Chapter 435: Couldn't Help Softly Groaning (Thanks to 'Fenghuo Lian' for Gifting Alliance Leader)

Chapter 435: A Hum of Satisfaction (Thanks to ‘Fenghuo Lian’ for the Alliance Leader donation)

Su Yanyang and another examinee gathered around Ping Han, eager to learn the secrets of his success in coin speculation.

In their eyes, this senior, who had bided his time and finally secured his Military Certificate through the Nectar Coin, was a fountain of wisdom worth emulating.

Ping Han answered their questions with practiced patience, eventually steering them into his paid guidance group.

While chatting, he subtly probed their exam performance, confirming that both had fared poorly and were destined to miss out on the Military Certificate.

Ping Han then glanced at the despondent Xiao Yunjie, thinking to himself, "She’s been like this ever since she asked about the integrity of the array core. She must have lost to me on that front."

As for Zhang Yu, who stood nearby covered in blood, Ping Han had never considered the junior a rival; seeing his grievous injuries, he felt even more certain that the boy had no hope of claiming the certificate.

Surveying the state of his peers, Ping Han was ninety-nine percent sure that the Military Certificate was already his.

Though he maintained a calm exterior, his heart hummed with suppressed excitement; for a student, this certificate was everything.

"With this, I can finally cultivate the Heaven-Kunlun Mountain-Moving Power..."

Feeling the Earth-Wood Seven Absolutes he had practiced for years coursing through his veins, a profound sense of fulfillment washed over him.

"This isn't just about a chance at first place in the Inter-School League; with the Mountain-Moving Power, my path to postgraduate studies and the Golden Core Certificate is wide open. The road ahead is smooth."

At that moment, Ping Han saw endless promise in his future on the Immortal Path, and he couldn't help but hum a soft, triumphant tune.

He quickly quelled his excitement, reminding himself to steady his Daoist heart; he could not afford a slip-up at this critical juncture.

"Attaining the Golden Core is merely the beginning. My journey is still long."

With this thought, he smiled at Xiao Yunjie. "Junior Sister Xiao, a single failure is nothing. Why not learn about Nectar Coins? It will surely be of great benefit to your future cultivation."

Xiao Yunjie looked up at him, struck by the absence of the frantic, arrogant edge he had displayed after his initial profits.

Ping Han’s current state of mind was indeed excellent. To him, Xiao Yunjie was a defeated rival, no longer a threat, but rather a potential asset for his own immortal ambitions.

Seeing the hesitation in her eyes, Ping Han didn't mind. "How about I send you a file? Take a look, and if you're interested, we can talk more."

After sending the file, he turned to Zhang Yu. "Junior Brother Zhang, interested in learning more? It could help you undergo a transformation and drastically improve your odds for the next exam."

Seeing Zhang Yu shake his head, Ping Han remained indifferent. He figured the boy had no money anyway, so he simply returned to answering Su Yanyang’s questions.

Just as they were conversing, Zhang Yu received a message from his homeroom teacher, Jiao Lei.

True Person Jiao Lei: Director Lin asked me to pass on a message.

True Person Jiao Lei: If you are willing to apprentice under him, he is willing to pull strings in the Finance Department to approve a loan of 600 Spirit Coins for you.

Seeing the figure of 600 Spirit Coins, Zhang Yu’s heart hammered against his ribs, nearly aggravating his internal injuries.

"600 Spirit Coins?!"

"With 600 Spirit Coins..."

While his mind raced, another instructor added him as a friend. "Student Zhang Yu, True Monarch Lingyue wishes to take you as a disciple. Are you interested?"

The sender added: "The terms are negotiable; they will certainly be better than anyone else's."

True Monarch Lingyue was the head of the Earth-Wood Department, the "Old Director" whom Tu Lishan often mentioned—a Nascent Soul True Monarch.

Looking at the messages from Director Lin and the Old Director, Zhang Yu’s spirit, which had been set ablaze by the prospect of the loan, gradually cooled.

"It seems my performance in the Military Certificate exam has caught their attention."

"Perhaps... even before the Heavenly Court makes an announcement, they already believe I have a high chance of winning."

Calmly, Zhang Yu did not rush to accept either offer, leaving room for further negotiation.

He glanced at Ping Han and the others, contemplating his own path.

"Director Lin has the Finance Department behind him. A 600 Spirit Coin loan is a massive gesture that could skyrocket my cultivation speed, but..."

"The Finance Department isn't for me. That path requires connections, background, and vast capital—it’s not a road one can walk on talent and technique alone."

"Besides, the Finance Department is notorious for stripping people clean. Offering me a 600 Spirit Coin loan right off the bat... who knows what kind of traps await?"

Though he hated to turn down the money, Zhang Yu knew he wasn't suited for the Finance path, even with the certificate.

Then, the image of True Monarch Lingyue crossed his mind. "Setting aside the neutrality of his faction, the Old Director himself is a ticking time bomb."

Zhang Yu had been in the Earth-Wood Department long enough, and with the help of well-informed friends like Tu Lishan and Feng Tingting, he knew the truth: the True Monarch was aged, his lifespan nearly exhausted, and he had been desperate to extend it.

