulations, and in the future, repeatedly temper and adjust this artifact to gradually raise its grade.

Ye Xingli, standing to the side, turned her head and looked at the pouch in Zhang Yu's hand, smiling faintly. "Congratulations, Zhang Yu."

Compared to Azure Sand, Ye Xingli felt that this Azure Cloud-Gathering Pouch could truly be considered an artifact.

Zhang Yu said, "Senior, thank you for all your help during this time."

After some polite exchanges, Zhang Yu asked curiously, "Senior, I heard from Wen Wuyai last time that you were in the top five of the inter-university Dharma Remnant Design Competition?"

Ye Xingli waved her hand dismissively. "It's just a design competition. Some people have stronger refining skills than I do, but when it comes to a specific Dharma Remnant design, they don't necessarily beat me."

"Take our department's Soul Formation disciple, Senior Yan Qianji, for example. He only took tenth place in that competition; these things often have a lot to do with inspiration."

Zhang Yu continued, "Senior, I don't know much about intelligent artifacts. Do you think my Azure Cloud-Gathering Pouch could be loaded with a soul-cultivator?"

... At the pharmaceutical factory construction site.

Zhang Yu decided to test the Azure Cloud-Gathering Pouch he had refined.

He tapped the pouch at his waist, and as a surge of mana was injected into it, the artifact floated into mid-air. The mouth of the pouch opened, spitting out streams of Azure Sand.

The streams of sand were all aimed at the positions of the Formless Warriors, accurately pouring into these humanoid manifestations of energy.

Zhang Yu nodded slightly; using the Azure Sand was much more convenient now.

In the future, as the grade of the Azure Cloud-Gathering Pouch increased, it would not only be able to store and deploy more sand accurately, but it would also enhance the efficacy of the sand itself.

Of course, if he had to split off a portion of his own consciousness to operate the pouch, it would be too troublesome. That was why, after asking his senior for help, he had specifically equipped his artifact with an intelligent system.

Zhang Yu asked, "Old Zhao, how does it feel?"

The excited voice of Zhao Tianxing came from the Azure Cloud-Gathering Pouch: "Zhang Yu! I've actually become an artifact spirit!"

"Among the seniors who graduate from our school every year, very few get to become artifact spirits right out of the gate. I never imagined I'd be operating an artifact before even graduating."

"This artifact of yours is incredibly easy to use; it runs smoothly, the mana flow is fluid, and it hits exactly where I point it."

Zhang Yu felt a bit ashamed hearing this; how good could his little Level 1 piece of junk really be?

It was just that he was a novice at making artifacts, and Zhao Tianxing was a novice at being an artifact spirit—a case of the blind leading the blind.

Zhang Yu continued, "Alright then, Old Zhao, from now on, you'll be in charge of operating the Azure Cloud-Gathering Pouch for me."

Zhao Tianxing replied, "No problem. Operating this thing doesn't consume much computing power from the Spirit Realm; I can do it easily while I'm working my other jobs."

Zhang Yu said, "You don't need to watch it constantly; I'll only hire you for a few hours a day at most."

Although the operation of the pouch was simple and the consumption of the soul-cultivator's Spirit Realm computing pool was minimal, Zhang Yu wasn't exactly wealthy and couldn't afford to keep Zhao Tianxing on standby at all times.

But Zhao Tianxing took this job very seriously, even updating his resume while he worked.

"Serving as the primary artifact spirit for an artifact belonging to a top-100 student in the Civil Engineering Department of Ten-Thousand Dharma University, responsible for resource planning for large-scale construction, logistical support, and close-range artifact transmission."

Looking at this job description combined with his previous competition experience, Zhao Tianxing felt his income was bound to rise.

Zhang Yu glanced over to see the Azure Cloud-Gathering Pouch operating normally, leaving three strands of his consciousness to continue directing the Formless Warriors in their work, while he himself, wrapped in Formless Cloud Qi, began his practice of the eighth martial art of the Martial Saint Body.

Though these days were consumed by the construction of the pharmaceutical plant, the rigors of drug trials, and the relentless study of civil engineering and artifact forging, Zhang Yu remained confident he would master this eighth martial art within the month.

"I wonder what the second-tier effect of the Martial Dao Saint Body will be?"

Meanwhile, as he switched his Chain-Law Diagram set to the University Saint Body to facilitate his training, he felt the tendrils of his Divine Spirit Root stir, beginning yet another cycle of adaptive reinforcement.

Zhang Yu had never forgotten that with every previous session of cultivation, he could sense the Green Lotus Sword Embryo’s adaptive strengthening was a process of gradual, steady growth.

This was one of the core properties of the Dao Seed he had deduced ever since he first replicated it.

Though for now, it merely allowed his Chain-Law Diagram set to retain one percent of its efficacy after switching, it had only been a little over a month.

"In less than a year, when I switch to the University Saint Body, I will likely be able to retain ten percent of the effects from my frequently used Civil Engineering Saint Body and Qi-Pulse Flow."

"And in a few more years... it all depends on where the limits of this Green Lotus Sword Embryo truly lie."

Whenever he pondered this, Zhang Yu could not help but marvel at the terrifying potential of the Divine Spirit Root; when combined with his Chain-Law Diagram, it produced an explosive leap in power.

As for the active ability of the Green Lotus Sword Embryo, beyond its adaptive reinforcement—images of Bai Zhenzhen concealing her flying sword and wreaking havoc during the competition flashed through his mind.

He hurriedly suppressed the restless urge rising within him: "Hold back, Zhang Yu. If the active effect of this Divine Spirit Root is discovered, the trouble will be immense."

...

Inside the drug trial chamber.

Le Mulan injected the entire vial of experimental serum into Zhang Yu’s veins.

Zhang Yu had long grown accustomed to this; although the side effects of these experimental drugs were significant, his physical fortitude, bolstered by his bodily activation and the University Saint Body, allowed him to endure them with ease.

Even Xiao Qingxuan, who used to accompany him, no longer felt the need to attend these trials.

But this time, as the serum entered his bloodstream, Zhang Yu felt something distinctly wrong.

His blood surged with unnatural speed, and waves of heat erupted from his limbs and bones, leaving his entire body feeling increasingly feverish.

Looking at Le Mulan before him, a sudden, overwhelming impulse surged in his heart.

Noticing his strange behavior, Le Mulan asked in surprise, "Zhang Yu, what is wrong?"

Zhang Yu waved a hand, his voice calm, "A minor matter. Let me suppress it with my Supreme Will first."

His eyes flickered as he tapped on the avatar of Lian Tianji, initiating a video call.

As he gazed at the video of Lian Tianji, Zhang Yu felt the myriad of distracting thoughts that had just flooded his mind vanish into thin air.