"He’s already half a foot into the Spirit Realm. If I apprentice under him... does he have the time or resources to cultivate me, or am I just a vessel to be drained for his longevity?"

"He likely can't wait for the returns I might bring him in the future. He’d probably drain my value the moment I stepped through the door."

A moment’s thought convinced Zhang Yu that neither path was viable.

However, just because he wouldn't choose them didn't mean they were useless.

"Director Gao and True Monarch Magnetic Pole will likely approach me soon, too."

"Keeping these options open will only drive up my price."

A short while later, Deng Bingding returned the examinees to the university town.

Before they departed, he sent them a URL.

"The exam results have been reported to the Heavenly Court. They will complete the review and publish the results within 15 working days."

"This is the link where the results will be posted."

Ping Han couldn't help but ask, "What’s the fastest turnaround?"

Deng Bingding glanced at him with a flicker of pity that Ping Han failed to notice. "The Heavenly Court is busy. Three to five working days is the absolute minimum."

The group dispersed, and Deng Bingding took Zhang Yu to the hospital for an examination.

"Student Zhang Yu," Deng remarked with a sigh, "to think that in less than two and a half years of university, you’ve progressed further than you did in three years of high school."

They exchanged pleasantries, and once at the hospital, Zhang Yu requested a bag of medicine and insisted on being discharged.

"With my recovery rate, these injuries are serious but manageable with rest. No need to occupy a hospital bed. Besides, Old Gao has it hard enough; I’ll save him some money. This medicine is enough."

But as Zhang Yu walked down a quiet street, he noticed all the shops were shuttered, and there wasn't a soul in sight.

He looked toward the street's entrance and realized passersby were acting as if the road didn't exist, instinctively veering around it.

As he stood there, bewildered, a figure draped in the starry night appeared before him.

"Senior Sister Ye?" Zhang Yu asked, surprised.

Ye Xingli looked at him with a strange expression, then silently produced True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s Profound Female Heavenly Bead.

A moment later, a graceful figure in ornate palace robes manifested—the avatar the True Monarch had used to speak with Zhang Yu before.

Zhang Yu realized instantly that this street had been taken over by the True Monarch’s Nine Heavens Primordial Yang Tower, suppressing all matter entangled with the Spirit Realm so that it remained invisible to ordinary eyes.

"True Monarch?"

The True Monarch sent a private message: "How did you do on the exam?"

After speaking with True Monarch Qiyun, the Magnetic Pole True Monarch knew Zhang Yu must have performed well enough to potentially claim the certificate.

But he had decided to ask personally, knowing only Zhang Yu could provide the most accurate account.

Zhang Yu sent a message detailing the situation.

True Monarch Magnetic Pole nodded slightly, satisfied. "Not bad, not bad. I thought you were just going through the motions, but this is a pleasant surprise."

Having spoken, the Magnetic Pole Sovereign brushed his fingers over Zhang Yu’s wound and sighed softly, “With an injury this severe, why not recuperate longer in the hospital?”

Zhang Yu replied, “My constitution is resilient; a few days of rest will suffice. There is no need to squander money on a hospital stay.”

“Is there something you wish to discuss, Sovereign?”

The Magnetic Pole Sovereign said indifferently, “You are returning to your dormitory, are you not? Let us speak as we walk.”

With that, the Magnetic Pole Sovereign reached out and gathered Zhang Yu into his arms, adding, “With wounds such as these, you should not be wandering about. I shall carry you back.”

Nearby, Ye Xingli watched this scene unfold, her face etched with profound astonishment.

The previous exchange between the Sovereign and Zhang Yu had been conducted through private telepathy; Ye Xingli remained oblivious to the content of their conversation.

Seeing the Magnetic Pole Sovereign scoop up Zhang Yu and stride toward the exit, she was so startled that she instinctively blurted out, “Master, the streets are crowded with people.”

With a flick of his expansive sleeve, the Magnetic Pole Sovereign veiled Zhang Yu from sight, remarking casually, “It matters not. Under my personal concealment, none shall perceive us.”

As the Magnetic Pole Sovereign walked down the street with Zhang Yu cradled in his arms, Ye Xingli followed in his wake, her heart churning like a tempest-tossed sea.

Reflecting on the past, she arrived at a singular realization: this was the first time she had ever witnessed her master—or indeed, any manifestation of him—holding another person.

“Has the Master lost his mind to a cultivation deviation?”

“A man so composed, so aloof, so utterly self-contained... actually carrying a student back to his dormitory?”

Held within the Sovereign’s embrace, Zhang Yu grew increasingly uneasy.

Though he knew that under the Sovereign’s concealment, no passerby could possibly discern his presence, the sensation of the bustling crowds nearby left him feeling deeply awkward.

Zhang Yu spoke up at once, “Sovereign, pray tell, what is it you truly wish to discuss?”

The Magnetic Pole Sovereign let out a faint chuckle, looking down at the youth in his arms, “Old Gao carried you in this same manner during the examination, did he not?”

“What is your assessment of him?”